E-Cigs Archives - Page 10 of 32

Vaping Diaries #206: Surefire Vapor Dusted Brass Knurled King Mod Review

Surefire Vapor has been cranking out top-quality American mods since 2013. As a fan of made-in-the-USA mechanical mods, I’ve always been a supporter of the company, but its initial mod wasn’t my cup of tea (hated the “hex nut” look). Since its start, Surefire Vapor has refined and revised its designs. One of its latest devices is the Dusted Brass Knurled King Mod. It’s a handsome mechanical mod that features fine craftsmanship and strong performance, but comes at a premium price.

Build Quality and Construction: The Dusted Brass Knurled King Mod is made from a fairly thick cut of brass. It uses copper negative and positive contacts. The brass has a finish that’s being labeled as “dusted,” but most vapers will see it as brushed brass. Whatever the label, the finish is well done. As far as materials go, Surefire Vapor did a nice job with this mod.

The workmanship is high quality too. The threads on all of the tubes are very, very smooth. The knurling on the top and bottom caps is well done. The design of the positive pin is especially impressive. Unlike many telescoping pins on the market, the pin in the Dusted Brass Knurled King Mod has tight action and a firmly secure feel. This is great for two reasons — the tight machining helps with conductivity and you don’t have to worry about the pin coming loose and falling out when the mod doesn’t have a battery in it.

Design and Ergonomics: Since then end of 2013, several mod makers have chosen to go with minimalistic designs, releasing comparatively short devices. The Dusted Brass Knurled King Mod is not one of those devices. It’s big, bold, and beautiful. Compared to some of the minimalist mods in my collection, the Dusted Brass Knurled King Mod is up to an inch taller in 18650 mode. While I didn’t mind the size at all, vapers that prefer shorter mods will want to skip this one.

Taking a step back, this is a modular device that comes with three main tubes. It can be configured to accept 18350 up to 18650 batteries.

Aesthetically, the Dusted Brass Knurled King Mod is best described as handsome. Branding is blessedly restrained, with the lion logo on the main tube, the Surefire Vapor logo on the firing button, and the text “Made in the USA” also on the firing button. There are a number of special editions of this mod with additional engraving, such as the #IMPROOF and #LONGLIVETHEKING models. No matter the edition, the Dusted Brass Knurled King Mod is a classy device that, in my opinion, is much better looking than the original King Mod.

As far as the caps go, I mentioned in the previous section that I was very impressed by the mod’s positive pin. It’s easy to adjust and very secure. The bottom cap is nicely designed too. The button is recessed (which I prefer) and it has a lock ring (which can be a lifesaver). The firing button has a short throw and medium-light feel.

Performance: I was surprised by how hard the Dusted Brass Knurled King Mod hit. I was expecting good performance and relatively low voltage drop due to its brass body and copper pins, but my expectations were exceeded. Generally speaking, modular-tube mods have the potential for more voltage drop than single-tube mods (my personal preference); every time you add a junction, you have more potential for voltage loss. This potential voltage loss can be limited through deft engineering and workmanship, and that’s what Surefire Vapor delivered with this mod.

The mod’s copper contacts are highly conductive, though silver is a more conductive metal. Copper also tarnishes faster than silver and is a bit harder to maintain. To ensure optimum performance with this mod, regular contact maintenance is necessary.

Despite its modular design, the Dusted Brass Knurled King Mod is a very strong performer. Again, a brass body and copper contacts are a great combo, but this mod’s performance surprised me a bit and exceeded my expectations. While there are copper mods with silver-plated contacts that hit harder, most vapers will be content with the solid power this mods offers. It hits as hard as some, but certainly not all, of the copper mods in my collection.

Verdict: The Dusted Brass Knurled King Mod is one of the best devices Surefire Vapor has made. It looks great, the craftsmanship is very good, and it hits hard. The only issue I had with it was its price. It’s available for $230 through authorized Surefire Vapor resellers and if you want silver-plated contacts then you’ll have to pay extra. There are many competing mods that cost around $200 and come with silver-plated contacts as a standard feature.

