Youde Balrog 70 Watt Kit

[Petabread]

I just got my Youde Balrog 70 Watt Starter Kit, sent directly by Youde to show you guys and give my first impressions. I have not used this little guy yet, but I will. I figured I'd post some pictures of it in the event anyone is curious about what it looks like. I'm not sure of its price point yet, but knowing Youde, it'll be affordable.

I'll tell you, just by popping this thing open, the Balrog is SMALL. I'm not going to say it's the smallest box out there, I don't own them all, but it's the smallest one in my possession. It also appears to be Youde's first starter kit, which is exciting, as many of us know Youde and trust them!

You will need a single 18650 battery to use this. Magnets on the battery door are solid, with great tolerance and no battery door rattle that I have noticed. The firing button is not just a small button, but an entire area that can be pressed down. I like this idea! The instruction manual says it can fire Kanthal coils from 0.2 ohm to 3 ohm. This mod can use titanium coils (tho it doesn't look like it includes one, according to the instructions.)

The kit comes with a 3ml tank that uses stock coil heads, meaning no RBA section (at least yet). There are Kanthal coil options and Nickel coil options and it does come with both. From what I see, there's a 1.8 ohm Kanthal coil and a 0.15 Nickel coil. This tank looks like it is meant to appeal to the mouth-to-lungers out there/very restrictive lung hitters.

Other accessories include a lanyard (nice touch, Youde) a spare Pyrex tank section, a drip tip adapter that is reminiscent of the one with the Zephyrus (looks like it might be delrin) and what appears to be a delrin, narrow bore drip tip, a micro USB charging cable, and spare o-rings.

So far, this looks like a terrific kit for both new vapers and us veteran vaper alike. 70 watts in such a tiny device? Count me in. I'm actually jealous - I wish this type of setup was around when I began vaping years ago.

I'll update as I charge up my batteries and begin using this. I really wasn't prepared for this, as I was not expecting this to show up, but I wanted you guys to see this as soon as possible. If there is anything else you guys want pictures of, I'll be sure to take some more. And any questions, feel free to ask!

 

[XspidermanX]

Id like to see it side by side with the IPV D2/3 for size comparison. Mod looks cool.

 

[Petabread]

Id like to see it side by side with the IPV D2/3 for size comparison. Mod looks cool.

I wish I had one to compare it to. The closest I had was a Sigelei 75 watt that bit the dust a month ago and is in the trash. It's certainly smaller than the Sigelei, that much I can tell you.

 

[ian91]

Id like to see it side by side with the IPV D2/3 for size comparison. Mod looks cool.

Based on the FT description, it is the same height as a D2 but slightly narrower 78 x 38 x 23. FT has the box only on preorder for $37.86 but its ship date is out in March. Kit is $46.19 with a ship date in February. Doesn't come with a sleeve by the looks of it. Definitely a competitor for the D2/D3 and the Evic Mini.

 

[Petabread]

Based on the FT description, it is the same height as a D2 but slightly narrower 78 x 38 x 23. FT has the box only on preorder for $37.86 but its ship date is out in March. Kit is $46.19 with a ship date in February. Doesn't come with a sleeve by the looks of it. Definitely a competitor for the D2/D3 and the Evic Mini.

Definitely no sleeve. I was hoping for one, but I tend to buy mine off eBay anyway for a more custom look. So not a deal breaker to me.

 

[cobalt327]

User programmable TCR presets, updatable firmware?

 

[ian91]

User programmable TCR presets, updatable firmware?

I haven't seen anything about either. Will have to wait for more details.

 

[Petabread]

User programmable TCR presets, updatable firmware?

No. it's Nickel and Ti only, no presets. Not sure about firmware upgradable, but I'm thinking it's not.

 

[cooladdict]

This sounds like a great little device! I love that it comes with a coil for tootle puffers as well as the sub-ohm crowd. Heaven Gifts is actually running a contest for 12 of these right now: Heaven Gifts Massive Contest:Win 70w UD Balrog TC Full Kits-Part 2 Officially Started

Have you had a chance to use it yet? Do you know if it has pass-through?

