*NEW HARDWARE REVIEW* Aspire Flexus Blok Kit

 

I simply cannot sit back and let this one fly under the radar…not that it will anyways.

After loving the original Aspire Flexus Q Kit, I happened to come across an Instagram post by Evolution Vaping UK, they were advertising the brand new AIO system by Aspire. As AIOs go, I’ve been lucky enough to own a few, ranging from the more expensive Billet Boxes and DotAIO’s to the old skool Aspire Plato and the Kangertech Nebox. Safe to say the whole idea of an AIO setup has been really appealing to me during my time as a vaper. They look sleek and, in my opinion, they are the most aesthetically pleasing yet hard wearing devices on the market, so as soon as I placed my order, I was near enough counting the hours until its delivery.

Building upon an already outstanding and well loved device, namely the Flexus Q, the Flexus Blok is worlds apart - yet still an incredible kit.

Adopting a completely new look, the Blok (as mentioned previously) resembles the rectangular, palm sized look found in many AIO systems. A plastic ‘pod’ is magnetically held in place on the top corner of the device and holds a maximum capacity of 2ml (making it TPD compliant). It is easily filled up via a sliding latch that reveals a decent sized juice port underneath - the perfect size, accommodating for the majority of e-liquid bottle tips that are currently on the market.

The Flexus Blok also boasts an impressive feature (not found in the Flexus Q) in the form of airflow control, now this is a massive but simple step in terms of increasing the target audience for this kit. Ranging from a ultra tight MTL to a RDTL, this device offers modest to average vapour production.

Paired up with this relatively tight inhale, the Flexus Blok works great with thinner 50/50 e-liquids and especially nicotine salts (currently using Carousel by Innevape). The hit is strong and the flavour even more so, combining ease of use and practicality when you just want something to satisfy those nicotine cravings.

Pocket sized and compact, this kit is small in stature but still has a hefty weight to it, oozing with a sense of high quality and skilled craftsmanship. In line with its expertly executed ergonomics, the Blok is both elegant and stylish and is available in a multitude of attractive colour options, mine of which is a stunning fuchsia. One of the simplest but well appreciated features of this kit is the removable 510 drip tip, adding a layer of personal customisation.

But enough about the outer shell of this gorgeous machine! It’s what is under the hood that really makes this device shine…

Charged up quickly via USB C, the 1200mAh integrated battery lasts far longer than the offered by the Flexus Q (a mere 700mAh) and battery life is indicated via a small light on the side of the device.

To puff on, the Blok gives vapers an option between a draw activation vs. button activation, which is purely down to personal preference (I find myself using the draw activation most of the time). 

With the ability to cycle through 3 different power settings indicated by an LED light and by pressing the fire button 3 times, you can toggle from red (low) to blue (medium) and green (high), this kit can really accommodate for a wide range of vapers and preferences. I found the mid-level to be just right, giving a decent amount of flavour and an intense hit, but I liked the fact that I can change it with a few clicks of a button.

With a current RRP of about £30, this kit is worth every penny, in fact, I hands down prefer it to my Billet/DotAIOs (egad!). Vaping is massively subjective, but for me, the Blok is so much easier to operate and transport. There is no external battery to worry about and the risk of leaking is pretty much non-existent. The pods are far simpler to disconnect and fill in comparison to the Boro tanks used in many AIOs. Some people will strongly disagree with me in that respect as BBs are so highly regarded and sought after, but if you are looking for a cheap, reliable and well made device, you’re gonna want to have a look at the Aspire Flexus Blok.

Pros

It looks sleek and elegant

I love how easy it is to remove the pod/tank

I liked the fact that you can change the drip tip

Coil life was impressive

For me, it is the perfect replacement to a BB or DotAIO

Cons

I know nothing can be done about it, but it would be nice to have the 3ml pod (thanks TPD!)

Aspire Flexus Blok Specs

Size: 41.6×17.5×88.5mm

Battery: 1200mAh

E-liquid capacity: 2ml

USB Type C – 1A charge rate

Adjustable airflow

Draw or button activated

Side fill port

ASP Chipset

*NEW E-LIQUID REVIEW* A NEW OLD FAVOURITE, PINK GRENADE HYBRID SALTS BY RIOT SQUAD

Riot Squad needs no introduction, their flavours are consistently solid and are an absolute hit when it comes to the UK vape scene. I have been super lucky to have tried most of their flavours, but for me, one holds the definitive top spot.

