Tag: E-Cigs

Vaping Diaries #95: Twik Ekowool Review

A friend of mine from the Ahlusion forums recently started selling Twik Ekowool. This is a modified version of Ekowool silica cord, which is one of the most popular wick materials for rebuildable atomizers. Many vapers love it for its superior flavor (over standard silica) and durability. Twik Ekowool adds an organic cotton core to the mix. On paper, it offers improved wicking and flavor. I’ve been using Twik Ekowool for the last few weeks and was mostly impressed. Here’s a breakdown of my Twik experience (which is like the Jimi Hendrix Experience, but with organic cotton).

Wicking: Twik Ekowool’s super wicking was easily noticeable. I tried it out on a variety of atomizer setups from 0.5-ohms to 1.5-ohms. I purposely took longer-than-normal drags just to see if Twik could keep up…and it did. In the case of my 0.5-ohm dual-coil setup, Twik Ekowool was able to wick longer and faster than standard Ekowool. Generally speaking, the faster wicking was more beneficial as I lowered resistance, which makes sense since e-liquid is being vaporized faster because of the higher heat. If you’re using a dual-coil low-ohm dripping atomizer or a bottom-coil silica atomizer, then you’ll likely benefit from Twik Ekowool’s superior capillary action. (Hmmm, I think I’ll call my next band Superior Capillary Action.)

Flavor: Many vapers believe that cotton offers the cleanest and truest flavor. Flavor is also subjective, so your results will definitely vary. Personally, I have no problem with the flavor that standard Ekowool produces, but a few of my friends think that it adds an earthiness to e-liquid. While I found that Twik Ekowool offers slightly better flavor than standard Ekowool, I can totally understand someone else saying that the cotton core makes a big difference as far as flavor goes.

Workability: For the most part, Twik Ekowool is as easy to work with as the original. Since it’s softer than standard Ekowool, you’re able to squish it (technical term) into atomizers that have tight spaces. One minor drawback is that you can’t torch it when it’s dry. Torching has two benefits: it helps eliminate frayed ends and it stiffens up the fiber. If you like to use atypical shapes for your wicks, the latter comes in handy. For example, when I use a dual-coil setup in a dripping atomizer, I use one piece of wick shaped in a loop (affectionately called The Jacoji Loop). Torching makes it easier to get the precise size and shape of the loop. While I was able to make a Jacoji Loop with Twik Ekowool, it was a little harder because the soft fiber wouldn’t always stay where I wanted it to. All that said, most vapers use a straight setup and shouldn’t have any problems working with Twik Ekowool.

Maintenance: This is one area where standard Ekowool has a clear advantage; maintaining it is idiot-proof. You can torch and dry burn Ekowool all you want. Since Twik Ekowool has a cotton core, you shouldn’t dry burn it, since the cotton will burn. Torching it dry is out of the question too. You can torch the coil while the wick is still wet, but you have to be careful (I’ve messed this up a few times). This isn’t a big issue for vapers that enjoy clean juices, since rinsing will be enough. It can be an issue for vapers that enjoy heavy e-liquids that gunk up coils, like those made with naturally-extracted tobacco. Since it can’t be dry burned or torched dry, more vapers will get longer life out of standard Ekowool than Twik Ekowool.

Price: Twik Ekowool is very fairly priced at $4.99 for two feet with free shipping. That’s inline with prices for small quantities of unmodified Ekowool; Kidney Puncher sells straight Ekowool for $4.45 for two feet, while Stormy’s Vapor Cellar sells two feet for $3.99 — shipping is an additional charge for both vendors. Considering the extra labor it takes to thread the cotton core through hollow Ekowool, Twik’s price is great. Of course some people are going to say that they can buy dozens of feet (or meters, as Ekowool’s Russian creators measure it in) for less, but we’re talking about small quantities here.

Verdict: At the very least, Twik Ekowool is definitely worth trying. The price is comparable to the going rate for small quantities of standard Ekowool. You get superior wicking and better flavor. Just keep in mind that maintaining it isn’t as idiot-proof as caring for standard Ekowool. Vapers that are unsatisfied with the flavor and wicking of Ekowool should definitely give Twik Ekowool a shot. Even those that are happy with Ekowool should try it. The price is low enough that it’s worth experimenting with to see if the addition of a cotton core will make a significant difference in your vaping.

