Help picking new mod. Tootle puffer watts.

[StorableComa]

Hello all,

I guess you would consider me a "tootle puffer" as I enjoy MTL style at the moment. While I have dabbled in sub-ohming, for this next mod I am looking for tootle puffer gear.

I currently have a Protank 2 with a 1.5 ohm coil that I run at around 7.5 watts, I've got a nautilus mini and protank 3 I run with 1.6 ohm coils at around 9.5 watts. Tend to be more MTL style vaper and sit around 12mg of nic so not looking for something with crazy power output for sub-ohming (though being capable is a plus as I will spend a bit more to futureproof). I do have a subvod TC mega kit (toptank mini) though I'm not looking for a mod for that one at the moment as I'm content with the simple TC 2300mAH battery the kit came with.

I would perfer internal battery mods over removable, and am looking for VW mainly as far as function goes. I would like a smaller box as I currenly run an itaste mvp v2 (11watt max) and a Kanger IPOW 2 1600mAH. I've done a bit of searching on the forums and am mainly looking for something that will provide all day battery. I wouldn't call myself a chain vaper, I normally just run out for 5-10 minutes for a quick 10-20 puffs every hour or two at work and usage is about the same at home.

Price point I'm thinking about capping out at 50ish, though I can go higher in the case of future proofing or a good argument (So don't leave out a suggestion just based on price alone). Do not have a removable battery setup, so I figure i'd once you add in the price of charge/batteries you normally end up jumping over 50ish when you add in mod price.

So at 7-10 watts I'm kinda lost as to battery life on some of these as most reviews has people vaping at 20+ watts. Though this is my general list just by searching around on the forums:

iStick 30 or 40 Watt by eleaf seems to be a popular recommendation and is thus my front leader.

Mini volt by Council of Vapor. I've seen one in a B&M and was impressed by it's size and weight. At 1300mAH I hear some complaints about battery life, but again, for my watt needs.. would this be an issue? Pending answers on battery life/function I am considering this over an iStick.

Aspire ESP 30watt. Haven't heard too much about these outside of the details listed on sales pages. Though for the price from what I can tell it seems a pretty nice little mod. Mainly considering this one due to price as i've found it as low as $24 bucks with shipping. Though iSticks can be found for around that price, along with the Mini Volt.

Kanger Kbox 70watt. This one seems like the most bang for your buck, having found it for ~$35.00 it seems like a good deal. Though I've read mixed reviews on these. It seems you either love it, or hate it because it broke on you 3 weeks in. I'm curious if anyone has personal experience with these mods. At the price I'm willing to gamble a bit, my IPOW 2 I picked up for 18 bucks despite some of the bad reviews it received and am loving it.

I'm sure i'm missing a few, but most of those tend to be removable battery. While I am not against going this route, as stated before, I don't currently have any batteries or a charger. Granted neither of those two items are expensive, but when adding it with the price of the mod it tends to shoot up over $60 bucks.

Any advice, or additional suggestions welcome.

 

[r77r7r]

Just make sure it has actual step down circuitry. Getting harder to find them during this subohm and tc advancement

 

[Grimwald]

Seems like you're in Eleaf Istick territory. Either 30w or 40w. They are somewhere around 2100-2200 mAh, so last a while. You would probably need a couple to be sure to get thru a day, but they are passthrus so can use while recharging.

 

[Bunnykiller]

I tootlepuff with a IPV4 and a RSST... .5 ohms at 45 W I take quick little hits, and at 36 nic, thats all I need

 

[Vapin4Real]

You could even check out the istick Pico. IT is very small but goes up to 75 watts and has TC control in case you decide to delve into those areas later. You can get one for around 30 bucks. Well worth it I would say. I just ordered one for myself and I vape around 30-40 watts.

 

[KenD]

Just make sure it has actual step down circuitry. Getting harder to find them during this subohm and tc advancement

Tc mods have step down, otherwise they won't function properly. There are some tc mods though (Ipv d2) that don't have step down in vw mode, but it's rare to find those.

