Is it worth the money to get the new version of the Provari?

[gangstafish]

The Provari is the answer to "everything I've purchased has broken or disappointed me thus far" Thats all.
If you don't have the money for a Provari, then just do your research and find something in your price range that gets rave reviews and doesn't seem all that cheaply made & which gets good reviews.

I know from experience that any chromed mod is going to look like garbage within 6 months. The chroming wears right off with daily use. I do not know the quality of the stainless steel vamo, but I have heard that the buttons rattle, which reminds me of my lavatube. If the buttons are anything like the lavatube's buttons, they will eventually fail. So no rattly looking buttons & no chroming.

The stainless steel Zmax telescopic on the other hand, LOOKS well made, well machined, & well designed aesthetically, in comparison to the SS Vamo. It even looks heavy. I'm going to order this SS Zmax from Sigelei as soon as I've got the disposable money. Why am I going to order the SS Zmax Tele? Mainly because I can't afford a provari large right now, and I need a VV mod that uses an 18650 battery. I'm tired of having to switch out batteries every 40 minutes in my Provari Mini 18350. & I must get a Zmax, because my hobby & passion is helping new members here, and I can't compare the two most utilized VV mods on the market unless I buy a Zmax!

With that said, there are land mines in this game. While the Sigelei Zmax gets good reviews, the Smoktech SS Zmax has seen some troubles in winning over the public. Pbusardo recommends buying the Sigelei for instance. Its heavier & all around better made. Sigelei puts out cheap devices that are usually relatively well made. Smoktech puts out devices that aren't even designed all the way through, with tubes too short for button top batteries, no battery vent holes, huge spelling errors in their LED/OLED menus, jagged thread, &more! Smoktech represents everything that was wrong with cheap mods a couple years ago. Sigelei represents innovation right now. They are doing pretty well in making relatively well-made mods, without warranty of course. If they had a warranty program they could easily take over the market. I wouldn't put it past them either, they seem to be a good company with a good president.

Every once in a while, they do screw up... The Tmax for example. But they certainly aren't as bad as smoktech, with their... well... everything.

I still have my first mechanical mod,and guess what? It's the Smoktech sidewinder. It's over a year old and still works. It works with flattop batteries or button top batteries. My second mech mod was the telescope with vent holes. It lasted one month then failed. So yes,many of their product are not QCed,but I got one that still works.

 

[PLANofMAN]

I have seen 3 people say they bought a Provari and they no longer use it anymore. 1 was a Reonaught, 1 was an obscure member with less than 100 posts whom said they preferred their Vamo (lol) and one was a mechanical sub ohm fanatic.

I've seen a few more than that, but the complaint was that a ProVari was too heavy or the button was too hard to push. It's not really an arthritis friendly mod.

Yeah.. It really isn't fancy but it just works. You won't even get a pretty box. It comes in bubble wrap.

Mine came in a fancy Pila charger box. I bought it used.

Not true. A provari gives a nice steady near-DC voltage to your coils which many consider to a smoother/richer vape. I'm pretty sure they're right because if I A/B the RMS and avarage modes on a PWM device like a Zmax or Vamo it's almost a night and day difference in terms of flavor.

To add my has the OP considered a svoemesto semovar? It's even a little cheaper than a provari while it does offer VW.

The Semovar is only cheaper in Europe.

I've had 2 Grippers and they didn't last. Surprisingly, I saw a modified version just recently and got excited; it's the Pipe style telescopic mod. I ordered 2, plus the Hammer.

That telescope pipe needs a fuse to work in 18350 mode, just so you know. I also have a Hammer mod, and it looks cool and I like it, but it's about the heaviest mod around.

 

[gangstafish]

Just get a Provari and be done with it. If you really don't like it it could be sold in minutes in the classified section.

 

[Plumes.91]

I have a smoktech natural, a smoktech bolt, a smoktech telescopic, and an eGo.
The eGo broke within the first week of it's service. A fallen soldier in the fight for vapor. RIP.

The telescopic was the version smoktech sent to madvapes without airholes.
Mine came with metal burs that cut into my batteries. It's crazy ST would OK them for sale like that.
My telescope is not the one you can buy new heads for, its the first version that didn't have air-holes.
This is another problem with cheap mods, like mods from Smoktech. VERSIONS.
My telescope also came with the firing button locking ring pre-stripped.

