Vapes Like Zeus Arc GTS?

[ibrokemypie]

I've been a dynavap lover for a long time, and eventually pixked up an xmax v3 pro I also loved. Eventually I got a tinymight because of the hype and ended up never using it, I'm a light user, only like vaping one bowl a day, havr a pow tolerance, and the tinymight just rips through weed and batteries way faster than my other two vapes, and the high doesn't last as long.


At this point I'm done with on demand convection vapes at the moment, my xmax fills that niche well enough, so I want something different, a more conductiom focused session style vape for sipping, no work required sucking hot air through to make vapour.


The other day I had the pleasure of getting to try a Zeus Arc GTS and it was amazing, exactly the kind of easy sipling experience I am looking for and a perfect discreet and pocketable form factor. After turning it on it created clouds immediately just from a couple mtl sips, like a nicotine vape. No big sucks required. I almost bought it until I found out how many parts it has that arent reusable and need to be regularly replaced. That on top of non replaceable battery and only micro usb charging turned me off it entirely.


Now at the very elast I have a reference point for session vapes though, I want something with the same discreet portable form factor as the Zeus, with the same very easy sipping style clouds, no convection sucking like the xmax or the tinymight, but without the dumb anti consumer design of the zeus requiring regular part replacements. Swappable 18650 batteries is a huge plus but not essential, and it really needs to be at least as portable as my xmax.

Thankyou!

 

[InhaleExhale]

Arizer Air Max is a session vape, gets a convection/conduction hybrid label. You load the herb into a stem (or a gong) and set the temp. The heater engages when you draw on the vape, which is the convection, however the glass stem gets hot around the bud and bakes it (conduction). Uses replaceable 26650 batteries.

A session can be anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes. It has an auto-shutoff feature which, if you are into a bowl, can have to be reset and only takes a few moments to get back up to temp. The gong produces pleasant clouds, but isn't a heavy hitter like the TM2. - sessions still last about the same length. The oven is on the top so when you invert you are heat-soaking the vape electronics, best to withdraw between hits. Taking a hit is like taking an 8-15 second gentle pull at a speed similar to slow pulling on a milkshake.

I am a long time owner of a Solo II (similar oven, non-replaceable batteries) and while it's a slightly less powerful version I would imagine the experience to be about the same. It's a fantastic tasting vape! Easily can be found for under $200.

 

[Vaporware]

I think DaVinci makes good portable conduction stuff. I don’t think I’d buy the Ascent I have today for a few reasons, but the IQ2 or something should be a good option. Not sure how it compares to what you’ve tried though.

 

[ibrokemypie]

Arizer Air Max is a session vape, gets a convection/conduction hybrid label. You load the herb into a stem (or a gong) and set the temp. The heater engages when you draw on the vape, which is the convection, however the glass stem gets hot around the bud and bakes it (conduction). Uses replaceable 26650 batteries.

A session can be anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes. It has an auto-shutoff feature which, if you are into a bowl, can have to be reset and only takes a few moments to get back up to temp. The gong produces pleasant clouds, but isn't a heavy hitter like the TM2. - sessions still last about the same length. The oven is on the top so when you invert you are heat-soaking the vape electronics, best to withdraw between hits. Taking a hit is like taking an 8-15 second gentle pull at a speed similar to slow pulling on a milkshake.

I am a long time owner of a Solo II (similar oven, non-replaceable batteries) and while it's a slightly less powerful version I would imagine the experience to be about the same. It's a fantastic tasting vape! Easily can be found for under $200.

Mmmm doesn't sound like what im looking for tbh, I already have my xmax for longer convection 15s+ pulls (and the tinymight too), looking for something for 3-5s sips instead which is the experience I got with the Arc. Like a mtl nicotine vape, no big draw just sip vapour out as you want it.

Ty though!

 

[Grass Yes]

It sounds to me that you might like hybrid vapes. My personal favorite is the Firewood7, which is no longer made. However there is a new version the Firewood8 that is also very well reviewed.

For session hybrids, a lot of people really like the Crafty and Mighty, though I do not have one of those. They tend to retail very high in price, but there are often discounts.

I think Xmax also makes a couple of well liked conduction vapes, the Fog and the Ace.

 

[ibrokemypie]

TI think DaVinci makes good portable conduction stuff. I don’t think I’d buy the Ascent I have today for a few reasons, but the IQ2 or something should be a good option. Not sure how it compares to what you’ve tried though.

The davincis have definitely caught my eye, they *sound* like what I want, but everyone I've spoken to who owns one was not impressed.... I don't know if thats just because of different expectations or if there really are problems with them but at the price point I definitely would wanna try before I buy because of that....

