VMAX vs Provari?

[Tank]

I am looking for threads on the comparison of the two. Of course I know one is basically a knockoff of the other, but would love to see a comparison of the two.

I did an extensive search for such a thread to no avail. Anyone know of one or can compare the two?

Your response is sincerely appreciated

tank

 

[Phoenix07013]

I just got my Vmax, I have no experience with the provari so I hope VAPNJ350 chimes in
The only thug that I've read people have against the Vmax is that "it's not calibrated properly"
My understanding is that this is not necessarily so, but the way the Vmax pulses makes the vape seem hotter than it is, watch this video is pretty informative, though it's for the older generation Vmax

I got my Vmax in Stainless steel and 3 total sets of batteries for $137 from CCV,
And as far as I know, most preferences of the provari over the Vmax are subjective

 

[Unforeseen]

Moved from APV Discussion to Variable Voltage APV Discussion

 

[Freddie]

I am looking for threads on the comparison of the two. Of course I know one is basically a knockoff of the other, but would love to see a comparison of the two.

I did an extensive search for such a thread to no avail. Anyone know of one or can compare the two?

Your response is sincerely appreciated

Tank

The VMAX is that GOOD!

The VMAX does out perform the Provari, though the Provari has been on the Vaping Market longer giving it a valued reputation and a very loyal fan base!

Comparing the VMAX to the Provari is a bit unfair IMO, due to the OUTSTANDING track record of Provape and their device the Provari!

The question at hand is this, IF the VMAX and the PROVARI were released at the SAME time would there be all this debate about which device is better? Unfortunately the Provari loyalists will NOT answer that truthfully! I on the other hand have vaped on the Provari for over a month before I got my first VMAX "The BLACK BEAST"! I can TRUTHFULLY say that BOTH devices are good in their own right! The ONLY and I mean ONLY advantage that the Provari has over the VMAX is, Provape can take care of their customers more efficiently being based here in the U.S.! If Smoktech were to do the SAME, I truly believe that the Vaping Market would be different!

Trust me when I say we do have members in the VMAX Elite Group that own a Provari and can confirm the POWER and PERFORMANCE of the VMAX!

I will say this and that is whatever YOU and ANYONE else who reads this POST decides, that BOTH devices are well made and BOTH have its UPS and DOWNS period!

**JUST REMEMBER WHATEVER KEEPS YOU AWAY FROM ANALOGS IS THE BEST DEVICE!**

Take care and Happy Vaping!

 

[cozzicon]

I've had a look at the provari, lavatube, and the vmax disassembled. A vendor friend of mine got a sample back when they were first released, and the vmax stopped working after a single drop. So he disassembled it.

Honestly, after looking at the internals of the vmax, I'd go with a buzz pro just because I think the electronics are better. That's coming from a guy who really dislikes stacked batter configs. I'm a provari guy myself.

Different strokes. But my dislike of the vmax after seeing the disassembly is somewhat concrete.

 

[myxomatosis]

I've had a look at the provari, lavatube, and the vmax disassembled. A vendor friend of mine got a sample back when they were first released, and the vmax stopped working after a single drop. So he disassembled it.

Honestly, after looking at the internals of the vmax, I'd go with a buzz pro just because I think the electronics are better. That's coming from a guy who really dislikes stacked batter configs. I'm a provari guy myself.

Different strokes. But my dislike of the vmax after seeing the disassembly is somewhat concrete.

Everything is constantly improving. I'd like a Provari to test personally side-by-side, but $300+ is more than I spent on analogs in 3 months 2 years ago. I can't bring myself to spend that much on something that provides the same end result - and by that I mean raw regulated power - for more than twice the price. I'm sure the perks to the Provari are nice, but out of the reviews I've witnessed, I haven't seen anything that would justify spending $100 extra when both roads seem to lead to Rome.

Had my max for a week and dropped it 3x to date. One gnarley 4' drop from the kitchen counter to the floor - no problems thus far.

YMMV Happy vaping!

 

[Hottody]

I have the Provari and it is great! The Vmax is nice but you have to stack batteries, and it's not as convenient, although not a big issue! Provari is made in the USA, Vmax China! The Vmax fit in finsh is really good, but I thing the Provari wins in this area. Both are great devices though, so you will be pleased with either. If you go with Vmax go with a top notch supplier! Vaporbeast is my go to supplier, free shipping good prices and they stand behind the product sold!
ProVari Variable Voltage Ecig: Best

Link for Provari: Variable Voltage E Cig Available!
Link for Vmax: http://www.vaporbeast.com/product_p/sk25.htm

 

[Darryll]

Everything is constantly improving. I'd like a Provari to test personally side-by-side, but $300+ is more than I spent on analogs in 3 months 2 years ago. I can't bring myself to spend that much on something that provides the same end result - and by that I mean raw regulated power - for more than twice the price. I'm sure the perks to the Provari are nice, but out of the reviews I've witnessed, I haven't seen anything that would justify spending $200 extra when both roads seem to lead to Rome.

