Created by 7th Floor vapes (the makers of the Silver Surfer, the Life Saber and Da Buddha), the Sidekick is a portable conduction vaporizer that can be used with concentrates, as well as dry herbs. What makes it stand out is its innovative design and practical features such as its LCD display, a stirring tool included in the lid, over 20 temperature options, rechargeable Li-Ion batteries and more. The Sidekick is 7th Floor’s first portable unit and although it offers some interesting options, considering that it is priced at almost $300, there are some aspects that could be improved to make the unit good value for money.
Design and portability
The Sidekick weighs over 260 grams, which makes it the heaviest option when it comes to portable vaporizers. In addition, it is very large and not as discreet as other vaporizers available and it may be difficult to fit it in small pockets. Still, it is possible to carry it with you and the Sidekick feels surprisingly comfortable in your hands. That being said, it is is probably not the most convenient solution to use outdoors and you may not want to take it with you when you go camping, biking or any other activity because it feels very heavy.
In terms of design, the Sidekick offers high quality and strong build. Although the Sidekick was made with durability in mind, you should be careful when handling the device to prevent that any glass stems or wands that have been attached could break if the vaporizer is dropped. Given that the Sidekick is quite heavy and that it may get damaged if it falls, this would not be the best choice for users who are constantly on the go and who need a practical solution that can come with them, even when they are hiking or skiing.
Sidekick Accessories
Accessories is one of the strongest aspects for 7th Floor and the Sidekick is not an exception. The unit comes with a hand-made glass mouthpiece, two cleaning brushes with alcohol pads, two pairs of rechargeable 18350 batteries, a stainless steel marble pick, a small bowl tongs/scoop, small Philips screwdriver, a stainless steel oil can, an external charging dock, the Sidekick carrying case and a huny bucket with coconut oil mouthpiece lubricant. There is also an external dual slot wall charger.
Heater, Vapor path and Temp Spectrum
The Sidekick features a full ceramic heating element, stainless steel screens, as well as stainless steel vortex vapor cooling rod. The vapor path is made out of stainless steel. The session vaporizer is nearly completely conduction and it heats up very fast, for a session vape that goes between 30 to 40 seconds. The Sidekick usually finishes sessions faster than the average portable vaporizer and its vortex cooling rod creates really cool smooth vapor, although the length of the vapor path makes the clouds smaller. It is possible to increase the heat to get more intense draws, but once you do that, the taste fades away. This means that the Sidekick is not the right choice for vapers who give priority to clouds.
You can get the best taste around 4.5 and if you try anything over 7, you will notice a burned taste. The cooling system works very well and if you remove the cooling rod, it is possible to get better flavor and clouds. Keep in mind that the vapor also gets hotter, which may make you cough a little. The stirring tools makes things better, but some of the conduction vaporizers available at the moment, can produce good avb without stirring. This means that although the stirring tool can be practical, it is not that special after all.
Cleaning and Maintenance
While the Sidekick is not as easy to clean as other devices, it is not the most difficult one. It requires slightly more maintenance than other vaporizers and it is advisable to brush and clean off the screen after every session. The Sidekick can clog up very quickly unless you clean it a bit, which can affect the vaporizer’s draw resistance. You can remove the vortex cooling rod easily for cleaning and it is possible to wipe out the chamber with some ISO. The Sidekick offers a free, nice flowing draw.
Battery specs, battery life and charging options
The Sidekick comes with two sets of 18350 removable, rechargeable Li-Ion batteries, meaning that you get 4 batteries in total.The majority of vapes only come with one battery so the Sidekick gets extra points for including additional batteries. You also get a charging dock that can charge two batteries at once. Make sure that you use the stickers that come with the Sidekick to mark the batteries.
Battery specs, battery life and charging options
The Sidekick comes with two sets of 18350 removable, rechargeable Li-Ion batteries, meaning that you get 4 batteries in total.The majority of vapes only come with one battery so the Sidekick gets extra points for including additional batteries. You also get a charging dock that can charge two batteries at once. Make sure that you use the stickers that come with the Sidekick to mark the batteries. Each set of batteries can last between 20 to 30 minutes on average, which is low when compared to other popular portable vaporizer available. Since you get two sets, you can enjoy additional battery life. Each set of batteries takes about one hour and a half to charge completely.
Conclusion
While the Sidekick is a solid solution, it is very expensive, considering what it offers and that it only has a one year warranty. It is possible to pay $80 extra to extend the warranty for two years more, but that is even more expensive than what you would pay for other vaporizers that offer a longer warranty coverage. In addition, it is not the most portable option available. It is a good solution, but it is not really good value for money.