Pod System Reviews

Lost Vape Q-ULTRA Plus RBA

The latest update of the Lost Vape Quest series is the Q-Ultra. With so many pod/mods around, will this one stand out?

by Si Davies
Mar 19, 2020

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Lost Vape Orion Q-ULTRA 40W Pod System REVIEW

Supplied by Lost Vape for review purposes.
https://lostvape.com/product-item/q-ultra-pod-kit/

Lost Vape Q-ULTRA Plus RBA all the angles

The latest update of the Quest series is the Q-Ultra, featuring an integrated 1600mAh battery, 4mL eJuice pod, and utilizing the Lost Vape Ultra Boost Coil Series, these are just a few of the highlights. Here’s the full bumf!

Lost Vape Orion Q-ULTRA 40W Pod System Features

Dimensions - 105mm by 43.2mm by 16.5mm
Integrated 1600mAh Rechargeable Battery
Wattage Output Range: 5-40W
Resistance Range: 0.15-3.0Ω
Aluminium Alloy Chassis Construction
Intuitive Firing Button
0.69"" OLED Display Screen
Two Adjustment Buttons
Pod Release Switch
4ml Refillable Pod Capacity
Threaded Top Fill Cap
Ergonomic Drip Tip
Airflow Adjustable Drip Tip - Dual Slotted
Lost Vape Orion ULTRA Coil Series
- 0.3Ω Ultra Boost M1 Coil - rated for 30-40W
- 0.6Ω Ultra Boost M2 Coil - rated for 20-28W
- 1.0Ω Ultra Boost MTL Coil - rated for 8-15W
- 0.15-3.0Ω RBA Coil - Sold Separately
Press-Fit Coil Installation
Overheat Protection
Short-Circuit Protection
Overcharge Protection
Low Voltage Protection
10S (Unpaid) Overtime Protection
Type-C USB Port

As you can see, that’s a lot of information for such a compact ‘pod’ styled system, though I would class this as an AIO (All In One) with blurred lines getting closer and closer to a traditional mod and tank kit without a 510 threaded connection.

Lost Vape Q-ULTRA Plus RBA parts

Available in:
Carbon Fibre Black, Nebula Purple, Marble White, Leather Black, Linen Grey, and Exotic Fantasy.

Unboxing

The box is rather large and has an outer sleeve which is nice and classy and oozes that ‘Lost Vape’ quality with just enough information on the sleeve. The back of the box has the contents, a photo of the colour chosen and a (new to me) textured scratch and check authenticity panel. This looks far more secure than the well copied lottery ticket style scratch and check.

Lost Vape Q-ULTRA Plus RBA boxed

Removing the sleeve reveals a nice quality white box with just a simple Lost Vape logo. Opening up, you are greeted with the hardware, cable and additional 1.0Ω coil. The ‘pod’ already has the 0.6Ω coil installed. There is a USB-C cable which is a bit too short to be of much use, but I’m glad it is USB-C at least.

Box Contents

Q-ULTRA AIO Kit
1.0Ω UltraBoost MTL Coil
0.6Ω UltraBoost M2 Coil
Type-C USB Cable
User Manual
Warranty Card

Lost Vape Q-ULTRA Plus RBA unboxing

Underneath the hardware is the user manual which is one of the best I have seen, very simple and clear instructions with illustrations. I rarely RTFM (Read The F**King Manual), but found myself going through this one in curiosity and was pretty impressed with it, perfect for new vapers a decent size.

First Impressions

I enjoy most vaping styles and especially enjoy these devices for nic salts MTL (Mouth To Lung). I have tried a lot of pod/AIO devices over the past year or so and got swept up in the craze, but I have also been very selective in what I chose to buy and what features the device has so, with careful consideration, I ignored the previous Lost Vape Quest releases. On paper, the Q-Ultra ticked all the boxes for me so I was keen to try this updated evolution out.

Lost Vape Q-ULTRA Plus RBA pod fitment

As mentioned, I don’t have any of the previous incarnations of the Lost Vape Quest pod systems, so I didn’t have anything to compare it to or any expectations. The first thing that struck me when grabbing the kit was its size, it is quite large and boxy for a ‘compact’ system but considering it has a large juice capacity, large battery and a screen, it is quite proportional. It’s also pretty light for its size and very pocket friendly.

