The SPAS-12 is yet another pod system from a Chinese company new to the vape scene called 510VP.
To be honest when doing my research for this product the 510VP website has only one product listed (the SPAS-12) and hardly any detail about themselves!
So I can only tell you the brand is called Shenzhen 510 Technology, whom I personally have never heard of! They are located in Shenzhen China and say: –
Our creativity and philosophy is to adhere to technological innovation and quality.
What Can We Expect From the SPAS-12 From 510VP?
The idea for the SPAS-12 is derived from the double-tube design of the Franchi SPAS-12 (Special Purpose Automatic Shotgun) – which is simple to use with a simple design.
The SPAS-12 has a colourful body and comes in 5 fun colours with curved resin plates and has a metal casing with natural smooth lines.
The device has vibration functions, which is quite a shock if you’re not expecting it!
Whilst the plastic pod takes advantage of removable coils and will hold 2ml of liquid.
So what are my thoughts on this newly released pod system?
This product was sent to us for the purpose of review, and as always my thoughts and views are my own, and after a considerable testing period.
Inside The Box
- 1 x SPAS-12 Mod
- 1 x 2ml Pod
- 1 x Mesh 0.4ohm coil
- 1 x Straight wire 0.8ohm coil
- 1 x Micro USB Cable
- 1 x English User Manual
- 1 x Warranty Card
Features
- Vibration reminder function
- Curved design
- Curved resin panel
- Replaceable coil
- Top filling
- 3-level wattage setting
- Top airflow adjustment
- No leakage
- 950mAh built-in battery
- Bottom lanyard loop
- Magnetic Pod
Design and Build Quality
The Kit comes in a colourful card box with an over sleeve.
SPAS-12 Pod System Kit
Measuring in at just 95mm tall by 40.50mm in width and 17.50mm in depth, the weight of the complete device is just 80g, so ideal for the pocket or purse.
The body of the device is made of Aluminium Alloy and there’s a resin strip on one side.
The Spas-12 pod system consists of three parts the body, black plastic refillable magnetic 2 ml pod and removable airflow ring, OH! and of course the coil lol.
SPAS-12
The device has a 950mAh in built battery; the highest wattage output is projected at 16w, each coil has its own projected highest wattage for each of the 3 settings, more about this later!
The pod obviously sits at the top of the device, and you’ll see two very thin springy contact points, as well as a large magnet and some information is moulded into the plastic.
The back of the device has a protruding fire button which is quite clicky and an Oled light that changes colour depending on what setting you have it on.
The logo is the laser printed “510VP” in white.
To one side of the device you have a micro USB charge port and the wattage selection button.
The front of the device has a curved resin plate – and as you can see the SPAS-12 I received is the rainbow version.
Near to the top of the device is laser printed “SPAS-12” in white.
The device has a lanyard loop on the bottom, so it can be worn around the neck if so wished (lanyard is not supplied) and the plastic bottom is decorated by a chevron pattern.
While the design is OK, and is lightweight, the quality of the body has a cheap and nasty feel to it to me!
SPAS-12 Pod
The kit comes with just one plastic top fill pod! This is pre-installed into the device although no coil was inserted into mine!
However I did find 2 coils inside the box.
- Mesh 0.4Ω, max 16w
- Kanthal A1 straight wire 0.8Ω, max 13w
There is another coil available to buy separately, and that’s the Ceramic 1.2Ω with a max of 10w.
As said the Pod is made of black plastic (PETG), it seems to be quite sturdy and fairly forgiving of rough handling.
The Pod has a large black silicone seal covering the fill port that spins out of the way once lifted for filling. It then fits back in again with minimal fuss.
Fill port open and closed.
The mouth piece is part of the pod body and has a plastic feel on your lips, with just a single airflow slot at its base.
The pod has an airflow ring that can be removed if you need to flush the tank, I believe the ring is made of coloured moulded aluminium (no details available).
The ring has knurling to help you turn it in place, the single airflow ring can be dialed to your preference.
If you look at the bottom of the pod you will see the space for your coil and a large magnet which is highly attracted to its counterpart within the device body.
There’s also more information on the pod moulded onto the bottom.
While I wouldn’t say the pod is wonderful quality, in fact it feels on the cheap side, it has been molded well.
The design of the pod is OK, as it works well once in place and the magnets are strong and hold the pod into the body well.
How Does SPAS-12 Pod System Perform?
For this example I will be using, the Mesh 0.4Ω coil and have filled up with Blue Watch by Firehouse Vape and it’s a 6mg Nicotine Salt.
