Discontinued The Grasshopper

[felvapes]

Hopper Labs sucks as a business....I'm done with them, personally.

I am just making them send me a free hopper body as I bought the thing this year from FC classifieds and swapped a warranty over

I want it to work again and not have to pay for shipping or wait while I send mine back in...

I do not think they are a good company at all....

Great product when it works......Not reliable enough product or good enough CS despite a long warranty if they do not just go broke

 

[momofthegoons]

Not reliable enough product or good enough CS despite a long warranty if they do not just go broke

I'm actually a little surprised they're still around.

 

[felvapes]

I'm actually a little surprised they're still around.

I have been waiting for that to be the next call that shits everyone off....they go broke and we all lose our "lifetime" warranties and are left with cool looking and expensive useless devices....

 

[LesPlenty]

I do not think they are a good company at all

Can't be that bad, honoring the warranty to someone that got it second hand is quite unusual, Sidchrome and Leupold are the only 2 that spring to mind, hell my Bose speakers only came with a 10-year warranty. They will go belly up for sure at the rate they are going with recalls. Shame, I always wanted one but was waiting for the reliable model to come out.

 

[felvapes]

Can't be that bad, honoring the warranty to someone that got it second hand is quite unusual, Sidchrome and Leupold are the only 2 that spring to mind, hell my Bose speakers only came with a 10-year warranty. They will go belly up for sure at the rate they are going with recalls. Shame, I always wanted one but was waiting for the reliable model to come out.

I had to pay for the transfer of the warranty - 45USD
I had it 2 months maybe
Only 3 or 4 weeks of great function
Paid a lot for accessories too that have not been sent

They seem to have great CS until you want the things you have paid for...
I even contacted them prior to buying to speak about warranty transfer and buying goods etc
All quick and consistent messaging
Then it is limited communication with a few days in between
Then when you need things or even just want your purchases they have changed their word and contradicted themselves in email
The warranty claim I had to open after emails with them confirming what to do about my broken hopper also kept changing what they were going to do and had said they had done etc

Reading on FC it seems these are very common issues dealing with HL

I also at first like you thought the lifetime warranty was a good thing if it could be transferred, but if as seems to also be common, you only only have a working unit 2 months a year or 6 months and then not for 12 it becomes a useless warranty when they could also go broke due to returns etc and everyone will be left with paper weights ....no warranty if there is no company...

I do not know what model body they are going to send me - hopefully the latest version

There is talk of people getting told they will be sent version 5 models now and the ones that have not yet given up hope this is the promised one...

I just hope the body that is in the post fixes my issue, otherwise I am up for a long wait and have to post my whole unit back to the US

I have hope that I get a V5 body or if I have to send all back I get a V5 unit......
In saying that I am hoping that the V5 is the one.....
As when it works it is a beast through water.....
I did not get enough of a go at it though to say it is worth the many hundreds I have spent on the unit plus accessories I have not yet received but paid for months ago
I have hope all will be well and they can get things going
For now I will have to wait and hope that for now I get a working hopper again...

Many have said this before me though so who knows....

I have to say I would even put up with a 3 - 5 year warranty over the lifetime one if the unit worked - The Plenty is 3-350 and only has a 3 year warranty (and I do not think I will ever need it)
GH is 3-370 depending on the model (before accessories and batteries)

 

[felvapes]

UPDATE

After the above threats and heavy emails I got the response I stated

Well over the last 3 days I have watched the tracking emails across US - todays email - the 3rd day or maybe 4th since HL posted - It is in Aus post office already....I should get it Monday or Tuesday hopefully

This after months of dodgy coms

How quick they pulled their finger out of their bum once I made threats....

 

[LesPlenty]

I hope it lasts a bit/lot longer for you this time, I really hope they sort things out as it looks like an awesome device when working.

 

[Stevenski]

I hope it lasts a bit/lot longer for you this time, I really hope they sort things out as it looks like an awesome device when working.

The exact kind of fucking about @felvapes is going through is what I seek to avoid. I just can't bring myself to purchase a vape that will in all likelihood will need at least one warranty repair. It looks good when it works but after what 2+ years you would think they had the design right?

