Hopper io Review | Instant-On Convection, Crazy Small, Meh Update | Sneaky Pete's Vaporizer Reviews

Watch Here:

Buy Here:

 

Introduction

Hey guys, Sneaky Pete here, and today I want to review the new Hopper io, a full convection vaporizer that’s about as large a big pen, and features instant heating, so there’s no waiting to vape.

The new Hopper io comes in either stainless steel with a 65W heater or in titanium with a 70W heater. The one I will be covering is the titanium version, let’s get into what makes this new version operate.

Design/Size/Weight

The Hopper io looks very similar to a pen in both design and size, so this is a very stealthy vaporizer. It is super lightweight, especially if you go with his titanium model, and it has this clip built-in to hold it into a pocket to add to the pen look. One unscrews the bottom section to expose the herb chambers, and then on the top you have your rotary temperature dial which allows you to select between 180-230°C. Finally, at the very top of the device, you have a clicker just like with a pen, and like a pen, this is how you turn the device on and off. Internally, the new Hopper io has been redesigned with gold contacts, and the battery contact is now self-cleaning which should help with longevity. 

Battery Life/Charging/Heat up time

The Hopper io uses their same proprietary batteries as the previous model, so you are still dependent on Hopper Labs to have a steady supply of batteries. The batteries are 750mAh, and when I was testing this at temperature 3.5, I was able to get eight hits from one battery. This battery says GHB2, but if you go on their website it says these are actually GHB3s and they were mislabeled at the factory.

One of the main selling points of this new model is the io, that instant on heating. You can definitely start hitting the vaporizer after you press the button, naturally I find myself waiting for a second or two and then I remember and start hitting it. It takes a couple of seconds for your material to warm up and you start to see vapour, but this thing really does heat up in an almost instantaneous fashion

How to Use

The functionality of the new Hopper io is identical to its predecessor, and it’s super easy to use. Simply load your material into the chamber and you can either fill it up to the brim, or you can do about a half load. The output is about the same, which is nice. I usually find myself loading it full but not tight, and then for my second hit I just add in a little bit of fresh material.

Once the chamber is full, screw the tip back on, and then select your temperature. If you’re going to be using this vaporizer without a water piece, keep in mind that it doesn’t include the silicone mouthpiece in this iteration, so you really do need to keep your temperature pretty low. I would try around two or three and see what you prefer. If you’re using a water piece, I’ve used it as high as 4.5 and it works just fine.

Once your temperature is selected, press the button, go ahead, and inhale. It does have a powerful heater so you could really rip on it, but like most vaporizers, a nice steady inhale will give you excellent results.

The LEDs are now visible from any angle rather than only in a certain way like before, but now it is simply a white LED and that let you know if the device is on or off as there is no heat up time

If you do want to use it with a water piece, I recommend using our Master Adapter and I found that to be an ideal tool to combine this with a water piece.

You almost need a separate tool to load and empty this one. You can scoop it just fine but a little funnel would’ve been a nice thing to include. Also, it would be a great idea to make the clip somehow removable so that you could use it to empty your bowl. You can unscrew the backend to accomplish that but I wouldn’t be recommending that as something to do it’s just going to be unnecessary wear and tear.

Vapour Quality (taste, smoothness, size, effects)

With its fully convection vapour, the Hopper will produce a really satisfying result. The taste is very smooth, especially if you want to run it at lower temperatures, and you don’t get any kind of colouring with this one. The effects are as you’d expect with that full convection vapour, I don’t find this one is exceptionally strong comparably for a convection unit but it definitely does the job without complaint.

It’s a really smooth vape when you use it through water. If you are using it dry, you want to keep your toke slow and on the shorter side and it’s not a bad idea to do a cigar puff technique. I don’t find I am getting quite as milky of rips as I did with the original Hopper. Again, it’s not something I’m complaining about as the hits are adequate, but it seems like there is a little bit of a reduction.

Strong Points

The first thing I love about the new Hopper io is the size and the design. To have a powerful, full convection vaporizer in the form factor of a pen that can fit in any pocket is a pretty awesome thing. This is a killer vaporizer for stealth in every aspect with around 8 hits per battery is solid for out and about use.

The second thing I love is that instant on heating. Primarily, I prefer to vape one hit at a time through water, and this is an absolutely perfect vaporizer for using in that style.

Finally, with that full convection vapour you are getting the taste and the effects that you are seeking. Full convection, instant heat are definitely good adjectives when describing vaporizers, and you’re getting both with this one.

Weak Points

This is somewhat like the VleaF Go insofar that it’s designed to be used mainly through a water piece. I can’t imagine buying this one planning to use it mainly without water, but it is possible if you want a true dry vaporizer in a vape-pen size.

I’m really disappointed that they did nothing to change the exterior on the io. The original Grasshopper came out in 2015, so they’ve had five years to work on this design, and their decision was to do absolutely nothing whatsoever to it. It just feels lazy and it doesn’t incentivize current owners to upgrade. What are the differences between the 2 devices?

The Hopper io still has a lifetime warranty, but, given the Grasshopper’s long and storied issues the first question in everyone’s mind is reliability. Well, I originally ordered this vaporizer and when it arrived, the first unit that I received definitely had an issue. After taking two hits from it, there were these little black bits in the ABV and that’s a good indicator of a super uneven vape. I tried that unit for a week in a whole bunch of different ways, and I consistently got a super uneven vape every time. After getting in touch with them, they sent me out this new unit that I used for the review and I’m happy to report that I haven’t had the same results whatsoever with this new unit. I can do more hits at a higher temperature and I don’t get that uneven vape at all. But, given Grasshopper’s past, it definitely does concern me that I received a bad unit with my initial order.

Overall Thoughts

If you are looking for a vape pen and you don’t want to use concentrate, the Hopper io is the perfect choice. You get instant heat up from a fully convection vaporizer in a form factor that is unmatched and crazy high on the stealth factor. 

I don’t like that they have the same proprietary batteries but I think that eight hits from the battery is totally acceptable for something of this size. It can be warm when used dry, but it absolutely wails through a water piece. If you like to vape one hit at a time through water, this one excels at that.

Getting that bad unit definitely causes me some concern, but the second unit has been performing like a champion so hopefully it was just a bit of bad luck as overall this has been a really pleasant vaporizer.

Check out vapenorth.ca and sneakypetestore.com to soon find all of the accessories and vapes you see me go over in my videos.

Thanks so much for watching guys I really appreciate it,

KIG KIS

Leave a comment