e-Cigarettes for Women? Really? We’ve been putting this review off for weeks. Why? Because it’s not really a great PV (it’s average) but more importantly we believe it’s a bit sexist. The title of this review is meant to annoy our female readers (I myself am a female) because when I read the official information put out by the company that makes this ego-type PV I couldn’t help but feel that a misogynist wrote it. So what does our Editor do? He gives it to me to review. But I promise to be completely fair. Really.
The Rocket 580 2
This eGo-style (eGo ‘W’) vaping kit is available at a few vendors, including Premium eCigs ($89.99). The specs, listed by Premium eCigs are:
SPECS:
- E-Cigarette Size: 147(Length) x 14mm(Diameter)
- E-Cigarette Weight: 0.35kg/set, 0.028kg/battery, 0.45kg/PSE+USB, 0.016kg/cartomizer: 0.03kg/USB pass-through
- E cigarette Weight: 0.35 per kit
- Liquid capacity of cartomizer: 1.6 ml per cartomizer
- Size of cartomizer: 70mm
- Puff amount of cartomizer: 600puffs each cartomizer
- Capacity of Battery: 650Mah / 1300mAh
- Cut off: 10 seconds cut off for each puffs smoking
- Life of Battery: More 300 Recharges
- Charging time: 2 hours
- Car charger input and output
- Input: DC12V~24V,
- Output: DC5V+-/5%
- Wall charger: AC 100~240V, 50/60Hz,
- Output: DC4.2V USB charger:
- Input: 5V, Output: 4.2V
- Each start kit includes: 3pc Cartomizer – 2pcs
- Battery 1pcs
- Charger + USB
- 5pcs Mouthpiece
The Rocket 580 2 comes with either 2-650mAh batteries or 2 1300mAh batteries. The difference, of course, is that one battery lasts longer than the other, the strength of the battery and the effect on vapor production is the same. The ratings of 650 and 1300 are for “capacity”, which factors the number of drags or puffs you can get from a single charge. The “new” Rocket 580 2 is supposed to have a regulated output of 4.2volts, a big jump from the first version that put out 3.7 (supposedly).
What makes the Rocket 580 2 unique to other PV’s, in addition to its ‘lacy’ or ‘floral’ relief patterns running along the sides of the battery and the Clearomizer covers, is that it features large, transparent Clearomizer that holds 1.3ML of eJuice. (The same lacy/floral pattern is also featured on the cone that covers the Clearomizer).
Instead of the more popular 510 threading for the battery/cartomizer connector the Rocket 580 2 uses the KR808D-1 thread. So while you might be tempted to replace the Clearomizer with a DCT that sports a 510 thread you’re out of luck. Not that you would, I suppose, but who knows?
A Proprietary Clearomizer
I’m not a big fan of proprietary design for PV’s . I don’t like having to depend on a single company for replacement cartos and atomizers. The Rocket 580 2 is guilty of this by creating a unique cartomizer/clearomizer. If the Rocket 580 becomes your ‘go to’ PV and you don’t keep a supply of Clearomizers on hand then you’re pretty much out of luck if you happen to need one.
The Clearomizer is a ‘bottom coil’ Clearomizer. Essentially it’s a clear round, acrylic tube with the bottom part holding a bridgeless atomizer. Atop the atomizer housing is the area for the eJuice. This new version holds approximately 1.3ML of eJuice whereas the earlier model held 1ML. The top of the Clearomizer is a soft silicone cap that prevents leakage (it does a good job) and it’s profoundly easy to remove for refilling. The drip tip is my least favorite part of the setup. I prefer rounded tips on all my hardware; the Rocket 580 comes with the flat tip. That’s not unique to the Rocket though, most eGo type PV’s sport these flat-tipped drip tips.
Impressions: We received a black unit to review, its also available is “white” and “pink”.
“Sure is Purdy!”
