After an extensive series of pods, Vaporesso has not forgotten those who like powerful kits. The Armour Max is a dual 21700 battery box with a clearomizer for direct inhalation. This hefty kit feels solid and can take a few knocks.
The kit for roving adventurers
The powerful, sturdy Armour Max kit lives up to its name. Protected by numerous plastic inserts, it is the ideal kit for situations where it is likely to be dropped a lot. The clearomizer is also protected from knocks. The opening system to fill it with liquid is just as practical and makes it easy to use. A well-designed kit for roving vapers!
Technical specs
What’s in the box?
·Mod
·Clearomizer
·Spare tank
·Spare parts
·USB cable
·Coils
·Drip tip
·Goodies
·User guide
A sturdy box
The Armour Max kit is designed to be used with the iTank 2 clearomizer provided. However, it can be combined with another clearomiser or atomizer with a maximum diameter of 28 mm without any overhang. All the edges of the box are protected by plastic reinforcements, which is a real plus point if you drop it.
The Armour Max box is compatible with two 18650 batteries (via the adapters provided), and also with 2 x 20700 and 2 x 21700. The kit offers maximum battery life in the latter configuration. The battery door is spring-mounted. Be careful when opening it! Put your hand under the door if you don’t want your batteries to end up on the floor, because it opens instantly. We didn’t notice any lateral play. It was as solid as the rest of the box.
To open the battery compartment, you press a button on one of the sides of the box (under the brand name). It needs to be pressed firmly to unlock the door and the button travels quite a long way. This makes it safer to transport. Whether you are carrying it in a bag or a pocket, it is unlikely that the Armour Max will come open on its own.
On the front, there is a screen, the “+” and “-” buttons and a huge fire button. The screen is not very big, but is sufficiently visible to understand the menus and various information during use. Since the Armour Max is designed for intensive use and knocks, it is logical for the screen to be smaller to avoid it being damaged if the kit is dropped.
The button bears the name of the model and sits easily under your finger, whether you are right- or left-handed.
The fire button isn’t just for firing. It is also used to lock the box. Simply slide it upwards to disable it. It is firm enough not to return to its initial position. However, when the button is locked, only firing is inactive, not the “+” and “-” buttons. The settings can still be locked by pressing on “+” and “-”. The box is then fully locked.
Under the settings buttons, a USB-C port can be used to charge the box or to update the electronics. Charging on an external charger is the best option.
The Armour box can achieve 220 W. There are various menus, such as temperature control, an eco mode, a smart mod, F(t) and pulse. Overall, the box is effective and responsive. We have some reservations about the “eco” mode, which saves the batteries to the detriment of the power actually delivered. The remaining charge is indicated by a colour bar.
Our kit came in the collector version with a carrying case to hang on your belt, taking the roving adventurer look all the way!
DL clearomizer
The Armour Max comes with the iTank 2 clearomizer. Designed for direct-to-lung use, it is well built and easy to get to grips with. Its 8 ml capacity with the bubble tank is great, especially when used with the coils with the lowest resistance. The tank is protected by flexible plastic in case it is dropped. Here again, everything has been designed for use in harsh conditions.
The 810 drip tip is neither to long nor too short. Its internal diameter is 11.4 mm at the highest point and 7.3 mm at its base. A button with a red mark opens the top of the clearomizer to access the fill port. The system is effective and needs to be pressed firmly to release the mechanism. Be warned! The spring mechanism is very strong and opens instantly. It can be a bit of a surprise the first few times you do it.
An elongated port covered with a membrane with a slit in it is used to fill the tank. The tips of most bottles fit through, but the larger ones should be avoided. It’s a pity. We would have liked a larger space for this large 8 ml clearomizer.
At the bottom of the iTank 2, two large slots (airflows) allow the air in to cool the coil and adjust the inhalation experience. They open and close simply by rotating the ring. Adjustment is accurate and easy to do, even when the clearomizer is mounted on the box.
The kit comes with two GTI coils: one 0.2 ohm and a second 0.4 ohm. The iTank is also compatible with 0.15 ohm and 0.5 ohm models. The iTank is a clearomizer for direct-to-lung inhalation between 50 and 75 W in its basic configuration. Everything you need to produce masses of dense vapour clouds!
The GTI mesh coils don’t disappoint. The flavours are top quality and accurate. Whatever your style of DL vaping, the range covers most needs from 30 to 90 W. The use of mesh is ideal for fruity liquids and delivers excellent flavour.
A second, more compact model is also available. The Armour S kit works in exactly the same way, but only has one 21700 battery. The kit is a bit lighter and is designed for users seeking a less power-hungry vape.
Summary
What we like
·More battery formats can be used
·Sturdy
·Comprehensive
·Coil compatibility
·Vape quality
What we don’t like
·Filling port isn’t big enough
REVIEW OVERVIEW
SUMMARY
The Armour Max kit is original. There hadn’t been any sturdy kits that stand up to knocks and drops on the market for a while, but now there is one! The box is powerful and well finished. The clearomizer lives up to its promise for a DL vape at different power levels. There are still some areas for improvement.