The case for Pods ?

[carbonbegone]

Began vaping several years ago & have seen the hardware evolve continually.
For the last several years , Ive not paid that much attention save for an occasional tryout of a new rta now & then.

Current system in use is a Dvarw or Pioneer RTA & either a Jac series-B or one of 4 vaporesso Target mini 2's.
I find these easy to manage, always a great vape & with very adequate battery life.
They do require that one builds & wicks each RTA device, the material costs for that are truly inconsequential, but time isn't.

So I'm curious to learn if a pod system holds an advantage over a conventional RTA type arrangement & in what regard.
What are the characteristics of a pod system that make them attractive ?
I assume its the 'no building' & perhaps small size aspects, but are there other plusses I'm unaware of ?
What are the comparative downsides ? Ex ; battery life, swapping juices, coil expense.
How long does a coil/wick set up last in a pod & still supply good flavor ?

Sincerest thanks for any wisdom on the matter.
CBG.

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[dansus]

Stick with what you got. Only pods worth talking about are Juul type, the rest are just tanks with a new name.

 

[ppeeble]

I've always disliked pods but came across a site selling the Nautlus Prime at half price. So i bought one....
Takes standard nautilus coils and has a built-in battery (2000mAh i think), air flow control and adjustable wattage. Gave it a try and realised that this was a perfect pocketable MTL 'pod' system for me. Instantly bought another.
Pros; Smaller than any device and tank i own. Reliable. Leak free. Coils freely available. Spare pods available. Fuss free - i like the fact i can put it in any pocket and not have to worry about leaks or tanks coming loose. It's fine even if stored on it's side or upside down. Charges really quickly.
Cons; Built-in battery (although it's an Aspire and the batteries seem to go on forever). Airflow control is very basic - luckily i rely on the coil airflow and the Nautilus 0.7 ohm coil suits me as an airier MTL user. Changing flavours is only a con if if your not happy swapping the coil, the tank is easy to clean so balances out for me !
Bottom line is i get around a week of use from the coil which i'm happy with (i'm fussy and will change a coil as soon as flavour drops) and it's just so convenient. I bought it as a second device when out and about but would be happy to have it as a main device.
Sorry, this sounds a bit like a shill for the Prime but i was so impressed with it that it has changed my mind in regards AIO devices..

 

[MLEJ]

i use an AIO pod kit when driving. Anything else is just too bulky & clumsy.
Have an old cigarette case, from back when Parliament came in soft packs (& was a good cigarette). The Nord that was my 1st real device or the Endura M18 i won fit nicely in it. Easy to tote safely in my bag or a pocket, easy to hold & use while driving.
Small, easy to handle pod kits fill that need despite their cons.

 

[Falconeer]

When Pods first came out, I thought "Why have they even bothered inventing this. I can't see any advantages so I'll not bother thank you very much."

Last September when I was ordering E liquid, up popped an ad for Innonkin's Sceptre at a bargain price, so I got one out of curiosity, expecting I'd use it once or twice and then junk it.

The 2 mil pod size was of no import to me, as I'm in a country under TPD regulations anyway, the small battery with its shorter run time however was important.

I used the thing, liked its size, its ease of use and its mouthpiece. The quality of vape and the amount of it it could produce amazed me. I found a fully charged battery would nearly get me through a whole day, so I bought another Sceptre and kept the two of them in a soft spectacle case when I was out.

I now have seven Sceptres. 'Nuff said for me.

As to drop in coils, I personally prefer them anyway.

But as has been said, Pods may not work for everyone - each to his/her own and stick with what you like.

 

[Javichu]

My luck in giveaways here in ECF has made me win mostly pod devices.

I have reviewed them all and some were better than others but at the end of the day it wasn't for me.
My nic consumption is 3mg or 4,5mg (sometimes,rarely thou) and pod like devices just didn't satisfy me.
I have tried nic salts but it just didn't feel right,sometimes i chain vape and sometimes i spend 30 minutes without vaping,all depends on what i am doing at the moment.
Chain vaped with nic salts and it was just to much for me,dizzyness didn't feel good.

I am a proud man bag user so size isn't really a factor for me,if i know i am going out to town i always got ready a fresh battery so i know my vaping needs will be met.
Got enough space in my man bag to carry whatever mod i choose along with a bottle of e-liquid,that way i am all set to vape wherever i want.

Granted pods can work for some folks but they are just not right for me,all of the pods i won in giveaways i just gave them away to people that wanted to quit smoking *shrug*

 

[soysos]

Sometimes it’s just nice to have something more subtle. Or a head rush from a massive nicotine dose. I don’t use them regularly, because the concentration is so high, it’s very easy to overdose. And I sometimes get withdrawal symptoms after switching back. Bottom line, it doesn’t have to be one or the other. You can use both.

