Silver Surfer Vape (SSV) Review

Silver Surfer This is the Silver Surfer, a great desktop vaporizer made by a company called 7th Floor out of Colorado. 7th Floor also makes the Life Saber and Da Buddha vapes, and the SSV is a slightly more enhanced version.

Overall I think this is a high quality unit that performs very well. It’s very durable (aside from the glass) and it does come with a good warranty (3 years on electrical components).

The main benefit of this vape in my opinion is the vapor quality, because once you dial in the best heat setting you can expect nice potent vapor that also has a pleasant taste. The SSV utilizes a ceramic heating element and glass parts which help provide a nice clean flavor from your herbs.

Because of the glass parts and silicone whip you do need to clean this vape semi-regularly to keep it looking like new, but it’s pretty easy to do this with some rubbing alcohol.

I do think that this vape is built better than a vape like the Extreme-Q, but a vape like the Plenty gets a slightly higher rating because it’s a little easier to use, produces even stronger vapor, and stays cleaner.

Stay up!
-Bud

Video transcription:

This is the Silver Surfer Vaporizer, the SSV, made by a company called 7th Floor out of Colorado. Now, overall, I think this is a high quality vape. It’s really sturdy. It feels really well made. The outside shell of it and the base here are both like a durable metal material. It has the glass on the front for the temperature knob, and it has the glass for the heater cover inside. The heater itself is a ceramic heater. Now, 7th Floor itself does offer a pretty good warranty on the electrical components in this vape. They have the three year warranty on those parts, but the glass is more fragile. It can be broken very easily, so just be careful with the glass parts because those only have a 30 day warranty.

Now, the Silver Surfer, just so you’re aware, feels like a higher quality unit and a sturdier unit than say the Extreme Q. Now, in case you didn’t know, this is a home unit; this is a home vape. It’s got a nice big long cord. You plug it in, you pick a spot for it and then you leave it there. When you’re actually vaping, the part that you’ll be using is the whip or the wand. I’ll talk more about the wand in a minute, but first I just wanted to mention that the temperature range on the SSV is really good in my opinion; meaning that the vape works really well in a wide range of temperatures. Now, this isn’t a vape though that has actual temperature settings. There’s no screen on here to tell you what temperature it’s set at or anything. This is the type of vape where it’s sort of just a heater with a knob that will change the intensity of the heat. So what you’re supposed to do, when you first get it, is experiment on your own and figure out at what point on the dial you’re most comfortable with the vapor that’s being produced.

Now, in addition to the position of your dial on the front, the actual temperature of the heat that will end up reaching your herbs is also influenced by your draw rate or your draw speed, how fast you pull on it when you’re using the whip. So what you would do with this one is when you first get it, you would plug it in and turn it all the way up to the max heat setting. Then, since this is the first time you’re using it, you’ll let it just stay on for like 10 or 20 minutes to burn off any factory oils or anything. This is normal process; it’s not a big deal. But after your first use, the procedure is kind of the same. Turn it up to the max setting, except let it heat up for only two minutes and while it’s heating up you’ll see a bright orange glow coming from the ceramic heating element
— and that’s normal. So then after it’s had about two minutes to heat itself up, that’s when you’ll back off the temperature a little bit into the range that you’re comfortable in and then start taking your draws.

Now what I found for my testing is that a good place to start for most people would be to back off to about the 12:00 position, or when the little piece of glass on the front here is pointing straight up. So this is a good starting point to take your first few draws on to see if you want to go up or down from there. For me, this is kind of on the low side so usually I’ll favor a little higher setting. Somewhere between 1:00, 2:00, or 3:00, is like the max. So, generally, the range I recommend is between 12:00 and 3:00 on the dial, but the ideal position for you will be unique —
everybody is going to be different, so just experiment on your own and you’ll find the range that you like the best.

One little tip I can give you is that if you’re someone who takes faster draws, you’ll probably like a higher heat setting, and if you’re somebody who takes nice long slow draws, you’ll probably do well at a slightly lower heater setting. Once you do find the range that you like, I think that you’ll find that the vapor produced by the SSV is good, it’s potent, and it’s strong. It’s fairly dense most of the time and the benefit of the ceramic and glass parts is that it does have a nice taste, also. So, overall I would say that the vapor quality from this one is excellent.

Now, next I’ll talk about the wand because with the Silver Surfer there actually are a few different options for the wand piece. I got the version called the standard glass. Right now I think they currently offer three options. They offer the standard glass, they offer ground glass, and then they offer spherical ground glass. So what standard glass means, or the one that I got, is that when you’re using it, one hand you’ll be holding the mouth piece with and then the other hand what you’ll do is you’ll hold it up to the heater cover while you’re taking your draw. Then when you’re done taking your draw, you’ll pull it away and then you’ll set it down or just hold on to it.