 

[felvapes]

The exact kind of fucking about @felvapes is going through is what I seek to avoid. I just can't bring myself to purchase a vape that will in all likelihood will need at least one warranty repair. It looks good when it works but after what 2+ years you would think they had the design right?

My new body should be here tomorrow

I am really hoping that this is the fix

If not I have to send the whole unit in and then who knows how long it will be in the abyss of warranty waiters.....

Here's hoping...

I do have one friend in Bris who bought a Hopper from ausvapes

It stopped working in the first month - ausvapes replaced the unit within a couple of days and so far he has had no issues - going for about 12 months

So if anyone was interested in one I would probably go that route if in Aus....

You will get your unit back a lot quicker if it does break and great CS from ausvapes always

I got mine from FC classifieds trying to save $$ and well - here we are

I have only got the HL lifetime warranty and have to deal with them and sending to/from US

 

[felvapes]

So my hopper body has not arrived yet

I bloody hope it gets here tomorrow...

The tracking email said it hit sydney on friday

Methinks that customs may be playing with an electronic pen looking thing with a spare battery n parts making sure it doesn't go boom

Wish they would send it on and I get it tomorrow

 

[felvapes]

Okay
So my hopper body has been in use for almost a week

I am not sure what to think

So it works, but not like it used to

At first it worked but gave slightly less vapour than original but was okay

Then after half a days use it changed

It runs way too hot

I used to run it at 3.5 native and 4.5 - 5 in water

Now it will char and start to combust if over 3 - 3.5

The top of chamber is gold/brown, but the bottom closest to heater will get black

I now run it between 1.5 and 2.5

Usually on 2.5 - but it does intermittently change slightly

Now at this temp on the dial I get a decent hit and pretty good milk in the glass - however I have to pull through the glass one time with little vape production - then the second pull on the bong starts to give me vape and the 3rd will milk

The hits are as good as the GH always gave

The taste can have a slight burnt flavour at times - due to the near combust I guess

Most of the time the avb is the correct gold/brown colour - sometimes when it must run a bit hotter it will be darker but at the low dial not black

The avb at the bottom half is darker than the top

With the original GH it was always uniform colour avb - the vape production was a bit more I think and milked up quicker with better taste

It still tastes okay just not as good



Sooo, I do not know

I am happy to have a working hopper - kind of

But I know it is not functioning as it was meant to or the original did

It does milk, it does hit hard

But it has not as good flavour and runs hot so that I have the dial set really low - which means it is not correct

BUT, I am stuck atm deciding if I should send it bacl and get a completely new unit

Or keep it and wait for it to die or if it does not die I have a semi working unit

I kind of think I want to keep it just because I love my hopper and do not want to wait forever and ever to get it back and then maybe have the same again

But I would like it to be perfect as it was originally.....

Anyways
for now I am happy to have it back in rotation and it is being used a LOT and still hits hard

Just have to decide what to do

 

[Baron23]

Okay
So my hopper body has been in use for almost a week

I am not sure what to think

So it works, but not like it used to

At first it worked but gave slightly less vapour than original but was okay

Then after half a days use it changed

It runs way too hot

I used to run it at 3.5 native and 4.5 - 5 in water

Now it will char and start to combust if over 3 - 3.5

The top of chamber is gold/brown, but the bottom closest to heater will get black

I now run it between 1.5 and 2.5

Usually on 2.5 - but it does intermittently change slightly

Now at this temp on the dial I get a decent hit and pretty good milk in the glass - however I have to pull through the glass one time with little vape production - then the second pull on the bong starts to give me vape and the 3rd will milk

The hits are as good as the GH always gave

The taste can have a slight burnt flavour at times - due to the near combust I guess

Most of the time the avb is the correct gold/brown colour - sometimes when it must run a bit hotter it will be darker but at the low dial not black

The avb at the bottom half is darker than the top

With the original GH it was always uniform colour avb - the vape production was a bit more I think and milked up quicker with better taste

It still tastes okay just not as good



Sooo, I do not know

I am happy to have a working hopper - kind of

But I know it is not functioning as it was meant to or the original did

It does milk, it does hit hard

But it has not as good flavour and runs hot so that I have the dial set really low - which means it is not correct

BUT, I am stuck atm deciding if I should send it bacl and get a completely new unit

Or keep it and wait for it to die or if it does not die I have a semi working unit

I kind of think I want to keep it just because I love my hopper and do not want to wait forever and ever to get it back and then maybe have the same again

But I would like it to be perfect as it was originally.....

