Vandy Vape Jackaroo 100W Mod Kit Review

Sometimes, a vape mod just fits its owner. I know that seems silly to say, but as a guy who gets new devices to try each week, and still regularly uses much older mods, it makes sense. (You’ll have to pry my Cartel Revenant from my cold, dead hands.) That’s exactly what happened when the awesome Vandy Vape Jackaroo arrived on my desk, and didn’t leave my hands in nearly three weeks.

Hell, I only had it a week before deeming it one of the best vape mods of 2019 in our roundup – pretty high esteem for a mod we hadn’t officially reviewed yet. But again, sometimes you just know. The Jackaroo mod is one of the biggest surprises of 2019. Because most of us haven’t had much luck with single 2X700 mods in the past, much less those that claim to be water- and dust-resistant. But Vandy Vape hit on all cylinders with the Jackaroo mod, and we’ve loved every minute.

Let’s get to the specs and stuff before diving in … we’ll be waiting on the other side.

The Vandy Vape JACKAROO 100W TC Starter Kit continues the advancement of durable vape mod kit, deploying a single 21700/20700/18650 platform with IP67 waterproof and shock-resistance construction to pair with the mesh-coil JACKAROO Sub-Ohm Tank. The JACKAROO 100W Box Mod is crafted with a strong, rugged design combining beautiful wooden or resin panels while maintaining ergonomic form factor.

If Craftsman Tool made a vape mod, I’m pretty sure it would look like the Jackaroo. Because – as much as mod can be described this way – the Jackaroo is rugged all around. For starters, the soft, smooth rubberized coating feels unbelievably comfortable in the hands, especially on the grooved cutaways that reside on the palm side of the grip. From the moment you pick up the mod, it feels like an ideal blend of comfort and durability.

The resin (or resin-like) side panels are also well-done, maintaining the Jackaroo’s smooth exterior while creating a visually interesting contrast to the black rubber coating. It’s not an overwhelming contrast, and doesn’t detract from the simplicity of the design – in other words, it’s “just enough” to separate the Jackaroo from competing single-battery mods on shelves and websites.

For the record, the coating is technically IP67 waterproof material, which means you could vape in the rain without much worry. I wouldn’t go drowning the Jackaroo just to make a point, but this is clearly a more-durable vape device than most in your collection.

The round, trigger-like fire key is similarly well-made, with a shallow throw and near-immediate response time when firing or making a menu selection. And this is made even easier with a full-color TFT screen that is clear, bright and legible without getting in the way. It’s far from the most vibrant display we’ve seen, but given the limited real estate, this vertical layout does its job well.

My only (mild) qualms with the Jackaroo’s exterior is the rocker-style adjustment buttons, which are a little too close together for my liking. I didn’t experience any problems with this format, but I know my fat fingers are going to do SOMETHING stupid in the very near future. Chalk it up to preference, nothing more.

Also, with a single large battery and rubber coating, a little extra venting would have been welcome. It never gets hot on the outside, but I’d feel a little better if I knew the heat wasn’t scorching the INSIDE of the device.

Standout Features

I can’t discuss the Jackaroo’s standout features without mentioning the battery life, which is nothing short of fantastic. In fact, I’d go as far as to say this is the best argument for 2X700 batteries since the format gained traction a few years back.

How good is it? A single, fully charged 21700 cell gave me nearly six hours of steady vaping at or near its 100-watt limit. Like I said in our “best mods” roundup, this is practically unprecedented for a single-cell mod of any caliber, much less a device designed for sub-ohm vaping.

The included Jackaroo tank is a pretty nice throw-in, too. This mesh-coiled sub-ohm offering makes for a nice companion piece with the kit, and at only a few dollars more than the mod alone, it’s really a no-brainer. While the tank won’t make you forget your HorizonTech Falcon King or Augvape Skynet PRO, the included mesh coils are pretty flavorful, and durable, to boot.

For the record, the two coils – one rated at 0.15ohm (50-90W) and the other at 0.3ohm (40-60W) offer similar levels of flavor and vapor performance, with the lower-resistance coil kicking a little harder in both departments. I managed about 5-7 days from each, under testing conditions, before they gave up the ghost. I imagine those numbers will only improve under more moderate use.

Vaping the VandyVape Jackaroo Kit

Even though I usually “only” vape at 70-90 watts on average, I usually prefer 150-200-watt mods, if only for the overhead. But maybe I need to rethink this approach, because the Jackaroo makes the absolute most of its 100-watt output, smoothly ramping all the way to its limit, delivering stutter-free enjoyment along the way.

The VandyChip board isn’t one I’m too familiar with, but it seems to work well, and probably could be put to work on higher-wattage endeavors, if VandyVape is looking to expand the series. Because while they capped the Jackaroo at 100 watts, I get the feeling this chipset is throttled a little to ensure top-tier performance. (Spoiler Alert: It was the right decision to make.)

The Jackaroo offers the usual slate of wattage, voltage and temperature control options, but interestingly the device lacks the options for TCR and bypass modes. Maybe that was by design, since I don’t know too many vapers who still employ these modes regularly, but it was a little surprising to not see these options in the menu trees. There IS a DIY mode, but it seemed a little more complicated than needed using the device’s three-button control scheme.

Regardless, the available modes all work well. I expect most customers will be using the Jackaroo in straight wattage mode, and they will be rewarded with near-flawless performance.

Perhaps most important of all, the VandyVape Jackaroo is just a delightful vape mod, whether with the included sub-ohm tank, or any atomizer in your collection (up to 26mm atomizers will fit without a drop of overhang).

Pros:

– Awesome, comfortable, durable exterior

– Built like a brick house

– Excellent chipset and battery life

Cons:

– Up/down rocker button is a little snug

– Screen could be bigger

– Needs more venting

Spinfuel VAPE Recommendation and Score

Even with a few MINOR quirks I haven’t stopped using the Jackaroo since it arrived on my desk. Nor will I. From the comfort to the construction, to its outstanding battery performance, and even the above-average sub-ohm tank, this is a tremendous vape kit that will appeal to sub-ohm newcomers or those seeking a tough-as-nails mod for their collections. Quirks be damned, the VandyVape Jackaroo gets our absolute highest recommendation.