Looking at the success of the world renown desktop vaporizer the Volcano, one might not realize that the road to success for the company behind it, Storz & Bickel, has been a long way. It all started over two decades ago in the year 1996 when Markus Storz, one of the founders of the now prestigious vaporizer company, began developing vaporizers. Two years later, he had developed the Volcano's detachable balloon system, which is one of the reasons why we love this vape. The following year, he patented his innovative new vape tech and soon after, filed international patent registrations to protect his hard work. Before we continue filling you in on the Volcano's history, we want to take a moment to talk about the Volcano and the two different flavors it comes in. There's the Classic, which is the first version to hit the market, and then there's the Digit, which is nearly identical. The major difference between the two is the temperature control system. With the Digit, you have digital controls. This entails a big screen that shows the temperature, both the current temp and the one you've set, and a couple of buttons used to increase and decrease the set temperature. With the Classic, you have a knob that you turn to adjust the temperature. The Classic's temperature control system doesn't let you know exactly what temperature you're at nor which temperature you've set, it's more of a rough estimate in a sense. But what it does tell you is when the desired temperature has been reached. The Digit on the other hand has the ability to tell you with a high level of precision what the current temperature is and it too lets you know when it has reached the desired vaporizing temperature. Between the two, the Digit is somewhat the obvious choice as far as quality and usability are concerned, but the Classic has one big benefit over the Digit: it costs less. Given that both use the same heating system, balloon delivery, and so on, they're basically identical with the exception of the temperature controls, which means buyers can save some cash if they forget about the digital temperature controls and go with the Classic's simpler system of controlling the temp. What makes the Volcano's so popular is a combination of things. First, there's their quality of vapor, which is top notch. We have literally not found a better vaporizer in this regard. Then there's the delivery method, which employs a balloon as a medium used to transport the vapor to the user. First the balloon is filled with vapor and then a valve is attached. The user then opens the valve to release the vapor, allowing them to take draws whenever they want. This is an extremely convenient system and far as plugins go, there's no easier to use system - at least not that those of us at VaporizerShark.com have tried. When it comes to the balloons, there are two types to choose from. There are the balloons that are cut to size and then there are the balloons that you cut to the size of your preference. The ones that you can customize are used with the Solid Valve and the ones that are made for you are used with the Easy Valve. The Solid Valve is intended to be used over and over, essentially a piece that is recycled time and time again. The Easy Valve is intended to be thrown away when it's done so after it gets some use and appears to be dirty, it's actually okay to throw it away. You'll save time with the Easy Valve but you'll save money with the Solid Valve, plus the Solid Valve is more durable. In the end, you can choose one or use both - the choice is yours. The one major drawback to the Volcano vapes is their high price tag, but beyond this, their only real issue is their noise, which isn't so much of a problem as it is an annoyance. We've never been bothered by it but we can see how some might find it annoying. That pretty much summarizes our thoughts on the Volcano vaporizers so continue reading if you're still interested in learning more about the history of these two top of the line vapes. Then in 2000, Storz introduced the labor of all his hard work to the world in the form of the very first Volcano Vaporizer, the Classic. Today, this vape is still considered the "gold standard" and is commonly used by scientists studying vaporizers. This was basically the year that changed everything. With the release of the Volcano Classic, the world suddenly had at its fingertips an incredible vaporizer that was not only worth using, but better, at least in our opinion, to the alternatives. It was so well designed that even today it remains one of the best vaporizers on the market - or at least, that's the way we see it. A couple of years later, in 2002, Storz was joined by partner Jurgen Bickel and the Storz & Bickel company was formed. The Germany-based company is officially known as Storz & Bickel GmbH & Co. KG. Their name, Storz and Bickel, has become synonymous with top quality vaporizer products, a reputation that has only been bolstered by the release of the Plenty, Mighty, and Crafty vaporizers - not to mention the Digit, which we'll talk more about soon as we continue diving into the history of the Volcano and its maker, the Storz & Bickel vaporizer company. Following their partnership and the formation of their new business entity, the pair then introduced a 110 Volt version of the Volcano with the intent of releasing them into the United States market, which is exactly what they did in 2003. Following the release of their products in the U.S., they decided to form a U.S.