Coffee Talk #612: Random Thoughts on Alex Rodriguez + Poll

You’ve got to hand it to Alex Rodriguez. Just when you think he couldn’t possibly look more ridiculous, he manages to find new ways to top himself. After getting slapped with a 162-game suspension by an independent arbitrator in a process that was agreed upon by Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association (the union), A-Fraud decides to sue MLB and the MLBPA. A man that has admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs in the past has adamantly denied that he was recently using performance-enhancing drugs despite damning evidence to the contrary. He loses an arbitration hearing that both MLB and the MLBPA have publicly stated is a final decision, in accordance to the collective bargaining agreement. Since A-Fraud didn’t get the results he wanted to, he’s going to sue everyone. It’s amazing that…continued

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the Golden Globe Awards, the amazingly overrated Lena Dunham, or the NFL playoffs, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

You’ve got to hand it to Alex Rodriguez. Just when you think he couldn’t possibly look more ridiculous, he manages to find new ways to top himself. After getting slapped with a 162-game suspension by an independent arbitrator in a process that was agreed upon by Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association (the union), A-Fraud decides to sue MLB and the MLBPA. A man that has admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs in the past has adamantly denied that he was recently using performance-enhancing drugs despite damning evidence to the contrary. He loses an arbitration hearing that both MLB and the MLBPA have publicly stated is a final decision, in accordance to the collective bargaining agreement. Since A-Fraud didn’t get the results he wanted to, he’s going to sue everyone. It’s amazing that the A-Fraud circus continues to get bigger and sillier.

There are so many takeaways from this. Where to begin?

– Several web sites have consulted with legal experts on the chances of A-Fraud getting his case heard by a federal court. All of them have said that it’s extremely unlikely. The reasoning behind these opinions is that federal courts are extremely wary of interfering with arbitration processes that were collectively bargained.

– A-Fraud has some of the dumbest fans in the world. Despite the notes from his presumed PED supplier and several coded BlackBerry messages, they believe their hero is clean. They also believe that a federal court will overturn the ruling, despite what most legal experts are saying. So many of them are trying to apply basic court logic (probably learned from Law and Order reruns) to an arbitration hearing. I’m not a smart man, but I know what love is that comparison is dumb. It doesn’t work that way. My favorite are the ones that say he’s being singled out because he’s Latino. No, he’s being singled out because he’s the only player that disputed the initial Biogenesis suspensions.

– Let’s ignore the fact that A-Fraud was dumb enough to use his personal phone instead of a burner to discuss PED usage. Why the hell was he still using a BlackBerry?!?

– I love that “gummies” was one of the codewords for the PEDs A-Fraud was using. I don’t understand how A-Fraud defenders can dismiss this. Do they think that he was sending messages to a know PED pedaler about when to consume chewable German candy?

– No, MLB isn’t clean in this matter either. Some of the tactics it used to build a case against A-Fraud were sleazy. Many A-Fraud supporters point out that some of MLB’s evidence wouldn’t be admissible in a court of law due to the manner it was procured. However, this was an arbitration and not a court case, so….

For the record, I was never happy that the Yankees signed Alex Rodriguez. I don’t care about his strong performance in the 2009 playoffs that helped win the Yankees a World Series. I’ve loathed him ever since he threw his former best friend Derek Jeter under the bus in a 2001 Esquire article. He has embarrassed the team time and time again and, like I said in the intro, always manages to find new ways to top himself.

All that aside, the evidence against A-Fraud is difficult to dispute. I don’t believe his claim that he’s been clean for the last several years. I do believe that he looks like a crybaby for suing MLB and the MLBPA.

More importantly, I want to get your thoughts on the matter. Do you think his suspension was too harsh? Do you believe that he took PEDs? Do you think a federal court will overturn the arbitration ruling? Kindly vote in the poll below and leave a comment with your thoughts on the latest Alex Rodriguez situation.

[poll id=”189″]

Vaping Diaries #170: Goodejuice Review II

Goodejuice’s House Brewed line of e-liquids is a must-try for vapers looking for an authentic tobacco experience. All of these juices are made with naturally-extracted tobaccos. The company’s extraction style results in a quality that some describe as deliciously musty or funky. Goodejuice’s Patriot Tobacco, Natural Perique, and Vita Bella all have that distinct funk, to varying degrees — a taste that I find rather delicious. While I always recommend Goodejuice’s House Brewed line to vapers looking for a true tobacco experience, the juices are different enough from each other that some may be right for you and others might not fit into your wheelhouse. Read on for a review of these three great naturally-extracted tobacco e-liquids.

