The team over at Heaven Gifts kindly sent out the latest edition to the Geek Vape range, the Karma Kit. Which is a mechanical tube mod with matching RDA/RDTA.
The Karma kit is described on the Heaven Gifts website as follows:
GeekVape Karma is an ultimate mechanical MOD Kit consisting of a polished copper mechanical mod and a two (RDTA/RDA) in one atomizer. Powered by a 18650 battery (not included), the Karma will supply powerful output for cloud vaping. And the tank can be easily switched between RDTA and RDA. You will enjoy amazing flavor with it.
At this stage I need to make it quite clear, that the BlackRing tube mod that is included in the kit, is an unregulated device, with no built in safety features, and should only be used by advanced vapors, with a high level of knowledge and understanding of battery safety and ohms law, and is no way a starter kit.
Presentation & Packaging
The kit comes nicely packaged in a cardboard two tone presentation, matching the colours of the mod and atty. The front of the box has a high gloss photo of the device, along with the Geek Vape logo. Turning he Box over it gives you the highlights of the kit, as well as the contents on the kit.
The top of the box simply lifts off to reveal the contents of the kit, the tube mod and RDTA are set in a a layer firm black foam , along with the spare glass for Ye tank.
Once the mod and RDTA are out, you can remove the foam tray to gain access to the rest of the kit.
The kit includes the following items.
1 x Karma MECH MOD
1 x Karma RDTA/RDA Tank
1 x Glass Tube
1 x User manual
Spare parts
The spares bag includes, spare o-rings, grub nuts as well as a 510 drip Tip Adaptor , plus the famous Geek Vape T Tool.
Battery Safety
The only thing that is excluded from the kit is an 18650 battery which will be required.
When using a mech mod, you need to ensure that you don't scrimp on you choice of batteries, and always ensure that you Vape within the safe limits of the battery. I have been using the Samsung INR18650-25R 2500mAh Battery which has Nominal Voltage of 3.6V, (charged voltage of 4.2v) and a maximum Continuous Discharging Current of 20A
Realistically, the safest resistance on an unregulated single 18650 tube mod would be .2ohm or higher. To find your amp draw, divide 4.2 volts (fully charged battery) by the resistance of your atomizer.
So in my case, using the pair of supplied Coils reading at 0.47ohms
4.2v / 0.47ohms = 8.93A, so within the safe working limits of the battery, whereas if I was running a lower resistance build such as a 0.15ohm, (4.2v / 0.15ohms = 28A) which would be outside the safe working limits of the battery.
Exceeding the amperage rating of a vaping battery is dangerous because it can cause the battery to fail or vent, which could cause the battery to catch fire or explode.
Karma Kit Specification.
Karma Black Ring MECH MOD
Size: 25 x 84mm
Battery: 1 x 18650 (not included)
Material: copper
Karma RDTA/RDA
Size: 46 x 25mm (RDTA);30.5 x 25mm (RDA)
Capacity: 5ml (RDTA)
Color: Black
Karma Black Ring Mech Mod
The Karma kit includes this beautifully crafted Mech mod machined out of high grade copper, and coated to prevent oxidisation.
The mod top cap is none removable, with the whole mod being machined out of one piece of solid copper.
The copper top cap, is nicely branded with Black Ring, and Designed and Manufactured by Geek Vape. Sitting around the 510 threaded hybrid connect. The Hybrid type connection means that there is no floating 510 pin, and the 510 connection positive pin from the atomiser connects directly with the top of the battery.
For satiety reason, to ensure that only the positive pin connects with the battery, you must ensure the positive pin protrudes by a minimum of 1.0mm.
The body of the tube, machined out of 1mm thick copper tubing, with 1.9mm rounded groves machined in a twisting pattern running the full length of the body,
The detailing on the body, gives the Black Ring Mod, a really distinctive look and feel.
The tube is lined with white Delrin plastic liner, which not only provides a snug fit foot the 18650 battery, but also insulates the battery from touching the copper, just in case there is a tear in the wrap.
