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WISMEC ES300 Exoskeleton 300W TC Box Mod Kit Review
It’s been a month and a few days since we “previewed” this new box mod and sub-ohm kit from WISMEC, so after putting in more time than I had planned, it’s time to present the review. Will this be the next big thing big thing was WISMEC, or is the WISMEC EXO Skeleton ES300 as forgettable as it is strange looking? Let’s see…
2017 Means Anything Goes?
Today we find ourselves in the middle of an ‘anything goes’ attitude among vape gear creators. Manufacturers are throwing out more and more devices in ever more wild designs to see what sticks and what doesn’t. We’ve all seen some strange-looking mods and tanks this last several months, as well as some of the most beautiful designs since the beginning of the vape industry. The EXO Skeleton ES300 is on the wilder, stranger, side of WISMEC-designed mods, for better or worse. You might also notice the name ‘Jaybo’ is nowhere on the ES300. It makes you wonder…
Box Mod/Sub-Ohm Tank Saturation Points
The market is way over-saturated with mods and tanks in 2017, yet Chinese manufacturers know that if they are to survive, they need to continue growing. ‘Stagnant’ is not an option for any Chinese industry, so if you are wondering about this 300W box mod, made with a semi-transparent body and some sort of cage surrounding it, understand that WISMEC is attempting to grab some attention, especially with the EXO Skeleton.
Every company in the vape gear business is doing the same thing, including the American and British companies that design in their country and then have China build their US/UK-designed devices. Think ‘Lost Vape’, for example.
Design Matters
Design sensibilities are vital to the success of every vape manufacturer, and the better designers will win more of the market share. The electronics that run most the mods in the market are very much like each other. Offering X-amount of wattage, TC systems, Safety Protections, and so on, not many people truly care anymore if the chipset in a well-designed box mod is a DNA, Omni, or RX chip. I may be partial to the Evolv DNA boards, but to be honest, I never use Temperature Control, the #1 thing that makes the DNA board so popular. It doesn’t make a lot sense, but there it is. Box Mods with DNA boards are, for the most part, better designed.
WISMEC EXO Skeleton ES300 w/KAGE Sub-Ohm
The ES300 Kit is just $62.95 at Element Vape, and is available now. There a two EXO Frames available, the original Wire-Cage frame and a frame with differently shaped holes in a metal sheath. Colors include Red, Blue, and Silver. Both frame types are removable, and from what I’ve heard, more than a few owners are removing them, and are left with a semi-transparent plastic/glass body.
I think it’s fair to say that neither “frame”, or it’s semi-opaque plastic/glass body is a hit with the vape community. So, for the sake of this review, let’s set aside the obvious. I don’t like the design either, so let’s focus on what the EXO Skeleton ES300 is capable of as a modern box mod.
The WISMEC EXO Skeleton ES300 300W TC Starter Kit consists of the EXO Skeleton body and the new KAGE Sub-Ohm Tank. Together with the new WT Coil Series for the KAGE tank, the pair can vape easily in higher wattages, with a thick, HighVG, low-nicotine eliquid. To a point..
However, I don’t understand why WISMEC would pair the ES300 with the KAGE since the new tank uses the new WT coils, which cannot get anywhere close to the 300W that the ES300 is capable of. And that the two new coils (see below) are both Kanthal/Cotton coils, eliminating the use of Temperature Control, when using the KAGE anyway.
The 0.17Ω Replacement Coil is the WT-V3 Head, with a Kanthal heating element, ranging from 80-220W, with an optimal vape between 110-130W. The 0.4Ω Replacement Coil is the WT-H2 Head, with a Kanthal heating element, a 30-90W range, and an optimal vape between 50-70W. As you can see from the photos, these coils are quite different from the other.
It is not true to say that the ES300 is capable of vaping at 300W with the KAGE Sub-Ohm, for the simple reason that WISMEC hasn’t made a replacement coil capable of handling 300W for the KAGE tank. Perhaps they will, and if they do, we’ll correct this review.
The Bottom Line of the EXO Skeleton
I’m not going to pad this review to talk about the rest of the specs and the features, I’ve included them below in list form. Instead, the only possible reason I can see for buying the ES300 is for its Reuleaux-like shape, its ability to use 2x 18650’s or 3x 18650, and the 300W maximum output, using a tank other than the KAGE. It should be noted that while box mods like the SMOK GX2/4 and the Reuleaux 2/3 come with two different battery backs, depending on which configuration you use; the ES300 does not.
For me to vape semi-comfortable with the ES300 I had to remove the skeleton frame. Once removed it was okay, no real complaints other than the appearance of the device, and the OLED display on top. The KAGE Sub-Ohm Tank with either Coil Head provided a tasty and cloud heavy vape within their respective ranges, but nowhere near the kind of experience I get from the MELO 300 or TFV12 Cloud Beast King.
WISMEC can make some awesome gear, but with the EXO Skelton and KAGE Tank, they missed the mark. While they perform as advertised, except for vaping at 300W with the KAGE tank attached, this pair is doomed for the dustbin.
As I finish typing this up I’m hard at work on the WISMEC/Sinuous P80, a delightful, well-designed 80W mod and tank that is more indicative to what WISMEC is capable of than the ES300. Every person, and every company, will make mistakes. What’s important is to recognize the mistake and not repeat it. Let’s hope WISMEC gets the message and retires this line.
Score: D
John Manzione
WISMEC ES300 Exoskeleton 300W TC Box Mod Features:
- Triple High-Amp 18650 Battery – Not Included
- Optional Dual High-AMP 18650 Platform
- Wattage Output Range: 1-300W
- Maximum Wattage Output – Triple 18650: 300W
- Maximum Wattage Ouput – Dual 18650: 200W
- Minimum Atomizer Resistance: 0.05ohm
- Temperature Range: 200-600F
- Versatile Temperature Control Module
- Supports Ni200 Nickel, Titanium, and Stainless Steel Heating Elements
- TCR Adjustments – Three Memory Mode
- Visually Striking Transparent Chassis
- Durable Welding Metal Framework
- Superior Transparent Glass Housing
- Intuitive Top-Mounted 0.66 Inch OLED Display
- Oversized Firing Mechanism
- Top Mounted Adjustment Buttons
- Onboard Reverse Polarity Protection
- No Atomizer Alert
- Low Atomizer Alert
- Short-Circuit Protection
- Temperature Protection
- Over 10 Second Protection
- Weak Battery Alert
- Low Power Alert
- Battery Imbalanced Alert
- MicroUSB Port
- Spring-Loaded Gold 510 Connection
Wismec KAGE Sub-Ohm Tank Features:
- 25mm Base Diameter
- 28mm Diameter at Widest Point with Cage
- 2.8mL Juice Capacity
- Superior Stainless Steel Construction
- Pyrex Glass Reinforcement
- WISMEC’s WT Coil Series Technology
- 0.4ohm WT-H2 Dual Horizontal Coil – rated for 30-90W
- 0.17ohm WT-V3 Triple Vertical Coil – rated for 80-220W
- Dual Bottom Airflow Control
- Sliding Top-Fill Design
- 12mm Delrin Widebore Drip Tip
- 510 Connection
ES300 Kit Includes:
- 1 WISMEC ES300 300W Box Mod
- 1 KAGE Sub-Ohm Tank
- 1 0.4ohm WT-H2 Coil Head
- 1 0.17ohm WT-V3 Coil Head
- 1 MicroUSB Cable
- Spare Parts
- Instructional Manuals
