The Vape Pen - reviewed

[MoeOnTheMoon]

I apologize for the original comment I made about having doubts about the vape-pen, my first impression was not great, as both batteries kept going off while I was unwrapping them and the kit just seems sparse compared to what you get with other kits. So far, I am getting excellent results from my new vp mini. Since I am not in CA I do not have access to the custom liquid, but have had good results so far from my own VG based extract. I know it says not to use VG, but it's the only thing I can use, I can not use anything that is made with PG because I am allergic, so I did not test the ginseng they provided assuming it was made with PG. It would be great if there was a PCC available, and I still plan to look into the Revolver's atomizers and pcc to see if they will function properly with the vp mini since they are the same size. I have chosen to void my warranty by using my own juice, but I have had positive results so far, and have had success using it in the L88b units. The vape-pen mini does seem to be heating at a lower temp as they claim, and I am getting excellent vapor from it so far. I also think the lower temp is allowing the extract to be a bit more effective than what I have experienced from the regular L88b models. It also eases my concern of overheating the VG so I don't end up with toxic vapor (I had some nasty experiences with the 510 getting too hot). It is a good unit, just needs a few more perks to make the price seem worth it, like a PCC and a back up atomizer with the kit. So far I give it a thumbs up, and will take my chances with my experiment.

Thanks for clarifying your comments.

The atomizer can be exchanged within 3 months if it fails (assuming it is used with only approved liquids, that is), so I suppose that is why it does not include an extra. And as I said, while it looks like an e-cig the cost of changing it was enough to warrant the higher price, from what I understand.

Hope it continues to work for you. I wish everyone could try it with the proper liquids - if it were legal and available all over the country, I wouldn't be surprised if this would be the biggest thread on this board! It's really nice to be able to vape anytime, anywhere, with no fear of being caught. Movie theaters, restaurants, just about anywhere. The people who have tried it all seem to love it.

 

[jambandphan03]

 

[MoeOnTheMoon]

I understand that you want to show your support of your friends who make this product, but it would be nice if you were to remain open to the consumer's thoughts as well. Granted, my original post was a bit hasty, and I'll admit that, but at the same time when I mention that the product could use some improvements, like the fact that it has no portable charger, or an extra atomizer included just in case something went wrong with the first, there should be some willingness to allow those comments to be made, without arguing the same points again, and again about how they spent so much time and money to create the pv. Ultimately the consumer is going to be the ones who make or break this, so their opinions should be heard as well. I do think it is a good product, and I am opting to void the warranty, mainly because I don't have the direct access to the proper fluid. There are many other good people out there that can not get it either and might like to know if there are any alternatives. I'm going to be direct about what I find works for me. I think this is a great tool, and much safer way to be able to self medicate. I personally have felt much healthier since I have been using these vapor cigs, no matter which brand they are. I didn't want to take my new v-p out to my gig tonight, so I took my Volcano instead, and still got great results from it. Once the v-p website has more to offer its customers, I will be more than happy to continue to give them my business, but until they have it worked out so we can buy extra parts easily... I will continue on my path to try to find alternatives that will work right now, and report back to what I have found, if it works or not. I hope the trend continues and more people are allowed to take care of their vaping needs, be it nicotine or herbal, over all we are all on the same team, trying to make life better for ourselves and those around us.

Fair enough. Your recommendations and opinions will be passed along.

 

[MacRadish]

and I am opting to void the warranty, mainly because I don't have the direct access to the proper fluid. There are many other good people out there that can not get it either and might like to know if there are any alternatives.

I'm one of them. I wanted to use readily available atomizers and have options of using different style atomizers (510, 801, 901, etc) as well as 6 volt vaping. So I decided to test my home made e-juice using e-cigarette supplies versus voiding a vape-pen warranty. Since I too cannot find their juice here in Colorado.

I will continue on my path to try to find alternatives that will work right now, and report back to what I have found, if it works or not.

Me too, and what I made definitely works. Albeit, in the long run it is time consuming and certainly not as pure as what would come from a Supercritical Fluid Extractor costing 50 g's. But you gotta do what you gotta do, and it's called improvising.

This morning I received a very nice email from the CEO of vape-pen. Things may be looking better with regards to juice access here in CO.

