The Vaporesso Swag II 80W Starter Kit – Full Review!

Disclosure: The Vaporesso Swag II 80W Starter Kit in this review was provided by our friends over at Fasttech (thank you!). They’re currently selling the mod for $29.99 and the full kit for $42.95 with free shipping.

Introduction

Like many of you, I got into vaping to help me get off cigarettes.  I can still remember my first vape pen (cue the harp music and black and white memory mode).  It was a terrible, little device that provided no vapor, no flavor, and no satisfaction.  For whatever reason it gave me terrible heartburn; probably because the little cartridge atomizer dumped more e-liquid into my mouth than it vaporized.  I won’t readily admit there may have been some user error, but it is possible.

The vaping experiment was off to a slow start for me, but I was interested.  I kept my eye on the local shop’s inventory.  My local tobacco shop had started to carry vape products.  Talk about a conflict of interest!  I also found people on YouTube talking about these things.  It turns out there were far more options than what “Ricky’s Roll Your Own” had on the shelf.  My paychecks and my pack and a half a day cigarette habit were in trouble.

My eventual quitting of cigarettes can be credited to two things: the wide variety of vaping products that would enter the market in the following years and my poor spending habits.  I was, and still am, on the hunt for the perfect vape. Granted, I quit smoking a few years ago, but crowning a champion and retiring from the hunt is lame and conservative.

So here I am today, still hunting, but now I have an excuse!  Today the dogs have returned from the woods with the Vaporesso Swag II Starter Kit.  Is it the kit to end all hunts?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  If not, that is no fault of Vaporesso.  That’s more my problem!  Let me show you what I found:

Starter Kit Contents:

• Vaporesso Swag II Box Mod
• Vaporesso NRG PE Tank (3.5mL capacity)
• GT4 Meshed Coil (0.15Ω, 50-75W)
• GT C-Cell Coil (0.5Ω, 25-35W)
• Spare O-rings
• Micro USB Cable
• User Manual
• Warranty Card

Vaporesso Swag II Box Mod Specs

• Dimensions: 25mm x 75mm x 50mm
• Colorways: Black, Silver, Red, Blue, Purple, Camo Grey, Carbon Fiber, Flame Red, Green, Lava, Phantom, Pink, and Zebra Yellow
• Vaporesso AXON Chipset
• OLED Screen Display: 0.91″
• Minimum Atomizer Resistance: 0.05Ω
• Output Power Range: 5 – 80W
• Tank Compatibility: 25mm Max Diameter
• Micro USB Charging Port
• Uses a Single High Amp 18650 Battery (not included)
• Rubberized Coating
• Working Modes: Pulse Mode, Power ECO Mode, Smart TC, and DIY Mode
• TC Supports: Nickel, Titanium, and Stainless Steel

Out of the Box

My experience with the original Swag (since its name is “Swag” I’m compelled to call it the O.G. for some reason), is very limited.  A buddy of mine found one abandoned in a shoe store and we were both “brave” enough to vape it.  He took it home because, unlike me, he doesn’t have a mod buying problem.  My quick impression was that it was solid, compact, and filled with some flavor of juice no one should voluntarily vape.  For this review, I will say I have zero experience with the “O.G.”

The Vaporesso Swag II is neatly packed inside a box matching the color of the device.  The NRG Tank comes installed.  Boxed under the device is the spare coil, charging cable, spare o-rings, manual, and warranty card.  I was surprised and a bit disappointed there wasn’t a spare glass for the tank. Very few are the tanks that do not come packaged with a spare glass.

Outside of the spare glass, all you need is a battery and some e-liquid, and you’re off and vaping.  I appreciate kits these days.  They are convenient, well supplied, and far more advanced than anything I started with.  My first kit should have come with a band-aid and Rolaids.

The Vaporesso NRG Tank

Energy?  Is that the word the NRG is playing on?  That’s my guess and I’m sticking to it.  Unless N.R.G. is an acronym, and if that’s the case, color me puzzled!  Please feel free to comment below what you think it might mean!

The NRG comes with two coils.  Pre-installed is the GT4 mesh coil, and for the spare is the GT C-Cell which is a single, round wire.  I started with the mesh coil.  It really does offer a warm and satisfying vape.  The range is 50 to 75 watts.  I found the sweet spot for me is right around 65 watts.  The flavor is excellent as you would expect from a mesh coil.  If you’re a heavy vaper it will go through the liquid, and at 3.5ml capacity, you will be refilling frequently.

The second coil, the GT C-Cell, is less of an experience.  That is in no way is a con, but probably by design.  It’s rated for 25-35 watts, but I preferred it at 40 watts.  It may not be as flavorful as the mesh, but your battery will last longer and you won’t be going through e-liquid as quickly.  It’s a good coil for what it is, but we all have been spoiled by vaping mesh coils.  Bring a spare battery or your charging cable, and some extra juice, because you’re going to want to vape the GT4.

[Top Fill System]

The NRG has an easy fill cap that just pushes to the side for refills.  There is nice and aggressive knurling around the base of the tank where the airflow is adjusted.  The airflow is a little noisy when vaping, but nothing obnoxious.  I found closing the airflow ring about a quarter of the way relieves most of the noise but still provides a nice and airy draw.

