Lost Vape Triade DNA200 Review

Today we are presented with yet another DNA200 device. But until now, none of the previous mods were ever as elegant and well-designed as this one, the Lost Vape Triade DNA200. The board from Evolv might be the same in each of these other DNA200 devices, but none of them can touch the Triade’s craftsmanship and artistic aesthetics. This is a luxury mod, right down to the deluxe packaging/showcase.

The Triade DNA200 is a very special, ultra-high quality mod with the latest Evolv DNA200 board. It is, quite plainly, a Luxury Mod in every sense of the word. Not everyone will want to shell out $159.99 for a new mod, and that is the way it should be. The luxury factor of devices like the Triade DNA200 will appeal to the hobbyist vaper that can afford the price tag, or someone willing to save up to purchase one. Either way, it’s worth it, if, and only if, the buyer is a fan of the Evolv DNA boards. The truth of the matter is that every DNA200 mod on the market has the same technology inside, the Triade makes it stand on the exterior, both in beauty and craftsmanship.

After spending just a few days with my Triade DNA200 I believe every aspect of the new mod is magnificent. However, I was sold on the Evolv DNA200 board for a while now, so the battle was half won at the outset.

But before I discuss the fine design points of the Triade DNA200, I would like to discuss the latest version of the Evolv DNA200 board.

Evolv DNA200 – Not Just Nickel Anymore

With the latest firmware the Evolv DNA200 is far more than temperature sensing and control for Nickel (Ni200) coils. Users can now outfit their tanks and RDA’s with Titanium and Stainless Steel, as well as Kanthal of course, but then again, Kanthal isn’t a TC wire, so you know, Kanthal is still Variable Wattage mode only.

The Evolv DNA200 is a very powerful and regulated temperature control board for modern mods. Evolv’s DNA200 uses its patented Wattage Control, Temperature Protection, Preheat, Digital User Controls, large and bright OLED Screen, Onboard Buttons and Synchronous Rectification to attain the maximum battery life possible, with minimal heat generation. That said, no board is perfect, they all have certain issues, that’s the reason most ‘vape boards’ are upgradeable by way of firmware updates. Check out the Evolv forum for hinky issues that can come up from time to time.

Temperature Protection

The DNA40-and-above boards, including the DNA 200 is able to measure and limit the temperature of the heating element (coil) while the user is vaping. By preventing these coils from becoming too hot irrespective of the e-liquid, the wicking material or airflow setting, and by acting upon any deviations it finds, it protects the device and the user from any sort of disastrous outcome. Anyone that has ever experienced a high wattage dry burn will attest to the level of disastrous outcomes that can happen. You feel, in that instant, that death is more preferable than another second of that scorched throat by dry burn.

The idea of being able to prevent the coils from overheating, which can not only ruin the flavor of any eliquid, it can breakdown individual chemicals in that eliquid, or potentially char the wire in the coil so badly that some of those ‘scare tactics’ the zealots speak about, could happen at very high wattage and the absence of a saturate coil. Preventing this kind of thing is the main purpose of these boards.

Wattage and Vapor

Most DNA200 Mods are driven by LiPo Packs, the Triade DNA 200 runs on 3x 18650 cells

Massive vapor is produced by the wattage sent to the coils, not the temperature, so when using a TC board like the DNA, YiHi, and specific boards from WISMEC, Joyetech, et al, vapers can push their devices at higher wattages while controlling the actual temperature of the vapor, all the while knowing that should things go awry the board will automatically suppress the power to the coil and prevent disaster. And if something should go wrong with the technology there is enough safety features to shut the device down before something happens.

Evolv’s Temperature Protection Technology works with any metal material with a distinct temperature coefficient of resistance. Read our White Paper on TCF to learn more about the values of resistance with certain metals.

That number, or value, has to be steady, and dependable, to work with the technology, and those values must be input into the boards instructions. While some advanced boards will allow you to adjust the TCR values, it’s a complicated process.

The metals that qualify for Temperature Control, so far, are Nickel, Titanium, and Stainless Steel. (Stainless Steel is a wire material that can be used in both TC and VW modes).  If the temperature of the coils reaches the maximum setting (user selected setting) the wattage sent to the coil is pushed down to prevent overheating before it becomes a problem. Kanthal doesn’t qualify for Temp Control because the TCR value is near null, which means there is practically no resistance in Kanthal, so nothing to plug into the technology.

