'TED' Talk Ep. 43 | Volcano Hybrid, Crafty+

Storz & Bickel Crafty+ (new update)

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Recently I’ve been using the newly updated version of the Storz & Bickel Crafty+. While it’s still called the Crafty+, this is actually the new 2021 version. You can tell it wasn’t a huge update since they didn’t even change the name, but it does boast a couple of nice improvements on what was already a great vape.

The Crafty+ is a handheld vaporizer that I go back to often because it spews out a massive amount of vapour with no technique whatsoever required. Even when you use it at the lowest temperature preset, it produces an ample volume of hybrid convection/conduction vapour, and I usually can’t have too many hits since it’s so rich and thick.

My least favourite thing about the old version of the Crafty+ was that the battery doesn't last for a ton of sessions and because it uses micro USB it takes a long time to charge. With this new updated version of the Crafty+ Storz & Bickel have finally added USB-C which tremendously improves the amount of time it takes to charge, about 25 minutes faster than the old model, this makes the relatively short battery-life a lot less of a hassle.

The other improvement is the new ceramic coating on the bowl, which means it’s no longer a raw stainless steel bowl. I haven’t found that this made a tremendous difference to the flavour or anything, as the flavour was always exceptional on the old Crafty+ model anyway, but I still prefer this ceramic coating over the bare metal and I’m glad to see that they added it.

It’s a super easy device to use thanks to the one-button operation and the three different pre-set temperatures to choose from. You can also modify the temperatures and settings using a web app, which in general is pretty easy to use, although not as easy as downloading one from the App Store, but that’s not an option since Apple disallowed all vape apps like this some time ago.

As much as I’m liking this new update I am pretty comfortable saying that if you already have a Crafty+ you definitely don’t need to worry about this upgrade, but if you don’t have a Crafty+, the addition of USB-C makes it a way more viable and attractive device.

Storz & Bickel Onyx Volcano Hybrid

I’ve been using the absolutely gorgeous new Onyx Volcano Hybrid, also by Storz & Bickel. There’s no difference between this and the original Volcano Hybrid, except for the look, but the look is what I am liking the most. It has a powder coated matte black finish, rather than the shiny stainless steel look, and I think it looks so much better than the original, a real sleek Batman sort of look.

If you are an enthusiast and you’ve never tried a Volcano before, you really owe it to yourself to give one a go. This is a true OG sort of device, the Volcano has been around for over 20 years and there’s a really good reason for that, the vapour that it produces is absolutely exceptional and remarkably smooth.

The Hybrid model gives you two main changes compared to the classic model - it has a mixture of primarily convection with some conduction heating to give you a bigger punch off the top of the heating cycle, and it also gives you the option to use it in the traditional balloon manner that the device is known for, or you can use the new whip option as an alternative. While using the balloon I find the vapour smooth even at a high temperature like 410°F and it’s great that you can also be totally mobile, walking around the house with the balloon.

When you use the whip you can turn on the assisted air to really drive the vapour into you. Also, if you remove the mouthpiece and add one of our Universal Whip Adapters, it enables you to use your Volcano Hybrid directly with a water piece. Turn the temperature up and the assisted air system on to launch yourself into outer space.

The bowl it comes with is very large and you really do need to fill it right up, rather than just putting in a little sprinkle, to get the best results, so you’ll definitely want to temperature ramp this thing up as you do subsequent sessions to get the best efficiency from that big load. I do really wish that the buttons had some sort of outline on them, as it is very difficult to turn on or off in a dark room, but other than these minor gripes this is a top tier device.

Flowermill Grinder

The Flowermill has been in my line-up recently, and while it looks and functions more or less like a grinder, it’s not a grinder per se, but rather a mill. A mill is a bit different to a grinder, a mill separates your flower into uniform pieces and creates a really fluffy and airy sort of grind which will work well in your device, rather than replicating what scissors do, like a traditional grinder.

When you look inside it’s completely different from an average grinder, but it's operated in a similar manner. You’re going to put your flower down on the mill screen, and then while gently pressing down, just turn it back and forth to mill your flower. If you have really moist flower or if it’s gummed up it’s not going to work as well and it will be somewhat smeary, but if your flower is at 58% humidity, like I keep mine with a Boveda pack in a jar, it will grind well.

The Flowermill comes in two different versions - standard or premium. The standard version is made totally from aluminum, while the premium version has a stainless steel interior. You can also get it in either a three-piece or a four-piece variety, the four-piece gives you the option of separating your keif. You can also get a screen expansion pack as well, which gives you a fine, super fine, and ultrafine screen, but I cannot for the life of me figure out how to swap the screens out, even though they claim it to be easily replaceable, I bet there is something simple I am missing.

The Wand Tripod Stand

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The Wand Tripod Stand is a super simple accessory which is useful for pretty much anyone who has a Wand. The Wand is great for induction dabs, but it does take a while to heat up your banger, anywhere from 40 seconds to a minute. It’s also not particularly light, so holding it in place over your banger for 60 seconds is a bit of a pain, but that’s where the Tripod Stand comes in. Your Wand simply slides into the clip, and then you can adjust the height and angle of your Wand with the three adjustable legs and the ball head on the clip connection.

The Tripod Stand also makes the Wand really handy to use as a Dynavap induction heater, you can have it sitting at an angle, which can be a really comfortable position to use it in while you’re sitting at a desk for example. It’s not a super expensive accessory, so anyone who regularly uses a Wand might want to look into getting one.

Healthy Rips Rogue/Edge BubbleMax

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Finally, I have been really enjoying our new Healthy Rips Rogue/Edge BubbleMax. The Bubblemax we make for Arizer devices is definitely my favourite accessory for those vapes, as it holds enough water to make a substantial cooling difference while remaining really portable and easy to move around with.

We utilized the same design and cooling power of the Arizer Bubblemax and adapted it for use with either the Healthy Rips Rogue or Fury Edge. It slides right into the accessory mount, so it sits in there very securely, held in place by the o-rings. Even though the Rogue and Fury Edge are different heights, the Bubblemax sits off the table when used with either device, so you don’t need to worry about setting the glass down too hard and damaging it.

While this Bubblemax will work with the Healthy Rips Fury Edge or the Rogue, you can also use it with the Planet of the Vapes One, although the accessory mount is shaped differently, so it doesn’t sit in there quite as nice.

By adding approximately an inch of water you’ll get a ton of cooling and filtration, which makes a huge difference to how your throat feels. Sometimes when I’m testing a new device I’ll use it natively without a waterpiece for a while, then I’m always amazed to see the difference that adding a waterpiece makes to even the best device. Small waterpieces like this are nice too, as even though you get plenty of cooling, you’re not running it through a massive full-size piece, so you really won’t experience much flavour loss, if any at all.

Check out VapeNorth.ca and SneakyPeteStore.com to find all of the different devices and accessories that you see me use in my videos. Thank you so much for reading and watching, I hope you enjoyed this episode of TED talk.

Keep it green, keep it sneaky!