Personally, I’m going to keep buying both. I’ll use Twik Ekowool for most of my setups and standard Ekowool for when I want to build things like The Jacoji Loop. If you try Twik Ekowool, please leave a comment below and share your experience with it.

Buy Twik Ekowool

Vaping Diaries #94: Clever Vape Review

Clever Vape is a relatively new e-liquid company that sells some interesting juices. There are several unique blends in the Clever Vape lineup and I recently vaped three of them: Nostalgia, Brooklyn Pop, and Abandon Mint. They’re three very different e-liquids that will appeal to all sorts of vapers. For the most part, I was very pleased with my first Clever Vape experience.

The company’s 30ml bottles are glass and feature stylish labels. The juices are fairly priced at $14.99 ($18.99 with a flavor boost). Abandon Mint and Brooklyn Pop vaped very cleanly, while Nostalgia was a “dirty” juice. This wasn’t surprising, since it’s made with real tobacco in a process that the vendor calls “true tobacco synthesis.” Nostalgia gunks up coils quickly and probably isn’t the best choice for a carto/tank.

Abandon Mint and Brooklyn Pop are good to go straight away, with only slight changes after a month of steeping. Nostalgia changed more and I suggest giving it at least two weeks of steeping.

Here are the flavor breakdowns and steeping notes for these Clever Vape juices:

Nostalgia: Vapers looking for a bittersweet tobacco e-liquid should definitely give Nostalgia a try. It’s a lovely melange of tobacco and black honey. The mix is very flavorful, with a medium-strength tobacco playing off the honey flavor nicely. As a huge fan of tobacco e-liquids, I enjoyed this juice. It almost reminded me of something that Heather’s Heavenly Vapes would make.

Just keep in mind that it’s heavy, so you’ll have to dry burn your coils relatively frequently and probably shouldn’t vape it in a carto/tank; when I was dripping it in a Nimbus, I couldn’t even get a full day of vaping before a large chunk of buildup appeared on my coils. As I said before, the taste is worth it.

Brooklyn Pop: This is a great black-cherry-cola juice with an excellent kick of spice. The cola flavor is authentic and not candied. The end result is similar to a gourmet soda. It was a close call between Nostalgia and Brooklyn Pop being my favorite Clever Vape juice of the bunch, but Brooklyn Pop gets a slight edge for its addictive spiciness.

This juice is a good choice for vapers trying to lower their nicotine levels. The spicy kick adds a sensation that helps compensate for loss of throat hit you get as you go down in nicotine. Even though I was born in the Bronx, I have to give it up for Brooklyn Pop. Clever Vape did an excellent job with this juice.

Abandon Mint: This was my least favorite of the bunch, but it’s a good choice for those that want a combination of sweet and minty. When I was dripping it, I could make out the different mints and menthols used in the juice (spearmint, wintergreen, etc.). In a cartomizer and clearomizer, the separation was lost to the sweetness. I would have loved this juice if the sweetness was toned down and the various mints were played up. Vapers that like mint candies will probably enjoy this juice, but for me the sweetness negated the complexity.

Steeping Notes
On the advice of Wlad from Ahlusion, I’ve been trying a new steeping method starting 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. The bottles are shaken every day for at least two weeks before vaping.

Nostalgia
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Uncapped: July 5, 2013 6:56PM
Vaped: August 18-24, 2013

Brooklyn Pop
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Uncapped: July 5, 2013 6:56PM
Vaped: August 18-24, 2013

Abandon Mint
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Uncapped: July 5, 2013 6:56PM
Vaped: August 18-24, 2013

Review Process (Updated February 17, 2013)
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 an atomizer, a cartomizer/tank setup, and a clearomizer. The exception is naturally-extracted tobacco (NET) juice; since those are known to clog up cartomizers quickly, those are vaped in atomizers and clearomizers.

Vaping Diaries #93: Mojo’s Chi You Clone Backlash

Style of Mojo’s Chi You is a beautiful and hard-hitting mechanical mod. Its popularity is completely deserved. Its also no surprise that the Chi You has been cloned by several Chinese manufacturers. Recently, there has been some Facebook drama surrounding Chi You clones. While I believe that Style of Mojo has every right to be upset about the situation, I also believe that the company is handling things poorly. Before I get to that, let’s talk about clones in a general sense.