 

[carbonbegone]

Some good info / feedback regarding pods - thank you !
It appears that the more feature rich devices aren't much different than what I'm using currently.
So I guess the types that might be useful (for me) would be the simple 'stick' type devices.
Which of those types would have the following attributes ; very good battery life, refillable, leakproof / reliable, easily procured coils, adjustable wattage, 3ml or greater liquid capacity. ??
Suggestions most appreciated .. thanks again.
CBG

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[Miss Chris]

If you could get your hands on a Joyetech ego mega stick mod, I think those fit the bill...for me anyway, I got a little stockpile of 'em. Old technology I know I know

 

[bnrkwest]

I have had a love/hate affair with pods. I love their small size and grab & go features but most I tried leaked, some badly. The Breeze was too hot for me and spits hot juice, a no go. The ones that didn't leak, the Innokin Gala was so hard to draw on it sucked my cheeks in, but quality was really good. EQ by Innokin was also good, but leaked a little, a bit hot for me. Innokin Podin was really good but still leaked a little. MOTI was good but short batt life. Vinci by Voopoo I loved the flavor, shape and everything but leaks like a sieve. The last pod I tried a Kipo I really like. Easy draw, no leaks, fast charging, fits in your pocked, batt life is so so but charges back up quickly. It is a bit hot for me at 15 Watts, but I love that it doesn't leak. So I would recommend it.

 

[Z-Lee]

My experience with pod mods is pretty limited, but I've been pretty impressed with them so far. They are not the small Juul type though. I have a Smok RPM160, Smok RPM2 S, Smok Thallo, GeekVape Aegis Boost Pro, and OXVA Velocity. I'm not disappointed in the purchase of any of them and have been quite impressed actually. The only one that has an internal battery is the Thallo and that will last me a day pretty easily assuming I'm not chain vaping on it. It's a side fill with a rubber plug, but you have to pull the pod out first before doing so. Same with the RPM2. The other 3 are top/side fill w/out having to remove the pod. I vaped all 5 of these pretty hard when I first got them, and I have yet to replace the coils in any of them - given they were being vaped in rotation while I was trying out different juices. The Thallo is at 1060 puffs, RPM2 at 567, Boost Pro at 1589 (I switched to the RBA at a bit over 1000 - the original coil is still alive and kickin'), RPM160 at 454, and the OXVA being pretty new, is only at 334. The coils in them seem to last forever. I just vaped out of all of them and they're still going strong.

I popped the pod off of the Thallo, RPM2, and RPM160 - there were small droplets/pools sitting at the base of the insert, but not enough to leak out of any airflow rings/slots or anything. Mind you, these 3 pods have been sitting upright on the shelf for the better part of 2 months while I've been fiddling around with rebuildables. Assuming they were checked on a fairly semi-regular basis, I don't think the amount of leaking they've done over this amount of time would cause you too much of a fuss. Both the Boost Pro and OXVA don't have a single drop of moisture showing under their pods.

My suggestion would be to get an OXVA Velocity. It's slender and sleek form makes it very easy to slide into your pocket and it's aesthetically pleasing. The flavor very easily contends with or exceeds what I've gotten from most other RBAs and definitely most of the drop/screw in coil tanks. I use this as my quick trip carry around or at work. I think it produces a slightly better flavor over the Boost Pro as well. Both the Boost Pro and OXVA Velocity use 18650 batteries, but that would cure your worry of not having enough battery life for the day assuming you bring another along with you. Both also have (as well as the RPM160) 510 adaptors that you can use if you want to pop on one of your rebuildables or tanks. RPM160 is a dual battery mod, the rest are single (except for the Thallos that's internal). For juice capacity, the RPM2 has a 7 mL pod, Thallo is 5 mL, RPM160 is 7.5 mL, Aegis Boost Pro is 6 mL, and the Velocity is 5 mL.

@AngeNZ might be able to give you some more suggestions. Hope this helped some.

 

[Coyote628]

I bought a DragX a couple months ago. To call this a pod is a bit of a stretch. The topper wont fit on a 510 without an adapter so without the adapter and the single 18650 battery it's still hard to call it a pod. It does however have the performance of it's big brother. Cloudy little thing for sure.

 

[carbonbegone]

Some interesting experiences & perspectives, much thanks.
Yet again ; ECF always delivers !
Based on what I'm seeing so far - the Vaporesso Luxe PM40 appears to be the closest I regards to the type of device in mind. 1800 mah, 4ml, reasonably simple & sleek, wide range of mesh coils. Also top refillable without removing the main pod. Have always thought the Vaporesso stuff to be quite good.
Has anyone had occasion to try one of the PM-40's yet ? Thoughts ?

.

 

[carbonbegone]

My experience with pod mods is pretty limited, but I've been pretty impressed with them so far. They are not the small Juul type though. I have a Smok RPM160, Smok RPM2 S, Smok Thallo, GeekVape Aegis Boost Pro, and OXVA Velocity. I'm not disappointed in the purchase of any of them and have been quite impressed actually. The only one that has an internal battery is the Thallo and that will last me a day pretty easily assuming I'm not chain vaping on it. It's a side fill with a rubber plug, but you have to pull the pod out first before doing so. Same with the RPM2. The other 3 are top/side fill w/out having to remove the pod. I vaped all 5 of these pretty hard when I first got them, and I have yet to replace the coils in any of them - given they were being vaped in rotation while I was trying out different juices. The Thallo is at 1060 puffs, RPM2 at 567, Boost Pro at 1589 (I switched to the RBA at a bit over 1000 - the original coil is still alive and kickin'), RPM160 at 454, and the OXVA being pretty new, is only at 334. The coils in them seem to last forever. I just vaped out of all of them and they're still going strong.

