GeekVape Aegis Squonk Kit Review
If you’ve always dreamed of taking your squonk mod in the shower with you, now you can thanks to GeekVape’s new Aegis Squonk 100W mod. But this isn’t just the IP67 squonker that people have been asking for, it’s also a modular device that turns into an Aegis Solo single battery mod with a replaceable back cover that replaces the squonk bottle holder. It’s definitely one of the most interesting devices GeekVape has ever made, and I can’t wait to tell you all about it!
A Look at the Contents
The new Aegis 100W squonk mod comes in the classic GeekVape packaging – a black and orange rectangular box – with a picture of the device inside on the front cover, and a list of contents, a short description and technical specifications, as well as manufacturer information, on the back side.
Inside the box, we have the Aegis Squonk and the included GeekVape Tengu RDA sitting in a Styrofoam holder, and underneath that is another compartment where we have all the included accessories: micro-USB cable for the mod, an extra squonk bottle, two pre-built coils and cotton sheets fro the RDA, a 510 adapter and spare o-rings, extra 510 pin as well as extra build deck screws, a mini screwdriver, Allen key, and even a battery door tool. Oh, and of course you also get a user manual and a warranty card.
This is definitely one of the most generous vape kits I have ever tested, so props to GeekVape for keeping the bar raised high in that regard. Sure, some of the included accessories aren’t really necessary – like the 510 adapter for the Tengu RDA or the assistant tool for the battery door – but GeekVape deserves that much more respect for including them.
Design and Build Quality
Having already reviewed three Aegis mods – including the original Aegis 100W and the brand new GeekVape Aegis X – I recognized the Aegis Squonk as a new member of the family the moment GeekVape released the first photos of it. Apart from the attached squonk bottle, it has the same iconic Aegis look and feel, with the rubberized sections and the branded frame that keeps the bottle in place where the stitched leather is on other Aegis mods. It even has the same style battery door as the first ever Aegis mod.
The Aegis squonker measures 88mm x 31mm x 53.5mm and is made primarily of zinc alloy. Unfortunately, the build quality isn’t quite as high as that of previous Aegis devices I’ve tested. It’s not bad, the mod still retains its IP67 (water and dust resistant) rating, but there are certain elements that just aren’t as high-quality. Case in point, that iconic frame around the squonk bottle was made of metal on other Aegis mods while here it’s plastic. I’m sure it’s tough plastic that can take a bit of punishment, but it still feels cheaper than before.
About half the mod is covered in rubber-like black silicone supposed to provide some cushioning in case of an accidental drop. It’s the half where all the important internal components are located, but the silicone used is the same one on the Aegis Legend, so expect it to get covered in dust almost instantly. I wish they had used the same material as on the Aegis X, as it remains a lot cleaner in the long run.
The 510 connection of the GeekVape Aegis Squonk is a bit weird. It doesn’t have that punctured pin that we usually see on this type of vaping devices. Instead, the juice comes from around the pin, which would normally cause it to leak out from under the atomizer. Luckily, this mod has a protective silicone ring around the 510 connection designed to prevent any leaks. It has proven very effective so far, but it does have the downside of creating a gap between the mod and any atomizer you put on it. It’s not a huge deal, but perfectionists will find that gap off-putting.
Right next to the 510 connection you will find the top-fill port concealed under a sliding cover. Just slide it outwards and you will be presented with a fairly large fill port covered by a silicone membrane meant to prevent leaking in case of the cover sliding open by accident. It’s an ingenious system that makes filling the 10ml squonk bottle a breeze.
If you’re a seasoned squonker, you probably already know that a good quality bottle is key to an enjoyable vaping experience. You will be pleased to know that the Aegis Squonk comes with two very nice 10ml bottles, that are easy enough to squeeze, but still firm to the point where you can accurately estimate how much juice you are squeezing into the atomizer. They are proprietary bottles, so you won’t be able to swap them out for others.
While the Aegis Squonk bottles are easy to use and refill, when it comes to cleaning or replacing them, things get considerably tricky. In order to reach the squonk bottle, you need to take out the top screws on either side of that decorative frame around the bottle. That will allow you to take the frame and the bottle apart from the mod. You can clean the bottle while still attached to the frame, but of you need to take it out, there is more work to do.
Next to the fill port, you have two round silicone pegs that you need to take out with tweezers in order to reach two metallic screws. Only after taking those out can you actually reach the squonk bottle and take it out. That’s easy to do, you just grab the lower half and pull it down, but putting it back in requires some work and patience. Getting the neck through the tight collar on the plastic frame can be tricky, but remember, you only need to do this when replacing the squonk bottle, so don’t let it scare you.
While taking the mod apart to reach the squonk bottle may seem like a lot of work – it is, compared to other squonk mods – the modular design also allows you to turn the Aegis Squonk into an Aegis Solo single-18650 device. You will need to buy a standard back cover from the GeekVape website to replace the plastic cover that the Aegis comes with, but it only costs about $8, so I think it’s definitely worth it, especially if the shipping cost makes sense. You basically unscrew the frame from the mod and replace it with the new one which features stitched leather instead of a squonk bottle.
The battery door is the same “vault door” we saw on the original GeekVape Aegis 100W, which is personally my favorite type for the Aegis line. It features a handle to help users screw and unscrew it, but if you are still having trouble with it, the kit comes with a metal rod that makes things a lot easier. Both the door and the battery compartment feature clear polarity indicators, but just in case you disregard them, the mod comes with reverse polarity protection.