The styling isn’t going to win any design awards, and Lost Vape appear to be stuck on this particular box style, though I do like the new battery vent on the one side. You can also see they have addressed many of the things that users didn’t like and that put me off the Q Ultra's predecessors, so in general first impressions were very positive.

In the hand I can’t say this felt very comfortable due to its square edges. It’s not sharp as such, just that you feel the corners mostly as you hold it. A smoother edge would have been nicer. The rest of the ergonomics were superb though. The fire button is perfectly placed and intuitive to find, it is also very easy to fire in multiple hand positions (thumb or finger firing). The adjustment buttons are also perfectly placed, making it difficult to accidentally adjust the power settings. The mouthpiece is also intuitive and comfortable, though I wish it was a 510 drip tip so I could put a better looking one on it.

Lost Vape Q-ULTRA Plus RBA body and pod

The pod/tank is the biggest pro for me, a whopping 4ml capacity really stands out and it is also nice and easy to fill with the large screw type fill port. It is very easy to fill with small bottles and chubby shortfill bottles alike, no problems with pain in the ass airlocks or anything like that. The pod is clear with a dark transparent plastic. Though dark, it’s not too dark and it is easy to see your juice level, one of the best I’ve seen in fact so a great start.

Lost Vape Q-ULTRA Plus RBA refilling

Operation and performance

Lost Vape Quest seem to be favouring cheaper releases without using the Evolv DNA chipset, and the Q Ultra has a limited but very efficient, easy and lower cost chipset. I did originally wonder what the benefit of a DNA board in a Pod system was and concluded it wasn’t worth it to me, hence not owning one.

So with the simplified functions, Lost Vape have made the Q Ultra appeal to a larger audience and it is cheaper. Don’t get me wrong, I love DNA boards but only in more advanced mods (such as the Therion or Drone), though time will tell about the lifespan. With its ‘disposable’ design due to its inbuilt battery, I doubt it will be an issue.

Operating the Q Ultra is as simple as this:

five clicks of the fire button = Power On/Off
Press the fire button to vape
Hold down the Fire button & Up button for a few seconds = Lock Power Adjustments
Hold down the Fire button & Down button for a few seconds = Reset Puff Counter
Press the Up or Down button = Increase/Decrease the Power (wattage)

That is pretty much all there is to it and, to be fair, is all you need in a device like this. The screen is small but bright and clear which displays:

Battery Status
Coil Resistance (Ω)
Power (wattage)
Puff Time (which is totally pointless as it goes back to zero after firing)
Puff Counter

The power adjustment round robins which is good, the only minor gripes I have are the power adjustment goes up in 0.5watt increments and the puff counter only goes up to 999 puffs and sticks there until you reset it, but these make little difference in real life.

Sure I would have probably liked TC (Temperature Control) mode that the DNA features (using the RBA), but it’s hardly a must have in a pod system.

Performance

The mod/battery performed flawlessly though battery life became an issue when using the mesh coil at 25watts. It wasn’t terrible, but don’t expect it to last you all day, and I did notice the power drop off when the battery was low. Fortunately charging has USB-C and is fast charging. Using the MTL at 11watts was a different story, it lasted me at least a full day and night, which was impressive. With its 4ml tank and battery, this is an ideal one to take out for the day.

The coils that come in the kit send a mixed message as to who the device caters to. As with many, Lost Vape have covered their bases with MTL and DTL by providing a suitable coil for each. I tend to go with the pre-installed coil first as I feel that is how the manufacturer is guiding you towards the strongest in its setup. This was the 0.6Ω UltraBoost M2 Coil, so my first attempt I tried it with 70% VG 30% PG 3mg eliquid, primed the coil with a little juice and fitted the coil. This is a simple press fit which needs to be twisted so the notches are as seen in the below photo. This is simple enough as the coil will only click into place in the correct orientation.