Had my max for a week and dropped it 3x to date. One gnarley 4' drop from the kitchen counter to the floor - no problems thus far.

YMMV Happy vaping!

Where do you get $200 extra from?
The Provari is $160 the VMAX is $100.

 

[AnsonJames]

Where do you get $200 extra from?
The Provari is $160 the VMAX is $100.

In Europe you'll pay €70 to €100 for a Vmax whilst a Provari will cost around €265 making the difference $208 US at todays exchange rate.
Not the case with you lucky folks in the USA.

 

[Darryll]

In Europe you'll pay €70 to €100 for a Vmax whilst a Provari will cost around €265 making the difference $208 US at todays exchange rate.
Not the case with you lucky folks in the USA.

EEK!

 

[13F10]

You can buy the original, American made product or the complete and utter knock-off China made version. You vote with your Dollars. Whatever makes ya feel good.

 

[mwa102464]

In Europe you'll pay €70 to €100 for a Vmax whilst a Provari will cost around €265 making the difference $208 US at todays exchange rate.
Not the case with you lucky folks in the USA.

Or you have an American order it for you for the $160 and pay about $20 to ship to Europe to you so you get it for around $180 total I'd buy and support the USA model all day long, plus its a better built Mod and Dave at Provape has customer service that is second to none, plus you can extend the warranty up to 2 years. What happens when your Vmax breaks down at 1 yr ? I know I can send my 2 Provari's to Dave at Provape and he'll take dam good care of me if I need any kind of repair at all no matter what my 2c on the comparison anyways.

 

[AnsonJames]

Or you have an American order it for you for the $160 and pay about $20 to ship to Europe to you so you get it for around $180 total

We always get hit with customs charges.

Just calculated the cost at Provape with the cheapest postal option and it comes in at $234 with the 18650 end cap - with UPS world wide saver it comes in at $289.

Says this on the site too

International Shipments: VAT / GST taxes will be collected
by your local postoffice upon delivery. This applies only to
shipments outside of the USA. Please allow for these taxes
when purchasing items from ProVape.

Not quite $200 more expensive but if you get hit with customs and excise charges then you're talking more than $200.

Europe really does suck balls sometimes...

 

[ObsceneJesster]

Nobody and i mean nobody can say for sure which one without a doubt vapes better than the other. Besides the Vmax delivering more power than what it leads you to believe it is, if the end wattage is the same then both devices will perform about the same. At this point, the end result is completely up to user opinion. You are going to get people from both sides saying one is better than the other but those are likely individuals trying to justify their purchase. I own a Provari but have also tried a Vmax at my local Brick and Mortar. Hell, i may even go back and buy it because I'm in the market for a back up/at work mod. I couldn't tell one bit of difference in vapor production or flavor when vaping both at the same wattage using a 3.0 ohm single coil Boge cartomizer in a tank. I did have to bump the voltage down on the Vmax in order to achieve the same wattage as my Provari running at a consistent and correct 5.2 volts. I had to lower the Vmax 8 clicks down to 4.4 volts in order to achieve the same exact end result. I don't think this is a good or bad thing unless you your a looking at the voltage type of vaper rather than some who just adjusts for taste. Just for the hell of it, i tried vaping the same 3 ohm cart on the Vmax while running it at the same 5.2 voltage the Provari was set to. After which, I'm lucky i came away with a cart not all burnt up. It was am experience nobody would want. Unless you like the flavor of burnt filler.

In the end man, you are the only one that can figure out what you'd like to spend your hard earned money on. I'll give you the reasons as to why I made my choice and maybe that will help you draw your own conclusion. I chose The Provari for the fallowing reasons.

1. Built like a brick .... house. I've dropped mine nearly 10 times and it still works just like the day I got it.
2. It has a very impressive track record. Possibly the best in the industry.
3. Customer service is top notch. Also, possibly on of the best in the industry.
4. If better technology comes out within the next six months to a year, Provape will upgrade your Provari for 20 bucks. That's what they did we when upgrading the Provari to the V2.
5. Last but not least. I know it was built like a brick .... house. It is put together right here in the US by individuals who know they can't compete with Chinese when it comes to price. So rather them losing that battle, they said they are going to concentrate building high end mods with high end parts.

Good luck finding a mod 5

 

[SnowDragon]

As one the very first PVari owners I must admit I was somewhat unimpressed with the Vmax version 1. This was mostly attributed to the blatant theft of design from Provape, the fixed pricing at $128.00, the calibration and reset issues, and the fact that Smoketech has a rather piss poor record when it comes to APVs in general.

The recent release of the Version 2 SS Vmax was enough to spark my curiosity and motivate me to make a purchase. I bought mine from CCV and as always I was provided great service. It arrived this morning and I have spent the entire day running it through the paces. So far it has performed well, very well in fact and I must say I am impressed. The E'fest 800 batts that came with it have run strong all day powering a 1.5 DCTC around 4-4.3v.