 

[jambandphan03]

 

[MacRadish]

I was about to reply but you then edited. So, a re-write, :-)

I am still a bit confused as to why the v-p website says NO to VG, when so many other e-cig liquid companies are selling it,

It confuses me as well. Especially since they say their atomizer fires at a lower temp then a standard e-cig and you're right, many US companies are making e-juice with VG.

I don't think the automatic models heat up enough to make the VG toxic, though I have tasted some nasty flavors from my 510 manual atomizer after it got really hot. I simply cleaned it and tried not to let it overheat like that again.

Too much heat on the sponge material gives me the nasty flavors. During one of my THe-juiCe demonstrations at a dispensary, the owner, not knowing anything about e-cigs, took such a long draw (manual MOD from thagbuilt.com) that the plastic 801 cartridge melted a bit. THAT couldn't of tasted good.

 

[jambandphan03]

 

[jambandphan03]

 

[MoeOnTheMoon]

well, I am already noticing a diminished amount of vapor due to atty showing signs of clogging, which I suspected would happen with the juice I am currently using, I just couldn't wait to try it out, so I knowingly put goopy juice in there. I decided to put the v-p down and wait until I get the centrifuge to see if that doesn't help clean up my liquid enough to stop gunking up the atty. I am back to using my regular e-cigs for now, I don't want to completely ruin the v-p atty this early on, so I will post more about my results if I can get my liquid to clear up some more. I'm still hopeful that it will work for me. Revolver still doesn't have their atty's stocked up yet, still waiting for that to happen. I have also contacted the v-p folks to see if I can't get another atty or two from them as well. It's all a learning process.

I think it would be a good idea to post your experiments with self-made liquids in your own thread (or actually I think there is one already), the reason being that the vape-pen is not intended for use with home made liquids and is in fact designed to go with specially made and sold liquids. So it's off topic, and people who might come here to learn about the vape-pen and it's legitimate use with specially made liquids will have to read through a bunch of stuff about making liquids that won't work.

From talking to the CEO of Vape-Pen, I know they are not against people making their own liquids, not at all. Just that they shouldn't use them in the Vape-Pen because it will ruin it.

 

[jambandphan03]

You have a good point, I didn't consider that being an issue. I will move my topic over to a new thread.

Here is a comment I picked up from another forum that you might be pleased to see here:

"Vape-Pen used with recommended liquid herb that is sold to be used in it, it works like a dream! (a Blue Dream, actually!)"

so there you go

p.s. feel free to edit your posts as well, if you don't want this discussion to show up in this thread.

 

[stickstones]

well, I am already noticing a diminished amount of vapor due to atty showing signs of clogging, which I suspected would happen with the juice I am currently using, I just couldn't wait to try it out, so I knowingly put goopy juice in there. I decided to put the v-p down and wait until I get the centrifuge to see if that doesn't help clean up my liquid enough to stop gunking up the atty. I am back to using my regular e-cigs for now, I don't want to completely ruin the v-p atty this early on, so I will post more about my results if I can get my liquid to clear up some more. I'm still hopeful that it will work for me. Revolver still doesn't have their atty's stocked up yet, still waiting for that to happen. I have also contacted the v-p folks to see if I can't get another atty or two from them as well. It's all a learning process.

I think it would be a good idea to post your experiments with self-made liquids in your own thread (or actually I think there is one already), the reason being that the vape-pen is not intended for use with home made liquids and is in fact designed to go with specially made and sold liquids. So it's off topic, and people who might come here to learn about the vape-pen and it's legitimate use with specially made liquids will have to read through a bunch of stuff about making liquids that won't work.

From talking to the CEO of Vape-Pen, I know they are not against people making their own liquids, not at all. Just that they shouldn't use them in the Vape-Pen because it will ruin it.

It could use its own thread, but I disagree a little. Given the scarcity of the official tincture with legal issues at this point, I would bet a lot of people are interested in this pen from a homebrew point of view. Whether jamband gets the formula right or not, the info will be of use to a lot of people.

 

[MoeOnTheMoon]

It could use its own thread, but I disagree a little. Given the scarcity of the official tincture with legal issues at this point, I would bet a lot of people are interested in this pen from a homebrew point of view. Whether jamband gets the formula right or not, the info will be of use to a lot of people.

