Honest review time: The Wismec Active with Amor NS Plus

Here’s a look at a new kit released from Wismec that’s been getting some attention online thanks to some YouTube videos showcasing a couple of it’s standout features. Some may find the new additions to be a bit gimmicky but I for one can definitely see a market for this kind of functionality. I don’t want to give away too much in the intro so let’s get to it. Here are my honest thoughts on the Wismec Active with Amor NS Plus from Wismec.

Package contents:

Listed features and specs:

• Size: 55.6*26.6*94.5mm
• Weight: 166.4g
• Thread type: 510 spring loaded connector
• Output mode: VW/Bypass/TC-Ni/TC-Ti/TC-SS/TCR mode
• Output wattage: 1-80W
• Resistance range: 0.05-1.5ohm for TC modes 0.05-3.5ohm for VW mode
• Temperature Range: 100-315°C/200-600°F (TC modes)
• Maximum Charging Current: 2A
• Maximum Output Current: 50A
• Output Voltage Range: 0.5-9V

Amor NS PLus

• Diameter: 27mm
• Height: 47mm
• Weight: 47.5g
• E-liquid capacity: 2ml/4.5ml

Packaging:

The Wismec Active comes packed in a large cardboard box with an image of the device on the front, some musical notes and the silhouette of a person rock climbing on the side. The name of the kit is the Active and considering it’s special features it’s kind of fitting. On the back it lists the contents of the kit and some basic information. Sliding off the lid we’re greeted by the Active mod with the Amor NS tank attached and a box of extras. The mod is held in place by a thick sponge so everything arrived safe and sound. In the box of extras you get a micro USB cable, a spare coil and a bag containing a few extra orings and a carabiner. You also get a couple of manuals for the tank and mod and a coil chart which indicates what coils works best for what. It’s a pretty no frills kit but you get everything you’d need to get started so no real complaints there.

The Mod:

The Active mod is shaped like a rectangle with rounded corners with one corner being completely chopped off. That chopped off corner sports a hoop that the carabiner can latch on to so you can attach it to your bag or belt or whatever really. The Active measures 55.6 x 26.6 x 94.5mm and weighs only 166.4 grams. It’s mostly made of plastic with perforated metal grills on each side like you’d find on a speaker. It doesn’t exactly scream premium but it doesn’t really feel cheap either and it’s something I’d imagine Coleman would release if they made vaporizers for camping. Wrapping completely around the device is a removable rubber shock absorbing band which is coloured to match the device. Wismec actually sent over some extra bands of different colours as well so you could really customize the look of the device to match your own personality. At the very top jutting out from the rubber band is the 510 plate. It’s made of plastic and houses what looks like a stainless steel 510 connection. Wismec in the past has had issues with their 510 connections but this one looks pretty standard. I suppose only time will tell but so far it’s been working well enough. It’s got what appears to be a gold plated spring loaded 510 center pin and so far the things I’ve tried on it have sat flush. However it should be noted that the 510 plate itself is only 22mm in diameter while the base of the included tank is 24mm and if you noticed the width of the box is actually 26.6mm. So needless to say there’s a bit of overhang. The rubber band helps to mitigate it for the most part but I know this potential gap will irritate some users out there. I found as long as I keep the rubber band on I hardly notice it so it doesn’t really bother me and with 22mm gear it looks fine.

Down the face of the mod are the fire and adjustment buttons, the screen as well as the micro USB port for charging and firmware updates. Next to the micro USB port there is a tiny little reset button should the device need to be reset after a failed update. The buttons on the device are rubberized and actually live under the rubber band and on mine which is the black version the buttons are made with yellow rubber. It reminds me a bit of an old Sony Walkman with it’s rubberized waterproof clicky buttons. On the rubber band the buttons are echoed so you know where to press when it’s on. The buttons for the most part are nice and clicky and feel good with the rubber covering but the +/- adjustment buttons I found were a bit small and close together so people with big fingers might struggle a bit with it. Aside from that they work well and thanks again to that rubber there is absolutely zero button rattle. The 0.9″ black and white OLED screen is pretty basic but includes all of the information we like to see and is laid out in typical fashion. The device supports modes for VW/Bypass/TC-Ni/TC-Ti/TC-SS and TCR. It’s got a built-in 2100mAh battery and charges at a max of 2A meaning top ups on this thing will be quick. It’s got a max output of 80 watts which might not seem like much but it’s more then enough for the included Amor NS tank and the majority of things out on the market. It’s got a resistance range of 0.05ohm to 1.5ohm for TC and 0.05ohm to 3.5ohm for power mode. Using the device is very straightforward with the typical five clicks to turn it on and off and three clicks to get in to the menu. Navigating the menu will feel familiar to most users but the kit does include a manual for first timers.

On the opposite side of the face is another set of buttons but this set is for that extra included feature that has everyone abuzz. Integrated directly in to the device is a Bluetooth wireless speaker. Meaning you can connect it to any of your smart devices and stream your music or audio through it. It’s surprisingly loud and the quality isn’t bad either. It’s louder and clearer then my cellphones speakers and on top of all of that the whole thing is water and shock resistant. It’s IP65 compliant and as long as the micro USB port is plugged with the silicone plug that’s attached to the rubber band it should be protected against most water and shock based damage. It’s got a power button to turn it on and off, two buttons to advance/go back as well as adjust the volume up and down and also a play/pause button. It works well and is simple enough to use I didn’t even need to check the manual, just turned it on connected it to my phone and started playing music.

