Buying my first VV mod - advice/suggestions!

[jlazarus]

Ok, can't stand it anymore - gotta get a VV ;-)

Thing is, I have not been impressed with ANY product QC on my vaping journey thusfar...so do I spend extra on "high quality" or better to go cheap and throw stuff away a lot? So far, I've bought an epower that never worked, a Riva starter kit with and extra battery (good dang thing 'cause 1 battery died first week, along with 1 of the 2 attys I received), a KGO that lost a switch on the second day of use and then the KGO charger quit working altogether and several boxes of cartos that were unusable. Been vaping a month and pretty frustrated with QC..when it works, vaping is fabulous...but lack of QC is frustrating at times.

So, do I want to buy a Provari - and it darn well better have good QC?

Or, since it's my first VV anyway, just buy the Madvapes VV Box mod and that way if it quits working I won't feel like I've thrown $$ down the drain?

And, I want to try a tank set up as well. Any suggestions on that?

As always, thanks for much ECF!! ;-)

 

[Nomoreash]

If you want quality and durability go with one of the tubes. The plastic box mods have their place but they are plastic and if dropped that could be the end. The Provari is a good choice as is the Buzz Pro or Infinity Pro and both Provape and Notcigs back up their product. Just depends on if you want the bells and whistles of the Provari between those three.

 

[ukeman]

There are a few choices as Nomoreash says, including the Darwin and a couple of wood boxes; all high end stuff.
So far, fortunately, high price does mean good QC from what I've experienced, and good technology, design and function.
There are a few less expensive options out now and imo you get what you pay for (Lava Tube, SgtArmyTank, Krimson Kustoms).

What you want to avoid is the unregulated VV pv's... they are variable voltage, but not "regulated" for lack of a more technical term.
It means that each vape will have the same desired (what volt or wattage setting you select) through the battery discharge cycle, because of some kind of boost chip.
Thats the point... and the luxury of good VV; each vape is the same vs. the voltage going down with the discharge of the battery.

Imo it's the only way to go.

Since you get what you pay for, my advice is to get the best you can afford.
But you need to at least go through the threads here for each one and determine the differences for your particular consideration.

 

[studio52]

You bought some products that I would not have chosen for my first month of vaping, because of what I now know....Im surprised the Kgo gave you trouble..I buy from Hoosiers and it wouldnt have been an issue..but An ego kit is the best way to start out vaping in my humble opinion...I have over 40 mods and still to this day use my ego for some outings.

For V V vaping, I have the Darwin, and Provari, and a couple box mods. The Darwin and Provari are both quality devices, but the Provari comes with a SOLID warranty from the site...you can also purchase an extended warranty at time of purchase, a one time offer.

So if your looking for the best QC...the Provari gives you just that with a backed warranty....cant ask for more than that....be sure to get the 18650 extensin bottom for the Provari or you wont be happy with the vape time per battery.

 

[jamentertainment]

Provari...you have tried a bunch, if you get it with the extented warranty you know that you will be safe for 2 years...money well spent...

 

[ukeman]

i have one of my first run Vari's, sold one and have a new unit as well... both with ext. cap and 18650's ... they sell a Provari Power 2500 mah batt that comes with an extension sleeve for the cap... if you chain vape or go through more than 3ml of juice a day, I vouch for it. +1

There are some known cases of glitches, but superb Customer Service; fast and efficient.
Same can be said for notcigs (Pro series) and the Darwin.
The key is that they all have differences in technology. Small details that fit for different likes.
There's a lot to choose from and more on the way, but those 3 are tops, the Provari is my tried choice. (I've had all 3 of them).
Some of the custom bottom feed wood boxes are said to be great. RedSky, MonkeyBox, and Reo is coming out with a VV very soon (internals provided by notcigs.)
I am sold on the upcoming TopFeed VVPV from notcigs btw.

 

[jlazarus]

You bought some products that I would not have chosen for my first month of vaping, because of what I now know....Im surprised the Kgo gave you trouble..I buy from Hoosiers and it wouldnt have been an issue..but An ego kit is the best way to start out vaping in my humble opinion...I have over 40 mods and still to this day use my ego for some outings.

Lol...I did buy it from Hoosiers ;-)

For V V vaping, I have the Darwin, and Provari, and a couple box mods. The Darwin and Provari are both quality devices, but the Provari comes with a SOLID warranty from the site...you can also purchase an extended warranty at time of purchase, a one time offer.

So if your looking for the best QC...the Provari gives you just that with a backed warranty....cant ask for more than that....be sure to get the 18650 extensin bottom for the Provari or you wont be happy with the vape time per battery.

I really do want a Provari, just worried about getting burned...even with a warranty, that's a pain for ME to have to deal with if the dang thing breaks. So, I guess the question is, how reliable are they? I don't want to have to USE the warranty ;-) I do hear fabulous things about them, though....!!

 

[bobsyeruncle]

You might consider a Lava Tube from Volcanoecigs. Functionally, it's very similar to a Provari except that it doesn't have an ohm meter. It's also got separate buttons for adjusting the voltage vs. vaping. The Provari makes you cycle through menus with just the one button. They both have circuit protection and will cut out at 2.5 amps. The Provari won't fire if the amperage is greater than 2.5 amps, while the Lava Tube will fire at a lower voltage than the current setting.

