Pugsley's uberly efficient and super stern review of the Vapefly & German 103 Kriemhild 200w TC Mod

[Steampugs]

Vapefly Kriemhild 200w TC Mod

Well....here's the thing, anyone who's reading this right now will more than likely know who I am...maybe...and if you do know who I am , and what I 'normally' do, then....you'll fully understand what I am up against here...

Or....not (shrugs)

Regardless, it's fairly safe to say that on occasion, whilst writing my meandering scribblings on any given product, I could have...from time to time, been slightly offensive....maybe even a touch chauvinistic?.....Or on the oddest of occasions, possibly even touched on casual racism/bigotry. Does that mean I'm racist or a bigot?...Of course not!...I love the French!...(that's a lie). But I'm definitely not chauvinistic - I love birds with big boobs! .....Actually ...that's probably chauvinistic, I shouldn't say that...I love women with big boobs....now I can't stop thinking about boobs...wait...

That oughta do it..

The point I'm trying to make whilst being an offensive, chauvinistic, racist, bigot is this; I have a job to do today, and this job involves me reviewing a device from a group of people who reside in a country that...well...there's so much damn comedic stigma attached to it because of where I come from, that any other man would be shitting in his Lederhosen in case he offended someone, and let's be honest here, I have a tendency to say things I shouldn't..

So just for clarity, I'm a loud mouthed knob head who finds comedy in pretty much any situation, I'm not sexist (debatable), I'm not purposefully offensive (absolute bollocks) and I'm obviously not racist or a bigot..(obviously?) ...but...I am reviewing a product designed by a group of Germans and I'm English. If you don't understand the possible comedic connotations that could possibly entail, then you're either 6 years old or stupid...or both...(shrugs)

So.....let's do away with the fluffy footsteps and tentative gloves, because I'm pretty fucking certain that some super powered up snowflake out there is more than likely about to be triggered more times than a Zielfeuergerät 38 (No, I didn't know what it was!...I googled it! tut)

So....now that's out of the way,,,

Sollen wir....

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Welcome back my flauschige little Dampf Affen, back again with more of the same and thankfully this time around I am slammed firmly, and ever so harshly, in the middle of my lovely and oh so homely little comfort zone. Which is ironic...when you consider how uncomfortable some may find the direction I will undoubtedly take if I go off on one of my little 'tangents' ....I apologise for nothing.

So what is it?....Why is it?....Who made it?....And why is it named after a beautiful heroine in the Germanic saga the 'Nibelungenlied'? (I knew you were wondering that). Well...the answers to some of those questions have a below average chance of being answered in the following paragraphs of this literal nonsense, along with a whole host of pretty pictures and other questions....and stuff. Maybe.....just maybe...some of it may even make some sense...SO....The 'who' is Vapefly & German 103, The 'what' is the Kriemhild 200w TC Box mod, and the 'why'....is because my good friends over at Sourcemore asked me to....(shrugs)

In my opinion, about as German looking as anything that's ever invaded the vape market, I use the word 'invaded' provocatively...

So...back to the 'who' in this minimalist masterclass (almost typed master-race then, this thing could have gone to hell in a hand cart before it's barely even started...ffs...concentrate Pugs) ....Vapefly & German 103, although...they're kind of the same thing, as German 103 was actually founded by Vapefly & Dampf Wolke back in 2018 (translation...'Steam Cloud').

Mr Cloud happens to be one of, if not the biggest vape 'Tuber to come out of Germany, boasting a sub number of over 40k, which is no small number in terms of video vape reviewers. So the guy has a wealth of experience and a following to match, and from what I understand, his mind is where most of the designing of this collaboration’s creations comes from, along with a whole host of other German vaping virtuosos. 101 of them to be exact, hence the name German 103, and over the course of the last 2 years we have seen a good selection of pretty impressive pieces come from this camp. Like the Core RTA, The Brundhilde series of RTA's, the...erm.....other ones - it's hard to find a bad review for any of them, and you know why?.....

German engineering.

No..it's not a myth, it's a real thing, you only have to drive an Audi, a BMW or a Mercedes to understand why people make such a huge fuss about it, so bringing German engineering into the vape market....was probably the 'no brainer' driving force for Vapefly. I mean they don't make things that could...say...win wars...(ahem)...but everything else....pretty fucking good. Can I say that?....Probably not, but hey, they can use beer to measure things scientifically....if that's not impressive enough for you...then I don't know what the fuck is.

The Lowdown

The Vapefly Kriemhild mod is a 200w powerhouse of a device, the likes of which, almost seem to have been wiped from the mass produced vape market, much to my dismay I might add. For a start, It's dual battery, something that was almost run of the mill a year ago...not so much these days though....BUT ...it does run off all three of the popular battery sizes...

And on top of that, it supports 3A charging through it's type C port......3A!....that's more than 2!....(I worked that out all by myself). Not that I condone such actions of course, but you know what, knowing that this is German designed does instill a certain amount of confidence that wouldn't normally be there.

