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Outdoorsy types are typically the target audience of vaporizer manufacturers. But Vapium Inc. is hoping to extend an olive branch to the most-active cannabis users among us with the release of the Vapium Summit: Weekender Edition bundle.
Inside the box, customers will find the standard Vapium Summit vaporizer, a micro-USB charging cable, an AC-to-USB adapter and one of the company's $50 Vapium Spring solar chargers. The package retails for $190, ten bucks less than you'd pay for ordering the two gadgets separately,and the gadget-addicted will be pleased to know the Spring doesn't have some sort of proprietary charger that prevents its usage with other devices.
Any device with a USB charger should be compatible with the Spring, including smartphones, portable gaming devices, etc. The solar charger needs about eight hours of sunlight (less when using USB/AC) to get a full charge. Sunlight shouldn't exactly be hard to come by, if you're out camping, hiking, etc, and most big cities aren't hurting for places to charge a USB device these days. Plus, you can use the same cord to charge the Summit and/or the Spring. So remembering the necessary cable shouldn't be an issue. Vapium even built an LED flashlight built into the Spring, making it easy for campers to use the Summit after the sun goes down. Or, you know, just to get around your campsite after dark.
As for the Summit, Vapium Inc.'s portable vaporizer is pretty much exactly what you'd expect from a $150 vaporizer. Standing four and a half inches tall, the Summit is small enough to fit in your pocket but large enough to accommodate all of the necessary electronic bits. Vapium Inc. lists the Summit's weight at 250 grams, about half a pound, giving the vaporizer enough heft to feel sturdy without feeling like a burden in your pocket. A magnetic oven cover ensures whatever you pack into the Summit stays in it until you're finished vaping. And a small tether ensures that cover never goes missing.
Operating the Summit is about as straightforward as you can hope for. A "Go button" near the top of the device is used to power the Summit on/off and prevent the device from entering its cool down state. Four LEDs just below the button double as temperature and battery indicator. And a pair of buttons below the lights give users the ability to increase/decrease the Summit's oven temperature as needed.
And this is where my praise for the Summit wanes a bit.
Despite touting its 8 temperature settings, ranging from 320 - 450 degrees Fahrenheit, I could only get the Summit to produce vapor on the three highest settings. While scientific studies have shown that significant amounts of THC can be produced around 340 degrees, I've generally found it difficult to get quality vapor from portable devices at such low temperatures. In the Summit's case, the device's 30-second auto-cool-down timer made it incredibly difficult to get a decent hit from the Summit at any temperature lower than 400 degrees.
That said, I have relatively few complaints about the Summit after finding the best temperature settings for daily use. Even with the oven running relatively hot, the vapor produced by the Summit is palatable and devoid of the burned popcorn taste cannabis users try to avoid. To give you a point of comparison, the Vapium Summit isn't going to compete with the PAX or the K-Vape Micro DX, when it comes to the taste/amount of vapor produced; however, Vapium Inc.'s latest creation also retails for 25 percent less than either of the aforementioned competitors. And I'm not going to sit here and claim I didn't get high when using the Summit off-and-on these past few weeks. The device works quite well in that regard.
I also wish the Vapium Summit had a bit bigger battery packed inside. Granted, access to recreational cannabis has given me the freedom to enjoy it a bit more frequently than many. But I'm still shocked by how frequently I've drained the Summit's battery. A full charge rarely lasts a full day and I sometimes find myself having to charge the Summit twice in the same day. Thankfully, charging the Summit doesn't take long, even when relying on the Spring for power. But that could still be a deal breaker for some.
All things considered, the Vapium Summit seems like a worthwhile purchase for anyone willing to spend more than a hundred dollars on a vaporizer but uncertain if they want to cross into the premium tier of products inhabited by the likes of the Crafty or PAX 2. I'm not sure how many cannabis users will see the appeal of the Weekender Edition bundle but those who do prefer taking their cannabis on-the-go will undoubtedly appreciate the included solar charger. There's even a carabiner included in the package, so you can attach the Spring to your bag, when hiking, biking, etc.
If you're not the outdoorsy type, the standalone Vapium Summit is probably all you're going to need. But it's always nice to have options. Especially when those options include a solar-powered battery pack for your portable vaporizer.
Full Disclosure: The Vapium Summit Weekender Edition bundle used for this review was provided by a Vapium Inc. representative; however, the manufacturer was not 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.
