And it works fantastic with NiCr build.
So, I figured I'd share my entire experience and all of my thoughts on this little box with everyone. Usually, people like to start with the pro's, but I'll go with the con's first.
As a note, one thing I always hear people talk about is the 1 second delay between the time you hit the fire button and it ramps up... Well, that's because the fire button has four functions: fire, change the mode (VW/TC), use in combination with the other buttons for more functions and power the box on/off. I wouldn't want it firing every time I wanted to change the modes, lock the settings or turn it off. That's just me, though.
Cons:
- The box is relatively heavy, making it not so ideal for a pocket carry - but I can manage.
- The SS does, indeed, have some bur issues in the battery housing. It would be best to file them, but, if you're careful and gentle (treat it like your virgin girlfriend on prom night) - you can get the batteries in without marking them. This isn't a "spit on it and stick it in" type motion you want to use here.
- The included RDA isn't that wonderful and the build space on even the velocity deck isn't very much to work with.
- It only comes with one velocity style deck, and the other one included is from the original dripbox (why?)
- Dealing with .1 increments in the wattage seems like a waste to me, as you don't really produce much of a difference at 90.0 or 90.9 - at that point, you might as well use 90.0 or 91.0. While it's cool to have that level of tuning, it adds more difficulty to go up one or two watts.
- The included spit guard restricts airflow quite heavily. I'd recommend not using it.
Pros:
- I The mod, even with the stock RDA, produces very rich and strong flavour.
- Battery life is very adequate. I'm a heavy vaper, and this thing lived through an entire day and still had half charge come this morning.
- You can use it while the mod is plugged in via USB. I'd recommend externally charging your batteries, but it's good to know it works.
- It has the power to handle just about any build you want to throw at it. So far, I've tried single, dual and quad builds on it, and it rips through them with the greatest of ease. (Note: I wouldn't try a quad build on the included RDA - it will definitely make you want to gouge your own eyes out with a fondue fork while trying to build it, which isn't good for anyone).
- The squonk works great. Much better than the original dripbox, IMO. I think the reasoning behind it is the addition of the two holes in the center/bottom of the velocity style deck. It has the holes all around the RDA like the original did, but I decided to test with my original dripbox squonk bottle and I still had the same ease of squonking. The holes in the deck definitely help, and you will always fully soak both the coils and the wick.
- It comes with tons of accessories compared to others, and let's be honest: who doesn't love accessories? Sure, you have the extra squonk bottle - but you also get a cap with it this time, making it ideal for filling with another liquid and bringing it with you on the go. (Though, I tend to drip on it more than I squonk). If you're the type to lose the tiny deck screws, have no fear: They include two extra sets of post screws for the velocity style deck, and one set of screws extra for the original two post round deck included. Cotton? Check. Extra coils? Check. USB cable? Check. Everything you need is here. Done, like dinner.
- It comes with .3 claptons, and they really are not that bad. The pre-build decks coils do look a little bleh, but that's clearly because a machine pulled the cotton through and botched up the positioning of the coils. It's nothing a pair of ceramic tweezers and flicks of the finger on the power can't fix. The coils work fantastic even as is: they ramp up quick, and they produce a ton of vapor - and the taste is pretty damn good.
- The bottle door is magnetic, which some people may dislike - but I personally love it. It's one less hinge to worry about accidentally breaking. And the magnet is very strong, so you aren't going to lose it.
- With my batteries (Sony VTC5A's) - the thing NEVER gets hot. The RDA gets hot enough to cook breakfast on, but the mod itself stays cool at all times - which is great.
I'm not getting the spitting that everyone is complaining about, even without the spit guard installed. I think that may simply be a case of over saturating the coils. I hear a pop from time to time when I first ramp it up, but it hasn't resulted in hot juice hitting neither my mouth nor my face, so I'm pleased.
All in all, this box is absolutely great, and it has - without a doubt - made its way in to my daily use category. I can live with the heavy feeling in my pocket.
If you're a stickler for perfection, the SS model is not for you. Aside from the aforementioned issues with the battery, it's a magnet for finger prints, but it's really not so terrible that it bothers me.
All in all, I give it a 9.0 in my opinion.
Upcoming fun: I've already started fabricating a set of buttons to retrofit a dna200 chip in to it. It's a very tight squeeze where the board is, but I think I can manage. I'm going to order a second dripbox 160 for this project. This run, I'll get the black and make it my primary, and I'll opt to frankenstein the SS so I can also take care of filing down the inside of the battery housing while I'm at it.