“China clones” are a double-edged sword. On one hand, many clones mimic every element of the original, right down to the logos, engravings, and fonts. Many mod makers feel that these clones rip off the considerable work that went into designing the originals and many also believe that clones devalue the original’s worth. Clones have also been used to fool customers; some dishonest vape-shop owners try to pass off clones as the real deal. Buyers that think they’re buying an authentic item and unwittingly purchase a clone can unfairly get a negative impression of the originator. Lastly, most clones are inferior to the original in terms of workmanship and performance.

On the other hand, clones are more accessible, both in terms of price and availability. High-end mechanical mods can cost upwards of $200, while many clones cost $15 to $50. Many high-end mods are released with limited availability, making them difficult to purchase. Chinese manufacturers have immense capacity and can crank out clones at a far greater pace than the original mod makers can. In rare cases, like the EHPro EA Mod, a clone can outperform the original. While it’s fantastic that vaping has created financial opportunities for many mod makers, at the end of the day it’s all about staying off of cigarettes; because of their lower price and superior availability, clones potentially help more people stay with vaping and away from smoking.

Personally, I don’t mind basic clones. After all, there’s only so much you can do with a metal cylinder. That said, copying logos, engravings, and fonts is just garbage. I’m particularly amused by the Chinese clones of Filipino mods that use the sun from the Filipino flag; depending on your point of view, it’s either funny or sad that Chinese companies are copying that too. Whether it’s videogames, comics, or movies, I’m almost always biased for the creator. It’s one reason I’m a big fan of Janty, the creator of the original eGo e-cigarette and RY4 e-liquid. For the most part, I feel that Chinese manufacturers are unfairly exploiting the creations of mod makers and they should absolutely be pissed off about it. Having said that, I believe that Style of Mojo has taken things too far.

In a Facebook post dated August 20, 2013, Style of Mojo’s CEO posted a list of people that have purchased Chi You clones through a group buy. While I understand his (completely justifiable) frustration with cloners, taking it out on consumers is simply misguided. In most cases, the people on the list have used their real names. They are now open to ridicule from Mojo’s 299 followers and anyone else that reads the post. Why do that? In some cases, these people were never going to buy a real Chi You because of cost. In other cases, Style of Mojo has lost potential customers because of the public outing. If anything the company should be going after the companies that clone its products, like EHPro, Hcigar, and Tobeco. It would have been far more meaningful if the company went through each clone and posted the aspects that are inferior to the original. Antagonizing consumers is…not the smartest thing do.

While many proud Chi You owners are backing Style of Mojo, there are many people that are not. Some believe that the CEO is being a bully, a brat, or a whiner. Some people that were interested in buying a Chi You no longer want one because of the CEO’s actions. The worst part is that some people only know about the Chi You and Style of Mojo because of an ill-advised Facebook post. While there’s no denying that the Chi You is a fantastic vaping device, Style of Mojo is now, to some people, “the company that’s run by that guy that made that dickish Facebook post.” That’s an unfortunate thing.

Vaping Diaries #92: Avid Vaper AMP Tank Review

The Avid Vaper AMP Tank is a juice delivery system that’s fantastic for a very specific type of vaper. It uses old-school dripping atomizers and submerses them in a pressurized tank. The result is the full flavor of dripping combined with a sizable amount of juice capacity. It takes a little time to get the hang of, but vapers that enjoy dripping atomizers and want a simple solution for capacity should strongly consider the AMP Tank.

Build Quality: The AMP Tank is a well-made device with smooth lines. The threading and machining are high-quality. One minor criticism I have with the device is that the materials don’t feel particularly luxurious. It costs $120 and doesn’t feel like it should. Of course you’re paying for the research and development that went into the product, as well as the performance, but several high-priced atomizers feature more expensive metals, such as high-grade stainless steel. Remember, this is only a minor criticism; I was generally happy with how the device was made.

Design: The AMP Tank is available in three anodized colors black, clear, and gold. The different colors complement a wide variety of mods reasonably well. Vapers that use standard-sized atomizers get 3ml or capacity, while users of long-barrel atomizer get 5ml. The device has AMP printed on its base using a stylish, but subtle font. The black model I reviewed looks great on white and steel mods. A friend of mine has the gold model and it looks nice on brass mods. The clear coating is probably the most diverse finish, since it looks good on a variety of mod colors and finishes.

