The Darwin
Evolv, LLC
The Juiceman Cometh....and Very Well May Stayeth
Ah, the ever hastening pace of innovation in e-cigarettes. Just when you think everything has been done and no other improvements are possible, a modder unveils a new rig to the applause and drool of the vaping public.
I have delighted in my latest juicing mods, the aluminum Reos by Redeyedancer, for the few months. They're durable, all mechanical, dependable and stylish pieces of gear that can hold everything needed for up to a full day's worth of satisfying 3.7v vaping in one portable package. So, that's it, right? What other mountains are there left to climb? The only real fail point of my current mod is the off the shelf atomizer, which is known to be a replaceable part. There's really no room for improvement, is there?
It therefore really says something about a design that I'd be willing to put aside my favorite mod to take a look at it, and be willing to plunk my own cash on the table to try it out. I'll briefly examine the Darwin and give my initial impressions of it. In roughly four to six weeks, I'll give it an extended use review and compare it to the Reo Grand. And before you try to tell me that it's not fair to compare a non juicing mod to my favorite bottom feeder, don't. Life ain't fair. You don't like that, go run home and tell yer Momma.
The Darwin is all electronic, double anodized aluminum, 510 native, power regulated mod designed and made by Evolv, LLC and distributed by Nhaler for the price of $229.00. Electronics on the mod constantly measure the amount of resistance in whatever atty or carto is being used, and it delivers just the right amount of current to the atty from the mod's enclosed life-po batteries based upon a wattage setting selected by the user through a small thumbwheel. The result is a fresh off the charger feeling with EVERY hit of the activation button. Even if the atty you're using is changing in resistance from use and/or is nearing the end of its operational lifespan, the Darwin can compensate. Pretty effin' cool, huh? The Darwin, along with its variable voltage (vv) competitors, may be such a major step forward as to be considered it's own class of vapes, fourth generation mods. It comes with a two year warranty on the overall mod, and a one year warranty on the enclosed batteries. Evolv has stated they will offer a battery replacement service for a $25.00. For a far more through review and explanation of the science and technical aspects of this device, please see this thread: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...ressions-newest-pre-production-prototype.html
The darwin is roughly 5 inches long, 1 inch wide and ¾ inches thick. It contains a display on its front, a brass swivel 510 swivel connection, adjudgment dial and activation on its side and a mini usb connection port on its bottom. It's smaller than it looks on the pictures that have been previously posted on the forum. Incredibly solid feeling, it almost feels like you could drive nails with it.
The display on the Darwin shows the battery charge status anduser's watts selection in an easy to read display, along with atty resistance and voltage while hitting the vape button. If they vaped in the 24th century, I would fully expect to see Jean Luc Picard pulling this sucker out of a desk drawer in his ready room.* The selection dial and vape button are in two finger sized indents making them easy to find by touch. And the selection dial has a soft stop at 8.5 watts, halfway in its range, making it easy to adjust without looking.
The sheer versatility of this mod should make it a must have, if for nothing else as a backup or end of vaping days apocalypse vape. One of the things I loved about the Golden Greek Telescopic Storm was it's vaunted ability to use (I hate to quote myself, but here goes...) “any atty and every batty”. In other words, I could use any variation of single or double stacked tubular batteries in conjunction with every common atty or carto known to mankind. I could go to vapng a LR510 at 3.7 volts to a KR808 at the magic 6 volts or a UHV 801 with a battery change slash twist of the tube slash adapter change within two minutes. The process is simpler on the Darwin, since there's no batteries to change or tubes to twist. Simply put on the right adapter, turn the flywheel, and that's it. Fifteen seconds, suckas! The only quibble I have about this mod is the brass used in the swivel atty selection. It felt that my attys and especially adapters, could easily cross thread if I didn't take particular care when attaching them. It does have a warranty, but I'd hate to cross thread and possibly strip the threads on the connection.
