Boundless CFV Vs. CFX Vs. CF

Boundless CFV VS. CFX VS. CF

Boundless just released the full convection CFV vaporizer following the release of two of our favorite portable vaporizers of 2016 - the Boundless CFX and CF. Both the CFX and CF are great units, and we go over the differences here.  

RELATED:  BOUNDLESS CFX VS CF

So why would you want a CFV? It's all about full convection heating. You're going to get better, longer lasting flavor and arguably better efficiency, but the trade offs are reduced battery life and you'll need to stir your bowl every once in awhile.

There's no clear winner here so let’s dig a little deeper and figure out which unit is best for you.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Convection Vs. conduction

The biggest difference between the CFV and CF series vapes is the type of heating used. Both the CFX and CF use the same hybrid of conduction / convection heating, while the CFV is a full convection vaporizer. All of the Boundless vapes get up to temperature quickly with the CFX and CF coming in at a blistering fast 20 seconds and the CFV at just over 30 seconds.

Let's look at how this affects taste, efficiency, battery life and ease of use.

Tastes better

The Boundless CFV is not only going to taste a little better than what you get from the CF and CFX vapes, but it’s going to make the taste last longer as well. Since the herbs are only exposed to heat when you inhale, the taste doesn’t degrade between hits, and that burnt popcorn taste you get from conduction vapes only shows up at the very end of your sessions on the highest temperatures with the CFV.

Now clouds are a different story. The Boundless CF and CFX are two of the biggest portable rippers available, giving you big satisfying clouds hit after hit. The CFV on the other hand, like most full convection vapes, will be wispy on the first few hits as the bowl contents come up to temperature, with the more visible vapor kicking in at the end of the session.

More efficient...

...maybe. The concept of efficiency with vaporizers is more complicated than most people think and we're waiting on some good old fashioned scientific testing, but if you are part of the "convection is more efficient" camp, the CFV is 100% fully convection.

The CFV also features a totally new concept of using "heat retention rings" in the herb chamber. Quartz, bamboo and rosewood are included and all have different properties which allow you to customize your experience by adding a little conduction and different flavor profiles to the mix. Though we haven't noticed any big changes in heating profiles with the rings that are currently available it does leave the door open to other materials.

Capacity is hard to judge accurately, but it seems like the CFX and CF hold just about double the material you can get into the CFV. That being said the CFX / CF oven is huge and the CFV is not small in any way.

Less battery life

Even though the CFV is not cooking your herbs between hits, it is still powering its robust convection heater. As it takes more energy to use convection versus conduction in a vape this leads to a significantly shorter battery life of the CFV compared to the CFX or CF.

With a continuous vape time of 30 - 40 minutes, the CFV has about half the battery life of the CF and CFX, which means what is one of the biggest strength of the CF/CFX line is the biggest weakness for the CFV.

Like the CF, the CFV charges with USB and takes 2-3hrs to go from dead to 100%. The CFX on the other hand can charge via usb or with it’s included wall plug. On the wall, the CFX gets to full charge in about 30 minutes and all of the units are usable while charging once they hit 25%.

Ease of use

Both the CF and CFX are some of the most intuitive, easy to use portable vaporizers on the market. Both vape great from the first hit and will crank out big clouds with anything you put in them, ground or unground, without stirring.

The CFV doesn't require any special technique but there are some tips to get the most out of it. We prefer a medium fine grind and the included loading tool makes loading easy. You need to stir the bowl halfway through a session for maximum efficiency.

RELATED: BOUNDLESS CFV TIPS & TRICKS

All of the Boundless vaporizers are easy to maintain. Just a little brushing and ISO every once in awhile. None of them appreciate ISO on their outer coating and the red CFV will be especially unforgiving here.

We've been testing the CFV hard for just a few weeks, but the removable quartz heat retention ring is super easy to clean and seems like it will make it easier to keep the bowl free of buildup and the flavor fresh.

More features

The Boundless CF is basically a stripped down version of the CFX, so the CFV is more like the the latter when it comes to features.  

Both the CFV and CFX have full digital temperature control and a battery indicator on their OLED displays, but the CFX also has a session timer and vibrates when it is up to temperature.  

The CFV gives you a choice of colors in classic black or popping red, and it also has interchangeable bowl rings that affect taste and can even add a little conduction to your bowl!

Price

The Boundless CF and CFX are some of the best values in the industry at CAD$119 and CAD$179.95 each, and the CFV doesn’t break the bank coming in at CAD$179.95.

The CFV is a different experience from the CFX and CF vapes, not better, so make sure you know what to expect. If you get the CFV you will notice it takes a little longer for your hits to get thick, but the taste is crazy good during these hits. With the CF and CFX, the hits are more satisfying from the get go, but the taste is never as good as the CFV and it degrades quicker.

Which one should I buy?

You should get the CFV if you value taste and herb efficiency and you don’t mind the extra hassle of grinding, stirring, and you’re not in need of 4 or 5 sessions away from a changer. With the CFV you also get some cool options like a vibrant red color and the interchangeable bowl rings, but you’ll pay a little extra for it.

I would recommend the CF or CFX if you prefer something with great battery life, heats up super fast and that is dead simple to use.