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GG - GGTS V2 or 2010 model w AVS (Purchased 27 Jul 10)
--FIRST LOOK ONLY, full review to follow later
* purchased from VaporKings.com
Overall Rating: Preliminary review
Cost (fluctuates with the exchange rate): $158.00 for the GGTS V2, $80.00 for the AVS (free shipping)
Targeted User: intermediate and experienced users (Note: The AVS should be purchased by experienced users only)
Pros: Still a rugged and ingenius design from my favorite Grecian engineer Imeo. I really like the liberal use of aluminum over brass in this upgrade. The vent holes in the new battery-end cap add style instead of just being tacked on for safety's sake, and the small changes from brass to aluminum throughout the e-cig help reduce the weight of this PV. And it is surprisingly light. The new GGTS V2 comes with a built in reservoir tank (for attachment to the new AVS) and includes an adjustable draw, instead of the simple drip well found on the previous model. This is probably my favorite part since I still prefer dripping over everything else. Not only does it tighten the draw, it also silences the atomizer "sizzle" or familiar whistling on some of the less than perfect atty's. The AVS that came with my purchase rocks. It's very simple to get the hang of once you view some helpful videos. I was able to vape non-stop for two days on a filled tank and 18650 battery. However, I really like to swap flavors pretty often, so the AVS will likely only see use during my travel days.
Cons: Freakin' Huge. You will definitely get "the look" from passers-by while vaping this thing in public. I'm also not a big fan of the smooth aluminum trim on the power button, so I swapped out the entire button assembly from one of my older versions. Also… too many etchings are starting to show up on the rearmost sleeve and the fonts are growing in size as well. I wouldn't mind the number of etchings if they were as small as previous editions and… if they were evenly spaced. I think this uneven placement of the markings may drive some of our more AR vapers a bit insane as you will always see at least two of the etchings with every puff. Since I owned a previous 'mostly' aluminum GGTS, I swapped out that particular sleeve as well.
Additional Notes: There's a bit of a learning curve on using the AVS, so be prepared by watching videos on its use before you buy.
Overall First Impression: Great successor to the original GGTS. The included adjustable draw (with control ring) is a very welcome addition to a normally solid performer and can make any atty perform like the best in your collection. It's still an immensely fun mod to take apart and reassemble in its various configurations. And the small reduction in weight helps make this "big" mod feel smaller. Definitely a must have for experienced vapers.
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PureSmoker Icon (Purchased 29 July 10)
--FIRST LOOK ONLY, full review to follow later
Overall Rating: Preliminary review
Cost: $79.00
Targeted User: Intermediate / Experienced
Pros: The term "Tough as nails" springs to mind. As a matter of fact, if a nail was the size of an Icon, it would probably weigh as much, though it wouldn't be nearly as cool looking. Speaking of which, this thing is a class act in the style department. The device is machined perfection. I'm a huge fan of stainless steel and this little guy has some heft. The threads are flawless and smooth as butter on both the button and 510 adaptor. Why they included the Noalox is anyone's guess, but I guarantee you won't need it to lubricate the threads. Consistent hard-hitting e-cig that looks and feels like it may live up to its name as "an American built Icon". Yeah… I said it.
Cons: I would've preferred a stiffer spring and I understand why they went with the softer one but, if they start selling stiffer springs, I'll buy one. There is no drip-well around the 510 adapter's base. That said, I haven't over-dripped on this e-cig and the adaptor looks like it would be an easy one to wipe clean, if needed.
Overall First Impression: PureSmoker is hitting the industry hard with their latest offerings and this new product is sure to please the biggest critics. The new button is a solid performer and like the V3, has a lockable feature. The simple design and very solid construction makes it a perfect choice for anyone's "first mod".