Now with the ground glass version, the wand piece and the heater cover piece will actually connect to each other so that you can let go of this hand. So technically while you’re vaping or taking your draw, you’ll only have to hold the mouthpiece and you won’t have to hold this piece here. Now, that might sound better but there are actually pros and cons to both of these. Now one of the benefits of the standard grass is that, while you’re taking your draw — and remember that the wand piece up here is where your herbs go at the tip here. So, while you’re taking your draw with the standard glass, you could actually slowly rotate the wand a little bit on the heater cover while you’re taking your draw which would ensure more even vapage where the herbs are inside the chamber.

One of the down sides of the ground glass version or the hands-free version, where it just stays in there and you don’t have to hold on to it, is that it does have a tendency to only vape a portion of the herbs at a time, depending on what position they’re actually stuck together. So, even though you don’t technically have to hold it while you are taking your draw, you’ll end up disconnecting it, and stirring the herbs and reconnecting it, at least, a few times during your session anyway. So I really think that any of the options is fine. It’s a really personal preference, but I chose to go with the standard. I know that these options might be a little confusing so, if you have any questions, please let me know.

The vape comes with a few other accessories, too. One of them being this pick or the stirring tool and then the other thing being the case or the bag that it comes with, which is actually kind of cool. So I just wanted to show you guys the vape up close and show you the different parts. In the front here; this is the temperature knob I was talking about. So when it’s off, it looks like that. You turn it on and you’ll hear a click. You raise the temperature all the way to the max, right? And then, when you do that — I just had it on for a minute so it’s already heated up — but you’ll see that the ceramic heating element in there will grow bright orange when it’s hot. All right, once it’s heated up and it’s on max for about two minutes, then you would turn it down a little bit to about three quarters or so, a half to three quarters. This is what the wand looks like up close that I was talking about.

Like I said, I have the standard glass wand with the standard heater cover here. So, when you’re using this, what you’ll do is you’ll pack your herbs in this portion here. There’s a little metal screen towards the tip of the wand. So you’ll pack your herbs in here; the manufacturer recommends no more than about a quarter inch full. Then once it’s packed, you’ll just hold the wand up against the heater cover, start taking your draw and then, if you do get the standard version, while you’re taking your draw, you can slowly rotate the wand to more evenly vape the entire chamber. Then after you’ve finished taking your draw, just take it off and you can set it to the side for a minute or pass it to somebody else; it’s relatively simply to use. So that’s about it.

All right. So this vape also does have a few negatives. They’re really not a big deal, but I should mention them. The first one I’ll mention is the cleaning or the maintenance that’s required because, as with most vapes that have glass parts or the plastic tubing, it does tend to build up residue fairly quickly which means it will need to be cleaned more often. Now this isn’t too big of a deal because it is fairly easy to clean. The wand does come off from the tubing and if you wanted to, you could take off the mouth piece also, and then all these parts could all be cleaned with some rubbing alcohol or some warm soapy water or something. So, cleaning isn’t too big of a deal, but if you want it to look good you will be doing the cleaning kind of frequently.

Now you know how I showed you that the wand disconnects from the tubing fairly easily? This is actually another one of the things that kind of got a little annoying after a while, because the tubing itself has inadvertently disconnected from the wand, at least, a few times on me so far while I’ve been using it. And, it’s not a big deal because you can just pop it right in, but it could get slightly annoying. There’s also no brush that comes with it for some reason. So, even though it does come with a really cool pick with a stirring tool which does help to stir it or to get any big pieces out or anything, I did find that after emptying the herbs after a session, there are some little pieces still stuck in there. So, for the time being, I’ve been using my volcano brush to help get it all clean in here after each session. So I do think that maybe, including some kind of little brush might have been kind of useful.

Now no matter which kind of whip you get, just remember that it is going to be glass. The wand part, the mouth piece and the heater cover in here are all glass parts and they are delicate. They are fairly easily breakable, so you don’t want to be banging these parts around. Once you yourself get the hang of using the vape, you’re probably not going to break them or bang them around anywhere but especially be careful if you let friends use it or you let someone else use it that’s never really used this vape before; because, like I said, they are delicate parts and they are only covered for a month under the warranty.

