ProVape - ProVari - Z Atty Pro MEGA review

[raqball]

Here is my mega ProVape ProVari Mini and Z-Atty Pro review.

This thread will be updated over the next few weeks as I’ve found that once the initial new gear factor wears off opinions sometimes change.

About my vaping history: I have been vaping for about 3 years now. I generally vape about 4ml to 5ml a day and always vape PG juice from either Halo or Johnson Creek.

I started vaping with a Smoke 51 set that I purchased at a mall kiosk. After a few weeks with that junk I moved onto a Blu set. A few weeks later I went to a Volcano ecig. Eventually I settled in with a eGo and used that for a while. I then got into mods and bought, used, and loved several different Super T devices. I also along the way briefly had a GG Slim that I did not really like.

I have used cartomizers, atomizers, and an eGo tank in the past. I dripped for a long time but recently have grown tired of mechanical mods and dripping. I have been envious of the ProVari for a while now and the Z-Atty Pro has recently became very appealing to me. I am tired of spending money like crazy on atomizers and cartomizers.

Okay, enough rambling and onto my mega review:

Part 1 will be Customer Service at ProVape, the website and ordering
Part 2 will be Shipping and Packaging with initial thoughts on the devices
Part 3 will be a review at the one week mark
Part 4 will be a review at the two week mark
Part 5 will be final thoughts at the 3 or 4 week mark

Part One -- Customer Service at ProVape, the website and ordering:

I had several pre-order questions and used the ProVape ticket system on their website for my initial contact.

[url]https://provape.zendesk.com/anonymous_requests/new[/URL]

I received a prompt and courteous response from ProVape the same day. I then exchanged a few more emails with ProVape and each email was answered promptly and effectively.

Customer Service gets a 10/10

It would be nice if ProVape had phone support but I honestly don’t think it’s needed as they were quick to respond to my ticket and they were quick to respond to my followup emails.

The ProVape website is a bit dated and IMHO is in need of a serious refresh, It’s clunky and not visually appealing.

http://www.provape.com/default.asp

Once you get the hang of the website it is loaded with information. It has video tutorials, owner guides and is generally packed with information.

The ProVape Website gets a 7/10

Ordering is a bit of a pain. Clicking on the ProVari Mini for instance brings you to the Mini landing page but you then must scroll, scroll, and scroll some more to finally reach the color and ordering options.

The Z Atty Pro does not have it’s own stand alone page and is located under Accessories & Parts . I found this a bit odd since it’s both a hot item and a very expensive device. IMHO it should have it own landing page with a user guide and video tutorial.

Once everything is in the cart, the actual ordering was a breeze. I received an email from ProVape almost immediately with all the details of my order.

Ordering from ProVape gets a 7/10

Overall ProVape gets a 8/10 score for this section. Customer service was outstanding but the website looks and feels a bit dated. Ordering / adding items to cart was a bit outdated as well.

In Part 2 I will cover Shipping and Packaging with initial thoughts on the devices. It is scheduled for delivery today.

 

[raqball]

Part 2 -- Shipping and Packaging with initial thoughts on the devices:

The package arrived shortly after I posted part 1.

Shipping and packaging:

I ordered on Thursday, July 4th in the morning. The package shipped on Friday, July 5th and arrived in my grubby paws on Monday, July 8th.

That is lightning fast shipping for a mod.

Packaging was well done! Everything was nicely packed and protected inside the box. No complaints there at all. Nicely done ProVape.

Shipping and Packaging easily gets a 10/10

Now a minor gripe about the presentation. The Z Atty Pro comes packaged in a very nice and visually appealing tube. The presentation of the Z Atty Pro was a nice touch and lends itself to pride and adds a high end warm and fuzzy feeling.

The ProVari Mini is bubble wrapped. Nothing more, nothing less. Now I do realize that it's just presentation and that most will toss the actual packaging material but I kind of wish the ProVari Mini had a better presentation than just being wrapped up in some bubble wrap. It's a high end device and IMHO it should be packaged & presented as such.

Initial thoughts:

The ProVari mini is shorter and thicker than I expected it to be. It's also a little heavier than I expected. That being said the device it is sold, well made, and a work of art! It is worthy of being called a top end device as far as build quality goes.

