Lost Vape Halcyon Squonk Box Mod Review
Comparing the Lost Vape Halcyon to similar Squonk devices is like comparing Rolls-Royce’s to Honda Civics. For how aesthetically superior the build quality and overall fit and finish is on the Lost Vape Halcyon Squonk Box Mod, using it every day is not the easiest endeavor. There are cheaper options but the competition is made with inferior materials and less precision. Lost Vape sums up the first DNA200 Squonking Box Mod in four words; “Where precision meets art.”
About Lost Vape Halcyon
When receiving the Lost Vape Halcyon, my first observation was the cheap clear packaging that this $200 premium device came in. ($184.95 at Element Vape) Unlike the Lost Vape Triade and Therion, with beautifully constructed boxes that gives you the impression of luxury and fineness, I wouldn’t be happy receiving the Lost Vape Halcyon in an after-thought, half-ass package; just being nit-picky. CLICK TO VIEW LARGE IMAGE
The Blue Anodized finish (also available in Black, Silver or Red) with glossy carbon fiber panels (other materials are available on Limited Edition models) is exquisite and sweet as apple pie. It’s trophy worthy and flat out immaculate, inside and out! After using the Lost Vape Halcyon for over a week, I haven’t noticed any scratches, color changes or any peeling of the carbon fiber panels. The entire outside is very slick and if you’re not careful could slip out of your hand. I haven’t had this happen, but if dropped, would be a $200 blunder, I don’t imagine it could withstand the fall!
The Lost Vape Halcyon is CNC machined out of lightweight, extremely strong 6063 T6 Aluminum, making it a featherweight in mass but a heavyweight in the power department! “Undefeated quality – Precise manufacturing” is the Lost Vape mantra and this is another prime example of the craftsmanship and attention to detail the company maintains and executes. With a full bottle of eJuice, the Halcyon weighs only 204g compared to the CoV Wraith at 291g and Kanger Dripbox 160 at 325g!
The Lost Vape Halcyon measures 85mm x 60mm x 25.2mm giving it a pretty large footprint. Handling the square frame can be awkward and pushing the Squonk bottle feels uncoordinated compared to other Squonking Box Mods with different bottle locations. Holding it in a trigger fire position, I’m unable to adequately squeeze the bottle. I have to use my other hand to psychically perform the force needed to Squonk the stiff bottle or adjust my hand out of position making it seem like an extra task versus something more streamlined and comfortable. The 8.5mm and two 5.5mm up/down buttons are rounded with a conical shape and made from premium Stainless Steel. All three buttons are very responsive, smooth when clicked and well located when holding and firing the mod.
The Evolve DNA200 board delivers a powerful vape up to 200W with 97% power efficiency, making the Lost Vape Halcyon the most powerful and accurate Squonking Box Mod. The ability to plug into Evolve’s Escribe software and upload all of my custom settings is a major plus and makes it universally compatible with any resistance wire via TCR inputs. With 93 configurable items and 8 separate profiles, being able to personalize the Halcyon results in a very satisfying vaping experience.
Right out of the box the Halcyon only utilizes five of the eight presets so customizing your own is recommended. Lost Vape does provide a retractable micro USB cord that I use all the time now and replaces the other 30 USB cords I have; that are now stored away. And of course, the bright and easy to read 0.91inch OLED display that we’re used to seeing from DNA200 devices is there in full effect.
Note: Right out of the box, power is limited to only 100W in Power Mode but a full 200W in Temperature Control. To unleash the full 200W, you need to plug into Escribe and increase the wattage limit. It’s not hard to do but if you don’t have access to a computer, you’re not going to get the full 200W.
The Lost Vape Halcyon uses a 10W 11.1V (fully charged read 12.6V on my screen) 900mAh 30C FullyMax 3-cell Lithium Polymer battery pack giving you a total of 2700mAh battery life. It plugs in via the XT30 connection (standard LiPo connection) which allows you to remove and exchange battery packs if necessary but does void the 6-month manufacturer warranty when performed yourself. Lost Vape recommends using 3S Lithium Polymer battery packs capable of 23amps or higher if or when replacing the battery. Plug in the micro USB and the built-in 1A balanced charger ensures all 3 cells charge equally; a huge pro and great safety feature!
Using the Lost Vape Halcyon
I can tell you confidently that the battery life sucks and is one of the biggest negatives for the Lost Vape Halcyon! It’s tolerable at wattages under 60W but I’ve been running 100W plus, watching my battery bar decline rapidly. Even at 80W, the 3-4 second pulls take one percentage point after every puff. I can fully charge the battery in 2 hours 20 minutes precisely with a 1A iPhone charger and fully drain it back down within an hour. Everyone vapes differently but if you’re in the high-wattage, low-ohm percentile of vapers, plan on your battery diminishing like a bat out of hell! No need for extra battery venting thanks to the massive window cutout.