And unlike 6v on the GGTS using CR123a's, the batteries on the Darwin provides all day power with no need to carry spare batteries and/or a charger. This makes the Darwin compulsory for HV fanatics. With the Darwin's long lasting enclosed batteries and included mini-USB charging cord, spare batteries or chargers aren't needed, period. I had all but turned my back on HV vaping due to the short battery life and my propensity to quickly kill attys doing it. For the first time ever, I have a HV mod that I feel confident about taking out alone into the real world. The Darwin arrived partially charged, and I was able to use it heavily all day without charging it once.
The question begs to be asked what, if any, advantage the Darwin holds for 3.7v vapers. After all, doesn't a good quality 18650 battery have like, what, a gagillion milliamp hours and last you all month? That depends. Some reg voltage vapers like me love the performance of a mod with a battery fresh off of the charger. That's because the battery is initially at 4.2 volts, and eventually goes back down to 3.7 for the duration of its charge. For those folks, the Darwin offers you a 'fresh' feeling all day.** The sensors on the Darwin which measure the atty resistance and compensates accordingly gives your atty a longer 'fresh' feeling as well. One of the things that I'm going to try in the coming days is to see if it can overcome the tendency of the Cisco 1.5 ohm attys to burn subtler juices by turning the wattage down just a smidge. Or see if I can give my 2 ohm ones just a bit more 'oomph' by goosing it up a hair.
Come to think of it, I have a whole slew of vaping supplies, a collection of attys and cartos, that I'm dying to use on this sucker. Today I'm going to hand my other mods over to a 3rd party for safekeeping for the next month or so in order to wholly commit myself to the Darwin.***
Again, this simply my first impressions of this innovative mod. I'll keep reporting back as I continue to use it, and report what I find both good and bad. Mods are like girlfriends, you have to live with them for at least a month before you really get to know them. Thanks for reading, and I'd welcome your feedback.
*I'm trying to remember if they actually had desk drawers on that show. Come to think of it, did they even have desks OR drawers? And why was he always tugging at his shirt?
**Mom? Yes, dear? Sometimes my mod doesn't feel so fresh...
***Sort of like a general of an invasion force in the days of old burning his boats at the shore to prevent the possibility of a retreat after he had landed his men.
Evolv, LLC
The Juiceman Cometh....and Very Well May Stayeth
Ah, the ever hastening pace of innovation in e-cigarettes. Just when you think everything has been done and no other improvements are possible, a modder unveils a new rig to the applause and drool of the vaping public.
I have delighted in my latest juicing mods, the aluminum Reos by Redeyedancer, for the few months. They're durable, all mechanical, dependable and stylish pieces of gear that can hold everything needed for up to a full day's worth of satisfying 3.7v vaping in one portable package. So, that's it, right? What other mountains are there left to climb? The only real fail point of my current mod is the off the shelf atomizer, which is known to be a replaceable part. There's really no room for improvement, is there?
It therefore really says something about a design that I'd be willing to put aside my favorite mod to take a look at it, and be willing to plunk my own cash on the table to try it out. I'll briefly examine the Darwin and give my initial impressions of it. In roughly four to six weeks, I'll give it an extended use review and compare it to the Reo Grand. And before you try to tell me that it's not fair to compare a non juicing mod to my favorite bottom feeder, don't. Life ain't fair. You don't like that, go run home and tell yer Momma.
The Darwin is all electronic, double anodized aluminum, 510 native, power regulated mod designed and made by Evolv, LLC and distributed by Nhaler for the price of $229.00. Electronics on the mod constantly measure the amount of resistance in whatever atty or carto is being used, and it delivers just the right amount of current to the atty from the mod's enclosed life-po batteries based upon a wattage setting selected by the user through a small thumbwheel. The result is a fresh off the charger feeling with EVERY hit of the activation button. Even if the atty you're using is changing in resistance from use and/or is nearing the end of its operational lifespan, the Darwin can compensate. Pretty effin' cool, huh? The Darwin, along with its variable voltage (vv) competitors, may be such a major step forward as to be considered it's own class of vapes, fourth generation mods. It comes with a two year warranty on the overall mod, and a one year warranty on the enclosed batteries. Evolv has stated they will offer a battery replacement service for a $25.00. For a far more through review and explanation of the science and technical aspects of this device, please see this thread: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...ressions-newest-pre-production-prototype.html
The darwin is roughly 5 inches long, 1 inch wide and ¾ inches thick. It contains a display on its front, a brass swivel 510 swivel connection, adjudgment dial and activation on its side and a mini usb connection port on its bottom. It's smaller than it looks on the pictures that have been previously posted on the forum. Incredibly solid feeling, it almost feels like you could drive nails with it.