The button has performed flawlessly and the unit fires quickly without skipping a beat. The finish is quality and the machining is clean and uniformed. Gotta love the blue button LED and the menu is familiar and easy to work with. The 510 post connection threads well, the connector post is a little larger than the PVari ensuring a good contact and seems solid. I have not hooked up an Atomizer yet so I can't really speak for the seal of the post but it looks pretty clean. The unit had no issues with a 808/510 adapter on it and the cross-hatching on the post connector allows plenty of airflow.

The batts fit a little on the tight side when it came to the cap and the cap threads did need a little lubrication. Is it better than the ProVari? I think it is too early to tell given the established record of the ProVari and Provape. The development team (reverse engineering team) at Smoketech did an interesting thing, they took the technology of the Buzz, the design of the ProVari, and married them together with a larger Ego button. There is no doubt that Vmax housing and cap is much thinner in design and the unit itself is a little slimmer. The heavy duty build of the PVari is a plus and a minus, it's durability is almost milspec, but there is no escaping it's weight....it's heavy.

Now some may argue against stacking batteries, however 98% of APVs that stack batteries have operated flawlessly. For instance I have never heard of a single issue with IPro or Buzz when it comes to stacked batts. As Phil noted in his review one thing that is very attractive about this unit is the weight, it's light, surprising light when compared to a ProVari. That said, it's nice that the unit doesn't require an extension cap or collar but the end cap threads are little on the thin side.

How long they will the end cap threads hold up only time will tell, but I will be hitting them once a week with a little mineral oil in hopes of keeping them in good shape. If I get a year or two use out of my Vmax SS V2, I will be satisfied and consider my purchase money well spent.

I certainly can't say that the Vmax is better than the ProVari, at best if the Vmax over time proves to be comparable I think it is a win for Vapers. I have quite a few APV in rotation like so many of us and I will be using it daily while giving my IPro a little rest.

 

[KickServe]

What type of bstteries does the VMax use? I have a bunch of 18650s and don't want to add to the collection.

 

[Roxxette]

The only thing why the provari have that price tag is because of "american made" simple, other devices will du the same thing even a cheap vv box the other bell and whistles well thats what it is plus the battery life is a pos compared to other devices; provari vs buzz pro in terms of battery and puff the buzz pro wins but some might say wow but the buzz can do 6v or that it uses stacked battery ! Lol most people here dont go that high and about stacking well have you seen a reported accident with a buzz ? Dont think so....

About the Vmax i dont own one but if its cheaper and people raving about it is probably a best choice over the provari if money is a issue, if money is not problem just bite the bullet and get the provari and you will be satisfied but if you dont have a "problem" using stacked batterys i recommend the buzz pro.

Good luck !

 

[mwa102464]

DirkBongo ,

When I go to Provape and put the Provari + 18650 cap and choose the USPS express mail International 5-8 Day delivery to Dublin Ireland the total is $219.40 Now I dont know how much your VAT/GTS taxes are but I still think I would buy the Provari all day long over that Vmax,,,,, just me.

 

[six]

How long they will the end cap threads hold up only time will tell, but I will be hitting them once a week with a little mineral oil in hopes of keeping them in good shape. .

A little noalox once every month or two might serve your purpose a little better than mineral oil weekly. Worth considering, anyway. A lifetime supply for use on your metal PVs (4 oz bottle) is less than 6 bucks at home depot.

 

[Tank]

Thank you everyone for your input, it has been very valuable in the decision making process. I decided on a ProVari Chrome with Blue LED. FYI ProVape has a 5% coupon right now. I posted it on the ProVape forums taken from their own Facebook page. ProVape Coupon Code Valid July 1-5, 2012 Pacific Time - Code is "happy4"

Guess I am still old skewl, because a few points that were made in this thread kept coming back to my thought process.

1. American Made (support USA vendors)
2. 1 battery instead of two (something about stacking batteries scares me, esp with magnets)
3. Track Record of ProVari
4. Customer service reputation and warranty
5. Solid Build (I scoured the web reading and viewing clips about the ProVari and VMax)

Im not knocking the VMAX, as I have read MANY MANY threads about how good it is. I just figured, take a chance on the VMAX or go for the sure thing with the ProVari...

I just got back into vaping (Doc said I HAD to stop smoking) and although I tried it before, I didnt quit the analogs the 1st time around vaping. 16 days off analogs now I pulled out my trusty old Silver Bullet and Black Bullet to give vaping another try.

Tons of new vendors these days which led me to the whole variable vaping possibility perusing ECF. I had to get some cartos and ran across vaporbeast.com on the forums. Tim had some of the cheapest prices on carts so I gave him a try and even bought a Vector (LT knockoff.) Opened up a whole new world to vaping. VV mods I believe is where it is at. Again, talking with Tim at VB, he suggested I look at the ProVari, guess that really says something about the guy since he doesnt sell them but suggested it considering my current wants/needs.

Anyways, thank you again for your input as it helped me make an educated decision - glad the thread was moved because I may not have found this subforum

Its pricy, but what the heck, if it last a few years, its worth it. Ive already saved about $85 from not smoking analogs in the past few weeks.

Dave/Tank