By John Manzione | Published on January 3, 2019
A few days ago, I posted my review of the brand-new Vaporesso Luxe Kit with the SKRR Tank. That particular Vaporesso Kit was definitely an eye-opener. It has been a long time since a vape kit truly surprised me with its quality, performance, and flavor.
This new Vaporesso Kit, the Vaporesso Polar Kit with Cascade Baby SE, has done the same thing, only in a different way. The Polar Kit delivers the same quality and performance, with a different aesthetic, different form factor, and a somewhat different set of features. Let’s get into the review and explain why this Kit is one of the best Kits released in Q4-2018.
Vaporesso Polar Kit Features and Specifications
Polar Mod Features
- Dimension: 45 x 28 x 144mm
- Tank Capacity: 6.5ml/2ml
- Display: 2” TFT color screen
- Battery: 2 x 18650 (Not Included)
- Power Range: 5-220W
- Resistance Range: 0.03-5ohm
Cascade Baby SE Tank Features
- Cascade Baby SE 6.5ml Tank
- GT Meshed Coil (0.18Ω) – Rated for 50-90W
- GT 8 Coil (0.15Ω) – Rated for 50-110W
- Safety Lock Mechanism
- Triangular Airflow
- Top Fill
First Impressions
The Vaporesso Polar Kit with Cascade Baby SE arrived in a fairly standard box, as do most Vaporesso Kits. The Kit contained the Polar Mod, the Cascade Baby SE Tank, a replacement glass, a GT Meshed Coil (installed), a GT 8 Coil (spare), a bag of O-rings, a USB charge/upgrade cable, and the User Manual.
Unpacking the Kit reveals a truly gorgeous Mod. There are three colors available, but the review sample (Red/Black) has a deep blood-red coating on the metal chassis, with a black back panel. It’s strikingly handsome.
The Luxe Kit introduced a touch-screen display, the Polar Kit offers a stunning 2” TFT color screen that is not a touchscreen. I’ll discuss the display in the Mod section below.
Like the Luxe, the Polar Mod is made with zinc alloy, and has a similar metallic finish, except for the back panel, which is a glossy black. This panel is not a mirror finish, but it does shine beautifully. Despite its visual appeal, it is a fingerprint magnet.
The size of the Polar Mod (without the tank) is a comfortable 45x28x144mm. It has a nice weight, but not overly heavy, and it feels natural to hold and operate. The fire button, located on the left side, is quite large and easy to activate by simply wrapping your fingers around the Mod. The up/down/mode buttons are located on the face of the mod, below the display.
The Vaporesso Polar Kit uses dual 18650 batteries (not included). The battery door is located on the bottom of the Mod and is a familiar hinged door with a secure lock. I had no issues with the battery door and inserting or removing 18650 cells. Always remember to use married batteries with a Mod that takes multiple batteries.
Performance
The Vaporesso Polar Kit with Cascade Baby SE is a high-performance vape kit. The Mod uses the latest Vaporesso Omni Board 4.0 chipset, the same one found in the Vaporesso Luxe Kit. The Kit comes with two superb coils, the GT Meshed Coil and the GT8 Coil. Both are sub-ohm coils that provide excellent flavor and plenty of vapor.
Setting up the kit is quick and easy. After installing two 18650 cells, and filling the 6.5ml Cascade Baby SE Tank with your favorite e-liquid, the Polar Mod wakes up in its default VW (Variable Wattage) Mode. From there it’s a simple matter of setting your wattage and pressing the fire button.
The Vaporesso Polar Kit features a 0.001-second Insta-Fire speed, which means as soon as you press the fire button the coil starts firing. There is no ramp-up time at all, just instant vapor. I love it, and once you try it you’ll love it too.
Of the two coils provided in the kit, I prefer the GT Meshed Coil (0.18Ω). It performs better, in my opinion, at a lower wattage (65W) than the GT8 Coil (0.15Ω). The GT8 Coil has a recommended range of 50W-110W, and the GT Meshed Coil has a range of 50W-90W. The GT8 coil produces more vapor, but I felt the flavor was not as good as the Meshed Coil. Each coil gave me 8-10 days of excellent performance before I noticed any flavor decline.