The SID: They released it with the annoying-looking EVIC top beauty ring.....
These tapered Evic rings look pretty silly with tanks.
Then they released a new SID with a flat top ring. Your out of luck if you got the 1st one!

They are one of the only big-time clone makers that don't clone mods 100% which I really admire about them. They always put their own twist on the clones they put out... Design wise. The RSST is a direct clone of the AC9. Thats the only 100% clone I've seen from them. When everyone was trying to clone the GGTS, smoktech put out the telescope, a new telescoping design.

The Bolt is one of my favorite mods, and I'd definitely buy another, esp. considering their cheap price.
The Bolts, in general, have had some controversy. They had very thin wires that snapped with low ohms.
The newer Bolts have upgraded, thicker wires. But the quality should of been there for the 1st.
I do love my Bolt though. Its a great mod for the price.

My Smoktech Natural is currently my favorite mechanical mod. It's made strong and looks nice.
Functionality wise, the Smoktech natural vapes like a freaking BEAST.
Unfortunately, you cannot use 18650 button top IMR batteries in it without the threads showing.
You would think that they'd test all battery types and make the center post adjustable.
This is a perfect example of whats wrong with ST.

Who could forget the 1st version of the Smoktech Groove? Which literally caught on fire and melted. There was a case of meltdown posted every 24 hours here on ECF for that mod. I'm surprised it didn't burn a house down. I'm glad they recalled them and released a 2nd model, but it should of been right the 1st time ST...

Lest us not forget atomizers like the Hyper SRT, which had the wires for the positive & negative posts INSIDE the tank, which could potentially release rust into your juice. Or the fact that it had wick holes too small for anyone to even fit a wick through... & A PLASTIC coil base, which melted... Smart ST!

Still, I love my Bolt, my Telescope, and my Natural. Just wish ST took more time in design.
Unfortunately, when your not buying an expensive mod, your going to get these types of problems.


Other problems cheap mods have: Crunchy, badly machined threads. Loose firing pins. Chromed-over firing pins that dramatically reduce the voltage from the battery to your atomizer. Stainless Steel firing pins, which aren't conductive enough for our purposes. eGo style connections, WITHOUT ego threading. Firing pins too long to allow for flush mounting top devices (like, every cheap mod, ever) Anodized aluminum for the body, instead of stainless steel. Burs in the threads or vent holes that tear the shrink wrap of your battery. Loose firing button locking rings. Very THIN construction. Off-center LED screens. Spelling mistakes in the LED menu. Cheap/brass 510 threading that easily strips out and leaves your mod completely useless. Cheap delrin inserts that easily strip out. Thin wires that short & snap. Tubes/battery compartments that don't hug the battery, which allows for battery rattle.

& more. All of these can add up to a very unsatisfying $20-50 dollar paperweight.

 

[White_rabbitt]

The Provari is the answer to "everything I've purchased has broken or disappointed me thus far" Thats all.
If you don't have the money for a Provari, then just do your research and find something in your price range that gets rave reviews and doesn't seem all that cheaply made & which gets good reviews.

I know from experience that any chromed mod is going to look like garbage within 6 months. The chroming wears right off with daily use. I do not know the quality of the stainless steel vamo, but I have heard that the buttons rattle, which reminds me of my lavatube. If the buttons are anything like the lavatube's buttons, they will eventually fail. So no rattly looking buttons & no chroming.

The stainless steel Zmax telescopic on the other hand, LOOKS well made, well machined, & well designed aesthetically, in comparison to the SS Vamo. It even looks heavy. I'm going to order this SS Zmax from Sigelei as soon as I've got the disposable money. Why am I going to order the SS Zmax Tele? Mainly because I can't afford a provari large right now, and I need a VV mod that uses an 18650 battery. I'm tired of having to switch out batteries every 40 minutes in my Provari Mini 18350. & I must get a Zmax, because my hobby & passion is helping new members here, and I can't compare the two most utilized VV mods on the market unless I buy a Zmax!

