One of my favorite parts of this job is testing the “niche” devices. You know, the “underground,” “cult-like following” mods that aren’t mass sellers, but always seem to be in the hands of true enthusiasts. The Limitless mod series falls into this category, and their latest – the Limitless LMC Classic v2 220W box mod represents everything that defines the company’s approach to vaping.

When we started using the Limitless LMC Classic v2 a few weeks back, we were pretty impressed by how quickly this decidedly old-school mod ramped and got up to speed. And we were skeptical about some of the obvious quirks – most notably, the antiquated screen design and oversized frame. And weeks later, we’re still not 100% sure how we all feel about the LMC Classic v2.

Let’s take a look at the mod and see what’s going on here.

Like I mentioned at the beginning of the preview, you have to hand it to Limitless Mod Co. – when they find a design they like, they stick with it. And of course, we weren’t surprised by the look and feel when the LMC Classic v2 arrived on our desks. All the usual Limitless trappings were there: replaceable side panels, oversized frame, no-nonsense UI and display.

To fans of the series, this is a huge win. Limitless mods are unapologetically large, commanding and high-end, and fans of the brand don’t want to see them any other way. But maybe that’s a bad long-term business strategy – because if you own an older Limitless box, such as the equally huge Arms Race mod, then you already know if you love or hate the design.

(Hell, even their 80W Redemption and versatile Marquee devices are larger than most in their respective categories. Limitless simply doesn’t mess around.)

But, what this means for those interested in the LMC Classic v2 is a notable lack of ergonomics. Between the massive dimensions and hard metal edges, no one is going to confuse this mod for anything pocketable and palm-friendly. To many, it’s a statement device. To me, well, I found it a little uncomfortable for anything other than occasional use.

That’s not to say the design is unattractive, because it sits right alongside the equally large Asvape Michael is terms of beauty. The unique resin plates are wonderfully machined and give the device a truly high-end feel. Likewise, the rigid and angular metal frame does a good job contrasting with the resin to create a nice effect overall.

That said, most of the LMC Classic v2’s options are swirly, resin-like designs that are fairly similar, except for which primary colors are involved. As we’ve said before, we’d like to see a little more creativity here – perhaps some skulls, landscapes or something more unique than resin swirls.

To hold the Limitless LMC Classic v2 is another story. Unless you spend your evenings dunking basketballs, I can’t imagine too many people finding this mod to be comfortable to operate. Between the sharp angles and stiff buttons, those with smaller extremities might have some difficulty using the LMC Classic v2 as a daily driver.

First off, the height. The mod isn’t “slightly taller” than most mods. It’s a definite question  as to whether your hands will reach the fire key. The mod is tall, wide, deep, and completely angular, with  industrial-like rivets that can dig into the palms, depending on the grip.

I’m one of those guys, unfortunately. I simply didn’t find it comfortable to operate the dual-18650 LMC Classic v2. In my time with the mod, I found it dug into my palm whenever reaching to adjust wattage or press the stiff fire key.

Another problem is the narrow, monochrome display, which becomes difficult to read when trying to reach around the mod. The screen itself is adequate, and seems like an intentional throwback to the older days of vaping, when oversized boxes were the norm, and digital readouts weren’t always a guarantee.

Still, we found the display had some serious downfalls. Maybe it’s just a lack of experience with Limitless’ proprietary operating system, but the device required me to do some strange additional steps before getting to adjust wattage. Once I figured it out the system operated like any other old-school vape mod. But it’s not intuitive, and not even close to necessary.

In other words, “throwback” is fine, but not at the expense of usability and function. While I appreciate the LMC Classic v2’s dedication to a certain aesthetic, I don’t see how making things unnecessarily difficult is going to help boost sales.

While the “classic” feel here is intentional, I would have loved to see Limitless marry the old and the new by introducing a new chipset and display to counter the old-fashioned, “large box” design. I feel like that might have made things easier to operate, and ultimately affect my desire to keep using the LMC Classic v2 beyond my testing.

Fortunately, the LMC Classic v2 has modern amenities where it counts. This includes three distinct preheat ramping modes, full temp control, and a wealth of safety features like low resistance, short circuit, reverse polarity and more. Though I was lucky enough to not experience any of the protection measures on display, I am familiar with Limitless’ dedication to quality, and am confident they work as intended.

One strange item of note is how the LMC Classic v2 only uses 18650 batteries, when there’s MORE than enough room for larger cells. Though I have no need for 21700 or 20700 cells at this point in my vaping life (seriously, start proving they’re better, and I’ll adopt), I would have appreciated the option on a frame this large.

On the LMC Classic v2, one area that was never in doubt was overall vaping performance. That’s because Limitless products generally exceed expectations in this department, and this mod continues the trend in style. It might not be easy to get to that point through the menus (or even from holding the mod for extended periods) but once you do, you’ll think it was worth the effort.

Continuing the recent surge in fast-ramping vape mods, the LMC Classic sits near the top of our list, with near-immediate bursts of intense vapor. Even on the “soft” preheat mode, we were amazed by how effortlessly the mod got up to speed, and how stutter-free the experience was throughout.

Even temperature control – an area I didn’t even want to venture into, given the menu limitations – was surprisingly punchy and accurate, once my preferred settings were dialed in. Overall, I found the TC performance to be a highlight, even if my personal preferences mean I’ll likely never return to these modes. TC enthusiasts looking for a high performer need not look any further.

But power is the LMC Classic v2’s reason for being, and the mod makes the most of its 220 watts. In fact, this might be one of the few mods that felt like it could go FURTHER, rather than limping to the max-wattage finish line like so many others. While a 220-watt blast of vapor will rarely be considered “smooth” I found the LMC Classic v2 was very comfortable at these elevations, and an absolute champ  from 90-150 watts.

In fact, from 60-160 watts, I saw some of the best mid-wattage battery performance in my entire vape review history. While max-wattage vaping put obvious dents in battery longevity, vaping at moderate levels turned the oversized, monstrous LMC Classic v2 into a svelte, power-sipping vape mod. This was an unexpected surprise from a mod that wasn’t subtle about much else.

All vape mod buying decisions come down to personal preference (save for the few that just flat out suck). But the LMC Classic v2 might be the most polarizing example of this yet. On one hand, you have a massive, unforgiving body design and antiquated menu system that makes this a mod for experienced vapers who don’t think much of comfort.

On the other hand, beneath the oversized frame lies a surprisingly powerful, efficient, top-performing vape mod that does almost everything right. There’s power to spare and more than enough customization to keep enthusiasts happy. I can’t give it a top score, because there are too many quirks and rough edges. But I heartily recommend going to a shop and trying one out for yourself – the vape quality is there. Then, if you decide you want one, get the best price at Element Vape.

Score: B-