The buttons and the screen of the GeekVape Aegis squonk are very similar to those of the Aegis Legend mod. The plastic buttons are very firm and have a nice click to them, while the display looks a bit outdated. It’s black and white, the resolution isn’t the highest, and it’s too dim, especially in strong sunlight. It may just be the protective cover over the display, but the effect is the same.
All in all, the GeekVape Aegis Squonk looks and feels like a proper Aegis mod. It’s sturdy, despite the plastic elements, but at the same time it feels very comfortable in the hand. The modular design is very intriguing, but it does involve a bit of extra work, which some users just may not be up to. I for one think it’s a nice device to add to my collection, but it does have some shortcomings.
Menu System and Navigation
Unlike the GeekVape Aegis X, which features the 2.0 version of the Chinese company’s AS chip, the Aegis Squonk has the exact same board as the other Aegis mods I’ve reviewed in the past – Aegis 100W and Aegis Legend. The settings are the same, the power output is the same as other Aegis single-battery mods, and the design of the interface is identical
You can check out my previous reviews for an in-depth breakdown of the Aegis menu and navigation, but for a short recap, five presses of the fire button turn the mod on and off, three rapid presses get you into the menu – which is actually just a highlighter on the home screen – and the + and – buttons help you toggle through the available modes and also adjust power output and temperature.
The mod has all the usual modes – variable wattage, temperature control, TCR – and even a VPC (power curves) if you really want to customize your vaping experience.
The Aegis Squonk menu system is simple and intuitive, so even if you’ve never used an Aegis device before, you will get used to it in no time.
Battery Life and Performance
As far as performance goes, there is not a whole lot I can say about the Aegis Squonk that I haven’t already said about other Aegis mods, considering that they all use the same chip. It works fine, at least in variable wattage and power curves mode, which are the only ones I use anyway, it fires incredibly fast, the power ramp-up is decent, and so far I haven’t had any problems with it whatsoever.
Durability-wise, the Aegis Squonk looks and feels way sturdier than most of my other squonk mods, but I am a bit worried about that plastic frame, especially in case of a series drop on pavement or concrete. Still, it’s an Aegis mod, so I’m not too worried. Plus, it’s also water and dust resistant, like all the other Aegis devices.
Now, one are where I think GeekVape could have done a much better job is battery life. The originally Aegis 100W single battery mod was powered by a single 26650 battery, while the Aegis Legend and Aegis X were both dual-18650 mods, but the Aegis Squonk fits just one lousy 18650 battery. Why they couldn’t at least make it 21700 compatible I will never understand. Even if it made the mod a bit bulkier, it would have been worth it for the extra battery life.
I cannot offer an accurate estimation of how long the one 18650 battery will last you, as it depends on a lot of factors – battery capacity, power output, style of vaping, etc. – but if you plan on using it at 100W, which I’m not even sure it can output consistently, you will probably go through a battery in 4-5 hours, which isn’t ideal. A 21700 would have probably added another hour or so to the total vape time, but I guess GeekVape decided it wasn’t worth it.
The Tengu RDA
To be honest, I didn’t spend that much time with the Tengu RDA, as I preferred using the Aegis Squonk with an RTA over the last month or so I’ve been taking it to work with me, but as far as I could tell, it’s a pretty decent, simple RDA,
The design of the build deck is interesting, with the screws on the negative posts coming in at an angle, and the slopes on the positive, gold-plated pin that distributes the e-liquid evenly when dripping directly on it. The honey-comb adjustable airflow on the cap of the Tengu RDA is interesting as well, as it’s not as airy as other RDAs, even wide open.
Building on the Tengu RDA was a breeze. It’s basically as easy as installing coils on a Velocity deck, only one with a more interesting design. I used the coils that came with the kit, and I was done in about 10 minutes, which includes getting rid of all the hot spots. The juice pool is fairly deep as well, so all I had to do was give the squonk bottle a couple of squeezes without worrying about flooding the RDA.
I usually like to close the airflow on dual-coil RDAs, as most of them are too airy, but the GeekVape Tengu was an exception. It was perfect with the airflow wide-open, as half closed made the draw way too restrictive for my taste, and the airflow only hit half the coil anyway, which also affected the flavor. That’s a design flaw, not a huge one, but definitely something that GeekVape overlooked.
The Tengu RDA also comes with a solid 510 pin, if you prefer dripping to squonking, and it actually performs just as well in both configurations. The flavor was particularly impressive to me, but it can also produce loads of vapor with the right amount of power heating up the coils inside. For a relatively cheap RDA – you can buy it separately – it’s a great device, especially for beginners, so to have it bundled in a kit like this is a big bonus.
Conclusion
The Aegis Squonk is just what the name suggests – an IP67 Aegis squonker, which was apparently on the wish list of many Aegis fans for a while now. Well, GeekVape made their wish come true, and while it’s not quite as sturdy as its predecessors, it’s still a durable-feeling device worthy of the Aegis brand. The modular design is ingenious, but you will have to purchase an accessory to make it work, and the work required to get the squonk bottle out is sure to put a lot of people out.
At the end of the day, the Aegis Squonk is a nice mod o have in your collection, but is it really worth it over other squonkers out there. I guess it depends on where you plan on using it. If you work in a harsh environment, where water and dust protection make sense, than you may want an IP67 squonk mod that can also handle shocks better than other vape mods.
The GeekVape Aegis Squonk kit was sent to me by Sourcemore for the purpose of this review. They currently have it in stock for $92, but you can also buy the mod separately for cheaper.