Lost Vape Q-ULTRA Plus RBA coils

The 0.6Ω (20-28 watts) coil is mesh whereas the 1.0Ω (8-15 watts) coil is plain wire. As with far too many coil suppliers, they neglect to mention the material the coils are made of, something I really don’t understand why? How hard can it be?

Power wise, both coils performed their best almost smack bang on the suggested wattage. The mesh coil benefited from a few watts extra, though I ended up in the middle to improve battery life which was a decent trade off.

That aside, the mesh coil was pretty good, though I wouldn’t say it is anything outstanding. Airflow was a bit tight/restrictive for DTL, clouds were pretty good and the hit was instant which is typical of mesh. Though I enjoyed it very much, there was no wow factor. So I decided to clean out the tank and coil the best I could so I could try it with Nic Salts and MTL (Mouth To Lung) so gave it chance to clear through the coil before judging it. This was a double edged sword to a degree, I was far happier using this coil for MTL than DTL but the first main flaw became evident and that is the "Airflow Adjustable Drip Tip - Dual Slotted" as claimed in the specs.
It simply does not work at all, the ring is very loose and lets air in all around it no matter whether it is fully open or fully closed, the draw is the same and that is a loose MTL or a restrictive DTL so both users won’t be fully satisfied.

Granted, this was with a larger bore mesh coil, but I had the identical problem when later using the 1.0Ω regular MTL coil.

This isn’t the first time I have come across this problem, other manufacturers have neglected to get the airflow control right or even omitted any airflow control (such as the dreadful Smok Trinity Alpha). This sadly is something I have had to put up with so adapted my vaping style accordingly, it isn’t a deal breaker for me if the flavour delivers consistently. I still enjoyed using the mesh very much and equally the 1.0Ω MTL coil hit the spot.

MTL and nic salts using the 1.0Ω is where this kit almost delivered the perfect vape. Flavour was superb, minimal clouds depending on power so good for stealth or indoors, but again the airflow became the issue, though by now I have gotten used to it and adapted my vape style accordingly. It is hard to describe but one you get used to it, and with it delivering great flavour, it wasn’t a deal breaker for me. However, if a tight draw is a must for you, then you won’t like this kit.

Coil life was average. The MTL coil didn’t last as long as I would have like which was the main problem with the Lyra, which I loved but stopped using due to a limited coil life before flavour dropped off. The 0.6Ω mesh coil lasted a lot longer though and far outlasted the regular 1.0Ω.

**Things did improve using the 0.3Ω (30-40 watts) that Lost Vape sent me as an extra. I almost forgot I had it until I started this review. With the lower resistance, this coil hit was so damn good and was the first wow factor so far. The airflow issue was obviously still there, but I enjoy a restrictive DTL (Direct To Lung) when the flavour is as intense as this coil delivers. I had started to really appreciate the Q Ultra at this point, and the higher wattage option became more useful. The trade-off was battery life as you were near the limits (40watt). Though this coil was superb at 40watts, the battery life really suffered and you can see why this coil is optional. If it was included with the kit, it would have been a con due to the mod not really matching up, hence we are seeing a lot of 80watt ‘pod/mods’ appearing, this coil is still worth buying though as a proper treat.

**Things did improve – Pt2
A really nice surprise was Lost Vape sending me the optional RBA (Re-Buildable Atomiser), this RBA kit is so damn good!

Lost Vape Q-ULTRA Plus RBA section break down

It came with the above kit including all you need (including cotton I forgot to photograph), spares and a very welcome 510 adaptor. The coils were okay, but I gave them an extra couple of wraps on a coil rod to around 0.7Ω as the leg length gave you that option.

Lost Vape Q-ULTRA Plus RBA coil building

Fitting the coils was a breeze due to the clamp posts, though the allen screws are tiny. Fortunately the provided Allen key was up to the task. Clipping the leads was also easy and forgiving, a little protrusion won’t be an issue for a short circuit as there is room away from the chimney piece. Wicking was even easier, probably the easiest and most generous on any pod style RBA I have tried. The wicking channels are large enough to allow the cotton to sit inside without trimming. Though I did trim a slight bit off the top, I found on the second build it wasn’t necessary.