The menu system is easy to navigate and I had no issues whatsoever getting where I needed to be on the 1st attempt. The blue LED and screen is easy to see and read. It's not to bright, nor is it to dim. It's just about right where it needs to be.

The threads on the end cap are buttery smooth and easily connect and screw onto the ProVari Mini. This is highly welcomed by me as I became spoiled by using Super T devices that are always butter smooth.

The push button fires every time on the 1st press and my overall initial opinion of the device is that is is very well made and is worthy of it's high end rating.

The Z-Atty Pro is about the size I expected it be and it does weigh a bit more than I expected. It is also very well made, solid, and a work of art!

It arrived with a ceramic wick installed and a coil already wrapped. I followed the video instructions here for my initial 1st firing of the combo:

Z-ATTY-PRO Rebuildable Atomizers For ProVari - YouTube

I started at 3.3v and fired a few times. I then moved up to 3.7v and fired a few times. At 3.7 I did notice a hot spot and used a toothpick to poke the coil into proper position. I then moved up to 4.0v and fired a few times then finally to 4.2 and fired a few times.

Once the coil was good go I filled my tank with about 3ml of Halo Torque 56 in 24mg strength.

I knew in advance this was an airy draw and man is it ever! My 1st hit was a disaster, my 2nd hit was a little better and after about an hour of vaping I believe I have the draw pegged. Nice amount of vapor and a MEGA throat hit!

My top cap fits on nice and tight. I was a bit concerned about this after reading several reviews where they stated it was a very loose fit. Maybe the issue was resolved or maybe mine will loosen over time but for now, it's a nice tight fit.

The ProVari Mini and Z Atty Pro as a combo is quite nice indeed. The combo is a bit shorter than I expected and it wider than expected. It's also a bit heavier than I had thought it would be.

Don't get me wrong, it's not super heavy but the combo does have some heft to it. I am overall pretty pleased with the end result of combining the two.

One minor grip about the combo. It is recommended that the wick be on the bottom side of the Z Atty when vaping (in the 6 o'clock position) and I have no issue with that however, where the fire button end up is dependent on the treading and how it mates up with the ProVari. I prefer my button on the bottom (the 6 o'clock position) of my devices and with most PV's this is as simple as holding the device in that position.

With the Z Atty Pro attached it's not an option. As I said, the recommended position of the wick is on the bottom of the tank, In this position my fire button aligns at about the 3 o'clock position. No a deal breaker as I am sure I will easily adjust to the new spot for the fire button but I wish there was a way to adjust this per user preference.

My final initial thoughts are that the combo is flat out top of the line. It's well made, gorgeous and is a work of art IMHO. It's a bit heavier than I expected and a bit wider than I expected. Overall I am very pleased with the combo purchase.

The vape? I am still getting adjusted to it. It IS a very, very, very airy draw! For the Z Atty not being fully broken in yet I'd have to say I am impressed so far with the taste from the Torque 56, the vapor production and the throat hit. If this massive throat hit continues I will need to reduce my normal nic of 24mg down.

Initially I will give the ProVari Mini a 10/10. The Z Atty Pro a 10/10. The combo gets a 9.5/10. I dinked the combo because I can't adjust where my fire button ends up.

Part 3 will be posted in about a week. We will see if / how my thoughts change over time!

Photos: (click on image for larger view)

 

[raqball]

reserved for part 3

 

[raqball]

Reserved for part 4

 

[raqball]

Reserved for part 5

 

[Riverboat]

Reserved for part 2

The Good...

reserved for part 3

The Bad...

Reserved for part 4

And The Ugly...

Reserved for part 5

The Bottom line...

 

[raqball]

The Good...

The Bad...

And The Ugly...


The Bottom line...

LOL!

I am prepared for growing pains with the Z Atty Pro so I won't hold that against the device. The Z Atty will be my 1st RBA but I have been vaping long enough that I *hope* I can quickly overcome the learning curve..

 

[raqball]

Part 2 has been posted along with several photos..

 

[Riverboat]

Part 2 has been posted along with several photos..

Just so you know in a few days you wont be able to edit the reserved sections.... ECF has a time limit....

 

[raqball]

Just so you know in a few days you wont be able to edit the reserved sections.... ECF has a time limit....

Thanks for letting me know.. That is a bummer!

Guess I can ask a moderator to delete the reserved posts so the thread does not look goofy!