And speaking about vaping with friends — that’s the last thing I want to talk about here that I would consider a little bit of a negative. When I was trying to use this with my girlfriend and then a couple friends I had over, it got a little awkward and weird because we all had to bunch together close because you have to be within holding distance of the vape to actually use it. So you can’t be that far away. It’s manageable though, it’s not a huge deal. It’s just that a vape like the Plenty, for instance, that is handheld and you could just pass it around. That might have a benefit over this one in that area if you’re doing group vaping or doing group sessions. That’s a situation where accidents are more likely to happen also with the glass parts and stuff, when you have multiple people vaping at the same time.

Other than that I think that, if you want a good vape for home use, either for yourself or maybe yourself and one other person, I definitely think that you should seriously consider this one. I think that it’s a great vape, and while I don’t think it’s the best, I do consider it a top contender. If you’re looking to buy one of these online, I did put a link in the description to the store that I got mine from and the store I recommend you shop at. I do want to just mention that, with the Silver Surfer, you should avoid buying it on eBay or Amazon or any place like that because the manufacturer will not honor the warranty, if you buy it from there. They actually tell you that right on their website, also. Also, if you want peace of mind, the safest place to buy it from is from an authorized dealer. So if you’re thinking about buying it online, definitely just check out that link I put in the description. If you want to see some more of my reviews, you can check out my website, vapecritic.com. Thanks for taking the time to watch and stay up.

This video is a full vape session with the SSV:



84 comments

  • Actually I did get one thing on the previous videos.. The material to be smoked is in the chamber of the “whip” and not on the unit.. Now I understand the reason why the “wobbling” of the connection was done as they both drew vapor in each video. That one part was very crucial to me. I microdose. So this seems like a venue for me. Looks like I can get away with a tiny bit of vapor?? Any suggestions or coaching are welcome.

    • oops. I meant one thing BEYOND the previous videos. (It was a clear picture of what was going on.)

  • The video gives no info. There are discussions about which connection type is best, I don’t know what they are referring to.
    It’s kind of important information, like what to order and how it’s used

  • Hey

    Hope you are well. First off, thanks for giving out such valuable info on your website, it’s really helped me make the switch from combustion to vaping (one month clean and loving it after a 16 year combustion habit!). I was hoping you could give me a bit of advice on what would be the best purchase for me and my partner: it’s a 2 people, 2 styles but only 1 budget conundrum…

    I currently have the Summit which is great for hiking etc, but now i know i’m totally into vaping, i would like to get a more permanent desktop unit. Balloon style is a no for me, too loud and too obvious. So, i was thinking SSV. As my partner and I consume at different rates (he takes like 20 mins to finish a small J, taking a drag every few minutes, whereas i’m a drag drag done in 5 min kinda girl), we were thinking of getting a standard whip each so we can each do our own thing as required. Now, everywhere i read about the SSV, everyone talks about massive hits, 2 hits and it’s done, big clouds of vapour etc, but can it also be a little sip sip unit? Can it make a small bowl last 20 min with enjoyable pulls now and then or is it really a big bong hit style machine? Sometime our usage is ‘i need to get medicated right now’ and sometimes a more leisurely, gradual ‘this is a nice long Sunday afternoon session’, so flexibility of use is important. We’re worried that our consumption will increase if it’s a big hitter only, and as here in the UK it’s mad expensive, that’s the last thing we wanted.

    I’ve looked into getting an E Nano shipped over as everyone says it’s really efficient and a little goes a long way, and you can sip or rip. But for two people to use it with separate stems, i would have to be pulling the stem out every couple of drags and not sure if the unit is really designed for that kind of use and constantly being passed between us. So, i’m stuck! Any input or advice on whether SSV or E Nano is best for our usage and consumption styles would be gratefully received. Or do i splash out and get a Solo for him and a Mighty for me?!

    Thanks in advance, hope you can help

  • I purchased a Silver Surfer Vaporizer in August in a store in LaGrande Oregon. it’s a great vaporizer when the glass implement breaks it suddenly is worthless. the store owner where I bought it does not stock replacements and his best help was to tell me to contact Silver Surfer. This is laughable. I called the phone number on the site. I was redirected to the 7th floor number after 2 other people could not help me. That number goes directly to an answering machine. At this time an have a paper weight that cost $265 because I can get NO customer service either by the retailer or the production company. The glass for this “product” cracked perfectly while still engaged to the device. Hope others are enjoying this Vaporizer more than I..

  • How much smell does the silver surfer give off? I live in a duplex and my neighbors are complaining about smell

  • Just bought one of these and I don’t know what to think. I can’t seem to get a solid dense hit out of it. Turned it all the way to the three o clock position and it still won’t give me a good cloud. Am I doing something wrong. I thought this was supposed to produce a really dense cloud.

