Honest review time: The Vaporessos Swag px80 kit

Vaporesso dropped a new version of their Swag kit recently, really upping the swagger factor on their popular device line. If you’re not familiar the Swag it’s their compact sort of side by side style subohm kit that has seen at least two iterations resulting in this newest and may I say rather polished looking version. The latest is called the Swag PX80 and here is what I make of it!

Package contents:

Listed features and specs:

Packaging and contents:

The kit comes packed in a black cardboard box with an image of the kit on the front and a listing of the contents, specs and some warnings on the back. In the kit you get the Swag PX80 mod, with a tank already attached. You also get two coils, a USB Type-C cable and a packet containing the warranty card, warning card and user manual. No notable extras but everything you’d expect in a kit like this. It’s available in Emerald Green, Imperial Red, Leather Brown, Gunmetal Grey and Brick Black which is the version I received.

The mod:

The mod has taken on a significant update to both style and quality of materials used in it’s construction. The last Swag released for some reason was made almost entirely of plastic which despite going for a premium look gave it a slightly less than premium feel. This new Swag gets rid of all that plastic replacing it with what I believe is an aluminum or zinc alloy frame but also sandwiches the device between a carbon fiber style side panel and a leather or in my case carbon fiber backing. On the one side it’s sort of soft and squishy while the other is smooth plastic. It not only significantly updates the look of the device but also the feel. It’s smooth and rounded and is honestly one of the slicker devices I’ve held lately. With the rounded edges it is fairly easy to tip over but that’s hardly a complaint.

At the top it’s got a threaded cap which unscrews to insert an 18650 battery, it’s pretty much a side by side design but a bit different from the usual as the tank still mostly sits above the battery. Right next to the battery compartment is a new recessed hole where the tank would sit. Unlike previous Swags it ditches the 510 in exchange for a magnetic connecting pod/tank system. On either side of the device and sitting over the recess are slots cut into the side which match up with the bottom air intake of the tank. Basically turning the recessed tank lines up the slots but also allows you to adjust the airflow to the tank. It’s an ingenious design but unfortunately locks you into using the included tank. I personally would have preferred if they kept the 510 and offered a magnetic base for the tank so I could still use my own tanks but it is what it is. As for airflow with the two slots, this thing will primarily be for direct lung vapers and the included mesh coils pretty much reinforce that. You can get an MTL hit, it’ll just be really loose. On the very bottom there’s a few holes for venting and the usual CE markings.

Down the working face of the mod is the round metallic fire button, rocker style metallic adjustment buttons and the USB Type-C port for charging. Maybe the slightest rattle to the buttons if I really shake it but they’re not loose enough to bother me at all. Via the USB C port it can take a 5V/2A quick charge connection and even gives an onscreen estimate of how much time remains for a full charge, which rarely take more than 30 mins or so depending on the state and capacity of your battery. On the smooth plastic side of the device there’s a 0.96″ TFT screen hidden under the plastic. I believe they use IML(in mould labelling) to disguise the screen with the carbon fiber graphics. In most cases you won’t even notice it’s there until it lights up. When it does though it’s well laid out, easy to read and despite being behind plastic it’s surprisingly bright.

Using the device is pretty straightforward and it uses the standard five button clicks to turn it on and off, three clicks will lock the device and pressing both adjustment buttons will open the main menu. In the menu you can select VV, VW, Smart VW, Puff, Theme, Default and Exit. VV is variable voltage, VW variable wattage, and Smart VW automatically tries to set the recommended wattage. No temp control which I don’t miss but you do have the option to change the on screen theme colours and reset the puff count. You can also check the version by pressing fire and +. The device can fire up to 80W, is powered by their well established Axon chip and boasts a fire time of just 0.001s. While I can’t exactly test that I will say performance has not been an issue with this little guy.

The tank:

The tank that comes with the kit is called the Swag pod. It’s a 4ml tank with plug and play coils, bottom fill and at least one nifty hidden feature. At the top where you’d expect to find a 510 drip tip you’ll instead find a dedicated tip that also acts as a plunger. There’s a little lock/unlock symbol on it and if you turn it to unlocked and press down on the drip tip it will pop the coil out the bottom. Super handy if you don’t like getting your fingers dirty and the tank is also self-sealing meaning when you do pop the coil out no liquid will leak out. As I mentioned though it is bottom fill and to top it up you need to remove it from the device and pop open the little silicone plug located on the bottom outer rim of the tank. Another thing I’ll mention is Vaporesso claims quad leakage protection with this tank and coils, and in my weeks of usage I haven’t even seen any condensation buildup so I’ll say it’s pretty much leak free. Also if it’s not obvious, it is a plastic tank but no mention of the type so be mindful with tank crackers.

The coils that come with the kit aren’t exactly new, they’re Vaporessos GTX coils, the same ones that ship with the Target PM80, the Gen Nano and the XIRON. They’re mesh based coils and in the kit you get one 0.2ohm(45-60W) coil and one 0.3ohm(32-45W). Both coils put out dense flavourful vapour and you’d be hard pressed to really notice much difference between them. The 0.2ohm does need a bit more power but I was happily running both around 45W. I easily got a full week out of the first coil before needing to swap, roughly 2-3 refills a day and probably around 45-50ml total for the sticklers out there. But as always mileage may vary depending on liquid, wattage settings and personal vaping habits. I’d post the puff count but accidentally reset it at some point.

Overall:

I really dig a lot of the updates that the Swag received and though I’m not exactly thrilled they ditched any form of 510 the included tank really isn’t anything to scoff at. The device works well, has a slick modern interface, smart features, takes 18650 batteries, uses USB Type-C with quick charge, has a self-sealing tank with a nifty plunger top and comes with some solid performing mesh coils. What’s not to love. I know plenty will feel the same way I do about the missing 510s but as a pod kit the Swag PX80 has a lot to offer. I’d have no trouble recommending this new and improved Swag kit to either new or seasoned vapers but mainly for those who prefer direct lung!!