provari vs a cheaper lavatube

[matt-lmr]

Looking into this type of thing and i have found mini lava tube kits for around £50 and the provari mini for around £170
What i would like to know is what makes the provari over three times more expensive? from what i have been able to read about both kits they are very similar, so does build quality justify the extra £120?

 

[Dauyd]

3 main things.

1. Build quality.

2. Service. Provari can be fixed by the manufacturer, LT can only be replaced, and that depends on what you get for a warranty (varies widely by vendor)

3. Consistency of voltage. The YJ ones run hotter than you actually set them at, L-rider doesn't have that problem. All of the LT's the voltage will fall off as the battery runs down, while ProVari will deliver the set voltage until you have to change batteries.

Is it worth the extra money? That is for you to decide. I don't think so, but there are an awful lot of people that feel differently.

 

[Kevin King]

my first vv mod was a lavatube and as soon as i got it i hated it. way to big for daily use and in my pocket. not long after that i said screw it and got a black provari mini /blue led. it is worth every penny, and i really do mean that. no nead for multimeters, or ohm readers cuz its built into the provari. and the size is very stealthy. i love mine and would be ...... if i didnt have it

 

[GIMike]

Check out the VAMO. It's said to be as accurate as a Provari, but MUCH cheaper. Hopefully more places will have them in stock soon. I think it's going to be the poor man's provari

 

[tnt56]

Check out the VAMO. It's said to be as accurate as a Provari, but MUCH cheaper. Hopefully more places will have them in stock soon. I think it's going to be the poor man's provari

Second that one.

 

[Dauyd]

my first vv mod was a lavatube and as soon as i got it i hated it. way to big for daily use and in my pocket. not long after that i said screw it and got a black provari mini /blue led. it is worth every penny, and i really do mean that. no nead for multimeters, or ohm readers cuz its built into the provari. and the size is very stealthy. i love mine and would be ...... if i didnt have it

LT mini is only 10mm longer, and slightly thinner- and it has an ohm meter, too.

Not knocking the provari at all, but the reasons you list are pointless, since they aren't different from one another in those features.

 

[tc1]

The reason the Chinese mods aren't competing with the Provari yet has a lot to do with the proprietary chipset and software the Provari uses.

Really no different than many electronics really. The difference between a $5 Chinese multimeter vs say a Fluke? Yup, chipset and software.

The Chinese can reverse engineer the heck out of hardware but for some reason they REALLY suffer when it comes to software. (notice the piracy rate in China) Of course, cloning hardware is pretty easy due to being able to actually SEE the mechanics at work. Programming the hardware to be accurate is a whole other ball game.

It really comes down to what you think better suits you. I've grown a tad bitter over cheap mods not doing what they say they can do. In my mind, they'd be better off stopping to sell the "cool" factor and just make something that works as advertised.

As far as cost ... obviously any device made in a country that pays people a living wage is going to cost more. I find it hard to justify paying close to $200 as well but at the end of the day ... you know what you are getting with a provari and when they update it you aren't forced to buy a new device, you just pay an update fee.

Some of these Chinese mods will go through several revisions in a single month and the people who bought the buggy one are stuck with it.

 

[cyclotron]

Check out the VAMO. It's said to be as accurate as a Provari, but MUCH cheaper. Hopefully more places will have them in stock soon. I think it's going to be the poor man's provari

I'm interested in a VAMO myself. Being able to do a short or long edition is a big plus. I've seen some with OLED displays too. As long as it has the RMS/MEAN option it should be accurate. I haven't seen the VAMO in SS though. I do love me some SS.

 

[tnt56]

I'm interested in a VAMO myself. Being able to do a short or long edition is a big plus. I've seen some with OLED displays too. As long as it has the RMS/MEAN option it should be accurate. I haven't seen the VAMO in SS though. I do love me some SS.

If anyone is interested in some very unbiased opinions on the VAMO, I started a amature review of it
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/variable-voltage-apv-discussion/348599-now-i-cant-decide.html
I will warn you that I'm not a professional tester. Just a person who was ask to give an opinion on this device. You'll see in the thread that I got more help from other members. And I mean a lot of help. Again Thanks to all who helped me out with this.

 

[cyclotron]

If anyone is interested in some very unbiased opinions on the VAMO, I started a amature review of it
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/variable-voltage-apv-discussion/348599-now-i-cant-decide.html
I will warn you that I'm not a professional tester. Just a person who was ask to give an opinion on this device. You'll see in the thread that I got more help from other members. And I mean a lot of help. Again Thanks to all who helped me out with this.

tnt,

Funny, I just read your review and that whole thread. Thank you for working out the setup. At the price I may just pick one up this week. I have several things on order though so I think I should pace myself.

