To ProVari or not to ProVari... that is the question

I've given all my VV devices away to friends/family to help them get started. I've been using mechanicals for a few months now and didn't think I wanted/needed an APV. Well... I want one again.

The question of the hour... price not being an issue... is the ProVari still the be-all-and-end-all mod to have? I understand that when VV first hit the market ProVari and Darwins were pretty much it. They have a loyal fan base. With VV being so ubiquitous I can't help but feel those devices are more status symbols now.

I'm looking hard at the Sigelei ZMax V3 but have also been looking into the iTaste SVD, the Tesla, the eVic, the Vamo, and probably some other mods. I understand ProVari has a build quality that can't be touched by things like the Vamo and the eVic. I've played with both of those as a friend has the Vamo and my wife has the eVic and found both to be a bit lacking. The Tesla is a well built device, but I just can't see myself vaping with what looks like a robot phallus. Between the SVD and the V3 I really like the minimalist design of the V3 better.

I guess what I'm looking to figure out (and what I'm seeking opinions on) is if the ProVari is just leaps and bounds better than any other device out there. Will I buy a V3 and instantly (or even eventually) wish I had just gotten the ProVari instead? Some of the key considerations are:

1. How does the mod feel in the hand? Am I holding some lightweight tube that could fall apart anytime?
2. What type of output does it have... true voltage output, pulse width modulation, or something else?
3. Consistency of vape? ProVari is supposed to be the same from first vape until the battery is too low to run. My old Lavatube or my wife's eVic seem to drop off as battery voltage drops even though it's not supposed to.
4. Length of use? While the v3 have not been out more than a few months and the ProVari has been for years... can I expect to get a couple years use out of a v3, or will it die like most cheap(ish) mass produced mods tend to to?


Thank you for your time and comments.

 

I guess the biggest part of your decision rests on whether you want VW capability and if that is at all important to you.
I'm pleased with the overall quality, durability and ease of use of the Vamo and Tesla. I can't stand the one button Zmax menu format and the SVD has too many buttons for my tastes.
Besides that, even if my choice of mods did crap out one day for whatever reason, I can buy 5-6 Vamos for the price of one Provari. The whole Provari warranty stuff means nothing to me. To each his/her own, though. :::shrugging:::

 

I've never owned a VW device, only VV, so it's not like I'd be missing it. Probably end up adjusting it every time I changed *omizers and juice anyways to account for differences.

I've used multi-button VV devices and there is a convenience there. Not sure how irritating a single button would be, but I'd imagine it's something I can get used to.

You are right that one can buy 4-5 Vamo's for the price of one ProVari. With the "sidewinder" kits available (sorta) the Vamo is attractive... even if just as a backup or something to tinker with.

 

well here we go again ..provari going head to head with everything else out there both VV and VW !!

i have 2 now,had 3 .and plan on keeping the 2 i have now ,

i prefer single button for simplicity of use ,menu is simple to figure out and use

provari is pretty rock solid, reliable & dependable,,those are three main factors in decision process for a good mod

mine have had some pretty bad abuse and still keep working,even after a two story drop on one of them,which snapped the carto and the battery motion pushed the circuit board against the top cap,it still worked but i couldn't really see the first display number so i sent it back to be fixed

i sent it back and they fixed it for free,well past its one year warranty period...something you just can't get with most every other mod out there ! plain and simple

 

1. It feels like a tank. Does NOT feel like a plastic tube. Nice and heavy. No rattles or anything.
2. I believe it has true voltage output. Definitely no pulse width.
3. The Vape never changes.
4. I can't answer that. I have mechs. I have an SVD and MVP. I have ego's. I still reach for my provari.

 

it is PWM .but there is some kind of a buffer in it that evens out the pattern to an cool even 800 cycles,where the vamo has a 37 cycle pattern

so you set it at 3.7 and that is exactly what you get from start to finish every single time without fail

 

Hmm. Interesting. It's definitely different than the PWM on the SVD.

 

oh yea it is !! there is a member here that has some videos about the PWM pattern on several different mods out there,the provari was by far and away the most consistent pattern of all of them

 

I always found complaints about the one button menu to be a little nit picky and illogical. It's really not hard at all to use. And the button is very durable, that's why it's not a clicky button because they have such a shorter life. And with only one button there are less buttons to break. I also never understood the "My lavatube is just as good" claims. Kind of like people who buy "GREAT VALUE" brands of everything and try to tell everyone that "Fuzz Buzz" is the just as good as Coca Cola. *I am not hating, I used to do this*

The ProVari is very durable, it is the most accurate to the voltage tube mod I have ever heard of, it has no voltage drop, quality control is great so you won't have to worry about getting an upside-down screen or a dangly button like with the china-mods. And not to mention something I NEVER have understood in the mod world is the freakin 13 foot long mods like the full size vamo. It just seems redundant to have a mod you can't even fit in your pocket. The ProVari's are much smaller in person. The ProVari mini is like 3.4 inches I believe. I never measured it but with the exstention cap on, it's less than half the size of my buddie's vamo.