 

[hinglemccringleberry]

How much herb was that Zeus Arc GTS holding?
The issue I see is that you're a low tolerance user who wants a change of pace, you want session conduction but you also don't like how much herb the Tinymight uses (which is odd because I thought the TM is supposed to do very good with small loads).
So we have a dilemma.
If you want those thick easy conduction hits, by nature it requires more herb than a on-demand Dynavap. You'll have to accept that.

Unpopular opinion, but the Goboof Alfa effortlessly chucks thick clouds from very short draws. I was surprised at how much vapor I was getting from a slow, 3-second long sip. 3-8 second draws are where it shines.
The Alfa chamber has something that the IQ's and the Pax's don't have... A heating pin thats part of the oven that goes through the middle of your load. And in my experience, it has fantastic extraction performance because of it. Of course you have to grind fine and pack tight with 0.15 and let it heat soak for a bit, just like all session conduction vapes. And it's a pain to load. And it doesn't have the cool features or good looks of the Pax's and IQ's. But if you want a true high performing sipper, the Alfa is a beast, its very under rated and under appreciated, and it's as small as an IQ. From a physics standpoint, I don't see how any other session conduction vape can do it on that level, when they don't have a center heating pin, which means they don't have as much surface area contacting the herb as the Alfa does. And it got me STONED. It's not the best flavor vape, but it's an absolute workhorse for getting medicated. The Mighty and Crafty hit that level of performance, but they use twice as much weed (0.25-0.3g) to get it done, unless you use dosing caps. But since the Mighty/Crafty are hybrid vapes, you do need longer draws, which means even they won't give you as ideal a sipping experience as the Alfa will.

 

[cptofnthng]

Crafty fits your bill.

 

[Vaporware]

The davincis have definitely caught my eye, they *sound* like what I want, but everyone I've spoken to who owns one was not impressed.... I don't know if thats just because of different expectations or if there really are problems with them but at the price point I definitely would wanna try before I buy because of that....

Yeah, it’d be good if you could try one first. In my experience with the Ascent though (and the newer ones should be even better) they can get you where you want to be just as well over a few minute session.

I think the main issue for people who are not impressed is that they are looking for the kind of big dense hits a long draw on the TM can deliver. I don’t know how it feels for everyone, but I can definitely feel more of an immediate tingling in my brain and very quick onset of effects from that.

I don’t think that’s really possible (at least for me) from a pure conduction device unless the chamber is huge, but really those effects can be too much for me sometimes and I’m probably happier getting there a bit slower.

I still do that with the Toad (convection, similar to TM) by just taking smaller and lower temp draws than a lot of people do, but if you prefer a whole slow session every time you turn it on that’s what conduction heaters are best at. I just tend to want a draw or two at a time, extracting a load over several “sessions”, so I generally prefer convection or special hybrids like the Firewood 7 that manage to maintain that on-demand style while mixing in some conduction.

I hope that helps!

 

[hinglemccringleberry]

Alfa fits your bill.

Fixed. No one on this forum gives a shit about the Alfa but it's the only one that will do what the OP is asking, more reliably than the Zeus. Crafty is hybrid heating which requires draws longer than 3 seconds.

 

[ibrokemypie]

Yeah, it’d be good if you could try one first. In my experience with the Ascent though (and the newer ones should be even better) they can get you where you want to be just as well over a few minute session.

I think the main issue for people who are not impressed is that they are looking for the kind of big dense hits a long draw on the TM can deliver. I don’t know how it feels for everyone, but I can definitely feel more of an immediate tingling in my brain and very quick onset of effects from that.

I don’t think that’s really possible (at least for me) from a pure conduction device unless the chamber is huge, but really those effects can be too much for me sometimes and I’m probably happier getting there a bit slower.

I still do that with the Toad (convection, similar to TM) by just taking smaller and lower temp draws than a lot of people do, but if you prefer a whole slow session every time you turn it on that’s what conduction heaters are best at. I just tend to want a draw or two at a time, extracting a load over several “sessions”, so I generally prefer convection or special hybrids like the Firewood 7 that manage to maintain that on-demand style while mixing in some conduction.

I hope that helps!

Hmm I didnt have this experience with the Zeus! I turned it on, took it outside and took 3 5s hits from it before turning it off, the clouds were the densest I've ever seen from a dry herb vape (and I own a tinymight!) and I didnt need a full session, I was where I wanted to be in only 3 hits, and that was with weed that was already half toasted! So if the DaVinci vapes aren't like that then I think I would be disappointed as well. Everyone seems to love the Firewood 7 as an on demand conduction vape, and it was my top competitor when deciding to buy the tinymight, but they were both super hype vapes and I honestly think the tinymight is the worst vape (for my use case) that I have ever used, regret buying it so much, so the firewood being recommended alongside it is a negative

Crafty fits your bill.

