SMOK RESA STICK Starter Kit – Unleash the Excitement for 2018

When I became aware the release of the SMOK Resa Stick was imminent I was excitedly anticipating another wonderful vape pen experience with the magnificent TFV12 Resa Prince Tank and a powerful battery that would match the same cobra resin style finish of the TFV12 Resa Prince. Sadly, (somewhat) the actual Resa Stick didn’t live up to what I hoped it would be. It’s a fine stick pen device, but it could have been, should have been…  better.

The SMOK Resa Stick Kit IS a vape pen-style device that is certainly aesthetically beautiful. The TFV12 Resa Baby features the same magnificent resin dyed elements of the full size Resa Prince. Constructed with a striking cobra resin design and using high-grade stainless steel, this tank and vape pen combo stand out as one of the most attractive stick devices made to date, and instantly ‘ages’ the look of the 3 months old Stick Prince. As you can see by the photos in the review, an all-cobra tank and battery in a myriad of deeply saturated colors cause the Stick Prince to look downright dowdy.

Replacement Coils vs the 2000mAh Resa Stick Battery

Preinstalled in the Resa Baby Sub-Ohm is the aforementioned V8 Baby Mesh Kanthal Core, a fast heating, 0.15-ohm coil with a wattage range of 40W-80W, and an optimal range of 60W-70W. The second coil in the US Kit is the V8 Baby M2, a quad coil 0.25-ohm that requires less wattage than the Baby Mesh. When I began this review period I wondered how a 2000mAh battery would hold up. Could this Direct Voltage 2000mAh battery provide enough power and kick to live up to SMOK’s nickname for the Resa Stick, the Cloud Hunter? Hmmm…

Because the Resa Stick is a voltage device, not wattage, it has a workable voltage range of 3.4v to 4.2v. A fully charged Resa Stick battery begins throwing out 4.2v and as it is used by the Vaper, the voltage decreases, along with the quality of the vape, until it bottoms out at 3.3v, at which time it stops working and must be recharged via the included USB cable. Recharge time is roughly 2-2.5 hours. That said, a moderate Vaper will enjoy smooth vaping for about 3 active hours, and a heavy Vaper, like myself, gets roughly 2 hours of prime vaping before the quality is too low to enjoy. It would have been nice, and wise, to give the Resa Stick an extra 1000mAh for a lengthier vape time.

This uniformed set-up Resa Stick is a resin-covered vape stick that is fun and enjoyable while there remains enough power in the battery to power the Coils.  The 7.5mL juice capacity matches the full size TFV12 Resa Prince but uses TFV8 Baby Coil System.

After getting over my initial disappointment that the Resa Stick was not a Resa Prince Sub-Ohm Tank, instead it was yet another “new” tank called the Resa Baby, a tank that takes a step backward with TFV8 Baby Replacement Coils, I found myself enjoying it anyway.

With two large airflow slots at the bottom of the Resa Baby, and the new V8 Baby Mesh, the flavor and vapor remind me of the SMOK Big Baby Beast vape experience. Excellent flavor, and good vapor, but nowhere near the flavor power or cloud thickness of the TFV12 Prince or Resa Prince. The wide bore cobra drip tip never gets a change to overheat, but then again, the same drip tip of the full size Resa Prince doesn’t either, even at 90W or so.

While the TFV12 Prince Stick has a smooth stick battery, the Resa Stick and its cobra resin finish provides a pretty wonderful tactile feel. It’s nice sized circular fire button is firm yet responsive, and other than the USB port, is the only component on the exterior of the battery. No display, no dials, no adjustments. I wouldn’t use it as my primary vaping instrument, but as a setup to grab on the way out of the office or house, to use on errands, or on a night out, it does just fine.

Lastly, SMOK released the Resa Stick in a variety of color schemes, including a dark 7-color ‘rainbow-like’ that looks a lot like the 7-color Resa Prince and the SMOK Majesty Luxe Rainbow + Cobra Mod. Additional colors include; Black, Yellow (honey with specks of green and dark and light yellows), purple, green, blue, a blood red, pink and a white finish. Each battery and tank are matched perfectly.

Yea, I would be more excited about the Resa Stick had SMOK deviated from their Playbook and launched this as a full blown Resa Prince, using TFV12 Prince Replacement Coils, and a 3000mAh battery throwing out about 80-90W. But, their well-regarded Playbook doesn’t allow for that… each new release from SMOK must be progressive and in incremental moves.

These Vape Pens from SMOK, and there are several, are all Direct Voltage devices leaving little room for the user to do anything other than fill the tank and press the fire button. SMOK sells a ton of these type of vape pens, and I’m sure the Resa Stick will do well. There is certainly room for idiot-proof vape pens, and even the most experienced of us have one or more in our collection for times when we just want to vape without having to think much about it. I just, for once, wish that SMOK would break from their Playbook and create something that would impress us all.

Of course, it wouldn’t be fair to score the Resa Stick against my personal bias about their stringent adherence to their Playbook. But when you come right down to it, there is no difference in the quality of the vape from the Resa Stick, or the Stick Prince, or any other “stick” from SMOK that uses the V8 Baby Replacement Coils and a Direct Voltage output.

The Resa Stick vapes well for what it is, and it does so very simply. It is a beautiful looking vape pen, and the retail price at Element Vape certainly gives the Resa Stick value. So by those measures, I must score the SMOK Resa Stick Starter Kit an “A”.

Score: A

SMOK TFV8 Replacement Coils Can be Purchased at Element Vape