While I was very happy using the Dusted Brass Knurled King Mod and certainly recommend it to anyone looking for a quality made-in-the-USA mechanical mod, the recommendation comes with a caveat. It’s a great mod that’s slightly overpriced.

[Special thanks to The Vape Source for letting Johann and me film there!]

RPadTV 2014 Vaping Giveaway VI: Kayfun, Vapesox, and More!

It’s time for another RPadTV Vaping Giveaway! This time around the contest is for a trio of prizes. One lucky winner will get:

1 Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 Clone
1 Vapesox Mod Holder
1 Kayfun Clear Tank Kit

This contest requires either a Facebook or Google+ account. To enter this contest, all you have to do is Continue reading “RPadTV 2014 Vaping Giveaway VI: Kayfun, Vapesox, and More!”

Vaping Diaries #205: Bay City Vapor XXIX Review

In a very short period of time, Bay City Vapor has become one of my favorite mod makers. The company’s SurfRider mod was one of my favorite vaping devices of 2013. A couple of months ago, I received the Bay City Vapor XXIX. It features everything that I loved about the SurfRider, one minor change, and beautiful C101 copper. Best of all, it’s made right here in the USA. Let’s take a closer look at killer copper mod.

Build Quality and Construction: The Bay City Vapor XXIX features excellent build quality and materials. As I mentioned in the intro, it’s made from C101 copper. This is an important distinction, as many copper mods are made from lower grades of copper. Using top-quality copper helps the Bay City Vapor XXIX hit harder and last longer than many of its competitors.

Many vaping enthusiasts are aware that performance isn’t based on materials alone. Craftsmanship is an important performance factor and it’s another area where the Bay City Vapor XXIX excels. The threads are well made and engineered wonderfully; you’ll notice the smoothness when you unscrew the mod and appreciate the tight tolerances when you feel its power.

Design and Ergonomics: Fans of minimalistic mods will love the Bay City Vapor XXIX. Physically, it’s a very compact device. The 18650 model I’ve been using is nearly an inch shorter than many of my other 18650 mods.

Aesthetically, the Bay City Vapor XXIX is subtle. It has a small XXIX logo at the bottom of the tube and the Bay City Vapor logo on the bottom cap. If you like flashy mods with lots of knurling or plenty of intricate engravings then this device isn’t for you. If you lean towards subtle and classily understated designs then you’ll dig the looks of the Bay City Vapor XXIX.

The most unique feature of this mod is its hybrid-style top-cap. It’s a smart design that helps keep the mod compact and gives it awesome performance. There’s no 510 connection, as with the vast majority of mods on the market. Instead, the top cap screws directly onto the atomizer, allowing the atty to connect directly to the battery. It’s just a clever design that works well on several levels.

The original SurfRider and XXIX mods had some tricky fits with certain battery and atomizer combinations. One difference between the SurfRider I reviewed and the XXIX I reviewed is an updated switch. The bottom button and firing pad have been updated to accommodate a wider variety of atomizer and battery combos. For my part, I didn’t experience any incompatibilities using Samsung INR 18650 20-R and Sony VTC3 batteries with The Russian, Kayfun 3.1, Aqua, and several dripping atomizers.

The only aspect of the Bay City Vapor XXIX I didn’t love was its button feel, which is a totally subjective area. I prefer buttons with a short throw and light feel. While the firing button definitely has a short throw, the spring is a little stiff for my liking. It loosens up over time, but I still wanted something a bit lighter. Thankfully, the company will be offering magnet upgrades for people that want to go that route. I’m hoping that the magnets will address the one facet of the mod that I merely liked.

Performance: The highly conductive C101 copper body, excellent construction, and hybrid-style top-cap add up for stellar performance. I used the Bay City Vapor XXIX with atomizers built from 0.5-ohms to 1.2-ohms and experience zero voltage drop. That’s not a typo — zero voltage drop. If high performance matters to you then you should definitely consider this mod. It’s one of the best performing devices you can buy.