Patriot Tobacco: Goodejuice blends the rich earthiness of burley and perique tobaccos, adding some cavendish tobacco for sweetness in Patriot. The result is a great blend that many tobacco fans will enjoy. For me, cavendish tobacco in an e-liquid is like cooking with ginger or oyster sauce — use too much and the dish is spoiled. Some tobacco e-liquids I’ve had use too much cavendish and its bright sweetness drowned out the other tobacco flavors. That’s not the case with Patriot Tobacco; it has just enough cavendish to add some sweetness, but not so much that the other tobaccos are overshadowed. Some tobacco e-liquid fans I know equate this juice to the taste of a tobacco cigarette. That’s not what I get. My tastebuds get pipe tobacco all the way and a lovely blend of pipe tobacco at that.

While I enjoyed this juice fresh, I’d let it steep for at least two weeks. After a month, the flavors blends together nicely.

Juice Specs: 6mg nicotine, 50/50 PG/VG

Natural Perique: This is the funkiest of the three juices in this review. That wasn’t a surprise considering Goodejuice’s extraction style and the inherent funk of perique tobacco. In my experience, perique is a love or hate thing. If you enjoy its distinct mustiness then you’ll love this juice. If it’s too much for you then you’ll think that this juice taste like a sweaty sock that has been left outside for days. I enjoy perique and Goodejuice did a great job of bringing out its unique flavor with this juice. That said, I don’t think it has the broad appeal of the other two juices in this review.

This one didn’t require as much steeping as the others. For me, it was good to go after two weeks.

Juice Specs: 6mg nicotine, 50/50 PG/VG

Vita Bella: This is a fantastic blend of several pipe tobaccos and vanilla. On the tobacco side, the burley stands out (probably because burley is one of my favorite tobaccos for e-liquids). While it’s a simple formula — tobacco + vanilla — the result is wonderfully complex. The tobacco blend, creamy vanilla flavor, and Goodejuice’s distinct extraction style come together for a wonderful juice. At the forefront is a rich and hearty tobacco blend that’s wonderfully complemented by sweet and creamy vanilla. Out of the three, this was my favorite — just delicious, delicious stuff.

If you want more sweetness and vanilla flavor then you should vape this juice fresh. If you want more tobacco richness then give it around a month of steeping. I very much enjoyed the juice both ways.

Juice Specs: 6mg nicotine, 50/50 PG/VG

Goodejuice Review: Patriot Tobacco, Natural Perique, Vita Bella

Steeping and Review Notes (Updated December 29, 2013)
On the advice of Wlad from Ahlusion, I’ve been trying a new steeping method as of December 27, 2012. When the e-liquids arrive, I leave them uncapped for five minutes. Previously, I left them uncapped for about two days. After the liquids are given a few minutes to oxidize, the caps are put back on.

RPad.TV e-liquid reviews focus on the flavor of the e-liquids, since throat hit and vapor production can be altered by the PG/VG ratio and nicotine level selected. Each juice is vaped over a period of days in a bottom-coil silica atomizer (The Russian and Aqua), various rebuildable dripping atomizers, and a clearomizer.

Vaping Diaries #169: Craft Vapery Unboxing Video

Back in Vaping Diaries #159, I wrote about Craft Vapery. It’s a new subscription-based e-liquid service that offers a curated approach to vaping juices. First, the big news — pricing has gone down from $40 for three 15ml to $33 for three 15ml. While the price is still more expensive that what most online e-liquid vendors offer, it’s a little bit cheaper than what’s found at most brick-and-mortar vape shops. Remember, what you’re getting with Craft Vapery is highly personalized service and curated juice recommendations. For certain vapers, the service can be quite valuable.

To give you a better idea of the Craft Vapery experience, I filmed a video of my first Craft Vapery box. I was really impressed by the packaging and presentation. The selected juices were from top vendors and fit into the flavor profile I created. All three were good to great. I was given DNA Vapor’s The Dough, since I noted that I enjoy bakery-type juices. This is a cookie dough e-liquid that’s a delicious treat. As big tobacco fan, I was given The Force Vapors’ Chewbacco, an RY4-style juice with blueberry notes. This is a good dessert juice, but not really what I enjoy in tobaccos or RY4s; for tobacco juices I greatly prefer naturally-extracted tobacco and for RY4s I prefer classics, like the original Janty formula. Lastly, I was given Blueprint Vapor’s Page Six, which is a complex blend of green tea, fruits, and cream. As a fan of complexity, I really enjoyed this juice and have a feeling that I’ll dig it even more after it steeps.