The switch for the mod, is located on the base of the device. And finished in a contrasting matt black.
The switch is threaded directly into the copper tubing, with buttery smooth threading.
The switch, set in the matt black housing has a copper Button, with the Geek Vape logo pressed into it.
The switch button, works using two high quality opposing Earth magnets, rather than a spring, which does produce a smooth pressing action, but I did find it a bit crunchy sounding sometimes.
The Button has a Delrin insulator section on which the copper pin comes up through when pressed.
It also has an amount of spring to it, which ensures that the batteries are held firmly in place. The button can be taken apart, for cleaning and maintenance, by unscrewing the copper ring, but is quite tricky to put back together due to the strength of the magnets.
When the button is pressed it connects directly with the base of the 18650 battery, which completes the circuit and fires the Coils.
Karma RDTA/RDA
The kit includes the Karma RDTA / RDA, measuring 25mm and finished in matt black it matches in perfectly with the Black Ring mod.
Following on from the style and design of the IJOY limitless RDTA the Karma effortlessly transforms between a RDTA and an RDA. And also breaks down into its component parts, for maintenance and cleaning.
Top Chuff Cap
The top cap breaks down into two parts, the plastic outer chuff cap that unscrews from the air-flow control ring. With a wide bore internal diameter of 12.4mm,
The kit includes the 510 drip Tip Adaptor which simple presses into the chuff cap, allowing you to install your favourite drip Tip.
Air-flow control cap.
The airflow of the Karma is s controlled by rotating the top cap, which out of the box, is very very tight and needs juicing up, I had to use a pair of coil master grips to try and get mine off.
I found that, even when juiced up, it didn't really turn, and adjustment was made by pulling it out, setting it, and pushing it back in.
The inside of the top cap has a smooth conical shape, to increase flavour in the chamber.
There are three cut outs in the air-flow control sleeve, two for dual coil, and one single slot , for when running it in single coil, (although you don't get any type of juice port plug, to run it in single coil)
The chuff cap then simply screws onto the top of the air-flow control cap.
Chamber.
The chamber of the Karma, has a matt black outer casing, finished with the same machining lines as on the body of the mod, with a polished inner surface.
The chamber section has three holes machined into each side, to allow air flow through to the Coils, the air flow holes are quite high in the chamber wall, so you do need to set your Coils quite high, to allow the air to directly hit the sides.
The top cap The fits snugly into the chamber.
Build Deck.
The Karma has a chuncky velocity style deck, which is clean and very well machined. With Post holes measuring 3.7mm wide by 2.7mm tall, with hardened 2mm grub screws to securely hold your build in place.
The deck is 18.7mm wide with a spread of 8mm between the Post holes, which will allow for some fat Coils to be installed.
There is a cut out Wicking ports measuring 6.6mm at the widest section set in each corner of the deck.
Turning the build deck over there is a shorted 7mm threaded 510 connection , with a not adjustable threaded centre pin. With an oring around the top to create a tight seal.
This either thread directly into the RDA Base section, or into the 26.5mm RDTA post, which features squared off sides to assist with tightening up.
Both the build deck and RDTA extension shaft feature a perturbing centre pin, to allow it to safely connect with the mod.
Juice Fill Ring.
The juice fill Ring threads down over the top of the build deck, and screws down onto the threading on the sides of the build deck.
The stainless steel ring measuring 22mm on the reduced section, has two o-rings which hold the chamber firmly in place.
The ring has a single fill port, measuring 12.6mm X 3mm on one side, which is ample size for fill, with both needle nose bottles and drippers.
Underneath the Fill Ring, is a recessed white stepped o-ring, which tightens down onto the top of the glass tank.
Glass Tank.
The kit includes two glass tanks, one pre-installed. Measuring 25mm X 13.2mm which allows the Karma Tank to hold a full 5ml.
The glass tank press fits down firmly onto the base. With no leaks or issues. The tank can be removed when installed by simply pressing it to one side and it pop off.
