The Girl with the Dragon ProVari
About 6 or 7 weeks ago (!) I saw a photo on Google Plus that showed the most beautiful Provari I’ve ever seen. Not the usual hybrid colors, or satin finishes, but something grander, bolder, and limited in edition. This was the Dragon Provari, a wicked carved dragon covering most of the body. I simply had to have one.
Then, to my dismay, I learned from David at ProVape that the limited edition Dragon Provari was available through retail dealer’s only… authorized Provari dealers only. That would put a crimp in my attempts to get one because no retailer in my area is an authorized ProVape dealer. Here’s what David told me:
“These are only sold through our dealer channel at the moment. Unless they stop ordering them and we get stuck with a large quantity, we don’t have plans to release them on our website. We wanted to do something exclusive for the dealers. Its possible that sometime in the future we might sell off the balance until they are gone once its been discontinued.” – David (ProVape)
“Unless they stop ordering them and we get stuck with a large quantity” – Can you imagine? To date, every dealer I’ve spoken to has told me that their stock of Dragon ProVari’s literally flew off the shelves. I don’t think ProVape needs to be concerned with being “stuck with a large quantity.”
When I asked David why ProVape did this, why they would design and build a Provari so gorgeous and then sell through authorized dealers only David said;
“We wanted to do something a little different with the design on the ProVari. One of our guys thought it would be fun to do a dragon design on the tube so he came up with the design and presented us with it and the rest is history. I wish I had a better story than that, but ultimately that was the story on the dragon. It’s elegant and the design lends itself well to wrapping around the tube, so we went with it.”
Always the modest businessman, David is. ProVape is constantly trying to keep the ProVari line fresh, presenting new colors, new finishes, and keeping them in stock for short-ish amount of time. It’s how I decided to buy the Red/Black hybrid (photo below) a few months ago. I really wanted a red one, but that color was discontinued and when I asked David if they had one left he told me they sold every one of them, though he did do a thorough search for one, just in case. This time, when I saw the Dragon ProVari I knew there was little to no time to act if I wanted to get one, so I did. I had to skip lunches for a month or so, but it was worth it. 
I also asked David how long the Dragon ProVari would be available, to maybe gauge how long I had to scrap together an extra $200, and on June 17th he told me…
“We are still making them, but for only a short time. Once they sell out, we won’t be making anymore so it will be a limited design. I would let people know that if they want one, and a collector’s piece at that, now is a good time to pick up a Dragon ProVari.”
I couldn’t agree more. Sometimes you just have to go for it, and that includes getting the opportunity to own a limited edition ProVari. My very first ProVari, a Satin Black Mini I bought two and half years ago still looks mint, and works like it was brand new. I knew that the Dragon ProVari would last years, and even become an heirloom of some kind. I mean, imagine if in 10 years time tobacco smoking is a thing of the past and 40 million plus people are vaping instead; my collectors ProVari will become an important part of “vaper history”.
Lastly, I asked David about customers that might want one, but have no idea how to FIND one. David told me; “If customers want one, they should go to http://www.provape.com/ and click on the Store Locator link to find a local store near them, and they can order one from their local store.”
Makes sense. If you want one today, more than 6 weeks after I bought mine, you should still try to find a store near you that might have one left. I called a couple of them and was told that the stock they had was sold off in less than two days. It might be difficult, but it’s worth a shot.
Right before I turned this article in I decided to visit Provape.Com because I am very keen on adding to my ProVari collection. I learned a couple of important things that other ProVari fans might like to know.
- ProVape had added a few new colors and finishes, including a Glow In The Dark edition (seriously!), and one I am dying to add to my collection, a shiny Gold Zenkote one. You might know Zenkote from the finishes used on the Sidewinder by House of Hybrid/Zen. I WANT ONE! (What’s wrong with me??) They also have a Gun Metal finish Zenkote as well. I’d love to have one of those as well, but that would be going overboard, no?
- If you’re a ProVape ProVari fan you probably already know this, but in case you don’t, you might be interested in knowing that Quality Control at ProVape in insane. The slightest, very, very slightest “issue” with a ProVari finish is pulled from their lineup and assigned as a “Blem”, for blemish. Every person I know who has purchased a Blem from ProVape has not been able to actually see the blemish… and this leads me to…
- A few Dragon ProVari Blems are available, both regular size and the Mini version. If you’re interested click on the “Clearance” menu link and you’ll see them at the bottom of the list. Both the Mini and the Full Size Blem Dragons are $215. A Blem Gold Zenkote is $185. Hmmm…
ProVape has tens of thousands of admirers, and a handful of haters as well. You’ll see the haters on some message boards pointing out that only snobs or people that go for “brand” over quality own a ProVari. The truth, the real truth about owning a ProVari is simple; there isn’t a single electronic cigarette on the market that is built better, lasts longer, and provides a more accurate vape then a ProVari.
The ProVari isn’t decked out with all the bells and whistles like some others (the eVic Supreme comes to mind, a fine device, but it can’t hold a candle to the ProVari’s build quality), but what some might think of as ‘lacking’ is more than made up for by pure incredible workmanship and materials that go into every single, American built ProVari. It has been my favorite vaping device since my first month as a vaper, and it will remain my favorite vaping device.
When I save enough money I’m going to for the Gold Zenkote ProVari, and when I do I’ll come back and tell you all about it.
I would love to hear your ProVari story, so sound off in the comments below. Tell us what you think about the ProVari, which one(s) do you own, and why did you decide to buy one…
Julia Hartley-Barnes
