Tazz
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- Feb 27, 2017
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SMOK MAG-18 KIT. (Edited)
Hello all. I would firstly like to thank Joyi from Sourcemore for sending me this kit for review.
This is not a paid review though I do keep the device.
THE PACKAGE
Ok, as usual the kit comes with the typical inclusions of Mod, Tank, spare tank glass, pre installed single mesh coil, spare double mesh coil, C type charge lead, spare seals and info cards, including one on battery safety.
It comes well packaged, which is pretty much the norm these days with all vape devices, being typically well presented. I was sent the Gold Gunmetal Leather version and being a detectorist was pleased to see this was the option I was given. There are several colours to choose from in both the leather as well as the TPU (rubber plastic blend) grip version.
The first noticeable thing with the Mod was a similarity to the GeekVape Aegis design with the stitched leather grip area and framing of that section. A rip off? Some say so, but lets be honest, we see it in car designs, TVs you name it these days. A design is popular so it gets imitated and as they do say imitation is the greatest form of flattery huh! Anyway, it looks good and feels good in the hand.
THE MOD
The mod with this kit, the Mag 18, is a 230 watt dual 18650 battery type and has a C type charge port which is good to see. The C type is becoming pretty much the norm these days and for good reasons as it makes plugging in so much easier.
Hand feel is good overall and it's nicely weighted with the batteries installed.
You know years ago, no pun intended, Smok came under a bit of fire over their Mag mods resembling a gun part with the bullet magazine style battery holder and the overall appearance of a gun handgrip. I guess that was partly due to the time of heightened airport security and scanning with fears of it being seen under scan as a concealed gun part. Many did like them but many called it out as a stupid thoughtless design. Perhaps Smok listened to peoples concerns, perhaps they didn't and this new one just evolved into what it is now to a more popular design to please the masses.
Personally im more comfortable with this design rather than the older "chkkk..load the magazine" gun part looking ones, though some die hard previous Smok Mag owners prefer the former.
Gone is the bullet magazine type loading of the batteries with this giving way to the traditional battery door with a latch. Im happy to see too that the battery door and latch pass the credit card test perfectly. That test is using the edge of the card to run from back to front across the bottom of the mod feeling for a catch on the latch, almost sounded like a Dr Zues line that one.
There is nothing more annoying than buying a mod just to see no attention was payed to the latch area and when setting it down the latch protrudes a few mm causing it to rock on it. I have an Aegis double 18650 mod that does this as well as a Wismec Tinker 2. Ultra annoying. Worst though was the indestructible (supposedly) Dejavu I had, it was so bad it caused the mod to turn on and off when you set it down. So naturally it is great to see the Mag 18 latch sits nicely receded. It locks in nice n tight too, no accidentally opening.
Now the Menu. There isn't much of one, its straight out Power Mode and that's it. Is that really a menu, possibly not. You can change the screen readout colour but there is no Curve, Temp or anything else which surprised me.
Be aware, there are some vape places though advertising this kit as having the full suite of vape Modes which is false. Its a simple Power Mode mod, no bells and whistles.
To be honest im a bit sort of "huh, what! No options" and cannot help but wonder why?
Anyhow, the screen shows 2 battery power indicators up top, the Wattage level below, Ohms, Voltage, Puffs and Time each puff lasted, that's it. 5 clicks turns it on and off, 3 clicks locks it. Hold the power button and Minus adjuster to clear Puffs and Hold the power button and Plus adjuster to change screen colour.
I will say one thing, it fires ultra fast with no discernible lag time whatsoever. Surely that's a plus, yes? Maybe, the ultra fast fire, just a tap of the power button, occurs with the single mesh coil. Using the double mesh you can do that tap and hear nothing. It doesn't feel like it really kicks into life until after the first second. It starts at about .5 of a second but doesn't ramp right up until a full second. I didn't time it but I reckon I'm not far off.
