Pod System Reviews

Artery PAL 3

Si has a new best vaping buddy - the Artery Pal 3! Cute little fella!

by Si Davies
Apr 23, 2021

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Supplied by SourceMore for review:
https://www.sourcemore.com/artery-pal-3-kit-pod-kit.html
Offer Price = $18.29 using coupon code: PAL3

Artery have continued the PAL line with the all new PAL 3 pod kit. They seem to have thrown out the previous ‘AIO’ style, no more removable panels, and is more of a pod system which has enabled them to shave off 20% of the overall size.

Artery PAL 3 review

Made for fantastic MTL/RDL vaping
Upgraded HP cores for better flavour and longer lasting
Finely tuned airflow system
Ergonomic mouthpiece design
3ml or 2ml(TPD) e-juice capacity
Easy bottom filling
1000mAh battery capacity
Type-C fast charging, max 1A charging current
20% smaller in volume than PAL 2
Safety protections: Overcharge/Short Circuit/Overheat/Cut-off at 8s/Balance Charging Protection

A few things jump out; 20% smaller is pretty impressive as the PAL 2 was already very compact (one I could fit into my jeans coin pocket), and the upgraded HP cores are definitely be welcome as that’s the main reason I no longer use my PAL 2. The flavour and vape was pretty good but in the past year things have improved with coils and cotton so hopefully the PAL 3 will be on par or perhaps better?

Specs(aver)

Battery Capacity: 1000mAh
E-juice Capacity: 3ml/2ml(TPD)
Material: Zinc alloy + Stainless steel + PCTG
Wattage Range: 5-25W
Size: 38*16*83mm
Resistance Range: 0.5-2.0ohm
Voltage Range: 3-4.2V
Max Charging Current: 1A
Filling Type: Bottom filling

Artery PAL 3 boxed

I’m also pleased to see that Artery have kept with the MTL/RDL airflow, all too often we see full DL to MTL and rarely do they excel in either, the PAL 2 was just right and the 3 should be at least the same.

Unboxing

The PAL 3 kit comes in a surprisingly larger box than its predecessor, especially when you see the sparse contents.

Artery PAL 3 unboxed

Removing the outer sleeve reveals a small box atop and an envelope with the manual and warranty card, removing the docs reveals the actual PAL 3.

Artery PAL 3 contents

As you can see, there’s not a great deal bundled in this kit, that box at the top simply held a tiny coil and two O-rings. Whether the box was originally designed to include a USB-C cable, I’m not sure, but you can’t help but feel underwhelmed by the contents. Fortunately that soon passes when you get the actual kit in your hands for the first time.

I haven’t got a problem with Artery keeping costs down with unnecessary extras as they always pass on the savings to the users with their competitive pricing, the extra coil is just enough.

The included coils are:

1* HP 0.7ohm Mesh Core (pre-installed)
1* HP 1.2ohm Mesh Core

Looks and design

The Pal 3 really left a good impression in the hand, I wasn’t expecting the 20% to make all that much difference but it clearly does, and the smoothed off edges makes it the most comfortable Pal yet.

Artery PAL 3 parts

The exposed pod is a welcome change as you had to remove the panel to see your juice level on the previous versions, though some may find this less appealing as it loses that ‘AIO’ (All In One) style, I think I might miss that removable panel myself but the added convenience makes up for that.

Artery PAL 3 all angles

The styling looks elegant and very modern. Though compact, it does feel a little weighty for its size but I kind of like that. The pearl finish is a nice touch and is fingerprint resistant. The gold control panel does look a great contrast but it is a big fingerprint magnet.

The screen is tiny yet proportional, it is quite clear and bright and surprisingly easy to read which surprised me, I usually need reading glasses for small screens, but I could make out the main details, and the wattage was very easy to see. The only thing I wasn’t as keen on was the plastic inner body which contrasts through the chassis, it's gold coloured but doesn’t look gold. However this is a small detail and it still looks better for it.

There’s a USB-C port on the back side which is well placed and helps it to sit upright whilst charging. Though it is USB-C, it's only 1amp so not a true ‘fast charging’ but it doesn’t matter too much on a small device like this. The 1000mAh battery charges in well under an hour from low. The branding is subtle and well positioned along the contrast line and adds to the looks.

The pod is much better all-round than the previous version which was internal. The new design is much better quality and the smoke finish is just enough which makes seeing your juice level a breeze. It’s probably one of the easiest to see in a pod system that I’ve come across.

Artery PAL 3 pod

The coil fitting is now easier as it’s a press fit, however Artery have stuck with the same coil base which you need to screw your coil into before fitting. They have also stuck with the same airflow control ring system. This was something I really liked on the PAL 2 as at the time it was quite rare to get adjustable airflow on a pod.

Artery PAL 3 details

Filling the pod is done via a bottom fill port sealed with a silicone bung, though I would have preferred top-fill. In theory, I think it was a wise move to design it this way as it keeps the looks far cleaner. The actual fill port is well implemented and mess free, it’s wide enough to accept shortfill and 10ml bottles.

The pod is held in place magnetically and there’s zero wobble, the fit is tight enough yet very easy to pull out when required. It’s one of those things I tended to fiddle with as it was strangely satisfying popping the pod in and out in between vapes, but then again I am one of those that enjoyed fidget spinners!

The air inlet is subtly positioned down the side and I’ve had no issues with accidentally blocking it off while vaping.

Controls

Artery have kept the controls as simple as possible and there are no unnecessary features. There are just two buttons, one is the fire button and the other is the wattage adjustment.