Sent from my M7_PLUS using Tapatalk

 

[suprtrkr]

An iStick 30 would work for you. But if the budget will stretch, I'd go removable battery and look very hard at a Provari. The 2.5s and 3s are going crazy cheap right now, and once you have a Provari, it lasts a lifetime. It's a tootle puffer's dream.

 

[djsvapour]

I have iSticks (20/30/40) and various removable battery mods.
The Aspire ESP was notably unloved in the UK, vendors had to almost give them away in the end. For $25 though....could be good.
I would add Segelei Spark to your list of maybes and certainly the Platinum Kanger box.
I tootle (ish) at 12mg and 1,300 is too close to edge for me, so have avoided the very lovely CoV mini Volt.
You might want to consider the eVic mini VTC. Still a good mod and perfectly well suited to gentle vaping.

 

[StorableComa]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. Pulled the trigger on the CoV Mini Volt as I found it for $26 shipped. Mod only, wasn't too interested in the tank.

I'll see how long the 1300mAH battery lasts for my needs, hopefully it will be a nice at work mod. If not, from looking at:
Council of Vapor Mini Volt, the ultimate stealth box?

It looks like it will be a nice back up that will be easier to carry around if it doesn't work out as a main mod.


Though I do think my next mod will be a removable battery after all the input and some more research on my end. Think i'll start saving now, seeing as they seem to rank from 50ish to 150ish depending on preference. Vaporshark rDNA, Cuboid ect.

 

[Vapin4Real]

My favorite mod with internal battery is Coolfire 4 plus. It has a 3300 mah battery and I vape at around 40 watts all day. It usually is at around half battery life at the end of the day. It feels good in the hand too. Not knocking externals but something about the way it feels always ahs me picking it up. But nice choice on the minivolt. Its a cool lookin little mod. I think I would have went with the Istick Pico over it tho but whatever keeps ya off them stinkies! Vape it up!!

 

[Tallvaper1979]

Even though they're end of life, you can still pick up a Phoenix4You IPV S2 on eBay for around $30...definitely future proof and small. They have pass through charging, and I ran mine on a Subtank at around 7-12 watts on a small build for quite a while. Never cranked it up until I had a RBA. I was a big MTL guy until I got into the more powerful stuff. But my recommendation is with any of the 18650 mods, get the most you can get for the money. My wife has been running her S2 for a year and a battery lasts her over a day at 9 watts. It also has a built in ohm meter by pressing the up and down buttons simultaneously. The mod is just your power source, your atty will dictate lung or MTL and you may outgrow stuff but I found that mod at mech prices on ebay and I won't say it's the best but I have the s2 and s4 and love them both. Just another option if you're still looking.

Hope that helps. Vape on!

 

[StorableComa]

My favorite mod with internal battery is Coolfire 4 plus. It has a 3300 mah battery and I vape at around 40 watts all day. It usually is at around half battery life at the end of the day. It feels good in the hand too. Not knocking externals but something about the way it feels always ahs me picking it up. But nice choice on the minivolt. Its a cool lookin little mod. I think I would have went with the Istick Pico over it tho but whatever keeps ya off them stinkies! Vape it up!!

Very true. The mini was the cheapest of the selection I found shipped so I went that way for now. I'm sure i'll end up picking up more than one in the next year.

Even though they're end of life, you can still pick up a Phoenix4You IPV S2 on eBay for around $30...definitely future proof and small. They have pass through charging, and I ran mine on a Subtank at around 7-12 watts on a small build for quite a while. Never cranked it up until I had a RBA. I was a big MTL guy until I got into the more powerful stuff. But my recommendation is with any of the 18650 mods, get the most you can get for the money. My wife has been running her S2 for a year and a battery lasts her over a day at 9 watts. It also has a built in ohm meter by pressing the up and down buttons simultaneously. The mod is just your power source, your atty will dictate lung or MTL and you may outgrow stuff but I found that mod at mech prices on ebay and I won't say it's the best but I have the s2 and s4 and love them both. Just another option if you're still looking.

Hope that helps. Vape on!

I'll have to check it out. Good to know it's a longer life mod, some of the newer ones like the Kanger 70watt box seemed to have some issues with quality.