'Pink Grenade' is an eclectic combination of refreshing flavours, all designed to brighten up your day. Eye-watering sourness is offered up by the lemonade side of things but is soon mellowed out by a sweet blend of bright red strawberries. The use of opposite profiles is exhibited incredibly well as both constituents bring full-on flavour to the table. I do notice an extremely subtle hint of iciness, but not overwhelmingly so - just enough to give this already impressive flavour a kick. 

If that wasn't already good enough for you, Riot Salts are a unique hybrid between both regular (freebase) and salt nicotine. This proprietary blend offers vapers the throat hit of freebase nicotine and the instant hit of salt nicotine. I really love how the throat hit is strong but still maintains the quick ingestion when vaping.

This line of e-liquids is 50/50 VG/PG and is currently available in 5mg, 10mg and 20mg - all TPD compliant.

*NEW ELIQUID REVIEW* Purple Bomb Nic Salts by VGod

Picked up on my travels, ‘Purple Bomb’ is one of the more impressive grape flavours I have had the pleasure of trying. With nicotine salt e-liquids holding the top spot in terms of my most used e-liquid type, I expect somewhat of a consistent and reliable ‘all day vape’ factor. If the flavour is even a tiny little bit off, it gets chucked in the spare e-liquid box - just in case vaping gets outlawed/there is an apocalypse/a robber steals all of my decent juice. 

An uncomplicated but popular flavour profile, ‘Purple Bomb’ is a straight up, candied grape that is rather akin to a soda, bubblegum or sweet variation. You get the subtle candy notes, as well as a deep, rich and juicy purple grape - combining in a simple but wondrous manner. This e-liquid carries very little sweetness, something that, in my opinion, only adds to the appeal of this flavour. At no point does ‘Purple Bomb’ become sickly and therefore cements this e-liquid as an all day vape. On this note, I relished the fact that there was a complete absence of ice in this e-liquid too, thus allowing the well rounded grape notes to pop in all their glory.

Despite being 25mg in strength, this e-liquid is super smooth and delivers a hit of nicotine in the way you’d expect from Nic salts in general.

Completely unrelated to the flavour itself, another thing I have a soft spot for would be the bottle size and shape. As many of you may be aware, here in the UK we have to follow TPD rules, one of which says any e-liquid with nicotine cannot be sold in bottles over the 10ml threshold, so when I was given a 30ml, 25mg e-liquid I grinned a little with excitement, a small but very appreciated touch.

Overall, I was gladly impressed with this flavour, it was simple and conveyed a rich, tasty grape without any ice or extra sweeteners. Definitely check this out if you are a fan of candy flavoured nic salts.

*NEW E-LIQUID REVIEW* Dark Cherry by Joozed

Recommended to me by CCR Vape Bar, ‘Dark Cherry’ by Joozed is forged in the heart of Herefordshire and I was intrigued to see what all of the fuss was about.

I like to think that over the years I’ve acquired somewhat of a more well rounded and discernible palate when it comes to tasting and reviewing e-liquids, so I was interested to see how I’d get on with this flavour.

In fact, my very, very, very first e-liquid back in 2015 was an off-brand, cheap and nasty cherry tunes flavour that was beyond vile, it left me with a bad taste in my mouth both literally and figuratively. So just before trying this instalment from Joozed, I admit I had a bit of trepidation at first, but all feelings of apprehension were allayed as soon as I took that initial puff.

Simplicity is often overlooked when it comes to e-liquid manufacturing but complexity is not always necessary in creating a decent e-liquid.

Notes of sweet, saccharine glacé cherries bubble to the top of the inhale giving a deep and flavourful vape, without being overwhelming. The lighter cherry tones are followed closely by a rich and dark cherry, highly reminiscent of the fruit itself. 

The relationship between these two cherry variants combine to create an unmistakably delectable and well-thought-out overall flavour. It has sweetness, it has tartness and it has a powerful fruity blast - what more could you want?

One of the things I enjoyed most about this flavour was the relative absence of unnecessary additions - no ice, no cream nor any other complicated elements.

You know when a flavour is good when it stands up on its own and is conveyed extremely well, making it an easy choice for any vaper who enjoys fruit-based e-liquids.

Thanks for the recommendation Simon!

Go to https://ccrvape.co.uk/ to grab this one of a kind flavour as well as the other e-liquids in the Joozed line.

*NEW E-LIQUID REVIEW* Inca by Digbys

Massive thanks to Digbys for providing me with this e-liquid to review.

To absolutely no-ones surprise, the latest offering from Digbys is, as you’d expect, on fleek (I’m no longer down with the kids, so I hope I used this phrase correctly!).