 

[raqball]

Day 2 update:

The Z Atty Pro appears to be breaking in nicely. I am on my 2nd tank and it's getting better. I did ramp the ProVari Mini down to 3.8v and it is vaping nicely. The coil is at 2.2 and is also preforming well.

I had read where some users complained that the ceramic wick was very fragile and that it was broken by simply removing the top cap. I am not seeing this thus far. I have removed the cap probably 25 times so far and the wick has not broken by doing this.

The top cap does get some condensation and small amounts of juice inside as others have reported. This is not an issue thus far and I have been wiping the inside of the cap every time I remove it..

Many reported that the Z Atty Pro leaks when left on it's side. I did a little test last night and filled my tank with juice and left it on it's side for about 30 minutes. Yup, it leaks if left on it's side.. LOL

The AW 18350 battery lasted me about 8 hours and / or approx 4ml of juice.

My Super T stainless shorty drip tip fit, the drip tip I ordered from ProVape fit and everything is working fine without issue. The vape gets better as time goes on and I assume this is because the wick and coil are breaking in.

I am not getting the 'fog machine' amounts of vapor that others were showing in video reviews but I am getting plenty of vapor on the exhale. I don't really care about the amount of vapor and am more about throat hit. The throat hit is still insane and is actually kicking my ....!

I will definitely need to reduce the nicotine level on my next juice order..

So far so good!

 

[Riverboat]

Day 2 update:I will definitely need to reduce the nicotine level on my next juice order.. !

The ZAP does deliver a ton of nicotine, thats for sure!

 

[raqball]

I have about 5ml of Johnson Creek Red Oak Tennessee Cured in 18mg sitting in the cabinet so I might load my next tank up with it and see.

But yes, the Z Atty is definitely delivering the nicotine like nothing I have ever used before.. [buzz] [buzz] [buzz] LOL

 

[raqball]

Day 3 and Day 4 update:

So far so good. The vape experience is getting better and I am sure this is two fold. I think the wick and coil are breaking in but more importantly I believe I am adjusting my vaping style to that of the Z Atty Pro.

I am getting use to the airy draw and it is kind of growing on me. The amount of vapor has increased and is almost 'fog machine' like at this point. The throat hit is still pretty massive!

Chain vapors beware! You can't constant hit this setup! I can get about 3 straight 7 or 8 second hits before I have to let it sit (let the coil cool) before I can hit it again. No big deal really, just something I noticed.

My top cap has yet to pop off by accident and my ceramic wick has not broken. The coil is going strong. I can't really find any information on how long the coil is suppose to last before it need replaced nor can I find any information of how long the ceramic wick is suppose to last.

When I purchased my setup I also purchased some 400x400 SS wicks because I was worried about the durability of the ceramics. What I may do is vape the ceramic for 2 weeks then try the SS wicks for 2 weeks so that I can get an opinion of which I like better.

The only other high end devices I have owned are several Super T's and a GG Slim. The Super T devices I have owned are the T1, the Super 6 and the Precise. It's a little hard to compare the ProVari Mini to these devices as they are different animals but I will try.

I did not like the GG Slim at all. The ProVari mini flat out smokes the GG Slim IMHO as far as build quality goes. How does it stack up with the Super T's? Well, I think the Super T devices are slightly better in build quality. Anyone who has ever owned a Super T device will know what I am talking about. They are flat out works of art! The ProVari is a well made, high end device but Super T has to get the edge here. Where the ProVari gets the edge as far as I am concerned is because it's a VV device. The electronics in the ProVari are top notch as far as I can tell.

The Z Atty Pro is my 1st RBA and I think that I am adjusting well. My growing pains with it thus far have been minimal. The combo of the ProVari Mini and the Z Atty is still rockin along and the vape is getting better by the day.

I was going through a carto / atty about every 2 days. They cost about $2 each so I have saved about $8 samolies thus far by using the RBA..

Thus far, I have not has a single drop of juice in my mouth (woohoo) nor have I had that dry filter / atty hit.. That alone is worth the price of the Z Atty IMHO..



Will post my one week review in a few days..

 

[raqball]

Boo! and double boo!

Ok about 10 minutes after my above post the ceramic wick broke. How I have no clue but it broke directly above the wick hole..

I took this opportunity to install the SS wick I purchased. Along with the SS wicks I also purchased the o-ring kit that comes with 2 insulator tubes.

