Received my Protege on Saturday, and have been vaping it pretty much all day, every day for the past 3 and a half days.
Simple comment: Damn near perfect PV.
I wanted the Protege because I needed a SMALL, more convenient & portable PV to go out and about with. Since getting my Prodigy & Silver Bullet I don't like using regular e-cigs, but there are times when carrying a huge PV simply isn't practical.
I once owned a JantyStick and it was a raging POS that was so inconsistent, it was nearly useless... so that wasn't going to be my answer. I received the VAPRE51 (VP1 clone) a week earlier
hoping it would fill that need, but with the silly 801 atty it was way too long, and sorry 801 fans... but 801s suck and look way too feminine. Plus it totally defeats the purpose of a small built PV in my opinion. While some aren't buying these smaller PV's JUST because they are small, some of us are.. and when the atty itself is as big as the PV is, it DOUBLES the size, thus negating the benefits of having a small PV.
So when my Protege arrived I was floored. TINY, and easy to carry, plus I was able to get it in a 510 so not only would it stay small, but would be more of a powerhouse than with an 801.
Construction:
Nothing short of perfect. ALL Stainless Steel, so it has a solid feel to it. Nice heft, but not heavy. No visual imperfections and the color tone of brushed steel is handsome. The switch is simply a miniature of the Prodigy switch, but in steel. 2 small gripes... the switch housing has two sharp edges (nothing a Dremel can't take care of) and the button is so small. But not really an issue on either part. The new slotted batt cap is less "slick" and easier to grasp than the one on the Prodigy. I personally added NOALOX to the threads to keep a smoother action for screwing/unscrewing since the threads are so fine.
Performance:
It's a 3.7v device, it won't be earth-shattering like a 5v or 6v, but IMO the Protege outperforms every other 3.7-specific device I have used. More vapor, MORE FLAVOR, and far greater consistency than the JS or VAPRE51. Much of that is due to the 510 atomizer however. Battery life is good. I get about 5-6 hours of heavy (like never leaving my hand) vaping, and almost 9 hours of regular heavy vaping. If I weren't going through 3-4ml of juice per day, it would likely last 15+ hours per battery change.
I get a LOT of vapor from this thing, and the vapor isn't as annoyingly cool as I have experienced with 801 3.7v PVs. It is slightly warm and tasty. It performs about equal to my Silver Bullet when I'm running the SB at 3.7v.
Value:
You get a LOT for your money. For under $100 you get the sweet-... Protege, 2 batteries, charger and well... everything you need to get going. Same price as a JS but better built and better performing. $5 less than a Little Chuck and better built and not as ridiculously large.
Would I change anything about it? Honestly it is pretty much perfect out of the box, but I am one of those who wish more PVs had an LED indication of when the atty is activated/deactivated as well as a special LED indication of battery life. Since most others don't have this, this is not a knock on the Protege, just a wish from me that I'd like to see on a future model.
I have now put most of my e-cigs and my VAPRE51 on the sales section because of how great the Protege is.
My search is over.
Simple comment: Damn near perfect PV.
I wanted the Protege because I needed a SMALL, more convenient & portable PV to go out and about with. Since getting my Prodigy & Silver Bullet I don't like using regular e-cigs, but there are times when carrying a huge PV simply isn't practical.
I once owned a JantyStick and it was a raging POS that was so inconsistent, it was nearly useless... so that wasn't going to be my answer. I received the VAPRE51 (VP1 clone) a week earlier
hoping it would fill that need, but with the silly 801 atty it was way too long, and sorry 801 fans... but 801s suck and look way too feminine. Plus it totally defeats the purpose of a small built PV in my opinion. While some aren't buying these smaller PV's JUST because they are small, some of us are.. and when the atty itself is as big as the PV is, it DOUBLES the size, thus negating the benefits of having a small PV.
So when my Protege arrived I was floored. TINY, and easy to carry, plus I was able to get it in a 510 so not only would it stay small, but would be more of a powerhouse than with an 801.
Construction:
Nothing short of perfect. ALL Stainless Steel, so it has a solid feel to it. Nice heft, but not heavy. No visual imperfections and the color tone of brushed steel is handsome. The switch is simply a miniature of the Prodigy switch, but in steel. 2 small gripes... the switch housing has two sharp edges (nothing a Dremel can't take care of) and the button is so small. But not really an issue on either part. The new slotted batt cap is less "slick" and easier to grasp than the one on the Prodigy. I personally added NOALOX to the threads to keep a smoother action for screwing/unscrewing since the threads are so fine.
Performance:
It's a 3.7v device, it won't be earth-shattering like a 5v or 6v, but IMO the Protege outperforms every other 3.7-specific device I have used. More vapor, MORE FLAVOR, and far greater consistency than the JS or VAPRE51. Much of that is due to the 510 atomizer however. Battery life is good. I get about 5-6 hours of heavy (like never leaving my hand) vaping, and almost 9 hours of regular heavy vaping. If I weren't going through 3-4ml of juice per day, it would likely last 15+ hours per battery change.
I get a LOT of vapor from this thing, and the vapor isn't as annoyingly cool as I have experienced with 801 3.7v PVs. It is slightly warm and tasty. It performs about equal to my Silver Bullet when I'm running the SB at 3.7v.
Value:
You get a LOT for your money. For under $100 you get the sweet-... Protege, 2 batteries, charger and well... everything you need to get going. Same price as a JS but better built and better performing. $5 less than a Little Chuck and better built and not as ridiculously large.
Would I change anything about it? Honestly it is pretty much perfect out of the box, but I am one of those who wish more PVs had an LED indication of when the atty is activated/deactivated as well as a special LED indication of battery life. Since most others don't have this, this is not a knock on the Protege, just a wish from me that I'd like to see on a future model.
I have now put most of my e-cigs and my VAPRE51 on the sales section because of how great the Protege is.
My search is over.
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