For the most part, I was pleased with what Craft Vapery chose for me. All the flavors fit into my vaping wheelhouse. Page Six was a lovely surprise that I might not have discovered on my own. My tobacco preferences are really particular, so it wasn’t surprising that I wasn’t given a tobacco e-liquid that floored me.

For vapers that are already set in their ways, buying the same juices from the same juice companies, Craft Vapery doesn’t make much sense. For vapers that haven’t found the right juice or for vapers that are always looking for something new, Craft Vapery can be a great service. If you fall into one of those two categories then I recommend giving Craft Vapery a shot. Based on the box I received, there’s a good chance that the company will help you find a juice that you love.

Craft Vapery Review

Vaping Diaries #168: Bay City Vapor SurfRider Review

Bay City Vapor is a relatively new mod maker out of Seal Beach, CA. The company started getting attention in Fall 2013 for its then upcoming SurfRider and XXIX mods. Both are relatively inexpensive and have innovative features. The SurfRider is available in C464 naval brass and 316 stainless steel. It costs $140 for the single-tube version, $190 for all three stainless steel tubes (18350, 18490, 18650), and $200 for all three brass tubes. For the last few weeks, I’ve been vaping on a SurfRider and been quite pleased with its quality and performance — especially for the price.

Build Quality and Construction: The Bay City Vapor SurfRider I have for review is the naval brass (C464) 18650 model. The metal is high quality and more resistant to corrosion than other types of brass alloys. The main tube is simple, with smooth threading. The tube threads use the common 20×1 threading, allowing for compatibility many popular top caps, bottom caps, and hybrid kits on the market.

The top cap, which I’ll focus more on in the next section, is a simple piece of brass with a cross cut. The bottom cap has a delrin insulator and a zinc-plated spring. The threads on both caps are smooth.

Overall, the Bay City Vapor SurfRider is a very well-made mechanical mod that uses quality materials. The craftsmanship is as good as or surpasses that of many mods that cost more.

Design and Ergonomics: The Bay City Vapor SurfRider uses subtle design language. There’s nothing obnoxiously flashy about this mod. The bottom cap has the “BCV” logo and the main tube has a set of waves. In 18650 mode, the mod is shorter than most other 18650 mods, which is nice for people that want maximum battery life in a relatively small package.

The most outstanding feature of the Bay City Vapor SurfRider is its top cap. It uses a hybrid-style design. You screw the cap onto your atomizer and then screw it onto the mod. Aesthetically, this allows for a flush appearance and clean lines. It also allows for outstanding performance, which I’ll touch on in the next section.

The Bay City Vapor SurfRider’s button was a mixed bag for me. I loved the 1mm throw, but wasn’t happy with the heavy feel. Naturally, button feel is completely subjective; my preference is for a short throw and light feel. Initially, the spring was way too stiff for my liking. It loosened up after a few weeks of use, but was still stiffer than what I prefer. With the firing mechanisms flush design and meaty spring, you can place the mod down without having to worry about it firing.

The downside to the Bay City Vapor SurfRider’s unique top cap is that it can be tricky with certain atomizer and battery combinations. Using Samsung INR 18650 20-R and Sony VTC3 batteries, I had no issues with the Aqua, Russian, and numerous dripping atomizers. However, I have read reports of other battery and atomizer combos being difficult (i.e. not firing all the time). The good news is that Bay City Vapor is updating the firing mechanism to allow for broader compatibility. The really good news is that the company’s customer service is outstanding; current SurfRider owners will be sent the updated parts free of charge. That level or customer service is fantastic.

Performance: Since the novel top cap allows the atomizer to make direct contact to the battery, the Bay City Vapor SurfRider’s performance is stellar. The brass model has no voltage loss and hits amazingly hard. So in addition to hybrid-like looks, you also get hybrid-like performance.

