Vamo or LT for new VV/VW vaper?

[Kytrix]

I'm contemplating a foray into VV and/or VW vaping. I like my eGo, but it's time for a change, and I've seen some great reviews on both. My question is this: why should I choose the Vamo (since this is its forum) over the Lavatube v2? I'm familiar with electronic theory, coming from a military communications background. I have no problem doing the math to calculate my wattage, and sometimes I almost prefer it. I get that the Vamo will automatically calculate my watts for me, and that the LT doesn't, but this isn't a major factor for me, considering I've run these short equations literally thousands of times in my head.

Any comments not directly related to VW or VV but relevant to my decision are welcome. I've not seen too much on the Vamo, but I understand the basics of what it does. I'm personally a great fan of the aesthetics of the new Lavatube, and not so much the stainless steel, chrome, or gunmetal finishes I've seen on the Vamo (mostly for reasons of fingerprints, dings, and the like). Also, if anyone can tell me if there is an "original" mfg for the Vamo, that would be great. I like reputable companies with a good warranty policy, as a personal rule.

Thanks so much, guys!

 

[Shahzh]

I'm also new into vaping. Was using a YJ Lavatube as my first PV...3 weeks later I've got my SS eGo/Vamo APV. I love the weight and feel of eGo/Vamo SS compare to the chrome YJ Lavatube. I used to have an air flow problem with my Vivi Nova tanks on the Lavatube, but using the same tank on the eGo/Vamo no such thing. The + side on the eGo/Vamo is that I can choose the battery configuration, single 18650, single 18350 or double 18350. I'm using a single 18350 most of the time and it felt much better. For Lavatube it's either you get the 18650 or the Lavatube mini.

 

[PepNYC]

2 things right off the bat that made me purchase the VAMO over the Lavatube v2 were the eGo threading, so I can put on the eGo clearomizers, and the flexability of being able to use either (1) 18650 batt, (2) 18350 batts or just (1) 18350 batt. I love the vamo in mini mode. Oh, the price had a bit to do with it as well. $42.00 shipped.

 

[Sovran]

I own a vamo. Works great and has suvived 2 falls that bent the cartos that were on it. That being said the finish sucks. I have the chrome about 2 months old. The chrome below the button is wearing through and it is starting to smell like copper pipe fittings. Yuck. I wrapped the entire thing except the small buttons in electrical tape and used a razor to cut out the battery thread, screen and fire button. No more smell and I think it looks pretty good now. Will use the vamo till it dies.

 

[meli.]

I have to agree with both Pep & Shahzh, the simplicity of having both a '650 & '350 mod, as far as the finish is concerned you can also get an SS version. More and more US vendors are getting these in so you needn't be overly concerned with warranties etc. as most of the US vendors have good replacement policies and from what I have read those members who have been unfortunate with their Vamo's have had them replaced easily, the same goes for the Health Cabin.
I believe there is a co-op going on ECF for the SS version.
The mfr of the Vamo is RainbowHeaven Tech.

 

[Shahzh]

The mfr of the Vamo is RainbowHeaven Tech.

Now I know..thanks for the info

 

[PepNYC]

I have to agree with both Pep & Shahzh, the simplicity of having both a '650 & '350 mod, as far as the finish is concerned you can also get an SS version. More and more US vendors are getting these in so you needn't be overly concerned with warranties etc. as most of the US vendors have good replacement policies and from what I have read those members who have been unfortunate with their Vamo's have had them replaced easily, the same goes for the Health Cabin.
I believe there is a co-op going on ECF for the SS version.
The mfr of the Vamo is RainbowHeaven Tech.

I got mine from Healthcabin. Had to send it back due to a faulty button but their customer service folks were more than accommodating. Only thing I didn't like was the fact that they shipped the replacement via China Airmail. Could take up to 45 days. Actually still waiting for it. If ya do decide to get one, I'd go with a vendor stateside. These things are hit or miss as far as QA goes so at least if ya stay in the US your wait times will be diminished significantly should you need to return it.