I have heard the crafty is just like a mighty, but with a smaller battery? The mighty never sounded like what I wanted tbh, worst of both worlds requiring long drags to get vapour but at the same time roasting your weed up if you turn it on and forget about it. The gigantic bowl size is also a negative to me, and I hear people complain about the battery on the mighty already, let alone the crafty!

How much herb was that Zeus Arc GTS holding?
The issue I see is that you're a low tolerance user who wants a change of pace, you want session conduction but you also don't like how much herb the Tinymight uses (which is odd because I thought the TM is supposed to do very good with small loads).
So we have a dilemma.
If you want those thick easy conduction hits, by nature it requires more herb than a on-demand Dynavap. You'll have to accept that.

Unpopular opinion, but the Goboof Alfa effortlessly chucks thick clouds from very short draws. I was surprised at how much vapor I was getting from a slow, 3-second long sip. 3-8 second draws are where it shines.
The Alfa chamber has something that the IQ's and the Pax's don't have... A heating pin thats part of the oven that goes through the middle of your load. And in my experience, it has fantastic extraction performance because of it. Of course you have to grind fine and pack tight with 0.15 and let it heat soak for a bit, just like all session conduction vapes. And it's a pain to load. And it doesn't have the cool features or good looks of the Pax's and IQ's. But if you want a true high performing sipper, the Alfa is a beast, its very under rated and under appreciated, and it's as small as an IQ. From a physics standpoint, I don't see how any other session conduction vape can do it on that level, when they don't have a center heating pin, which means they don't have as much surface area contacting the herb as the Alfa does. And it got me STONED. It's not the best flavor vape, but it's an absolute workhorse for getting medicated. The Mighty and Crafty hit that level of performance, but they use twice as much weed (0.25-0.3g) to get it done, unless you use dosing caps. But since the Mighty/Crafty are hybrid vapes, you do need longer draws, which means even they won't give you as ideal a sipping experience as the Alfa will.

When I went to my pharmacist I took my two dynavaps with me as he was interested in seeing them (18 and 19m), and they had some weed in them. They werent even close to packed full, just shoved some bud ungeound into them the day before, and the bud was already half vaped and quite brown. For my test of the zeus I tipped them both into one of its pods. After my couple hits to test I tipped the pod back into the vapes and it fully filled one dynavap and a third the second, the weed also still had a few hits left even then!

The Alfa sounds quite promising! As you say it seems a lot simpler and older in design than the other vapes, but I have read multiple reviews saying small 5s hits is where it shines, I judt wish I could find more information about it... The micro usb and lack of replaceable battery are both cons, and I have read the miuthpuece isnt very nice and wffects the flavour a fair bit, and suffers at higher temps, hows your experience there?

I also dont really have a grinder that does a fine grind, most of my vapes dont even require a grind (except the tinymight) so its not something I do super often. The tinymight might be able to to well with small loads, but my problem is it uses up the entire load very very quickly which means no matter how much you put in, youre gonna have to refill it over and over if you want multiple hits over the course of a night and I really cannot be bothered doing that when I can just fill my xmax once and have that last me the whole night!

 

[TigoleBitties]

Yeah, it’d be good if you could try one first. In my experience with the Ascent though (and the newer ones should be even better) they can get you where you want to be just as well over a few minute session.

I think the main issue for people who are not impressed is that they are looking for the kind of big dense hits a long draw on the TM can deliver. I don’t know how it feels for everyone, but I can definitely feel more of an immediate tingling in my brain and very quick onset of effects from that.

I don’t think that’s really possible (at least for me) from a pure conduction device unless the chamber is huge, but really those effects can be too much for me sometimes and I’m probably happier getting there a bit slower.

I still do that with the Toad (convection, similar to TM) by just taking smaller and lower temp draws than a lot of people do, but if you prefer a whole slow session every time you turn it on that’s what conduction heaters are best at. I just tend to want a draw or two at a time, extracting a load over several “sessions”, so I generally prefer convection or special hybrids like the Firewood 7 that manage to maintain that on-demand style while mixing in some conduction.

I hope that helps!

I'm gonna second the Davinci's here. Cheaper I think to get the IQC and upgrade the mouthpiece to ceramic.
Nice big bowl, great for small hits over multiple uses. Very tasty conduction vape and it's small and discreet with a removeable battery. Stainless steel dosing caps are a nice option too.