The Lava Tube is also bundled with 2 18650 batteries, a charger and two 3.0 ohm atomizers. You would just need 2.5 - 3.0 ohm cartomizers or a 510 drip tip to complete the kit.

The Lava Tube is sold elsewhere as a L-Rider Ego VV (or Ego 3) if you find a site that'll sell you one at a good price. Volcanoecigs is (supposed) to be the exclusive U.S. distributor, however.

The Provari is, however a more solidly constructed PV and a tad shorter and sleeker than the Lava Tube.

 

[BiffRocko]

If I was going to get another VV device, I'd get a Darwin. Since they're often out of stock, I'd probably end up with a ProVari, Buzz Pro, or Infinity Pro.

I loved my original Buzz. My ex-wife left it in a cab in Mexico.

 

[ukeman]

Lol...I did buy it from Hoosiers ;-)



I really do want a Provari, just worried about getting burned...even with a warranty, that's a pain for ME to have to deal with if the dang thing breaks. So, I guess the question is, how reliable are they? I don't want to have to USE the warranty ;-) I do hear fabulous things about them, though....!!

I dont know of any PV that never ever had a glitch somewhere along the line...
Rule #1 in serious vaping: always, always have backups.
This allows you to breath easier if for any reason your go-to needs servicing or whatever...
I'd say Provari is up there for reliability (QC) and service, as good as it gets.

You have lots of leeway with backups.... like 2 or 3 high end pv's or as far as keeping a decent eGo type around for that purpose.

 

[jwv651]

Price, value, performance and sleek design=Infinity Pro. Not much bigger than a ego. Excellent battery life and you can adjust to volts for flavor and TH to your liking. I love this thing.

 

[Eddie.Willers]

My 2 cents...
I started with an Ego - liked it but wanted more battery.
Upgraded to an E-Power 14650 - better, but wanted hotter vapor and more TH
Went VV with the Madvapes VV box - for $35 you can't go wrong and it hooked me onto variable voltage.

Now where? I looked at the hype around the LavaTube but decided I didn't like early reports of its flimsiness or the fact that it would drop the voltage without telling you. It does seem like a good deal for what it is...even if the Provari fanboys are in a tizzy about its 'look and feel'.

Settled on a NotCigs Infinity Pro - waiting patiently for that sleek, be-chromed mod to drop into my hands sometime towards the end of this week (when I can get to pick it up).

 

[bikertrash]

You're getting good advice...

I have a bunch of stuff... My 'go to' PV is the Provari. Frankly, my wife has a Madvapes 5v Box that I wish I had built instead of buying prebuilt but, we were in the store and........ you know what happened.... Impulse.. Paid toooo much but, the dang thing is her favorite so, thats all that matters... I like what it does with Desert ship in a DC Tank.... (I'm gonna buy a 5v and VV kit from them soon just to have for whenever....)

anyways, got off track... I've recently ordered a couple of the lava tubes from ecigwizard (offshore) .... I'm looking forward to them for backups and playing around with.. But, the Provari has been the best single investment I've made so far. I don't like the fact that the Darwin has the Lipo pack built in.. Not into Pass through charging.. I like NO STRINGS ATTACHED... We're too mobile for that.. btw, I've seen a very negative review of the Lavatube but, it was from a 'box builder' that seems to think he's an expert on everything and I was curious to see that he really made 'sure' the Lavatube looked bad against his plastic fantastic expensive mod... But, I'm seeing a lot of folks in here have reasonably good performance from the Lavatube as long as the CART is a high ohm unit.. No biggie, just buy a bunch of 3ohm dc carts for a tank and it should perform fine...

If money isn't an issue, Get a Provari... It just works... But, you MUST get the high drain batteries.. Get 3 and you won't ever have to worry about batts.. I was lucky and they had the 2500mah High drains in stock when I ordered but, now they're gone from the site and they tell me that there are supplier issues in getting them back in stock.. But, you can find High Drain batteries from offshore sources like dealextreme.com... I have a bunch on order right now... I'll let you all know how it works out when they hit the door...

I've used all sorts of Carts and ohms and have NOT seen any bad behavior.. Just set the voltage to your personal 'taste' and you're good to go. Easy to use, easy to tune. AWESOME quality. Smaller in the hand than you'd think.. Just get the standard stainless steel tube and you'll like it... and save a few bucks..

Sorry but, you'll have to be realistic in your expectations of these new devices.. We are ALL on the BLEEDING EDGE. No Choice... Thats just the way it is.. Just buy and learn seems to be the requirement. We all have different expectations and its very personal. We are NOT a mass demand segment.... not yet anyways... I hope we will be a majority someday.. I really don't run into that many vapers.... We are a serious minority. So, the available hardware choices will reflect it. Seriously, look at most of the 'so called manufacturers'.... it's like a hobby for them.... But, thats great that they're doing it... This is an experimental hobby for sure..

Good luck and buying stuff is half the fun!

also, I welcome comments to my rant...


