Take into consideration carrying a mod around and about the house and out and about. How well will it fit/stay in a pocket, whether shirt or pants, or do you have to have some sort of carry case for belt or lanyard? Can you set it down on a table without it getting knocked over with the slightest jar or rolling off.
I have several tube Mods I've kept and several I've traded off for REOs. I use various carto tanks, from standard mass produced to fancy glass/pyrex. But in my environment, moving around a lot inside and outside, sometimes sitting, but frequently working, and with a few dogs, 2 X Heelers, 2 X Labradoodles, and 1 X English Mastiff, all young and active, I have to take special precautions to protect the tube Mods and tanks from getting knocked over or jarred off of tables, by bumps and jars by the dogs. Tanks don't travel as well in pockets or purses. Virtually all tanks will leak at some point.
I do love my tube mods but REOs are my true love. I even have some wood REOs that, although, not mechanical, are my designated "swimmers" for use in the spa. (No REO floats.) They are well waxed, inside and out, and despite numerous dips in the spa, they are none the worse for wear. I use the wood REOs because there is nowhere for the water to get trapped. With a quick dunk, I can take battery out, wipe it and wood REO off, blow out atty (best one I've found for "swimming" is an 801), reassemble and keep on vaping without leaving the spa. (If REO is in water for more than a few seconds I do replace the battery with a dry one and let wet battery dry out for a week before testing and putting on charger. BTW... I use only AW IMR batteries in REOs. I have a few different ones for other mods, but most for other mods are AW IMR.
There are many beautiful and beautifully designed Tube Mods. My experience numbers less than 10. I loved many things about the GGTS and ProVari but both were larger and heavier than I like. I currently have a kicked Don, a Satin Buzz Pro, and short and long tumbled Roughstack V1, a no-name 14500 mod, and a couple of big battery eGos I kept out of several I have given away. Don is the only of those listed that is mechanical, but with the Kick, it becomes non-mechanical.
I can tuck a REO into any pocket or purse and be assured it will not leak or be damaged in any way. REOs have been left in drink coolers for days, lost in parks for weeks, run over by hi-way traffic, run over by trucks, gone flying off of motorcycles, at high speeds, onto gravel and pavement, and still work as well as new.
If one goes with a Metal REO and expects it to suffer "abuse" the best color for concealing dings, scratched, gouges, etc., is the Silver Anodized as the tumbled aluminum under the anodization is the same silver as the anodization color.
Feisty Alice
+1................
