So after a lot more testing, I come to the same conclusion as with the Tempest V1. It’s insane but the manual is a trap.
I couldn’t get any good hits so I decided to do the same thing I did with the Tempest V1 and disregarded the manual and made the Tempest sit much higher so the notches protrude about 1–2 cm and upped the temperature to 300–310 with Zirc (330 with Ruby).
(Downside is you can’t see the VI anymore like with the glass adapter but I usually get a feeling for it and pull it to check.)
Head airflow is about 30–40% open and stem is fully closed. Results are insane. All of a sudden I blow huge clouds and the taste is so unbelievably good I would say I have never tasted cannabis like this in my life. My Frozen Lemon Mints tastes like I’ve drank a minty lemonade.

This is still at smallest setting so this is only the beginning. I will test a lot more but I can say this is a winner.
For me, minus the top housing screw issue, the definitive choice for a portable ball vape.
It’s not even that a Tornado or other vapes suck, but the Tempest combines many intricacies and details no other vape delivers.
The way I can effortlessly take gigantic OHE rips that make me lay down or rip many huge hits for a long time with breaks to be able to talk, not having to rush, was something I was always chasing and it’s here.
200% better than on Tempest V1 in that regard!!! Also the taste got even better IMHO! (Maybe the higher, better quality of heat or the more direct stem.)
Congratulations Brenyo, I’m sure once everyone got their hands on it this will be talked about as it pushed and refines the Tempest V1 in ways that actually pushes it over the edge fully!!

So to people who read here and are struggling: disregard the manual with depth setting and set the Tempest much higher and up the temp!! It’s about 1000% better for me now. In love to be honest! Basically set it as high as you still can get dark brown roast with around 300-310C.
It’s not all roses though, to be fair and transparent:
- My Tempest V2 floats on the top screw and scratched my Reload beyond belief unfortunately. I also looked for burrs and swapped to the flat screw from my Tempest V1. Still hovers even though it’s better. I feel my indicator housing has been maybe slightly misdrilled (0.5 mm or something) so sanding doesn’t help here.
- My CCD got nicked and it’s kinda impossible to set it perfectly now so it’s pretty crooked even with the C-shaped tool as help (very cool idea btw!)
- Also super minor: I wasn’t aware that it came with rubies and I bought another pair so now I have a useless pack of rubies and ball screen here.
Anyways, rant/raving over, have a good one family!