Vaporesso Cascade Baby SE Tank
While the Vaporesso Luxe Kit comes with the SKRR Tank, the Polar Kit comes with the Cascade Baby SE Tank. The SKRR Tank is a new-generation tank with an improved drip tip, while the Cascade Baby SE is basically the 6.5ml version of the original Cascade Baby (5ml). The SE version is wider (28mm at the base) and taller. Like the SKRR, the Cascade Baby SE has a wider airflow at the base, and a very wide chimney.
Vaporesso states that the Cascade Baby SE Tank uses the Isolation Structure for Intense Flavor. My experience with the Cascade Baby SE, as well as the original, tells me that this is definitely true. The flavor from this tank is superb.
The Cascade Baby SE uses the same GT Coils as the original Cascade Baby, Cascade Mini, and the NRG Tanks. The coils are easy to find and come in a wide variety of resistances and builds. If you’re not a fan of mesh coils, you have many choices among the GT Coils.
Filling the Cascade Baby SE is a simple matter of lifting and sliding the top cap to expose the large fill slot. As I said in previous reviews, this system is one of my favorites among all sub-ohm tanks. Secure and easy.
The airflow control on the Cascade Baby SE is also one of the easiest to adjust, and it stays where you set it. The airflow is smooth and without turbulence, creating a surprisingly quiet vape, especially for a large sub-ohm tank.
In my opinion, the Cascade Baby SE Tank is one of the best sub-ohm tanks Vaporesso makes, and one of the best tanks on the market. It performs like a champ and is simple to use.
Vaporesso Polar Mod
The Vaporesso Polar Mod is powered by the latest Vaporesso Omni Board 4.0 chipset. This chipset has all the features you expect from a high-quality chip, including Variable Wattage (VW), Temperature Control (Ni, Ti, SS), TCR, CCT (Custom Curve of Temperature), CCV (Custom Curve of Voltage), Bypass, and Super Player mode. Super Player Mode allows for a resistance range from 0.03Ω to 5Ω, making it compatible with a very wide range of atomizers, not just those from Vaporesso.
Using the Polar Mod is intuitive once you’re familiar with the Vaporesso system. 5 clicks on/off. 3 clicks to enter the menu. The screen is clear, bright, and very readable, with a lot of information displayed.
Charging the batteries (while in the Mod) is very fast, thanks to the 2.5A Quick Charging capability. When using married batteries, and charging through the USB port, the Mod’s firmware takes care of balance charging, so your batteries are always charging safely.
Upgrading the firmware is also done via the USB port. The latest firmware is downloadable from the Vaporesso website.
The 2” TFT color display, while not a touchscreen, is a high-quality display that is easy to read. The menu system is easy to navigate by pressing the Mode button and using the up/down buttons to make your selections. I prefer this style of display to the Luxe Kit’s touchscreen, but that’s a personal preference. Both are excellent displays.
The Vaporesso Polar Mod is a very impressive Mod for a Kit. It handles high wattage and performs flawlessly. I used both the provided Cascade Baby SE Tank, and a few of my own RDA’s and RDTA’s and was very impressed with the flavor and vapor production from the Mod.
Colors
The Vaporesso Polar Kit is available in seven different color combinations:
- Silver
- Black
- Red
- Blue
- Green
- Gold
- Rainbow
Overall Thoughts and Recommendations
I spent just over two weeks using the Vaporesso Polar Kit with the Cascade Baby SE Tank, and I came away with the same level of satisfaction that I experienced with the Luxe Kit. Vaporesso has stepped up its game with these latest Kits, and I’m thoroughly impressed.
For those looking for a high-performance Kit that offers both excellent flavor and vapor production, the Polar Kit is definitely one to consider. With the advanced Omni Board 4.0 chipset, a beautiful and readable display, and a fantastic sub-ohm tank, the Polar Kit offers a lot of value for its retail price of about $79-$85 USD (Mod and Tank).
The build quality is superb, as is the finish. It’s solid, performs consistently, and delivers what it promises. The fact that the Cascade Baby SE Tank uses the widely available GT Coils is a huge plus.
Wrapping Up
When it comes to the Vaporesso Polar Kit with Cascade Baby SE, there are no cons to speak of. It’s a beautifully crafted, high-performance Kit that anyone would be happy to own. It earns our highest recommendation.