Charging wise using the C type usb lead and a 2 amp charger is fast and seems well balanced enough as it does so. I know the general consensus is to use a seperate charger for better battery safety but for the times you can't it does a pretty quick decent job of it using the usb lead.
THE TANK
I don't think there are too many long term vapers out there that don't recall Smoks coil issues of the earlier years.
Poor lifespans, leaks, flavour dying off quickly, even doa's, I personally lost count of the complaints. So much so was all of that a common thing that when somebody mentioned an issue asking for advice on a vape forum the typical answer they would receive was "well, it's a Smok!"
So how's the TFV18 and are the coils improved?
Short answer, YES and No.
This thing is a cloud and flavour beast.
I remember when the TFV16 first came out the pre installed single mesh coil oversaturated and was prone to leaking quite bad. Mine dumped the lot over night the first night I used it and flavour was ok but nothing great.
This single with the TFV18 doesn't oversaturate and doesn't leak. It does though like just about all bottom air flow tanks and coils require a blow out every say 50ml of juice going through it due to juice condensation build up. A quick blow through whilst holding it in a tissue though and your right to go, done. Noticeable also is the shape of the coils, those for the 16 were round as well as having a thinner packing of cotton around the mesh. These for the 18 have a thicker packing of cotton and sport flat sides. They are much improved, the single mesh, over the coils from the TFV16 series.
The flavour is top notch and the clouds big. This things airy too but with all the vapour produced its not all air it's big clouds and flavour. At the time of writing this its up to 1850 puffs and still putting out big flavour with not a hint of drop off or off taste. 1850 puffs at 105 watts and still going strong! Hard to believe it's a Smok right!? This single mesh is .33ohm and rated 80 to 140 watts, best 100 to 110.
Stated tank capacity is 7.5ml but measured with a syringe and pre saturated coil it fills with 6.2 to 6.5 ml off juice.
The other supplied coil is a dual mesh. Rating on these is .15ohm with the same 80 to 140w, best 100 to 110w recommendation. Saturated coil and fill, 5.5ml of juice.
To be honest I prefer the Single mesh, the flavour compared to the Dual, to me, is much better giving a fully saturated flavour and comes to life instantly! The Dual I was hoping would improve in flavour after a tank or two but it hasn't been the case for me. Funny because with the TFV16 coils it was the other way around, the Double banged out the flavour and the Single was "meh"!
(Edit) After just 200 puffs the double started leaking bad, even after blowing it out it was soon back to doing it. This is exactly how the single mesh was with the TFV16 single. Very disappointed to be honest.
VERDICT
Ok, these thoughts are mine only and what one likes another may not.
The Mod is simple, some may say too simple and perhaps it is. Id love to have seen it given some protection, IP rating wise, as the coils after 50ml do build up some condensation and if left unchecked can and will leak some juice onto the top of the Mod. Keep an eye on that.
I do think not having a Temperature and a Curve option at least in the menu may put some off.
It is a good mod fast firing wise (using the single mesh) with a good battery door and latch, but is that enough to tip it in favour for some to consider it? That's something only the buyer can answer.
The Tank and the Single mesh, are fantastic if huge flavour and clouds are your thing. To me it is my thing and I really love this tank with the Single mesh coil. I bet there are many saying, one person did actually say this to me not long ago, "wow I never thought I'd hear the words Love and Smok mentioned in the same sentence!" There's a first time for everything huh!
There it is. I really like the Mods design but reckon it needs an IP rating and a few menu options.
I do love the Tank and Single Mesh coil and can definitely recommend it if you love big flavour and clouds. In that department it excells. Id say avoid though the Double mesh going by what I experienced with it. Was it just a dodgy one I was unfortunate to get? Maybe, but the amount that it dumped was potentially a mod destroyer amount.
Many thanks again to Joyi from Sourcemore for sending this to me for review.
https://www.sourcemore.com/smok-mag-18-kit.html
Cheers to all and stay well.
