Idk, maybe I was too new, too impatient, too set in my ways but it seems like I may have been in the small minority that didn't care for the Reo. While I did go on to become a hobbyist vaper before I got diagnosed with NHL, I first and foremost started vaping to quit smoking. I found the Reo to be too fiddly to get a good vape, expensive and having pretty discernible palate I didn't care for the ghosting that occured when I changed flavors or the faint taste of plastic. I WANTED to like it, I really, really did, beings as I much preferred dripping to tanks at that point, but the fact is, for me it didn't work out. I'd even tried the VMOD first hand to try and see if I'd like the Reo, (DON'T!), bought one cheap second hand off of here and not only is it pure junk imo, (perhaps that's why their regularly half off idk...!), besides the fact that their both considerd "sqonkers" (bottom fed drippers in which you squeeze the eliquid up from a bottle to a bottom fed RDA/dripping atty), that's where the similarities end!
There are a TON of good, low profile, durable set ups as is evidenced with what you find in this thread, and ALL have their pros and cons depending upon the users. Most are going to recommend what they found to work best for them, your mileage may vary though! I thnk the egrip, and VTR are your best bets in a regulated mod and a hybrid would be his best bet in a mech, of which there are plenty to chose from in plenty prices ranges, again, all with various pro's and cons.
That being said perhaps you can approach him from a different perspective in order to sway him more towards a regulated mod until he saves a bit of money. Safety. Running mechs and drippers involved a lot more knowledge in the way of battery safety, rebuilding, etc. and more equipment, which means more $$$. He'll need a good ohms meter for one. If something goes wrong with a mech, while yes, they are SIMPLE to fix, they're not always easy, and sometimes just getting your dripper built right can be VERY time consuming and fiddly! I was a hard core sub ohm dripper/vape hobbyist until I got diagnosed with cancer a few months ago. Due to my health I started looking for a convenient, reliable and durable set up as I drop my mods regularly, often on concrete! I broke down and got first the Aspire Atlantis and the Kanger Sub tank to go on my Segelei 100 watt box mod. The new tanks have come a LONG way and are very close to dripping in taste and vapor production. I now love the convenience of a reliable vape and not having to constantly sway out batteries being a chain vaper, I now only have to swap out batts every other day most of the time verses two or three times a day and if you're out and about and don't have spares, your SOL! I got tired of having to have a kit, with this and that just in case my batts run out, coil malfunction, wick change etc. My set up has proven to be dependable enough that I can go out of town for the day and only take juice and maybe an extra set of batteries! I also want to say how impressed I am with not only my box holding up to be dropped so many times but the Atlantis has even been knocked off it's base, and all I've had to do was push it back on and it was working again after being dropped several times on concrete! Don't let the glass scare you away in it!
While the Kanger Subtank does taste better and has the option to rebuild, I find it more fiddly as well, experiencing dry hits with the stock coils ran within recommendation, and the rebuildable deck either giving me dry hits or leaking unless built just so. For a person new to rebuilding this could prove to be frustrating. While some mechs are very dependable, all it takes it one being damaged the wrong way and you are in danger of your battery venting! I know because I've had the side dinged in MANY times down by the switch and it was stuck on autofire but luckily I reacted calmly and quickly in order to remove the battery before it turned catastrophic, even if I did burn my fingers a bit! Not trying to scare anyone away from mechs, but just a reminder to be ready very knowledable before taking that next step safety first! If something like that happened at work, I think it could prove problematic for anyone being able to vape in the future there if the situation is discovered. Sorry for the length, been trying to shorten some of my posts, but just some important things to consider IMHO.....He can always save up for a good mech and practice at home with them until he gets better, many good steath regulated mod set ups with safety designs built in, good luck to you both!
