I use a variety of mechanical mods every day. They are by far my favourite vape device for a whole lot of reasons. It bothers me when I hear people saying that they think that mechs are unsafe. Mech mods are not unsafe. Sure, there are unsafe practices that can be dangerous (as with anything). But the device itself is not inherently unsafe. Before I get into a foaming rant let’s get to the point of this article. The Soulkeeper is a tube mod that is very ‘mech-like’. It’s perfect for people who want to try a mech tube mod but don’t feel comfortable using one just yet for whatever reason.
The first thing that jumps out about the Soulkeeper is that it looks like a mech. It’s a simple tube mod, has a nice clicky fire button on the bottom, and a 510 connection for your atty on the top. That’s where the similarity to a mech mod ends. It’s the safety features included with this mod that makes it ideal for someone who is interested in getting into mechs but is just not sure yet.The Soulkeeper definitely gives a mech-like experience for someone to see if using a mech might suit them. Alternatively, it’s well suited to people who like the look of a tube mech but aren’t at all interested in moving into entirely unregulated mods.
The tube itself has a delrin liner so you get that extra level of protection if there is a tear in your battery wrap. (I will be singing this song forever: check your battery wraps, often, regardless of the mod you’re using or the protections it may offer.) While most mechs these days are hybrid, (meaning the battery directly touches the atty) the Soulkeeper has a spring loaded pin in the 510 connection. I still would recommend using an atty with a solid protruding 510 pin and not something like a sub ohm tank with a floating 510.
The mod also has built in circuit protections. It has reverse polarity protection, meaning you can only install a battery one way or it won’t fire. The output of the mod is also limited to 110 watts. In the case of a short circuit, or if the resistance of the coil is below 0.8 Ohms, the mod will not fire and the led will flash a warning. With open circuit protection, the mod won’t draw from the battery if you hit the fire button and there is no build installed. A cutoff timer ensures that the mod will stop firing if the button is pressed longer than 10 seconds. There’s even temperature protection for the chip. If it gets too warm it will shut down. Another important feature is low battery voltage cut off, meaning you can’t drain your battery down to unsafe levels.
Other nice features of this mod is that it takes 18650, 20700 or 21700 batteries. It’s a nice touch but note if you use other than 18650 batteries, the tube will have a telescoping effect to fit the larger cells. The Soulkeeper weighs in at 107g and has a 26mm diameter. The length is 93.5mm with a 18650 battery and 98.5 mm with a 21700 battery installed. No adapter is required for the different size batteries, you just have to reverse the tube.
All in all, I’m impressed. I know a lot of people who will be happy to see a tube mod on the market that’s not a mech and I think this will open things up to a wider crowd. I can’t see anything replacing my love for a true mechanical mod but I’ve been using the Soulkeeper and I have to say- it’s a nice mod.