BT

 

[ukeman]

I like your rant BT.
Especially the idea of "bleeding edge"... that sums it up real good!
Exactly right.
Buyer beware; the reputable vendors who are serious, have to be, with ECF the testing grounds; you mess up, it gets known.

 

[bobsyeruncle]

You don't have to go to China for batteries and chargers. I would recommend you look at AW IMR batteries (for their quality) from sites like: rtdvapor.com, supertmanufacturing.com and lighthound.com. The Pila chargers are good for extending your battery life, but they have cheaper chargers, too.

 

[Tersur]

I also recommend aw imr for mods

 

[Maximillian]

Heyas jlazarus,

I've only been into vv for about a month now, but I have a lavatube, ipro, buzz pro, and a provari. Of the 4, the provari is definately the most solid feeling, and overall seems to have the best quality. Don't get me wrong, the notcigs mods are great, and I think, a better value for the coin. But the provari is just solid. Even the threads on both the normal endcap and the ext cap were smooth as silk right out of the box. Not a bit of rasp to them. I realize endcap threading is not the be all end all in quality. I just mention that as attention to detail on the manufacturers part. There's hardly a blemish to be found on the unit without a microscope. The only flaw I've been able to find are some mill marks on the bottom of the drip cup. And wouldn't have noticed them if I wasn't REALLY looking.

That being said, I do love my notcigs mods. As stated earlier, you can get a little more power out of the notcigs mods, since they max out at 3A insteald of 2.5A for the provari and lt. And, the notcigs are the easiest to use. Voltage adustment is made with a thumbwheel that's easy enough to turn, but stiff enough not to move on its own, even if you pocket it. Unscrew the endcap a half turn for failsafe power off. And, they are very well made, and feel very solid. notcigs also has excellent customer service. Buzzkill really looks out for his customers. Plus, you can get a notcigs mod + batts + charger for about half the price of a provari.

Then there's the lava tube. It's the only mod I carry around with me, mostly because it's the only one I'm not afraid of dropping. I think all would survive multiple drops and still function, but I just don't want to mess up the finish on the provari, ipro, or buzz pro. Especially since my bp is a woody. The lava tube though, at $70 for the tube, and a 1 year standard warranty, I just figure if I break it, I'll buy another. It's overall the biggest of the mods I have. The ipro is a hair longer, but much slimmer. The bp, provari, and lt are all very similar in diameter. The lavatube is longer than the provari even with the ext cap. The bp is in between the length of the provari with and without the extended cap.

So, for quality at the same price, 1 provari is probably the best. For great quality and backup, you can get 2 notcigs mods. Or, 3 lt's, and beat the hell outta them

Just my



Maximillian the Postal Observant

 

[jlazarus]

Maximillian,

You make some fine points! Now I think I'll buy one of each, lol!

Seriously, though, I do thank you for that awesome evaluation. Since I'm buying for two (they hubby and myself), I'm now going to go research the notcigs mods. I hadn't even looked at those yet!

My guess is that I'll end up (in very near future), with a notcigs mod for each of us (for home use) and an LT for each of us (for on the go, specifically for the reasons you cite). And later, after the New Year, may treat us each with a Provari ;-) I just see that as a logical evolution of our addiction!

So, if you don't mind, tell me a little more about the notcigs - which do you prefer: The BuzzPro or Ipro (I assume this is the Infinity Pro?)

Also, I have no experience with tanks - but I'd like to try that, too.

 

[SpiderMo]

Don't know about the IPro but I have the BuzzPro and LOVE IT. All you do is just dial your voltage to taste.I had problems with the 510 threads ( which is rare ) but they are taking care of that for me with a replacement cap so other than that the Buzz gives you everything you need in a VV mod. And on the tank I got a 3ml J-Tank that works great. Madvapes has the smoketech tanks for like 12bucks and comes with the carto and driptip ( hadn't tried those yet but heard good things ). Good luck on you adventure into mods you will not be dissapointed.

 

[markfm]

Infinity Pro is longer and thinner than the Buzz Pro, uses 14xxx batteries instead of the BP 16xxx batteries. The IP and BP have the same internal voltage regulator, same thumbwheel adjustment, same run time between battery swaps (I run through 6 - 7 ml between changes), same unscrew-bottom-cap-slightly off function.

IP, with charger and one pair of batts, is $110 right now, a second pair of batts would bring it to just under $120, then use the "ECF Buzzkill" coupon code.

I use 808 native connectors on my PV, I prefer them mechanically. Others order the 510 or 801 connectors, best I can tell they all do well.

I'm using the BP right now, with a notcigs M1A1 carto tank, a nice combination. I've had the M1A1 since it first came out a bit over 3 months back, hassle free. The O-rings provide a good, leak-free fit on standard diameter stainless steel cartos, and there's a little locking thumb screw that keeps the tank from sliding at all (notcigs also offers M1A1 without the screw -- personal choice). I use Ikenvape 2.5 ohm 801 connector fusion cartos, with a small 808/801 adapter. M1A1 is available in both 1" and 1.5", I generally use 1" tube because I haven't gotten an XL carto to work as well as the fusions; you can buy just a spare tank body the other size, swap the endcaps between them.