  • Hey man love your site, Used it to decide on a SSV. it’s pretty good so far but I’m having a hard time getting large clouds like in your session video. I’ve tried anywhere from 12 o’clock to max temp taking slow long draws and fast ones aswell. Every once and a while I’ll get a decent cloud but it’s mostly it’s just weaker clouds it still does the trick but I’m wondering what I might be doing wrong.

  • Hello, I recently purchased an SSV with the standard heat cover. No matter what I try I cannot produce vapor in the unit? what can I possibly be doing wrong? I have followed your video and others to a T. Please help.

  • I’ll throw it out there, I bought a SSV six years ago and I love it. Not only has using it stretched out my stash to the point where the surfer has paid for itself, but it’s just great. And the buildup in the wand is actually a blessing in disguise–throw on some music and clean it out and voila, you have something nice to top your next combustion bowl (or you can vape it, but it’ll trash the screen you’re using).

    I’m very glad I did NOT buy the frosted glass “hookup” wand. The free one is more desirable, IMO. The connection is fine.

    This is a can’t go wrong, sleek lookin’ vape. I’ve been consistently pleased with it. Zero complaints.

    Wish I had found this website when I was researching my purchase though, you do a great job, man! Just picked up a Summit based on your video review

  • Hey Bud, love your reviews. It’s been a huge help as I am new to the Vape world. My main concern is health. I just don’t any Aluminum, Or Plastic heating up. Is this the vape you would recommend if that is my main concern? I love the price point. But would be smoking daily. Seems to be mostly glass and the ceramic heating element is a plus. What do you think?

    • Hey I personally don’t feel that the stainless steel vapes are any more harmful but if you are concerned about this I would definitely recommend this vape!

  • Hey! Awesome review!
    Just have a few questions. I am a college student looking for a vaporizer that I can use with a couple of friends. I’m super interested in the Herbalizer and Volcano for obvious reasons but don’t necessarily have the money for one of those. Would you say the silver surfer is a good vape for what I’m looking to use it for? Also I completely get where you are coming from with the ground vs standard connection but would have a ground connection be better suitable for using with people who have little knowledge about this vaporizer. I feel as if the ground attachement is a little more user friendly, especially for the environment in which I will be using it in. Anyway thanks a ton!

    • Hey Bryan yea the SSV is definitely a good one, for the price it can produce some really good quality vapor.

      I would actually say the standard glass is better for use with friends because it minimizes the risk of damage to it from being accidentally pulled out, which is easy to do with the ground glass.

      Each person will physically hold the whip in their hands when drawing, then pull it away from the heater when done. It should be pretty easy to get used to, just make sure you take nice long draws if you want a lot of vapor!

  • Hi, I’ve just bought a ssv, but when I go to take a drag it’s hardly producing a “cloud” when I blow out. Am I not dragging right? Is there a special way?

    • Hi Holly try these steps for best results:

      Grind your herb very fine

      Pack the wand about 1/4″ to 1/2″ high

      Take long, slow draws (5-10 seconds)

  • I bought the ssv with stand heater cover and wand, and to be honest I thought it was absolutely terrible. The unit barely worked with me having to draw incredibly slowly to get any vapor whatsoever and if the dial wasn’t whacked straight to the top it was a non starter.

    However, I’ve just changed the heater cover and wand for the ground glass version and the difference is incredible. Having the dial set higher than halfway feels like I’m having my lungs ripped out. vapourizing the recommended amount of herb before used to take 30 drags plus and now takes 10 on average. I would advise anyone looking to buy one to look straight to either ground glass or spherical ground glass parts. Personally I can’t figure out why they even sell the standard ones…

    • Ive been using my ssv with a standard glass setup, (custom wand), since 2007. Never a problem, just massive vapor clouds of stress relief. i get a good seal with the glass- mabye a lack of a good seal is a more common issue than i’d have guessed.
      -eric

  • Man I have been having the same issues as that dude robert can’t get any quality vapor he said something about it being the way he was drawing but didn’t say how he fixed it any thoughts.

  • Hey there. Love your videos btw.
    I was wondering if there really any major difference in the SSV and extreme Q. I personally like how on the extreme Q you can do multiple things, however if the SSV is just a better vape, and you feel like youd regard getting the extreme q over the SSV then I’d go with the SSV. Also, with the extreme q. Do you feel like u are breathing in any of the fumes from the plastic inside? I know the SSV is made of all glass.

