To Darwin or not to Darwin

[MaDeuce]

Hey ECF members. I've read some great things about the Darwin but there are so many topics on this forum that it's sometimes difficult to pinpoint certain specific topics. So I'm looking for the opinions of members who own or have tried the Darwin. I am looking for the fabled "perfect vape" and all opinions are encouraged and welcome.

Thanks,
Keith

 

[shawn]

i have an original darwin and it works great, vw is the way to go.

 

[Thrasher]

the only problem is the future. while a great device service is becoming an issue as they are not made anymore. for that kind of money it would be a shame when it goes and it cant be repaired.

in the end the "perfect vape" is not really related to the battery beyond minor things, and VW can be had for 40 bucks or so now.
it is what you connect to the battery that changes everything and this is where the search should come into play.
finding the "perfect" delivery system for you is where it all lies. some like dripping, some like the nova, and others like genesis like i do.

 

[junkman]

Honestly I think the time for the Darwin is past. While it had some neat features, including 0.1 watt adjustments, it also had some serious quirks and was very expensive.

You can now get VW devices with fewer quirks for $50. Generally 0.5 watt adjustable, but that is not a huge issue.

 

[Disconnect]

A friend is gifting me his darwin - after the 4th warranty swap he put it on a shelf and got a provari. (The switch failed a bunch, and once the lcd went crazy.) He was impressed with their customer service, but it is sure to die again sooner or later, probably sooner..

YMMV of course, but the forum is littered with reports like that.. (As to a reasonable alternative, I can't make any suggestions. Too new to all this, and just got my first VV mod yesterday..)

 

[denali_41]

well if you really want it ? get it ,but their day has since came and past ,,there are plenty of other cheapy Vw mods around,a few of them even have a decent warranty,not many

if you want something with an incredible warranty ,durable and tried and true tested ?? itza a provari

 

[darkhood]

Never used one but always wanted one...Darwins are cool, if I had the $ I'd get one in a sec.

 

[Mderington]

ProVari is the way to go. I've had mine for about 2 weeks and it is awesome. Consistent vape every toot!

 

[Rocketpunk]

ProVaris are almost just as expensive as Darwins. And he wasn't asking about a Provari, he was asking about a Darwin. "Get a Provari" isn't a very helpful answer.

Plus, "toot". Shudders.

Anyway, to answer the OP's question, yes, I have handled a Darwin quite a bit. One of my co-workers spent almost $250 dollars to get his. The LCD display was awesome, but two things bothered me: the 510 connector moves up and down, and it just looks so easily breakable. It also is a goofy feature, too, btw. What's the point of having the 510 connector move around? The other thing that bothered me was the size and shape of it. A very bizarre looking mod, to say the least.

The Darwin helped pioneer variable wattage, which seems to be the way a lot of high-end mods are going (or at least including). You can get variable wattage, the same main feature of the Darwin, for under 50 bucks (look up the Vamo, that thing is amazing for the price). Also check out the Zmax. The Zmax is a little more expensive, but honestly, I think a Vamo is a better device.

Also, ProVaris, while amazingly sturdy and well-crafted pieces of American machinery, only provide variable voltage. With variable voltage, if you change out cartos or attys or clearos with different Ohms, you have to readjust the voltage (dialing it up or down to handle the Ohm resistance). With variable wattage, you can set your PV to any specific setting (say you like your vapes at 7 watts, that is your sweet spot; you decide to switch out a 2.0 ohm carto for a 1.5 ohm carto. Instead of dialing the voltage up or down, the variable wattage setting remembers what your sweet spot is and automatically causes the PV to fire at the exact voltage each and every time.

 

[denali_41]

you can get a blemish provari for 140,,couple batts and a charger you are into it for 175 ,,darwin starts at 250 on the extreme low end but usually is is well over 300 bucks

there are plenty of cheap VW mod runnin around,,most are China knock offs and are under bucks ,but you get what you pay for


VW works by moving the volts up or down depending on the carto you use,,but lets face it ,,really how many people change their carto\clearo\atty set up enough times in a day to justify the reasoning of it being so great

 

[Riverboat]

And he wasn't asking about a Provari, he was asking about a Darwin. "Get a Provari" isn't a very helpful answer.