Verdict: The Bay City Vapor XXIX is simply one of the finest copper mods on the market. It hits hard, is extremely well made, and has beautifully understated looks. While design is subjective, performance and workmanship are not. As far as those two categories go, Bay City Vapor has knocked it out of the park.

The single-tube version of the Bay City Vapor XXIX was originally available for a direct-from-manufacturer price of $160. The company is moving to a retail model, so expect to pay a little more at brick-and-mortar and online stores. While I don’t expect the mod to cost too much more, I’m certain that the Bay City Vapor XXIX will be a superior value to competing mods that cost $200 or more. My recommendation: if you see one, snatch it up quickly!

Vaping Diaries #204: Is Temperature the Future of Digital Vaping?

Through lots of experimentation, many longtime vapers have an understanding of volts, watts, and Ohm’s law in the context of vaping. They know that 4.2 volts works best for them with a 1.8-ohm clearomizer. They know that savory e-liquids taste better to them at 13 watts or higher. For these types of vapers, digital vaping devices make sense because they had to take time to understand the numbers and how it relates to their vape.

Would a digital vaping device that measures output in temperature make more sense? Would the context be easier for vapers of all experience levels to understand? I’m asking you these questions because I know of two vaping companies that are working on chips for digital vaping devices that measure output in temperature. Please keep in mind that I was only given surface-level information on these conceptual devices; I have no idea how they would work or even if they work at all. What I do know at this time, is that there at least two companies that believe temperature is the future of digital vaping.

For new vapers, temperature makes total sense. 25 degrees celsius or 98 degrees (the temperature, not the crap boy band) fahrenheit are more relatable measurements than 3.9 volts or 14 watts. It’s easier for the former numbers to mean something to new vapers. Measuring output in temperature makes sense for longtime vapers too. Similar to how variable-wattage devices take the math out of vaping, a digital vaping device that uses temperature would do the same, but with an output number that would make more sense to more people.

One of the issues for many longtime vapers is that they’re already used to the current paradigm. They know that they’re primarily a five-volt vaper or a 15-watt vaper. Introducing a new standard would throw them for loop, even if the new numbers made more sense. Still, I don’t think a new system would take much time to understand — especially one that uses a relatable metric like temperature.

I’d love to get your thoughts on digital vaping devices that measure output in temperature. Would you be interested in something like that? Do you think temperature makes more sense than volts or watts? Or do you think that these devices will lose out to the current variable-voltage and variable-wattage models?

Vaping Diaries #203: Vapor Liq Review and Unboxing

It seems like a new e-liquid subscription service pops up every other week. Like so many other areas of vaping, the space is getting highly competitive. One of the newest juice subscription services is Vapor Liq. It’s also one of the best that I’ve come across. In this review, I’ll go over the many reasons Vapor Liq impressed me.

Like its competitors, Vapor Liq has you start by creating a flavor profile. First, you pick the type of equipment you vape on (cartomizers and clearomizers all the way up to rebuildable atomizers). Next, you select the categories of flavors that you like (desserts, fruits, tobaccos, etc.). From there, the categories are broken down even further, allowing you to select specific flavors you like or dislike. The whole process is handled in an elegant way; it’s simple and highly visual, while also being effective.

After your profile is created, Vapor Liq sends you three 15ml bottles of juice. Excellent packaging is another reason why I enjoyed my Vapor Liq experience. The box has snappy and fun branding. The inside of the box is lined with artificial hay, which looks cool and protects the bottles. The bottles are individually wrapped and sealed with a Vapor Liq sticker. Also included are a welcome card and coupons you can use on your next purchase or give to friends. The flavor descriptions come on a packing label, which seems incongruous with the other elements of the package; I mentioned that to the owners, so perhaps that will change in the future. Sterile packing label aside, presentation is fun — the box is something that will make you happy when you receive it and something you’ll look forward to the following month.