With that said, there are land mines in this game. While the Sigelei Zmax gets good reviews, the Smoktech SS Zmax has seen some troubles in winning over the public. Pbusardo recommends buying the Sigelei for instance. Its heavier & all around better made. Sigelei puts out cheap devices that are usually relatively well made. Smoktech puts out devices that aren't even designed all the way through, with tubes too short for button top batteries, no battery vent holes, huge spelling errors in their LED/OLED menus, jagged thread, &more! Smoktech represents everything that was wrong with cheap mods a couple years ago. Sigelei represents innovation right now. They are doing pretty well in making relatively well-made mods, without warranty of course. If they had a warranty program they could easily take over the market. I wouldn't put it past them either, they seem to be a good company with a good president.

Every once in a while, they do screw up... The Tmax for example. But they certainly aren't as bad as smoktech, with their... well... everything.

If you or anyone else ends up getting a Sigelei Zmax...be sure to check out this thread:

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/variable-voltage-apv-discussion/408649-sigelei-zmax-v3-telescopic-flat-top-other-reports-one-week-later.html

Great group of people and a huge wealth of info about the Zmax!

 

[ImageX]

Every provari's owner are quite proud of their device but I think it's just because they're proud to have paid that much for a device lol

While the provari is a good device, you can still have a very good vape with other "cheaper" model

.... and every cheap chinese mod owner tries to proudly justify that theirs "is good enough". It's pretty funny considering most have no idea what they are missing. I do because I own a ton of mods of varying quality/price ranges and Provari wins EVERY time. Stay proud of your MVP or VTR or whichever is good enough for you.

 

[Clmarti78]

Is the 2.5 the newest provari? And has anyone tried the z atty pro? I do have a rebuildable tank the aga t2 but never use it. to much of a hassle to clean coil and wick. I tend to clean my tanks very often my wife thinks its funny.

 

[JQside]

That telescope pipe needs a fuse to work in 18350 mode, just so you know. I also have a Hammer mod, and it looks cool and I like it, but it's about the heaviest mod around.

I've got fuses I could use from my Kamry's. Wonder if they would fit. But no worries, I've been using mech mods without encountering any problem. I'd most likely love the Hammer. Small and heavy is not a problem. Tall and heavy is, to me, at least.

 

[Caridwen]

That's enough with the snarky remarks.

This is ECF - New Members

Here we keep it civil and try to inform new members asking questions. Want another type of discussion, there are other forums for that.

This is the OP's post-

I have a sigelei zmax v5 and I really really like it, but I think that I am ready to step up to a provari. Im considering if its worth spending the 40 extra dollars or whatever to get the newest version? Are there upgraded settings and what not? Would it affect my vape?

If you have something to add, go for it.

 

[tj99959]

Is the 2.5 the newest provari? And has anyone tried the z atty pro? I do have a rebuildable tank the aga t2 but never use it. to much of a hassle to clean coil and wick. I tend to clean my tanks very often my wife thinks its funny.

Yes the 2.5 is the latest, and the only difference between the V2 and the V2.5 is looks.

The Zatty is an advanced user genny type atty like your aga, it's well made, but still just a genny.

 

[ZeroOhms]

That's enough with the snarky remarks.

This is ECF - New Members

Here we keep it civil and try to inform new members asking questions. Want another type of discussion, there are other forums for that.

This is the OP's post-



If you have something to add, go for it.

I posted my last comment as a joke, trying to highlight the silliness of debate. If I offended anyone, please accept my apology.

 

[JQside]

If consumers are willing to pump the money in, the "swift development" will happen. but if everyone is like you, expecting super duper new gadget at dirt cheap price, it will never happen. someone has to spend the money to develop new technology before cheap clones can get pumped out of factories. i don't care if you want others to pay for the technology advancement and you buy the cheaper clone. but don't make it sound like you are the smarter one by doing that.

I don't agree with these premise. Cheaper products are not necessarily low quality. Because many people could afford them, they are widely used and supported, thus produce swift innovation. Fast development exists where large crowds of people gather. You'll see it in many areas, the software and hardware businesses, vehicles, electronic products, etc. I have a feeling that supporting and buying unreasonably priced low tech products encourages complacency, "Why make a new product when this one item is making huge profit?" How many new products have Provape produced aside from the Provari?

 

[MrSelf Destruct]

I personally like the 16 second cut off on the provari. The 10 second cut off was a little lacking for me. Just all depends on how you like your vape and how much (or little) you like to fiddle with your mod to get it to work.