Now as a RBA newbie I had NO clue what the heck I was doing. The insulator look to be wayyyyy to long so I snipped it in half and instered it in wick hole. Is this correct???

Next slid the SS 400x400 wick in through the insulator and made sure it was not touching the bottom of the tank. Now onto my 1st coil wrap.. Oh my!

The 1st wrap was a 500% disaster. I had coils overlapping and after about 10 minutes of trying to adjust it, I surrendered and started over. I removed that wire and stared anew. Next wrap was much better! Poked and prodded the coil until all hot spots were gone and all coil wraps glowed evenly..

So I have a question for you Z Atty Pro studs... The insulator that came with the o-ring kit does not slide all the way through the hole and it is about 2 times longer than needed, I think..

Q1: Should the insulator tube slide all the way through the hole from top to bottom?

Q2: Should the tube be cut down or not?

Ok, my 1st coil wrap is out of the way and I AM highly disappointed in the ceramic wick..

Edit to add:

Here is a photo of my 1st coil wrap. Not bad and easier than I thought..

View attachment 229915

 

[Riverboat]

Since I hate tanks I gave up RBAs....Hard to beat an HH357 for direct dripping... I have some 0.8 ohm HH's that ROCK on my 3.7 volt mods... I use the 3.0 ohm HH's on my Provari........ You can keep that ZAP, big old bulky heavy RBA....

 

[raqball]

I don't mind tanks and as a matter of fact I prefer them. I got tired of dripping and the constant need to have a bottle of juice right next to me.. I also grew tired of spending about $2 a day on atty's / carto's.. So for me, at this point in my vaping history at least, the RBA is exactly what I want and need.

It's not really all that heavy and bulky to me, but to each their own. I can understand why some may think it is, but I think it's an awesome setup!

The SS wick is working much better than the ceramic. I won't bother with the ceramic wicks anymore as the SS 400x400 is hitting and wicking much, much better!

That 'fog machine' effect I saw in video reviews is now in my living room! Not so sure I like that cloud of vapor though.

 

[MikeE3]

One minor grip about the combo. It is recommended that the wick be on the bottom side of the Z Atty when vaping (in the 6 o'clock position) and I have no issue with that however, where the fire button end up is dependent on the treading and how it mates up with the ProVari. I prefer my button on the bottom (the 6 o'clock position) of my devices and with most PV's this is as simple as holding the device in that position.

With the Z Atty Pro attached it's not an option. As I said, the recommended position of the wick is on the bottom of the tank, In this position my fire button aligns at about the 3 o'clock position. No a deal breaker as I am sure I will easily adjust to the new spot for the fire button but I wish there was a way to adjust this per user preference.

Put an o-ring either in the drip well around the 510 connector or one that fits on the rim of the drip well. Then you can tighten down the atty to get a better position. I can always get the wick aligned either with the button or 180 degrees from the button. I have 2 ZAPs and 3 Provari's and this trick works for any combination of ZAP/Provari.

 

[Riverboat]

I don't mind tanks and as a matter of fact I prefer them. I got tired of dripping and the constant need to have a bottle of juice right next to me.. I also grew tired of spending about $2 a day on atty's / carto's..]

Dripping is so easy....$2 a day on atty's/carto's ?? Cartos suck and taste awful.... and I dont what kind of cheap attys you were using but HH's last a long time.......

It's not really all that heavy and bulky to me, but to each their own. I can understand why some may think it is, but I think it's an awesome setup!

Not that heavy....lol The ZAP weighs almost as much as your Provari Mini !

 

[raqball]

Don't get me wrong the entire set up has some heft and I don't think I'd take it out and about but for home use the weight is fine for me..

$2 a day was maybe an exaggeration.. I typically average an atty every 2 days.. I say this because I have had some that last a week, some DOA, and some that last 20 minutes. So I average about one every two days. I dripped for a long time. I'd say almost 2 years total and I do enjoy it but I got tired of always having a bottle of juice close by.

Now having said that, I did order me 2 HH357's yesterday (thanks for the info!) and I also ordered up a Cyclone RDA..

I think it's time for me to return to dripping...

I'm not so sure at this point I want to keep the Z Atty.. Growing pains I expect and I am fine with that but I am just not diggin the fact I can't lay it on it's side.. That and that alone may be the reason I sell it..