tuckthebear
Well-Known Member
Been lurking around on this site (great site btw) since last summer, but I feel I have something to contribute so here goes my first post.
Ive owned a Vapolution since the end of last summer and just picked up a PD (arrived a week ago). I really can't speak too knowledgeably about Da Buddah and how it compares to the Vapo since Ive only test driven a DBV a couple of times, so instead Ill share my thoughts on the Vapo and how it compares to the PD.
The Vapo has a much steeper learning curve than the PD, and as a consequence of being more difficult to use, is more prone to user error. Matter of fact, I *still* scorch the occasional load when I get distracted. This learning curve also makes sharing vapor with friends more difficult. Still, once you learn how to use it properly (took me about a week), it is very efficient and is the best tasting vape I have used, particularly with the AIW bowl. The PD comes close in the taste dept but all glass does make a difference. The Vapo heats up pretty quick. After plugging mine in, I am tasting vapor in about 6mins. Very versatile vape as it has a variety of bowls/whips you can use (the AIW glass vapor tube and the larger sized straight bowl/whip are my two favs) and with a skilled vaporist at the helm, you can either run it hot for thicker hits (I like the 1 o'clock spot on the dial for this), or turn it down for a smaller, thinner (and tastier IMO, at least at first) hits. The car adapter and battery pack make it portable, but the battery pack is rather clumsy, particulary when walking around with it.
Vapolution's customer service, in my experience, has been excellent. I have had to replace the vape twice (both earlier this year, both within a month of each other) and they were very responsive to my emails and turnaround time was fast. First time it broke was in Feb09. It was the temp knob that failed. Knob was fine until my dog and roommate's cat caught the power cord with their tails while chasing each other around the living room. Vapo got dragged off the table and hit the floor pretty hard. Afterwards,my Vapo still worked ok, but the temp knob became very gritty and seized up about a week later. Sent my vape to CA and one week and $25 later had a new Vapo in my hands. Fast forward about a month. I was running the Vapo off battery power in my kitchen. I set the vape down on the counter but failed to notice that while the vape was sitting solidly on the counter, the battery pack was right on the edge. Immediately after setting the vape down on the counter, as I reached for the AIW bowl that was still inserted in the top, the battery pack went over the edge of the counter and dragged the vape down to the floor with it. Since the AIW bowl was still in it when it fell, the results were a smashed AIW bowl and smashed glass heater. The Vapo folks were nice enough to replace my AIW bowl for free and only charge $25 for the broken heater (normally its $50) after I complained bitterly about the battery design. BTW, the vape is rugged enough to withstand the shock of most drops/falls, the exception being if it falls with the AIW bowl still inserted in the top. That will break the heater just about every time, or so the Vapo folks tell me.
I have something new to report, BTW. There is now a fix for the awkward battery problem. The Vapo folks finally came out with a harness for the battery. You slip the battery into the harness and slip the harness onto the vape. Don't know why they didnt do this sooner (or why I didnt just invest in a simple Velcro strap in the meantime!). I just ordered one yesterday by calling them directly (its new enough that its not available off their website yet), so I will get to test it out shortly. Mebbe with a simple mod or two, might be able to adapt it to my PD as well...
The PD by comparison is a simple device, and not in a bad way. Like the Vapo its another quality vape that is small, portable (using the Vapo batt pack), and efficient. Unlike the Vapo, there is no temp knob to fiddle with (or break!). The unit is very rugged. If the F250 that rolls over it in the vids couldnt break one, i doubt that even a partcularly nasty fall will do more than scratch up the wood body. Its also very pretty, but then im partial to wood. Feels better in the hand than the Vapo as its smaller. It tastes very good, tho not as good as the all-glass Vapo. On the other hand its stainless steel heat exchanger has more stored heat for you to draw upon. Unlike the Vapo, where its possible to overwhelm the heater by pulling too hard, particularly on longer draws, the PD takes several loaded tubes in a row before the vapor starts to thin out a bit. My favorite part of the PD really is how easy it now is to share vapor with friends. I just hand them the PD, a loaded tube and tell em to 'pull on it nice an easy, like its a one-hitter' and they get vapor w/o any problems. The biggest downside is the 30min warmup time, but I never unplug mine, since its designed to be left plugged in 24/7.
Between the two, I find myself using the PD more than the Vapo due to its ease of operation, ruggedness, and on-demand convenience, but I still use the Vapo daily. I'm just hooked on the taste I get with it. Neither the PD nor the Vapo is capable of delivering huge, lung-choking, mind-numbing (and wasteful!) hits that will launch you into the stratosphere by the time youre done exhaling, so if thats what you want look elsewhere, but both of them are capable of decent sized vapor clouds that will get you to your desired cruising altitude with minimal waste.