Performance: Once you understand how the AMP Tank works and know how to control juice flow, the performance is brilliant. I’ve used it successfully with atomizers from a number of companies: Avid Vaper, Boge, Empire Mods, Joyetech, and Vapage. It took me a little under a week to get used to manipulating air flow and juice flow; since then, the AMP Tank has become one of my favorite juice delivery systems.

I’ve used the AMP Tank for several months with 70/30, 60/40, and 50/50 juices (PG/VG). I haven’t had any leaking issues after my first week with the device and I rarely had to adjust from the default juice-flow setting. For the first half or two-thirds of the tank, the automatic juice flow worked perfectly. Towards the end of the tank, I’d have to manually manipulate juice flow. It really varies from juice to juice, but in my experience, it works fantastically. That said, I have seen reports from vapers of thicker juices (high VG content) saying that they had problems with getting juice to flow to the atomizer.

Avid Vaper should be commended for its great instructional video (embedded below) on how to use the AMP Tank. While it does require some finessing — particular as the tank gets low — I loved how the AMP Tank performed with my juices. If you vape thicker juices then there’s a chance that the device isn’t for you.

Ease of Use: There is a learning curve with the AMP Tank and there are a few things vapers have to be careful with. Like I mentioned in the performance section, using the device for the first half or two-thirds of a tank couldn’t be simpler (again, it depends on the thickness of your juice). When the tank gets low, it’s simply a matter of covering the air hole, inhaling to draw juice into the atomizer, and slowly removing your finger to get the vacuum flowing again. Yes, it’s not as simple as direct dripping, but it’s still a relatively easy process and you get the benefit of capacity.

Replacing the atomizer and refilling the AMP Tank are simple, common-sense processes. While I don’t recommend this device for beginners, most intermediate to advanced vapers should find using it a cakewalk.

As for what I mentioned about requiring care, this isn’t a device I’d recommend sticking into your pants pocket. The O-rings aren’t snug (by design) and you can have an embarrassing juice explosion on your jeans. Changes in air flow and juice flow can cause leakage out of the air hole. If you’re not careful with juice flow and you start taking trying hits on your atomizer, the coil can pop prematurely. Again, once you learn how the AMP Tank works, that becomes a low-risk issue.

Verdict: Vapers that want the full flavor of dripping have a lot of choices. There are Genesis-style atomizers and bottom-coil silica atomizers (like the excellent GP Spheroid). Those juice delivery systems require some extra work and there are some people that simply aren’t comfortable with rebuilding. While those types of rebuildable atomizers are more cost effective, this one is more accessible. The Avid Vaper AMP Tank fills a niche and does it very, very well. If you want maximum flavor and minimum fuss then the AMP Tank is a fantastic solution.

Vaping Diaries #91: Vaping vs. Smoking Presentation

My dear friend Glenda posted this excellent “Vaping vs. Smoking” presentation (embedded below) by Jonas M Rudolfsson Luster on my Facebook wall. It’s a straightforward, informative, and charming slideshow about what vaping is and what it isn’t. The e-cigarette business has been booming for the last few years and it looks like the rapid growth will continue. The biggest potential deterrent to vaping is misinformation — especially misinformation being spread by big-tobacco companies and (especially) big pharmaceutical companies. This presentation does an outstanding job of explaining why vaping is exponentially better for people than smoking.

Millions of people have improved their health and quality of life by switching from smoking to vaping. There are all kinds of proposed laws that seek to limit the growth of the e-cigarette business and limit access to e-liquids. Many of these laws are rooted in ignorance (at best) or paid for by your friends at [insert big pharmaceutical company name here]. Hopefully projects like this outstanding presentation will help citizens and lawmakers understand what vaping truly entails.

Pass this link around and help people learn about vaping (please)!

Source

Vaping Diaries #90: Want2Vape Review II

Back in June, I reviewed three Want2Vape Signature Blend e-liquids and was very impressed. This time around, I cover three juices from the company’s other lines: RY4, Rock Star, and The Blond. Whereas the Want2Vape Signature Blends e-liquids are straight-up, in-your-face tobacco, these juices are lighter, but still very enjoyable. Two of them mix tobacco and sweet flavors, while the other is a dead-ringer for a very distinct cigar.

As far as performance goes, Rock Star was the cleanest juice of the bunch. The Blond and RY4 will clog up your cartomizers or gunk up your coils a little bit faster, but are still relatively clean juices. All of them are suitable for a variety of juice delivery systems, whether you use cartomizers, clearomizers, or dripping atomizers.