 

[Petabread]

This sounds like a great little device! I love that it comes with a coil for tootle puffers as well as the sub-ohm crowd. Heaven Gifts is actually running a contest for 12 of these right now: Heaven Gifts Massive Contest:Win 70w UD Balrog TC Full Kits-Part 2 Officially Started

Have you had a chance to use it yet? Do you know if it has pass-through?

You can vape and it will still charge! It doesn't advertise that in the manual, and I'm not a fan of doing it, but I just tested it for you. It pauses charging while you hold the firing switch down and resumes when you let it go.

I'm a big fan of this device. Battery life appears to be longer than my Sigelei 75 watt. I just finished a 5ml tank on my Bellus and it's still a little more than half charged. That's using .3 build at 53 watts and still tinkering around in the menu screen for a while.

Definitely a keeper for me and I'll probably buy one for my brother.

 

[cooladdict]

You can vape and it will still charge! It doesn't advertise that in the manual, and I'm not a fan of doing it, but I just tested it for you. It pauses charging while you hold the firing switch down and resumes when you let it go.

I'm a big fan of this device. Battery life appears to be longer than my Sigelei 75 watt. I just finished a 5ml tank on my Bellus and it's still a little more than half charged. That's using .3 build at 53 watts and still tinkering around in the menu screen for a while.

Definitely a keeper for me and I'll probably buy one for my brother.

Thanks for this! It really does sound like a great little device. I am a huge fan of passthrough and I use it often, so that's another plus for me. I also love that battery life seems to be good. I always worry about that with these single 18650 mods.

 

[Petabread]

Thanks for this! It really does sound like a great little device. I am a huge fan of passthrough and I use it often, so that's another plus for me. I also love that battery life seems to be good. I always worry about that with these single 18650 mods.

You're welcome! For reference, the battery I used in the Balrog was a LG HG2.

Some additional pros to mention:

- No noticeable delay when pressing the firing switch. Just about instantaneous.

- Manual is pretty in-depth. There's pictures of all the menu screens along with the instructions (I know this isn't a big deal to veteran vapers, but for new vapers, this is nice to see.)

- Buttons are nice, firm and clicky. This doesn't feel like a low quality, cheap device.

Some cons (and I'm stretching it here, as I genuinely can't think of any serious ones):

- Battery is kind of snug in there. No issues so far, but it's worth mentioning. If you're not careful, I imagine you could tear your battery wraps (though those using the built-in charger shouldn't have an issue anyway.)

- Your resistance does not show hundredths/thousandths. So, if you have a 0.35 build in there like me, it'll show up as 0.3. Not a big deal, but some may want to know!

- Doesn't do TC with Stainless Steel. I'm disappointed by this, as Youde is a supplier of 316L wire. But, this is considered to be a starter kit, so maybe they didn't want this to be overly complicated.

- When turning the device off, the message "KEEP VAPING!" pops up before it powers down fully. To me, it's kind of cheesy. I can see veteran vapers feeling the same way. It is, however, a good message to new vapers.

 

[Mike Weatherford Jr]

Got mine yesterday, it's a good little device.

 

[Ding]

- Doesn't do TC with Stainless Steel. I'm disappointed by this, as Youde is a supplier of 316L wire. But, this is considered to be a starter kit, so maybe they didn't want this to be overly complicated.

The SS,it may be coming in the firmware update at some point and I am sure they will address the SS coils in the near future if they aren't already.this is a UD get your feet wet mod.I am sure they will be a rolling soon.They aren't going to left in the dust

 

[Petabread]

- Doesn't do TC with Stainless Steel. I'm disappointed by this, as Youde is a supplier of 316L wire. But, this is considered to be a starter kit, so maybe they didn't want this to be overly complicated.

The SS,it may be coming in the firmware update at some point and I am sure they will address the SS coils in the near future if they aren't already.this is a UD get your feet wet mod.I am sure they will be a rolling soon.They aren't going to left in the dust

From what I gathered, this mod isnt firmware updatable. So there shouldn't be a SS option unless there's a Balrog v2 someday.

