My First Review: Wismec Predator 228 with Elabo Kit

First, a quick introduction.

My name is Ismael, but everyone just calls me Ish. I was a smoker of 18 years until June 21, 2015. After some advice from a fellow student and some research of my own, I made an immediate switch from smoking to vaping; using high nicotine e-juice to compensate until I, eventually, weaned myself off of nicotine as well. I haven’t had a cigarette since. Because this post is a mod/tank review, I won’t dwell on what devices I started with for now.

And now, the star of the show… Today’s review is for the Wismec Predator 228 as designed by Sinuous with the Elabo Tank Kit. I must say, it really does feel really, really nice in hand. I’ll try to keep things simple and organized; mostly so I don’t ramble.

Packaging

The packaging is very clean and fairly simple. The star of the show, the Predator 228 adorns the top of the box with Predator 228 logo on the left and right sides, the Wismec log in front and their website around the back. On the bottom, you’ll find the contents list, the available colors listed with the included model selected and an authenticity scratch-off sticker (not pictured).

Open up the box and you’re immediately greeted with our star, the Predator 228. The one in this review is black on black, but it also comes in black on silver, white, gold, and red.

 

Pull out the foam frame around the Predator 228 and the cardboard divider to find the Elabo tank, charging/data cord, One Triple 0.2 ohm Head, One NS Triple 0.25 ohm Head (inside tank), instruction booklets for both the Predator 228 and the Elabo tank, plus a friendly little battery warning to remind us of the importance of using properly conditioned batteries. By the way, the Wismec Predator 228 runs off of two 18650 batteries. (Please take care of your batteries and properly dispose dead batteries.) #BatterySafety

 

Coils

As I mentioned already, the Predator 228/Elabo kit comes with two coils included. Aside from contrasts in resistance, the biggest difference between the Triple Head and the NS Triple Head is the lack of threads for attaching the NS Triple Head. As you can see, I hope, in the first image below, the NS Triple Head is smooth around where you would expect to find the threads. To install, you simply drop the coil into either the base or the tank body  and attach the base like normal; by screwing it onto the tank. (See 2nd image for comparison.) Both coils feature a small mesh ring inside the top head end of the coil that I assume helps to prevent spit-back from the inner coils immediately below. With that said, I’ve been at it all evening and not a single drop of spit-back yet. I’m still breaking it in, but if anything changes, I’ll update this review with any new experiences. #NoSpitBack

While breaking it in, I’m starting with the NS Triple Head coil. As some other reviewers have mentioned, I agree the sweet spot for me is between 60 and 70 watts. Please keep in mind that it’s a purely subjective opinion as I prefer a cooler vape.

  

Elabo tank

Next up on this voyage with the Predator 228, is Wismec’s Elabo tank. Absolute first observation I made… this tank is solid. If it felt any more solid in hand, you’d think they forgot to make it hollow. It includes a very stiff, but comfortable air flow control ring at the bottom and equally stiff, but comfortable sliding top for filling. Acting as a locking mechanism, the included 510 drip tip acts as a lock by reaching deep enough to prevent the top from sliding open. Again, it is a very firm fit and feels very secure without feeling like you need a workout to pull it off. Perfect to keeping it’s 4.6ml of e-juice secure and ready for your vaping needs, desires, curiosities, whatever. #GotJuice

   

While not a new idea, the sliding top certain does allow for a clean, spill-free filling experience. The one caveat I found is that the filling hole/slit is a bit narrow. I don’t own any e-juices with a dropper top at the moment, but I can see where some might be a bit wide in comparison to this fill hole. Keep in mind, I may very well be wrong, but I don’t have one to test with at the moment.

The air flow ranges well from very airy to very restrictive. This should easily be able to keep most vape users happy and, depending on the coils available, may very well be one tank fits all unit. One thing to note, though… It’s a whistler. I’m not a big tank collector, but it is the loudest that I currently own.

One final note on the Elabo tank… It is very ready for cleaning. Simply remove the base and coil, then unscrew the ring at the bottom of the glass tank to remove it and slide the glass tubing immediately afterward. With that, it’s ready for a good washing. One thing to help make assembling easier, remember to put the top and bottom o-rings into the bottom ring and main tank body FIRST, then reassemble the tank. Putting them on the glass tube first can make it difficult and cause warping.