It's this battery business that also had me slightly more excited than usual, yes...I'm easily pleased, and also slightly disappointed, why disappointed?...Well, dual 21700 mods aren't as common as many vapers wish they were, we've been screaming for them for years...but...for reasons that I am as yet to establish, all but 2 single (different) of my 21700 batteries appear to be at work....and I haven't been there for 4 months....so, although I've had this thing for 3 weeks now, I'm yet to benefit from this elusive battery marvel...SO...18650's it is....but...check out how you stick ‘em in there....

Flick the little button on the bottom...

And the spring loaded 'magazine' just slides right out...

Then just pop you batts in, and slide it shut....HOW FUCKING COOL IS THAT?!!...

I get excited about things like this because I'm male....there is literally no other reason.

It's really well executed too.....well....almost, we'll come to that at the end, but the runner and release mechanics are really nice, big fan of this, and the inside of the battery bay is extremely tidy, from the spring loaded pins right down to the 'Vapefly' plaque at the top...nice touch..

You can tell I liked this a bit too much. In four years as a reviewer I don't think I've ever started with the fucking battery bay, and if you ask me whether or not I slid this battery sled in and then pretended to 'cock it' then fire it like a machine gun....I would say no.....also...a lie.

 

[Steampugs]

Cracking on....

The first thing you will actually notice when you take the Kriemhild from its packaging is just how hefty it is, it's got some serious weight to it, especially when you 'load' it with 21700's (I did try my singles for fitment), and I dig that - I always have done, but the reason for that is because for the majority of my time I am at home. A pocket friendly, super lightweight 'out and about' mod...the Kriemhild is certainly not. But it does lend itself very well to being a desk top mod, or sat on your bedside table. Pocket this thing...and you'd better make sure you're wearing a tight belt and loose fitting trousers.....there's a German sausage joke there somewhere, it's on the tip of my tongue but I just can't grab it...(ew)

Moving swiftly on...

Down the front of the Kriemhild everything is about German efficiency, the lines are clean and everything is exactly where it's supposed to be, from the flush fire button with the 'German 103' logo...

To the plus and minus rocker (.1w increments up to 100w then 1w increments after), type C charge port, and the 1.33" TFT display....

Super crystal clear display that has all the information you need, and....I can see it without my glasses on!....HUGE win for me. Having to put my goggles on to see what my device is set at is a massive bug bear of mine, purely because I don't always wear them - I just need them for reading - so this is epic. You can also play around with the colours in the sub menu, should you wish.

Navigating the display is also super simple and intuitive - 3 clicks for quick mode change between VW, TC and Memory, 4 clicks puts you into the sub menu, and here, along with all your normal device settings, you will find your curve mode for the 4 memory slots - which is a bit odd, but I get it. It's not something many people play around with, most in fact, will only use the 1 mode, and most of those, will use VW. What it is...is German efficiency, it gets the job done as quickly and efficiently as possible......something I've been trying to explain to my Mrs for years.....

However.....no TCR values that you can tinker with and that could very well be a deal breaker for those amongst you who like to fine tune your vape for TC. I'm not really surprised though to be perfectly honest, it's only the really fussy technical vapers that use it, and that's a real small percentage, so again....efficient, I could obviously be wrong, it's been known, but if it is there somewhere, I'm buggered if I can find it.

Around the back we have the hand grip...

I think it's probably 'pleather'...but it feels nice. And I do like that 'Kriemhild' breathing light which illuminates every time you fire. It's not super bright and it doesn't look tacky, it's just kinda cool.

And finally...up on the top we have the business end of things, the spring loaded 510...

Exterior bolted which I love, and slightly off center...which I don't. But...that being said, even though it's not in the middle, there's still enough room to house a 30mm top without over-hang, so it is utterly forgiven. This means I can happily use my beloved Sherman RDA's on it, which is another massive tick for me.

Overall, the build quality is pretty exceptional, it looks super clean and heavy duty. Like I said earlier, it's ALL German - no fuss, no cheap gimmicks, just a solid chunk of German efficiency excellence.

The Specs

Kriemhild Mod

• Size: 38.6×47.5x91mm
• Output: 5-200W
• User modes: VW, TC
• Battery: 2×18650 / 20700 / 21700 (not included)
• Resistance range: 0.02-3ohm
• Temperature range: 200-600°F / 100-315°C
• Display: 1.33in colour TFT screen
• 3A Type C USB charging

It comes with

• USB Type C lead
• What more do you want??

Final thoughts

My final thoughts on the Vapefly & German 103 Kriemhild Mod would be thus, I love it. It feels so solid and looks so understated in design it's almost elegant, yet still manages to look stern and imposing. I know I keep saying it, but it's pure German in it's style and appearance, and no....obviously there are no silly colour schemes to choose from....straight down the line sophisticated...ranging from silver to black in no nonsense increments ..

