Vapage VMOD
(ed-note* – The Vapage Vmod 2, Premium Kit ($99) is our choice for the Historic Giveaway currently running in Spinfuel. Four of these kits were donated by Vapor Phoenix and are a part of the incredible prizes in each of the four giveaways. For more details click here)
After our huge disappointment in the Boge Revolution 2.1 we began to wonder if a good bottom-feeder PV even existed. Soon after the poor showing of the Boge we were introduced to the Vapage Vmod 2.0, submitted for review by Vapor Phoenix, a vendor with a large assortment of the most popular hardware and accessories at amazingly low prices. When it was suggested that the Vapage Vmod 2.0 become of official PV of our historic giveaway we jumped at the opportunity. Once you’ve read this review we think you’ll understand why.
Bottom-Feeder
When veteran Vaper’s speak about ‘bottom-feeder’ PV’s they’re talking about a piece of hardware that features a bottle that holds a good amount of eJuice in the bottom part of the unit along with a decent sized battery. The eJuice in this reservoir feeds from the bottom up into a cartomizer. Small enough to fit into your pocket or purse, the idea is to have a compact vaping system that you can carry along with you on extended business, travel, or running errands around town. It’s discreet as well so you can vape in the security that you won’t be stared at as you would if you decided to take along the wonderful but not-for-public-vaping Apollo VTube.
A good bottom feeder will sport a comfortable design, one that you can wrap your hand around without sharp edges that would make impressions on your hand should you squeeze too hard. Small enough that you can stick it in your pants pocket without fear of being stared at or being poked in the wrong place.
It most also have a large enough bottle (reservoir) so that even the heaviest of vapers (heavy, as in heavy use, not heavy as in a hefty sized human) can vape for several hours or days without having to worry about running out of ejuice. Naturally, a large reservoir wouldn’t be worth very much without a large enough battery that will last at least several hours. Lastly, a good bottom-feeder should be rugged enough to be your “outdoor” vaping unit. It must be able to sit in your pocket or purse and be tossed about while you are living your life. This feature is paramount, and the Boge Revolution 2.1 failed this aspect in our review so poorly it was laughable. Not so with the Vapage Vmod 2.
Sometimes called a “juice box” because it reminds some of drinking from, well, a juice box, those squeezable cartons with a skinny straw. The metaphor isn’t a bad one, exactly, but luckily the “box” doesn’t collapse on you; and the cartomizer ‘with or without’ a drip tip is quite a bit wider than that skinny plastic straw. Still, I get the connection.
There are many bottom-feeders on the market and even some DIY kits. You can watch YouTube videos and learn how to make your own. While it might be fun to attempt to make your own bottom-feeder, trust me when I tell you that unless you’re mechanically inclined and don’t care about the expenses in your ‘trial and error’ construction sessions you’re much better off choosing a good bottom-feeder and put your effort into actually vaping. We’ve heard from readers who have tried and failed with the DIY methods only to wind up asking us if we might know about a good bottom-feeder to buy because building it yourself is “harder than you think”. We get that.
After several requests for Spinfuel to find and review a good bottom-feeder we consider ourselves lucky that we found the Vapage soon after the misfire with the Boge. And the things is, it was Vapor Phoenix’s idea that we try the Vapage Vmod 2, so it was rather serendipitous.
Vapage The Company
We cannot stress enough that this review centers on this single product, not the company behind it. We know next to nothing about Vapage the company, other than it’s based in California and sells mini-eCig starter kits, disposables, eJuice, and prefilled cartomizers. Their prices are fair when it comes to starter kits and eJuice, while their prefilled cartos are on the higher side, $14.99 for a pack of 5. The Vapage Vmod is by far the most unique product they have, but whether or not the Vapage Vmod was designed and manufactured by Vapage is unknown. We are attempting to work with the company for a more thorough look at Vapage Inc.