I know this is a get-your-feet-wet mod, but at the same time, it isn't. The max the coils are rated for is 30 watts on the 0.5 ohm coilhead. This device is capable of 70 watts tho, so they do want to appeal to the more experienced vapers out there, too.

But I just wanted to let the experienced vapers know there's no option for SS, because it's becoming increasingly popular, and with no updatable firmware that I've seen, it might not ever come.

It's not a "con" in my book, just a heads up.

Got mine yesterday, it's a good little device.

Awesome! Glad you're liking it too!

 

[Roadtrip635]

Id like to see it side by side with the IPV D2/3 for size comparison. Mod looks cool.

I just got the UD Balrog Kit yesterday. The mod is very similar in size to the iPV D2. Here are some pics of mine.

Here are some other size comparisons

Overall, very similar in size and function to the iPV D2. The Balrog does feel a little better in the hand, has a powder coating and not the fingerprint magnet the D2 is. The Balrog is also a little lighter, has USB charging, less expensive and a little better build quality. The only question really is how does the UD chip hold up over time, right now it functions perfectly. The D2 has a Yihi chip and has been rock solid for me.

 

[nelsonm64]

cool, I was hoping someone would post a side by side of those 2 mods! thanks

 

[Chuck64]

I tried the temperature coil and it kinda bothers me that you have to go through 5 menu items to change temp. The wattage is adjustable easily but to change temp you have to go through a whole menu system. And why does it still display wattage in even bigger fonts than the temp yet it's in temp control mode so changing wattage doesn't work anyway?
Edit: I've never owned a temp control unit so it's probably something I'm doing wrong.

 

[VapingTurtle]

I've never owned a temp control unit so it's probably something I'm doing wrong.

No, you're not doing or thinking anything wrong. In TC mode the temp should be the most easily changed parameter. Max wattage matters as well in TC, but is secondary.

 

[LouisLeBeau]

MANY thanks to Youde, and @AlmightyEvan and Heaven Gifts for this prize! I won it on Monday, gave my Address Tuesday, and had it in my hands on Thursday morning! WOOT!! Really fast shipping.

In the box:
Youde Balrog 70W 18650 Ni Ti Temp Control Mod
UD 3ml Tank atty w/0.5Ω Kanthal OCC coil
Stubby metal heat proof drip tip
Drip tip heat sink/radiator
Break away lanyard with threaded mount pin
Spare Ni200 0.15Ω OCC coil
Spare Kanthal 1.8Ω OCC coil
Spare Pyrex for tank
USB to Micro USB cord
Spare tank O-rings
Spare Condensation ring cotton pad

Impressions:
First the tank. Seemed very clean, but washed it anyway. The driptip is quite stubby, and has a delrin base for heat proofing, with dual O-rings (nice, can't wobble). There is also a VERY sweet aluminum drip tip radiator base, with 5 fins for heat dispersion! That is cool. So no hot tip on this, ever.

It is top fill, which I love, although the slots are a LITTLE tough to get at with a dropper. Gotta tip it some, which limits topping it up. Won't have that problem with a needle dripper. There is a small innovation on this tank, the tip cap includes a chimney with O-ring that seals off the fill holes when the to is screwed down. Other top fills use a different design so they are thinking on their own without copying.

The coils are unlike any I have seen, with the steel mesh screen covering the coil assembly. I guess that's a good thing, in that nothing can fall down through the mouthpiece and contact the actual coil, but I like to clean out my OCC coils with an alcohol bath and a Q tip to prolong their life, and that isn't going to happen with these.

The afc ring has 11 holes on each side, giving you 11 possible air volume settings. Small niggle with this, it is difficult to see which are open, as both the ring and the surface under it are black. In a strong light, no problem. In a dark room, impossible except by drawing air to feel. The holes are VERY tiny, so even with all 11 open on each side, it's on the tighter side of lung hitters.

Flavor and vapor both, are very good. I would say better than an STM and not quite up to a Uwell Crown.