Anyways
for now I am happy to have it back in rotation and it is being used a LOT and still hits hard

Just have to decide what to do

Bloody hell...after RMAs, my two need to run at 5 on the temp just to get some so-so AVB. Both are running too cold. Prior...when OG...I would run them at 4.2 or so and they worked beautifully. This gave me some head room to go up in temp for a finish or for harder to vape flower strains and room to go down for sipping. Now, its 5 or go home and even that's not extracting real well.

If they ever get caught up on their RMA backlog (which may NEVER happen), I will take it up with them again....but the experience with their CS to date has been extremely frustrating and I really don't give enough of a shit about them (after all these years) or their vape (after all these years) to reengage right now.

Hopper Labs, IMO, sucks big time and I no longer believe a word they say. If you want to see a prime example of how to fuck up a retail product manufacturing start up...just look to Hopper Labs.

 

[LesPlenty]

They will have to go belly up before too long, get it fixed one more time before they do.

 

[felvapes]

They will have to go belly up before too long, get it fixed one more time before they do.

I thought of this, however many people send back hoppers and get a non working one back again - so I do not know if I want to wait months to maybe get another one that does not work at all and then have them go broke....
I am trying to decide if I should send back now, just keep this one till it stops - at least it produces vape and hits hard, or keep this for now and as @Baron23 says if they catch up on RMA's and appear to have a more reliable product at some point, send it in then and try one more time

Dunno

It is a beast though
Even now it goes hard, just not as intended or originally did

@Baron23 This new one worked as you describe when I first got it - weaker vapour on 5 but "worked" - then after half a day of full testing it works as described above....who knows with these things

 

[LesPlenty]

Sounds like a great vape for Alpha Romeo drivers, poetry in motion when 'on song', they just have a lot of trouble in between sets.

 

[felvapes]

Sounds like a great vape for Alpha Romeo drivers, poetry in motion when 'on song', they just have a lot of trouble in between sets.

Like the old Triumph motorbikes
Great when running - fixing every 2 weeks for oil seals etc

 

[Baron23]

This new one worked as you describe when I first got it - weaker vapour on 5 but "worked" - then after half a day of full testing it works as described above....who knows with these things

haha...yeah, that's part of my complaint about them....its like magic or something. Behaviors all over the place and nothing you can depend on. Its a frakin appliance, FFS! haha

 

[felvapes]

Okay
Latest updates on my Hopper life

The Body has been going hard since arrival

It has been working in the hot style I described previously - on further thought/use I kind of think it is working at double heat?
I set it on about 2 and it runs like it was on 4.5 - 5
If you turn it up above 3 it will combust or char the bottom of chamber - if on 5 it will combust whole chamber


I ordered accessories months ago

HL had told me they sent most of the order but I never received the delivery (they said two items would take even longer as they were not ready yet)

I had to hassle them and they reckon they sent a second package but this time I got a tracking number (I think they never sent the first time)

I received my package today

They sent the new battery, the PFE and glass adapter - I have to wait for my charger and case

But they also somehow made a mistake and sent me ANOTHER new body for the hopper

The newest body works fine although it performs exactly as the other new body running at double temperature

So I am annoyed AF at waiting 6 months approx for parts I paid for - but am happy to have an extra body that works now as a back up, I am going to purchase another backend now so I will have two working hoppers - one with a PFE and one with a normal MP
Hopefully the new back end will work with the newer bodies properly and the temp will be perfect
If not I am happy to end up with two complete working hoppers and when one dies I can send it in while using the spare :)

