Zeal, Ω, and Epitome

[Waffle1507]

what do you like about it?

It hits different man. I can't say it's different from other ball vapes but at least between the freight train and this it's a world of difference. That did have 4mm rubies so maybe that has something to do with it.

The main thing I notice is that the first hit of every bowl feels so smooth and easy but is potent. I had one of the hardest hits of my life the other day (almost dab level) and it was just the first hit off of a medium sized bowl of just flower, I didn't cough at all and was surprised to see only a little bit of vapor on the exhale. 10 seconds later I was in space and the bowl was just lightly yellow, not dark at all. It seems like you get a large % of terps/thc on the first hit and after that it gets harsher with less of a high to accompany it. This brought me back to something I had heard (ironically I believe from the guy at old head) about how there might be something with the sudden blast of heat vaporizing the resin before it heats up the rest of the plant material giving you a more potent hit. While my experience is obviously anecdotal I think there might be something to it!

The other nice thing coming from a freight train is the heat is more evenly distributed to the point I can get away without stirring a bowl. That may just be the difference of injector vs diffuser though

 

[mistergyro]

well, after trying out the SS zeal, I think it's pretty good for the price but for me very much lacking in flavor in comparison to my evo and herborizer.

the experience wasn't what I thought it would be. the bowl could be designed better so that there is a perfect seal against the Zeal when laying directly on top hitting. maybe it's just the nature of the 22 style bowl or i got a bad bowl, it's close but not a perfect seal. also find these glass bowls with built in glass "screens" never hits as good as a more porous metal screen that you can take out and clean.

it also vapes the material a bit unevenly. on lower temps kinda almost looks like it didn't extract what it needed, so have to take multiple hits and stir - never really getting a nice terpy taste. then I turn up, it almost burns it so no flavor there. i haven't found that sweet spot yet but will play with it more. im thinking i may need a finer grind but don't have a fine grinder..

hoping there will be a big difference between the SS and Zarconia in taste or this baby will be going on the classified.

not trying to be debbie downer here but just a realistic first impression. maybe a bit more hype on this thread than in reality imo. but can't argue with the price point. for someone just getting into desktop vapes on a budget the SS could be a decent fit.

 

[Grass Yes]

the experience wasn't what I thought it would be. the bowl could be designed better so that there is a perfect seal against the Zeal when laying directly on top hitting. maybe i got a bad bowl, it's close but not a perfect seal. also find these glass bowls with built in glass "screen" never hits as good as a more porous metal screen that you can take out and clean.

it also vapes the material a bit unevenly.

Seems like a fair first assessment. I think that glass bowls will sometimes make your duff look more uneven. A metal or wood bowl makes the material look more even colored, though I find the extraction the same.

I also don't like glass screens. I usually put a SS/Ti screen on top of the glass ones. Haven't done that yet with the CC bowl yet out of shear laziness.

I think you will find some improvement in flavor as you get to know it more, but the zirconia zeal is better on that front in my experience.

Rather than adjust your grind, I think you will find more success playing with your draw. Try a hard rip, try the slowest you can possibly do. I have seen a big difference with all my baller heads, especially on extraction speed, by doing that.

Did you get the full kit? How's the PID? What glass are you using with it?

 

[mistergyro]

yes I got the kit. PID is ok, generic but does what it needs to. definitely need to mod the handle smoehow as it's very small. been using different glass, fab egg recyler v long straight tube.

interesting idea about the screen but not sure that will help the way I need it to. i'm wanting more air flow from the bowl and the glass screen is just too restrictive imo.

i will play around with my draw. good suggestion! what do you prefer? what glass do you prefer to use?

 

[Grass Yes]

i will play around with my draw. good suggestion! what do you prefer?

I like a slow even draw. Mostly because that's natural for me. But I think it keeps an even temp flowing through the bowl. A hard rip brings me closer to combustion. Although I find the zeal pretty accommodating to all speeds.

