Pax Vs. Solo

Discussion in 'Vaporizers' started by plainpat57, Mar 24, 2013.

  1. I've spent some time looking into portable vapes and my search has essentially brought me to decide between the Pax and the Solo. But I've been unable to choose exactly which one to get. If I could get a list of the pros and cons of each unit, that'd be great.

    Any and all help would be appreciated, thanks.
     
  2. #2 Robot Mania FU, Mar 24, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 24, 2013
    Pax
    Pros: portable, discrete, excellent build quality, good vapor quality (basically if you need stealthiness and portability this is the vape for you)
    Cons: requires regular cleaning to run properly, only 3 heat settings, pricey, cannot be used while charging

    Solo
    Pros: best vapor production out of any portable IMO, 7 heat settings, excellent build quality, can be found for $160 from puffitup with promotional code (if stealthiness isn't your main concern and vapor production is, I would go with the solo)
    Cons: larger in size, glass stems can break, can not be used while charging unless you buy a different charger


    Obviously there will be more pros and cons, but these are just what I have encountered personally. To be honest, you will love either one...when it comes down to it, do you need the smaller size of the pax? The difference is $250 for the pax and $160 for the solo with a coupon code. Hope this helps a bit
     
  3. The post above sums it up.

    I've had a pax since they were released and used to have a solo. I say pax all the way. It did not bother me at first with with the solo I grew to hate the glass tube. It just gets in the way. It so nice to be able to easily keep\preheat the pax in your pocket in a smoke ready state. The stealthiness of it makes it unbeatable to me though. I've used my Pax in movie theaters, putt putt golf courses, and spring training baseball games just to name a few stealth places.

    If I still had my solo I would probably only use it for things like camping or bringing to a friends house.
     

  4. What about cleaning the Pax? How long does it take and how difficult is it? I also heard something about the battery being close to the heating element which causes the battery to drain faster and not hold as much of a charge anymore, do you know if there's any truth to that?
     
  5. Well the Solo has been out for a while now, so the price has dropped and all the bugs have been worked out.

    The PAX is still new to the market, so the price is high and it still has some bugs that need to be perfected.

    I wouldn't mind a PAX after everything else is worked out, for now, the Solo does the job well enough
     
  6. The Solo clearly beats the Pax imo. The only advantage the Pax has is being a bit smaller. Other then that the Solo wins hands down in any category. The fact the Pax is 100 dollars more sure doesn't help either.
     
  7. I dont have any experience with the pax. However, i got a solo last week and im loving it! No learning curve at all! Just pack the stem and turn the unit on a low setting. Then slowly turn the temp up till its where you like it!
     
  8. Original price on the Solo when it came out was $300, now that its been out for a while its much cheaper
     
  9. That's often true of tech products including vaporizers. It isn't true for all brands, Pax and Volcano being examples.

    Besides, when the Solo came out at 300 it was cutting edge portable vaporizer tech. The Pax is anything but.
     
  10. Yea very true there

    The price on the Cano has always been the same, too much
     
  11. Not sure about the battery being by the heat... However I have not noticed any issues with the battery. I get 3-4 long sessions per charge... Charge time is 45-60 min. I've tinkered a bit with the adapter and can now charge in the car or from a battery pack if I'm camping.

    As for cleaning the Pax... I do mine twice a week... It's really easy... you basically just run a pipe cleaner dipped in rubbing alcohol down the main pipe and then use a q-tip on the oven and your done. Not including drying time it takes maybe 3 min. It's nothing at all like cleaning a standard pipe.

    Make sure the people you are taking advice from have actually owned both and have used them. Many people love to give opinions without ever using a product.
     
  12. The pax is conduction. I will never pay what a PAX goes for, for a conduction unit......again lol. Had to see what was too it. Its a pretty vape, but FAILS in functionality vs my Solo. Solo really does remind me of my Desktops.
     
  13. What's the difference between conduction and convection vapes? Is it really that significant?
     
  14. Conduction heats a screen that heats your herb. Convection uses a heating element of some sort to warm the air being pulled over the load. Conduction continually cooks your herb. Convection does not.

    On a last note.....science isn't my strong suit, but I believe convection is more efficient than conduction on any level. Immagine being in your room. You want to heat it. Convection uses a heat source blowing warm air outward to accomplish that. Conduction would heat your floor ceiling walls and door in hopes of heating the room.
     
  15. This is a very accurate description.

    The key is that convection its your inhale that is pulling the heated air through the herb. Conduction would heat a surface and anything close to it. As you'd expect, conduction is more uneven and less efficient.
     
  16. Is there a significant difference in the vapor quality between the pax and solo?
     
  17. Yes. Read above. The Pax uses conduction heating, meaning a surface is heated with herb on it. This is in contrast to the Solo's convection heating, which means heated air is pulled through your herb. Conduction heats less surface area, can be more uneven/char more, and is generally considered to be the lesser style of heating.

    The one and only advantage of conduction heating is that it requires significantly less power. This means its a style used by some portables. The Solo has a better battery life though as they jam a lot of power in there, and the Solo purposefully restricts your drawspeed so you don't overdo the heater.
     
  18. Significant? That's the key word... As someone that has owned both I will say I think the solo does have a little better vapor. Significantly better... No. To me the main difference is stealthiness. The glass tube on the solo can be a real pain in the ass.

    They are both great portable vapes... Bottom line is think about how you will be using them. If stealth is what you want the Pax can't be beat. If that's not a concern go for the solo.
     
  19. Yeah I think I'm going to get the Pax because stealth is definitely more important
     
  20. Get the black version.... The others are more noticable. Just put your finger over the light and palm the pax and it's pretty unnoticeable. I can't believe some of the places I've used my Pax. The best was a crowded theater for The Hobbit. :p
     

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