The Phantom Mod v2 by AD Vaping has what many vapers have come to expect from Filipino mechanical mods — unique looks and strong performance. What it doesn’t have is a high price tag. In America, many Filipino mods costs between $180-$250 at retail. In the Philippines, the Phantom Mod v2 retails for 2,500 pesos, which is around $57. If you’ve always wanted a hard-hitting Pinoy mod but were put off by the prices then the Phantom Mod v2 could be just what you’re looking for. Here’s my rundown of the Phantom Mod v2 after using it for several weeks.
Build Quality and Construction: The Phantom Mod v2 is primarily made from stainless steel. The main tubes have a brushed finish, while the top and bottom caps have a polished finish. The upper tube has two vent holes to help heat dissipation. The main tubes have fine grooves, which give them a shiny appearance while warding off fingerprints.
The pins are made from copper, which is one of the best metals for conductivity. The upper-pin floats, allowing a wide variety of atomizers to sit flush on the mod. I used the Phantom Mod v2 with a Jeyps Nimbus, a Grand Vapor Trident, and a Kebo “The Russian” atomizers; all of them sit flush on the mod. Silver pins are available as a premium option for even higher performance. Unfortunately, I was not able to test the silver pins at this time.
The mod’s threads were mostly good. The top cap and the main body screwed in smoothly. The bottom cap was slightly rough, but totally acceptable considering the price.
The materials used to make this mod are great and the overall build quality is very good. The Phantom Mod v2 doesn’t have the cleanest lines and smoothest threads, but for the price you’re getting a lot of mod for your money.
Ergonomics and Design: The Phantom Mod v2 uses a telescoping design that accommodates batteries as small as 18350 and as large as 18650. It works with an Evolv Kick using 18350 or 18490 batteries. I used the mod with a relatively thin Sony 18650 VTC3 and a thicker Panasonic NCR18650B. The Panasonic battery can be too thick for some mechanical mods, but it worked in this one just fine.
The lower tube of the Phantom Mod v2 has an interesting design. Some people call it a “palm tree” shape, but I like to say that it’s ribbed…for your pleasure. The grooves make holding the mod easier for people that like to hit the firing button with their pinky finger. Personally, I think it looks cool and distinct. Practically, I don’t see the ribbing as a big help with ergonomics because…
…the mod’s firing button is tight. It uses a heavy spring, which makes for some firm action. Button action is subjective, so some people will like it and some people won’t. Although the spring loosened up a tiny bit after several weeks of use, the action was still on the heavy side. If you’re the kind of vaper that likes a firing button that requires a light touch then you probably won’t like using the Phantom Mod v2.
The Phantom Mod v2 doesn’t have a locking ring, but I found it wasn’t necessary considering that the button throw is long and the spring action is heavy. This is one of two mechs that I have that doesn’t have a locking ring and it’s nice to be able to mindlessly place a mod on a table without having to worry about it firing. You also don’t have to worry about the Phantom Mod v2 going off in your pocket, bag, or purse. Although it’s possible that it can fire under those conditions, it’s highly unlikely.
While I loved the appearance of the Phantom Mod v2’s brushed steel, the industrial design was merely okay for me. I found it generally attractive, but it didn’t wow me by any means. Design is totally subjective though; check out the images in the review video to see if this mod’s appearance works for you.
Performance: The Phantom Mod v2 hits fairly hard, which is expected from a mod that uses copper pins. Performance was strong using setups from 0.5 ohms to 1.2 ohms. There are many mods that hit harder, but most of those use more expensive pin materials and/or designs that limit voltage loss. For the price (there’s that line again), the Phantom Mod v2 offers quality performance.
Verdict: There’s a lot to love about the Phantom Mod v2. It’s made from quality materials, it has a unique design, and it performs well. With the large amount of Chinese clones flooding the market, it’s refreshing to see an original product that’s sold at an inexpensive price. If you’re looking for a starter mod and want to support an original maker or if you have a bunch of mods and are looking for a “beater” (i.e. drinking mod!) then the Phantom Mod v2 is a great choice. That’s the good news.
The bad news is that American retailers can get…creative with Phantom Mod v2 pricing. While it retails in the Philippines for roughly $57, don’t expect that price here. Of course retail markups and import costs are expected, but some retailers push the envelope a bit too far. $100 or so is a fair price for the Phantom Mod v2 in America. When it gets into the $120 to $140 range, that’s when the Phantom Mod v2’s value isn’t as great; you can get a nicer and better performing Pinoy mod for a little bit more money.
If you can find a Phantom Mod v2 for a $100 or less then I recommend picking one up. It’s a nice mod that offers good performance. While I have a bunch of nicer and more expensive mods in my arsenal, I use my Phantom Mod v2 a lot. It performs well and looks good, but it’s inexpensive enough that I don’t worry about dinging it up. For people that have moral issues with cloning (vaping products, not animals), you can feel good about your money supporting an original product from the original maker.