On paper, the hybrid-style top cap seems like an obvious and simple thing to do. Why not remove a junction to achieve excellent performance? Yet Bay City Vapor is the first mod maker that I know of to offer this type of top cap as a standard feature, and the performance results are phenomenal.

Bay City Vapor SurfRider review

Verdict: For the money, the Bay City Vapor SurfRider is an outstanding value. You get a mechanical mod with excellent workmanship, a beautifully understated appearance, and some of the best performance on the market for a relatively low price. I especially love that the SurfRider is available in a single-tube configuration. Many (but not all) vapers I know only use one type of battery, making additional tubes a waste of money and materials. As a somewhat frugal and somewhat environmentally concerned vaper, I applaud Bay City Vapor offering the SurfRider in single-tube form.

Even though I’m not a fan of its stiff spring (looking for magnets to replace it), I highly recommend the Bay City Vapor SurfRider. It’s beautiful and well made, with extraordinary performance.

Coffee Talk #611: Five Things I Liked From CES 2014

The 2014 Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2014) is wrapping up and tech nerds are still recovering from being inundated by awesome announcements. Looking through the retroscope, I wish I had gone to this year’s show. It had the expected technology and gaming announcements I expected. What surprised me was the amount of vaping goods on display. Gah! Before I plan for CES 2015, let’s take a look back at five announcements I liked from CES 2014…continued

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the fraudulent NY Knicks giving fans false hope with their fluke win over the Miami Heat, the Broadway musical based on the lyrics of Tupac Shakur, or the unfortunate news of Emma Watson dating some fool rugby player, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

The 2014 Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2014) is wrapping up and tech nerds are still recovering from being inundated by awesome announcements. Looking through the retroscope, I wish I had gone to this year’s show. It had the expected technology and gaming announcements I expected. What surprised me was the amount of vaping goods on display. Gah! Before I plan for CES 2015, let’s take a look back at five announcements I liked from CES 2014.

  1. WWE Network: I wrote about the CES 2014 WWE Network announcement yesterday and I’m still jazzed about the news. This streaming-video service is a dream come true for marks, smarts, and smarks. For $10 a month you get all 12 live WWE pay-per-view events, some original programming, and on-demand access to classic pro-wrestling matches. Hell, I’d pay $10 a month just to watch Ric Flair’s vast library of five-star matches.
  2. First-Gen Steam Machines: Valve-powered Steam Machines are potentially disruptive for the entire videogame universe. Steam Machines could dratically change things for gamers, game developers, and game publishers. I was thrilled to see that first-gen Steam Machines will be coming from top hardware vendors at a broad range of prices. Steam Machines are on the way from Alienware, CyberPowerPC, Digital Storm, Falcon NW ,GigaByte, iBuyPower, Origin PC, and others.
  3. T-Mobile Pays For ETFs: T-Mobile USA’s John Legere is easily the most entertaining CEO in technology today. I love his bold moves and juvenile antics. Some of the things he does aren’t exactly professional, but damn they’re funny. It was hilarious that he crashed AT&T’s CES 2014 party…and promptly got kicked out. In a serious move, I dig the latest step in T-Mobile’s “Uncarrier” initiative: paying early-termination fees (ETFs) for customers moving from AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon to T-Mobile. It’s just the latest in a number of aggressive moves from carrier.
  4. Razer Project Christine: Speaking of bold and aggressive, I’m absolutely smitten with Razer’s Project Christine concept design that was unveiled at CES 2014. This modular PC chassis looks amazingly cool and is extremely practical. It makes upgrading and expanding a PC’s capabilities a snap. Even though I’m mostly a Mac guy these days, I’d love to get a Project Christine PC for when I’m working on PC games.
  5. PlayStation Now: The Gaikai streaming-videogame service will be reborn as PlayStation Now. In addition to streaming older PlayStation games to PlayStation consoles, the service will be built into select Bravia televisions. This is a fantastic value-added feature for casual gamers that want to play videogames every now and then, but aren’t into it enough to buy a dedicated machine. It could even serve as a gateway service and create born-again gamers. It’s a very cool and very smart move from Sony.

How about you guys and dolls? What CES 2014 product or service announcements did you enjoy?

WWE Network: 24/7 Streaming and Live Programming

At CES 2014, WWE announced details on the WWE Network, a streaming-video service that offers live and on-demand videos. WWE Network will feature live programming — including all 12 WWE pay-per-view events — and on-demand viewing of classic wrestling. Additionally, it will have a number of original shows that will be exclusive to the service. WWE Network will launch on February 24, 2014 at a cost of $9.99 per month with a six-month commitment required.

