In today's vaping world, mods are getting more and more common as we attempt to make what we use better. Unfortunately, they're also getting more and more expensive. Sometimes prohibitively so...enter Parkes vaping and the Shine mod.
Yes, it's a flashlight body with a connector on top. The mod houses an 18650 battery for 3.7 volt vaping or two RCR123A 3 volt batteries for those who prefer a 6 volt experience.
My first impression of the mod was that there are prettier ones out there. But for the meager price of $25...you'll never find a prettier one.
Fit and finish are good with the top cap very nicely fitted to the mod. The body is aluminum, so a dab of Noalox is highly recommended on the threads of the battery compartment. I asked the folks at Parkes to build my Shine with a silver cap to match the body. The response from Bill, the mod maker, was "no problem at all."
To top the mod, I ordered an Acorn tank.
The Acorn Tank is basically a CE2 tank with an extremely simple filling system...unscrew the top and pour your juice in...easy peasy!!
My order was placed on a Friday evening. I received my order the following Monday! The folks at Parkes are top notch at speedy order filling, for sure!!
When my gear arrived, I had to wait another three days for the 18650 battery from a different supplier to arrive before I could try out the goods. As another side note regarding the speedy shipping from Parkes...I ordered the battery from a MAJOR vaping supply store (Madvapes) at the same time I placed the order for the Shine and Acorn tank.
Upon filling the Acorn tank with my home brew menthol Kool juice, I was impressed with the copious amounts of vapor, lung hit and throat hit from the Acorn Tank. The 18650 battery will supply ample amount of power for days of vaping, and the 3A button on the Shine promises plenty of presses before it will fail.
I was in absolute heaven with the Fluxomizer-like vapor from the Acorn and wonderful feel of the Shine supplying copious power.
Then things went a little awry...the Acorn began leaking from the center post. Every few puffs required a cleaning with a paper towel. I immediately contacted Parkes and asked if this was normal.
Their response was that this was definitely NOT normal, and they would be sending a new tank that day!! Most suppliers would tell you that you're just out of luck in a situation like this as cartomizer and atomizer type devices are generally not guaranteed. Not so with Parkes. They advised me that they stand firmly behind their products. I believe them!
A few days later the replacement Acorn tank arrived and, while it does have the similar condensation on the battery connection from the center post that ALL CE2 type devices have, leakage is very much a non issue.
If you enjoy the fast wicking and tremendous flavor, throat hit, lung hit, and flavor of a modded Fluxomizer, but hate syringe filling...this is THE tank for you!!
Parkes also sells replacement wicks so you can pull the old ones and replace them without having to replace the entire tank. How much simpler can you get??
One minor gripe I have about the Shine mod is that it will not stand upright. The on/off switch lies at the bottom and is covered by a thin plastic "button" material. This is very simple to fix. I simply grabbed a Dremel and sanded the plastic button down flush with it's housing...now it sits upright as pretty as you please.
Also the folks at Parkes DO mention the fact that it will not stand up due to the button on their web site.
All in all, the folks at Parkes just seem to "get it!" Not everybody wants a mod that will set them back an arm and a leg. With use, your expensive "pretty" mod is going to get scratched up and beat up...in a month or two, it will likely look no prettier than Parkes' Shine!! But you'll have paid a WHOLE lot more for it...and thus far...the quality of the mod is sufficient that, with a modicum of care I can see it lasting many years.
Kudos to Parkes Vaping for making a high voltage mod that doesn't break the bank!!
When I ordered my Shine, I was honestly looking for a backup device...happily I report that it is now my go-to PV for all day vaping.
Yes, it's a flashlight body with a connector on top. The mod houses an 18650 battery for 3.7 volt vaping or two RCR123A 3 volt batteries for those who prefer a 6 volt experience.
My first impression of the mod was that there are prettier ones out there. But for the meager price of $25...you'll never find a prettier one.
Fit and finish are good with the top cap very nicely fitted to the mod. The body is aluminum, so a dab of Noalox is highly recommended on the threads of the battery compartment. I asked the folks at Parkes to build my Shine with a silver cap to match the body. The response from Bill, the mod maker, was "no problem at all."
To top the mod, I ordered an Acorn tank.
The Acorn Tank is basically a CE2 tank with an extremely simple filling system...unscrew the top and pour your juice in...easy peasy!!
My order was placed on a Friday evening. I received my order the following Monday! The folks at Parkes are top notch at speedy order filling, for sure!!
When my gear arrived, I had to wait another three days for the 18650 battery from a different supplier to arrive before I could try out the goods. As another side note regarding the speedy shipping from Parkes...I ordered the battery from a MAJOR vaping supply store (Madvapes) at the same time I placed the order for the Shine and Acorn tank.
Upon filling the Acorn tank with my home brew menthol Kool juice, I was impressed with the copious amounts of vapor, lung hit and throat hit from the Acorn Tank. The 18650 battery will supply ample amount of power for days of vaping, and the 3A button on the Shine promises plenty of presses before it will fail.
I was in absolute heaven with the Fluxomizer-like vapor from the Acorn and wonderful feel of the Shine supplying copious power.
Then things went a little awry...the Acorn began leaking from the center post. Every few puffs required a cleaning with a paper towel. I immediately contacted Parkes and asked if this was normal.
Their response was that this was definitely NOT normal, and they would be sending a new tank that day!! Most suppliers would tell you that you're just out of luck in a situation like this as cartomizer and atomizer type devices are generally not guaranteed. Not so with Parkes. They advised me that they stand firmly behind their products. I believe them!
A few days later the replacement Acorn tank arrived and, while it does have the similar condensation on the battery connection from the center post that ALL CE2 type devices have, leakage is very much a non issue.
If you enjoy the fast wicking and tremendous flavor, throat hit, lung hit, and flavor of a modded Fluxomizer, but hate syringe filling...this is THE tank for you!!
Parkes also sells replacement wicks so you can pull the old ones and replace them without having to replace the entire tank. How much simpler can you get??
One minor gripe I have about the Shine mod is that it will not stand upright. The on/off switch lies at the bottom and is covered by a thin plastic "button" material. This is very simple to fix. I simply grabbed a Dremel and sanded the plastic button down flush with it's housing...now it sits upright as pretty as you please.
Also the folks at Parkes DO mention the fact that it will not stand up due to the button on their web site.
All in all, the folks at Parkes just seem to "get it!" Not everybody wants a mod that will set them back an arm and a leg. With use, your expensive "pretty" mod is going to get scratched up and beat up...in a month or two, it will likely look no prettier than Parkes' Shine!! But you'll have paid a WHOLE lot more for it...and thus far...the quality of the mod is sufficient that, with a modicum of care I can see it lasting many years.
Kudos to Parkes Vaping for making a high voltage mod that doesn't break the bank!!
When I ordered my Shine, I was honestly looking for a backup device...happily I report that it is now my go-to PV for all day vaping.
