Review Pugsley's relentless savagery review of the Geekvape Aegis 100w Mod

[Steampugs]

Better late than never as the saying goes, this review was actually supposed to have been done around 2 months ago, I'm not sorry though...and I'll tell you why.... Like most people I instantly fell in love with the pictures that were posted of this heavy duty 'Tonka Toy' mod and it was literally seconds before I put my feelers out to try and snag one for review. Roll forward a week and I get the text message from DHL to let me know that my Aegis was out on the van and due for delivery THAT day.....exciting times you might think.....but then...

Nothing.

It's one thing living with the torture of waiting on your vape mail not knowing which day it's actually going to be delivered if it's something you're particularly looking forward to but....being told it's being delivered THAT day....and that's the last thing you hear?.......for 48...long....traumatic hours?......There are genuinely no words....

I caved....Obviously.....and got on the blower to these 'Charlatans' to see exactly....what the fuck they were playing at...

"Ah....yes Mr Foster....we have been expecting your call, unfortunately we did not have your number to let you know that....and I'm truly sorry to tell you this but......the DHL van was stolen...and your package with it"

I did of course politely explain that they had actually sent me a text message therefore did in fact have my number and could of told me 2 days earlier thus preventing me from having a near nervous breakdown, I also asked in a very friendly manner how it was possible to lose a whole van whilst on it's delivery rounds and how I did indeed....hope that no one was hurt in said mishap....or....something close to that....

To further add fuel to this utter dismal affair the supplier that sent me the Aegis...and indeed every other supplier I review for.....had completely run out of stock by this point......The Aegis...it would seem....would just simply pass me by....

Until now........ (you are by far the biggest drama queen known to man)

........................................................................................................................

Hello once again my curiously cuddly cloud critters....tis I once more with ample drivel to push in your general direction regarding a device that bestows upon the average reviewer...it would seem....a dark impulse to turn into a raging mod murdering psychopath.....A feeling I admit right now....doth not butter my parsnips......

So let's dispel with the Shakespearean drama and introduce you to the poor....poor device that...if it could talk.....would be begging it's maker 'please sir.....please don't give me to a reviewer'...... Courtesy of the saviours of my dark dilemma Cvapor....I FINALLY get to show to you...the Geekvape Aegis 100w Mod...

I am going to do my very best to show you the nice side of the Aegis in the vain hope that....should you decide to ever buy one.....you won't have the same reaction to it that most people seem to be getting once they lay eyes on it's super sleek almost sports car-esque appearance....

Because you know what....Mods have feelings too....(?)...and to be quite frank....people have been just plain cruel to the Aegis, Yes it's a tough mod, Who's USP is that it is built to withstand the rigours of everyday life in the hands of your average vaper but....and I don't know about you....I'm slightly more ......'empathetic'....to my devices feelings....certainly more careful than others appear to have been of late.....

The Lowdown

The Aegis is a 100w device that primarily runs off a single 26650 battery, With the included battery tube it can also run off your industry standard 18650...or...if you're that way inclined...20700 and 21700 batteries if you purchase the optional battery door to cope with them...

Bad idea though...we'll get to that in a little while...

It has all the functions needed to fulfil the requirements of most up to date vapers for all your run of the mill wires and with modes such as temperature control, variable power curve, variable wattage, TCR and bypass.....nothing particularly unusual there with today's devices but where the Aegis truly shines....Is it's durability...

The Build

If you don't know where the Aegis get's it's name from a quick look into Greek mythology will tell you that the Aegis was actually the shield wielded by the God Zeus himself.....so.....a lot to live up to then...

At present.....to my knowledge...there are only 2 mods that are being sold under the premise that they are waterproof, dust proof, shock proof and unstable angst ridden reviewer proof, however the 'other' one...is a steaming pile of human excrement and is not even worthy of mention....The Aegis however....is actually not ....all mouth and no trousers.

