Provari or Vamo?

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AppleCheeksAlice

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GrimmTech

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Just received my Vamo from OKCVapes. Not quite a DOA but its getting replaced anyway. First off its the V2 stainless. I cant see how build quality could get much better. Its solid and quite heavy. The buttons are stainless as well and the screen is fantastic. It started out vaping awesome, but after about an hour but then I got a very hot burnt vape and they it wouldn't fire. I checked the atty ohms and it said 9.9. Im assuming thats the max it will read so I assumed I had burnt out my atty. Its a cheap CE4 clearo. I swapped to another one and it smoked about 3 vapes before saying LO. Checked battery voltage, 0.9. I changed the battery and in 2 or 3 vapes it also said LO. These are older flashlight 18650 so I thoughy maybe the batts were bad. Put both on the charger and they showed full in less than 30 minutes. Back in the VAMO and in 2-3 vapes LO. Check batt voltage 0.9. Pulled the batt out and checked with a volt meter. 4.2v Put it back in the Vamo, read 4.1v, checked again immediately 3.8v, and again 0.9 and stays there. I think something in the board must have shorted out and produced that really hot vape. Put the multimeter on my "burnt" clearo, 2.2ohm. Its fine.

Called up OKCVapes and told them what was happening. They are replacing it with no questions. Even better is their return policy. I had an issue with my Apollo Ego-vv and they wanted me to ship back the device for inspection, then they would return ship it 7-10 day slow mail after the inspection. (its very obvious what is wrong, you can physically see it) So with Apollo I'm out of a device for 15-20 days. Soon as I shipped the Vamo to OKC and sent them the tracking number so they could see it shipped the put me a new on in the mail. Excellent service.

I too am wondering about the quality and longevity of the Vamo but the outer case is a tank on the V2. That being said, some reviews I have read and watched, the Vamo goes blow for blow on output with anything on the market and has a 5amp limit where the Provari has 3.5.

I could have purchased any device I want, but the look and finish of the Vamo combined with the VW sold me. If this one comes back has no problems I will get a second as a backup. If something happens to it after its out of warranty, or a while down the road, I will attempt a repair myself. I have a hobby business (just cause I pay taxes on what I do lol) in electronic repair.

Just my $0.02
 

rcpcdude

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I can actually compare these 2 now lol.

Vamo pros: vapes great in RMS mode (if you are using single coil, dc tend to drop off), multiple battery config, fantastic screen and menu system, VW is easy to use if you like to switch up alot, hellofa bang for buck.

Vamo cons: crappy finish (fixed with the ss hopefully but I have the black chrome partially left on mine), rattly battery in 18650 mode, the 510 connector is what I would call not accurate where your device can wobble a bit even when screwed down which is just annoying and me nitpicking

Provari pros: Ultra solid, no 510 connection wobble, no problems with DC, more compact design than the vamo, and also vapes great.

Provari cons: the extra click you do on accident that puts you past the menu you wanted and having to cycle all the way through again, no 18650 ext cap made by Provape for a mini(see below lol), being hated on for being a fan lol.

Both are excellent devices, and to the OP, both can't go too low in resistance but for me I use 32 and 34 guage and have no problems getting from 1.5-2.5ohm coils that work fine for my liking but then again I don't use mesh either.

As for the extension cap comment there is a whole other thread here about it that has pictures and links
 

frazz

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I haven't read all the replies so someone may have said similar. I own a provari and the wife has used it..she liked the VV nature. For Christmas, I bought her a Vamo. She couldn't adapt. You can't lock the voltage down, so accidentally hitting the buttons causes changes to the voltage... Causing her to talk about it.....a lot...lol. Today I bought her a provari...lol
 

DPLongo22

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I've now seen a number of references to the lock-down issue, and I have to ask the question: Are you sure that it won't lock if you hold the plus & minus keys simultaneously? Since even my old L-Rider (Lavatube) did that, I'm having a hard time accepting that the VAMO doesn't cover such a key (at least for me) element.

I haven't read all the replies so someone may have said similar. I own a provari and the wife has used it..she liked the VV nature. For Christmas, I bought her a Vamo. She couldn't adapt. You can't lock the voltage down, so accidentally hitting the buttons causes changes to the voltage... Causing her to talk about it.....a lot...lol. Today I bought her a provari...lol
 

Underwhelmed

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I've now seen a number of references to the lock-down issue, and I have to ask the question: Are you sure that it won't lock if you hold the plus & minus keys simultaneously? Since even my old L-Rider (Lavatube) did that, I'm having a hard time accepting that the VAMO doesn't cover such a key (at least for me) element.