I was less than impressed with the first Rocket 580, but I have to admit that the Rocket 580 2 performs better but having said that I still find the new version lacking. To put it bluntly, the Rocket 580 2 doesn’t do anything for me. It doesn’t make me want to vape it, if you know what I mean. It doesn’t inspire me. In the tech universe we used to say, of things like this, “meh”.
I have no real complaints about the battery performance. It lasts quite a while with average vaping. Recharging is decently quick. The Wall Charger is simple enough, a two-piece unit that includes a cable with a USB port at the end that slips into the wall unit. You simply screw the battery into the USB end and plug it into the wall and let it recharge. But, despite what companies say about how all these chargers have ‘over-charging’ protection, you can overcharge this, and just about every other battery in the vaping universe.
My advice when recharging the Rocket 580 2 for the first time is to take note of the length of time (probably about 2 hours) and then when you recharge it moving forward you set a timer somewhere so you don’t accidentally leave it plugged in for several hours or all night, which I’ve done in the past far too many times. Now I use my ‘Count Down’ feature on my iPhone.
Performance is okay, but maybe I’m a bit spoiled. The amount of vapor I get from a drag (lasting about 4 to 7 seconds) is rather weak. A simple comparison between the Rocket 580 2 and the Apollo TGo ($74.95 direct from Apollo eCigs) shows that vapor production from a 7 second ‘drag’ is drastically different. Using the same eJuice (Ginger’s eJuice ‘Vanilla Iced Cupcake’) in both units shows that the TGo produces a mouthful of vapor so thick and so tasty while the Rocket 580 2 produces about half the vapor, maybe a bit more than half. That said the flavor production was about the same. The Clearomizer does do a good job at delivering flavor.
Final Thoughts
Perhaps I’m being unfair to the Rocket 580 2 because I was offended by the company’s effort to market directly to “ladies” with frilly relief patterns and pink as an optional color. Females make up a large portion of the vaping population and we want the same qualities in a PV that men do, so there is no need to make a silly looking PV just for the “ladies”.
At $90 the Rocket 580 2 is on the expensive side, but not by a lot. You can pick up additional Clearomizers for about $5 each, and since they are refillable about 5-8 times (on average) it’s not bad. But let’s face it; the problem of vapor production comes from the underperforming Clearomizer itself. The bottom coil atomizer just doesn’t seem to be powerful enough to produce the needed amount of vapor to make it a great PV.
Inside the box you get 2 Clearomizers and one on the main battery, so you’ll have the power to vape for a 3 or 4 weeks providing you take proper care of the Clearomizers and keep them from being gunked up with overly thick eJuice.
As far as recommending the Rocket 580 2, I’ll put it this way; If you like the base-relief patterns on the rubberized ‘skin’, and the idea of an easy-to-fill Clearomizer, and you’re specifically looking for a pink PV or a white PV, and finally, you aren’t a stickler for huge amounts of Vapor then the Rocket 580 2 isn’t a bad choice.
But… (there’s always a ‘but’ isn’t there?) If you want the best bang for the buck, if you don’t need the frilliness of the base-relief patterns and the vapor productions DOES matter to you, and if you still want something to set your PV apart of the millions of eGo’s out there…my suggestion is to pick up a Johnson Creek Vea. I believe Premium eCigs (the vendor that shipped us the Rocket 580) can ship you one. But if not, you can order it directly from Johnson Creek for $59.99. You’ll get a sleek looking red PV with a finely etched JC logo (the huge oak tree), a lit up ‘V’ at the bottom of the battery, 2x 650mAh battery, 5 cartomizers (prefilled or blank), 2.8v LR pass-through capability, and more. While a lot of men love the Vea, any “Lady” would as well.
Julia Barnes
What’s in the Box:
- 2 650mAh batteries with 5 LED lights (showing battery life)
Batteries are pocket friendly and incorperate the 5-click shut-off.
3 Clearomizers (each holds up to 1.2 ml of e juice)
5 Mouth Pieces
2 Designer Clearomizer Covers
1 USB Charger
1 AC Wall Adapter
