Honest review time: The Aegis Squonk from Geekvape

Geekvape has been at it again with a new addition to their Aegis line of devices. It’s called the Aegis Squonk and if you haven’t guessed it already it’s their new bottom feed mod, but with a twist. It’s actually a 2 in 1 device and included in the kit is a replaceable back so you can convert it from a squonker to a standard mod if ever the need arises. I’ve been a fan of the Aegis series since they first launched the original and have continued to be a fan with every subsequent release, the Aegis Squonk is no exception. I picked mine up from Heavengifts.com one of my favorite Chinese retail sites for ecigarettes. Here are my honest thoughts on the Aegis Squonker from Geekvape.

Package contents:

Listed specs:

Packaging and contents:

Like everything from Geekvape the Aegis Squonk arrives in a solid black and orange cardboard box. Mine was labeled as a sample so final packaging and contents may vary slightly. I find their iconic black and orange colour scheme really stands out and is immediately recognizable once you’ve become familiar with the brand. In the kit you get a lot of stuff which to be fair is pretty common practice for Geekvape. In the kit you get the Aegis Squonk, the Tengu RDA, a replaceable non-squonk back for the mod as well as a spare silicone bottle, a micro USB cable and three little accessory bags. In the accessory bags you get some agleted cotton with some n80 fused claptons, an Allan key and a coil tool, Geekvapes handy t-shaped multi-tool, a full set of o-rings, a spare set of grub screws, a 510 drip tip adapter and an alternate low profile 810 drip tip. A very thoroughly packed kit which is pretty much par for the course with Geekvape.

The mod:

The mod looks like a cross between the Aegis Solo and the Aegis Legend with maybe a bit of Aegis X thrown in for good measure. It’s just slightly bigger than the Solo and a tiny bit smaller than the Legend. In it’s default state it’s a squonker but with the included replacement back you can change it into a standard single battery mod albeit just slightly bigger than if you got the Solo. Just two hex screws hold it in place so it’s a quick swap but I noticed they didn’t include any spares for those. Starting at the top it’s got a really nice stainless steel 510 plate with an embedded rubber ring which will help prevent leaking from between the atomizer and the mod. Right next to it facing towards the back is the slide to open fill port if you’re using the Squonk back. We’ve seen a similar setup with other devices and it’s a convenient alternative to a more traditional bottle system. It slides open to reveal a very deeply set fill hole. It works well enough but a lot of my tips just barely reach the fill hole so it’s going to be a struggle with any short tipped bottles or larger bottle especially when you have the RDA screwed on. On the back of the device is the exposed 10ml silicone squonk bottle which doesn’t use a hose like traditional squonkers and instead uses a built-in system where the liquid from the bottle is fed up through the side of the device and out the 510. When screwing the device together you can see where the bottle assembly plugs into the back of the mod and uses a little o-ring to prevent any leaking. So far it’s held up well but if it were to leak the device still has it’s IP67 dust and waterproof rating so any escaping liquid shouldn’t be a significant problem and will likely be trapped in behind the back piece.

On the face of the mod it has a familiar looking interface and as far as I can tell it’s exactly the same as the Solo with the same features and functions. At the top it’s got a gem cut looking plastic fire button, a bright 0.96″ black and white screen and two little rounded adjustment buttons at the bottom, On one of the sides is a hidden micro USB port for charging or updating the device. A silicone plug keeps dust. dirt and liquid out but is still easy enough to remove with your fingernail. On the bottom it has a threaded battery cap with a flip out handle and the device uses a single 18650 just like the Aegis Solo.

Features and function wise the Aegis Squonk is pretty much identical to the Aegis Solo and uses the same AS-100 chipset. It uses the usual five clicks to turn it on and off with three clicks to enter selection mode. It’s got a max output of 100W, support for temp control with Stainless steel, Nickel 200 and Titanium. It fires incredibly fast and the output is accurate. By this time it’s a well proven chip and with all the usual protections built-in like a 10s cutoff, short circuit, overcharge & discharge, overheat and surge protection this little unit is built to last.

The RDA:

I’ve actually reviewed the Tengu RDA in the past and found it’s a very capable atomizer. It’s a dual dual coil RDA that is bottom feed capable with a three post design. The center post is shaped like a ‘T’ with the two negative posts having slightly offset post holes. It uses flat head grubs to secure the leads and with the design of the deck it makes it really easy to pop in some coils. I will admit because of the angle of the negative post holes it does tend to bend your coils in a funny way when tightening them down but it’s easy enough to fix up once in place. If you’re using it in squonk mode there are two tiny holes at the very base of the positive post where the liquid will come out when squonked. With cotton on either side the juice is distributed very evenly though it can take a while for it to travel up to the level of your coils. Unfortunately there isn’t any single coil option included and the airflow is only really suited to a dual coil setup.

Airflow to the deck comes via dual perforated airflow slots on either side. Essentially there are two rows of holes, seven on the bottom and six on top. Inside the cap is a hidden airflow control ring which locks in to the deck so when you turn the cap it adjusts the airflow. It’s graduated as well so as you turn it it slowly closes off the holes bit by bit. With the perforated airflow it gives the Tengu a really nice smooth airflow experience and with the right build in there the flavour, airflow and vapour production are fantastic. Obviously performance will be dictated by your ability to coil and wick the RDA but with the included fused clapton coils you should be able to get a smooth flavourful experience right off the bat.

Build, wick and Performance:

Building on the Tengu is pretty straightforward. With the T-Shaped center post and offset negative posts it’s just a matter of sliding your leads through the holes, tightening down the grubs and trimming off the excess. My one tiny gripe with the Tengu is because the negative post holes are angled it tends to bend the leads of your coil when you tighten them. It’s a simple matter to fix up your coil afterward but I do find it mildly annoying. Once you’ve got your coil in place you wick it just as you would any other average dripper. Make sure your cotton is long enough to touch the deck and then tuck it in on both sides. It’s a really simple design that’s easy to use and works well.

In regards to performance as I always say it will ultimately depend on your ability to build and wick but even using the included fused claptons it should be an easy job getting this thing up and running. With the included coils I’ve been getting some very respectable performance out of it and the perforated airflow makes for a really smooth experience. Flavour is solid and obviously with dual fused claptons clouds are a plenty but even when replaced with a build of my own the Tengu is no slouch and can keep up with the best of them. It can run a bit hot at times if you’re running a high wattage build but for my vaping style it’s been fine. If you’re using it as a standard dripper the T-shaped center post is angled like the roof of a house so liquid will flow fairly evenly to both sides of the deck. If you’re using it as a squonker the two holes located at the base of the center post do a great job of spreading the liquid to both sides and if you have your cotton packed in there just right you can squeeze liquid almost up to the tops of your coils to thoroughly saturate your wicks. Personally I have almost no complaints about the Aegis Squonker or the Tengu RDA and the two paired together make for a great setup.

Overall:

There’s a reason the Aegis series has been such a popular line. They’re built to last, they work very well and they look bad ass to boot. When I first saw the Aegis Squonker announced online I kind of expected it would be bulky but to my surprise it’s a reasonably compact well thought out and well constructed device that undoubtedly deserves the Aegis moniker. If you’re looking for a squonker with the built to last qualities of a classic Aegis device then this would be the one for you.