 

[tc1]

I'd pick the Vamo over the Lavatube 2.0 as well too. Unless you want something that feels really thick in your hands. Thing is ... the electronics in the Lavatube are nearly identical to the Vamo minus the VW. Volcano will be releasing a VW version around April-May'ish most likely.

 

[xpen]

The Vamo is the next lavatube, and it's available now. Good performance, low price, ugly aesthetics (my taste, that is), longer, heavier.

To put things in context: I've bought the vamo as a backup to my provari, and I've found it to be absolutely up to task. what else?

 

[PepNYC]

The Vamo is the next lavatube, and it's available now. Good performance, low price, ugly aesthetics (my taste, that is), longer, heavier.

To put things in context: I've bought the vamo as a backup to my provari, and I've found it to be absolutely up to task. what else?

So let me ask ya this. As a provari owner, do you find the adjustable wattage and rms setting more appealing than just a variable voltage device such as the Provari? I'm just trying to figure out why folks would shell out close to $200 for a device that does less than a $50 device. I'm only talking features here. Not build quality or warranty. I may be opening up a can of worms here but im really just wondering what all the hype is about the Provari. Make me see the light damn it!

 

[unloaded]

I'll chime in as a Provari/Vamo owner. When I bought the Provari the Vamo wasn't available so it really wasn't a case of choosing it over the Vamo. I did a lot of research before buying the Provari, trying to decide if it was really worth the price for me. I needed good VV, small pocket sized mod, and heavy duty toughness and weight. Wanted good VV so I didn't have to be perfect making coils. Needed it pocket friendly because of work rules regarding vaping. Needed it tough because I use it all day everyday and I'm rough on stuff. Needed the weight so my setup wouldn't be top heavy with my attys. For me it was very worth the price. If I lost it or it was stolen I'd get another. The Vamo doesn't meet all those needs for me, although it has some features I wish the Provari had like the VW and nice menu setup. It's a little bit too long for my shirt pocket and by being longer and lighter it gets a little top heavy with some of my attys. Also I'm not sure it would have survived some of the falls my Provari has taken. The Vamo also has higher amp rating, and more options for batteries and is much more affordable. It's a great mod too, just not exactly a match for my needs. If the Provari had the Vamo's insides it would just about be the perfect mod for me.

 

[PepNYC]

Yeah. I think if Provape makes a variable wattage device it's game over for the competition. They're probably workin on it as we speak.

 

[xpen]

Let me put it this way: the provari is the reference (quality/build/performance) mark for others to try and reach.

For me the variable wattage parte isn't that important, it's just an handy feature if you happen to find it in a mod, but definitely I could live w/o it, as I did until now. What I find very useful is the 3-button interface, which makes the daily vaping life somehow easier.

We have no stats for now about the vamo electronics longevity/robustness under daily (ab)use, while provaris have shown time and again to be very very difficult to damage, no matter what.

So in short the provari has proven to be: safe, robust, and damn accurate. Then if it's worth almost 200 bucks, well that's up to each of us to judge. For sure new low-cost devices like the vamo are pushing and closing the gap, but I don't think they're there yet.

PS: forgot to mention: the provari always and only works in RMS mode, as it's the right one to use IMO.

So let me ask ya this. As a provari owner, do you find the adjustable wattage and rms setting more appealing than just a variable voltage device such as the Provari? I'm just trying to figure out why folks would shell out close to $200 for a device that does less than a $50 device. I'm only talking features here. Not build quality or warranty. I may be opening up a can of worms here but im really just wondering what all the hype is about the Provari. Make me see the light damn it! 

 

[PepNYC]

Thanks guys, for the clarification.

 

[tc1]

The 3 button design is FAR superior to the 1 button menu system. It's one of the main things I absolutely love about the Vamo. Want to change a setting? *click* DONE! That is very important for a button tweaker like me who constantly changes settings. Since the Vamo saves my wattage settings after a battery change, and changing watts is a simple click of the button I have grown to use VW only.