Vapor Phoenix
On the other hand, we know enough about Vapor Phoenix to tell you unequivocally, that this company is one of the good ones. They sell a variety of hardware at great prices, their tech support is excellent, and communication with Vapor Phoenix, whether its for additional information or questions about one of the products they sell, they are good at getting back to you quickly. Our “buying” experience with Vapor Phoenix began a long time ago when we ordered a box of 10 5-pk’s of Boge 510 Cartos. We got an excellent price and when the package arrived it included a couple of Tee Shirts with their logo emblazoned on it. As far as we know Vapor Phoenix had no clue that our order was coming from Spinfuel eCigs Magazine, we were simply another customers placing an order. After that transaction we put Vapor Phoenix on the “Active” page, meaning that we had no qualms about buying from them. We think you’ll feel the same way
The Vapage Vmod 2 (Premium Kit)
This $99 kit is quite the bargain for a high-quality bottom-feeder. The Premium Kit contains amble hardware and accessories, everything you need to be up and vaping quickly.
What’s in the box?
- 1 Completely assembled Vmod
- 1 Silo 2.2 ohm Cartomizer (more on this below)
- 1 Hybrid 2.0 ohm Atomizer 306/510 (more on this below)
- 2 eJuice bottles (empty)
- 2 Cartomizer Tips (1 long, 1 short)
- 2 Lithium-ion 14500 3.7v 900mAh batteries
- 1 Two-Piece Battery Charger
- 1 Wall Charger
- User Guide
- Warranty Registration Card
- 1 10ML Bottle of eJuice
*Specs for the Vapage Vmod are listed at the bottom of this review.
Compatibility: Before we get into the mechanics of the Vmod we want to address something that bothered us quite a bit when we first began exploring the unit. While the unit comes with a couple of Silo cartomizers and a special “hybrid atomizer”, which by themselves are a bit more expensive then the everyday cartos and atomizers available everywhere, we’ve since learned that with this new version you can use just about any 510-compatible cartomizers and atomizers. This is a big improvement in that you are no longer locked in to purchasing the more expensive Silo cartomizer ($5.99 for 2 cartos) or the hybrid atomizer ($17.99). How performance is affected when switching from the designated cartos and atomizers we do not yet know but we doubt very much that Vapage the company would announce this compatibility if performance took much, if any, of a hit. (if you have experience with the Vapage using normal cartos and/or atomizers we’d love to read your comments below) I did try out a few different setups that were lying around the office and it seemed to work well enough, but that’s as far as it went. I would be very interested in hearing from owners of the Vmod on long term use of other attys and cartos.
The Mechanics
Unlike other bottom-feeders, which use either a needle (like the Boge Revolution) or a small tube, the Vapage Vmod uses neither. Instead, the Vapage uses a new “pressure chamber” delivery system that we’ve never seen used before on other bottom-feeders. This prevents leakage since there are no tubes or needles involved.
There are no electronics inside, so if on the rare occasion you leak some eJuice into it all you need to do is rinse it out. By setting it up with a fair amount of care leakage is not a problem with the 2.0 upgrade. (You should wash the unit now and again anyway, since repeated use of different eJuice will always leave residue on any hardware you use.)
Cartomizer – Using the Silo Cartomizer – This 2.2ohm carto is an excellent cartomizer. In addition to acting as a standard cartomizer (atomizer and cartridge) it’s also a juice feeder. You’ll find that while using the Silo that the filler material comes up about halfway, and you’ll naturally think that the capacity of eJuice is effected greatly, but its not. Since it works as a feeder as well, it holds a more-then-decent amount of eJuice.
What makes the Silo different from normal, less expensive cartos is that, besides the nicely etched good looks, it has small slots on the bottom edges that work as an uptake for the eJuice. These slots do the same job as older or less sophisticated bottom-feeders that require eJuice to be shot up through a hole in the battery connector of the atomizers.
Atomizer – Hybrid 306/510 – The atomizer that comes with the Vapage Vmod has a 306 styled atomizer inside a 510 body. It’s an excellent atomizer and comes in various ohms. You’ll probably need to prime the atomizer with a little PG or eJuice of your choice. I’m basing that on my own experience with it, however, so you may or may not to.
Usage – This bottom-feeder does not use needles or tubes to get the eJuice to the atomizer/cartomizer. Instead, the eJuice is squeezed into a chamber. You simply tilt the unit downward; squeeze the bottle ever-so-lightly to fill the chamber through the transfer port. Once you’ve filled the Chamber point the Vapage upward, hold it upward and give it another light squeeze to send the eJuice into the Cartomizer. Press the button to fire it up, inhale…and you’re vaping. Easy Peasy.