 

[CommaHolly]

well,,,,,I just bought my first provari, and I can tell you,,,,,

I am not better,,,,,,

prettier,,,,,,,,,

smarter,,,,,,,,,,

certainly not richer, we saved for months for me to buy it,,,,,,,

I just want something that won't BREAK, darnit,,,,,,,,,

 

[Plumes.91]

I have the evic and I'm happy with it. I think that price range I paid you can get a decent mod that will last. Anything above that gives you bragging rights and a very sad look when it does break.

Well, the Provari has a 1 year warranty and optional 2nd year extension for $30.
And when your warranty is up, you may send in your Provari for repair.
The repair costs are on the terms of service page on the Provape website & they are pretty reasonable.
The repair costs are the only "reasonable" prices on the provape website in my opinion, lol.

$160 for the bare-bones Provari mini satin silver with Red LED. $20 for a battery extension tube.
Even their batteries are overpriced for profit. Not OVER priced, but priced for high unit profit.
Everything on the Provape website screams middle class. They squeeze every dollar out of you.
I still haven't gotten an extension tube for my mini, 2 years later. I can't justify spending $20 on a tube.
& when I do have 20 dollars, I'd rather buy a brand new mechanical mod. lol.

Provape also charges $15 bucks for them to send you a blue LED or Green or Purple, instead of the red.
Thats a $15 charge for absolutely nothing at all. Blue, Green, & purple LEDs cost no more than the red.
That alone shows me they are out for profit. Gimmicks to make that profit/collector mentality.
Their product is the best on the market for what it is in my opinion, but I DO support a markdown.

How many Provari's do you think sell a week? Every 100 they sell, they make 16 thousand dollars.
Every 100 $200 dollar kits they sell, they make 20 thousand dollars. They must be CLEANING UP.
I wish they would at least have a regular sale, like 5% off 1st of the month, or 10% off on holidays.
The only sale they ever have is right before christmas. That is it. & no one has money around christmas.
We have to buy christmas gifts and the water bill comes in a month!


I remember when the US mods first hit the scene. It was machinists that saw an IN to make a fast buck and they rode that wave till they hit the ceiling. People were COLLECTING these made-to-order electronic fog machines. People were collecting them hard and fast. Provape was the first to utilize variable voltage, allowing you a hotter, thicker vapor with the same battery a Silver Bullet used. It was harder to even get your hands on a big battery mod back when the US mod market introduced our most popular APVs. You had to wait on a waiting list to get these things. & the prices today reflect that type of economy in the US mods. $150 for the new Silver Bullet Mechanical mod. Why not $80 like the regular Silver Bullet? Because THIS mod is going into your collection! THIS mod is going to make you feel satisfied. We have a LIMITED supply of this mod, so buy it quickly, don't even hesitate or it will be gone!

The Provari came out of that type of economy and now we're still paying high prices. Because we're buying and using niche items made in the USA. Like a craft beer or a US-made leather shoe, your going to pay not only for the US labor, (which is $13 to $15 an hour for each worker) but for the whole experience of buying something made in the United States. Buying something made in the US is like going to a renaissance fair. Your paying for the labor & nostalgia of buying something made in the USA. (On top of the thicker stainless steel that you get, the fact that every single model is going to be checked by at least 4 eyes to ensure that each one has nothing wrong with it. No crooked 510 connections, like you get with the foreign made mods. No burs or pits left in he battery cap threads. No overspray of paint in the 510 connection. The chip is put in carefully and will never be crooked. NO scratches, not even a micro scratch that you can see with a magnifying glass. If a Provari has a micro scratch, it goes in the blemished section of the website for $20 off.

 

[Thunderball]

Debate is pointless.........resistance is futile........ Just get a Provari.

 

[CommaHolly]

Provape also charges $15 bucks for them to send you a blue LED or Green or Purple, instead of the red.
Thats a $15 charge for absolutely nothing at all. The Blue, Green, & purple LEDs cost no more than the red.

not true,,,,,,,,,their supplier charges THEM more for the blue and green LED, so they charge the extra. Same with the colors,,,,,,,they charge what the outside company charges for the colored coating,,,,,no more.

 

[Coelli]

Provape also charges $15 bucks for them to send you a blue LED or Green or Purple, instead of the red.
Thats a $15 charge for absolutely nothing at all. Blue, Green, & purple LEDs cost no more than the red.