WWE Network will be available on a number of popular devices. According to the press release:

WWE Network, the first 24/7 network delivered directly to fans through over-the-top digital distribution, will be available on desktops and laptops via WWE.com. WWE Network will also be available through the WWE App on: Amazon’s Kindle Fire devices; Android devices such as Samsung Galaxy; iOS devices such as Apple iPad and iPhone; Roku streaming devices; Sony PlayStation 3 and Sony PlayStation 4; and Xbox 360. Availability on additional devices, including Xbox One and select Smart TVs, will follow this summer.

Original WWE Network programming includes pre- and post-show commentary on Monday Night Raw and Friday Night Smackdown, NXT Wrestling, WrestleMania Rewind, The Monday Night War, and WWE Legends House. I’m particularly excited about that last show, which features “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Tony Atlas and Hacksaw Jim Duggan living together and doing goofy things.

The press release notes that classic WWE, WCW, and ECW matches and pay-per-view events will be available for on-demand viewing — uncut and uncensored. I hope that WWE’s immense archive of the “territory” days of wrestling will be included as well. There are so many tremendous Mid-South Wrestling, World Class Championship Wrestling, Florida Championship Wrestling, etc. matches that I’d love to see. Hell, it almost makes me wish that I had a son, just so that I could show him how awesome Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Ricky Steamboat, and Harley Race were in their primes.

Assuming that the streaming service works well, WWE Network is a fantastic value. The monthly cost is cheaper than ordering a single pay-per-view event and you get tons of other content to enjoy at your leisure. As a fan of current WWE programming and a huge mark for older wrestling shows, WWE Network is a must-buy for me. On paper, it looks like I would get way more than $10 of entertainment out of the service every month.

I know that several of you RPadholics are (wisely) WWE and pro-wrestling fans. Are you excited for WWE Network? Will you subscribe? What questions or issues do you have about the service? Kindly layeth the smacketh down in the comments section!

Source

Coffee Talk #610: Most Wanted Nerd Movies of 2014

Now that we’ve discussed our favorite 2013 movies and our most wanted videogames of 2014, it’s time to talk about the most wanted nerd movies of 2014. On the plus side, 2013 had all sorts of movies for comics, fantasy, and sci-fi fans. Unfortunately, many of them were merely good and few of them caused true nerdgasms. On paper, 2014 looks promising. There are loads of comics, sci-fi, and fantasy films slated for release, packed with phenomenal casts and crews. Below is a list of nerd movies that I’m looking forward to. After you check it out, please share your most wanted nerd movies of 2014…continued

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the Chicago Bulls’ rebuilding phase, the best complement to peanut butter, or the triumphant return of Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Now that we’ve discussed our favorite 2013 movies and our most wanted videogames of 2014, it’s time to talk about the most wanted nerd movies of 2014. On the plus side, 2013 had all sorts of movies for comics, fantasy, and sci-fi fans. Unfortunately, many of them were merely good and few of them caused true nerdgasms. On paper, 2014 looks promising. There are loads of comics, sci-fi, and fantasy films slated for release, packed with phenomenal casts and crews. Below is a list of nerd movies that I’m looking forward to. After you check it out, please share your most wanted nerd movies of 2014 in the comments section.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier — The trailer for this movie looks sick and I’m a huge fan of the comic-book version of the antagonist. With some luck, Winter Soldier could surpass Loki as Marvel’s coolest movie bad guy.

X-Men: Days of Future Past — The source material is awesome and Bryan Singer has shown skill at being respectful to the source while deftly adapting it to the big screen (let’s all pretend his Superman didn’t happen). Awesome mutants, menacing sentinels, and Peter Dinklage should make this a fun flick. That said, I am concerned that time hopping, alternate realities, and time stream alteration could make this one a mess.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 — The first movie was utterly charming and I’m hoping for more of the same in the sequel. Plus, dragons are awesome.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes — I loved the first movie. It was smart, the acting was great, and the special effects were excellent. My concern here is that the director worked on Felicity. That show sucked.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes -- Most Wanted Nerd Movies of 2014

Muppets Most Wanted — After years of being shelved, Jim Henson’s Muppets made a triumphant return in 2011. Accompanied by Tina Fey and Ricky Gervais, I’m hopeful that the Muppets will smash it once again.