It all boils down to personal opinion. Do you want a mod that could very well crap out on you for a small amount of money or do you want a mod that will work for years to come?

 

oh yea,,one last thing about them too


Provari does not cost 200 bucks !!!!!!!!!!1

 

Not sure if I am adding anything new or useful here, but I have owned a VMax, ZMax, Lavatube, as well as other less expensive VV devices. I have since gifted or sold all of them. They all had wild variations in voltage output where one minute I was getting nothing and the next my juice was burnt. Either that or they just would not fire at all half the time. For me, at least, the price savings was just not worth the hassle and frustration. If you buy something that just sits and doesn't get used, you are not really saving money, right?

On the other hand I own multiple Provaris...the first of them having been bought used approx. 1.5 years ago. I like that they are solid and reliable. I know when I put a battery in and screw my tank on that I will get exactly what I expect. I bang them around, drop them, carry a couple in my purse at all times...no problems. They may not be right for everyone, but the Provari is sure worth the price for me.

Just my two cents...

 

I also have various devices but love my provari the best. Very solid. Feels nice in the hand. I do like the one button menu unlike some do. Menu is very easy to use. Love how it vapes.

 

I say if price is not a factor, the ProVari is the way to go. I use mine everyday. I do use my Buzz Pros more often but I always use my ProVari to set up my coils.

 

Have you considered something other than a tube mod? Something like the Hana Mods Pack V2 or the Opus D?

It would be hard to compare build quality, but these new DNA20 mods win in every other category. Nothing against ProVari, but for the price I would rather get a really good mechanical or one of these new DNA20 mods. Now - if the ProVari had VW I would already have one.

 

I have a Provari and normally use my mechanical mods instead but my Provari gets enough use that I will keep it.
If I were looking at a DNA20 it would not be a $300 Hana Mod but I would look at a [MENTION=6674]xxDznutzxx[/MENTION] DNA20 mod, I have one of his Altoid Tins and really like it.

 

This is the type of stuff I really like to hear... rock solid construction and a company that will stand behind their equipment.



My biggest complaint about the SS VTube I had was just that... inconsistency. But that was just a $40 Lavatube in a stainless steel body.



I have not looked into any of the DNA20 mods. While I can justify $150-200 for a ProVari, I can't quite justify $350 for a mod. I've also considered just getting a really nice mech (the three I have are all clones and while decent are somewhat underwhelming). Unfortunately the really nice ones are typically hard to find... though I've heard vaperev has some nice ones (including the Roller which I have a clone of).

 

I have to agree with everyone about the Provari, I now have 3 & really don't need them all because they are so reliable(but I wanted diff. colors). Also the price is really not all that bad. If you check out the blemished section you can get one as low as $149. Mine are well worth that. I have an Evic & it's so flimsy compared to the Provari. I've had one for 2 yrs now & it's been dropped & keeps on tickin'! I guess you would say I'm VERY MUCH a Provari fan girl.

 

ProVari gets my vote.

Hands down, THE best variable vape experience to be had, in my opinion.

The only other thing that's even came close, is a DNA20 powered mod, an those usually cost 30-40% MORE.

 

I'm a picky guy that hates one button menus and feel in the hand means nothing to me. So, I'm probably not the best one to listen to. I'll just throw in that almost all VV mods out there whether PWM or not use a switching regulator to save power. In other words they are all PWM. On devices like the Provari, the power supply has built in filtering to make it a constant voltage. I use a buzz pro (also constant voltage) along with several different PWM type VVs. There is a difference but, I wouldn't call it that significant.

As far as true voltage goes, I can't see why anyone would need it. You need something to tell you about where you are and what's higher than that and what's lower than that. Your taste tells you which way you want to go and whether you're there. The actual numbers are nothing more than a curiosity really. The buzz pro just has a wheel with a way to tell the position. That's all I need.

Oh and a Provari with extension cap, the only way I'd go, is $199.90 and that's on sale. Regular price would be $239.90. So, it actually is $200 but, only for a limited time. After that it's more.

 

actually that is exactly 176.90 shipped .unless you go for fancy smancy extras .

i just checked

btw those prices "listed" and "sale" price,have been listed that way for at least a year and a half that i am sure of !!