I think mechanicals are rather bizarre
ALL mechanicals are clones and knock offs of flashlights. A metal tube that holds a battery, switch and a connection that takes power. Heck, even the coil is a knock off of a light bulb! I have a flashlight from 10 years ago with interchangable "lightomizers", different battery tubes so I can use 1AA/2AA/3AA or 18650 cells. The body is vented but the hole is filled in with rubber which blows out if the battery off-gasses. Maybe next year mechanicals will fill in the vent holes, offer waterproof switches and throw a gasket on the 510/Ego connection for vaping while river rafting.
I've been using LED flashlights since 2002 that have current regulators (no PWM) My 2008 EDC light has variable current regulation pushing a LED with a momentary switch, waterproof, kick it down the street and it just works--every time. HA-III aluminum, stainless steel clip/stainless switching and knurled for grip. The reason there are variable voltage/wattage mods is thanks to the LED flashlight industry figuring it out, improving the breed and producing millions of them.
I'm happy that a standard exists for the connection--the 510/Ego connection used on most mechanicals/mods etc. I don't consider the telescope function, switches or interchangable body pieces for different batteries "vape tech" It's flashlight tech! My EHPro started off as a GG, then Electric Angel knocked that one off but added telescoping for different batteries. EH then knocked off EA but improved the shape and feel of the switch.
The actual tube and telescoping feature of the thing was taken from flashlights. The 510/Ego connection was taken also...the only original idea was the switch hitting a negative post without using wires. This stuff is very, very basic stuff as far as mechanicals go... it's a tube/switch/connection so almost all of it is the same.
What about the "kick"? It is a blatent copy, a knock off, clone or theft from the flashlight folks. In 2002 I bought a 500mA current regulator that drove a LuxeonI LED (around 1.9 watts) A curcuit sandwich with an LED on the top board that fit inside mini mag lights, ran be around $45 at the time They also had version where you could adjust the output with a pot. The kick is the same thing but with more power and designed around 3.6V li-ion, not 2.4V to 3.0V AA cells.
Would I spend $200 on an Electric Angel? NO! Talk about a generic pipe looking thing, no style at all but it does do the basics well and is very durable. The generic tail switch mod...it ain't pretty but it works. I can drop it on the end, it won't break and it stands on end very well.
Figure the real action is in the vaporizer portion--were this game needs work. A coil of wire, wick and juice...very simple in theory but almost there. Figure in 5 years variable temperature LiFePO4 18500 powered devices with wicks that can be swapped in seconds will be the standard. Bank on a "tactical version" that is waterproof, drop proof and idiot proof... then I'll be called old school for swapping cotton wicks in a retro-grouch Kayfun.
Will I ever buy a $150 to $250 mechanical? Maybe, but not a tube--it has to have the atomizer which better rock. Just throwing that out there... now back to my flashlight---err, mechanical pipe with switch.