As for the juices in the box, I received a trio that totally hit my flavor profile. As a huge fan of tobacco e-liquids, I was pleased to find Amber from True Leaf Vapor. Most of the subscription services I’ve come across have tobacco juices, but Vapor Liq and Drip Club are the only ones I know of that have tobacco e-liquids made with naturally-extracted tobacco, rather than tobacco absolute. Considering that naturally-extracted tobacco juices are my favorite types of e-liquids, I really appreciated Amber’s inclusion (hmmmm, should I name my next band Amber’s Inclusion?).

My profile also noted that I was into savory desserts. I received Nirvana Vapor’s Pali Pumpkin, which is a blend of pumpkin, exotic spices, and cream. I also received Lion from Illuminati Vapor. As a Filipino-American with a sweet tooth, I really enjoyed this lovely mix of ube and custard.

As with other subscription services, you receive three new juices every month. If you come across a flavor you absolutely love, you can go to the Vapor Liq web site and have it included with your next subscription box.

Vapor Liq is focusing on the top brands in the business. In addition to the three companies I mentioned earlier, the Vapor Liq lineup includes Alpha Vapes, Cyber Liquids, 7 Drops, and The Vial. There are some other top juice companies that are not listed on the site, which was a decision made by the owners. The company is always on the lookout for more top juice companies. While the current Vapor Liq lineup isn’t as expansive as that of Craft Vapery’s, it’s a strong list of juice makers that should be even better in the future.

Overall, I was quite happy with my Vapor Liq experience. The web site is intuitive, the packing is fun, and the selection of juices I received was great. As a company, I like what Vapor Liq is trying to do and the direction it’s headed in. At $35.99 a month for three 15ml bottles of juice, Vapor Liq isn’t the cheapest subscription service around, but it’s one of the best I’ve encountered.

Vaping Diaries #202: Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 Clone Review

Angelcigs is a relatively new company that offers inexpensive vaping products from China that ship from local warehouses. It offers prices similar to the popular Fasttech, but with much faster shipping. The company recently sent me three atomizers to check out. The first one I’m reviewing is the Kayfun 3.1 clone. This $24.99 replica is a great deal. It offers a vaping experience similar to that of an authentic Kayfun 3.1, but for roughly 1/7th of the price. As long as they have reasonable expectations of build quality, many vapers will be happy with what Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone brings to the table.

What’s in the Kit: The Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone comes with the atomizer, one optional stainless steel tank, one optional 510 drip tip adapter, extra o-rings, extra screws, a juice bottle, one pre-made coil, extra silica wick, a keychain tool, and the instruction manual. It’s a complete kit that has everything novices need to get started. Experienced vapers will, of course, want to trash the keychain tool, coil, and wick.

Design: As you’d expect, this atomizer is pretty much a 1:1 replica of the Svoe Mesto original. For those of you not familiar with the Kayfun 3.1, it’s a bottom-coil silica atomizer that’s the most popular product in its category. The good news is that this copy looks and feels like a reasonable facsimile of the original. Unfortunately, that also includes the Svoe Mesto logo. I’m not a fan of clones that copy logos, markings, etc.

From afar, it would be fairly easy to mistake the Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone for the real McCoy. When you open up the atomizer, the differences become more apparent.

Build Quality: Obviously this product doesn’t match the build quality of an authentic Kayfun 3.1 or even The Russian atomizer. At a fraction of the price, it would be foolish to expect comparable workmanship. The threads aren’t machined as finely; you can hear and feel the friction whenever you unscrew the tank. The o-ring material is cheaper than that of the original’s too. The threads on the polycarbonate tank felt particularly flimsy (though I didn’t have any leaking issues). The stainless steel tank felt much more secure.

All that said, for a $25 product, the quality is pretty good. While it doesn’t compare to an authentic Kayfun, the Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone is as good or better than most other clones I’ve seen.

Performance: The Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone offers performance that’s comparable to the real deal. You get the great flavor production that many vapers love about the Kayfun, as well as excellent juice capacity. The airflow options aren’t as broad as the original’s, but it’s fairly close. Vapers that prefer a medium to stiff draw will be happy with what this atomizer offers.

