(Image from PAX Labs, Inc.)
In a lot of people’s minds, the PAX name is synonymous with portable herbal vaporization, but they’ve also been working hard on the Era, a compact, extract-based vaporizer. Instead of loading it yourself, you buy pre filled, disposable pods in markets with recreational support. Like the PAX 3, it has its own smartphone app, and a recent update introduced an intriguing new feature -- Micro-dosing options.
An already well-featured app
The Era doesn’t have any buttons, so you control most of the non-vaping operations through a connected phone app. The app lets you tweak the temperature, changed the LED colors, name your device, and lock it to prevent accidental or unauthorized use. The newest update also brought in Session Control, which allows you to set a limit on every puff, so you don’t accidentally overdo it. If you do want a little more, the medium and large modes account for a variety of tolerance levels.
Consistent draws
Normally, you start drawing on the PAX Era to start the flow of vapor, and continue to pull until you feel you’ve had enough. You judge how much you’ve inhaled based on heat, draw speed, and length. The Session Control allows you to dial in a consistent, repeatable hit, so you don’t have to guess how much any given puff will affect you.
Great for beginners and new cartridges
Different cartridges have different effects, and the Session Control gives experienced users a way to compare potency and test out new cartridges without diving in. It’s great for beginners too, who are worried about going overboard. You can limit the session and take a break in between each draw, giving you time to consider your situation.
How does it work?
The app lets you choose from Micro, Small, Medium, and Large, or turn the session control off altogether for hits as long as you like. Once you finish your draw, the Era won’t produce any more vapor for 30 seconds -- if you draw on it, nothing will happen, to prevent you from double-dipping. It’s a simple change that has effective results, and once you’re finished being productive, you can always turn the Session Control off and go back to infinite mode.
It’s about energy
It isn’t time, or airflow, that dictates the difference between a small and a large. “It’s all about the number of joules (not Juuls) of energy applied to the Pod by the Pax’s USB-chargeable battery,” reports Chris Taylor from Mashable. PAX built their settings based off feedback from a group of beta testers, an increasingly common trend among vaporizer manufacturers.
What about herbs?
We’re hoping to see something similar on the PAX dry herb vaporizers eventually, and we aren’t the only ones. PAX Labs CEO Bharat Vasan noted to TechCrunch that “they’re thinking of ways to introduce something similar with the PAX 3.” While the implementation would have to be different, it reflects PAX’s interest in innovation, and responding to trends.
Availability
The PAX Era is currently available for US$30 in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, with pods available locally in each of those states. If you’re interested in seeing what else PAX has to offer, the PAX 3 is slightly larger, and work with herbs and extracts.
PAX and innovation go hand in hand
PAX has always looked for ways to bring innovative features to their vaporizers, and Session Control is just one of many examples. The Era continues to lead the pack, with more features and better vapor than any of its competitors, which are mostly just batteries. It’s the most advanced disposable oil pen on the market, giving you better control over your experience than any other battery, and Session Control only sweetens the pot.