Cartel Mods Archives

Vaping Diaries #335: Cartel Mods Scatola & Xanic Blanc Interview

It’s always excellent catching up with Cartel Mods main man Gino Litonjua. He was one of the first people in the vaping business that I interviewed (way back at ECC 2013) and watching his company grow has been lots of fun. At ECC 2015, Gino told me about the Scatola Box Mod and the Xanic Blanc line of vaping e-liquids. As with all the Cartel Mods products I’ve seen over the last few years, the Scatola and Xanic Blanc are different and classy.

Let’s start with the juice. Xanic Blanc has launched with three flavors that are atypical for a Southern California vaping company. Crema is a mix of orange, cream, and yogurt that playfully blends sweet, savory, and tangy notes. Lusso is a mix of honeydew melon and milk, touched by a slight bit of menthol — definitely one of the more unique flavors I’ve tried this year. Lastly, Biancco is a creamy strawberry funnel cake. I’ve vaped a bunch of all three flavors and enjoy them all, but I’m still trying to figure out which one I like best. It changes by the hour. Ha!

On the hardware side, Cartel Mods is currently taking pre-orders for the Scatola Box Mod. Made from a unique hybrid resin body, the Scatola mimics the look of stabilized wood, but is more durable and doesn’t have issues with humidity. The box mod is accented by 304 stainless steel and uses Delrin insulators. The Scatola box run in parallel, allowing vapers ample battery life. At the show, Cartel Mods had several finishes on display and several of them looked brilliant.

Check out my ECC 2015 chat with Gino below to learn more about the Xanic Blan e-liquid line and the Scatola Box Mod, as well as what he’s working on next. (Hint: Expect a regulated device from Cartel Mods in the near future!)

Vaping Diaries #236: Cartel Mods Gino Litonjua Interview (ECC 2014)

Cartel Mods is one of my favorite American hardware manufacturers in the vaping business. From the first time I saw Cartel Mods hardware, I was enamored by the company’s build quality and workmanship. At ECC 2013, I met the company’s main man — Gino Litonjua — for the first time. I’ve chatted with him a few times on camera since then and it was nice to celebrate our “on-camera vaping anniversary” (that’s a real thing) at ECC 2014.

Cartel Mods had a lively booth at the show, with a “Wheel of Fortune” game where contestants could win a Cartel Mods mechanical mod or atomizer for only $10. The company also released a brass version of its Cartel Boss 26650 mod at ECC 2014. Also on display, was the Stillare v3 — Cartel Mods’ first tri-coil atomizer. Gino gave a great explanation of the benefits of tri-coil atomizers and how the Stillare v3 offers a great blend of intense flavor and heavy vapor.

Lastly, Gino spoke about a new laser-engraving process that Cartel Mods will be using in products released later this year. By manipulating the machine settings, he was able to achieve engravings of different colors. The winner right now seems to be the red engraving.

To learn more about what Cartel Mods is up to, watch the ECC 2014 video interview above.

Vaping Diaries #187: Cartel Mods Gino Litonjua Interview (Vapers Exhibit)

It’s always excellent catching up with Gino Litonjua from Cartel Mods. He’s a cool guy that makes some beautiful vaping products. Our last (filmed) chat was at ECC 2013 and it was one of my favorite clips from the show. At Vapers Exhibit, I chatted with Gino about some of Cartel Mods’ upcoming products. He talked about the limited edition Copper Cartel Mod, the 26650 Cartel Boss, the Stillare v2i atomizer, and the Stillare Plus (mode to match the boss). He also teased the Stillare v3, which is being prototyped now and will be out later this year. Watch the interview to learn details about these exciting vaping products from a great American mod and atomizer maker.

Vaping Diaries #110: Cartel Mods Gino Litonjua Interview

Cartel Mods is a relatively new maker of mechanical mods that’s taking a luxurious approach to vaping. At ECC 2013, I caught up with Cartel Mods’ chief mod maker Gino Litonjua to talk about how the company got started, its philosophy of mod making, the unusual quality of its stainless steel, and upcoming additions to the Cartel Mods lineup.

While most stainless-steel mechanical-mods are made with 303, 304, or 316L stainless steel, Cartel Mods uses the more expensive 904L stainless steel. This is the stuff that Rolex uses to make its watches. When you hold the Cartel Mods v1 in your hand, you can immediately feel the difference between it and a mod made from 300-grade stainless steel. It feels posh and menacing at the same time. It’s obviously an exquisitely crafted mechanical mod, but the heft…kind of makes you want to punch someone while it’s in your hands (remember, one of my fantasies is beating someone up with a Maglite).

Anyway, it was fun chatting with Gino and learning more about Cartel Mods. He’s a cool guy and a skillful DJ. Check out the video above to learn more about his up-and-coming company from Southern California.