  • Great reviews! I really appreciate the insight and detail you provide. One critical question — how difficult is it to replace the screens? I like to change my screens weekly, which is kind of a pain with some whip vaporizers. I’m currently using one where you can unscrew the piece holding the screen, so it’s easy to pop out. But I remember my old Vapor Bros. was brutally annoying.

    • It’s really easy to change screens, they give you this long pin type.thing and you can just skewer it and flip it out….

  • Hi guys, so I previously used to use the Vapir NO2 and loved every bit of it. Wanted to try a desktop version. The price in South Africa for the Volcano was just too much so went for the SSV. I purchased the SSV on June 6th and since then been really struggling with my cough and chest, things I never used to have with the NO2. I use the SSV at 12 oclock and my herb doesnt get nearly burnt enough for that to be the problem. The only difference I would say is that the SSV needs long draws (10+ seconds to produce some vapor) vs the NO2’s 3 odd second draw.

    I really am worried as now feel I should of just gone for the Volcano which is vapor on tap :/ Has anyone had this issue? Really appreciate any feedback. My fiance is considering taking me to a doctor as its gotten kinda bad with my asthma and I know what the doc is going to tell me. I run like 50+kms (~30 miles) a week so not an inactive guy, just really lost and confused.

    • Hey David,

      I can’t really think of any reason for that to happen to you other than the longer draw duration of the SSV.

      If you are not bothered by shorter draws like those from the NO2 then it’s possible you do need a balloon vape to minimize discomfort.

      If you decide you want to give this a try I would look into a vape like the Extreme-Q, which is a good performer that has both balloon and whip modes and is not very expensive.

  • Clock positions aren’t the best way to approximate SSV temp because the glass piece that turns the heat adjuster can spin around without spinning the “actual” metal temperature adjusting knob underneath. So 12 o clock, etc, could mean different things on different units and even day to day. If you really want accuracy with temp, you can pull off the glass cover for the temp control and just twist the metal switch. I leave it at pretty much exactly 50% and that seems to work the best for me. Another way is to turn the dial all the way forward, back, see where it starts and begins, and go to the mid-point, rather than relying on clock directions

  • Hey I’m new to vapeing and I just had a question on what you think would be the best first purchase, a desk top unit or a portable? Now of course I know portables are made so you can cruise around with and the desktop is just typically gonna stay in one spot. But what I want to know is which is gonna give me the best quality of vape, best taste, or even just basically the one that’s going to get me more [effects], I’ve been looking through your videos and the top vapes that I’m interested in are the firefly or pax for a portable. And the da Buddha or the silver surfer for a desktop. Please let me know what you think I should purchase.
    Also what are your thoughts on the new mivape that’s supposed to be coming out this year…?

    • Hey I would definitely get a desktop vape first and then once you’re used to vaping decide on a portable to get. Desktop units generally perform better than portables and produce higher quality vapor. Haven’t tried the mivape yet but when it comes out I’ll probably get one to review, I appreciate your request!

  • Hi Bud,great videos,keep them coming!…….quick question,how fine do you grind for the ssv,i use a small 4 piece space case grinder but dont get any where near the amount of vapor that you got on your video,should i be grinding finer?…..i do have a magic flight finishing grinder and dry my herb too,any help much appreciated thanks.

    • Hey Dave good question, grinding in a 4-piece Space Case will work but if you want maximum vapor you need to use the finishing grinder also to break it down even more. For people without finishing grinders you can also try putting your material in the top of your 4-piece, then grinding with the whole thing upside-down first, this method will break up the herbs finer than usual.

      Other things you can try are raising the temperature, slowing down your draw, and taking a longer draw.

      Let me know how you make out!

      • thanks Bud,much better vapour using the finishing grinder,im still quite new to vapourising so now i have to be careful not to raise the temp too much (about 1o clock seems good) or pack the wand too full or i get combustion,i found out first hand that a straight lung inhale of combusted smoke from the ssv is savage on the lungs and sure does bring tears too your eyes….lol…….thanks for the help and the great work you put into this site “stay up”………Dave

  • Thanks for all the video reviews!

    I am looking to buy my 1st Vape and I have watched almost all your reviews. I am having trouble deciding between the SSV and the Plenty Vaporizer.

    Which one would you recommend for someone like me who uses very small amounts if Herb at the time?

    Thank You!

    • Hey I think both are excellent but if you use very small amounts of material at a time (just a few draws) the SSV may be the better option for you, the Plenty works best when you pack at least 0.15g and then vape it all in one session (approx 10-15 good draws).

