I am usually an E-Liquid smoker. I like the small form factor and the on the go smoking that that form factor provides, but I know that that is not the only option on the market. Direct herbal vaporizing is a thing, I reviewed one of them a few months back and had a pleasant time remember the tastes and smells of real tobacco. I know that tobacco vapers is not the primary market for these things, I’m not fool, but seen as marijuana is illegal in my area I could not test that out myself. Thankfully I have a friend living in an area where it is legal, so I got him to test out that end of things. The Prohibited 5th degree is wearing it’s intentions on its sleeves to my eyes, a small form factor vaporizer with multiple temperature settings and several colors to choose from. I love a company with an eye towards aesthetics, so already Prohibited have endeared themselves to me.
So, why should you use a dry herb vaporizer over the other options that are out there? When compared to smoking cigarettes or other burned options it is healthier. Not quite as safe as regular e-liquid vaping, but significantly better than burned. When it comes to the benefits over e-liquid there are many. The style of smoke is far closer to burning herb. Back when I smoked cigarettes I used them to gauge time, one an hour or so. It meant that having a smoke was a rarer thing. Now that I use an e-liquid vape pen I find that I am smoking it nearly constantly. The dry herb vape creates a set amount of vapor, so when you want a smoke; you have A smoke. In addition the flavor is far closer to the real deal. I have tried a variety of tobacco flavored e-liquids and with one very specific exception none have come close to that old experience. Dry herb vaping is cleaner than burning, and far more like smoking that e-liquid vaping.
So I will be testing out the product with tobacco, then it gets mailed cross country to a friend to test out with herb and we meet in the middle. First, let’s take a look at who is selling the Prohibited Fifth Degree dry herb & concentrate vaporizer.
About TVape
TVape (formally known as Toronto Vape) are a firm specializing in all kinds of vaporizers, add ons, and advice for the old hand, and the newbie alike. A look through their site reveals a treasure trove of products and reviews, enough to satisfy anyone. They are small, but growing, with ties to a wide range of manufacturers. They know what a good vape feels like that they sell only the best. They focus on good product and excellent customer service. They have a variety of ways to contact them, and their after sale support is fantastic. They have an extensive social media presence, showing how important direct contact with their consumers is to them. Overall, an open and honest firm so far as I can find out.
TVape Prohibited 5th Degree Design and Build Quality
So to using the thing. The first thing you have to do with any new vaporizer is sterilize it. There are all sorts of things that can contaminate a dry herb vape during the manufacturing, so it is best to get into the habit of this for all new purchases. Doing it here is easy. Just set it up with the herb vape, press the power button three times fast to unlock. Wait, then press the power button twice quickly. Once you have three lights lit hit the button again, then press the button for three seconds to run a hot cycle. Once it is done just do it three more times and you’re good to go.
Using it follows the same process as sterilizing it, except this time you add some herb. You take the top off, and spoon in the dry herb to the heating chamber. The you put the herb vape top back on. I went with some knock off Latakia blend to get things started, I mean, if I am going to vape some tobacco it might as well be something interesting, right? This tie I stopped the lights on the low setting, as even a blended Latakia can hit like a tonne of bricks. It took a minute or so to vape the herb, and I took a small draw. The flavors were as strong as I expected, it kicked like a mule, but the experience was far an away smoother than any cigarette I had ever smoked.My contact in the lawless lands to the west was able to confirm the smoothness of the draw with more nefarious herbs than simple non-Syrian Syrian tobacco.
Stripping down the build to clean was a bit of a chore, most of the herbs fall out fine, but there are always little bits in the nooks and crannies. I got it done,the brush that comes with it does the job, but be aware that it requires effort and some cleaning fluid. The same is true of the vast majority of options in this price range, and even most far above as well, so it’s not a huge issue. I was not able to test out the wax head, but reports from others suggest that it works fine, and in fact leads to longer battery life due to the temperatures required.
The three temperature settings here are fairly standard, and the battery life on herb is nominal as well. Charge time varies, but an hour or so will see you through most of a day, if used as a cigarette replacement. I have been told that as a session long hitter it stands up, but you may have to charge it before too long.
Overall the form factor is nice, the materials used are up to standard and the actually experience of dry herb vaping is up to par.
TVape Prohibited 5th Degree Pricing and Warranty
The Prohibited 5th Degree comes in at $249, a heft sum for some, sure, but it is well worth the asking price. The market is flooded with cheap dry herb vaporizers, and most of them offer a sub par experience. The Prohibited, despite the name, provides excellent value for money. So far as I know it comes with a few bonuses as well, but we’ll talk about them after the review. I am also near sure that there is a 5% discount available on TVape products
In terms of warranty the vape industry does not seem all that concerned beyond first day of use. If the product does not work on arrival then you can get your money back. TVape offer a 30 day store warranty, but still, so short a time is hardly what I would call comprehensive, especially seen as you are responsible for your return costs. There is a manufacturer’s warranty that covers an extended 6 months, but that is for factory faults only. I tend to use the argument that any product that break within six months of normal use automatically has a factory fault, but you may have to press the point home. The customer service from TVape is high, emails are quickly replied too, and the site has a lovely real time chat feature, but the warranty leaves a little to be desired. It’s industry standard though, so there is little you can do.
A mediocre warranty is not enough to sway me away. The price is on point, and the add ons are lovely. The discount is icing on the cake for me. The fact that you get that first 30 days is at least something, and in an industry that has not had a warranty arms race impressive.
TVape Prohibited 5th Degree Conclusion
The Prohibited is far from a top of the line model, but this upper mid range piece is well suited to the beginner and the veteran. I love the form factor, and the choice of temperatures. The fact that the versatile marijuana vaporizer we can go from dry herb to wax at the shift of a head, and not have to worry about overheating is a big plus. The build is very easy to use, and the pull you get from herb is top notch. If you are in the market for your first dry herb vape, or you want something nice and portable, without sacrificing function, then this is something you will want to pay attention to.
TVape Zeus Bolt 2 Review
The Zeus Bolt 2 normally retails at $49.99, so getting it free here is a damn fine deal. It really drives home the My First Dry Herb Vaporizer feel the Prohibited, especially in conjunction with the name of the thing. Just another good reason to get it from TVape.