-based subsidiary known as Storz & Bickel America, Inc, which was founded in California's Bay Area, in Oakland specifically. With their U.S. base of operations established, it wasn't long before the company released a newer, better, and more expensive version of their already popular Volcano. This new version, the Digit, was released in 2007, marking the company's first electronically controlled vaporizer to hit the market. And just one year later, in 2008, the company released an entirely new vape, the handheld Plenty Vaporizer. The Plenty is an interesting vape, which is why we want to take a moment to discuss it in some depth. What it really excels at is delivery a powerful punch of vapor, more than you can handle. Obviously you can dial it down and get smaller hits but for those that want it, it also offers massive clouds of vapor that'll put you in your place and have you never second guessing the potential of vaporizers again. Its heating chamber, or oven, is extremely large. It's not deep so much as it is wide, which provides an abundance of surface area to heat up your blend. This allows it to quickly heat a large quantity of blend, which in turn is what allows it to produce so much vapor. Think of it as a straight shot to the face. A one-hitter-quitter kind of scenario in which you don't need to sit there and take puff after puff as one or two big hits will usually do the trick. Now while it is a handheld vaporizer, don't mistake that to mean that it's a portable because it's not. It still has a cord that must be plugged into an electrical outlet, making it a plugin vape, but it doesn't rest on a desk or table, it sits in your hand. It is basically a whip vaporizer in the sense that the vapor travels through a "whip" before it reaches you. This whip isn't your typical hose, it's actually a coil that helps cool the vapor while also allowing you to adjust its positioning to make it more comfortable to use. Overall, we think this is an awesome vape but we still prefer the Volcano's balloons over its whip just about any day of the week. For us, this is more of a party vape, one that we pull out when we want to show our friends and family that vaporizing has come a long way since its inception. We do this because it packs a serious punch and removes all doubts as to whether vaping is a viable alternative to smoking. It uses a combined air and radiation heater to apply to heat the blend and like the Volcano, it's capable of supporting virtually all types of blends thanks to its handy liquid heating pads that can be used to vape concentrates or to take up space in the oven when you just want to use a small amount of dried blend. Then in the year 2009, the company received its ISO 13485 and 9001 certifications, marking the year that Storz and Bickel officially met the requirements to manufacture medical devices. And just one year later, in 2010, they released their Volcano Medic, the first medical vaporizer released to the world at large. In Canada, Europe, and Israel, the Volcano Medic is sold under the VaporMed brand. Literally the same product, only with a different name. Fast forward a handful of years, the company released its first battery-powered vaporizers - the portable Crafty and Mighty. These two vapes, which are undoubtedly amongst the most powerful portable vaporizers on the market, are touted by their maker as "the most powerful vaporizers of their kind" as well as "the world's first vaporizers with vibration alarm, cooling unit flipable mouthpiece and, in the case of the Crafty, with Bluetooth and app control using a smartphone." Since their release, others have hit the market with Bluetooth connected vapes that can be controlled via apps, this includes the Pax 3 and DaVinci IQ vaporizers. The Pax 3 app even has some games loaded onto it so you can get down with some vapor while playing games with your friends. In fact, one of the games it comes with is really fun, it's basically spin the bottle only it's spin the pax and where it lands decides who vapes next. Fun? Absolutely. But this isn't about the Pax vaporizer anymore than it is about the new IQ, so back to Storz & Bickel's history. Moving forward to the year 2015, just one year after the release of the Mighty and Crafty, the company released its Mighty Medic, adding yet another medical vaporizer to the company's growing list of achievements. While this might not seem like much, the company is currently the only company in the world manufacturing medical vapes of their kind. And just last year, the company opened the world's first medical vaporizer factory, which is located in the same town as the company's headquarters - Tuttlingen, Germany. Notably, Tuttlingen is the same town where the world's first surgical instrument factory was established, which was built over 150 years prior to the construction of Storz & Bickel's new medical vaporizer factory. Adding a little to this, the Crafty and Mighty are two top of the line portable vaporizers that, like their Volcano cousins, are expensive in comparison to other vapes of their kind. But with their high cost comes high quality. These aren't cheap vapes, not in the monetary sense nor the quality sense. They're well made, intelligently designed, and capable of delivering vapor with a quality on par with or better than most high-end desktop vapes. The Mighty is the larger and more expensive of the two. Due to its relatively large size, it's not quite as compact as most portables, but it more than makes up for its large size with its powerful vapor production. Unlike the Crafty, it has digital temperature controls built directly into it whereas the Crafty is actually reliant upon its app for temperature customization. All things said and done, these two vapes, along with the rest of the Storz & Bickel vaporizers, are incredible.
Now you know the in-depth history of the Volcano vaporizers and the company behind them, Storz & Bickel. To learn more about vaporizers, visit our website at VaporizerShark.com and be sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter @VaporizerShark to stay up to date with what we're up to.