  • Whats up. I’ve owned two Silver Surfers now, I must say it is an awesome device. The only reason I’m on my second one is because I wanted to spread the joy and sold my first one to a friend who had no way to order a new one off of the internet. I currently have the spherical glass model, and I consider it to be the better glass set if you want BIG hits. I settle this down a bit with my ice chamber cooling the vapors off so I can halfway handle it. I’m a huge fan of their product and plan on getting a LSV. Any interest on a formal review on that vape?

    • Hey thanks for posting and for your request, I do have the LSV on my list of future possibilities, from what I understand it utilizes the same heating components so it should perform in a similar way, and long as you’re not a klutz like me who is guaranteed to break the glass stem ;)

  • I thought this vape was pretty good, but i don’t think I kept up with regular maintenance properly… so I was receiving the potency I preferred.
    I also don’t like all the set up involved.
    Lastly, I was grinding properly… so overall it’s on me that the thing didn’t work to its best.
    However, one thing out of my control was the lack of accuracy of the glass knob for temp, and how it pretty much had to be removed to be used properly. That was unfortunate, but I did like the look and feel of this vape.
    Had to replace the mouthpiece on the whip because it broke, but I got one that was thicker and it became a non-issue.
    I gave mine away because I found myself not wanting to use it… A friend had a pax, and I like the portability and quickness x ease of use, so I was interested in getting that, but I chose the less expensive magic light launch box per your review… I hope it works better for my circumstances, plus got a better grinder and will be keeping this one clean.
    Thanks for the reviews, info and research… great site

  • I got my SSV a few days ago but I am concerned the heating element may not be performing as it should. With the knob at about the 1 o’clock position after a 10 second draw the element loses the glow and after 5minutes the glow hasn’t returned. Can you tell if this seems consistent with your experiences with this vape?
    I would think the recovery time should be fairly quick and in your video it is hard to tell how long it is between draws.

    • Hmm yea your draw shouldn’t affect the intensity of the heating element much, if at all. 1 o’clock on the dial is fairly low heat though have you tried bumping it up to maybe 2 o’clock and seeing what happens?

      • Yeah, I got it figured out and am enjoying it now! Lesson is not to get hung up on where the dial is, just find a spot that works and go from there.

        Thank you and stay up!

  • I found a brand new Rasta Edition wave rider SSV with black base on Craigslist.
    Kid used it once and decided vaping wasn’t for him.
    Got him down to $125, including the receipt to the local shop it was bought in!!! (He paid $350 2 weeks before)
    This thing is BRILLIANT once you get the hang of it. I’m loving the rounded ground glass bowl/heat shield. Amazing hits!
    Wasn’t really looking for a SSV, but boy am I glad I stumbled upon this!

  • I’m totally new to vaping. I bought an SSV on your recommendation (and it’s what my local shop had in stock). So I need some pointers:

    How much do I put in?

    How long does a session last?

    How do I know when to add more?

    Do I pack it down with the round end of the pin that’s included?

    I got the ground glass version – again, it’s what they had in stock and I was eager to get home – but I really like it compared to the demo of your smooth glass one. The ground glass provides enough friction to hold the pipe in as long as you don’t move the whip too much.

    BTW, I love the site. I never thought I’d spend so much time watching reviews of vaporizers! I’m probably going to pick up a Pax soon. For the road.

    • Hey good choice,

      With this vape you can pack anywhere from about 0.15g to 0.4g and get good results, and depending on how much you put in each session should last roughly 10-20 draws.

      When vapor production starts to trail off and all your material turns brown you know you’re reaching the end and it’s just about spent.

      You can use the round end of the poker to tap down your material but just lightly tap it so it stays put, you don’t want it too tight in there.

      Vape it up!

  • Hey Bud,
    Great reviews. Like other peeps on here I was torn between eq and ssv. Went with the ssv with a custom wand and it was the best choice ever. Just wanted to say good job and your reviews are spot on
    Stay up

  • Hey I recently received a SSV from the website you recommend and it is amazing but, I feel like I’m having troubles dialing in the temperature, any specific ways I can get it perfect for big clouds?

    • Sup Nick,

      Start at the 12 o’clock position on the dial and slowly bump it up until the heating element has a dim orange glow, that’s usually around where the sweet spot is. It can slightly vary from unit to unit but I usually vape with my dial set at about 1:30

      Make sure you grind up your herb very fine also, that’ll help you get bigger clouds of vapor.

      • Thanks a lot man! I have found a much better spot on the dial and I have been getting a vapor that is much more dense, thanks again for the recommendation to the website and for your tips!

  • Hey Bud,

    Thanks for this blog and all those reviews. It’s very helpful to make a choice.