Hello all. I would firstly like to thank Joyi from Sourcemore for sending me this kit for review.
This is not a paid review though I do keep the device.
THE PACKAGE
Ok, as usual the kit comes with the typical inclusions of Mod, Tank, spare tank glass, pre installed single mesh coil, spare double mesh coil, C type charge lead, spare seals and info cards, including one on battery safety.
It comes well packaged, which is pretty much the norm these days with all vape devices, being typically well presented. I was sent the Gold Gunmetal Leather version and being a detectorist was pleased to see this was the option I was given. There are several colours to choose from in both the leather as well as the TPU (rubber plastic blend) grip version.
The first noticeable thing with the Mod was a similarity to the GeekVape Aegis design with the stitched leather grip area and framing of that section. A rip off? Some say so, but lets be honest, we see it in car designs, TVs you name it these days. A design is popular so it gets imitated and as they do say imitation is the greatest form of flattery huh! Anyway, it looks good and feels good in the hand.
THE MOD
The mod with this kit, the Mag 18, is a 230 watt dual 18650 battery type and has a C type charge port which is good to see. The C type is becoming pretty much the norm these days and for good reasons as it makes plugging in so much easier.
Hand feel is good overall and it's nicely weighted with the batteries installed.
You know years ago, no pun intended, Smok came under a bit of fire over their Mag mods resembling a gun part with the bullet magazine style battery holder and the overall appearance of a gun handgrip. I guess that was partly due to the time of heightened airport security and scanning with fears of it being seen under scan as a concealed gun part. Many did like them but many called it out as a stupid thoughtless design. Perhaps Smok listened to peoples concerns, perhaps they didn't and this new one just evolved into what it is now to a more popular design to please the masses.
Personally im more comfortable with this design rather than the older "chkkk..load the magazine" gun part looking ones, though some die hard previous Smok Mag owners prefer the former.
Gone is the bullet magazine type loading of the batteries with this giving way to the traditional battery door with a latch. Im happy to see too that the battery door and latch pass the credit card test perfectly. That test is using the edge of the card to run from back to front across the bottom of the mod feeling for a catch on the latch, almost sounded like a Dr Zues line that one.
There is nothing more annoying than buying a mod just to see no attention was payed to the latch area and when setting it down the latch protrudes a few mm causing it to rock on it. I have an Aegis double 18650 mod that does this as well as a Wismec Tinker 2. Ultra annoying. Worst though was the indestructible (supposedly) Dejavu I had, it was so bad it caused the mod to turn on and off when you set it down. So naturally it is great to see the Mag 18 latch sits nicely receded. It locks in nice n tight too, no accidentally opening.
Now the Menu. There isn't much of one, its straight out Power Mode and that's it. Is that really a menu, possibly not. You can change the screen readout colour but there is no Curve, Temp or anything else which surprised me.
Be aware, there are some vape places though advertising this kit as having the full suite of vape Modes which is false. Its a simple Power Mode mod, no bells and whistles.
To be honest im a bit sort of "huh, what! No options" and cannot help but wonder why?
Anyhow, the screen shows 2 battery power indicators up top, the Wattage level below, Ohms, Voltage, Puffs and Time each puff lasted, that's it. 5 clicks turns it on and off, 3 clicks locks it. Hold the power button and Minus adjuster to clear Puffs and Hold the power button and Plus adjuster to change screen colour.
I will say one thing, it fires ultra fast with no discernible lag time whatsoever. Surely that's a plus, yes? Maybe, the ultra fast fire, just a tap of the power button, occurs with the single mesh coil. Using the double mesh you can do that tap and hear nothing. It doesn't feel like it really kicks into life until after the first second. It starts at about .5 of a second but doesn't ramp right up until a full second. I didn't time it but I reckon I'm not far off.
