What is it?
The POTV Lobo is the second portable herb vaporizer by Planet of the Vapes. The Lobo was designed by their very own vape experts who actually teamed up with Weecke, the OEM of their first device—the POTV ONE.
While the Lobo looks like a chunkier POTV ONE, there’s a lot more going on under the hood. The Lobo uses a replaceable battery. It charges via USB-C but also allows you to swap out the replaceable 18650 battery.
The Lobo stands at 89 mm (102 mm with the included glass stem mouthpiece). It measures 54 mm in width and 28.5 mm in thickness. It weighs 150 grams, or 156 grams with the glass stem installed. It’s not too heavy for a dry herb vape and can be stored easily in a bag, fanny pack, or pants pocket.
The device utilizes a hybrid heating system that seems to be more convection-dominant. Lastly, it is compatible with POTV’s very own glass ecosystem, which includes a range of bongs, bong adapters, and bubbler attachments, which I will be testing in this review.
Let’s find out how it compares to some of the best portable weed vaporizers I’ve tested.
Price: $159.95 (at Planet of the Vapes)
Colors: Black, Blue, Green
What’s in the box?
The POTV Lobo comes with literally everything you need–besides the flower. This includes:
A dosing capsule
A loading tool
An extra O-ring
Three extra screens
A nice cleaning brush
A glass stem
An 18650 battery
A USB-C charging cable
A user manual
A concentrate pad (that is meant for use with their dosing capsules)
The glassware attachments are sold separately. They are featured as add-ons when purchasing the Lobo from the POTV shop, and range from $7.95 to $15.95. They also offer waterpipes, like the Planet bubbler that they sent me, priced at $69.95—which is reasonable considering its size.
POTV Lobo features
The Lobo is fully loaded with features. I don’t even know where to begin. Let’s start with the removable 18650 battery. It actually comes with a legit Samsung 35E rated for 3500 mAh. I’m not gonna lie, I haven’t used an 18650 in years, but I’m loving this game changing feature. The Lobo utilizes a USB-C charge port on its side, so you can stand it up while it charges.
Another notable feature is its hybrid heating system which offers the best of both worlds. The Lobo does precise temperature control between 320°F–430°F (160–221°C). They say it heats up in 30-45 seconds, but in my experience it was more like 45-55 seconds, which is still not bad at all.
Other features include a titanium chamber with a max capacity of 0.2 grams. The Lobo utilizes dosing capsules and includes an option to use it with concentrates, which we will get into later. POTV made sure the Lobo was easy to clean, especially when you use it with dosing capsules.
The POTV Lobo has a bright digital display and haptic feedback. It even has a whole settings menu with a variety of functions and a stealth mode that dims the display. The device comes with a glass cooling stem for tasty rips, but is also compatible with the full range of glassware that POTV offers. Last but not least, the Lobo comes with the tools you’ll need to maintain it.
There are various upgrades available, like a capsule caddy that holds four dosing capsules.
The device is backed by a warranty in addition to a 100-day satisfaction guarantee. That isn’t exactly a feature, but I feel like it is worth noting that POTV has confidence in their products.
How to use the POTV Lobo
Whether you’re using it with a bubbler top or even with a water pipe, the same basic principles apply. Here is a full rundown on how to get the most out of your POTV Lobo.
Scoop 0.2 grams of flower into the dosing capsule, or pack into the herb chamber.
For concentrates, put a tiny dab on the concentrate pad and use the dosing capsule.
Do not pack more than 0.2 grams of herb–less is more with the Lobo.
Loosely pack the flower into your herb chamber or dosing capsule and gently tamp.
If using dosing capsules, place it into the chamber with the lid facing up.
Three rapid clicks of the power button to turn the Lobo on or off.
The session timer begins counting down as soon as the power is on.
Use the up and down arrows to adjust the temperature.
The Lobo will vibrate when it reaches temperature–and when the session is over.
If using dosing capsules, wait 3-5 minutes for them to cool down before handling them.
Use the metal packing tool to clear the chamber or dosing capsule after each session.
Always brush off the mouthpiece screen, herb chamber and/or dosing capsule.
Accessing the menu and stealth mode
The Lobo has a hidden settings menu that can be accessed. It allows you to flip the screen, change between Celsius and Fahrenheit, and customize your session times. Here is a simple rundown on how to access it and how to enter stealth mode using your POTV Lobo.
Hold the power button and the plus button to toggle stealth mode on/off.
Hold the power button and the minus button to enter the settings menu.
In the menu, use the plus and minus buttons to scroll and the power button to select.
In the menu, you can adjust session length, temp units (°F to °C,) or screen orientation.
How does it perform?
The POTV Lobo is extremely efficient with dry herb. I tested it using my favorite indica-dominant hybrid (Gumbo) and a few other strains I have right now, including Off-White, Runtz, and Chocolope. I also tested it with a Super Merlot CBD strain I am using right now.