This product is a little different than other "vaporizers" in that it was specifically designed only to be used with dispensary-purchased liquid medical marijuana and other proprietary herb formulas (ginseng, valerian, etc.), and that using other liquids will almost certainly ruin it.

Since this product is just starting out in the market place, right now there are not a lot of posts about it because no one (here) except me is using it for its intended purpose. However, in the future I suspect people will come here to read and ask questions about the Vape-Pen they just bought, and when they do I doubt they will want to sift through tons of posts about home-made liquids that will screw up their purchase. So I will only repeat my request that the talk of home made liquids would be better off in its own thread.

 

[MoeOnTheMoon]

You have a good point, I didn't consider that being an issue. I will move my topic over to a new thread.

Here is a comment I picked up from another forum that you might be pleased to see here:

"Vape-Pen used with recommended liquid herb that is sold to be used in it, it works like a dream! (a Blue Dream, actually!)"

so there you go

p.s. feel free to edit your posts as well, if you don't want this discussion to show up in this thread.

I seem to be missing your point, jambandphan03. The quote above is that the Vape-Pen works great with the liquid herb that is sold to work with it (one of which is made from Blue Dream medical marijuana).

 

[stickstones]

Moe...you will be hard pressed to find a vape specific thread on this forum where there is not discussion about modifications. For some reason, we all like to fuck with these things and get them to work the way we like them to.

You seem to want to control this thread a little too tightly, in this moderator's opinion. Between your multiple, quick defenses of this product (even when it is not being attacked) and your signature promoting the manufacturer, I question your neutrality. This forum is about poking, prodding and questioning vaporizers and posting opinions about them, good and bad. This thread is about the vape pen, whether it is being used as intended or not, especially when such modifications are very likely to occur amongst its users.

 

[Progress]

I can understand why one would not want people advising others to use a vaporizer in a way that could damage the unit or endanger the user.

However, I also agree that such conversations (and worse) appear in most (of not all) of the model-specific threads on FC.

It may be best to just edit one BOLD comment into the first post, as that is where most look when seeking info on an unfamilliar unit (and that would cover any liability for the improper use of others).

I think that the vape pen is very interesting technology (it is a shame that users of it need be confined to the selection of proprietary liquids available).

Is the vape pen not for the homegrowers, then?

 

[MoeOnTheMoon]

Moe...you will be hard pressed to find a vape specific thread on this forum where there is not discussion about modifications. For some reason, we all like to fuck with these things and get them to work the way we like them to.

You seem to want to control this thread a little too tightly, in this moderator's opinion. Between your multiple, quick defenses of this product (even when it is not being attacked) and your signature promoting the manufacturer, I question your neutrality. This forum is about poking, prodding and questioning vaporizers and posting opinions about them, good and bad. This thread is about the vape pen, whether it is being used as intended or not, especially when such modifications are very likely to occur amongst its users.

Stickstones, it's your yard so I'll play by your rules. I was under the assumption that a thread starter had "rights" to ask people to take certain topics elsewhere, but if that is not the case, you have spoken and so be it. Let's agree to disagree then, no disrespect intended; and I will go along with your ruling.

As to questioning my neutrality, let me clarify: I am a fan of the Vape-Pen. I am not an employee of anyone as pertains to the Vape-Pen.

I am a friend of the CEO and I am a fan of the Vape-Pen, so I do what I do out of friendship and fan-dom. I know the CEO to be a good man with good intentions of creating a product that is safe to use (with the proper liquid from the "vape-meds" legal collective in California). So yeah, when people make disparaging remarks about him or his company, I am going to defend him whole-heartedly. When people use the Vape-Pen in a way that will void the warranty and ruin their product I will tell them about the warranty issue.

As you know from your position as a moderator, people often do not read the first thread. They jump ahead to the current topic in that thread. So I do feel justified in repeating myself in that respect. I hate saying "Go back and read the first post" or what-not. As a user of many forums I prefer people just answer my questions, and so I treat each post by a new poster as a new question and I answer it as if they know nothing from the previous pages (which, often, they do not).

Yes, I am promoting the Vape-Pen site in my signature because
a) the CEO is my friend; and
b) I believe in the product and want to help make people aware of it.

I hope this meets your approval.

 

[Progress]

My-Moon-Man-Moe,

Where can those of us who have card-holding friends in LA send them to try one of these pens?

