Smoktech 18350 Mechanical ePipe Mod

Today, I'll be covering the Smoktech 18350 mechanical ePipe mod, provided to me by Northwest Vapors. This will be a two part review, I will be covering their juice and accessories following this. The ePipe is a well made, functional device, almost a novelty of sort. I'm genuinely enjoying the portability and look that it affords, not to mention the buttery smooth switch, a luxury in the mech world. Let's get to it!

I've come to a pretty solid conclusion in my blogging/review venture. Sending out invitation to review product isn't always an enjoyable affair. The majority of companies are very supportive of my endeavor, however at the end of the day, it is likened to a "cold call" of sorts. Outside of circumventing the stigma, one of the most important things I have learned outside of ask and you shall receive, is...

A little bit of searching can lead to diamonds in the rough.

I had never heard of the company NorthWest Vapors, being an Arizona native, as well as a staple customer of high traffic establishments such as 101vape and mtbakervapor. I stumbled upon them one morning looking for companies to work with, and after a very pleasant exchange with Will and Tim, I found myself eagerly anticipating a package. When you deal with a new company and new product, it is a 50/50 shot. You could love it, or you could hate it. In this instance, I am completely floored by Northwest Vapors. Not only do they have very reasonable prices, the carry a decent array of product and make some of the best e-liquid I've ever had the pleasure of sampling. 

As a reviewer, I do not use "best" lightly. I am not biased in the sort, I offer an honest review on every product I receive. It is a great feeling to know that I have found yet another company I can support along my vaping journey. With that in mind, lets get to the review!

The Smoktech Epipe is an 18360 stainless steel mechanical mod. It houses a single battery, both button and flat top. It is in my experience that a flat top battery fits better, but I have managed to use an eFest button top successfully. It is made with chrome plated brass, thankfully, as similar designs often fall victim to severe voltage drop. It sports a sealed 510 connection with a large ego well, so thankfully you do not need to use an adapter. The firing switch is enclosed with a delrin insert, so while the spring is replaceable, the throw is not adjustable. The switch is your standard spring, what I assume to be gold plated stainless. I'd suggest opting out for a brass spring to reduce any lingering voltage drop, as well as promote conductivity. The end caps are knurled, and quite nicely, allowing for a snug fit when palmed.

It's a pretty nice piece, to be completely honest. Here's what I like about the ePipe

• Aesthetic appeal
  It's a mechanical pipe, what more can I say? It's certainly a center piece, more of an attraction than all day device. I'm tempted to pick up some longer drip tips to compliment the design further, but as is, it is entirely snazzy. I anticipate it'll garner quite a bit of attention, being the focal point of conversation in the near future. The chrome design compliments the aesthetic factor well, as gives off an authentic vibe, not a steampunk/retro appeal I'd imagine something like brass would garner.
• Functionality
  Those familiar with the Hammer (by Kato, though cloned by many) can ascertain to this. The pipe like tube design can suffer from some pretty substantial voltage drop. In my test, I noticed 0.2 drop at best. Not ideal, but nothing I can particularly gripe about. While I would recommend you only use clearomizers (iclear 16 seems to compliment it well, as does the protank 2), it is comforting to know it can perform under the constraints the design affords.

• Ease of use
  When you're constantly toying with mechanical mods featuring telescoping pins, floating 510 connections, magnetic batteries, rebuild-able atomizers and drippers, it's almost a luxury to come across something that has an aurora of simplicity. With the ePipe, you simply pop in your battery and screw in your 510/ego carto of choice and go. No fiddling with a switch, no adjusting a center pin.
  
  Not only that, but it just fits perfectly in your hand. I keep it in my palm, in between my index and middle finger. You can fire easily with your index as it rests, and it isn't in the least bit awkward, nor does it require any force. The switch depresses with ease, and for a spring, this was quite impressive.

