2_5stars

Vladdin Vantage Review

The original Vladdin pod system was my favorite MTL vape pod for a very long time, and even though their disposable RIO pod wasn’t that impressive, I was still very excited to learn about a new Vladdin product. The Vantage features a similarly stylish design as the Vladdin RE, much better battery life, and best of all, MTL and DL pod compatibility. Sound intriguing enough? Let’s check it out:

Vladdin Vantage Packaging and Presentation

Compared to the Vladdin RE, which came in a flimsy cardboard box, the new Vantage pod system comes in this slick plastic case that you can use to carry the device as well as a small bottle of juice in when you travel. Inside the case, we have the Vladdin Vantage with a pre-installed pod, a spare refillable pod, a USB Type-C charging cable, and a user manual.

This is pretty much your usual pod system starter kit, but I will say that the plastic case is a breath of fresh air in an industry that mainly uses cardboard boxes.

Vladdin Vantage Design and Build Quality

The new Vantage pod system measures 116mm x 22mm x 12.6mm and is made primarily out of aluminum. It comes in several colors, including black, red and dark blue, and feels surprisingly light for its size.

One of the main strengths of the original Vladdin was its slick, elegant design, and while definitely different, the new Vantage could definitely be characterized as stylish. It’s essentially a large vape pen, but a cooler looking one than most. I don’t know what it is, but there is something about the Vladdin Vantage makes it look and feel like a premium product. Maybe it’s the minimalist design, the brushed aluminum finish, or the sturdy but light metallic feel, but there’s definitely something special about this thing.

Similarly to the the VooPoo Vinci and the Vaporesso Xros, the new Vantage vape pod features both manual and automatic battery activation, only Vladdin went a bit differently in implementing these technologies. Basically, the automatic draw only works with the MTL pod, for some reason. When switching to the DL one, you have to press the fire button, otherwise the battery won’t activate.

The fire button is flush with the pod system, but the line-shaped LED indicator embedded in it makes it very easy to find with either the thumb or the index finger. It’s not the clickiest button in the world, but it works well and looks even better.

One of the coolest thing about the Vladdin Vantage is the battery indicator. Instead of the classic LED that turns different colors depending on battery level, this pod system features a slicker design with bar-shaped LED indicators that light up depending on how much battery you have left. Four bars means you have over 80% battery life, while 1 light means between 10% and 30% battery.

At the very bottom of the battery casing we have a USB-C port for fast charging. The Vladdin Vantage charges at 1.5A, so it goes from depleted battery to full in under 45 minutes.

Vladdin Vantage Pods

The main selling point of the Vladdin Vantage is the fact that it supports both mouth-to-lung (MTL) and direct lung (DL) vaping, thus potentially appealing to a larger audience. The Vantage uses to styles of refillable pods, one for MTL and another for DL. This difference is both clearly marked on the stickers covering their contacts, but also bu the color of the plastic tank. The MTL one is transparent, while the one for DL is tinted blue.

The pods connect to the battery via magnets and snap in place no matter which way you insert them. They both hold up to 1.6ml of e-liquid, and feature a top filling system similar to that of the Caliburn Koko. You just remove the black mouthpiece and fill the pod through one of the two small holes on either side of the central shaft. It’s about as easy and convenient as pod filling goes.

The MTL pod features a built-in, non-removable 1.2Ω coil, while the DL one comes with an 0.8Ω coil. The strange thing is that looking through the bottom of each coil, you can see that the diameter of the coils inside is pretty much identical, although you would expect the MTL one to be significantly tighter.

Vladdin Vantage Battery Life

One of the main advantage of the new Vantage pod system over the Vladdin RE is the difference in battery capacity. While the older model was rated at 350mAh, the newer device has double the battery capacity, at 700mh. That’s quite a big leap forward, although, to be fair, the Vantage is significantly thicker than the original Vladdin vape pod.

Another strong point of this system is the USB-C fast charging, which brings a depleted battery back to full in around 40 minutes. The Vantage also works in passthrough mode, so you can use it while it’s charging.

How Does the Vladdin Vantage Vape?

The thing I loved most about the Vladdin RE pod system was the tight, cigarette-like draw you just couldn’t – and still can’t – find on many other pod systems. Sadly, the draw on the Vantage is completely different. And I don’t mean only on the DL pod, that’s supposed to be a lot looser, but the truth is that I personally felt no noticeable difference between the two pods, at least in terms of draw.

As I mentioned above, the coils of the two pods seem to have the same diameter, although you would expect the MTL one to be more restricted. And since the pod system has no airflow control system, your stuck with two pods suited for a restricted direct lung hit, or a very loose MTL. I’m sure a lot of vapers will find this type of draw enjoyable, but I was really hoping for two very different vaping experiences, like Vladdin had promised.

The only real difference between the two pods – at least the only one I detected – was the slightly warmer vape on the 0.8Ω coil pod, which normal considering the lower resistance. Flavor-wise, I didn’t feel any difference at all, and the draw was pretty much the same.

Conclusion

The Vladdin Vantage is one of the slickest, most elegant pod systems on the market right now, and that’s not the only thing going for it. It has double the battery of the original Vladdin, more advanced coil-heads, but it falls short in the most important area, the vaping performance. Vladdin promises to different types of draws with the two different, but in reality, the pods are pretty much the same in that regard, so you don’t really have two options.

Sadly, the Vantage fell short of my expectations, but I’m sure there are plenty of people out there who prefer the loose MTL or restricted DL draw it offers, so it’s basically a matter of personal taste.