The display on the Darwin shows the battery charge status anduser's watts selection in an easy to read display, along with atty resistance and voltage while hitting the vape button. If they vaped in the 24th century, I would fully expect to see Jean Luc Picard pulling this sucker out of a desk drawer in his ready room.* The selection dial and vape button are in two finger sized indents making them easy to find by touch. And the selection dial has a soft stop at 8.5 watts, halfway in its range, making it easy to adjust without looking.
The sheer versatility of this mod should make it a must have, if for nothing else as a backup or end of vaping days apocalypse vape. One of the things I loved about the Golden Greek Telescopic Storm was it's vaunted ability to use (I hate to quote myself, but here goes...) “any atty and every batty”. In other words, I could use any variation of single or double stacked tubular batteries in conjunction with every common atty or carto known to mankind. I could go to vapng a LR510 at 3.7 volts to a KR808 at the magic 6 volts or a UHV 801 with a battery change slash twist of the tube slash adapter change within two minutes. The process is simpler on the Darwin, since there's no batteries to change or tubes to twist. Simply put on the right adapter, turn the flywheel, and that's it. Fifteen seconds, suckas! The only quibble I have about this mod is the brass used in the swivel atty selection. It felt that my attys and especially adapters, could easily cross thread if I didn't take particular care when attaching them. It does have a warranty, but I'd hate to cross thread and possibly strip the threads on the connection.
And unlike 6v on the GGTS using CR123a's, the batteries on the Darwin provides all day power with no need to carry spare batteries and/or a charger. This makes the Darwin compulsory for HV fanatics. With the Darwin's long lasting enclosed batteries and included mini-USB charging cord, spare batteries or chargers aren't needed, period. I had all but turned my back on HV vaping due to the short battery life and my propensity to quickly kill attys doing it. For the first time ever, I have a HV mod that I feel confident about taking out alone into the real world. The Darwin arrived partially charged, and I was able to use it heavily all day without charging it once.
The question begs to be asked what, if any, advantage the Darwin holds for 3.7v vapers. After all, doesn't a good quality 18650 battery have like, what, a gagillion milliamp hours and last you all month? That depends. Some reg voltage vapers like me love the performance of a mod with a battery fresh off of the charger. That's because the battery is initially at 4.2 volts, and eventually goes back down to 3.7 for the duration of its charge. For those folks, the Darwin offers you a 'fresh' feeling all day.** The sensors on the Darwin which measure the atty resistance and compensates accordingly gives your atty a longer 'fresh' feeling as well. One of the things that I'm going to try in the coming days is to see if it can overcome the tendency of the Cisco 1.5 ohm attys to burn subtler juices by turning the wattage down just a smidge. Or see if I can give my 2 ohm ones just a bit more 'oomph' by goosing it up a hair.
Come to think of it, I have a whole slew of vaping supplies, a collection of attys and cartos, that I'm dying to use on this sucker. Today I'm going to hand my other mods over to a 3rd party for safekeeping for the next month or so in order to wholly commit myself to the Darwin.***
Again, this simply my first impressions of this innovative mod. I'll keep reporting back as I continue to use it, and report what I find both good and bad. Mods are like girlfriends, you have to live with them for at least a month before you really get to know them. Thanks for reading, and I'd welcome your feedback.
*I'm trying to remember if they actually had desk drawers on that show. Come to think of it, did they even have desks OR drawers? And why was he always tugging at his shirt?
**Mom? Yes, dear? Sometimes my mod doesn't feel so fresh...
***Sort of like a general of an invasion force in the days of old burning his boats at the shore to prevent the possibility of a retreat after he had landed his men.
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