Charging wise using the C type usb lead and a 2 amp charger is fast and seems well balanced enough as it does so. I know the general consensus is to use a seperate charger for better battery safety but for the times you can't it does a pretty quick decent job of it using the usb lead.
THE TANK
I don't think there are too many long term vapers out there that don't recall Smoks coil issues of the earlier years.
Poor lifespans, leaks, flavour dying off quickly, even doa's, I personally lost count of the complaints. So much so was all of that a common thing that when somebody mentioned an issue asking for advice on a vape forum the typical answer they would receive was "well, it's a Smok!"
So how's the TFV18 and are the coils improved?
Short answer, YES and No.
This thing is a cloud and flavour beast.
I remember when the TFV16 first came out the pre installed single mesh coil oversaturated and was prone to leaking quite bad. Mine dumped the lot over night the first night I used it and flavour was ok but nothing great.
This single with the TFV18 doesn't oversaturate and doesn't leak. It does though like just about all bottom air flow tanks and coils require a blow out every say 50ml of juice going through it due to juice condensation build up. A quick blow through whilst holding it in a tissue though and your right to go, done. Noticeable also is the shape of the coils, those for the 16 were round as well as having a thinner packing of cotton around the mesh. These for the 18 have a thicker packing of cotton and sport flat sides. They are much improved, the single mesh, over the coils from the TFV16 series.
The flavour is top notch and the clouds big. This things airy too but with all the vapour produced its not all air it's big clouds and flavour. At the time of writing this its up to 1850 puffs and still putting out big flavour with not a hint of drop off or off taste. 1850 puffs at 105 watts and still going strong! Hard to believe it's a Smok right!? This single mesh is .33ohm and rated 80 to 140 watts, best 100 to 110.
Stated tank capacity is 7.5ml but measured with a syringe and pre saturated coil it fills with 6.2 to 6.5 ml off juice.
The other supplied coil is a dual mesh. Rating on these is .15ohm with the same 80 to 140w, best 100 to 110w recommendation. Saturated coil and fill, 5.5ml of juice.
To be honest I prefer the Single mesh, the flavour compared to the Dual, to me, is much better giving a fully saturated flavour and comes to life instantly! The Dual I was hoping would improve in flavour after a tank or two but it hasn't been the case for me. Funny because with the TFV16 coils it was the other way around, the Double banged out the flavour and the Single was "meh"!
(Edit) After just 200 puffs the double started leaking bad, even after blowing it out it was soon back to doing it. This is exactly how the single mesh was with the TFV16 single. Very disappointed to be honest.
VERDICT
Ok, these thoughts are mine only and what one likes another may not.
The Mod is simple, some may say too simple and perhaps it is. Id love to have seen it given some protection, IP rating wise, as the coils after 50ml do build up some condensation and if left unchecked can and will leak some juice onto the top of the Mod. Keep an eye on that.
I do think not having a Temperature and a Curve option at least in the menu may put some off.
It is a good mod fast firing wise (using the single mesh) with a good battery door and latch, but is that enough to tip it in favour for some to consider it? That's something only the buyer can answer.
The Tank and the Single mesh, are fantastic if huge flavour and clouds are your thing. To me it is my thing and I really love this tank with the Single mesh coil. I bet there are many saying, one person did actually say this to me not long ago, "wow I never thought I'd hear the words Love and Smok mentioned in the same sentence!" There's a first time for everything huh!
There it is. I really like the Mods design but reckon it needs an IP rating and a few menu options.
I do love the Tank and Single Mesh coil and can definitely recommend it if you love big flavour and clouds. In that department it excells. Id say avoid though the Double mesh going by what I experienced with it. Was it just a dodgy one I was unfortunate to get? Maybe, but the amount that it dumped was potentially a mod destroyer amount.
Many thanks again to Joyi from Sourcemore for sending this to me for review.
https://www.sourcemore.com/smok-mag-18-kit.html
Cheers to all and stay well.
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