Ok, the Mod:
OH got me. The battery on this goes in "upside down". So much for assumptions, but I can verify that the reverse polarity protection definitely works. There is a small threaded hole on top, behind the 510 and "condensation ring", for the supplied break away lanyard. I DON'T know why I have never considered a lanyard. I both ride motorcycles, and snowboard, and the utility of this is very apparent to me for those purposes! I LOVE it. I will most DEFINITELY use this mod for those things.

As mentioned before, the magnets are strong on the door, the fit is tight. On any other magnetic battery door, I wonder why they don't make it so it works either way, but THIS door has an ergonomic depression for the thumb that would make that impossible. I LIKE this too!

I ALSO like the condensation ring. PERSONALLY, I get tired of having to clean under my tanks every time I take them off. Both the bottom of the tank and the mod usually have significant moisture from vapor that comes out of the airholes (rda) or from small leaks out the AFC. This solves THAT. But I can see it probably getting gross quickly, and it appears too fragile to wash out. Well maybe once or twice, and there is a spare, but what to do after that?! Good thing we're good at modding. I'm sure we will figure it out. AND, Thank you @Mike Weatherford Jr for helping me with this, it is reverse threaded. So removing it is Righty Loosey.

The display is bright, and well laid out. It gets VERY bright when accessing the menu's, then dims before turning off.

In TC mode, the static screen displays temp setting, coil type, coil resistance, volts (0) and wattage which I assume is the pre-load or "joules" ramp. THIS is what the up/down button adjusts. To change the temp setting, you must go into the menu. Seems backwards to me. When firing, the display shows actual temps and volts and are dynamic.

In TC, this also has a VERY cool feature I have not seen before. Sensitivity control! The Xcube2 to me is VERY laggy, too long between cycles. Many other mods seem TOO sensitive to me, almost a boring constant temp vape with no ramp at all. This feature allows me to find the "cycle" time that is JUST right for me, and my mood at the time! This is well thought, although I haven't tried it yet.

In power mode, the screen shows what you would expect. Resistance, volts, a little P for Power Mode, and the power setting in watts.

For those complaining about the single decimal place resistance reading, this is only true on the display when NOT setting the resistance. It DOES read the 2nd decimal place when setting the resistance. I think it's important to note this, as that second decimal place is VERY important to know if the mod is reading the atomizer correctly.

The mod is well built, sturdy, ergonomic and very small. Very sculpted as opposed to the much more square Evic VTC and Cloupor Mini+. I am a fan. It allows your hand to have "eyes" and know where everything is situated based on the shapes. A hair shorter than the Cloupor Mini+, but wider. Same depth as an Evic VTC but about 5mm shorter. The power button is VERY easy to find without looking, and has very little sound or motion when firing.

Pro's, top to bottom:
Heat sink! Woot! LIKE it.
Lanyard. Didn't know I needed one till I had one.
Condensation ring. Gimmicky to some, I am sure, but I like how it is a "first defense" against leaks and condensation, rather than it running down the mod where it ends up on my hands.
Sculpted body. Nice hand feel, and good perception of orientation of controls.
Size. They have done a good job of packing this in. COULD have made it even smaller, but at the expense of some of the curves that I think are a benefit.
Menu. With the exception of the up/down not changing temp, but rather power in TC mode it is comprehensive, intuitive, and well laid out.

Cons, top to bottom:
Somewhat difficult to fill
Screen over coil prevents cleaning of coil in OCC's.
Upside down battery orientation. I'm GOING to make this mistake again.
NO Automatic resistance checking! Ok, this is a BIG oversight. Any other modern TC mod allows you to press the fire button when you remove a device, and then knows to ask if the next is a new coil and needs a resistance adjustment. I don't like the lack of this feature. Too easy to fry a coil when changing atomizers.
Last but not least, by far, lack of support for Stainless Steel. I HOPE that there will be a firmware update to address this. I ONLY want to use S.S. for TC anymore, and a TC mod without the feature, is basically a VW device for my purposes. Ti and Ni are DEAD to me. And not so much with Ti or Ni, but with S.S., I need TCR adjustment. LOTS of different steels, and one size does NOT fit all.

Now Heaven Gifts, THEY get an A+. The contest, the customer service, the friendliness, and the SUPER fast shipping! THANK YOU SO very much for this!