The back panel is easily removed by sliding the door downwards. It glides right off and clicks securely back into place thanks to a ball-bearing system with no extra movement or rattle. Inside are separate compartments with one housing your 8ml Squonk bottle (only holds 7ml according to my syringe) and the other your LiPo battery pack. The beautiful Blue anodized finish continues into the interior and really shows the attention to detail Lost Vape applied here. There are some wires exposed on the bottom but since the DNA200 board is waterproof, I don’t see this becoming an issue. After using the Halcyon for over a week and running 60ml+ of eJuice through it, I’m happy to report no leaking whatsoever, which was a major concern of mine from the get-go.
Fill and Refill – The Lost Vape Halcyon
Depending on your style of vaping, plan on refilling often! I like to over-saturate my cotton to maximize my flavor profile and to ensure my wicks are abundantly wet. But even squeezing sparingly, I still went through all 7ml quicker than I thought. The bottle is very stiff, stiffer when compared to other Squonking bottles, and I really have to put extra pressure to get the correct amount of juice flowing. I use the ‘Squonk & Hold’ technique where I push the bottle and hold it for 4-5 seconds versus pushing the bottle a few times in quick cession. I’ve learned it saturates my cotton way better but in turn uses a bit more eJuice.
Removing the bottle is definitely not a fast and effortless exchange. It’s quite the opposite of faster reloading devices like the CoV Wraith or the Kanger Dripbox 160 where you just shove your bottle in and you’re Squonking. You have the option of either sliding the bottle off the tube or take the tube completely off. I leave the feed tube on, slide the bottle halfway down the feeder tube and unscrew the lid, leaving the lid on the tube. I take a paper towel and wrap it around the feeding tube just to make sure no eJuice could potentially drop into the connectors or anywhere in the box.
Fill up, feed the tube into the bottle and screw the lid on. The next part is tricky but the easiest way is to spin the bottle while pushing up towards the 510 connector, which pops into place when fully inserted. The first couple times exchanging and refilling isn’t fun and it does take a little practice if you’re not familiar with this type of method. Take your time; find out what’s easier for you and you’ll be good to go!
Lost Vape Halcyon + RDA
Throughout the week, I used the Geek Vape Tsunami 24 RDA which sits flush on top of the Stainless Steel 510 connection threading with no overhang. The RDA makes a solid connection with the Halcyon’s Nickel-plated Brass 510 bottom-feeding pin. I installed a 0.11Ω dual Fused Clapton build, vaped at 110W and it just murdered my battery, despite producing astronomical clouds and great flavor. I then put a 0.3Ω spaced Twisted Clapton which provided less spit back, cooler vapor and preserved my battery life a bit better.
The hollow 510 pin protrudes from the base of the Tsunami 24 and has a deep juice well which pairs up perfectly with the Lost Vape Halcyon Mod. Once you Squonk it, the juice waterfalls out through the 510 pin and pools around the bottom of the juice well, keeping the wicks saturated for several pulls. In other words, it doesn’t suck the unused juice back down like the CoV Wraith RDA or the Kanger Dripbox RDA’s flatter, less protruding 510 pins.
Lost Vape Halcyon & Malstrom RDA CLICK TO VIEW LARGE IMAGE
If you can afford it, pick up the Lost Vape Halcyon kit with the Lost Vape Malstrom RDA. It’s a decent Two-Post, side adjustable airflow RDA but the kit includes two extra Squonk bottles, four drip tip options and a lot of extra accessories.
Use the ‘less is more’ method when wicking any RDA for Squonking. Too much cotton takes several Squonks and will burn up your eJuice much quicker.
There will be some liquid buildup inside the 510 connection when removing your RDA. I make it a habit every time I change my cotton, to give the device a quick wipe down inside and out to revive it back to its clean glory.
If you so choose, you can install a standard RDA, RTA or even a Sub-Ohm Tank and use it as a normal DNA200 Box Mod; why would you, but you can if you wanted to. Use the Squonk bottle as extra eJuice storage for your tank when on the go! Remember, don’t Drip & Drive…Squonk instead!
Final Grade – B
“A stunning device that’s just too darn expensive but at least you’re getting what you pay for. For a third of the price the CoV Wraith (also available at Element Vape) performs just as good, is much easier to handle as an all-day device and gets better battery life. If you get the Lost Vape Halcyon as a gift, embrace it. If not, start saving up because for $184.95 at Element Vape (or $219 for the kit that includes the Lost Vape Malstrom RDA at VaporDNA), it’s going to cost an arm, a leg and your wallet!”
Team Spinfuel
