VAMO 3 - Stainless Steel Review

Having been a long-time VAMO 2 fan, when I broke mine I was really bummed.  So what I'm going to do with this review is not just review the VAMO 3, but I'm also going to do a small comparison between the VAMO 3 and the VAMO 2.  Not quite a VAMO 3 vs VAMO 2 though.

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Before I begin, I should point out WHAT this is (for those of you who don't know).  Once you finally realize that you're not getting ENOUGH power from your dinky eGo-C battery, you'll eventually be greeted by about a dozen different common options.  The APV (Advanced Personal Vaporizer) is basically what you're going to want.  The VAMO series of APV's happen to be among the best of them.  The VAMO supports both Variable Voltage (VV) and Variable Wattage (VW), so you can basically set your device at whatever power level that YOU decide is best.  Unlike an eGo-C battery which is always 3.7V or an eGo-Twist which has hard limits, the VAMO 3 can be set anywhere from 3-6V and from 3-15W.  It also supports at least 3 different battery configurations: 1-18350, 1-18650 or 2-18350's.  With built-in Power and Reverse Polarity protection, it's worth its weight in Gold if you're concerned about safety!  Trust me, if you get one, you're going to love it!

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Initially, I was going to purchase a replacement VAMO 2, because I thought the design of the VAMO 3 was awful.  But being the "specs focused" person that I am, I decided that the physical appearance was less important than the function.

But I've got to tell you, there's a big difference between looking at it online and having one in your hands.  Trust me, it's a HUGE difference.  First of all, most of the images you find online are for the chromed brass version.  That one is all shiny and glossy, much like the original VAMO and VAMO 2.  But having the Satin finished, stainless steel VAMO 3 version in your hands, you quickly find out that the perceived ugliness isn't quite as big of an issue.

For simplicity, I'm going to be referring to them as the V2 and V3 for the rest of the review.

One of issues that some people have, is the difference between the display from the V2 to V3.

Personally, I like the new display.  As you can see from the above picture, clearly they're using an OLED display on the V3 (more pixels) vs the old fashioned 7-Segment display on the V2.  Honestly, I wish they had gone with a slightly LARGER and BOLDER "font", but I personally have had no trouble reading the display.  If you're used to the V2 type of display this may be your only hurdle to enjoying the V3.

Next, we have the 510/eGo connector...

As you can see, there's AN OCEANS worth of difference between WHAT you can FIT on the V3 (left) vs the V2.  There were many people who complained that there were certain devices that they couldn't fit well on the V2.  Or in the case of the Kanger EVOD, people (including yours truly), had difficulty with the base coming off and eLiquid leaking everywhere, because you couldn't get to the base with the V2.  With the V3, guess what?  The whole TOP comes off, so you can get 100% access to both clean AND get at your threads.  The other thing, if you don't have a bad knock-off of the VAMO, you should have both a 510 connector AND eGo threads.  If you don't....  Well, that's what you get for going cheap.  :P

Anyway, to me, being able to gain that kind of access to your top & threads alone, is almost worth the price of admission!

As you can see in the below image, we have a complete breakdown of the entire V3...

Having the ability to completely break it down into so many pieces gives you unprecedented access to your APV.  For those of you who care about cleanliness, you can really get in there and get everything squeaky clean!

As for the overall length of the V3, as you can see from the below picture (which shows both the V2 and V3 in 18350 mode) that the V3 is only a hair taller than the V2.  Which certainly can't be that big of a consideration.

So with all of the physical traits pointed out and discussed, now it's down to features.  The only feature that the V2 had that the V3 does not, is something I consider irrelevant.  The V2 supported two different voltage modes, Vrms and Vavg.  Anyone who knew what they were doing, quickly set their V2 to Vrms and left it there.  They left the Vavg mode out on the V3, thereby making it an easier unit to configure all the way around.

Both the V2 and V3 both support VV and VW, and as a matter of fact, they even kept the button presses the same on the V3.  Long hold right button to show resistance, long hold left button to show voltage, long press both buttons to enter the menu (on the V2 that only let you choose VV or VW).

Battery life is IMPROVED with the V3.  Using my Samsung 26F batteries, I am getting roughly 48 hours of use @ 3.7V.  The VAMO shows LowV when the battery drains to about 3.2V.  The resistance checker is just as accurate as the V2 as well.

So in conclusion.....

I like it!

Go get one!

Or two?  ;)

Seriously, this is something that everyone should have in their arsenal.  I don't know about you, but I want to know that my new atomizer head or that the coil that I've just wrapped is good, BEFORE I start using it.

UPDATE 3/13/2014: My VAMO 3 lasted 7 months and is now DEAD.  Read the review HERE.  Correction to the above paragraph, "Everyone should have AN APV in their arsenal, not necessarily a VAMO product.  To be clear, an APV is any Vaping device that also doubles as a resistance checker, Voltmeter, etc."

At first I wasn't convinced that I'd like the spiral design, but I'll tell you what.  First you don't even notice it and second, it really doesn't look too bad IN REAL LIFE.  Like I said, pictures can be misleading.

And if you act now (lol, did I just say that?), you can get an authentic, non-knockoff version of the VAMO 3 over at DiscountVapers.com!  Why DV?  Haven't you been reading my reviews?  Ridiculously low prices, super reasonable shipping and the stuff usually goes out the day you order it!  Tell him that Pastor Keith sent ya...  You won't get anything extra, but it'll let him know you care...  ;)

If you appreciate what I'm doing here, you know what to do....

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