Using the Kriemhild is super easy, I highly doubt you'll be reaching for the manual as that would be inefficient, and although some may well find it bulky and cumbersome, you have to remind yourself that this is in fact a dual 21700 device, so obviously it's going to be a bit bigger than your uber compact 18650 devices. It's girthy....and it fills your hand...and that's all I'm willing to say about that....again...there's probably another German sausage joke in there somewhere....I just don't feel I can fit it in.....(sigh)

Now generally, this has been sold as a kit along with the Brundlefly....Brindlehurst....Brandonberg....Bloomingdale...whatever it's called RTA, but have you seen the size of that thing? It's as long as a long thing, yes...yes....I know....German sausage joke etc. etc....I just wasn't really feeling it (...ffs). And with the Kriemhild already being a bit on the chunky side, I knew I was only ever going to use it with a stumpier RTA like the Bulk, or, when I'm tearing it up, the Sherman RDA....shame it wasn't the RTA, there would have been something quite amusing about a German mod being tamed by a Sherman Tank....but alas, I aint paying £1oo for a tank...so it is what it is. It still looks pretty slick though...and that joke more than likely would have started a war...or something...

Anyway...

I have been using this now for close to a month, I've used it daily and generally speaking, I love it. It's my kind of device - 100%.....

But...

There's two things that irk me. Firstly, as cool and well thought out as the battery sled is, it's hard plastic against zinc alloy, and there is a slight bit of movement with it, meaning, if you tap the battery sled with the tip of your finger, it makes a 'kchunk' sound. It also makes this sound when you put it down onto a hard surface.....'Kchunk'....or when you pick it up too firmly.....'Kchunk'.....and it kinda makes my ears go...

I don't actually know how they'd get around it either. It still works perfectly well, it'll never spring open and it's still a cool and innovative method...but still......'Kchunk'....(shudders)

And the second thing that made me grimace...is kind of a big one....and that's this...

You see that change in colour on the clock face?....That's moisture, and the only place that could have got in is through the 510. Yes...I've been using a Sherman which is a large bottom airflow RDA, so...occasionally I might get over zealous with my dripping and it has, every now and then, spilled out of the airflow and onto the top of the mod. But I always clean it straight away and it's never, not once, run down the front of the mod.

Now....they never claimed that the Kriemhild was water tight, because it's not an Aegis, but...for me, if a 510 is letting in juice somewhere, it's kind of unforgivable. You're working with liquid, it's electronic, it needs to be able to take having liquid spilt on the 510, because it's going to happen....you really need to seal that shit.

And finally, this is just personal preference, but I'm not over keen on super flush fire buttons. I know it adds to the clean looks of the mod but I would have found it slightly more comfortable to use if the button was ever so slightly raised, it's a nice button though, really satisfyingly clicky....and with it being as flush as it is, there's no danger of you accidentally firing it in your pocket.....should you be weird enough to put it in there....

The fact is, I'll live with the gripes because I really like the mod. It fires quickly, it feels pretty accurate, it's solid and weighty and it takes a big top. And for those among you who probably have around 5 ball point pens tucked in your breast pocket...the TC is 'probably' acceptable. I don't care...it's exactly the kind of mod I use daily at home, and I will continue to do so for as long as that moisture problem will allow, and I have to admit, that particular problem was a surprise, it being a German designed product...but...it wasn't built in Germany. Vapefly after all are a Chinese company, so niggles with the manufacturing are unfortunately relatively common. That being said, it's certainly put my attention onto anything these guys will put out....

"I dig it"

 

[Steampugs]

The Price

Little bit of a treat for you on this one actually. Now...normally Vapefly gear isn't cheap, in fact the full fat retail on the Kriemhild mod alone will run you £67.22 / $85.99.....oosht....however, if you go to Sourcemore and input code 'KHM' at check out....you can relieve yourself of a wallet twitching £36.68 / $46.92 .....and that is one hell of a saving, find that deal here ....

Vapefly & German 103 Kriemhild 200w TC Mod

There....that wasn't so bad now was it, I think I came through that relatively unscathed all things considered.

That is also a lie, this review was chopped up so many times due to me being told by the Steam Team "You can't write that Pugs"...or..."They'll literally kill you"....and even...."If you go ahead with this you're fired"....Me, fired!...From my own shit!!.....

Probably for the best...when I think about it...I should never be left alone really....hardly my fault.

Now then....next up for my rigorous and below average stringent testing is something really quite special. It'll be a couple of weeks probably, but it's a review geared towards all you mixologists out there, in fact...anyone who mixes there own e-liquids, be it one shots, concentrates or anything like that, if you suffer the toils and troubles of long steep times then you need to keep your eye out for it, because it's a fucking revelation to the mixing world. If I said..."you can swap your month long custard steep for an overnight settle"....and mean it....well, that should prick your ears up. All will be revealed, and along with it are a bunch of one shot concentrates from some seriously talented mixers. I haven't looked forward to writing a review this much for quite some time let me tell you.

I'll keep you in suspenders until then (?), in the meantime feel free to peruse Steampugs back catalog of write ups on your favourite vape gear from myself as well as the rest of the Steam team, and remember, if you'd like to come and talk to us in person you can always find us over at our little corner of the vapeverse we like to call Vaping Community - Forum which offers a warm, drama free welcome, as well as a rather nifty little juice mixing calculator, hope to see you there!

Until next time ...(hopefully...If I'm not fired)

auf wiedersehen

Pugs.