5 x Fire = Turns device On/Off
3 x Fire = Lock/Unlock wattage adjustment
(Adjustment button to scroll wattage up which round-robins)
Press and hold Fire & Adjustment = Clears puff counter.

The wattage adjustment features a max power function that prevents you going above the coils recommended maximum wattage. Though I usually resent this type of hand-holding, I do think it is a useful feature (especially for new users) as it not only prevents dry hits, it also helps with extending the coil lifespan.

Performance

With the coil primed and the battery fully charged, I got onto the best part, vaping on the little bugger. I started off with the 1.2Ω coil at 9 watts with the airflow on the smallest setting. Things didn’t start too well though, the airflow was a tad too loose and the flavour wasn’t as good as expected, so I closed off the airflow fully and went up to 11 watts. This was much better, the draw was proper MTL and the flavour just got better. There was a little of a period of the coil breaking in but within a dozen or so puffs, the flavour was spot on. I actually found myself going down to 10 watts which was a nice balance. Overall I was very happy with the vape and it felt far better than the PAL 2.

Artery PAL 3 hp cores

The 0.7Ω is aimed more towards RDL vaping but also works well for MTL. The airflow control was much more effective for RDL and with fine tuning, at 16 watts, I found this coil more impressive right off the bat. I was using 5mg nic salts for this one and the vape was more intense and very satisfying. Adjusting the airflow down for MTL also worked well. Though I usually vape 20mg nic salts, I found 5mg ideal for this configuration.

The ‘upgraded’ HP cores do feel like an upgrade, the larger wicking ports help in providing a more saturated and intense vape. This made the PAL 3 a bit thirstier as a result. If you vape 20mg nic salts, then you might find your nicotine intake is higher. For example, I found the PAL 3 perfect for my morning nic hit and I don’t need to vape as much. Again, this is ideal for those that can’t vape at work and need a quick fix.

Ergonomics wise, if you’re familiar with the PAL 2 then you will be pleased how much more comfortable the PAL 3 is. The smoothed off edges make this feel a whole lot better and it sits into you hand nicely, a very discreet little setup. The position of the fire button isn’t the most intuitive and lends itself to some odd holding position, grasping the device into a pinch grip or wrapping your hands around it and using your inner thumb joint for example. Since the fire button protrudes, I found it easy to fire without fumbling.

Best of Pals

Compared to the PAL 2, I preferred the PAL 3 much more, it is just more convenient and ergonomic. That 20% made it ideal for small pockets and it fits into my jeans coin pocket perfectly.

Artery PAL 3 vs PAL 2

The main difference, size wise, was the width. The height was the same and I didn’t really notice the 1mm depth difference as the fire button protrudes. The fire button position is much more ergonomic and tactile. There’s only one difference I preferred on the PAL 2, and that’s the mouthpiece, as you can see it’s thicker on the 3 and not as comfortable.

The ‘cock and balls’ airflow on the PAL 2 has gone but the position is pretty much the same. Due to the fire button’s new position, I didn’t find myself blocking off the airflow (cock-blocking?) as I used to on the PAL 2. Overall Artery did a great job on the PAL 3, especially as it has a screen and adjustable wattage with a 1000mAh battery.

Artery PAL 3 with 10ml bottle

Conclusion

The Artery PAL 3 is just so much better than the earlier versions (including the PAL 2 Pro) and is a worthy upgrade. Putting the earlier versions aside, the PAL 3 is a superb little device and a great pocket vape for new and experienced users. It’s one I would quite happily recommend to any smoker looking to quit. Along with 20mg nic salts, the PAL 3 should easily satisfy nicotine cravings, and the draw for MTL will feel similar to ciggies.

Although the PAL 3 looks so much different to the 2, I think Artery have done a great job in creating another compact device that still holds the charm that the 2 had, butthey have brought it into the next-gen with the new coils and electronics.

I’m going to adopt my fellow POTV reviewer DeeDee’s 'DD-Drawometer' idea for scaling the draw tightness for MTL:
(0 being tight and 10 being loose)

Drawometer 3/10

(let us know on the forum if you like this idea or any other ideas)

Pros

Elegant styling
Compact and ergonomic
Fully visible pod
Adjustable airflow
Max wattage lock
Coil upgrade
Value for money

Cons

MTL airflow control isn’t quite right
Tight arse bundle (but still good value)

Final thoughts

The Artery PAL 3 pretty much lived up to my fussy expectations and is a worthy replacement for my old pals. This device has even more charm and there’s very little not to like about it. For the money, I think it’s a bit of a no-brainer if you like the look and size of it.

Scores

Build quality: 9/10
Flavour: 8/10
Value for money: 9.5/10
Styling 9/10

Overall rating: 8.5/10 – My new best PAL

For more reviews:
https://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/reviews

And don’t forget to drop in on the forum for more vape related chat or any questions:
https://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/forums/

Artery PAL 3 colours

Si Davies

Reviewer at POTV

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My background is Engineering and Professional Photography. Mostly from POTV users knowledge I learned so much about pretty much all styles of vaping and equipment, Cloud Chasing, Squonking, Mouth To Lung, Direct To Lung, Pods, Mechs, Rebuild-able tanks and atomisers etc, and have experience with many many devices and atomisers, it's become a hobby and enjoy trying out the latest gear. I like to think my reviews are plain speaking and informative without getting too technical, if I have to resort to reading the manual then I don't consider it user friendly!