The one thing I found a little cumbersome was the top cap is reverse-threaded on the fill cap.  Why it is even two pieces I do not know.  If you’re not careful when putting the tank together or screwing onto the mod, you will unscrew this top cap.  I’m not the smartest man you’ll ever meet so it took me a minute to realize it was reversed threading.  What’s the old saying? I looked like a monkey doing something with a football.  I don’t remember how it goes.  Feel free to let me know that in the comments too.

The Vaporesso Swag II Box Mod

Pulling the Swag out of the box, the first thing I noticed was its weight.  Man, it’s light!  It’s light without feeling cheap.  The rubberized coating (which I understand is the same as the Vaporesso Gen Series mod) is grippy yet comfortable.  Installing the battery and juicing the tank feels like the only added weight to it.  The coating is durable and attractive.  Like every light mod I own, it had been forgotten about sitting on my lap in the truck and took a fall to the concrete when I got out.  Fortunately, I didn’t have the NRG Tank on it.  Breaking the glass on the tank would have brought a quick end to the tank review.  The drop only put a small scratch on the battery compartment lid and slightly nicked the outer coating.

The size and shape of the Vaporesso Swag II allow it to rest naturally in the hand.  The inward curve along the side shapes the mod almost perfectly to the hand.  The lack of weight makes it so easy to carry in a pants pocket or even a shirt pocket.  It is a great work companion or vessel for your All Day Vape.

The Vape

The Swag II offers many settings to dial in your vape preferences.  I preferred the Pulse Mode.  The setting is described to automatically boost flavor and cloud production.  I compared it to just the basic Variable Wattage mode and I did get a sense that it was living up to that description.  The Power Eco mode is said to supply the device with more economical use of power when it drops below 40%.  I cannot confirm this to be the case because I noticed when the Swag II drops below 50% power, the vape quality suffers a bit.  I find this a bit frustrating and I’ve come across it in many mods.  If a regulated device can’t regulate the power, why not just offer Bypass mode.  Which it does, by the way.

[Fast Charging]

Speaking of charging the battery, I know we hear a lot about not charging the battery with the device’s charging cable.  With single battery mods, I find I use the cable frequently, out of convenience.  In my opinion, the Vaporesso Swag II charging via cable might be the fastest charge of any mod I own; single battery or otherwise.  It’s super quick and it displays current battery percentage along with the time remaining to complete charge.  That might seem like a little thing, but for me, in a single battery mod, it’s a big deal.

The Swag II also offers Temp Control and a DIY power curve.  I am not well versed enough in these settings to offer any fair opinions.  If the Axon chip preforms in these modes like it does in VW and Pulse mode, I have no doubt, if you enjoy Temp Control and Curve, you will appreciate how the mod performs in those settings as well.

The kit performs well.  I dare say the NRG is a little underwhelming compared to the Swag mod itself.  That is not a dig at the tank, but rather a compliment of the mod.  I get the impression that many vape companies are including tanks to facilitate the sale of the mod.  The expectation should be to provide a reliable and decent performing tank with replacement coils that are affordable and easy to come by.  The Vaporesso Swag II Kit accomplished that.  It made for a reliable and easy to carry work companion.

[Pros]

• • Very lightweight
  • Comfortable to hold
  • Pocketable
  • Axon Chip performs well
  • Fast charging
  • Easy to navigate user interface
  • Versatile
  • Tons of color options

[Cons]

• • No Spare Glass
  • Performance drops as battery life decreases
  • Micro USB instead of USB-C

Vaporesso Swag II – Final Thoughts

Are you familiar with the term EDC?  It means Every Day Carry.  There’s an entire community built around the act and discussion of carrying items that are essential to everyday use.  I’m a bit of an EDC nerd.  My essential EDC is keys, phone, wallet, knife, sunglasses, and while it used to be lighter and smokes, it’s now vape mod and juice. There are more items to list but that’s the difference between every day and everyday.  I feel this kit would make a perfect EDC vape.  It’s light, performs well, and fits perfectly in a pocket, purse, and palm.

I plan on using this kit for some time to come.  I will most likely pair it with a mouth to lung RTA.  I’ll get fantastic battery life out of it, vaping at no higher than 25 watts, and it will reduce the size even more.  I highly recommend this kit for your EDC!  Now, is it the perfect vape?  No.  If I were to admit that then I couldn’t justify buying whatever vaping product comes out tomorrow.  It is pretty damn close though.

Shane

Shane is a former smoker turned vaper, and now a hobbyist in financial turmoil. His get rich slow scheme involves sharing his opinions, educated or not, on anything vape related.  But first and foremost, his belief is vaping will save your life.  Shane is an outdoor government employee and fully expects the crackdown to begin with him, since he vapes freely and openly, albeit politely, and often uses city property for the backdrop of his vape photos. In his free time, he enjoys stressing about being more productive and regretting every terrible decision he has ever made. He feels switching to vaping is one of the best decisions he’s ever made.