The body of the Aegis is an alloy C-frame partly covered in rubber and clamped by solid metal panels...or..in Geekvapes words...'It utilises advanced LSR Injection moulding technology'...but that's just basically...words... so.... I'll go with 'Fucking chunky hunk of heavy loveliness'

It is claimed to be MIL STD 810G-516.6 military grade 'shockproof' and has an IP67 waterproof rating which basically means it would stand up well if you were vaping whilst fighting in a war......against fish.

Size wise she's a bit of a chunk when you consider the single battery...

I'm gonna give my Triade a complex if I keep using it for size comparisons.....

Truth is, the Aegis is as big as it needs to be, It feels solid in the hand (ooer Mrs) and fits your grip very well, and speaking of grip.....here lies one of the most pronounced features with regards to the appearance of the Aegis....and truth be told...it's more than likely the first thing that made me fall in love with the look of it...

Leather with contrasting stitching....There is barely a man or woman alive that doesn't fall for leather with contrasting stitching....and why?....simply put.....Sports Cars.

It's a very clever piece of designing from Justin at Geekvape, It's almost as if the Aegis has been cut from a piece of Ferrari steering wheel.....and speaking from a man's perspective...when I see this kind of thing...it makes me do this...

And that's just when we see it......When we actually get it in our hands it brings forward a whole different level of teenage hormonal nostalgia...

Moving swiftly forward....and upward.....(Poor choice of words man) .....We have the spring loaded gold plated 510 which (ahem)....is massive.

The Aegis will take a 30mm top with space to spare, anyone that knows my style of vaping will already know that I would be completely won over at this point...for me...28mm and over is where it's at and not enough devices...in my opinion...have at least the option of accommodating a wider top.... super amounts of kudos...for that.

Also just behind the 510 you will notice a little vent panel held in place by 2 screws, behind this panel is where you will find the USB socket..... should Geekvape bring forward any firmware updates for the Aegis...this will have to be removed, obviously this is all due to the waterproof rating and you do get a spare rubber seal for this within the package.

Underneath we have the battery door which is both beautifully machined and....due to it's IP67 rating...completely sealed when closed via a rubber gasket running around the top of the thread...

The pull up lever is solid and comfortable to use although there is also the option of a coin slot if you would prefer. Other battery caps are available as an optional extra should you choose to use a 20700 or 21700 battery....'Options' it would appear....is a key word with the Aegis.

The Controls

Upon the face of the Aegis you have the 'large and in charge' very ergonomic fun button as well as the expected plus and minus buttons, completely plug and play, 5 clicks on and off, 3 clicks for mode change, plus and minus to scroll, you will not need to read the manual to navigate the Aegis and all the information you will need is displayed on the huge well lit screen hidden behind the clear plastic....huge....fascia. This is by far the weakest point of the Aegis, why they felt the need to cover the whole front in one massive piece of flat scratch friendly plastic is beyond me, surely it would of been better.....given the rugged construction of the Aegis....to have as little plastic on the outside as possible? having the whole front in the same rubberised finish as the body with only a tiny plastic cover over the screen...in my opinion...would of been the way to go....but it is what it is....at least it's easy to clean.

So....that's the pleasantries out of the way....the next bit will require a more steely reserve from those of you that are in fact....a little bit squeamish.

 

[Steampugs]

The Durability

As I mentioned at the start, I know of no other device that has had quite such a traumatic introduction into the world as the Aegis has had, the first wave of samples sent out to reviewers were subject to a quite frankly HORRIFIC course of experiments to test it's 'metal'.....It's claims of 'Indestructibility' turned out to be the catalyst for every reviewer on the planet to turn into Ivan Drago once presented with the poor thing...

And the reason for this?......to be safe in the knowledge that should you get run over by a car, drown, fall from the roof of a 10 story building, get frozen in a solid block of ice or blasted to the bone in the mother of all sand storms......you're mod will indeed.....survive........good to know.

