I like both the Splinter and Milaana but I think the Splinter will ultimately have more appeal because it fits on a mod that is commonly available and it's regulated which takes most of the technique requirements out of it.
The Splinter is also simpler to make and will cost less. I haven't used the Milaana much since I got a Splinter, but that would be true no matter which one I prefer. Until I have a month or so of experience with the Splinter, it'll be the device I use most so I can learn as much as I can. For the advancement of science, I will force myself to do things I would normally not do, such as try to rig a whip for it. Why would anyone want to use a whip with it? I don't know, ask
@AJS. Since he's doing it, I am compelled to try it and see why. For science.
This is the tubing and connector for my MagicFlight Orbiter, stuffed into my 18/14mm M-M connector. There are two choke points in this system, one at each end, introduced by 3mm ID acrylic tubes. These are actually short pieces of the MagicFlight stem, one intended to be inserted into the MFLB (in this case inserted into my M-M connector) and the other to hold the whip tubing in place in the 14 mm connector that I used as a mouthpiece. That introduces a lot of restriction even before the drag of the whip comes into play. Since I was weaned on the Arizer Extreme (long whip) and the MFLB (try to inhale without breathing) the restriction in this system does not bother me, but some would hate it. It's not as bad as a milkshake draw, but it's far from free flowing.
For context, my method is to start pulling at 5 seconds and continue until it times out at 20 seconds.
So at 27W, my preferred power setting for flavour, I expected to see some fairly thin vapour in the connector. I did not. The smoothness of my inhale made me wonder if I might not be getting any vapour at all. I was. A lot, it turned out. Now I saw a reason to use this: it might be even smoother and cooler than using water.
At 30W (my usual finishing power) I still couldn't see vapour moving through the connector, but it produced a cool smooth thick hit. I suspected that the 3mm choke point might cause a hot spot in the load, and I was right. The centre was distinctly browner than the edges and needed stirring. Maybe this wouldn't happen with a more open air path, but then the outcome would also be different. For science, more testing is needed.
At 35W (where I go to get clouds for science) I finally started to see vapour in the globe. Not much, not enough to cloud the globe, but the hit I got was huge, thick, and only slightly harsh. The AVB was totally black. This was not combustion, but it sure was exhaustion. I don't often finish a load in three shots, and if I'd stayed at 30W I'd have gotten several more tasty hits. I'm a microdoser. I make a bowl last all day. Some people, however, need to finish a bowl in one or two hits. This setup would let you do that.
I don't want to be hasty, but I think a whip—or at least this whip—might be a viable alternative to a water tool. I'll need to try some direct comparisons with my bubblers, for science. I was skeptical that using a whip would be worth the encumbrance, but I'm impressed by its performance.
@AJS: I must apologize for scooping your whip report, but I'm hugely grateful to you for inspiring me to try it. Now I'm even more interested in your experience.