The Knights of Badassdom — Peter Dinklage and Steve Zahn awesome. LARPing is hilarious. Put it all together and you should have a sweet nerd movie. As an added bonus, the movie was directed by a former G4tv coworker of mine.

Hercules — No, I’m not talking about the one starring the Twilight guy. I’m talking about Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s movie. As a WWE mark, I need to support The Rock’s quest to become America’s best action hero.

Lucy — Scarlett Johansson as a drug mule turned superhero? I’m down! Actually, I’m down with most things Scarlett Johansson.

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For — The first movie was stellar — arguably the best pure comic-book-to-movie adaptation ever made. The second movie brings back the scintillating Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson, and Jaime King. I’m curious about recasting Miho with Jamie Chung, as well as Lady Gaga’s cameo. Creator Frank Miller is assisting Robert Rodriguez as director, so it should be another faithful adaptation.

Guardians of the Galaxy — I’m a bit torn about this movie. It’s a difficult book to translate to the silver screen. I mean, two of the main characters are a bad-ass raccoon and a repetitive tree. The source is lots of fun and I want the movie to kick ass…but it also stars WWE Batista. Part of me wants the world to see him as the utter fraud of an entertainer he is — that guy sucks at everything (except, perhaps, writing unintentional funny autobiographies).

Amazing Spider-Man 2 — The first movie was fun for me, but not great. I’m hoping that the cast and crew does a better job the second time around. The acting talent is immense and Spidey special effects are always fun. Will the gang have the stones to kill off Gwen Stacy?!? I’m anxious to find out.

RoboCop — The costume makes the titular character look like a Japanese sex toy. Let’s forget about that and look at the tremendous supporting cast: Michael Keaton, Gary Oldman, Samuel L. Jackson, Jackie Earle Haley, Jay Baruchel, and more. That’s a crazy amount of talent!

Transformers: Age of Extinction — Yeah, these movies are pretty stupid (Michael Bay’s specialty), but the upcoming Transformers flick has two things going for it — Mark Wahlberg and (rumored) Dinobots! Me Grimlock wants to see this one (when it’s available digitally)!

Now it’s your turn. Kindly share your most wanted nerd movies of 2014 in the comments section (please!).

RPadTV 2014 Vaping Giveaway I: Win a Sigelei Zmax

For the first RPadTV vaping giveaway of the year, the prize is a stainless steel Sigelei Zmax. This telescoping variable-voltage vaping device works with 18350 up to 18650 batteries. The kit comes with the mod, one 18650 battery, one 18350 battery, a battery charger, and a carto/tank. Remember, RPadTV supporters that own an RPadTV mod will receive an additional five entries for all giveaways this year. To enter, all you have to do is:

Now for the boring contest rules:

  • Only one entry per participant (not including additional entries for RPadTV mod owners)
  • Contest closes on January 26, 2014 11:59PM PST
  • Winner will be chosen with a random number generator
  • Must 18 or older to participate
  • Must have a U.S. mailing address to be eligible
  • RPad Productions Inc. is not responsible for the prize being lost or damaged by USPS

Vaping Diaries #167: Aqua Atomizer Review (UVO System)

The Aqua by Footoon from UVO System has been one of the hottest atomizers for the last few months. This bottom-coil silica atomizer is often touted as a “Kayfun killer.” I completely disagree with that label, but have become extremely fond of the Aqua atomizer. The Kayfun 3.1 is indisputably one of the finest atomizers on the market today. After using the Aqua atomizer for several months (special thanks to The Vape Source for the hookup), I believe that it’s just as excellent, but offers a very different vape. It’s more of a Kayfun alternative than a Kayfun killer. Will you like the Aqua more than the Kayfun? It depends on what kind of vape you’re looking for.

What’s in the Kit: The Aqua atomizer comes in a black box adorned with the UVO System logo. Inside the box are the atomizer, two drip tips, spare O-rings, and a hybrid pin for the Origin by Footoon mod. The included accessories are useful; extra O-rings are always a good idea and the hybrid pin is a nice treat for Origin owners, allowing for greater performance with a direct connection to the battery. The drip tips look great and match the Aqua atomizer perfectly, but they heat up quickly on sub-ohm builds. They’re fine for anything above 1.0 ohms, but as you hit the 0.7 ohm range and lower, the metal drip tips become too hot for chain vaping.