Ive owned a Vapolution since the end of last summer and just picked up a PD (arrived a week ago). I really can't speak too knowledgeably about Da Buddah and how it compares to the Vapo since Ive only test driven a DBV a couple of times, so instead Ill share my thoughts on the Vapo and how it compares to the PD.
The Vapo has a much steeper learning curve than the PD, and as a consequence of being more difficult to use, is more prone to user error. Matter of fact, I *still* scorch the occasional load when I get distracted. This learning curve also makes sharing vapor with friends more difficult. Still, once you learn how to use it properly (took me about a week), it is very efficient and is the best tasting vape I have used, particularly with the AIW bowl. The PD comes close in the taste dept but all glass does make a difference. The Vapo heats up pretty quick. After plugging mine in, I am tasting vapor in about 6mins. Very versatile vape as it has a variety of bowls/whips you can use (the AIW glass vapor tube and the larger sized straight bowl/whip are my two favs) and with a skilled vaporist at the helm, you can either run it hot for thicker hits (I like the 1 o'clock spot on the dial for this), or turn it down for a smaller, thinner (and tastier IMO, at least at first) hits. The car adapter and battery pack make it portable, but the battery pack is rather clumsy, particulary when walking around with it.
Vapolution's customer service, in my experience, has been excellent. I have had to replace the vape twice (both earlier this year, both within a month of each other) and they were very responsive to my emails and turnaround time was fast. First time it broke was in Feb09. It was the temp knob that failed. Knob was fine until my dog and roommate's cat caught the power cord with their tails while chasing each other around the living room. Vapo got dragged off the table and hit the floor pretty hard. Afterwards,my Vapo still worked ok, but the temp knob became very gritty and seized up about a week later. Sent my vape to CA and one week and $25 later had a new Vapo in my hands. Fast forward about a month. I was running the Vapo off battery power in my kitchen. I set the vape down on the counter but failed to notice that while the vape was sitting solidly on the counter, the battery pack was right on the edge. Immediately after setting the vape down on the counter, as I reached for the AIW bowl that was still inserted in the top, the battery pack went over the edge of the counter and dragged the vape down to the floor with it. Since the AIW bowl was still in it when it fell, the results were a smashed AIW bowl and smashed glass heater. The Vapo folks were nice enough to replace my AIW bowl for free and only charge $25 for the broken heater (normally its $50) after I complained bitterly about the battery design. BTW, the vape is rugged enough to withstand the shock of most drops/falls, the exception being if it falls with the AIW bowl still inserted in the top. That will break the heater just about every time, or so the Vapo folks tell me.
I have something new to report, BTW. There is now a fix for the awkward battery problem. The Vapo folks finally came out with a harness for the battery. You slip the battery into the harness and slip the harness onto the vape. Don't know why they didnt do this sooner (or why I didnt just invest in a simple Velcro strap in the meantime!). I just ordered one yesterday by calling them directly (its new enough that its not available off their website yet), so I will get to test it out shortly. Mebbe with a simple mod or two, might be able to adapt it to my PD as well...
The PD by comparison is a simple device, and not in a bad way. Like the Vapo its another quality vape that is small, portable (using the Vapo batt pack), and efficient. Unlike the Vapo, there is no temp knob to fiddle with (or break!). The unit is very rugged. If the F250 that rolls over it in the vids couldnt break one, i doubt that even a partcularly nasty fall will do more than scratch up the wood body. Its also very pretty, but then im partial to wood. Feels better in the hand than the Vapo as its smaller. It tastes very good, tho not as good as the all-glass Vapo. On the other hand its stainless steel heat exchanger has more stored heat for you to draw upon. Unlike the Vapo, where its possible to overwhelm the heater by pulling too hard, particularly on longer draws, the PD takes several loaded tubes in a row before the vapor starts to thin out a bit. My favorite part of the PD really is how easy it now is to share vapor with friends. I just hand them the PD, a loaded tube and tell em to 'pull on it nice an easy, like its a one-hitter' and they get vapor w/o any problems. The biggest downside is the 30min warmup time, but I never unplug mine, since its designed to be left plugged in 24/7.
Between the two, I find myself using the PD more than the Vapo due to its ease of operation, ruggedness, and on-demand convenience, but I still use the Vapo daily. I'm just hooked on the taste I get with it. Neither the PD nor the Vapo is capable of delivering huge, lung-choking, mind-numbing (and wasteful!) hits that will launch you into the stratosphere by the time youre done exhaling, so if thats what you want look elsewhere, but both of them are capable of decent sized vapor clouds that will get you to your desired cruising altitude with minimal waste.
Nice review on the Vapo and how it compares to the PD. Having used both models (a lot), I can agree with your conclusions. Except for heat up time, the PD gets the edge in every aspect except the all glass vapor path (which you've shown has its hazards). I've only blown the dust off my Vapo a couple of times since acquiring a PD a year ago. 