Overall, I was quite happy with these three Want2Vape juices and especially enjoyed RY4. All three are quality e-liquids that are very tasty. The prices are slightly on the expensive side ($18.50 for 30ml of The Blond, $17.00 for 30ml of the others), but certainly reasonable. Check out the flavor breakdowns and steeping notes below.

RY4: This is a Western-style RY4 that emphasizes tobacco and caramel (to my tastebuds, anyway). It’s one of the heavier Western RY4s I’ve tried and also one of the best. The tobacco flavor — which uses a percentage of Want2Vape naturally-extracted tobacco (NET) — is fantastic. For Western-style RY4s, I prefer juices with a deep and flavorful tobacco taste to complement the sweetness. This juice fits the bill. If you’re looking for a deep and decadent RY4 then you’ll be happy with this one.

Rock Star: Fans of lighter Western RY4s should give this juice a go. When I say lighter, I absolutely don’t mean watered down. This is a bright and effervescent e-liquid that’s more balanced than Want2Vape’s RY4. While it does a better job of balancing the tobacco, caramel, and vanilla flavors, I preferred the NET “oomph” of its sister juice. Those that prefer RY4s that are brighter and lighter will probably prefer Rock Star.

The Blond: This juice really impressed me. It’s a spot-on approximation of the unique Acid Blondie cigar. For CYA purposes, it’s me that’s saying that this juice tastes like Acid Blondie; Want2Vape doesn’t make any such claims on its web site. For those of you not familiar with Acid Blondie, it’s a very distinct cigar that’s often described as botanical or herbal. Many people feel that it combines tobacco with clove, honey, ginger, mint, and caramel flavors. It’s definitely a unique flavor and Want2Vape absolutely nailed it with The Blond.

For me, the flavor is almost too unique. This isn’t an all-day vape for me or even a juice I can enjoy every other day. That said, I really respect the job Want2Vape did with this juice and like it as a once-a-week treat. If you’ve ever enjoyed an Acid Blondie cigar then you’re sure to enjoy The Blond.

Steeping Notes
On the advice of Wlad from Ahlusion, I’ve been trying a new steeping method starting 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. The bottles are shaken every day for at least two weeks before vaping.

RY4
70/30 PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Uncapped: March 1, 2013 5:47PM
Vaped: July 17-22, 2013

Rock Star
70/30 PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Uncapped: March 1, 2013 5:47PM
Vaped: July 17-22, 2013

The Blond
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Uncapped: March 1, 2013 5:47PM
Vaped: July 17-22, 2013

Review Process (Updated February 17, 2013)
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 an atomizer, a cartomizer/tank setup, and a clearomizer. The exception is naturally-extracted tobacco (NET) juice; since those are known to clog up cartomizers quickly, those are vaped in atomizers and clearomizers.

Vaping Diaries #89: Ahlusion Review VI

Ahlusion’s aromatic e-liquids are some of the best tobacco juices you can buy. Made with naturally-extracted tobacco, these e-liquids are fantastic for vapers looking for authentic and complex tobacco flavors. In the past, I’ve covered Ahlusion’s Blue Grass Burley, Devil Dog!, Vurley, and Honey Cured aromatics. This time around I vaped Cocoa Blend, Maple Burley, and Sweet Georgia Peach.

These flavored aromatics behaved similarly. The striking tobacco hits your first and is complemented wonderfully by the secondary flavor. These juices are heavy and not recommended for carto/tanks (the coils will gunk up fast). Dripping gives you more of the tobacco flavor (my personal preference), while vaping in a Kanger T3 clearomizer brought out the sweetness of the complementary flavor. Keep in mind that when using a clearomizer, you’ll have to rinse and dry-burn the coils more frequently. Unlike many made-to-order e-liquids, the aromatic line doesn’t require steeping and is ready to go right from the mailbox.

As with my previous Ahlusion orders, these juices were immaculately packed. As far as protection goes, the company does the best packing job I’ve seen. As for the e-liquids themselves — they’re fantastic! The tobacco flavor is superb and the complementary flavor blends in marvelously. Here are the flavor breakdowns and steeping notes.

Cocoa Blend: This juice took me by surprise, due to my own ignorance. I’ve had a lot of bad chocolate e-liquids, but this one uses cocoa, not chocolate. My friend Andrew let me try some of his Cocoa Blend and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The cocoa has a nice bittersweet flavor that works brilliantly with the Virginia and burley tobaccos used in this juice. The outstanding tobacco blend’s earthy tones are highlighted by the bittersweet cocoa. The flavors mix together perfectly for a deep and authentic tobacco vape with a lovely bittersweet touch.

