Vape Talk Episode 48

The original Hippie Pipe was the first device I ever reviewed that I really didn’t like. I usually focus my time on products that I would recommend, but I felt this one was noteworthy for how poorly it worked. It had a cool concept - a DynaVap alternative with a visual indicator rather than an audible click, but the visual indicator was essentially non-functional and because of that you couldn’t use the vape properly. A black indicator strip was supposed to move out of the way when the device was at temperature, but I found that it took way too long to move and it was very inconsistent, so you just ended up guessing when it was ready. I appreciated what they were aiming for, but the design just didn’t deliver.

Now they’ve released a new version - the Hippie Pipe X. It looks like the original Hippie Pipe in many ways, but the first difference you’ll notice is that they have completely removed the visual indicator. This is now a completely analogue device that claims to offer instant heating. While I wouldn’t exactly agree that it’s instant, you won’t need to pre-heat it for a long time and wait for a strip to move like with the previous model.

It has a wooden body with a carbon fibre section, which leads to the spring loaded chamber, like on the last model this is my favourite part of the device, it’s a cool way to load it up and it’s fun to use. Inside the chamber is what looks very similar to a CCD, this holds the herb in place. At the front of the device there is a fresh air intake. The internal components all disassemble easily for cleaning.

The idea with the Hippie Pipe X is that you use the lighter to heat up the cut out X section on the chamber, and then after a few seconds you just go ahead and inhale. It’s one of those vaporizers that you have to learn to use through practice, the instructions are still very basic and don’t give you much indication as to how long you should heat it for. I’ve been using it similarly to a Vapman, which is a couple seconds of heating, a couple seconds off, and repeat. I’m not sure if I’ve truly optimised my technique yet, but overall it works way better than the previous version. My hits have been on the wispy side since I’m trying to avoid combustion, but it seems like it gives you enough room to get a proper hit.

Overall I think the Hippie Pipe X is way better than its predecessor, the simplified concept has made it a much more functional, although completely analog, vaporizer. I just wish they chose a material other than carbon fibre for the body, I don’t love that being so close to the heat, and I’m not sure how evenly it will vape without a bowl stir. Hippie also sells a dual-flame lighter which I actually really like, it’s one of the better dual-flame torches I’ve used.

The Ispire Wand has quickly become one of the most popular induction heaters for DynaVaps. The funny thing is that it wasn’t even designed to be an induction heater for DynaVaps, it’s intended to be an induction dab unit, but people discovered that it also works as an awesome DynaVap heater. The Wand can be used in either manual mode, or automatic mode which will start heating as soon as it senses your DynaVap in the coil. The open coil design allows you to heat your DynaVap in a customised fashion, for example you can put the clicker outside of the heating chamber to focus your heat on the chamber to get the latest click possible.

My only complaint about the Wand is that it’s harder to use than other induction heaters which allow you to simply drop or hold your DynaVap in place while it heats, with the Wand you need to be more careful about its placement. Ispire eventually caught on to how popular the Wand was for the DynaVaps, and created this custom three piece DynaVap Adapter Kit for the Wand. In the Kit you get a glass cup, a straight glass tube, and a silicone adapter which will hold either one in place.

The glass cup is designed to emulate how a traditional induction heater works. Place the silicone insert on the exterior of the cup, and then place that into the open coil of the Wand. The silicone will hold the glass cup in the correct position, and then you can simply drop your DynaVap in to begin the heating cycle. The straight glass tube allows you to use your DynaVap in a customised manner, meaning that you can adjust the vertical position to focus the heat on the tip or the base, depending on your desired type of hit. Essentially with the cup you have a single position to work with, whereas the tube will allow you to use essentially infinite positions, similar to having no insert at all, but keeping your DynaVap in the proper position rather than just floating around.

Depending on the type of DynaVap cap or tip, a few times I had to reorient it a couple of times to get the auto mode to start, but in general it has worked as I would expect. If you own a Wand and you use it as a DynaVap induction heater, I would definitely recommend getting some sort of an insert, they really do make it easier to use. We also sell a Glass DynaVap Insert For Ispire Wand which just sits in the Wand without a silicone piece holding it in place, it’s quite a bit cheaper than the official Ispire Kit, so if you’re not concerned about the silicone holding it in place it’s a fantastic alternate choice.

Any glass insert you use will add a thermal shield around your DynaVap cap, which I find leads to a later click. I don’t find it to be a night and day difference, but it adds about 20% extra heating time. I personally prefer a later click, so I find that using inserts in the Wand leads to only positive changes.

The Chill Steel Pipe is a product that I wasn’t quite sure about at first, but now that I’ve had the chance to use one I think it’s pretty awesome. I am a huge glass fan, but this pipe offers some benefits that are impossible to replicate with a glass piece. The Chill Steel Pipe is made from stainless steel, so it’s basically indestructible. If you find yourself breaking a lot of glass, you might want to look into one of these. It’s also double wall insulated, similar to a water bottle. This means that you get a thermos effect, keeping the water cool for up to 12 hours. The interior is lined with ceramic, so the water does not come into contact with stainless steel, and it also cleans up quickly and easily just like glass.

The neck piece twists off for easier portability, and gives you a large opening into the water reservoir, making it easy to put ice cubes in the reservoir, which is awesome. We get asked about putting ice into water pipes all the time, and this is the perfect way to do that. Fill it with ice first, and then add your water, make sure the water level sits below the silicone gasket so you don’t run into any potential overflow issues.

With the threaded connections you can mix and match components, which adds customisability to the system. If you purchase a black Chill Steel Pipe for example, you can add a different coloured neck piece. The silicone joint on the front is where the included downstem goes. The downstem is made from aluminium so it’s also super-tough, and it features a 14mm female joint for maximum compatibility. The downstem comes apart into four different sections and can be reassembled in different ways, allowing you to have a different percolation point depending on your desires.

If you’re a combustion fan, you’ll be pleased to hear that a borosilicate glass bowl is also included, so you can use it right out of the box. It comes in a variety of different colours, as well as a straight stainless steel version if you’re not a fan of the colours. Since it’s not transparent like glass you won’t be able to see your hit, and if you fill it with ice, you pretty much won’t feel your hit either, which is great. The cooling that an ice and water filled bong adds to your setup is immense, and it’s extra great that this one is insulated to keep that ice cool for hours on end.

If you are looking for an endgame, one time purchase type of water pipe, the Chill Steel Pipe is a great choice thanks to its indestructible construction, common 14mm female fitting, and the ability to add a significant amount of ice and water to give you the coolest hits possible.