Like the authentic model, the Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone is relatively easy to work with and to maintain. Building coils for the atomizer is slightly more involved than building coils for a dripper. Whether you use silica, cotton, kanthal wire, or kanthal ribbon, the atomizer is very accommodating. It’s also easy to maintain, though clumsy people (like me) should be careful when washing it over a sink, as it has several small parts and screws.

Verdict: Out of the three Angelcigs atomizers I’ve been using for the past few weeks, the Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone is the best of the bunch. While it’s not made as well as the original, it vapes similarly and is much easier to acquire. The price is excellent and the product is backed by generous service. It’s a solid deal for newcomers that want to experiment with this type of atomizer and for longtime vapers looking for a good “beater” atty. As long as you don’t have any issues with clones and companies that copy logos, the Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 is definitely worth a look.

Vaping Diaries #201: Dr. Mike’s Rad Vapors Interview

It’s always fun catching up with the crew from Dr. Mike’s Rad Vapors. My previous chats with CEO Strek Gauthier, COO Dr. Mike Gauthier, and mixologist Ricky Medina are some of my favorite vaping interviews on RPadTV. Recently, I caught up with them at Viper Vapor LA to learn more about the new flavors in the Dr. Mike’s Rad Vapors lineup, how the company comes up with its e-liquid names, and juice flavors on the horizon. The three new flavors are:

Dragon: A delicious blend of mangosteen and dragon fruit. As a big fan of mangosteen, I…accidentally vaped an entire bottle of the juice before filming b-roll for this interview. Ha!
Fury: A banana-milk medley that will appeal to fans of creamy fruit blends.
Fortune: A natural lychee e-liquid geared towards vapors that prefer a fresh lychee taste over canned or candied versions of the fruit.

Check out the clip above to learn more about these e-liquids, as well as the nutty flavors Dr. Mike’s Rad Vapors is working on. Special thanks to Tiffany for letting us hang out at Viper Vapor LA!

Vaping Diaries #200: Vape Shops and Social Media Mistakes

As a vaping enthusiast, I try to visit as many vape shops as possible. As a nerd, I follow several vape shops on various social media services. There are also many vape shops that I check up on periodically, but don’t follow. When I look at what most vape shops do with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc., I see tons of mistakes and poor use of these services.

Before I continue, I want to make it clear that I am not a social media expert. However, as someone that has covered consumer electronics and videogames for years, I’ve seen some outstanding marketing and superior use of social media. Some of the following critiques are mine, while a few of them came from conversations with longtime tech-nerd friends that are now vapers. Let’s do this!

Antisocial Media: The biggest problem I have with how vape shops use social media services is that most of them use social media in an antisocial way. Many only use it to advertise products or sales. That’s a missed opportunity. While driving people to buy stuff is the ultimate goal for stores, social media can be used for so much more than product-focused campaigns.

One antisocial mistake I often see is companies not showing off what their store looks like. Social media services are a fantastic opportunity to show the unique features of a vape shop. They can be used to give potential customers an idea of a store’s tasting bar, displays, build station, lounging area, lighting, and more. Great pictures can be used to help new customers think, “Hey, this shop looks cool! I want to hang out there.”

Another antisocial mistake is that most shops don’t post information about their staff. While I might go to a vape shop because of a new product or a good sale, I often return to shops because of the staff. Social media can be used to highlight the staff’s juice tastes, building skills, quirks, and more. It’s an opportunity for a potential customer to think, “Hey, I like the way Jim from Vape Store X thinks. I’m going to stop by the store to get some juice advice from him,” or, “Zoe from Vape Shop Y makes some sick builds! I want her to set up my RDA.”

Most vape shops are so product-focused that their social media feeds feel like a string of boring advertisements. The smarter vape shops mix up product posts with ones about the store and staff, or even quirky vape-related things that keep the feed fun.

Barrage Posting: There’s one vape shop I like that has a fantastic storefront and uses social media very well…except when it comes to post frequency. Blasting out five or more posts in two minutes is stupid. It’s annoying. It makes people want to hit the “unfollow” or “remove friend” button. I have no idea why the people at this shop think barrage posting is a good strategy. It’s just obnoxious.