Admittedly it’s not the sexiest looking mod on the market but it’s functional and includes some pretty handy features which I could definitely see appealing to some users out there, especially the outdoorsy types who like to carry their music with them while hiking, fishing, camping etc. Being that it’s water and shock resistant I compared it to another recent water and shock resistant mod the Aegis Legend and found it’s roughly the same size for those worried about the bulk. While I do appreciate a device with an internal battery for their ease of use I’d almost prefer if the battery was user replaceable like the Legend so when out camping or things like that you could quickly swap them out rather then rely on access to a charger which might not be so handy when outdoors. Alternatively they could have crammed in a much bigger battery considering the size of the device or even had separate power banks for the two functions but I understand that the Bluetooth speaker takes up space as well.

The tank:

The Amor NS Plus tank is the latest in the Amor line from Wismec and a follow up to the Amor NS Pro. It’s a top fill bottom airflow clearomizer tank that holds 4.5ml of liquid but is also available in a TPD version which holds 2ml of liquid. I believe it’s made of stainless steel and is 24mm in diameter but bulges out to 27mm thanks to the acrylic bubble tank it comes equipped with, it’s also fairly compact at only 47mm tall. I suppose the acrylic will be more durable but I’ve never been much a fan of plastic tanks  and would have preferred if they included a glass tank in the kit. The acrylic tank is also a bit fogged until you fill it up, the liquid makes the plastic look almost perfectly clear compared to when it’s empty. It also comes with an acrylic 510 drip tip that matches the tank. It’s pretty much a straight barrel tip and stands fairly tall for a modern drip tip.

Just below the tip is the slide open top fill port. It’s a common feature these days and works well to expose a kidney shaped hole for refilling the tank. Pretty much any tip should fit fine and so far I haven’t experienced any mess from refilling. Down below the tank is the bottom adjustable airflow which comes in from two slots one on each side. Rather then just a cyclops style slot that opens up as you turn the ring there are a series of holes that you expose, a single hole and then two wider oblong holes so you can adjust it for a fairly tight MTL Mouth To Lung hit or a looser DL Direct Lung. Because the holes are mirrored on both sides if I close it down to the single small hole it’s actually dual small holes as there is one on each side. It’s not such a big deal as the restriction I found mostly comes from the airflow through the coils. On the very bottom of the tank it shows the name of the tank and some basic CE markings.

The Coils:

The kit comes with two coils, the same two coils that were packed with the Amor NS Pro. It comes with a WS04 MTL 1.3ohm coil rated from 8-14w that is made for mouth to lung and specifically nic salt based liquids which I’m pretty sure is where the tank gets it’s NS initials from. It also includes a WS01 Triple 0.2ohm coil rated from 40-80w which is made for direct lung vaping. With the WS04 I get a nice mouth to lung hit that’s nice and saturated, full flavoured and satisfying. No it doesn’t pump out clouds but it does produce a respectable amount of vapour. With the WS01 I got just as good flavour but significantly more vapour. I personally preferred the WS04 myself as I found it just a tad more saturated and full but it’s a very minor distinction.

The WS04 makes a lot of sense to include with this kit as it only needs about 9w to work well and considering the multi-functionality of the device battery savings will definitely be a concern. With the WS04 coil installed and vaping at 9w this thing tends to last all day and then some, if using the included Bluetooth speaker function that obviously declines drastically but you’re definitely going to get some decent battery life out of it if you’re only vaping at 9w. With the WS01 coil I found I needed at least 45w or so to really enjoy it and at that power level the 2100mAh internal battery starts to decline really quickly so it might not be the best pairing if you’re out all day and want to use the Bluetooth speaker. As for coil life it really comes down to juices used, personal vaping habits and QC on the coils themselves so individual results may vary but I easily got a week out of the WS04 coil before switching to the WS01 and I’m sure I could have kept going with it but needed to test the other coil out.

Likes:

• Bluetooth speaker
• Water/shock resistant
• Replaceable outer bands
• Ease of use
• Good flavour and vapour from the Amor NS PLus
• Great battery life with WS04 coil at 9w
• Hook with carabiner
• 2A quick charge

Dislikes:

• Not a sexy mod
• Small battery capacity for multifunction
• Plastic 22mm 510 plate creates gap
• No glass tank included
• Batteries not user replaceable

Overall:

I’ve got to admit when I first saw it I thought it was a bit gimmicky and a little unpolished but after getting my hands on it I can’t really knock it all that much. It’s feels fairly well made, is water and shock resistant, has a decent sounding built-in Bluetooth speaker and works just fine as a standard mod. The included tank works great with nic salt based liquids as well as regular subohm liquids thanks to the two coil options so while it might seem a bit over the top to some I’m sure others will surely appreciate what it brings to the table. I could definitely see the outdoors types appreciating the added functionality of the Active and I plan on keeping it around for any of my own future outdoor activities. So hats off to Wismec for trying something new!!