Why not...lol
Its a good alternative to buying way over priced used Darwin.. I would of loved to own one when you could buy them new... the only problem was that Evolv made such a limited supply, that I could never get my hands on one..

 

[Rocketpunk]

really how many people change their carto\clearo\atty set up enough times in a day to justify the reasoning of it being so great

Well, you can start counting with me. I have five carto tanks that I swap out or switch during the day. Most are 2.0 (+/- .1) ohms, but one is 2.5, another is 2.6 ohms.

Edit: for drippers with different types of dripping atomizers (low resistance, standard resistance, 1.5 ohms all the way up to 3.0 ohms), variable wattage is a godsend.

 

[sawlight]

The Darwin was more of a "conceptual idea" more than anything. It's an awesome piece for sure, but mainly relegated to collector status anymore. They sell for $300-$400 and up in the classified section, that's a lot IMO. They have a proprietary battery that can only be changed at the factory, and service is known to be fading on them. The connector is known to break and the switch has issues, as mentioned above.
It's a neat piece as I said, but it's expensive and certainly not something I'd count on for a daily vape. If you want one for the collector status, certainly go for it if you can afford it. But for daily use there are a lot of other options out there that do the same for a lot less money that work better.

 

[retird]

Been using Darwin almost two years....love it, but hard to get now-a-days....same technology in the Opus, Stallion, and others.... you will see new mods with DNA20D board in them....

There are many 40/50/60 dollar PWM variable wattage units out there....PWM is different than the Darwin technology....

find what ya like and my Darwin is staying at my place.....

 

[Waterman]

The Darwin was more of a "conceptual idea" more than anything. It's an awesome piece for sure, but mainly relegated to collector status anymore. They sell for $300-$400 and up in the classified section, that's a lot IMO. They have a proprietary battery that can only be changed at the factory, and service is known to be fading on them. The connector is known to break and the switch has issues, as mentioned above.
It's a neat piece as I said, but it's expensive and certainly not something I'd count on for a daily vape. If you want one for the collector status, certainly go for it if you can afford it. But for daily use there are a lot of other options out there that do the same for a lot less money that work better.

I totally agree The Darwin was advanced in its time and a great collector piece but better form and function can be had for much less. I wouldn't be surprised to see an updated Provari in the future, the industry is moving leaps and bounds.

 

[retird]

Hope you find your perfect vape....found mine in power regulated devices......you asked for comments from Darwin owners or those who have used one...

The Darwin is not being produced, but their technology is.....see the DNA20D, DNA12, Kick.......

 

[Pfnerch]

@sawlight
it's easy to replace the batterie. I live in Germany a Brandon sent me 2 batteries. I replaced them in 10 minutes. so batterie change is the easiest thing on the Darwin. I think the Darwin is the top device. I own a zmax, Provari,evic but no one of them have a chance against the Darwin.

 

[tj99959]

Well, you can start counting with me. I have five carto tanks that I swap out or switch during the day. Most are 2.0 (+/- .1) ohms, but one is 2.5, another is 2.6 ohms.

Edit: for drippers with different types of dripping atomizers (low resistance, standard resistance, 1.5 ohms all the way up to 3.0 ohms), variable wattage is a godsend.

More than one PV works even better ....... just sayin'

I for one never wanted to vape on a tire guage, that and the swing arm were enough for me to never want a darwin. I do however have both one of Brandons Kicks and DNA12s. To me it doesn't make any difference if I'm adjusting the voltage or the wattage, it needs adjusting everytime I change heads anyway.

 

[sawlight]

@sawlight
it's easy to replace the batterie. I live in Germany a Brandon sent me 2 batteries. I replaced them in 10 minutes. so batterie change is the easiest thing on the Darwin. I think the Darwin is the top device. I own a zmax, Provari,evic but no one of them have a chance against the Darwin.

Very sorry about getting the battery swap wrong! But how much longer do you think they will still have those batteries available?

 

[SavePaperVapor]

Love the Darwin but the battery issue and form factor kill it for me. Not another "quality" vw on the market so that counts pretty much everything else variable for me. I would say right now that the Zmax is the best variable device at the moment. Perhaps provape will toss vw into the provari someday. Until then we are in a pickle.