• Construction
  I am a huge fan of brass, and this is no slouch. Not only is it fairly conductive, it is heavy. Usually, we can (and I say USUALLY) liken heavy to quality...not always, but in this case, you can definitely gauge the craftsmanship by having it in the palm of your hand. It has a good weight to it, the knurled ends are fantastic, and the 510 connection has fired everything I've thrown at. For a novelty piece, I wasn't anticipating such a quality design, but I was surprised.

I am pleased to say I haven't found anything to complain about when testing out the Epipe by Smoktech. It is functional, it is appealing, it is well made. I have to say, what caught my eye initially was the look factor. I wasn't expecting performance like this, and I'm happy to say my expectations were definitely exceeded. I'd like to thank NorthWest Vapors for giving me the opportunity to try it, and I suggest that all my readers get over there pronto and check out their accessories and line of juice. 

Questions? Comments? You know what to do, folks! Fill out the form to your right and get in touch. I love hearing from people, and am always looking to pursue partnership and other avenues.

Stay tuned, I'll be bringing you a juice review over the weekend!

As always....vape strong and live long!

Kamry K100

Today, I'll be reviewing the Kamry K100 mechanical mod kit. The good guys at 101vape had it in stock at the very affordable price of 29.99, plus shipping. Overall a great company to do business with. You can expect lightning quick shipping and personable customer service. 

The kamry k100 was my initial foray into mechanical mods. It has an affordable price tag, comes with batteries and a charger, and has generally positive reviews. Initially I was a fan, but after using other equipment, it seems to be an entry level device and nothing more. 

The Kamry K100 is a telescoping fully mechanical mod. It supports 18650, 18490, and 18350 batteries. Due to its telescopic nature, it can support a kick. It is constructed of stainless steel and sports a very bland decision, one that has no engravings or etchings. This could be appeal to some, but I prefer a bit more personalization. It has a 510 connection surrounded by an evod cone well, which is nice because it will support a wide variety of clearomizers-glassomizers. 

What I like about the Kamry K100

• Affordability
  You cannot argue with a 29.99 price tag, even if it's contents (such as batteries and charger) are of a lower quality. Outside of an m16 clone, you'd be hard priced finding a mech mod state side with such an attractive price. 
  
  
• Ease of use
   The connector is a standard 510 to ego, so there isn't a need to adjust a center pin. The switch is spring loaded and fairly strong, eliminating the need for a magnetic upgrade. 

• BUILD QUALITY.
  If you're a fan of stainless, you'll appreciate the heft this mod affords. It has a lot of weight behind it and feels sturdy. Outside of that, I do have a few gripes with the build,  leading to.. 

What I do not like about the Kamry K100

• Bulky
  In my opinion it is unnecessarily bulky. It doesn't slide in and out of my pockets. It is fairly heavy to be carrying around all day. 

• Telescopic threading
   I am not a fan of telescoping, due to its strenuous nature. As this is a clone of the Empire mod, it doesn't sport superior craftsmanship. This is soon apparent if you frequently switch from 18650 to 18350. The threading feels delicate and I noticed a bit more crunchiness than I'm comfortable dealing with. This could be a deal breaker for those who constantly switch out batteries. 

• Reverse threading lock ring
  Again, I am no fan of this particular design. The k100 in particular seems prone to cross threading. I have had the locking ring cross threaded and, in most cases, a new switch is required. In order to avoid this, I'd recommend particular caution locking and unlocking this mod. With just a bit more force than normal you may find yourself unable to lock, or unlock,  your mod. 

• Packaging contents 
  As the saying goes, you get what you pay for, and the k100 kit is a prime example. The batteries are kamry branded IMRs. I believe they're rejects, rewrapped with the manufacturer logo. With mechanical mods, you do not want to skimp on battery quality. I personally would only recommended using these in a pinch, if at all. The included charger is of poor quality as well. It has no instructions, so users will have to troubleshoot it via the Internet. It takes hours to charge, and after only three uses, it completely quit working. I have also read reports and heard first hand it has overcharged batteries, as well as overheated during a charge, both serious issues. The included cartomizers are poor as well. They leak profusely, as well as produce burnt tasting hits. I have had no luck with them. 

