Cloudious9 Hydrology9 Liquid Filtration Vaporizer
It’s fair to say the Hydrology9 from Cloudious9 is a game-changer for fans of dry herb vaporizers. It’s an impressively large item, consisting of high quality glass and metal. It’s been a long time in the making and observant Cannabis vapers will remember it being announced as the Hydra9 for over a year. It’s taken a while to hit the shops but was it all worth it? The most exciting aspect is the patent pending Water Filtration System. I’ll let you know what this is and why it’s so interesting below.
Items
The Hydrology9 comes in a surprisingly large box that gives you the first hint at the size of the product itself. You’d better find some room on your shelf; you’re going to need to it. Here’s what you get in the box.
- Hydrology9 Vaporizer
- USB Charging Cable
- A/C Adapter
- Air Intake Adjustment & Chamber Loading/Cleaning Tool
- Long Cleaning Brush
- Short Cleaning Brush
- Two Extra Screens
Looks
The Hydrology9 looks phenomenal but more like a top-secret piece of kit for cosmonauts than a subtle vape. When fully assembled it’s approximately seven inches tall and has a diameter of just under two inches. It weighs around half a kilogram. We’re talking about a robust, heavy piece of kit. It’s made from pristine borosilicate glass and spacecraft grade Aluminum Alloy casing and proves as eye-catching as that sounds.
The size means it won’t be for everyone but if you like your kit to stand out from the crowd, this is the one for you. It can fit in your pocket if you wish but we advise against carrying outside – you don’t want the metal scratched or worse; the glass to get smashed.
Everything fits together perfectly and is satisfying to the touch with smooth motions. It might be made in China but isn’t mass market trash. This is a futuristic product that’s designed with expert attention to detail and attention
You even get a built-in light show! When your Hydrology9 is switched on (but not being used), if you hold the power button for a few seconds you’ll experience either the LED light rotation mode or the LED flashing mode. This has no real use other than sheer pleasure but hey, that’s as good a reason as any.
Ease Of Use
As we said above, the sheer heft of the Hydrology9 means you might not want to be carrying it around with you all day but if you do, you’ll be sure to catch a lot of eyes. The ‘tunnel tube’ is the built-in Water Filtration System. It’s easy to fill with water by twisting off the mouthpiece and anti-leak cover, then fill with as much water as you desire (although it’s recommended not to fill it past more than two thirds of the chamber). Then reattach the parts and you’re all set. Your dry herb is loaded from the bottom using the included chamber loading tool (do this first, to avoid spilling any water).
Vaping is done via the power button. Press three times to turn it on, then cycle through the power settings using the same button. Flashing LED indicators show the temperature chosen, starting with Blue (lowest) and cycling up through Yellow, Orange, Purple and Red (hottest). When the LED is a solid Green, you’re ready to vape.
It’s very easy to use and you’ll soon discover (if you decide to purchase one) your preferred settings after just a couple of times using it. Even better, the temperature is controlled by an in-built chip. This means it knows when to bring cold air into the chamber, to keep the overall temperature at your chosen setting. Similarly, when it senses the temperature is too low it will instantly switch back to your preferred level of heat.
The glass mouth-piece is large, like a bong and like the Da Vinci without the straw. Frustratingly, the battery is built-in and doesn’t seem to be easily replaced; though Cloudious9 may assist with this when that far-off day comes. Sticking to the battery theme, it has a long-life and easily provides five sustained sessions per single charge.
If we had to be critical, it comes down to the water system itself. It will need cleaning and that isn’t the easiest task to do. If you rinse carefully after each session this shouldn’t be a problem but how many of us can remember to do that? Thankfully the oven itself is easy to access and it’s very simple to clean.
Vape
The biggest problem with dry herb vapes is the harshness. Many vaporizer manufacturers have tried to combat this with varying degrees of success. Hydrology9’s use of water lifts them above and beyond their competitors, providing a smooth clean vape. The improvement can be described as the difference between the silky-smooth hit from a bong compared to the harsh inhale from a standard pipe.
It’s all thanks to the patent pending Water Filtration System. This cools down the vapor, lowers the levels of carcinogens inhaled and brings about a glorious clean hit. The oven is a fair size, 0.2g, holding enough for a decent session.
If smoothness of vape is paramount when it comes to your dry herb, the Hydrology9 is the best in its field. No doubt more competitors will follow suit but as of right now, this is arguably the most technologically advanced dry herb vaporizer on sale.
Value
The Hydrology9 is set to retail for around $250 putting it at the high price point for this type of equipment. Is it worth it? It depends how much you value a smooth hit. If you could take it or leave, then you’d be better sticking with a more affordable product such as the Dr. Dabber. If you want one of the most technologically advanced vaporizers on the market regardless of price, this is the one for you. While some rigs make a virtue out of their small size and subtlety, the Hydrology9 is big and bold and makes itself known. It certainly feels like a $250 piece of kit. But be careful, you don’t want to drop or scratch it.
Pros
- Wonderfully smooth hit, far superior to other dry herb vaporizers
- Impressive futuristic design
- Captivating lighting modes for those post-session relaxation times
Cons:
- Too large and delicate to be comfortable taking on long journey
- Built-in batteries suggest the product has a finite lifespan
Conclusion
The Hydrology9 isn’t for everyone. It’s a weighty piece of kit with a high price tag, and not everyone wants to carry around something that looks like it fell from a space shuttle. However, experienced bong users know all too well about the cooling properties of water, and it’s no surprise that this applies to dry herb vaping too. If you want to experience a silky-smooth hit from a superbly-designed piece of technology, then the Hydrology9 is well worth the price tag.
Written by Ian Jones