My first few sessions didn’t go so well, but it was my fault. I found a video of Jerry Stickstones from POTV demonstrating the Lobo and saw how little material he was actually packing, while getting way more vapor output than me. I determined that I was probably packing two times more than what the device can support, which, in turn, was probably choking off all the airflow.
Since the Lobo is a convection-dominant vaporizer, you really need that airflow for it to work properly. I said all that to say–do not overpack this vape! Gently pack no more than 0.2 grams.
Once I figured this out, it was nothing but smooth sailing from there. The flavor is on point. It reminds me of a convection vape, in that the flavor drop off is minimal down to the last hit. At my preferred temp, which is around 385-390°F, the flavor is super clean, and the vapor production is satisfying. At 380°F it feels a bit too weak, and at 395°F it is a bit too much to handle. However, when using the Lobo with a waterpipe, I’m able to crank it up to much higher temps for thicker clouds.
With concentrates
I had to test the Lobo with some concentrates. I used the included concentrate pad with the tiny bit of STIIIZY Purple Haze live resin dabs that I had. I also did the sandwich method with the dabs and with the Dos’d Papaya solventless hash that I recently acquired from a dispensary. I prefer the sandwich method over the pads because you can get denser vapor at lower temps.
With the concentrate pad, you have to crank the heat up all the way to get those thick milky clouds. Also, it’s difficult to remove it from the dosing capsule after your session. Based on my experience with it, the Lobo works best with dabs at high temps with a water pipe or bubbler.
Just add water
The POTV Lobo really shines when you introduce water into the mix. Plugging it into the Planet bubbler turns it into a volcano bong–and I’m really enjoying it. I especially love using it with the whip option, but I had to test it with my favorite bong, and it went really well.
Once you experience the Lobo with water, you don’t want to ever go back. The good news is that they also have these portable mini bubblers that plug into the device. The included glass stem slides out easily and can be swapped out with any of their glassware attachments. I would highly recommend at least getting the water pipe adapter so you can try it with a water piece.
I tested the Lobo with the Gordito Mini and the Curved Mini mouthpieces. They also have a globe glass stem and a curved version of the included glass stem. The Gordito Mini was my favorite of the Minis. It holds more water and offers a decent hit for its size. The Curved Mini doesn’t hold much water, but it still cools down your vape and adds a little extra punch.
These mini bubblers are nice for simulating a bong rip when you don’t have access to one. But if you are using these mini bubblers, do not leave them on your Lobo for extended periods, as the water may start to leak into the device.
Battery life and charging
The Lobo takes just under two and a half hours to fully charge a depleted battery. It’s not the fastest charging vape I’ve seen. However, since it runs on replaceable batteries, you can use your favorite 18650 charger, and you’ll never have to miss a beat. That is a game-changer.
The included battery is rated at 3500 mAh. I can get at least eight sessions out of it—it might be possible to squeeze nine or ten out of it if you vape at low temps and shorten the session timer. But eight sessions per battery is pretty solid.
I enjoy using the Lobo at 385°F, and I’ve increased the session timer to five minutes. The timer starts when you turn on the device, so the clock is ticking while it heats up. I think it shouldn’t start until the device reaches temp, but it’s not a big deal since you can extend the timer.
How to clean the POTV Lobo
Cleaning the POTV Lobo is very simple. Especially if you always remember to brush off the screen and herb chamber after each session. There are not many small parts to clean. Here is a rundown on how to deep clean the Lobo using isopropyl alcohol and some cotton swabs.
Remove the glass stem from the device.
Use the packing tool to pop out the screen from the mouthpiece.
Place your mouthpiece, screen and dosing capsule into a bowl of alcohol.
In the meantime, dip a cotton swab in alcohol for the device itself.
Use the cotton swab to clean the herb chamber while the device is upside down.
Give the herb chamber a good 10-15 minutes to air dry after swabbing.
Remove the pieces in your bowl, rinse them thoroughly and let them dry completely.
Use a cotton swab or a cloth to gently clean the outside of the device itself.
Be sure to avoid getting any alcohol inside the USB-C port.
When you’re done, re-assemble the device completely.
Run the Lobo empty at the highest temp (430°F) to get rid of any excess alcohol.
Pros / Cons
Gallery
Verdict
At the end of the day, the Lobo performs really well for the price. The flavor is closer to a convection vape, which is rare in this price range. That is what makes the Lobo an excellent option for ballers on a budget. POTV did a great job creating an affordable vape that slaps. I plan to purchase the dosing capsule caddy so I can vape on the go without any downtime.
Most of the cons I listed are rather minor. Lack of pass-through charging and slow charge times are insignificant when you have spare batteries charged up and ready to go. It takes under a minute to heat up and allows you to extend the session timer. Lastly, the chamber only holds 0.2 grams, but the Lobo is so efficient that you still get maximum effects with minimal product.
I would easily recommend it to anybody looking for a portable and effective vaporizer with solid flavor for under $200. You’re not going to find many vapes in this price range with all of these features. Recommended.
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