The temperature reading is the average temperature of the coil, so it’s important to build coils so that the temperature across all the wraps are the same, without hot or cold spots.

So, Temperature Protection is best realized when the coil/wicking begins to dry out, or if the wattage setting is too high or too low for the atomizer.

The DNA200 in the Triade and WISMEC Reuleaux runs on a 3x 18650-Battery configuration.  The boards can also run with a 3-pack lithium polymer (LiPo) battery. WISMEC/Jaybo were the first to figure out a way to push the DNA200 board with 3x 18650-batteries.

Monitoring

The Evolv DNA200 board includes a cell-by-cell battery monitoring system for both LiPo and 18650 to keep a watch over the power remaining in each cell, and it uses a balance charger to make sure none of the batteries exceed a 4.2v charge when charging internally. If a battery is charged externally, and charged beyond the 4.2v, the DNA200 board will reject the battery and issue an error code.

The USB port in these devices, along with Evolv’s EScribe software can be used to customize or simply monitor the user experience. Advanced vapers and true fans of the Evolv technology have developed and released into the wild, DNA200 themes that vapers can install through the Escribe software to customize every screen in the DNA200 board. Users can also alter the screens themselves when using the EScribe software, and it isn’t as complicated as you might think.

Loyalty to a Brand

Some users continue to believe that the Evolv DNA board is the most advanced vaporizer controller ever made, while others have decided that the YiHi board is the better of the two main competitors. However, I have always preferred the Evolv DNA board over the YiHi, but only because I find working in Joule’s a little more complicated than I want it too be.

I suppose it’s a lot like Mac OS and Windows, whichever operating system you learn first is usually the operating system you stick with. For myself, the Evolv DNA30 was my first introduction, and then the DNA40 with its Nickel Temperature Protection earned my loyalty to the brand. That said, if I had learned to use YiHi boards and Joule’s before Evolv this might be a very different discussion.

There are also plenty of vapers that believe the ultimate board/chipset belongs to WISMEC/Joyetech/eLeaf, and that is not as far-fetched as it seems. The latest boards in their newer devices includes features like manual adjustment of the TCR values, and even special TCR values for both SS and SS316L coils. Choosing a technology that works for you is a personal choice, there is no right or wrong board these days. I own, and use, devices with all three boards and like them all. I just feel the most comfortable when working with the Evolv boards and the Escribe software..

Over the last year I gotten to know the Evolv DNA 200 and the EScribe software intimately. Since purchasing a Surface Pro 4 Tablet/Laptop several months ago, I can finally get the most out of my DNA devices, including creating custom themes for Spinfuel devices running a DNA board. Before that, I was still able to enjoy the technology of the board, even if I couldn’t avail myself of the firmware updates.

The only issue I have with the DNA200  board is how it sometimes handles SS316 wire. The EVOLV board, both DNA200 and DNA75 (reviews upcoming), are equipped with the technology to use SS316L coils, so the problem with accurate temperature coefficients comes into play with certain coil heads made with “less than 316L” stainless steel. That said, because I do not use Stainless Steel coils often enough, I’ve simply stopped using them on all DNA mods when using certain tanks that require stainless steel coils.

To sum up my thoughts on the Evolv DNA 200 board, it is, for me, a very reliable technology. To get the most out of the board and the software, you really should take an hour or so and attach your DNA200 device, be it the Triade or any other DNA200 device to a PC computer and download and run the EScribe software. You should follow along on their easy-to-understand manual and the first thing you should commit to memory is how to set up a profile for your device. You can have half a dozen DNA board devices set up in a single copy of EScribe, and set up multiple sub-profiles for each one, creating presets for your favorite tanks and coils. After a few hours you’ll understand how the board works and how the software extends the power of the board. Then again, before I purchased the PC I never used the Escribe software and I managed well enough.

Here are a couple of important links you should have in case you decide to buy the Traide or any other DNA-equipped mod.