One of the most thorough...and indeed malicious set of experiments was conducted by none other than the first...and indeed...last word in Battery safety, the man...the legend.... Mooch....who was kind enough to grant me permission to give you a link to his 'snuff' review....be warned...do not watch it on a full stomach...the man is literally made of pure evil....find that report on his Facebook page here...

Mooch - The Aegis Test Results

I get it...obviously....people will want to know that the Aegis is durable and me being a reviewer....it is really my job to give you said information in a professional and thorough manner so.....Against all reasoning ...I did in fact conduct my own set of macabre and torturous experiments upon my own Aegis... I did not enjoy it one little bit.

*DISCLAIMER*

No Aegis was killed during the process of the following experiments, they were conducted in a relatively clean and almost safe environment by a barely professional cockwomble. Viewer discretion is advised and for those of you with a nervous disposition....it is probably best that you skip to the end of this review.

The Fall Test

For this experiment the Aegis was thrown full force into a hard surface from a distance both myself...and the Aegis...were comfortable with.

#

Conclusion :- The Aegis survived intact and with only minor bruising, function was surprisingly unaffected and the only real victim in said experiment was a slightly compressed stack of Muji cotton pads. PASS.

The Waterproofing Test

For this test the self proclaimed 'IP67' waterproof rating was truly put to the test, I should also add that several professional scuba divers were on standby with underwater breathing apparatus should anything of gone wrong during this rigorous...and downright dangerous experiment....please....do not try this at home...

Conclusion:- The Aegis narrowly scraped through with only a mild moistness to it's exterior shell, all electrical function....astonishingly..... was unaffected. PASS.

The Ice Test

The following experiment was conducted using sub zero temperatures for a prolonged period of time to test the Aegis's claims that it can still function in temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees. Precautions were taken to avoid permanent ...and indeed life threatening....damage.

Conclusion:- The Aegis was whisked away in a foil blanket immediately after the test due to fears of hypothermia or loss of digits however....a short time after...it would appear the Aegis was largely unaffected by it's horrific and brutal trauma which was as much of a shock to me as anyone...I was adamant that I had taken things too far this time....thankfully...this was not the case. PASS.

Despite my hardest efforts to destroy my Aegis I was thwarted at every turn, It would appear that Geekvape have indeed found the formula to create the 'Chuck Norris' of all devices and their claims of near indestructibility are in fact true.....The Aegis....in my opinion...is hard as fuck.....so can we all just please....stop killing them.

Of course the Aegis has been destroyed many times over by the likes of Mooch and his cronies so it is more than possible to achieve this cruel and malicious act of mindless murder... but just because they claim that the Aegis can take a good hiding....doesn't mean that it HAS to....can't we just nominate one reviewer to do the tests....and leave it at that.

The Performance

In this area lies both good and bad news....thankfully mostly the former, the TC function is apparently quite accurate and being able to dial in your own TCR values is a function lacking in a lot of today's devices so big plus points there for those of you that are that way inclined. My biggest surprise however came with the 'Umph' that the Aegis can deliver, bare in mind that this is only a single battery device and my own past experience with this has always been a lack of upfront power, the Aegis however delivers an almost instant surge as soon as is needed (0.015 seconds by all accounts) which is impressive to say the least and way way more of a hit than any single battery device I have tried before. Myself.... being a straight shooting wattage user ...found the wattage curve mode to be an excellent feature and very easy to set up, you can input 5 different power parameters with the power band and although most like to gradient upwards within the curve starting low I like to do the opposite....I'm incredibly impatient in every area of my life so I have mine starting at 80....then 80......then 80....to 65...and finally 60, I tried a few different variations and found this to suit my style of vaping the best...each to their own.

 

[Steampugs]

Now...the next bit pains me somewhat...apart from the plastic fascia there is some bad news in the performance area too....and this comes from the fact that....although it does handle it's power very well...it is still a single battery device...and there is just no getting away from that...