I've started reading up on battery saftey, battery purchasing (fakes/rewraps and the like), and chargers. I think i'll end up in the removable battery group soon enough. It does seem to open up quite a lot as far as things on the market.

Is this the mod you were talking about?
$64.84 Authentic Pioneer4You iPV 2S 7-60W Variable Wattage APV Box Mod - anodized aluminum / 1*18650 / black at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping

Also, how much bigger is the 4s compared to the 2s? Seems you can still pick up a new 4s for around $60 with some quick searching.

 

[Netop]

I know you have a preference for internal rather than removable batteries, but for someone tooting away under 15w...
Get a Provari 2.5.
That's a future proof buy for $50. Isticks will crap out within a year (buttons get wonky, parts start to get loose, etc.). My Istick served me well and the only reason it still works at all is because I use it at my desk once a month or so. At worst, you carry an extra 490 battery with you (smaller than lighter) and you're good all day at the wattage you're talking about. It's a tank. It works everyday. All day. You'll have more money left over for juice and attys.

 

[StorableComa]

I know you have a preference for internal rather than removable batteries, but for someone tooting away under 15w...
Get a Provari 2.5.
That's a future proof buy for $50. Isticks will crap out within a year (buttons get wonky, parts start to get loose, etc.). My Istick served me well and the only reason it still works at all is because I use it at my desk once a month or so. At worst, you carry an extra 490 battery with you (smaller than lighter) and you're good all day at the wattage you're talking about. It's a tank. It works everyday. All day. You'll have more money left over for juice and attys.

I was reading through the other new member post about looking at a provari. Having had them recommended so many times I think I might have to seriously consider it.

If I do pass up on the 2.5(looks like limited stock as they are being phased out?) do you recommend another from the line?

 

[Tallvaper1979]

The 4s is the series 2 battery version (120w)... the 2V or whatever is more rounded and should be $30ish on ebay if you look. Both are good choices. Pass through charging on the 2 is not available on the 4S but I have 10 batteries I rotate (all authentic Samsung or VTG4) and my Billow is running at 25w so it lasts well. I liked the price point. There are better mods out there but not that wattage and durability at that price for an authentic. I will buy clone mech mods but not regulated mods. Plus my B&M sold me their display at cost plus tax although the 4S is now cheaper online. I like knowing I have the overhead if I decide to run a bigger mod with more coil mass.

 

[Frenchfry1942]

Innokin SVD 2.0

Only 20 watts and has step-down capability. Nice, smooth DC signal. Kinda aged, but they were out front on circuitry. And, because they are older, they are now cheaper.

 

[Netop]

I was reading through the other new member post about looking at a provari. Having had them recommended so many times I think I might have to seriously consider it.

If I do pass up on the 2.5(looks like limited stock as they are being phased out?) do you recommend another from the line?

I think they are being phased out. I think it's a good choice because the build quality is great and because the price is so low. Spec-wise it doesn't look like much, but if your vaping habit is 15w and under, you're a pretty good match for it. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone.
Btw, the removable battery might seem like a hassle, but I've found it to be easier in real life.

As far as other Provaris... IMHO they are a bit more of a toss up, value wise. Doesnt sound like you need the wattage if the Procyon or Radius. The Classic doesn't do much more than 2.5, but costs a fair deal more. P3 is in the middle. I'm not saying they aren't worth the money. (I don't own any and have my sights set only on a Radius). I'm saying the 2.5 is a steal. And soon it will be gone.
I like the proven track record of the 2.5's super simple chip set and display. There is very little to go wrong with it. The classic
Someone else mentioned the SVD 2.0. My buddy swears by his.

 

[Netop]

Also, regarding the ESP 30w...

I like mine. Kinda sorta sometimes quite a bit.

It feels good in the hand. The dial control is pretty cool. The first one I got had a problem with the 510 connector. Attys ride a bit high on it (don't sit quite flush). Button sometimes doesn't fire. Every once in a while it misreads the resistance and gives a way to much power for a hit or two and then calms down again. So, kinda fun, but a bit delicate and unreliable. But, even with its issues, I prefer it over the I stick 30.