Prime up the cotton with eliquid and screw on the chimney piece, unscrew the assembly from the 510 adaptor and, viola, you have a rebuilt coil ready to pop into the pod.

The performance of this RBA was at least equal if not slightly better than the included 1.0Ω regular coil for flavour. My preferred power was around 14 watts, though my second build using my own 28awg wire was 1.1Ω and vaped around 11 watts, so naturally the battery life was excellent.

I was so chuffed with pretty much everything about the Q-Ultra using the RBA that the airflow control (or lack of it) became less and less of an issue, and I really started to love this bit of kit.

Compared to – Smoat Potato (Pasito) and Artery Pal

I had to limit this ‘compared to’ to a couple of similar AIOs and chose the Smoant Potato and the Artery Pal 2 Pro. I do have other AIOs but I decided these were the closest in coil performance, and the Potato had an RBA.

Smoant Pasito (AKA Potato)

The Potato is much smaller and comfortable, the Q-Ultra is far more featured with a larger battery capacity, adjustable wattage etc. The higher ohm stock coils perform similar for MTL but there is no comparison to the 0.6Ω mesh coil which was in a different league. Over all, I prefer the Q Ultra, and the larger size is a small price for its functionality. The RBA between the two is chalk and cheese as Lost Vape really nailed this option, larger, easier and wicking lasts longer.

Artery Pal 2 Pro

Now I am writing this review I realise the Pal 2 Pro simply doesn’t fit into this comparison. Yes, it has adjustable wattage and uses stock coils, but that’s where the similarity ends for me. The Q Ultra is an evolution ahead of the Pal 2 Pro and it makes me realise how much pod/AIOs have come along in such a short time. The PAL 2 Pro has simply lost favour in my rotation and I became bored with what seemed to be a game changing flavour giver, so naturally the Q Ultra has made the PAL 2 Pro seem redundant.

Lost Vape Q-ULTRA Plus RBA comparison

It’s not really a fair fight as the Orion Quest pretty much won over in performance and functionality, it naturally lost out on airflow and size but is so much better that the Pal 2 Pro and Pasito which are now in my sin bin and soon to find a new home. I do have three Pasitos so I will probably keep one………..maybe?

There are still many other options out there for pods/AIOs, and I could come up with a handful of other options that could possibly beat the Q Ultra, but there are differences that put them into a different catergory such as 18650 battery, internal tanks and some other considerations, but with the current sub category of ‘pod systems’, then the Q Ultra does indeed stand out despite its flaws. I guess it will come down to personal tastes and requirements.

Conclusion

Well that was supposed to be a simple review for what seems a simple enough device. It turned out there was more to talk about than I expected but I didn’t want to skimp on things.

Over all, the Lost Vape Q Ultra has won me over despite its perhaps deal breaking flaw of airflow control which simply put is purely for show! I did get used to this and the flavour won me over, especially with the RBA option which I was really impressed with.

If you can forgive or get used to its airflow, then you will be rewarded with a very good pod/aio system. This has stayed in my MTL rotation well beyond its review period and is likely to stay until the next evolution.

Pros

4ml juice capacity
1600mAh battery
Very easy to use
RBA Option is superb
Lightweight (90g empty)
Easy leak-free top-fill
Pocket friendly
USB-C
Battery life (coil dependant)
Juice visibility
Large battery vent

Cons

Airflow control is non-existent – tight DTL and loose MTL
Boxy ergonomics
Erm…….. Airflow!
Coil lifespan is average
Bland proprietary drip tip

Final Thoughts

Okay, now that actually surprised me when I came to cons. I really thought there would be more, but the main one is such a crying shame. I would be properly raving about this being one of the best I have tried if only the airflow control actually worked!

I did double check in case it was just mine that was faulty, but other reviewers have found the same issue. This is actually something that Lost Vape could easily resolve as it is just the pod/tank that has the fault. I do hope they listen and release an updated tank with a tested airflow control.

Score: 7.5 / 10 – A superb pod system let down by its airflow

Kindly provided by Lost Vape
https://lostvape.com/product-item/q-ultra-pod-kit/

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!