I find it's best to fill the bowl to maximum with a slight tamp while filling and make sure the pearl is extended correctly. Most of the vapor path is ceramic and it does a nice job for small stealth sips. It can produce quite nice clouds if you let it heat soak for 30s after reaching temp. I vape at around 380 for good results.

 

[Vaporware]

I would read user experiences with the newer DaVinci stuff before buying one or ruling them out. In my experience the Ascent works best with a series of draws over a few minutes or more, but it’s possible that the newer ones are capable of faster extraction.

I think I was misinterpreting what you’re looking for though. If you want fast extraction of small amounts without having a long draw, you may be looking for something completely different.

In that range I think some portables like the Anvil might get you what you’re looking for, but a desktop is more likely to get you fast extraction with a short draw.

Hopefully someone who’s more into that style will give some good portable recommendations.

Edit: The low tolerance thing is throwing me off though…if you really have a low tolerance then fast extraction is probably going to give you more than you bargained for a lot of times.

Are you more worried about low tolerance issues or extraction speed? A session conduction with 5-10 small hits that were pre-made before you hit might fit you better than 3 big ones you have to work for…?

 

[ibrokemypie]

I would read user experiences with the newer DaVinci stuff before buying one or ruling them out. In my experience the Ascent works best with a series of draws over a few minutes or more, but it’s possible that the newer ones are capable of faster extraction.

I think I was misinterpreting what you’re looking for though. If you want fast extraction of small amounts without having a long draw, you may be looking for something completely different.

In that range I think some portables like the Anvil might get you what you’re looking for, but a desktop is more likely to get you fast extraction with a short draw.

Hopefully someone who’s more into that style will give some good portable recommendations.

Edit: The low tolerance thing is throwing me off though…if you really have a low tolerance then fast extraction is probably going to give you more than you bargained for a lot of times.

Are you more worried about low tolerance issues or extraction speed? A session conduction with 5-10 small hits that were pre-made before you hit might fit you better than 3 big ones you have to work for…?

Well maybe the problem is my classification of big hits. My tinymight and my dynavaps both obviously give very big hits, but thats not what I am looking for, since I already have them. But I also am not looking for a vape that take 15 minutes before it can produce clouds. I'm bot looking for a fast extraction per se, as I said, I tipped some half baked bowls out of my dynavaps into the Zeus's pod and only had three sips from it before turning it back off. Those three sips were five seconds long each and got me very thick clouds, but when I tipped the weed back into my dynavaps there were still a couple hits left in it. Definitely not looking for another dynavap one hit kinda experience! (like the anvil)

So fast extraction definitely isnt what I am looking for, the tinymight is super fast extraction and I hate it. I am just looking for something like the zeus, turn it on, take a couple small sips after it reaches temp, no long inhales and a couple nice little thick clouds.

It might be that when I tried the Zeus, I got what I would call nice little thick clouds, but other people try it and don't get gigantoc billows like with the tinymight so they see it as weak?

 

[Shit Snacks]

So fast extraction definitely isnt what I am looking for, the tinymight is super fast extraction and I hate it

Have you tried using the TM with simple WPA mesh basket screen and hook or other dry glass or aftermarket all glass cooling stems? Starting as low as possible on the dial, turning it up tiny bit by tiny bit, for each hit you take... Definitely doesn't have to be a fast extraction in tinymight in my experience

 

[Choices]

Look into the Elev8 Sidekick. I think you should consider it especially for the current price of under $70 with promo code. I use mine in just the manner you state you are looking for with nice results. Has a built in stir tool in the lid that is really nice. Let me know if you are interested in more details.

 

[ibrokemypie]

Have you tried using the TM with simple WPA mesh basket screen and hook or other dry glass or aftermarket all glass cooling stems? Starting as low as possible on the dial, turning it up tiny bit by tiny bit, for each hit you take... Definitely doesn't have to be a fast extraction in tinymight in my experience

Yup tried this a bunch, always end up just going back to my xmax instead, seems to get more out of the weed (and the battery god the tinymight rips through them so fast, even on temp setting 0)

Think its just not for me, its more work and more weed for less enjoyment... Anyway its nothing like the Zeus I tried and thats the experience I am looking for right now!

 

[hinglemccringleberry]

The Alfa sounds quite promising! As you say it seems a lot simpler and older in design than the other vapes, but I have read multiple reviews saying small 5s hits is where it shines, I judt wish I could find more information about it... The micro usb and lack of replaceable battery are both cons, and I have read the miuthpuece isnt very nice and wffects the flavour a fair bit, and suffers at higher temps, hows your experience there?