- Find out more: Guide To Nicotine Salt E Juice and Best Nic Salt Brands
Basic Quick Start Guide
Before we get into how the kit vapes, let’s take a look at setting things up!
Before changing out an old coil for a new one I recommend either running down the liquid and tipping the pod so the remaining liquid goes into deepest part of the pod – OR, simply emptying the pod completely.
Filling the Pod
-
- Choose which of the 2 coils you want to use.
- Prime your coil by dropping a few drops of liquid onto the cotton within the coil.
-
- Turn the pod upside down and place the new coil into the pod making sure it is firmly in place!
-
- Open the fill port bung and fill the pod with your desired liquid.
-
- Replace the bung firmly once the pod is full.
-
- Place the pod into the Spas-12 device.
I recommend leaving the device alone for around 2 or 3 minutes to allow the coil to soak up more liquid, known as priming:
Read more: Beginners Guide To E Cig Tanks + Troubleshoot Your Vape Tank
SPAS-12 battery device
Make sure the battery is fully charged before use!
- X5 Rapid clicks on the fire button will turn the device on and off a white light will flash 3 times and the device will vibrate.
- The device has 3 power settings accompanied by a vibration for each mode press the power button on the side of the device twice to change settings.
Red – High Power
- The 0.4Ω coil will fire at 16w
- The 0.8Ω coil will fire at 13w
Blue – Standard Power
- The 0.4Ω coil will fire at 12w
- The 0.8Ω coil will fire at 11.5w
Green – Low Power
- The 0.4Ω coil will fire at 10w
- The 0.8Ω coil will fire at 10w
As the battery level drops so does the wattage to the coil.
Battery Indication Lights
When charging the device, the current setting is shown the light will then flash green until fully charged.
When fully charged the light will be a steady Green.
Pass through vaping is supported (vape while charging).
- When firing the device the light turns blue
- When putting the pod into the device the light turns green
Vibrations
- If you do not vape after 10 sec the mod will vibrate go into standby mode.
- After 15 puffs the device will vibrate and repeats vibration after 30 minutes and 15 puffs.
- The device will vibrate when you place the pod into the device and it recognizes the coil.
- When changing modes the device will vibrate.
Mesh 0.4Ω coil
With a fully charged battery using this coil in the pod you will attain 16w on the red setting.
It’s a warm vape, and with the airflow fully open I got the expected Mouth To Lung vapour production, and the flavour, for me, was good but not stellar!
I was able to get a fairly decent Direct to Lung draw [DTL] – albeit a little on the tight side.
Read more: Mouth To Lung (MTL) VS Direct To Lung (DTL) Vaping: What’s The Difference?
I have had no leakage from the pod in the time I have been using the device. I do recommend that every so often you check the coil is firmly in place, I normally do this when filling the pod!
My Notes
The 950mAh internal battery is designed so that from a full charge, or so they claim, it will last all day!
Nope – the best I’ve got out of it is a maximum of 4.5 hours on whatever power setting I had the device on!
The USB cable is tiny and not well constructed and you cannot use another cable as the micro part is smaller inside than normal.
Coil life is OK, I have been using the Mesh 0.4Ω for nearly a week without loss of flavour.
I have to say this, the vibration of this device was fun to start with – but quickly became old within an hour or so!
Almost to the point where I wanted to chuck the blessed thing across the room!
It is recommended by the manufacture the kit is not dropped or allowed to get wet – that doesn’t bode well lol
Pros
- Quality is fine
- Design is OK
- Manufacturing is OK
- Colourful
- Easy to use
- Fair battery life
- Coil life is good
- Good flavour
- Fair vapour production
Cons
- Very annoying vibration (after a while)
- The complete kit feels cheap
- Expensive for what you get
- Coils not widely available yet
Final Review Verdict
The kit is designed to look like the double barrel automatic shotgun – which it does…sort of.
However, and of more concern is the derogatory name they have given this kit – “SPAS” – which over here in the UK is often a degrading and humiliating name given to those with a certain disability.
Whilst the kit is very light and functions fine for its stated purpose, to be very honest it feels very cheap.
The vibration function is overdone and really annoys me!
I also cannot detect any difference in strength between the 3 wattage modes.
Would I recommend the 510 SPAS-12 Pod System?
It might make a good first foray into vaping so in that respect “Yes”.
Would I buy this kit again due loss or damage?
No I wouldn’t.
For me, the kit looks and feels cheap and nasty, and besides I’d be constantly worried about dropping or getting the device wet!