Evolv Site

Datasheet

Software Download

DNA Forum

The Triade DNA 200

This is the first Lost Vape device we’ve ever reviewed in Spinfuel. We’ve always taken a certain pride in the fact that we mostly write about mainstream devices, and Lost Vape just didn’t fit the usual profile. I’m not being at all critical toward Lost Vape or other high-end companies, after all, Julia reviews every ProVape ProVari that comes out, so we’ve nothing against Luxury mods. It’s just mainstream devices cost a fraction of the luxury mods, and they appeal to a larger number of people.

However, the minute I laid eyes on the photos of the Triade DNA200, I knew I wanted this device. Tom did as well. The Triade DNA 200 is everything I wanted the WISMEC Reuleaux DNA 200 to be, but wasn’t.

Both the Reuleaux DNA200 and the Triade DNA200 are excellent, technologically, after all they run with the same board, but the refinements, the exterior materials, and the fine-machining of the components that make up the Triade DNA200 seem to be far superior…. Yet both cost the same, Element Vape has the Triade in stock as $159.99. They have the WISMEC Reuleaux DNA200 as well, for $20 less, $139.99 (a recent price change)

Though you have to give WISMEC props for being able to build a viable DNA 200 mod with 3x 18650 cells, now that Lost Vape follows suit with a similar design, it does one better with a much higher quality build, and design accents that are truly beautiful.

Value

The Lost Vape Triade DNA200 is exquisitely designed. Beginning with the back panel wrapped with real genuine leather (3 colors available), the venting slots on either side of the mod with a fine mesh under the slots, and there is more… it is the kind of device that sells itself, if you’re a fan of the Evolv DNA200 board.

Before the release of the Triade DNA200 from Lost Vape, the WISMEC Reuleaux DNA200 sold for the same $159.99. And when I consider that, I have to wonder how Lost Vape was able to keep the cost in check when they used superior materials to build the device. Both companies paid ‘about’ the same for each of the Evolv DNA200 boards, yet unlike the WISMEC device, there is hardly any plastic used on the exterior of the Triade.

Lost Vape certainly didn’t skimp on quality. Crafted with extreme precision, this is the DNA 200 mod that I will use from this moment on.

Watch our Demo video to see the Triade DNA 200

Triade DNA200 – A Real World Report

 The Lost Vape Triade DNA200 comes in a triangular, elongated leather case with a magnetic flap that folds over the triangular shape. Inside is a plastic molded inset that holds the Triade in one section, and a very short USB cable in another. Also included inside is a manual written in perfect English that discusses how to use the Triade, access the menu, adjust settings, and so on. It even discusses how to download the Escribe software and how to use it. I recommend a thorough reading of the manual before using the device, even if only a small part of it sinks in. You’ll want to refer to the manual several times if this is your first DNA mod, if you are already familiar with the board and the software, a cursory glance would still be a good idea.

The funny thing is, the Triade DNA 200 vapes just like any other DNA200 device, there are no surprises there, so being enamored as I am with the Triade is all about the style, craftsmanship, and aesthetics. If all I wanted was an advanced mod with Temperature Control and 200+ watts of power, there are many to choose from, with far lower price tags.

Lost Vape has designed a most beautiful luxury mod. Not everyone will want one, especially those that value function over form, or find spending a lot for mod foolish, so in the end, this is all about desire. And I desired this mod greatly. If you do, visit Element Vape to pick one up.

Now I can’t wait to see what the new DNA75 mod from Lost Vape will look like and feel like in my hands. And I am sure I will want one.

Grade: A+

“The finest Evolv DNA200 mod yet. While its design suggests the WISMEC Reuleaux influence, it’s the fine accents, leather battery cover, ample side vents, and fine machined components anywhere that make it stand above the rest. Any DNA200 fan would drool over this gorgeous piece of machinery, with good cause. If you are looking to add another DNA200 device to your collection, or if you are looking at the DNA200 for the first time, this is the one you should buy.”

John Manzione

 Lost Vape Triade DNA200 Features:

• 200 Watts
• Evolv DNA200 Chip
• Triple 18650 Mod (Batteries Not Included)
• Ability To Customize With EScribe
• Genuine Leather Wrap On The Back Panel (Three Different Leather Styles)
• Spring Loaded 510 Connection
• Micro USB Port
• Reverse Polarity Protection
• Venting Slots
• Optimally Placed Operating Buttons

In the Box:

1x Lost Vape Triade Mod

1x Leather Battery Cover

1x USB Cable

1x Manual