(Vapage recommends that after every 5 to 10 draws you give the bottle a little squeeze in order to keep the carto topped off and keep the vaping performing at its maximum potential.)
TrustFire Battery – The Vapage Vmod 2.0 comes with a 14500 battery that last quite a long time. Depending on your usage, obviously, you’ll get anywhere from several hours to a full day on a single charge. You can use 2 14250 batteries as well.
Accessories – In addition of being able to try out different atomizers and cartos, Vapage offers some very cool “shells” that fit over the aluminum housing that greatly personalizes your Vapage Vmod. Several colors and designs are available to choose from. At $24.99-$29.99 they are a bit pricey. As for trying other Attys I’d definitely give the Titan Cartomizers or the VPRO-T Crystal Cartridge, as well as the Shi-Fu atty a try. One of the stronger points going for the Vmod 2 is there are a lot more options to choose from, making it a more personal Vmod than was ever possible before.
Real World – After all is said and done, the real world experience is most important. You can sport the best specs, carry the best price, offer great looks and even tons of accessories, but if it doesn’t work for you none of this matters.
What matter most to me, above all else, is flavor and vapor. Will the Vapage Vmod 2 delight or disappoint when it comes to delivering plenty of vapor and a clean taste. Will my favorite eJuice taste good using this new device or will it leave me saddened by carrying an ‘off taste’? These are the things that matter to me.
After spending 5 days with the Vapage Vmod 2, after using both the Silo carto and hybrid atty that came with it, after experimenting with other cartos and attys I have lying around I can say, unequivocally, that this Vmod is one of the best PV’s I’ve tried. Excellent, and consistent vapor production, clean flavors no matter what eJuice I pushed through it, and best of all, and it’s a sturdy machine that will definitely last a while. At $99 for the premium kit, it’s a bargain.
For an idea of exactly how easy it is to be up and running with the Vapage Vmod 2, check out these easy instructions provided by Vapage.
STEP ONE) Your new VMOD comes pre-assembled. Please take it apart and study how it comes apart, and goes together. It is very simple; just unscrew the cone, and push out the chassis. This gives you access to the battery, and juice bottle. Load a 14500 type battery, fill up the juice bottle, and screw it into the chamber. Your VMOD is ready to go back together.
STEP TWO) Take the Silo cartomizer and remove mouthpiece. Drip six drops of e-juice into filler material, and replace mouthpiece. Now screw the Silo cartomizer into the chassis. Gently seat the cartomizer—when it bottoms out it is ready to use. DO NOT over tighten! This will cause damage to the O-ring on the bottom.
STEP THREE) Slide the chassis into the body, and slide the cone over the cartomizer. Tighten the cone to the chassis, and snug it down to take out any play of the body. DO NOT over tighten!
STEP FOUR) Your VMOD is ready to use. The firing button on top of your VMOD has an on/off switch. Check to make sure it is in the active position. Turn to the left and it is locked, turn to the right and it is on. After you have turned it on simply press down on the button, and take a puff. You are now using your VMOD…enjoy!
Tom McBride
V-Mod Specifications:
• Firing button has mechanical lock-out, so it can’t turn on in your pocket or purse
• Juice feeder system has a unique, never seen before “pressure chamber” delivery design
• No messy, leaking tubes needed!
• Built tough, designed to last.
• Oversized Drip Tip
• Specially designed cartomizer (called Silo) uses 510 threads.
• Specially designed Atomizer (called AMG Hybrid “BF”) uses 510 threads.
• 7000 series cone; screws in to lock the body and inner chassis together
• Outer Body is 7000 series aluminum
• Multiple anodized and printed colors available for the cone and outer body.
• Inner chassis is high-impact plastic
• 4.5ml super soft-squeezable e-liquid bottle
• Designed for 14500 and 14250 (X2) Batteries
• Completely wireless–all mechanical. No solders or connections to fail or corrode.
• Totally cleanable
• Assembles and dissembles like a military weapon…quick and simple!
• Height: 4.5” (115mm)
• Width: 1.4” (36mm)
• Depth: .78” (20mm)
• All components available as replacement parts or accessories….easy to maintain and customize!