It just occurred to me that you have the 22mm coil so that could change things. I have a 20mm deep coil, stretched as much as possible. (Basically the cap pushed the coil down as I screwed it on.) You could try stretching yours a bit more. A millimeter made a big difference for me with my SS Zeal.

what glass do you prefer to use?

I like it with my bigger pieces mostly. I enjoy using a big vape with a small piece, but my Zeal overpowers those. I even found my Prophet to be a bit too intense. The vertex and protege are great. The TAG9 donut and the 12" TAG super slit bellow are really fun with it.

 

[mistergyro]

i did stretch out as directed. agree bigger glass pieces work better.

another question:

how much do you pack in the bowl? and do you pat it down?

 

[Madtater]

another question:

how much do you pack in the bowl? and do you pat it down?

I, personally, don’t “pack” it down.

I grabbed one of these from the cigar lounge i work at part time. It works well for almost everything and we sell these for like $3.

https://www.amazon.com/100-Authentic-Czech-Pipe-Tool/dp/B004M02K7A

I have found that the tamp is perfect for these bowls for a “light” tamp down. the stir is nice too. I dont use the spoon though, but you could i guess.

 

[Grass Yes]

i did stretch out as directed. agree bigger glass pieces work better.

another question:

how much do you pack in the bowl? and do you pat it down?

I also only lightly flatten the bowl, not even a tamp as much as a tap

I can weight it later, but I kinda just put it flower until it is close to the rim and then a tap to even it out. I suspect it would work fine if I tamped it down tightly, but it is not my habit with convection vapes so I don't.

 

[mistergyro]

so a few things i wanted to report.

i've been letting the Zeal chill on the bowl for like 30-min before hitting and i get a much more even extraction. also taking decent size pulls and getting some good milk action! i've also been loading twice as more green in the bowl (almost filled/ light pack down).

this method seems to be the best for me.

taste still isn't where I'd like to be but hoping zirconia upgrade will change that!

 

[Grass Yes]

i've been letting the Zeal chill on the bowl for like 30-min before hitting

Ah, I had never tried hitting it without a heat soak. I even heat soak my logs before I hit them Glad to hear that makes a positive difference!

 

[StoneyBeached]

I'm still waiting patiently for USPS. My SS kit was on track to deliver Saturday, now no date is listed. They lost a Enano wpa I ordered earlier this month, fingers crossed they can find this one.

 

[Shit Snacks]

Ah, I had never tried hitting it without a heat soak. I even heat soak my logs before I hit them Glad to hear that makes a positive difference!

Hm I usually refer to and think of a heat soak, as warming up the vape, whether it's a plug-in or a portable, but with one lake this zeal it is referred to as an equilibrium vape, let it sit and warm up to heat soak for a while and then go to town... But what they were describing above was putting the heater on top of the bowl, letting it sit on top of the bowl before taking the hit?? That doesn't sound like a heat soap to me, and it doesn't sound like something that would need to be done for 30 minutes, but what do I know lol

 

[Grass Yes]

But what they were describing above was putting the heater on top of the bowl, letting it sit on top of the bowl before taking the hit??

I was not referring to heat soaking the bowl. I do like to do that with the CH shovelhead bowl, but that is like 5 minutes.

 

[MidwestMelancholy]

an entire set up for 130ish? sighs and opens wallet again. This site is rapidly decreasing my savings for vaporizers and I love it.

 

[Shit Snacks]

I was not referring to heat soaking the bowl. I do like to do that with the CH shovelhead bowl, but that is like 5 minutes.

Ah okay so yeah, but seems mg was?

i've been letting the Zeal chill on the bowl for like 30-min before hitting and i get a much more even extraction

Unless I misunderstood something lol that didn't sound like turning it on waiting for heat soak before use time, it sounded like time sitting on bowl before each hit??

 

[Grass Yes]

Ah okay so yeah, but seems mg was?