I also dont really have a grinder that does a fine grind, most of my vapes dont even require a grind (except the tinymight) so its not something I do super often.

Yes, the featureset sucks. The loading and the fine grinding is a hassle too, but those are the things you'll need to deal with to get the performance you're after. The mouthpiece did not effect flavor at all IME, it's food grade silicone. The issue is it gets very hot but there are simple mods to fix that, like putting a piece of foil inside of it.

And you'll need to get a fine grinder.

The realities you must face to get the performance you seek:
1) grind fine and pack tight. Use the included donut screens on the top and bottom of the load.
2) deal with the Alfa's substandard features, spotty reliability, finicky charging, poor customer service, and the fact that the battery will eventually croak. Also, it's stinkier than a Pax.

If you can get past all of that, boy does it deliver. Anyone who says the Alfa has sucky performance was either 1) dealing with a faulty unit, or 2) user error, not packing it correctly, not letting it heat soak, not grinding fine, or their weed sucked.

 

[TigoleBitties]

Yes, the featureset sucks. The loading and the fine grinding is a hassle too, but those are the things you'll need to deal with to get the performance you're after. The mouthpiece did not effect flavor at all IME, it's food grade silicone. The issue is it gets very hot but there are simple mods to fix that, like putting a piece of foil inside of it.

And you'll need to get a fine grinder.

The realities you must face to get the performance you seek:
1) grind fine and pack tight. Use the included donut screens on the top and bottom of the load.
2) deal with the Alfa's substandard features, spotty reliability, finicky charging, poor customer service, and the fact that the battery will eventually croak. Also, it's stinkier than a Pax.

If you can get past all of that, boy does it deliver. Anyone who says the Alfa has sucky performance was either 1) dealing with a faulty unit, or 2) user error, not packing it correctly, not letting it heat soak, not grinding fine, or their weed sucked.

Can't pass judgement on the Alfa since I've never tried one but I think the DaVinci will give you what you're looking for.
Great with 5s sips
big 0.5g bowl
USB-C charging (on the IQC, get ceramic mouthpiece and it's better value than IQ2 imo)
Removeable battery
Identical size to Zeus
Easy to clean (mostly ceramic/zirconia vapor path with some silicone)
Nice dosing caps available

Think of it as a much better Zeus I would say. It does work best with a fine grind and a full bowl packed firmly (not super tight), but this is the case for almost all conduction vapes. I get about 3 short sessions off of a full bowl. Just turn it off while drawing to cool it down and come back to it later. A session being about three 5sec hits.

 

[ibrokemypie]

Can't pass judgement on the Alfa since I've never tried one but I think the DaVinci will give you what you're looking for.
Great with 5s sips
big 0.5g bowl
USB-C charging (on the IQC, get ceramic mouthpiece and it's better value than IQ2 imo)
Removeable battery
Identical size to Zeus
Easy to clean (mostly ceramic/zirconia vapor path with some silicone)
Nice dosing caps available

Think of it as a much better Zeus I would say. It does work best with a fine grind and a full bowl packed firmly (not super tight), but this is the case for almost all conduction vapes. I get about 3 short sessions off of a full bowl. Just turn it off while drawing to cool it down and come back to it later. A session being about three 5sec hits.

just ordered a second hand iqc! considering I am a light user (one bowl from dynavap or xmax does me for a night), should I be getting the ss dosing capsules or the zirconia spacers?

 

[Shit Snacks]

just ordered a second hand iqc! considering I am a light user (one bowl from dynavap or xmax does me for a night), should I be getting the ss dosing capsules or the zirconia spacers?

I mean you might as well try both then? I never tried the capsules, but the spacers are very effective for loading small amounts so they can extract well and I typically use them

 

[TigoleBitties]

just ordered a second hand iqc! considering I am a light user (one bowl from dynavap or xmax does me for a night), should I be getting the ss dosing capsules or the zirconia spacers?

Congrats on your purchase and hope it delivers what you're looking for .

I've got an IQ2 which is super similar to the newer IQC. It's my portable outdoor vape. Built like a tank, stealthy, big bowl and nice flavor for a conduction vape.

If you do get the dosing caps, go for the stainless steel ones, not the ceramic. Fine grind, packed firmly with a little heat soak (20s or so) after you reach your temp (I like 380-390F) and you should get nice pulls fairly easily. I found I like using the wpa as a mouthpiece over the flat mouthpiece but to each his own.

 

[Adobewan]

just ordered a second hand iqc! considering I am a light user (one bowl from dynavap or xmax does me for a night), should I be getting the ss dosing capsules or the zirconia spacers?

Great choice. Yes on the spacers for your needs.
Best of luck with your IQC.