I popped the pod off of the Thallo, RPM2, and RPM160 - there were small droplets/pools sitting at the base of the insert, but not enough to leak out of any airflow rings/slots or anything. Mind you, these 3 pods have been sitting upright on the shelf for the better part of 2 months while I've been fiddling around with rebuildables. Assuming they were checked on a fairly semi-regular basis, I don't think the amount of leaking they've done over this amount of time would cause you too much of a fuss. Both the Boost Pro and OXVA don't have a single drop of moisture showing under their pods.

My suggestion would be to get an OXVA Velocity. It's slender and sleek form makes it very easy to slide into your pocket and it's aesthetically pleasing. The flavor very easily contends with or exceeds what I've gotten from most other RBAs and definitely most of the drop/screw in coil tanks. I use this as my quick trip carry around or at work. I think it produces a slightly better flavor over the Boost Pro as well. Both the Boost Pro and OXVA Velocity use 18650 batteries, but that would cure your worry of not having enough battery life for the day assuming you bring another along with you. Both also have (as well as the RPM160) 510 adaptors that you can use if you want to pop on one of your rebuildables or tanks. RPM160 is a dual battery mod, the rest are single (except for the Thallos that's internal). For juice capacity, the RPM2 has a 7 mL pod, Thallo is 5 mL, RPM160 is 7.5 mL, Aegis Boost Pro is 6 mL, and the Velocity is 5 mL.

@AngeNZ might be able to give you some more suggestions. Hope this helped some.

Thanks for the thoughtful response, I did check out the OXVA. The thing is ; that one is actually significantly larger than my current Target mini with either a Pioneer or Dvarw RTA affixed. It does look to be a nice modern device though. Thanks again.

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[AngeNZ]

Some good info / feedback regarding pods - thank you !
It appears that the more feature rich devices aren't much different than what I'm using currently.
So I guess the types that might be useful (for me) would be the simple 'stick' type devices.
Which of those types would have the following attributes ; very good battery life, refillable, leakproof / reliable, easily procured coils, adjustable wattage, 3ml or greater liquid capacity. ??
Suggestions most appreciated .. thanks again.
CBG

.

If you are in the tight MTL, Loose MTL, Tight RDL or even loose RDL, the Innokin Kroma-Z covers all those styles.

4ml pods, 3000mah battery, small size, ergonomic to hold and use, and plenty of airflow options. I've been using mine as an out and about device for the past few months, and it's behaved flawlessly.

It includes the MTL 0.8ohm 14-17 watt (I run mine airflow wide open at 18.5w). And it also includes the RDL 0.3ohm coil 30-40w. I love that one, airflow wide open at 25 watts.

There's plenty of other coils available:

It has 2 airflow rings. One brings the draw down to a tight MTL, cigarette type draw. You can open or close this down even more with the airflow slider. If you prefer a looser MTL or RDL, then keep the pre-installed RDL ring in place. With the slider, you can close this right down, or wide open.

INNOKIN KROMA - Z AIO KIT REVIEWED BY BIGBOB2322

 

[carbonbegone]

Thanks AngeNZ, you pointed me to the Jac seriesB a while back which I'm really liking a lot as my daily driver around the house.
I took a serious look at the Kroma as it is highly regarded, but like the also recommended OXVA .. it's quite a bit larger than my Target mini2 & Dvarw / Pioneer set up's that perform well.

Question ; I get about 4 & occasionally 5 days of good flavor from a newly wicked Pioneer or Dvarw, what is a reasonable expectation of the life of an installed coil/wick on a pod gadget ?

.

 

[YoursTruli]

Question ; I get about 4 & occasionally 5 days of good flavor from a newly wicked Pioneer or Dvarw, what is a reasonable expectation of the life of an installed coil/wick on a pod gadget ?

Depends a lot on the type of eliquid you are using and how much you are running through a coil daily (watts too) Some eliquids are serious coil gunkers, having to rewick/clean coil sometimes daily. Some others a wick/coil can last months. Sweet/dark/high% flavoring eliquids are coil killers.

 

[AngeNZ]

Thanks AngeNZ, you pointed me to the Jac seriesB a while back which I'm really liking a lot as my daily driver around the house.
I took a serious look at the Kroma as it is highly regarded, but like the also recommended OXVA .. it's quite a bit larger than my Target mini2 & Dvarw / Pioneer set up's that perform well.

Question ; I get about 4 & occasionally 5 days of good flavor from a newly wicked Pioneer or Dvarw, what is a reasonable expectation of the life of an installed coil/wick on a pod gadget ?

.

When I was only using a Zenith tank/Pico 75, I'd be happy to get two weeks from a coil. But like @YoursTruli said above, there's so many variables.

For specifics on the Kroma Z coils, there's a long running thread here you can ask in:
Innokin Zenith MTL tank--Phil Busardo