You can adjust the temperature settings of the PAX by slightly pulling in and out on the cartridge, like pumping a bike pump. You’ll feel a small button-like sensation, and you’ll see the lights on the outside range from one leaf (coolest) to four (hottest), with a fifth stop and blinking light at the manufacturer’s recommended setting. Typically, I found that setting to be between one and two lights.
One cool thing about the RFID tech is that it is read- and write-able, which means that when you change the temperature setting for a specific pod, that specific pod remembers. Swap out pods and your PAX will adjust to each one’s specific setting. Pretty neat, especially if you like different pods at different temps.
Unlike other vaporizers, the Era Pro doesn’t have an on button; instead it feels when you’re inhaling using a series of extremely accurate pressure sensors. Unlike the Era that came before, the newer Pro has two sensors, so it shouldn’t accidentally leak weed smell into your pants when it thinks you’re inhaling on an elevator.
Inside the Android phone app (or web app if you have an iPhone), you can learn quite a bit about what you’re inhaling. Everything from the specific temperature to info on the strain is right there.
If you want to make you never accidentally inhale too much, the pressure sensors combine with temperature sensors to dish out a dose size from 1 to 4 (small to fairly large). No matter how hard or soft you pull, the vaporizer delivers a consistent amount, with haptic feedback shaking the pen to let you know you’re done. I rarely used this feature, but it’s great for new tokers, who can get a bit trigger happy.
Parents (or people frequently around kids) will love that you can lock the device using the app, so that nobody can unlock it without your permission. That’s right: Unless they have your cell phone, you never have to worry about your teenager stealing a puff.
Add to Cart
I live in Oregon, and the vast majority of retailers carry Pax pods, but that can vary from state to state. I’d check with your local retailers and with Pax’s website to ensure availability before you order an Era Pro.
Pax cartridges, at least in Portland, are significantly more expensive than their threaded equivalents for “standard” vape pens. I pay the premium because I like the size, better flavor, and guarantee of quality that comes from using Pax-vetted producers, but your milage may vary. I have noticed that some places in Oregon sell the same brands of oil in both types of pods, so you could potentially save money if you discover one you like and switch to the “standard” cartridges and a cheaper vaporizer pen. Then again, the pen itself is why I love the Pax so much.
The Era Pro’s vapor is smooth, but it requires a gentler pull than other vaporizers I’ve used. This helps guarantee a more even dose, and it tends to mean you get “more” out of each, in that you’re always inhaling fully. In practice, I get less accidental coughing fits from huge clouds suddenly hitting my lungs. Again, you’ll get a few hundred puffs out of each 0.5-gram cartridge.
The vapor itself is also very discreet, provided you hold it in long enough; even if my mom’s living room wasn’t full of delicious dinner smells this past Christmas, she probably wouldn’t have noticed.
Get Up, Get Out
We won’t want to share mouthpieces for a long time—long after we’re fully vaccinated. In a world where there’s even the smallest chance my weed habit kills your grandma, I’m just going to bring my own way to imbibe.
If you, too, are looking forward to getting out and about with your friends as the madness dies down in the next few months, I recommend the Pax Era Pro. It’s become one of the few things I never leave home without.