Base Section.
The stainless steel base section, unlike with the Limitless Combo, is used on both e RDTA and RDA set up.
The 8.5mm deep base section, has a 5mm raised lip, with two wide o-rings, which holds the base of the tank firmly in place. With the tank section sitting down onto the 1.5mm base lip, which has another recessed o-ring, to create the seal at the bottom of the tank.
The 6.5mm threaded hole runs through the base, allowing the 510 connection from both the Build deck, and the RDTA post .
When in RDA mode the base will hold 2ml of juice, plus the juice on the cottons.
The matt black base, has the Karma logo and serial number printed under neath.
The RDTA post, simply screws down into the base through the threaded hole.
Once the post and build deck are installed the tank can be pushed down in place.
And the fill Ring can be carefully threaded down, being careful not to cross thread it, normally you just have to give it a half turn backwards to line up the threading.
Then simply press fit down the camber over the fill Ring.
RDA Transformation,
The RDTA can be transformed into the RDA, by simply removing the RDTA post, fill Ring and tank glass, and threading the build deck down directly into the base.
Transforming the Karma into a low profile co-ordinated 2ml dripper.
Karma Build.
I built the Karma up using the supplied pair of Clapton coil, and some Cotton Bacon.
The chunky velocity style deck with its wide Post holes is a dream to build on,
when setting the Coils, be sure to set them as high as you can, to have them sat directly in front of the air holes.
After being pulled and rolled, the cotton can be simply threaded through.
And then combed out, to thin out the tails.
And cut to length, I like to cut them off in line with the top of the glass, there Is no need to have it any longer.
I then tend to place the cotton tails down into the juice ports, and then screw down the Juice Ring, tightening up the ring, the juice fill hole should end up between the the cotton tails, in front of one of the Coils, that way, when you fill it up, there are no obstructs and the juice will go straight down into the tank.
Design and Build Quality.
I love the design of the Karma, it looks and feels amazing in the hand, with both the mod and tank matching perfectly together, with there flowing rotating detailing.
The machining on the threading is beautiful, with buttery smooth twists when tightening up the switch, after installing the battery. Also once the battery is installed, there is zero battery rattle, thanks to the sprung loaded insulator around the switch.
The tolerances on the RDTA are very fine, with everything fitting snugly, apart from the air-flow ring in the top cap which I found to be just to tight, even after I Juices it up, I couldn't remove or adjust it by hand.
Real world experiences.
I used to really love using Mech mods a couple of years go, an was really excited to crack open the Karma kit, and get a build on it. But I must say as far as the Mech mod goes, after using high powered regulated box mods, for the last year or so, I found it a little underwhelming, I suppose you get so used to Vaping at a certain wattage. I just could get it to hit hard enough, even with fully charged batteries, when paired up with the Coils. But that might have just been my build.
Don't get me wrong, the Mech mod performed faultlessly, buttery smooth switch, everything you would want from a Mech mod. I just couldn't get into a rhythm with it.
When I switched the Karma RDA/ RDTA onto the Limitless Lux at 60w, wow it just came alive, with clouds of thick Vapor, and flavour to die for. It wicked great with no issues, due to the massive juice ports, and the 5ml tank kept the wick feed well.
Conclusions and recommendations.
I was quite surprised that Geek Vape included Mech Mod, in this age of regulated mods, and think it may have been wiser to pair pair it up with a regulated Box Mod as it would appeal to a wider Vaping audience. It also concerns me that this kit may be sold or purchased by unsuspecting new vapors as a starter kit.
I was really impressed with the Karma RDA/RDTA, producing a staggering amount of flavour. And I love the way it transforms.
And for the price point, for an experienced Vapor it is defiantly worth purchasing for a bit of old school Vaping.
The Karma Kit is available to purchase at HeavenGifts.com for the special price of $29.90 using Discount Code AMVRKARMA (valid until 15th Dec 2016) Saving $19 off RRP