Unless I misunderstood something lol that didn't sound like turning it on waiting for heat soak before use time, it sounded like time sitting on bowl before each hit??

Whoa. I missed that. Lol. Yeah I don't do that. I will try heat soaking the CC glass bowl because why not, right?

 

[mistergyro]

Ah okay so yeah, but seems mg was?


Unless I misunderstood something lol that didn't sound like turning it on waiting for heat soak before use time, it sounded like time sitting on bowl before each hit??

30-min = :30 to 1 min on bowl before each hit

30 mins that would be an extreme heat soak! And I don't have the patience for that. lol

I think a finer grind will help with this vape as well or at least seems like it would. my grinder doesn't go too fine. can anyone recommend an high end grinder that goes fine?

 

[Shit Snacks]

30-min = :30 to 1 min on bowl before each hit

Oh! Haha I totally would have written that differently then, 30-60sec perhaps? Makes much more sense now! So really that is a little preheat of the bowl I would say

I think a finer grind will help with this vape as well or at least seems like it would. my grinder doesn't go too fine. can anyone recommend an high end grinder that goes fine?

Yeah IDB likes fine grind and it is always the best for more even extraction yielding thick clouds... what grinder are you using? to go truly fine it often entails turning it upside down, but some do this better than others (BCG fine plate is an easy way to go)

 

[mistergyro]

Oh! Haha I totally would have written that differently then, 30-60sec perhaps? Makes much more sense now! So really that is a little preheat of the bowl I would say



Yeah IDB likes fine grind and it is always the best for more even extraction yielding thick clouds... what grinder are you using? to go truly fine it often entails turning it upside down, but some do this better than others (BCG fine plate is an easy way to go)

That's the one I have. It's a nice grinder but looking for something finer. I saw something on another thread but can't think of the name but $$$$.

 

[Grass Yes]

That's the one I have. It's a nice grinder but looking for something finer. I saw something on another thread but can't think of the name but $$$$.

A grinder that grinds finer than the BCG fine plate? The only one I can think of is the mflb finishing grinder. And I don't think that does much better than turning your grinder upside down at first.

 

[Shit Snacks]

That's the one I have. It's a nice grinder but looking for something finer. I saw something on another thread but can't think of the name but $$$$.

Hmm Yeah that seems unnecessary I would not buy a new grinder if I were you, standard grind from BCG fine should be plenty fine and consistent enough for this, but yeah try turning it upside down a bit when you grind to get a more consistent more fine grind...

 

[StoneyBeached]

SS Zeal kit delivered today. Took me 5 minutes to put it together, great design. First impression, I'm absolutely blown away. I started at 520 and have worked my way down to 480 after the 1st hour. I can't believe that you can get this performance at $125. I think the B1 will be on the shelf for a bit. Seriously great job, excited to pick up a Z Zeal next time they are available.

 

[mistergyro]

Hmm Yeah that seems unnecessary I would not buy a new grinder if I were you, standard grind from BCG fine should be plenty fine and consistent enough for this, but yeah try turning it upside down a bit when you grind to get a more consistent more fine grind...

10-4! just tried that and wow that works much better. see the things you learn when you drop by here. Shitsnacks always drops the ultimate knowledge. Thank you my bro!

 

[MidwestMelancholy]

Anyone know when the next full kit for a zeal will drop? It says sold out on cloud connoisseur and the price point plus what I've read here has me very very interested in getting a full kit as my first ball vape.

 

[iDRINKBLEACH]

Sorry about the distance lately guys. SS kits will be available in hopefully a couple weeks. With another round of Zr02 following shortly after. I have some odds and ends to post up to the site this week. A couple kits possibly a couple zr02 with a couple SS, and some colored glass. I like to try and hold onto backups for all my orders just incase of replacements with people. Hopefully the weekend after this one I’ll finally have a new glass preorder to show off. On the 5th design of recycler with the 4th en route waiting to see the 5th and really just trying to do it justice.