Overall, I would advise those interested to explore another Avenue. Save for a higher quality mod, or pick up a similarly priced Nemesis clone. The Kamry is functional, it is inviting, but it is a one trick pony. If you're on a tight budget, it may serve your needs, but it is my personal opinion that an upgrade will be desired shortly. 

If you absolutely decide you would like the k100, I'd recommend purchasing just the mod. You do not need the batteries or charger, and you may find a better price point. 

The K100, unfortunately, does not get the vapocalyptic STAMP of approval. 

Hcigar Stingray

I'd like to share my thoughts on what is, in my opinion, an incredibly well made mech mod clone by Hcigar. I'd like to avoid the semantics surrounding clones vs authentic. I do not inherently condone plagarisim, but I do respect the need to budget, and in the end, what matters, is PEOPLE QUIT SMOKING. Now that I've got that out of the way... I'd like to present the Hcigar Stringray!

I picked this beautiful mod up at ECIGGITY, a well respected company based out in Hawaii, for the incredible price of 44.99 (use code 10percentoff for 10 percent discount) plus shipping, and couldn't be happier. I live in Arizona and the shipping was prompt. Initially I had trouble with my switch, an unfortunate HCigar quality control issue, however eciggity was extremely prompt in responding and sending out a replacement. Top notch service.

I love this mod. It is in my hand all day, every day, alongside whichever 510 tank I use. I can say with total conviction that I will never give this one up. So, let's get on and find out why it earns the vapocalytic STAMP of approval!

• Build quality
  For a clone, this beast is machined so well, you would be hard pressed distinguishing it from the original. Each and every thread is as smooth as butter, even before the typically necessary isopropyl alcohol rubdown. Straight out the box, each tube, as well as connector and switch thread on without so much as a twitch of resistance. It is entirely 100% brass, a very conductive and lustrous metal.  For those who are tired of struggling with voltage drop, you will notice an incredibly small drop with this mechanical mod. It is form and functionality, perfected. The laser engraving is deep but not obtrusive, aesthetically pleasing, and well detailed. The switch and firing pins are also silver plated copper. This is amazing, as previously stated, because of the superior conductivity it provides. Another plus is a floating 510 pin. It will automatically adjust to your atomizer, eliminating the need to readjust it. This is invaluable because it supports a wide variety of batteries, 510 atomizers, as well as the capability of kicking it in 18500, 18490, and 18650 mode! Keep in mind, if you plan to use EGO cone devices, you will need a 510 to EGO adapter. The atomizer connection is also 22mm in diameter, so tank's such as the Mini Protank 2 and Kanger Aerotank will not sit flush. User preference, entirely.

• Ventilation
  This is a very important aspect to any mechanical mod. Without asking you to take a seat for batteries 101, you want a mod that affords the user an ample amount of ventilation in case  thermal runaway occurs. The vents are created by spaces left between the brass and steel, as well as accentuating the firing switch. I feel extremely comfortable knowing a potential thermal runaway will not go unnoticed.

• Magnetic switch
  Nemesis owners will be glad to know that the included switch is magnetic. In my opinion, I feel that the magnets are a bit on the weak side, but it is all a user preference. A lot of people have complained that the button has an atypical crunch. This is true, but an easily rectified problem. As with all clones, you should give it a through cleaning before use, as machine oil can and usually will be left on the threading. An initial disassemble followed by a nice isopropyl bath leads to a smooth switch with a very sensitive throw.

Overall, it is an invaluable mech to my growing collection. I do not see it leaving my rotation, nor being replaced anytime soon. If you're in the market for a well made clone, look no further than the Stingray by Hcigar!

As always, you can pick it up for 44.99 + SHIPPING at Eciggity. You can't put a price on superior customer service!