On a new fully charged battery you can expect the kind of performance I mentioned above....no problem...just...not for very long. Tis the curse of the single battery device .....the dreaded battery lag, And this ugly beast rears it's head from 60% battery life downwards....and is especially noticeable in the higher watts range.... There is of course 2 ways to combat this...firstly, use a top with smaller coils, thinner gauge wire and slightly higher ohms then dial your power down, with a decent 26650 you'll get relatively good mileage this way...the other way...if like me you like the higher end of the scale with nice warm thick vapor then....carry a spare battery with you...simple as, I have a little Efest zip pouch that carries 2 x 26650 bats and If I have the Aegis with me I have that too.....it's the only thing I will have made by Efest that won't spontaneously combust so I'm all good with that. If you decide to not buy some 26650 batteries you could of course use one of the other 3 options but...power will suffer as a consequence and to get the best out of the Aegis you really need to at least give it a fighting chance with a good quality 26650...and if you're not sure which to go for...go see the Mooch....

I waited .....erm....'Aegis'...(ahem) to review this device so for once...I am not put off by the spec list....It actually....again for once...makes for some quite interesting reading...(who are you and what have you done with Pugs)

The Specs


Specification

Product Details Brand: Geekvape
Type: Electronic Cigarettes Accessories
Accessories type: MOD
Model: Aegis 100W
Material: Leather,Zinc Alloy
Mod: Temperature Control Mod,VV/VW Mod
APV Mod Wattage Range: 51-100W
APV Mod Wattage: 100W - Fires down to 0.05 ohms in both TC and Wattage modes
Temperature Control Range: TC range: 100 - 300 Deg.C
Battery Form Factor: 18650,26650 + 20700/21700 with cap
Battery Quantity: 1pc ( not included )
Dimension and Weight Product weight: 0.2030 kg
Package weight: 0.3450 kg
Product size (L x W x H): 8.80 x 4.50 x 3.50 cm / 3.46 x 1.77 x 1.38 inches
Package size (L x W x H): 11.80 x 10.50 x 4.80 cm / 4.65 x 4.13 x 1.89 inches
Package Contents Package Contents: 1 x Mod, 1 x English User Manual, 1 x Battery Adaptor, 1 x Accessory Bag

The Price

Here....you will find the cherry on the cake.

It would appear that the Aegis's problems with battery lag and peoples refusal to accept or combat said problem have worked in our favour as the price of the Aegis....which to be honest was pretty good to begin with...has plummeted.

At time of writing Cvapor has the Aegis priced at an astonishing £41.32/$54.00 with free shipping , which for a mod built like the Aegis is an absolute bargain, find that deal here....

Geekvape Aegis 100w Mod - 22% discount with free shipping

PRICE EDIT - Use discount code 'Aegis' with Cvapor and the price drops to £32.68/$42.99

Final Thoughts

The Aegis has become the ultimate 'Marmite' device...you either love it or you hate it, and no...it's not perfect and if truth be told is in dire need of an update to tackle it's battery lag issues but it hasn't taken away any joy I get from using it....which has been every day since receiving it. The look and feel of it is outstanding and once you learn how to get the best out of it you will more than likely fall in love with it as I have done. I did hear a rumour that Geekvape were in fact designing a dual battery version and that my friends....will take it to a whole new level. The durability has been proven time and time....and time.......and time...again, we get it now....it's fucking tough, toughest device on the market today without a doubt but it really does need that extra battery to give it the kind of power it looks like it can handle.....triple battery Aegis anyone?....ooft...gimme some of that shit right there you dirty bastard...

They also offer a plethora of colour options should the YELLOW (so bright it deserves capitals) ...not butter your Parsnips.

I think the Aegis is very much worth the money despite it's issues and if you want a rugged device to use at work or on the go then it will do you proud....just buy a couple of spare batteries....and try to suppress the urge to smash it to oblivion.

As always if you would like to see how the Aegis scored against other pieces of awesome vapeology then by all means hop on over to my house at Steampugs where you will find a wealth of reviews from the Steam team and even a shop chock full of goodies for you to peruse at your leisure.

Until next time.

Pugs.