If that is possible, it may provide some experiences that may be from people other than the friend of the CEO (no offense, but we all look out for our friends).

IMO, if the product is so good, invite some LA cardholder fuckers and do a demo (let your CEO friend know about this suggestion to clear up some of this nonsense if you wish). Good products deserve to be recognized (bad ones too).

 

[stevecam]

interesting, a vape that can plug in to your USB port

 

[MoeOnTheMoon]

My-Moon-Man-Moe,

Where can those of us who have card-holding friends in LA go to try one of these pens?

If that is possible, it may provide some experiences that may be from people other than the friend of the CEO (no offense, but we all look out for our friends).

IMO, if the product is so good, invite some LA cardholder fuckers and do a demo (let your CEO friend know about this suggestion to clear up some of this nonsense if you wish). Good products deserve to be recognized (bad ones too).

Well, you can send your card carrying friends to the HighArt99 Collective tonight on Abbot Kinney near Westminster, for their usual Friday night Happier Hour. The Vape-Pen will be there, I am guessing a patient will be able to try one there, they are the main L.A. suppliers right now. I think you have to pay $10 to get back into the party area but the regular co-op part is free to get in, of course. Sometimes the party includes free wine, sometimes free edibles, or both. At least free non-spiked snacks...

Otherwise, on other nights, call them and see if "the vape-pen girl" is going to be there. She works there part-time, not sure when. I think she about always shows up on Friday evenings around 8-9pm though. Not sure if they let you try it or not but you can see it in use. I *think* if you're a patient you can try it. Tonight the CEO is there. Had I known I could have arranged for you to meet him. If you can get over there tonight, ask for him, he's usually out in the patio area. I think they go pretty late, til 11pm or midnight...

 

[MoeOnTheMoon]

interesting, a vape that can plug in to your USB port

Yes, just to charge it. Once you charge it - either with the included AC adaptor or with the optional USB charger - it's good to go for a couple days or so. It has the type of battery that won't over charge and holds its charge quite a while.

 

[Progress]

Thanks Moe.

I am on Mars and you are off on the moon, but highart99 it is. I know some who will make it there and hopefully eventually try it.

Spread the word if you know any angels on the moon.

Toke it easy.

PS: If you don't understand what I am saying then it doesn't apply to you.

 

[MoeOnTheMoon]

Thanks Moe.

I am on Mars and you are off on the moon, but highart99 it is. I know some who will make it there and hopefully eventually try it.

Spread the word if you know any angels on the moon.

Toke it easy.

PS: If you don't understand what I am saying then it doesn't apply to you.

I look forward to the feedback from anyone using the Vape-Pen with Vape-Med herbal liquids!

 

[jambandphan03]

:/ Moe, I posted that last quote from another site, PROMOTING the v-p product being used CORRECTLY. If you missed the point then I don't know what to say to you. It was an attempt to steer the thread back in a positive direction, and I guess you just missed it all together
I'm not going to continue to post in this thread because I don't find it productive. Have fun promoting your friends product.

 

[MoeOnTheMoon]

:/ Moe, I posted that last quote from another site, PROMOTING the v-p product being used CORRECTLY. If you missed the point then I don't know what to say to you. It was an attempt to steer the thread back in a positive direction, and I guess you just missed it all together

Well, thanks for steering the thread back in a positive direction and I'm sorry I missed it.
Good luck!

 

[jambandphan03]

I might be stirring the pot (no pun intended) but I decided to peel the sticker label off the box for my vape-pen mini, and this was the logo I found under the label...

http://esmoke.en.ecplaza.net/9.asp

I have no doubt that these guys have figured out how to reprogram the microprocessor by accessing the firmware, and lowering the temperature, but the parts are being shipped in from China non the less. Maybe they are having them specially made directly in the factory (speculation) I don't know what I plan to accomplish by posting this here, other than the fact that I discovered it the other day and I feel like sharing my discovery.

Moe, I hope you don't take this personally, I am not trying to attack the V-P, just want to know if they are being honest with their customers. I have no doubt that the liquid meds have been long in development, and I am glad somebody out there is providing a means for patients to consume their medication in such a way, it not only seems like a safe way to medicate, but is also fun and discrete. I am all for that. But it is just an altered e-cig.