    Currently, I have a volcano and I’d like to purchase a whip vape to be able to vape in silence :) and also get stronger & more powerful hits. This vape would be only for me & the volcano for group sessions. Now I’m really hesitating between the SSV, the plenty (that esthetically looks really bad IMO) and maybe the aromed (Expensive & the water filtration is probably noisy).

    As I own the Volcano, I’m very afraid to be disappointed and not really use this new vape. Which vape do you think would fit my needs the best ?

    Thanks and go on with all those reviews !

    Chris

    • Hey Chris,

      Glad you found it helpful!

      Before I answer your question I just want to make sure you know how to get the Volcano to produce very dense, strong vapor if that’s what you’re looking for. I’ve found that if you grind your material up extra fine, set the temp dial to 6 (~374°F), and put 0.2g-0.3g in the chamber it’ll produce some of the thickest vapor I’ve experienced. The key is the super fine grind, which I usually accomplish with the Magic-Flight Finishing grinder (I’ve heard coffee grinders also work).

      I don’t have personal experience with the Aromed but I don’t think you can go wrong with the SSV or the Plenty, I think both are great.

      The Plenty will be a closer experience to the Volcano since it’s made by the same company and has a similar level of performance and quality, but the SSV is capable of producing excellent vapor as well.

      I suppose one of the main differences (besides looks) is that the SSV will build up residue fairly quickly in the wand and tubing, so if you want it to always look clean and nice it’ll require a little maintenance. Also you will have to stir your material a few times during each session to ensure even vaporization, which is not something you need to worry about with the Plenty.

      Other than that I like and recommend both!

      • Please consider doing a full Aromed review. I’m in the market for a new high-end whip vaporizer, but do not care about balloon capability, so I’m really, really interested in your insights in the Aromed.

  • Looking to buy a vaporizer my self, I think I’m settled on PLENTY. I just want to know whos mix your vaping to in this video?

  • Hey Bud,

    I am thinking about a home unit…. I have been using the Pax for almost a year, and loving it! I love being able to take my pax with me everywhere I go but I don’t think its intended for daily at home use…. so I thought I should get a home unit. I would like your opinion on a good unit for me- something that produces great vapor, easy to clean, easy to use and inexpensive. Considering I will keep my pax for carrying around and main use, the home unit doesn’t need to be fancy just something that will do the job in place of my pax.

    • Hey Heather,

      Really glad to hear you’re enjoying your Pax!

      Based on your criteria the Plenty would be my #1 recommendation, but it’s a little on the expensive side next on my list would be this vape, the Silver Surfer.

      The SSV won’t stay as clean as the Plenty but maintaining it is not very difficult and the performance is pretty close.

      Going down the list I also like the Da Buddha and the Hot Box, which are both under $200. They also build up residue and will require regular cleaning but their performance is good, so I think they’re decent options.

      Any other questions let me know!

      • Thanks, Bud!

        I thought about it a while and then asked my (new) husband what he thought and in the end he talked me into getting a Volcano! Sort of a wedding gift ;) This is the best purchase we have ever made! We said if Bud thinks its the best then that is what we are getting- because the Pax was your pick and it is by far my favorite!

        I have the Volcano with the easy valve. It took no time for me to familiarize myself with the new toy.. I did watch your video and another video from the company online. I did want to ask- how often do you change bags? Do you do anything to clean it other than remove the herbs that are a little stuck after vaping?

        Thanks again!

        • Hey Heather awesome choice I’m really glad to hear you’re enjoying it!

          I try to be gentle with my bags so on average they last me about 4 months each before I throw them away and start using a new one. As far as cleaning I’ve never really had to do anything except lightly brush out the herb chamber after each use as you mentioned, which is one of the very cool things about this vape.

  • Awesome videos man, really in-depth. I decided to buy the SSV over the EQ based on your reviews, I have a quick question before I actually order though..what does the spherical ground glass bring to the table? How is it different from the standard? Thanks

    • Hey thanks man, excellent choice. I’m actually not 100% sure of the advantages of the spherical glass but I believe it provides a slightly better “seal” around the heater cover than the standard glass and also may let more air through because I think it has a larger opening.

  • Just purchased my SSV and love your sight bud very good and informative. how easy is it to combust in this vape? combustion is my primary concern, its easy to avoid combusting right? i havent got my SSV yet so i havent used it but i read combustion is possible in this due to the higher temps.

    When i receive my SSV the only thing i have to do is warm it up for about 20 mins to get the oils off right? nothing else?

    thanks for the help bud, and how bad is the learning curve with this unit? is it easy to use efficiently without combustion? I’m gonna start off at around 12 o clock and see were that gets me (prob have to turn it up a bit but i dont want to combust. and how fast do you personally take your draws? i figured since you can remove the wand combustion would be easy to avoid as you can just look at the status of the material.