Build Quality: The Aqua atomizer is made primarily from 316 stainless steel, which is considered surgical grade. The metal is luxurious and the quality is easily apparent. The machining is also top notch, with clean lines and smooth threads. The build quality of the Aqua atomizer is excellent and comparable to that of other high-end atomizers on the market.

Design: In many ways, the Aqua atomizer works similarly to the Kayfun 3.1. It uses a small flavor chamber and air pressure to deliver an outstanding vape. There are some major differences though. It’s a relatively small device and its juice capacity (effectively less than 2ml) is somewhat modest. Some vapers will appreciate the compact form factor, while others will yearn for more capacity.

Where the Aqua atomizer gets really interesting is with its dual-coil capabilities. This baby was made with dual-coil builds in mind. The air-flow control gives vapers a decently wide range of draws — certainly a broader range of air flow than what the Kayfun 3.1 offers. Lastly, juice flow can be manipulated by turning the center tube. Vaping mostly 50/50 and 60/40 PG/VG juices, I didn’t need to use the juice-flow control, but it will definitely come in handy for vapers that prefer thicker juices with a higher VG percentage.

Since the Aqua atomizer was made to match Footoon’s Origin mod, its diameter is 21mm. It looks perfect on the Origin, but leaves a gap when used with the numerous 22mm and 23mm mods on the market. Personally, I didn’t care about the aesthetics since I was extremely satisfied with the device’s vape, but vapers that are anal about flush appearances will be bugged by the Aqua’s atypical diameter.

Performance: This device offers everything I love about the best bottom-coil silica atomizers on the market — the full flavor of dripping with some juice capacity. It’s also an extremely versatile atomizer. While the Kayfun rightfully has legions of fans, there are some vapers that want an airier draw, a warmer vape, and easy dual-coil setups. This is what the Aqua atomizer brings to the table. You get outstanding flavor and versatility with this atomizer.

Like other bottom-coil silica atomizers, the Aqua is pocket-friendly. You can close off the air flow completely and put it in your pocket or bag without having to worry about leaks.

Ease of Use: Building coils for the Aqua atomizer is more complicated than building coils for a dripper or a Kayfun, but relatively straightforward. The deck is small and there’s not a lot of space to work with. For wick, I found it easiest to use material that’s 2mm wide or less; anything bigger and it’s difficult to stuff the wick into the Aqua’s channels. Using flat ribbon is possible, but using wire is exponentially easier (I’ve seen ribbon builds, but it’s not something I could easily do myself). If you have experience with rebuildables then you should be fine with the Aqua. If you’re a newcomer then I’d suggest going for a Kayfun-style device first, since those are easier to work with.

With my average building skills, I was able to set up good dual-coil builds using Ekowool, ceramic wick, and cotton. Since juice levels can’t be seen, I recommend going with Ekowool, silica, or ceramic wick on this atomizer.

Refilling the Aqua is a snap. You take the top cap off, fill the tank with juice, put the cap back on, twist it until it’s nearly closed, turn it upside down, and finish screwing the cap back on. While you can do the same with a Kayfun while covering the air hole with your finger, refilling the Aqua is much easier than they way you’re supposed to refill a Kayfun 3.1 or Kayfun Lite. The former requires a syringe or needle-tipped bottle, while the latter requires taking off the atomizer and using a screwdriver. Refilling the Aqua atomizer is a breeze and it passes the all-important “drunk” test. I was able to refill the atomizer multiple times while intoxicated and it never leaked on me. Win.

Aqua Atomizer review (Aqua by Footoon UVO System)

Verdict: For certain types of juices, the Aqua atomizer is amazing. Its potential for high-temperature vaping makes it a great choice for bakery, tobacco, and some dessert e-liquids. The device is made from top-notch materials, features great craftsmanship, is quite versatile, and is relatively easy to rebuild. While I disagree with the assessment that it’s a Kayfun killer, I think it’s a fantastic complement to the Kayfun 3.1. I love having the Kayfun 3.1 for certain fruit juices and other e-liquids that work better at cooler temperatures. For those that taste better at higher temperatures, dual-coiling the Aqua atomizer makes for an outstanding vape. If you’re the type of vaper that enjoys juices that work at high temperatures, prefers dual-coil setups, and wants airflow versatility then the Aqua atomizer is a brilliant choice.