Then there are the shops that only post once a day. That’s not enough. Social media services move fast and a single post will get lost in the shuffle.

One of the best vape shop feeds that I follow tries to post at least once every two hours, but no more than once an hour. That’s a great strategy. It’s frequent enough that it keeps the store’s brand on the minds of its followers a few times a day, but isn’t as obnoxious as putting up ten posts in a minute. Shops that post in this fashion will be heard and remembered, without being lost to other feeds.

Ignoring Google+: Google’s social media service gets a bad rap — some of it is absolutely deserved, but some of it stems from people not knowing enough about what it offers. The mistake vape shops (and people in general) make is dismissing Google+ as an inferior Facebook. While it doesn’t have Facebook’s massive user base, Google+ does several things that Facebook doesn’t, the most important of which is socialized search results on Google.com.

All vape shops — especially those that also sell online — want their search results to be on the first page of a Google search. Google+ can help make that happen. Say a vape shop posts a Google+ story about picking up Atomizer Z and I click “+1” on that story. If any of my Google+ friends search for Atomizer Z then that story will likely appear on the first page of their results. It doesn’t matter if a store has half the followers on Google+ than it does on Facebook. The benefits of socialized search results can have tremendous value.

Overvaluing Instagram: Relying too heavily on Instagram is a mistake I often see with Southern California shops. I suppose it makes sense. A lot of the storeowners are young and Instagram skews younger than Facebook or Twitter. Instagram is also flashy, quick, and easy, but…

…it’s probably the least practical social media service. Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ are easier to track. There are a lot of metrics tools that can show the “true” effectiveness of posts on the aforementioned services. Instagram doesn’t have as many tools (yet) and is very limited because it doesn’t allow for hyperlinks in posts or comments (yet). For whatever reason, a lot of shop owners I’ve met are fixated on the number of Instagram followers they have. In reality, it’s not indicative of anything and marketing on Instagram is inferior compared to what you can do (and measure) on other services.

Wrapping it Up: Out of the stores that I follow, only a handful use social media effectively. Planet Vape does a fantastic job of posting frequent updates that highlight products, the store, and the staff. Nosty also handles social media nicely. Vapeday is relatively new, but started off with a social media bang and has been doing a mostly good job.

All of this is, of course, just one person’s opinion. I’m sure that there are some people out there that just want straight-up product and sale information through social media services. However, I maintain that most vape shops aren’t getting the most out of social media. That doesn’t surprise me considering the relative newness and youth of the vaping business. It also wouldn’t surprise me if in two years, many vape shops handle social media as deftly as some of the consumer electronics and videogame marketers I’ve met.

RPadTV 2014 Vaping Giveaway V: Win an Innokin Cool Fire II

It’s time for another RPadTV 2014 Vaping Giveaway! This time around, the prize is an Innokin Cool Fire II variable-wattage mod. It’s definitely one of the most unique vaping devices I’ve seen, but you probably don’t want to bring it with you to the airport — a vaping device that looks like a grenade…is just asking for a TSA strip search. Ha! This contest requires either a Facebook or Google+ account. To enter this contest, all you have to do is:

Share this post if you use Google+ or share this post if you use Facebook. If you use both then feel free to share both links. Please use the share function on the post, as that’s how I’ll be collecting names.
As always, RPadTV Mod owners get an additional five entries for every 2014 Vaping Giveaway — buy yours today (please)!

Now for the boring contest rules:

Only one entry per participant (not including additional entries for RPadTV mod owners)
Contest closes on May 4, 2014 11:59PM PDT
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

Spring Cleaning: RPadTV Mod Sale!!!

To help RPadTV reach the next level quickly, I’m having a sale on the RPadTV Mod. From now until May 4, 2014 11:59PM PDT, the RPadTV Mod will be available for $85 shipped. Serial numbers will be chosen at random for the sale. For information and specs on the RPadTV Mod, please hit up this post. When you’re ready to buy, please use the PayPal button below.