They run fine as long as I have the temp setting low

I really do enjoy having a working hopper again and realise why I had one - It does hit hard and taste nice esp through water - it is not the best tasting vape I have but when trading off the power and quick bong like hit I cant complain

The issues with the company and reliability and CS response times etc however leave waaayyyy more to be desired

I have lucked out and scored a second hopper on the cheap if I buy a back end due to HL own incompetence in keeping up with their orders and product

Now normally if this was a more reliable product and company and CS I would let them know they made a mistake

Having paid a LOT of money for things many months ago and still waiting for some and the bad communication etc and reliability of product - I am going to do as stated above and get a 2nd cheap back up Hopper for when the one in use inevitably dies


Whilst working the GH is a beast through the bong and hits nice and hard.....

 

[felvapes]

Okay

So the spare back end I ordered came yesterday

I now have two working hoppers

However - as some have speculated on FC about the units that are running hot like mine was and I had to run it on setting two, it appears the new bodies that they send require a new version back end to work properly

The new back end works on both my new replacement bodies perfectly, like my hopper once did briefly originally and as they are advertised when people love them

I had forgotten how good they really are

I have been using my hopper for a good while now as posts above state and enjoying having a working one again even if I had to run it below 2.5-3 to avoid combust

But it was not quite right still, not as original and the good reports are

Now with a new version back end matched with the new bodies my hopper is better than ever

I will send the not as good back-end and body back for warranty and hope it comes back with all new and matching parts too then I will have two perfect running hoppers :)

I am thinking there is new software in the newest versions and they do not match the old parts - thus the september warranty claims saying to send in units and everyone will be getting new insides

Now to how well it works

I mean we all know when they go they go and how.....but I just seemed to forget as I was just happy to have one work at all again

I ran it on 5 at first and it worked fine - as in many vids it had a bit of blackish/dark brown avb but no combust :)
Taste was so so but not great at 5 and I got a big cloud and milky bong with a huge bong like hit to the head

Next I had it on 4 and the avb was a bit less dark but still a few tiny bits of black, better taste but not optimal

I am now running it consistently on about 3.6 - 3.8 on the slide dial

Amazing milky bongs in an instant with the heater - really good flavour vape for hopper and huge clouds with a hit to the face - you can finish the full chamber in 2 - 3 hits max - super quick and a face melting hit

I love this thing all over again - It really is an amazing vape whilst it is working properly

I have been hitting the GH most of the time with a mighty in between here and there as a sitback....

This is what they are meant to be

Hopefully they have fixed the issues and this is the new version

We will see when I get my other one back after I send it in if I have two beats then.....

I have at least now got two hoppers out of them and the spare ended up only costing me 200aud because of their stuff ups, I will enjoy this beasty one while it is working and hope the other returns just as good

The clouds and milk.....such a hard hitter, and now tastes better again with no combust

If you can afford to own one and possibly have it in the mail for periods at a time I do recommend it highly - BUT NOT if it is your only vape or your only back up

Maybe they have got the tech down now - we will see

Until it dies knock on wood it is one of my daily drivers for sure

almost goes like -

mighty and GH at home - plus the VC

Tera and F2 for out and about - plus the VC

Of course everything gets a go here and there but the constant go to's for now is as above


I will say that if it was any other company with a more reliable product I would send my new working back end in to swap as it is horrendously painted and is patchy and mising some colour

But knowing that my working beast is more rare than anything I am happy to keep it as is and send the other one in - when it returns most likely in many months I will let you all know if it is as good as this one and that may be a sign the newest versions are worth the risk also

I am kind of a fan again but not of the company

Oh and I am awaiting a reply email as the package came and the label said back end and spare battery as I ordered - but no battery - so there are still issues in the CS etc

EDIT: I also forgot to note that his unit now runs a lot cooler to touch
The body got a lot hotter on the old broken one and the one I have been using on setting 2.2

This one just makes vape and the body gets warm not burny
The heat goes where it needs to not elsewhere

 

[elykpeace]

Took the hopper on a long weekend and it worked great the while time. Even back to back just slid a little whip over the pfe.


Still hopping along