I’m going to try and write this review with sunglasses on, sitting in a darkened office. Because there’s no way I want to look directly at the Voopoo Gold Drag with the naked eye. This 157-watt, resin-accented mod is framed in gold-colored zinc alloy and accompanied by an equally golden UForce sub-ohm tank. The end result is… gaudy, but awesome.

Now, I’ve used the term “gaudy” to describe a lot of vape mods over the years, but no mod has earned it quite like the Voopoo Gold Drag. This thing looks like it was designed during a drunken collaboration between Liberace and Tony Montana. If Las Vegas was shrunken into a vape device, it would be the Gold Drag. (Of course, then Voopoo would have to rename it the “Drag Strip,” but I digress…)

Still, all the jokes in the world won’t matter if the dual-18650 Gold Drag mod kit vapes well – and it does just that. Though 157 watts doesn’t seem like much these days, the mod’s sheer ramp-up and efficient functionality make an even louder statement than the gold-framed resin ever could.

Though you might still be seeing stars from first viewing the Gold Drag, once your eyes adjust you’ll notice Voopoo’s trademark attention to detail, with soft-textured resin side panels, flawless machining, and rock-solid construction. It’s tall and heavy, to be sure, but the Gold Drag is durable and looks like it would survive a few hundred falls before showing some real wear.

The resin itself is fine – perhaps not the nicest use of the material we’ve seen around here, but certainly unique enough to warrant a mention or two. Users can choose between four different color options, but honestly, with all the gold surrounding it, the resin almost takes a back seat to the bright, shiny metal.

Even though bright gold isn’t my personal style, I don’t REALLY mind it here. However, I DO wish Voopoo reconsidered using the emblazoned “DRAG” logo on the panel, instead of using another piece of matching resin. The logo just appears over-the-top, even on this mod, and actually creates a less-cohesive overall look.

One other item of note, despite the bulk and heft, the Gold Drag’s beveled edges mean the top of the mod is “just” 24mm wide. Now, I used 25 and 26mm tanks on here with no problems (the included UForce tank is 25mm itself!) but the beveled gap means most modern tanks and RDAs will hang over this lip. If you’re seeking something to fit flush, you might want to research before buying.

Also, it should be noted that the Gold Drag isn’t the most comfortable device to use over the course of a day. While it’s certainly not uncomfortable, the hard angles and sharp edges make for a device that’s more suited for environments where you can put it down. After a few minutes of holding it, I found myself hunting for pockets that would fit its frame.

Voopoo may have wanted users to focus on the Gold Drag’s aesthetics, but the star of the show remains the vaunted GENE chipset, which has powered most, if not all of the company’s mods these past few years. It boasts some of the fastest ramping we’ve seen on a modern mod, and the Gold Drag is no exception, with a ludicrous 0.025s firing speed. This, coupled with equally amazing battery life means users are in for a potent, powerful vape every time.

The full temp control suite offers the usual array of options, but with near-DNA levels of precision when setting and maintaining temp settings and resistances. The companion app isn’t quite up Evolv’s lofty Escribe standards, but it does what it’s designed to, no more, no less. And the experience is better for it.

One downside to the GENE chipset mirrors what I’ve said about older DNA devices – the display and menu structure is far too antiquated for 2018. Interfaces have improved tremendously over the last few years, and seeing a narrow, monochrome display with unintuitive menu operations is a little deflating – especially on a mod so focused on appearance.

While using the app makes adjustments much easier, I firmly believe that a vape mod’s functionality should be just as useful on the device itself, and that’s not the case with the Gold Drag. Instead, the software allows you to make changes to update your firmware, and “customize” the mod by changing some of the operating characteristics such as the custom vaping curves, vaping time limits and other minutiae.

Finally, another highlight of the entire Voopoo Gold Drag Kit is the inclusion of the companion UForce sub-ohm tank, which is a gold-colored, stainless steel addition that performs on par with most tanks in this category. The 0.4-ohm U4 coils proved to be long-lasting and flavorful, if not quite the vapor producers I would have expected.

I’d be interested to see which coils are cross-compatible with the UForce because, while the included heads did their job well, I feel like this tank is capable of a bit more “oomph.” Still, when compared to most “kit” throw-ins, the UForce is above average and worth keeping around.

Though the GENE chip is known for its precise temperature control capabilities, I found the Gold Drag to be best used for straight wattage vaping. Using a wide range of tanks but focusing mostly on the UForce tank and a few RTAs, I thoroughly enjoyed how well the mod smoothly increased power, all the way to its 157-watt limit.

In an era of 300+ watt vape machines, 157 seems like a modest number, but what some of those other supposed “high-wattage” devices don’t offer is this much immediate power. And let me tell you, when you get a near-instant rush of flavor and warmth after just a few milliseconds, it’s FAR more powerful than a weaker device limping its way to its limits. At just 75-80 watts, I was floored with how potent each draw was, and how smooth things remained throughout.

In temp control, the performance is predictably accurate and powerful, with no surprises or random fluctuations. At this point in the evolution of temp control, we’ve seen almost everything the technology has to offer, and reviews really come down to “does it work?” In that regard, yes, the Gold Drag is a top-tier TC mod, and well worth investigating by precision vaping enthusiasts.

The Voopoo Gold Drag makes a hell of a first impression. But what’s more important is that it makes an even better LASTING impression. Because, behind the glitz, the flash and the sheer gaudiness of the design lies a vape mod aimed at no-nonsense performance, no matter what type of vaping you prefer.

It might have antiquated design, and it’s certainly a lot to swallow visually, but the Gold Drag makes a much louder impact when you vape it. And that, my friends, is as good as gold.

Score: A-