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Here it is, basically everything you've ever wanted to know about Arizer's Extreme Q, a desktop vaporizer with enough features to make your head spin. It's a bit old now, but the Extreme Q, one of Arizer's claims to fame, is still one of those desktops that's actually worth knowing about. It doesn't work the best, especially in comparison to vapes like the Volcano, but it does offer a lot and it does so for a good price. So that's where we're going to start things off, with what it offers, so keep reading if you want to learn more about this Canadian made vaporizer.
How does it vape? With convection - or in other words, moving heated air through your blend to create vapor. How does it move the air? With a multi-speed internal fan, a fan that technically makes it a forced-air vaporizer, which is what all balloon vapes are. What delivery methods does it have? This is an area where the EQ really shines. It has the option for a whip, which is that long tube you've probably seen before on traditional style desktop vapes. It also has the ability to heat up your blend and release it directly into the air, which is what we at VaporizerShark.com like to call ambient delivery. And then there's the last option, the balloon. This is also called the bag, but the formal name is the balloon. This is basically a plastic bag used to capture vapor that you can then draw from. It works but not as well as the Volcano Vaporizer, which has a much more convenient valve implementation. With the EQ, you have to open the valve and close it manually. But with the Volcano, it all happens naturally as you go to take a draw. It does so by opening when you push it to your mouth to inhale and closes as soon as you take your mouth off it. Simple. If the EQ's was this easy, this vape would really be something else. How hot does it get? The temperature range of the Arizer Extreme starts at 122 degrees Fahrenheit and stretches all the way up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, which is really hot and probably a lot hotter than you actually need it to get. We never use it at this high of a temperature but perhaps you'll find some use for it. For the most part, we like to keep it in the low 400s and high 300s, somewhere around there. Adjusting the temperature is pretty darn easy thanks to its digital interface which lets you move it up and down with the press of a button. There's also the remote control, which adds another way for you to adjust the temperature and it even has quick jump buttons to let you jump straight to specific preset temperatures that are programmed into it. Nice for when you want to jump quickly to a specific temperature that's closer to your preferred temp because then you can just move it up or down a bit to get it where you want it. How fast does it heat up? The heat up time on the Extreme vape obviously differs based on the temperature you want it to reach and the ambient temperature in the space you're using it in. If it's cold where you're using it and the set temp is high, it'll obviously take longer than it would if the area was warm and the set temp was low. But you want specific information. For us, it takes around 3 minutes or so to heat up. Once it's ready, you can vape until you can't vape anymore because it'll stay hot the whole time, assuming you leave it powered on. This isn't super fast but for a desktop, it works. It's really the portables that you don't want to be waiting around for because it's just too inconvenient to sit there waiting. But for desktops, what's the big deal? Waiting around a little bit for a solid session? Who cares. Fan settings This desktop vaporizer doesn't have one speed, it has three. The three speeds allow the user to choose just how fast it's moving air and pumping out vapor. On the lowest setting, we found that the vapor it produces is noticeably denser than the vapor it produces at the highest fan speed. Knowing that should help you calibrate it to your liking and get the most out of your sessions based on what level of vapor density is most appealing to you. Can the Extreme Q vape extracts? Vaping concentrates with the EQ isn't something that those of us at Vaporizer Shark would ever suggest you do because it's not designed for it. The nature of its design doesn't really support it because if the blend liquifies, or if it's already liquid for that matter, it can run down into the vape itself, which is pretty far from ideal. So we'd stay away from this but if you really want to do it, we have to admit, we have done it successfully. All you really have to do is stay away from blends that liquify when exposed to heat and preferably put it on top of a layer of dry blend. Does it work? Absolutely. But again, we don't actually suggest it because there's a chance you might damage your unit and as far as we're aware, this kind of user-imposed damage isn't actually covered under the manufacturer's warranty - but don't quote us on this, contact Arizer instead if this is something you're really trying to do. Tips for using this vape Here are some tips for using the EQ. Follow them, don't follow them, it's up to you. We like to jack up the fan speed when we're feeling lazy and want to let the vape do all the work. We also like to crank it up when we're trying to fill bags quick. The vapor isn't quite as good, in our opinion, when you do this, but it makes things a little easier when using the whip and a little faster when using the bag. We also like to allow the vape itself to sit for a minute or two after it has reached the set temp. We do this because we like for it to get nice and toasty in there before we start to vape. Seems to work better. For the best temperature, we don't have a specific temperature to offer you all so much as a range and that range is between 380 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Some of you, almost certainly, will want to use it at higher temperatures but before you do, try it out on the lower temps because this is one of those vapes that actually works really well on lower temperature settings. Warranty information Since we just mentioned the warranty, we wanted to let you all know a bit more about it. It's a 3-year limited manufacturer's warranty that protects against defects in material and craftsmanship. Learn more While we've covered just about everything there is to know about this popular plugin, there's still a lot more you can learn about it by reading our Extreme Q review such as what accessories