Top to Bottom "Your Father's Lightsaber...", GGTS (2009), GGTS V2 w/AVS (2010)
Top to Bottom: PureSmoker Protege V1.0, Icon, GGTS V2 with different button and sleeve
GG - GGTS V2 or 2010 model w AVS (Purchased 27 Jul 10)
--FIRST LOOK ONLY, full review to follow later
* purchased from VaporKings.com
Overall Rating: Preliminary review
Cost (fluctuates with the exchange rate): $158.00 for the GGTS V2, $80.00 for the AVS (free shipping)
Targeted User: intermediate and experienced users (Note: The AVS should be purchased by experienced users only)
Pros: Still a rugged and ingenius design from my favorite Grecian engineer Imeo. I really like the liberal use of aluminum over brass in this upgrade. The vent holes in the new battery-end cap add style instead of just being tacked on for safety's sake, and the small changes from brass to aluminum throughout the e-cig help reduce the weight of this PV. And it is surprisingly light. The new GGTS V2 comes with a built in reservoir tank (for attachment to the new AVS) and includes an adjustable draw, instead of the simple drip well found on the previous model. This is probably my favorite part since I still prefer dripping over everything else. Not only does it tighten the draw, it also silences the atomizer "sizzle" or familiar whistling on some of the less than perfect atty's. The AVS that came with my purchase rocks. It's very simple to get the hang of once you view some helpful videos. I was able to vape non-stop for two days on a filled tank and 18650 battery. However, I really like to swap flavors pretty often, so the AVS will likely only see use during my travel days.
Cons: Freakin' Huge. You will definitely get "the look" from passers-by while vaping this thing in public. I'm also not a big fan of the smooth aluminum trim on the power button, so I swapped out the entire button assembly from one of my older versions. Also… too many etchings are starting to show up on the rearmost sleeve and the fonts are growing in size as well. I wouldn't mind the number of etchings if they were as small as previous editions and… if they were evenly spaced. I think this uneven placement of the markings may drive some of our more AR vapers a bit insane as you will always see at least two of the etchings with every puff. Since I owned a previous 'mostly' aluminum GGTS, I swapped out that particular sleeve as well.
Additional Notes: There's a bit of a learning curve on using the AVS, so be prepared by watching videos on its use before you buy.
Overall First Impression: Great successor to the original GGTS. The included adjustable draw (with control ring) is a very welcome addition to a normally solid performer and can make any atty perform like the best in your collection. It's still an immensely fun mod to take apart and reassemble in its various configurations. And the small reduction in weight helps make this "big" mod feel smaller. Definitely a must have for experienced vapers.
__________________________________________________ ______
PureSmoker Icon (Purchased 29 July 10)
--FIRST LOOK ONLY, full review to follow later
Overall Rating: Preliminary review
Cost: $79.00
Targeted User: Intermediate / Experienced
Pros: The term "Tough as nails" springs to mind. As a matter of fact, if a nail was the size of an Icon, it would probably weigh as much, though it wouldn't be nearly as cool looking. Speaking of which, this thing is a class act in the style department. The device is machined perfection. I'm a huge fan of stainless steel and this little guy has some heft. The threads are flawless and smooth as butter on both the button and 510 adaptor. Why they included the Noalox is anyone's guess, but I guarantee you won't need it to lubricate the threads. Consistent hard-hitting e-cig that looks and feels like it may live up to its name as "an American built Icon". Yeah… I said it.
Cons: I would've preferred a stiffer spring and I understand why they went with the softer one but, if they start selling stiffer springs, I'll buy one. There is no drip-well around the 510 adapter's base. That said, I haven't over-dripped on this e-cig and the adaptor looks like it would be an easy one to wipe clean, if needed.
Overall First Impression: PureSmoker is hitting the industry hard with their latest offerings and this new product is sure to please the biggest critics. The new button is a solid performer and like the V3, has a lockable feature. The simple design and very solid construction makes it a perfect choice for anyone's "first mod".
Top to Bottom "Your Father's Lightsaber...", GGTS (2009), GGTS V2 w/AVS (2010)
Top to Bottom: PureSmoker Protege V1.0, Icon, GGTS V2 with different button and sleeve
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