That won't lock it, that's how you switch from VV to VW.

BTW, I have really large hands and haven't had any problem with hitting the adjustment buttons accidentally while vaping.
 
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kiwivap

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It started out vaping awesome, but after about an hour but then I got a very hot burnt vape and they it wouldn't fire. I checked the atty ohms and it said 9.9. Im assuming thats the max it will read so I assumed I had burnt out my atty. Its a cheap CE4 clearo.

9.9 means zero ohms - it either isn't connecting or the coil popped.
 

kiwivap

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That won't lock it, that's how you switch from VV to VW.

BTW, I have really large hands and haven't had any problem with hitting the adjustment buttons accidentally while vaping.

With the fire button separate it doesn't get mixed up for me either. And its just 5 (or 6) clicks to turn it off if not using it for a while.
It also has much less battery drain than a provari on standby.

From Mountain prophet, quiescent current in idle:

Zmax V2 RMS 0.11 mA
Vamo VV / VW 0.15 mA
YoungJune 2.1T 0.16 mA (5-clicking on it)
Provari 0.96 mA
 

denali_41

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I don't know man ... the Vamo is made of pretty thick brass. Usually that type of thickness can withstand even running over it with a vehicle. You'd probably end up jarring the electronics loose on the provari. ;)

actually............if you go back about 6 months you can read about the guy who]s provari got driven over by a tractor trailer set-up
it pushed the top cap out a bit and fattened the carto,,replaced the carto and went back to vapin..

no way in hell could a vamo [brass] handle that kind of abuse ,,plain and simple brass is a soft metal

you can keep buying all these china imports that i keep reading about people having DOA problems

i'll keep buying stuff that has been around a few years with a track record to back it up,,ego batts fit into that category too


that being said,,Segalei Zmax would be my second choice
 
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Underwhelmed

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denali, why do you hate vw devices so much?

I'm not trying to start anything, but I've seen you go thermal about VW a couple times now.

I look at it this way, I smoked US made Marlboros for 20 years. Them being made in the US didn't make them any better for me in the long run. They've been making Marlboros for years before I got here, and they still are, my patronage doesn't really matter to them.

And come to think of it, I didn't really care what anyone else was smoking when I was a smoker. If you were a Camels smoker it didn't effect me, unless I was bumming a smoke (which I never did, not once I swear) so I don't get all twisted about what anyone else uses to vape.
 

denali_41

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underwhelemed,,im sure you missed my point there ,,i don't hate Vw ,,i tried it,not for me and i've vaped at 14.4 watts on my provari

i just posted in another thread thart the Segalei Zmax would be my second choice,,you can search my posts to verify that too [post 50 in this very thread]
 
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Trick

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For what it's worth, I have both a Provari and a Vamo, and... well, it's pretty much indisputable the Provari's built better. That's obvious within a few seconds of messing with them. Is the Vamo built badly? No. But the Provari's a pretty tight piece of work, and sets the bar pretty high.

But, yeah, the Vamo has VW... and except for playing with it a bit when I first got it, I don't use it. I like adjusting things for which atty I'm using, the type of juice I'm vaping, etc. VW provides some consistency across those, but I've discovered that I don't really want consistency. I just get a better vape without it.

So, yeah, the Provari's just a better machine. Worth the extra price? That's really up to whoever's thinking about buying it, really. Personally, I prefer the Provari, but that's mostly because I'm clumsy and I really don't think I could break it without trying really hard. I'm not sure I could say the same for my Vamo.

The Provari's a bit smaller in its all-day battery config, too, which is nice, and I love my Z-Atty-Pro, wbich just happens to work better on the Provari, so there you go.
 
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Underwhelmed

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I've had this for about a month now and haven't used much else. I think if I was going to break it, it would have happened by now.

Short of dropping it and breaking the delivery system attached to it, with an 18650 Panasonic in it I have no fear. But then again, I'd only be out $30 if I destroyed it.

And I have some 1000mah eGo Twists if worst came to worst as back-ups, as well as the ProVari Mini, and a couple other mechanical mods.
 
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