are available for it, where to buy it, how well it works, how its vapor quality compares to other vapes, and for that matter, how it compares to other vapes. We have all of that information and more contained within our review, which we published on our website at VaporizerShark.com. Want to see it? Follow this link here. That'll take you to our complete Extreme Q vaporizer review on our website. While you're there, you can browse through the other vapes we've reviewed, catch up on the latest vaping news, and read through our guides. If you have any questions or comments, there are comment forms at the bottom of every article where you can chime in and there's also a contact form on our contact page that you can use to message us directly. This is somewhat of an introduction combined with a review. First, we'd like to introduce to you the first in the line of Pax vaporizers, the one that started it all, the original Pax by Ploom. Released years ago as a portable vaporizer designed for dry blends, or "loose leaf" as its manufacturer call its, this now classic portable has really made a name for itself with few vapers not aware of its existence, which we attribute in part to its incredible marketing. Early on, its maker, Ploom, which is now known as Pax Labs, made a lot of moves in the right direction - pushing it towards the heights of portable vaporizer popularity. Was it worth the money? When it first came out, yes and no. At the time, it was a decent portable but it wasn't the best. However, it looked great and it worked reasonably well, especially in comparison to some of the cheap portables out at the time, and so people were intrigued. We were amongst those interested as we ourselves couldn't helped but be intrigued when we first caught wind of it. However, after testing it, we couldn't help but notice some problems with it - particularly with its mouthpiece sticking / getting stuck. Why did this happen? Well, the simple explanation is we didn't clean it well enough. But the more in depth explanation is that we couldn't clean it well enough due to its design and this resulted in a buildup of vape trash resin around the mouthpiece that eventually prevented it from popping in and out. This might not sound like much of a problem to some, but for those who understand the mechanics of the original Pax, it obviously is. The reason why this is a big issue is due to the fact that when the mouthpiece pops out, the unit turns on and starts to heat up. And when it's pushed back in, it turns off. So if it's stuck, well, no vape - basically. But there's more to this vape than that so continue reading below. This review picks up after the image below. Problems with the mouthpiece getting stuck aside, the Pax was an interesting vape in its day. It had three temperatures, a simple yet useful display system, and an easy to load oven. Plus, it easily fit into any pocket we ever put it in. So its small size was definitely of big appeal to us and its ease of use as well, but the cleaning and maintenance, well, obviously that was a different story. But did that stop us from using it? No. We eventually picked up some of the lubricant packets that Ploom put out at the time in an attempt on their part to resolve the issue with the mouthpiece sticking. Did it work? Yeah, but not all that well and frankly, we didn't like the idea of putting a lubricant in our vape as it gave us the impression that it was diminishing the purity of the vapor it produced.
The real fix to this mouthpiece sticking problem came in the form of a design change. The new design, which entails an update to the mouthpiece sliding ring shape, made a huge different. With it, the issue with the mouthpiece basically disappeared, making it a viable vape for somewhat long-term use. Prior to this, we couldn't say great things about this vape. But now, while it's obviously not the best portable vape on the market right now, it's a pretty decent portable. Would we buy one again? No, almost certainly not. Why? Because there are better vapes around. Heck, even Pax Labs has better portables at this point. The one that came next, the Pax 2, was significantly better than this, the original. It came as a vast improvement in our eyes but when it was released, it seemed to lack a feature that we really wanted to see: the ability to vape dry blends and concentrates. Limited to just dry blends while the Ascent by DaVinci that came out before it could handle both just seemed like a failure in our eyes. But eventually, as it stands today, the Pax Labs company produced a resolution that works even with the Pax 2: a concentrate insert. This concentrate insert designed for the Pax 3 made it so that the Pax 2 could vaporize extracts and that, to us, made the Pax 2 a truly awesome portable as far as the ultra compact portables are concerned. Quick information on this vape:
So with all of this in mind, we wouldn't suggest buying this vape unless you just don't have access to the new Pax vaporizers. It's old, it's dated, and there are better options around right now so if you have the ability to get something else, something newer and better, do it because this vape is just a bit too old to really be a worthwhile option in today's market. But if you really want to know more about it, like how it compares to other comparable portable vapes, what its temperature range is, how to clean it, how to maintain it, where to buy it, how it works, what it's made of, what its dimensions are, how much it weighs, what accessories are available for it, and more, well then you'll want to take a look at our Pax 1 vaporizer review on our website at VaporizerShark.com because we've put together a really nice review for it packed full of information like the aforementioned and more. Summit Plus, or the Summit+ as Vapium calls it, is a portable vaporizer that appeals to our wild side. It's not your average portable - no, this vape is designed for the great outdoors. It has a water resistant exterior that's rugged enough to sustain itself through quite a few drops, although we obviously wouldn't advise dropping it intentionally. Still, if it does happen to drop, the thick outer shell shielding its internal components is tough enough to likely withstand the drop so long as it's not from any kind of serious height. So for those who like to vape when they hike, this is an awesome little find. It may very well be one of the best portable vaporizers for hikers, or at least that's what we think. And we're definitely not the only ones.