 

[Tallvaper1979]

I'm a big fan of buying a generation back on regulated stuff...There's tons of reviews so you know what to watch outhe for, long term reliability testing, and once the newer better shinier one comes out a few weeks to months later people are dumping them at fire sale prices online. That's why I recommended the IPV 2V rather than the 4S although both are now cheap online. One is a single battery 75W and the other is 120W dual battery. I think the build quality is a little higher on the 4S but it's also twice as large and my wife's been running one for a year no hiccups. My problems started when I dropped mine so hard to blame the manufacturer for a broken solder joint.

Lots of good suggestions...it's all 510, more or less, so get one you like that has the wattage range you need and keep in mind the hobby is addictive for gear so a higher watt box may cost more now but save you money down the road when you want to run a hotter build. I think it's more of a Ford/Chevy/Toyota/whatever issue...personal preference. Just read up before you buy a regulated clone as 1:1 applies to cosmetics and output BUT build quality may suffer. You get what you pay for usually. I never hesitate to try a cheap mech clone but I like my regulated boxes authentic. Seems like you have it nailed down, but as a gear head I just wanted to add my $0.02 about future proofing.

Best of luck and happy vaping!

 

[StorableComa]

Also, regarding the ESP 30w...

I like mine. Kinda sorta sometimes quite a bit.

It feels good in the hand. The dial control is pretty cool. The first one I got had a problem with the 510 connector. Attys ride a bit high on it (don't sit quite flush). Button sometimes doesn't fire. Every once in a while it misreads the resistance and gives a way to much power for a hit or two and then calms down again. So, kinda fun, but a bit delicate and unreliable. But, even with its issues, I prefer it over the I stick 30.

I will have to look around at the Provari line a bit more. Might be worth saving up for one of their box mods if they have the same reputation for build quality and mod life as the others.

After some more research it looks like the ESP is out. Given the poor reviews and the like, apparently people on Reddit are claiming it was recalled at some point. Think i'll just stay away, even if the price is somewhat tempting.

Innokin SVD 2.0

Only 20 watts and has step-down capability. Nice, smooth DC signal. Kinda aged, but they were out front on circuitry. And, because they are older, they are now cheaper.

SVD 2.0 is on sale for 20 bucks on madvapes and vapemall, just can't seem to create an account. Could pick one up from slowtech, but that's a nice price.

I'm a big fan of buying a generation back on regulated stuff...There's tons of reviews so you know what to watch outhe for, long term reliability testing, and once the newer better shinier one comes out a few weeks to months later people are dumping them at fire sale prices online. That's why I recommended the IPV 2V rather than the 4S although both are now cheap online. One is a single battery 75W and the other is 120W dual battery. I think the build quality is a little higher on the 4S but it's also twice as large and my wife's been running one for a year no hiccups. My problems started when I dropped mine so hard to blame the manufacturer for a broken solder joint.

Lots of good suggestions...it's all 510, more or less, so get one you like that has the wattage range you need and keep in mind the hobby is addictive for gear so a higher watt box may cost more now but save you money down the road when you want to run a hotter build. I think it's more of a Ford/Chevy/Toyota/whatever issue...personal preference. Just read up before you buy a regulated clone as 1:1 applies to cosmetics and output BUT build quality may suffer. You get what you pay for usually. I never hesitate to try a cheap mech clone but I like my regulated boxes authentic. Seems like you have it nailed down, but as a gear head I just wanted to add my $0.02 about future proofing.

Best of luck and happy vaping!

I seem to be doing that with tanks at the moment. While everyone seems to be sub-ohming I'm looking to pick up Nautilus mini's and Kanger Protanks. They're cheap, coils are cheap, I love both my naut and my protank 2 as far as vapor/flavor are concerned. Granted this is coming from an Evod 2 kit, so i'm sure I'm just dipping my toes hah.
Though it seems under 15 watts is what I like at the moment. I do have the Subvod tc mega kit, and I do use the toptank mini from time to time. I just don't see the big appeal over sub ohming at the moment, to me it seems about the same only I get to be a fog machine.

Maybe I just need to wait till my tastebuds improve a bit more. Or finally pull the trigger on a Kayfun like a few have suggested.