Hellvape have expanded their updated 2022 lineup yet again with the Hell200 mod kit. This includes the dual 18650 Hell200 box mod, which is unbelievably only their second fully regulated device, and the TLC tank, an evolution of their earlier Launcher tank which I never got to try. With both these facts in mind, I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Hell200 mod kit so I could put it through its paces.
The Hell200 mod kit comes nicely presented in a single layer and looks a stunner right out of the box. User manuals for both the Hell200 mod and the TLC tank can be found underneath this layer along with a baggie of spare O-rings for the tank.
The Hell200 mod kit is available in black, silver/black, and gunmetal colours. I was sent the black and gunmetal variants to test, but I quickly found myself gravitating towards the gunmetal version with its lovely anodised finish.
The mod follows the classic triangular shape of many dual 18650 box mods with gently rounded curves making it comfortable in the hand. The 510 connector is offset slightly towards the front of the mod but you still have ample space for a 28mm atomiser with no overhang, and the small 510 plate also sits 0.1mm proud of the top to reduce the risk of atty rash.
The spring loaded battery door at the base has been recessed into the bottom by a fraction of a millimeter to reduce the chance of it coming open by accident, this has been in multiple coat pockets and thrown around in the car and it’s been rock solid. My only gripe here would be that the battery orientation markings could have been a little clearer especially as there aren’t any markings at the base of the battery compartment where the two spring loaded contacts sit.
Looking at the rest of the Hell200 mod, you can see definite hints of the Arez120 mod that Hellvape released in the middle of last year with its recessed control panel and two decorative channels running down the back of the device. Some of this is probably down to the Hell200 sharing a similar manufacturing process involving precision CNC machining and polishing in an aerospace grade aluminium.
Two gripes I commonly heard following the release of the Arez120 was that the power button wasn’t very pleasant to use (it has a weird two stage press) and that the board felt underpowered (it does). Fortunately both of these areas have been massively improved upon.
The buttons now all have a nice tactile feel, the up/down buttons are perhaps a little squidgy but the textured power button has a really satisfying click, and there’s no button rattle either. The board now feels like it’s putting out the claimed wattage (up to 200 watts and 12 volts) and as an extra bonus, it also has advanced features like temperature control, bypass, and variable power modes. This is all backed up by a vibrant colour screen and USB-C charging. One oddity I did find with the controls was that locking the up/down buttons would prevent you from changing modes, however the power button still functioned otherwise. Being honest though, this hasn’t been an issue in use because realistically how often do we really change modes anyway once we’re up and running?
All of this is packed into a very small package measuring just 79.8 x 43 x 35 mm, and the lightweight yet durable aluminium chassis means that it only tips the scales at 85.7 grams which is about 6 grams less than two 18650 batteries!
The new TLC (Top Loading Coil) tank is included in the kit and this utilises a rather unusual way of securing the coils. Rather than unscrewing the base and loading the coil from the bottom, here you unscrew the chimney section and drop the coils into the top of the tank. This works remarkably well and I’ve only had one occasion where my ohm readings started bouncing all over the place because I hadn’t tightened down the chimney section enough.
The filling ports are easily accessed by unscrewing the outer ring surrounding the chimney but this leaves the protruding chimney section and drip tip in place which initially did make using 50ml short fill bottles a bit of a faff. After a couple of days I soon learned that I could in fact angle the bottle slightly to one side and still easily fill the tank without needing to remove the drip tip, and this technique even works with larger 100ml bottles.
Out of the box, the tank has a 5ml straight glass fitted, this will of course be replaced by a 2ml plastic section on the TPD edition but it does look like the 6.5ml bubble glass will at least be found in both the “standard” and “TPD” variants.
The new TLC T7 coils are both clearly marked and use a modern kanthal mesh design. As an added bonus, the TLC tank will also work with the previous W8 coil series used in the Launcher tank.
These have been solid performers at the stated wattage ranges with nice crisp flavour and good saturation from both coils. Coil life was about average at around five to seven days of use, but this will obviously vary depending on the liquid you’re using and how much you vape. Coils will be supplied in packs of three as shown below.
Pros
- Compact and lightweight mod
- Good coil performance
Cons
-
Filling the tank takes a bit of finesse
Conclusion
Dual 18650 mods are something of a rarity these days and I think the Hell200 mod has to be my favourite one this year, I simply adore its lightweight compact design. The board and controls are also light years ahead of last years Arez120 mod, I hope Hellvape taken some of the lessons learned here and bring us an updated single 21700 battery version.
The TLC tank and TLC T7 coils have been solid performers as well which means unlike many other sub-ohm tanks packaged into kits, this isn’t a throw away item which you’re unlikely to use again once you’ve burnt out the included coils making this a well rounded kit which I heartily recommend.
Man thanks to Hellvape for sending the Hell200 mod kit out for review.
Antony Lord
Reviewer at POTVI was a twenty a day smoker for 25 years and like most smokers I was always going to quit "next week". Having hit my mid forties and having the usual smokers cough and difficulty with anything more than moderate exercise it was obviously time to give up the cancer sticks. I bought my first e-cigarette in 2013 when they were expensive, difficult to find and quite frankly... crap. I used it for about a week then went back to the roll ups, mark up another failed quit attempt. The fact that I had just changed jobs and was under quite a lot of stress probably didn't help. Move on to 2016 and whilst I was browsing eBay I noticed that one of the suggested items that would occasionally pop up was for a cheap e-cigarette. It looked similar to the one I'd bought 3 years earlier but it was only £5 (about 8 times cheaper than before) so I decided to give it another go on a whim. Once the kit arrived I managed to gradually replace the cigarettes with my new kit over a two month period and got into watching YouTube reviews for newer kit. My cheap and cheerful kit was replaced by a more upmarket affair, and being a noob I made a mistake once it arrived... I put in the supplied direct lung coil, this was of course a complete revelation and I haven't touched a cigarette since. Oh and I no longer spend the first five minutes of every day having a coughing fit either.
Join the discussion
NIXER X Jack Rabbit Longfills
We reach the end of the line with the NIXER X Jack Rabbit range, and what a way to go out.....for now!
Lost Vape E Plus RBA
Antony follow up on his Lost Vape Thelema Elite 40 kit review with his thoughts on the E Plus RBA kit
GeekVape Aegis Legend III 3
GeekVape keep the legend alive with the introduction of the latest Aegis Legend III 3
VOOPOO Drag 5 kit
Refresh time again, this time we have the "new" VOOPOO Drag 5 in for review