A new, complex take on a typical RY4 flavour, Inca is certainly one for the dessert fans out there.

It incorporates a diverse blend of earthy and nutty tobacco, rich caramel and smooth vanilla bean. When it comes to tobacco based flavours, a common miscalculation can sometimes lead to it tasting smokey and even burnt. This in itself isn’t too much of an issue, but in RY4 flavours, I much prefer a delicate and subtle tobacco. So, when I first tried Inca, I was impressed by how there were no smokey undertones - definitely an attribute I could appreciate.

The caramel element to this e-liquid not only balances the tobacco notes, but offers vapers a rich, multi-layered sweetness that comes across as both complex and whole tasting. The subtle notes of vanilla bean encompasses the flavour overall, it provides a smooth base for the tobacco and caramel to flourish.

With a VG:PG ratio of 65:35, this e-liquid is ideal to use in a sub-ohm set up, even more basic kits could handle it too.

This flavour is currently available in 0mg, 50ml shortfills that require nicotine shots to bring it up to your preferred nicotine strength.

Overall, I would say that I was surprised at how good this flavour was, but I already knew Inca was going to be pure gold before I tried it - it’s what I’ve come to expect from Digbys!

*NEW E-LIQUID REVIEW* Juice Roll-Upz Salt Range

Juice Roll-Upz as a manufacturer, holds a special place in my heart. One of their most popular flavours, Blue Raspberry, was the first flavour of its kind that I tried way back in the day. After becoming engulfed in trying and reviewing the hazy mass of eliquids thrown about over the years, my attention to Juice Roll-Upz  had somewhat waned, but the flavour, and my positive memory of it never did.

I feel that as a reviewer, my palate has become much more refined and only top of the line flavours seem to impress me. So after trying literally thousands (I’m not even exaggerating!) only a few meet my strict standards and therefore make the cut.

Juice Roll-Upz offers me a comfortingly familiar set of flavours, and a subtle but noticeable sense of nostalgia takes over on every puff.

I was lucky enough to have visited the World Vape Show in Dubai recently and came home with a few absolutely STUNNING flavours. They are all 30ml and 25mg/ml salt nicotine.

Grape

A keep it simple approach seems to be the way forward with this particular eliquid, a juicy, sherbet-like grape stands out on its own. No over complication is needed as it is both intense and mouth watering. I loved the intriguing sour sensation on my tongue, and the consistent flavour throughout.

Wild Berry Punch

Juice Roll-Upz signature candy edge is well and truly present in this eliquid. There are elements of ripe, mixed berries that emanate both fresh and expertly crafted vibes. The sweet candy notes, and the bold berries are met with a revitalising and complex fruit punch that can only be described as heavenly. This is a flavour that lasts all day, and you’ll never get sick of it.

Blue Raspberry

Just as I remembered it, Blue Raspberry is powerful, sour yet sweet and has the unmistakable candied taste that is synonymous with Juice Roll-Upz .

That sweetness is present in all of the flavours that I have tried from them, and that they are famous for. The sweetness found in these eliquids is positively perplexing as it doesn’t get overpowering or sickly yet it still retains a good level of mouth watering, sugary deliciousness. The ideal all day vape!

Overall, a massive thank you to Juice Roll-Upz for creating such a stellar line up. It’s not often I find that every flavour stands out, and for that massive kudos to them!

*NEW NIC SALT JUICE REVIEW* GRAPE & CHERRY BY FROSTBITE

Today I popped in to one of my favourite vaping haunts, CCR Vape Bar Hereford, and have decided to try a highly recommended nicotine salt eLiquid - Grape & Cherry by Frostbite.

Due to my ever evolving preferences when it comes to vaping, I have grown rather partial to small, simple pod style devices and fruity/icy 20mg nic salts. So when the folks at CCR suggested that I should try this eLiquid, I was excited to see what all the fuss was about.

I soon chucked a new coil in and filled up a pod - and, well, the Lost Vape Orion isn’t exactly known for its flavour production, but the taste was conveyed well and was surprisingly impressive, intense and mouth watering - despite the rather basic MTL capabilities. The grape is both juicy and well rounded and offers a candy-like smoothness that is then combined with a sharp, slightly sour cherry. But hands down the best feature of this particular eLiquid would be the perfectly calculated amount of iciness.

The candy/fruit notes are swept together with a cool inhale and are brought to life even further by an ear tingling, throat freezing exhale.

If you are usually a fan of fruity, candy and/or ice based flavours, then I’d highly recommend this eliquid. It is available in 10ml, and in 10mg and 20mg nic salts.