Maple Burley: I was expecting something different from this e-liquid. I thought it would be more like Vurley, which has a deep burley tobacco taste and a brightly sweet vanilla flavor. With Maple Burley, the tobacco is the dominant flavor, while a natural maple sugar flavor is in the background. I’m a big fan of Ahlusion’s maple sugar flavor; it’s sweet, but not in that artificial maple-syrup way. Although the mix wasn’t what I expected, this ended being my favorite of the three. Burley is one of my favorite tobaccos (for e-liquids) and the maple sugar flavor is delicious.

Sweet Georgia Peach: A few of my vaping friends are totally high on this juice and it’s easy to understand why. As expected from an Ahlusion aromatic, the tobacco flavor is phenomenal. What’s really interesting is the peach flavor. Most peach e-liquids use a flavor that’s similar to a Peach Gummi candy or a natural, fresh peach. Ahlusion’s peach is distinct; it’s natural, but more like a dried peach than a fresh peach. It works incredibly well with the tobacco flavor. This juice is an amazing approximation of peach pipe tobacco. It’s wonderfully executed, with a perfect blend of striking tobacco and a unique (and yummy) peach flavor.

Steeping Notes
On the advice of Wlad from Ahlusion, I’ve been trying a new steeping method starting 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. The bottles are shaken every day for at least two weeks before vaping.

Cocoa Blend
70/30 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Uncapped: May 31, 2013 6:32PM
Vaped: June 24-July 16, 2013

Maple Burley
70/30 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Uncapped: May 31, 2013 6:32PM
Vaped: June 25-July 16, 2013

Sweet Georgia Peach
70/30 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Uncapped: May 31, 2013 6:32PM
Vaped: June 23-July 16, 2013

Review Process (Updated February 17, 2013)
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 an atomizer, a cartomizer/tank setup, and a clearomizer. The exception is naturally-extracted tobacco (NET) juice; since those are known to clog up cartomizers quickly, those are vaped in atomizers and clearomizers.

Vaping Diaries #88: Evolv Kick 2 Preview

Yesterday I received an Evolv Kick 2, the latest version of one of my favorite vaping accessories. If you’re not familiar with the original Kick, it’s a drop-in module for mechanical mods that sits on top of a battery. It gives you variable-wattage performance, allowing for consistent vaping experiences no matter what mechanical mod or juice delivery system used. For example, if you set the Kick for 9.5 watts, you’ll get 9.5 watts whether your atomizer is 1.2 ohms or 2.8 ohms. Additionally, the Kick provides short-circuit protection.

The Kick 2 has several improvements over its predecessor, as well as some design changes. The device can be set as high as 15 watts. The original model capped out at 10 watts. The suggested atomizer resistance range is 0.5 to 3.3 ohms. The previous version listed 1.3 to 3.0 ohms as the workable range. These two improvements make the Kick 2 potentially attractive to vapers that like to use sub-ohm coils on rebuildable devices. I’ll be testing the Kick 2 with a sub-ohm coil on a rebuildable dripping atomizer.

As far as design goes, there’s one significant change. The original Kick features a contact spring to ground the device. The Kick 2 uses two grounding posts. The posts are sturdier and useful for mods that have internal threading (the Kick 2 can be screwed in). On the downside, the original’s grounding spring offers a little more flexibility, since it can moved to ensure contact.

On paper, the Kick 2 sounds like another winner from Evolv. The original is one of the most popular and useful accessories for mechanical mods. The Kick 2’s increased range makes it even more useful, extending its appeal to sub-ohm vapers. Again, that’s on paper. I’ll be trying out the Kick 2 with a number of mechanical mods and atomizers to see if it delivers the goods. Stay tuned for the full review.