Nice RT in your Avatar. I had the R1200RT for 3 years and loved that bike. I would love to have another but my wife limits my motorcycles to two at a time.

 

[tnt56]

She's an 02 model but I still love her. Only female in the house that doesn't grip at me. LOL
They really do need to put complete instructions with that unit so people don't have to go through all the hassle.

 

[tnt56]

I'm sorry for hijacking this thread. To the OP: I'll let you know which I prefer when my Provari comes in. But I can proubably already tell you which one it's gonna be.

 

[Slurp812]

There is the durability issue also. If you are easy on equipment, that its not as much of an issue.

 

[sawlight]

I have a LT clone, like this one Vari-Tube 18650 APV I paid $40 OTD in a brick and mortar, it works well, but that's about as good as it gets! It's cheap! The bottom cap, I'm just waiting for the spring to push it out! Had it a bit over a week and the chrome is wearing off the fire button already. The threads are loose as a goose, even tightened down I can wobble my tank side to side. Every time it slips out of my pocket I fear it will be the last time it worked if it hits the ground! And it's long! Really long! 1 3/4's the length of my BB.
For entry into VV, it was great, cheap and easily available. Do I wish I'd spent more, sure! But I'm just getting back into it, this made the transition a lot easier as I can adjust the volts through out the day to suit what I need.
Do I want something better? Absolutely! I wish I had the money for a Provari, but I don't right now, and may not have for a VERY long time! I'm looking for something in between, but it has to be durable to meet my lifestyle, there lies my rub! I can beat the snot out of my BB and it just doesn't care! The LT clone, well if it makes it two more months with me I'll be very surprised!
I looked at the Zmax in SS, but really, by the time all is said and done it's about a $40 difference in price, I'll save up the $40! I've been looking and looking for something other than these two choices. I even looked at a Bolt with a Kick, but by the time you buy the Bolt, the Kick and two extensions you are at the price of the Zmax SS so why bother?
I feel the pain, I assure you!

 

[DaveP]

Aluminum vs stainless steel is a big difference. Another is the regulator circuit in the Provari vs Lavatube. Provari holds steady and produces the same vape all day long.

Service is the big one. If a Provari breaks in the first year, Provape will fix it for free. After that, their service rates are reasonable. They will also upgrade yours if an electronic upgrade is released. You buy a Provari for quality and service. Chinese PV's are cheap, but when they break, you toss them and buy another. Do that 3 times and you could have had a Provari.

 

[Cmohnso]

The reason the Chinese mods aren't competing with the Provari yet has a lot to do with the proprietary chipset and software the Provari uses.

Really no different than many electronics really. The difference between a $5 Chinese multimeter vs say a Fluke? Yup, chipset and software.

The Chinese can reverse engineer the heck out of hardware but for some reason they REALLY suffer when it comes to software. (notice the piracy rate in China) Of course, cloning hardware is pretty easy due to being able to actually SEE the mechanics at work. Programming the hardware to be accurate is a whole other ball game.

It really comes down to what you think better suits you. I've grown a tad bitter over cheap mods not doing what they say they can do. In my mind, they'd be better off stopping to sell the "cool" factor and just make something that works as advertised.

As far as cost ... obviously any device made in a country that pays people a living wage is going to cost more. I find it hard to justify paying close to $200 as well but at the end of the day ... you know what you are getting with a provari and when they update it you aren't forced to buy a new device, you just pay an update fee.

Some of these Chinese mods will go through several revisions in a single month and the people who bought the buggy one are stuck with it.

Great points and I mostly agree.

One question: are you certain about the update situation? From what I can tell, most people think "well they did it with v1, they'll do it again." No, I don't think they will. Think of the install base difference between the v1 and v2. Everyone has one. You'll pay full price or close to again and say "thank you" for it.

Just my prediction.

 

[tc1]

Obviously if they create an entire new device you won't be able to ship it back and get all those new features for $20. But anything that can be changed in the software alone, I am very certain that they will continue to upgrade them for users with out of date firmware. It's part of what makes people stand by their product.

If Provari became just another vendor pumping out revision after revision, forcing people to make repurchases ... they'd lose market share in a HURRY. That ability to ship your device back and get it repaired or upgraded is part of what makes them stand out.

 

[DizGrizz]

The VAMO looks promising but, like others, I'm pretty gun shy on Chinese quality and durability. tnt56, thanks for the review and please keep us updated on how it holds up over time.

 

[tnt56]

Well truth is it was a very amature review or opinion I was asked to give. I got a feeling when my Provari shows up tomorrow (I hope, I hope, I hope) The only ones that will get much use will be my kicked SB and the stealth ones I use at work. I got to see how the Provari fits with a tank on top to see if it will work with the uniform I got to wear. The vamo is a really cheap way to do though. I'm thinking about using it for dripping new juice.

 

[dingo1799]