$15 is how much their supplier charges them. They pass that cost on to the purchaser, no more, no less. They make nothing on a different LED color.

How many Provari's do you think sell a week? Every 100 they sell, they make 16 thousand dollars.
Every 100 $200 dollar kits they sell, they make 20 thousand dollars. They must be CLEANING UP.

That's how much they are grossing, not how much they're netting after the cost of goods and overhead. I have a friend with a bakery that brings in lots of money, but after she pays all of her overhead and employees she still struggles.

The Provari came out of that type of economy and now we're still paying high prices. Because we're buying and using niche items made in the USA. Like a craft beer or a US-made leather shoe, your going to pay not only for the US labor, (which is $13 to $15 an hour for each worker) but for the whole experience of buying something made in the United States.

The fact that they're made in the USA was actually really important to me. I try to buy American when I can. It's not always possible, and I do my share of slow-boating, but I do like the fact that it's made here and it was a factor in the purchasing decision.

As to the person who said they're a status symbol - I only know two other people who are serious vapers and both recommended the Provari to me. I didn't want to spend that much money, but my boyfriend pointed out that knowing me I will go through a bunch of devices trying to find the best one, and wind up spending more than I would on the Provari. Then he wound up buying it for me. Two nights ago I bought him one. I have absolutely no regrets, I love it already; the hand-feel, the fact that it's fairly idiot proof (because I am often an idiot), the fact that it's so solid and feels indestructible. I got the polished, btw. We bought them from our local vape shop who will handle the entire warranty process if anything goes wrong, and will provide a loaner until ours come back. It had nothing to do with status (who's going to care?) and everything to do with quality and service.

Now I have one more used black one on the way from eBay as a backup. The more I use it, the more I like it, and at this point I have no desire to buy anything else. Just like if I had to replace my car I'd buy another Subaru.

 

[MaxUT]

How many Provari's do you think sell a week? Every 100 they sell, they make 16 thousand dollars.
Every 100 $200 dollar kits they sell, they make 20 thousand dollars. They must be CLEANING UP.

Like a craft beer or a US-made leather shoe, your going to pay not only for the US labor, (which is $13 to $15 an hour for each worker) but for the whole experience of buying something made in the United States.

I was a machinist for 20 years. Believe me when I say that producing stainless steel parts to close tolerances and fine finishes is not cheaply accomplished. If the company has their own production shop they probably have $500,000 or more invested in it. The material is also a bit pricey. I doubt that Provape clears more than $50 per unit once all the costs are factored in.

 

[yzer]

I have used the same Sigelei Zmax V3 Telescopic exclusively for the last nine months with two weeks off to break-in a new V3 purchased in November.

Trying to compare a $40 tube mod to a $160 tube mod is a bit silly. I'll just try to outline the Sigelei strong points.

1. You want two APVs of equal performance quality, not one. A satisfying back-up rig is essential to all vapers. So just multiply that up-front cost for any APV by a factor of two.

2. The Sigelei Zmaxs are well-built and have a reputation as long-lived devices. These are heavy stainless steel tube mods. Sigelei build and design quality is significantly better than similar Smok Zmaxs. Sigelei has proprietary display types and firmware.

What a Sigelei V3 or V5 Telescopic offers that a Provari won't...
3. Lower purchase price. If it fails, replace or fix it yourself (which is easy to do in many cases). Sigeleis are sold with up to a 90-day vendor warranty (depending on vendor)
4. 510/eGo connection. Provari is 510 only. Sigelei has a one-piece stainless steel 510/eGo connection.
5. VV/VW operation. The convenience of VW operation is a well-discussed fact.
6. Battery versatility. Sigelei Zmax Telescopics can use 18350, 18490, 18500, 18650 or 2x18350 without purchasing optional extension tubes or a second "mini" unit. The Sigelei can use flat or button top batteries.
7. The vapor quality of a Sigelei is just as good as the vapor quality of any similar VV or VV/VW APV. I'm not ignoring the vapor gourmets who may claim otherwise, just seriously doubting them. The atomizer used on any APV has much more to do with vapor quality than the power source.

I'm going onto nine months now with a Sigelei Zmax Telescopic. Maybe it will croak tomorrow, but I doubt it. If it turns turtle I'll fix it myself or buy another for $40.