Vaping Diaries #87: Vape Tree Preview + Contest

Last week I received a few e-liquids from The Vape Tree. The company is new to the online e-liquid world, but the owner is an experienced juice maker. There are a few things that make The Vape Tree stand out:

  1. Transparency: The company is totally upfront about using commercially-available flavorings and nicotine from Wizard Labs. Although some vendors are honest about how they make their juices, most are secretive about their ingredients. I really appreciate The Vape Tree’s transparency.
  2. Pre-Steeping: The Vape Tree pre-steeps its juices in an ultrasonic cleaner for at least three hours. Many people believe that this is the equivalent of two to three weeks of steeping. For some vapers, this means that the juices are good to go out of the mail. For others, it cuts down on steeping time. Again, some vendors of made-to-order juices do this, but most don’t.
  3. Complexity: The owner is a big fan of complexity and most of his juices use several flavors. I’ve dripped a few of The Vape Tree’s juices and like them so far. There are some interesting flavor mixes going on.

It’s going to be a few more weeks until I review The Vape Tree’s juices. Stay tuned for a review of Banyan Tree, Pinoy Punch, and Royal Tobacco. For now, let’s get to the contest!

 

Contest: Win an Innokin iClear 30 Clearomizer
To enter the contest, all you have to do is go to The Vape Tree web site, peruse the menu, and leave a comment below with the flavor you most want to try and an explanation of why you want that particular flavor. It’s that easy!

[Edit: August 10] The Vape Tree will also be providing a 30ml bottle of e-liquid to the winner!

Now for the boring contest rules:

  • Only one entry per participant
  • Contest closes on August 18, 2013 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

 

Vaping Diaries #86: Five Pawns Review II

Here’s a review of three e-liquids from Five Pawns: Grandmaster, Queenside, and Gambit. There are several Los Angeles vape shops that carry Five Pawns and these seem to be the most popular flavors. All three are high-quality juices made with natural ingredients. One of them is comparable to similarly flavored juices, another has a unique twist that distinguishes it from the competition, and the last is something quite special.

Five Pawns uses an atypical business model that’s focused on retail. The company’s online prices are the same as the ones you’ll find in stores — $27.50 for a 30ml bottle. Compared to other online vendors, that’s expensive, but I think two of these juices are definitely worth price. Here are the flavor breakdowns and steeping notes.

Grandmaster: Elvis would have loved this e-liquid, as peanut butter and banana are the primary flavors. There’s also some caramel in the mix. Some people feel that this juice is a bananas-Foster style e-liquid, but I disagree because the (lovely) peanut-butter flavor make it different from the popular NOLA dessert. A lot of vendors offer bananas Foster, but peanut butter-and-banana juices are much less common and this one stands out. Like several other Five Pawns juices I’ve enjoyed, Grandmaster is very rich and savory, with a fantastic mix of flavors that come together for a delicious blend. As a fan of peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches, this juice was a real treat.

Queenside: This juice features blood orange and French vanilla as its primary ingredients. The end result is an orange-creamsicle style juice, which is something many, many vendors offer. That said, this is one of the better ones out there. The French vanilla flavor is particularly excellent. While this is definitely a high-quality juice and I enjoyed vaping it, I don’t think it’s as special as some of the other Five Pawns e-liquids. There are a few orange-creamsicle juices that taste just as good to me and are available for a lower price. Personally, I would buy Ahlusion Orange Creamsicle over Queenside.

Gambit: This is — hands down — the best apple pie e-liquid I’ve ever vaped. I enjoyed it so much that I quickly finished the bottle and had to buy another one to photograph for this review. Normally, I don’t enjoy brightly sweet e-liquids unless they have complexity. Gambit has complexity in spades. You can taste the apple, French vanilla, crust, and cream. The flavors come together marvelously for a brilliant, rich, and complex vape. Out of the six Five Pawns e-liquids I’ve had, this one was my favorite — definitely one of the best juices I’ve had in 2013.

Steeping Notes
On the advice of Wlad from Ahlusion, I’ve been trying a new steeping method starting 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. The bottles are shaken every day for at least two weeks before vaping.

Grandmaster
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Mix Date: March 22, 2013
Uncapped: May 23, 2013 7:22PM
Vaped: June 10-17, 2013

Queenside
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Mix Date: March 22, 2013
Uncapped: May 23, 2013 7:22PM
Vaped: June 14-19, 2013

Gambit
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 6mg nicotine
Mix Date: March 22, 2013
Uncapped: May 23, 2013 7:22PM
Vaped: June 10-17, 2013

Review Process (Updated February 17, 2013)
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 an atomizer, a cartomizer/tank setup, and a clearomizer. The exception is naturally-extracted tobacco (NET) juice; since those are known to clog up cartomizers quickly, those are vaped in atomizers and clearomizers.