Hey everyone, I posted some initial thoughts on the X back while NewFC was open, but since then I've taken the X on a roadtrip with some buddies and put a good amount of good stuff through it, so I'm ready to share my full impressions.
One of the first things you notice when handling the X is that the device is fairly slim and compact, but also has a surprising heft to it as well. The weight isn't anything crazy at 50.2 g, but it still contributes to a feeling of solidity. As I previously mentioned on NewFC, the X is very reminiscent of the Juul and other e-juice pod vapes. This should help the X blend in when out and about. I found it funny that the X is actually just barely shorter than my original dab pen from 4 years back, the V3 Nano. It's obviously shorter than the Evolve Plus as well (I'm showing a Cerum on top of an Evolve Plus battery, but these are almost the same height). However, the coils in the X still make it a comparable if not superior device to the other two.
As I mentioned in my first impressions, the coils for the X are fundamentally the same as the Evolve Plus and many other vaporizers that Yocan offers. However, I think the few slight differences actually make it better than previous models. For one, the swapping system and leak-proof intake prevents the coils from getting sticky on the outside, a problem which any consistent Evolve Plus user is familiar with. Also, the quartz rods in the X pod are moved to the very sides of the chamber, which I suspect will help reduce half-vaped wax build-up. The newly freed space in the middle is taken up by a ceramic spike, which makes it much easier to load pods with sticky wax without touching or damaging the quartz rods.
I typically load a medium to large sized dab into each pod, and my friends and I averaged 6 hits per pod load. On the medium (blue) setting, I found the battery life more than sufficient. We were able to get through at least 8 pods on a single charge, which once again blew my old V3 Nano out of the water. I was also impressed at how quickly it recharged, as it was taking about 30 minutes from under 25% to full in my experience.
The Evolve Plus had very good vapor performance, and the X draws on this pedigree. Even on the medium setting, the X can put out impressive clouds after just a few seconds on the button. I was a little worried about heat management, but the plastic mouthpiece never got hot or even uncomfortably warm during our sessions. My friends also commented on how smoothly it hit, which was surprising given how close the coils are to the end of the mouthpiece. The airflow is nice and unrestricted, and so far I've experienced no issues with clogging.
Even though loading is easier than previous models, I think the X's utility is best realized by pre-loading several pods. I've been talking about this strategy with the Evolve Plus for a while too, but between having to disassemble the device and having the coil body exposed to vapor this never worked very well. Additional X pods can be thrown in a pocket or bag, in my experience this worked fine with just a little bit of pocket lint getting on the end of the mouthpiece occasionally. I'm currently working on a slightly better solution, check out the bottom of my post for a shameless plug/preview.
I have very few complaints with the device, and I can't say that these really detract from the use. My friend pointed this out to me actually, but the corners on the mouthpiece can feel a little awkward on the lips. While they are rounded, I think that future models should use a larger fillet here to make it a little more comfortable. Additionally, I found the placement of the USB-C port to be a little odd. I understand that this is usually dictated by packaging constraints, but I think a port on the bottom would have looked and felt a little nicer.
Overall, I am very impressed by the Yocan X. I was expecting a minor derivative of the Evolve Plus at first, but I think that Yocan has actually done a very good job of continuing to modernize their dual quartz rod architecture. If you're looking for a stealthy but powerful concentrate vape that you can run all day, I think the X is worth your consideration. The vaporizer itself is priced around a very modest $32, but one thing to consider is that a pack of 5 extra pods costs about $21. Hopefully we'll see the price of pods go down over time if others see the utility of their design.
As mentioned, I'm in the process of designing something to carry extra pods a little more easily. Tolerances need just a little bit more adjustment, funny how much 0.3 millimeters can change.
![[IMG]](https://cdn.vape.lab-ch.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Yocan-X-Pod-System_13-1024x950.jpg "[IMG]")