    • Hey Sean,

      Great choice.

      This vape is easy to use, you shouldn’t have any problems avoiding combustion, it’s pretty hard to do unless you really crank up the temp to the max.

      Yes when you first get it just set it to max temp for about 20 mins then you can dial it back to about the 12 o’clock position and you’ll be ready to vape.

      For best results I usually take slow to medium speed draws for anywhere between 10-15 seconds.

    • Both are great quality for their respective prices – overall the Plenty is more advanced, easier to use and stays cleaner

  • I just received my SSV and I got it all set up and ready to go and let it warm up for like 20 minutes on full blast. Then I packed my bowl, which was about half the size of yours, turned the heat down to about 2 o’clock and started taking hits. The first hit was nice and thick, the second hit was decent and the third hit was barely anything. I mixed it around and tried it again at a higher temp and still barely anything. I’ve tried different temps with fresh bowls and the same thing keeps happening. Ill get about two good hits and then it’s done. Any recommendations?

    • Hey that’s sort of a strange thing to happen, normally the first draw or two is pretty light and then after it’s primed it gets nice and thick.

      I’m not really sure what could be happening – are you taking long, slow 10-15 second draws?

      • Hey, the problem was the fact I’m stupid and was drawing totally wrong. I’ve got it all figured out now and I couldn’t be happier! Literally everything you said about this was spot on. I was a little nervous about getting it but after checking out your site, I was positive I wanted it. Thanks for your videos and info, they helped out so much! Keep doin what you do!

    • In straight whip mode (with no fan) I feel the SSV does a better job of vapor production.

      To get more vapor with the EQ I turn the fan on low while I draw, seems to help.

  • Do you think getting a longer whip would make it easier to use with a group of friends? I was thinking of getting the 10ft replacement hose so it can reach more people. Also will that hurt any of the performance of the vape?

  • Have you tried the new version of the Extreme Q? I’m Thinking about purchasing yet another vape, i have owned two portables, the No2 and the Pax. I loved them both in their own ways but its time for a desktop unit! I’m leaning towards the SSV but my other consideration for my price range might be the new Extreme Q, thoughts?

    • I haven’t tried the newer version of the EQ but I researched it and I’m pretty sure the differences are minor, the fan might be slightly quieter on the new one, but I don’t think there’s really any other improvements that would affect its performance.

      I think the EQ is a decent well-rounded vape, but I consider the SSV a little better overall.

  • Hey, great site! Recently just found it about it and think your reviews are spot on. Getting a SSV soon and I just wanted to hear your thoughts on SSV tamers. Found some cool ones on the SSV website and was pretty curious about them. Seeing how your a fan of the cooling condensers, thought you could shed some light before I drop some extra cash on one.

    • Hey thanks,

      I actually haven’t tried one of their vapor tamers yet, but they look cool and I would assume they work as advertised.

      I’ll definitely put it on my list of future products to review, I appreciate your request.

  • Is there a reason you haven’t done a review on Da Buddha? If not, what are your thought’s about Da Buddha for a person brand new to vaporizing?

    • Hey Annie,

      I actually just posted my Da Buddha review the other day – it’s definitely a good vape for beginners because of its good performance and low price point.

      I do think the SSV has some advantages that make it a little more practical, but they’re both very good.

  • After watching your reviews, thinking about my own situation as for how it would be used and then the cost of each one, I’ve finally decided between this one and the Arizer Extreme Q for my first vape. All things considered and judging by your rankings, you like the Silver Surfer better than the EQ I take it?? Maybe you could do a short “why I like the SSV as compared to the EQ and here’s why” vid?? I’ve watched them both – I think I watched them all. I’ve learned everything I know about vapes from watching you & your reviews. Two weeks ago was the first time I even thought about them as my friend handed my a Volcano balloon full of some purple diesel fumes the day before. (ya he’s spoiled too) I had never vaped before (and I’m an “old guy” at 58 who’s been burning em for….a long time.) Now I know more about them than any of my friends (except the Volcano man who spent more than I can). Anyway, thanks for all the info presented in your easy to watch style. You’re the man!!!!! And as for the SSV I hope I made a good choice….

    • Hey thanks for posting, and I appreciate your request.

      As a brief overview the reasons I rate the SSV a little higher than the EQ are that it’s slightly better built and higher quality, it produces more consistent vapor draws, and it’s a little more user-friendly.

      I like both of them and think they’re good vapes but I do find myself using my SSV more, so I think you made a great choice.