As we previously noted in a post to our WordPress blog, Geek.com, VapeGuide.com, and others have acknowledged its durability in their own Summit+ reviews, which we've found to be consistent with our own findings. Daniel Starkey, writing for Geek.com, called it "the vape for the great outdoors" while noting that it's "sturdy enough" to take a bit of a walloping. So if you need a good vape for when you go out, something that won't break quite as easily as some of the other contenders for that space in your pocket, then the Summit vaporizer is right up your alley. For water resistance, this rugged little vape uses an IP54 rated material. This doesn't mean you can go swimming with it, but it does mean that it can take a little splash here and there without any issues. So if you need something that won't die when it gets a little rain on it, here's your vape. The Summit vaporizer, which costs roughly $150 at this time, is designed for the backcountry, according to its product description on the Vapium website. So if you're an outdoorsy person, this portable is one to take into consideration when you it comes time to look for your next vape. It's available in three colors: black, blue, and green. There's also a "Strain Hunters" edition, which is, according to Vapium's description of it on their website, "designed for the strain hunters." It's available in just one color, black, and comes with a strain hunters emblem emblazoned on its side. Like quite a few modern portables, the Summit+ comes with an app that allows you to take control of its temperature, session time, and boost via your smartphone or similar device. It also boasts an ergonomic design which entails a rubberized grip, which makes it that much more appealing when using it outside because your chances or dropping it are reduced. For its air/vapor path, Vapium went with laser welded stainless steel. As a result, the vapor it produces tastes better than you might expect. Not the best tasting but good enough for us to say that we don't mind puffing on this bad boy. Like the DaVinci IQ, it uses vibrations to let you know when it's ready to be used. This allows you to turn it on and put it back in your pocket while you wait for it to heat up. Once it's ready, it'll vibrate, letting you know that it's ready to go. To power it, it uses a 3300 mAh lithium ion battery. And as you may have assumed, it is rechargeable. With its powerful internal battery, it's capable of reaching vaping temperatures as high as 440 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hotter than a lot of portables we've tested. The temperature range, for reference, spans from 330 degrees Fahrenheit to 440 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the equivalent to 160 degrees Celsius to 230 degrees Celsius. Adding to its outdoor charm, its manufacturer made sure that it's capable of operating in extreme conditions. So if you live where it gets cold, no worries so long as the temperature doesn't drop below zero degrees Fahrenheit because it's capable of operating at such frigid temperatures. And if it gets hot where you're at, you'll be happy to find that it can operate without issue at up to 176 degrees Fahrenheit, which is a lot hotter than anywhere you'll find yourself. Wondering about the warranty coverage? Vapium guarantees it against defects with its 2-year manufacturer's warranty. And for replacement parts, its manufacturer has made a point to make available basically everything you could ever need - replacement screens, mouthpieces, heating chamber lids, pick tools, and more. Can it vape concentrates? Vaping extracts is a possibility with this vape. To do it, all you need to do is drop a concentrate pad in the Summit's oven and add your extract to it. We've found that it works best at higher temperatures. This, to us, is basically borrowing from the Storz & Bickel method of vaping concentrates as these types of concentrate pads were something we first saw in the Volcano vaporizers. They're also used by Storz and Bickel's Plenty, Mighty, and Crafty vaporizers. Smart move on Vapium's part because who doesn't want the ability to vape concentrates with their portable? Right, no one. Awesome feature. Conclusion All things considered, we like the Summit+ by Vapium and all that it entails. It could be better, but for what it is -- a tough little portable fit for the great outdoors -- it's pretty darn solid and we couldn't ask for much more. But if we were to, we'd like to see a completely waterproof vape, but that seems like a bit too much to ask - who knows. We'd also like to see improved vapor production but for a portable, we'd still consider its vapor quality to be above average. So there it is. Our thoughts on the Summit+, a cheap portable vaporizer with a rugged appeal that can handle dry blends and concentrates. Good price, tough design, and more features than we would have expected from it. Props to Vapium for putting this little beast together. This Summit+ vaporizer review is brought to you by VaporizerShark.com |
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