Welcome to High Tech, iDigitalTimes’ new cannabis-focused gadgetry review column. Each month, we’ll have updates on new/popular vaporizers, electronic smoking devices and other cannabis-related gadgetry, always with the same thoroughness you’ve come to expect from all of iDigi’s gadget reviews
Snoop Dogg and Grenco Science have partnered to release a limited edition G Pen, customized to match the icon's new album (BUSH), and we were fortunate enough to get our hands on one of the new Snoop Dogg BUSH G Pro vaporizers a few days before the product was available for purchase.
There's nothing that differentiates the new G Pro from its predecessors, other than its leafy outer shell, but this marks the first time we've spent any real time with the premium version of Grenco Science's G Pen vaporizer. While its usage may be limited to loose-leaf plant matter, the G Pro has proven to be an acceptable solution for vaping on-the-go. It just needs a little work in the taste department.
If there's one claim Grenco Science can undoubtedly make about the Snoop Dogg BUSH vaporizer, it's that the latest iteration of the G Pro features the most unique packaging of any vaporizer on the market. The Snoop Dogg BUSH G Pro comes packed into a starter pot, which can be used to begin growing the included basil seeds or any other plant that can legally be grown in your neck of the woods. The bundle also includes a cleaning kit, grinder card, a USB charging cable (but no wall adapter), a voucher for a digital copy of Snoop Dogg's latest album (BUSH) and mouthpiece sleeves.
The device itself is about the size I've come to expect from portable vaporizers, at five inches tall and roughly double the circumference of your average ballpoint pen. The Snoop Dogg BUSH G Pro can easily be slipped into your pocket and the included mouthpiece sleeves do give the G Pro a slight lead on the competition when it comes to group sessions. And the vaporizer is sturdy enough to survive a purse or backpack, provided you're moderately careful in transit.
To my surprise, after weeks of disappointment from the other devices that appeared in this column, the Snoop Dogg BUSH G Pro vaporizer features the largest heating chamber I've seen so far. I'm averaging 10 hits per bowl and could wring a few more out of each if I was willing to deal with the resulting vapor's rapidly declining taste. The oven can be cycled between one of three temperatures, though I find the highest setting unsuitable for cannabis due to the resulting taste issues. It's also worth pointing out that taste is going to be a problem throughout your session if the cannabis you're using isn't high end.
Never have I encountered a vaporizer that relied so heavily on the quality of your plant matter. Loading the device with shake produced a surprisingly undesirable (but potent) vapor and NYC Diesel from the local dispensary generated a vapor that tasted enough like gas fumes for me to briefly second guess my life choices. Thankfully, the varying taste did not also bring fluctuating potency. There was never a time that I finished using the G Pro and wondered whether or not I'd actually inhaled cannabis. So choose wisely when buying new bud, but know that you'll be inhaling high potency vapor either way.
I've been similarly impressed with the power management and low maintenance requirements of the G Pro, both of which will presumably be the same with the various other iterations of the G Pro. With a full charge, the G Pro battery is good for around 10 bowls, and reliably powers itself down about 30-45 seconds after reaching your selected oven temperature. Recharging the device took a bit longer than I expected, but still only a couple of hours, and the most cleaning I've had to do since the Snoop Dogg BUSH G Pro hit my doorstep is brushing plant matter off the mouthpiece's screen. I suspect I'm pretty close to needing a new one and am thankful the G Pro (like most vaporizers) ships with several extras.
The only other issue with I’ve experienced with the G Pro is a tendency for the mouthpiece to clog up and become unusable. No matter how much (or little) I load into the heating chamber, I never make it more than a couple of hits before the quantity of vapor I can inhale takes a drastic dip. At this point, the user must shut off the device, wait a few minutes for it to cool down, remove whatever plant matter is stuck to the screen, turn the device back on and resume your session. It’s hardly the end of the world but more than enough to become a serious annoyance by your third or fourth bowl.
All things considered, the Snoop Dogg BUSH G Pro is an impressive portable vaporizer. Its functionality is limited, potentially eliminating any appeal in households where concentrates are preferred, but there won’t be any “You had one job!” memes featuring the G Pro. Those with access to decent cannabis, or loose-leaf tobacco, will see the Snoop Dogg Bush G Pro can produce the pleasant tasting vapor you’d expect from a vaporizer priced over $100. But the Snoop Dogg BUSH G Pro bundle likely won’t seem like much of a deal to those who don’t enjoy the artist’s music.
Thankfully, Grenco Science sells a standard version of the device for $30 less. It's still a bit more expensive than I'd like for a loose-leaf vaporizer. In this case, I want a vaporizer that can hold more than six-eight hits worth of cannabis. And the G Pen Pro sits much closer to a 10-hit average.
Ultimately, the Snoop Dogg BUSH G Pro – along with all the other version of the G Pro – is the kind of vaporizer that will likely be very popular with a niche audience. Not everyone wants to spend $200 on something like the PAX, or $400 on the Crafty, but most consistent marijuana smokers can find $100 in their budget for a device that could reduce their cannabis expenses. If you’re just looking for a loose-leaf vaporizer, the Snoop Dogg BUSH G Pro gets our recommendation. But if you’re looking for a device that works with concentrates then you’re going to need to keep looking.
Full Disclosure: The Snoop Dogg BUSH G Pen Pro vaporizer used for this review was provided by a VapeWorld representative; however, neither the distributor nor the manufacturer (Grenco Science) was given any sort of editorial oversight/privileges.
Be sure to check back with iDigitalTimes.com and follow Scott on Twitter for more cannabis-related gadget reviews throughout the remainder of 2015 and for however long the industry continues to churn out new/interesting gadgets in the years to come.