 

[PepNYC]

The 3 button design is FAR superior to the 1 button menu system. It's one of the main things I absolutely love about the Vamo. Want to change a setting? *click* DONE! That is very important for a button tweaker like me who constantly changes settings. Since the Vamo saves my wattage settings after a battery change, and changing watts is a simple click of the button I have grown to use VW only.

I have to do some more research on variable wattage. Is it really different from variable voltage or is it just a different way of obtaining the same results? If it actually manages the power or current if you will, in a different way then I'd say the VAMO has one up on the Provari but if it's just a gimmicky way to get the same results than that's just silly. Off to do some research.....

 

[xpen]

Basically in vaping we're more interested in constant wattage than in variable, so that we can get the same vaping experience thru different atomizers without having to constantly think (and calculate) "what freaking voltage do I need to apply to a certain resistance atom?".

Wattage, for lack of a better alternative, is currently being identified as a key factor of the vaping experience, sort of comparing apples to apples [even though we speak of fruit salads, in most cases].

Other factors do apply in reality, but in principle you may think of a certain wattage as an easy way to identify/replicate a certain vaping experience thru different batteries and atomizers.

Example: W=V^2/R, thus you can achieve approx the same 7W with either a 3ohm atom at 4.6V, or with a 1.5ohm atom @ 3.3V...

So if your mod does the math for you, allowing you to screw on whatever atom you like and automagically still get the same "7W vaping experience", whatever that is, well that's cool.

So yes the vamo currently may be seen as having one up on the provari; two, if you count the 3-button interface

The rest (quality/build/performance) still applies, though...

I have to do some more research on variable wattage. Is it really different from variable voltage or is it just a different way of obtaining the same results? If it actually manages the power or current if you will, in a different way then I'd say the VAMO has one up on the Provari but if it's just a gimmicky way to get the same results than that's just silly. Off to do some research.....

 

[PepNYC]

Basically in vaping we're more interested in constant wattage than in variable, so that we can get the same vaping experience thru different atomizers without having to constantly think (and calculate) "what freaking voltage do I need to apply to a certain resistance atom?".

Wattage, for lack of a better alternative, is currently being identified as a key factor of the vaping experience, sort of comparing apples to apples [even though we speak of fruit salads, in most cases].

Other factors do apply in reality, but in principle you may think of a certain wattage as an easy way to identify/replicate a certain vaping experience thru different batteries and atomizers.

Example: W=V^2/R, thus you can achieve approx the same 7W with either a 3ohm atom at 4.6V, or with a 1.5ohm atom @ 3.3V...

So if your mod does the math for you, allowing you to screw on whatever atom you like and automagically still get the same "7W vaping experience", whatever that is, well that's cool.

So yes the vamo currently may be seen as having one up on the provari; two, if you count the 3-button interface

The rest (quality/build/performance) still applies, though...

Ok. I get it. So lets just say the VAMO is more "User Friendly". Good for lazy folks like me who hate math.

 

[tc1]

User friendly is a great way to describe the Vamo actually ...

 

[Ctor]

I own both a YJ Lavatube and a Vamo. I bought the Vamo while waiting for the Vocano Lavatube 2.0 to come out. I have put the YJ lavatube in my backup draw and haven't touched it for around 3 weeks, and I decided not to get the Volcano Lavatube. I'm getting ready to purchase a second vamo in stainless steel.

I like the rms voltage mode on the vamo much better than the Lavatube. I don't really use the variable wattage mode, but I did try it a few times. The screen is very nice, and having a true ego connector is a plus. But being recessed, you need to exercise some caution using things like the replaceable stardusts as the base of the connector isn't accessable and you can unscrew the tank section while trying to remove the clearo. I tend not to tighten things down heavily, but sometimes I forget and it can cause a mess.

The vamo is also very solidly built and feels good in my hand. And it's nice that you can switch between mini mode (single 18350) and normal mode (18650 or stacked 18350's) without having to buy two devices.