  

Finally, the Wismec Predator 228 as designed by Sinuous

The rock. The machine. The small monster… The Wismec Predator 288. Straight to the point; this mod is one solid piece of machinery. (Not to be confused with mechanical.) It’s heavy without feeling like a brick. It’s the same height (mod only) as the Innokin Cool Fire IV TC100, but just a little thicker. It still fits very comfortably in my fist. It has a very solid build; no loose or jiggling buttons, no rattling from anything internal, and the fire button is properly “clicky” with a nice stiff feel to it. The body of the mod has a smooth and very lightly brushed feel to to it.

Naturally, this is a multi-mode device. Modes include Power mode, TCR Mode, and Temperature Control mode including Stainless Steel, Titanium, and Nickel. These modes are powered by two 18650 batteries (not included); providing ample battery life and vaping power. Coincidentally, the extra weight of the batteries also add to the over all sturdy feel of the mod, though still without weighing it down too much. As with most mods these days, the controls include the trigger acting as the power button, fire button, and menu button; plus the usual two regulatory buttons. Both regulatory buttons, the screen, and the microUSB port can be found on the face of the Predator 228. The fire button is the entire panel on same side that the tank sits towards, though the button under the panel is upwards, towards the top.

 

  

Performance

Though I’m still breaking in the coil, the overall performance has been impressive. The fire button is very responsive, as are the regulatory buttons. Firing up has provided me with the same, even vaping experience all evening and night. Though I’ve been vaping on it for hours, I’m finding that it’s not the juice-hog that I was expecting, so far. Keep in mind, again, that I’m still breaking it in, so the coil and wicking are likely not quite at their prime yet.  With that said, my hits are fairly tasty already and cloud production isn’t bad at all; especially considering that I don’t vape at a particularly high wattage. (I tend to like my vape cool.)

As you can see in the video above, after about a full day of breaking it in, it's already performing very well. The flavor of the e-juice I'm using comes through much more vibrantly than just last night. At 70 watts, it's producing a thick cloud with a lukewarm temperature. It's already outperforming my previous setups and it's doing so without flying through the juice. (Always nice to see.) Also, you can hear the whistling of the tank that I mentioned earlier. Not a deal-breaker by far, but it does keep me from using it late at night, when others are sleeping, though I have heard MUCH worse.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Great quality at a fair price point
• The Elabo tank performs very well with great flavor and air flow.
• The Elabo tank is also a physically solid tank that feels like it can handle vapers with active lifestyles
• As a dual 18650 using mod, the Predator 228 should provide itself long usage times between charges
• Like most respectable mods, the Predator 228 offers a wide range of compatible vape styles including Wattage (Power Mode), Temperature Mode (SS, Ti, & Ni), and a 3 settings TCR Mode for those who trying that out, too.
• Using the Avatar Reverse Charging Adapter (sold separately), you can use the mod the charge your phone or other mobile device, while being, you know… mobile.

Cons:

• The tank is a little on the loud side
• The 510 hole for the drip top is a touch too wide; making most common 510 drip tips fit loosely
• NOTE: I believe there are push-fit 510 drip tips that may work well as alternative drip tips.

Final Thought

Wow. While I still have a long standing loyalty to a certain other brand, Wismec has thoroughly impressed me. Between the build quality, the performance, and the features; the Wismec Predator 228 and Elabo Tank Kit hit all the right marks and is more than capable of nearly all the possible needs for interested vapers.

Special Thanks and Get Yours…

Special thanks to Heaven Gifts at www.heavengifts.com. The kit used in this review was won in their recent giveaway. I entered as any other vape user and aside from being one of the chosen winners, I am not paid to review or promote Heaven Gifts or Wismec products. Also, I’d like to Sinuous Designs for their part in the design of the Predator 228.

Order or Pre-order yours here:

WISMEC Predator 228 with Elabo Kit

WISMEC Predator 228 TC  (MOD ONLY)

WISMEC Elabo Atomizer Kit (Available Now)