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REVIEWS
ALD/UPENDS UPPEN
By Benedict Jones
The Uppen is the first device from ALD’s new subsidiary
Upends, which aims to create portable kits for the starter
market.
Construction, fit and finish of the Uppen are fair. This is
a nicely put-together device, with a low overall weight.
Tolerances are tight, with a strong magnetised connection
and no visible seams. With this said, it doesn’t feel overly
robust and would perhaps feel more premium with a
slightly heavier chassis.
The Uppen’s primary claim to fame is its pen form factor,
including a top cap that completes the look and makes the
device entirely mistakable for a writing implement. This
has caused a bit of a stir in the community. On one hand,
there is a legitimate case to be made for professional adults
who prefer a discrete vaping device. On the other, there are
concerns that minors could be attracted to its ability to be
concealed. While I personally have no issue with the design,
I am all too aware that our industry is not in need of any
further external controversy at this time.
In terms of user experience, the Uppen is extremely simple.
This is a draw-to-fire device, with no buttons, screens or
menus to contend with. The pod is held in place with a
strong magnetised connection and the device vibrates
briefly when the pod is installed, which is a nice touch. The
pod is filled from the side and the relatively large opening
has caused me no issues when using standard bottles.
In terms of vape quality, only 1.2Ohm pods are available
at the time of writing. Upends state that this results in
an average power output of 10W and this produces a
moderately warm vape, with a satisfying MTL draw that’s a
little more restricted than most pod systems on the market.
Flavour production is good but doesn’t quite reach the best
in class status achieved by products like the Uwell Caliburn.
I found each pod to last for approximately 8-10 refills,
which is well within acceptable bounds for a device like this.
specifications
Dimensions: 134mm*16mm
Battery capacity: 600mAh internal cell
E-liquid capacity: 2ml
Coil resistance: 1.2Ohms
Charging: Micro-USB
I must note that the device is supplied with only one pod but
I would always expect two as a minimum.
The 600mAh internal cell is managed quite well. I found
it to last just shy of a full day’s vaping on a charge, when
using 20mg/ml nicotine salt e-liquids. While this is fine, I
do feel that a larger capacity cell could have been procured
for the device, since its chassis is larger than some recent
pod systems which boast higher capacity. The device
charges from flat to full in approximately 45 minutes, which
is perfectly acceptable considering the run time.
In summary, the Uppen is an interesting first entry for
the Upends brand, with good performance, a simple user
experience and unique form factor. It’s a solid option for
vapers who need a discrete device that won’t look out of
place in a suit pocket or purse. I do feel that a spare pod
should always be included in kits like this, though, so I’m
hoping that this changes for future batches.
PROS
- Very user friendly
- Nice MTL draw
- Good pod longevity
CONS
- Only one pod provided
with device
- Uses pods, not coils
VM29 157