Innokin Adept & Zlide MTL Kit Review: A Rugged Mod for the Zlide

Product intro and specs

The Innokin Adept kit is the latest installment in the Platform Line of products. It is designed by Phil Busardo and Dimitris Agrafiotis and features the rugged, IP67 rated Adept box mod and quite possibly the best MTL tank currently on the market, the Zlide.

The Adept features a 3000 mAh internal battery and eight wattage levels in two modes, tailormade for the Z-coils. According to its IP67 certification, it should be dust-resistant and waterproof for up to 30 minutes in up to a 1-meter depth, while a silicon protective layer makes it shock-absorbent. The Zlide tank is 22 mm in diameter, fits up to 2 mL of e-liquid and is already a best-seller in the MTL section of the market.

The kit is made to be easy to use and is marketed as a better-performing alternative to pod systems. Keep reading to find out if Innokin managed to accomplish these goals.

Price: $37.99 (at Element Vape)

Colors: White, black, purple, sky, ocean, forest camo

Build quality and design

In this part I’ll concentrate on the newcomer in the kit, the Adept mod—for info on the build quality of the Zlide you can check my review here.

The Adept mod is small enough to be pocketable, but it’s not nearly as small as some other internal battery mods on the market, like the Vaporesso Target Mini II or the Innokin Coolfire Mini. But it is only slightly larger than the Geekvape Aegis Mini (another IP67 mod), and at 157.7 grams, the Adept weighs around 55 grams more. Considering its much higher battery capacity, that’s not bad at all.

The body of the Adept is covered by a silicon layer that feels soft and grippy, making it a pleasure to hold. The top and bottom are metallic which helps with the looks on the black one—I wasn’t that crazy with the metal accent on the Ocean colored one, but that’s subjective. The micro USB port is covered by a silicon plug and the buttons feel strong and clicky without any rattle whatsoever. The screen and the buttons are plastic (or at least plastic-covered) which makes sense on a shock-resistant mod. And finally, the 510 is centered, which many will appreciate, and the Adept can fit atomizers with a diameter up to 26 mm with no overhang—although I doubt that you’ll find an MTL atomizer over 24 mm wide.

After almost a month of daily usage, I noticed a bit of fading on the corners of the silicon part of the body, which started turning white. Bear in mind that I went camping with the Adept, so it went under some tough usage scenarios. And that, for what it’s worth, I think that the faded corners give it a bit of character. But if you like your vapes in pristine condition, you should know that the Adept will probably end up showing signs of aging sooner or later.

The Adept mod

The Adept mod houses a 3000 mAh battery and is capable of up to 17 watts, which makes it a strictly MTL type of device. Simply put, you won’t be able to blow big clouds using the Adept. This takes away some of its versatility but it makes up for that with its ease of use.

Using the Adept is as simple as it gets. Three clicks of the fire button turn on the device, which will then recognize the resistance of the coil and pick the appropriate power mode. If the resistance of your coil is over 1 ohm it will pick the low power mode (11-14 watts), and it if is lower than 1 ohm it will be set to the high power mode (14-17 watts).

An arrow at the bottom of the screen will point left or right depending on the mode, and you can check the bottom of the device for reference. The small button up front is used to change the wattage inside the selected power mode in 1-watt increments, depicted on the screen as four bars.

The mod provides constant output, and you won’t be able to notice a difference in performance until its battery is almost empty. This makes for a consistent vape experience throughout the charge, a feature that’s always welcome.

The Zlide MTL tank

I’ve already reviewed the Zlide tank a couple of months ago, and there’s not much I can add to the review when it comes to product assessment and performance. What I can do instead is provide some info on user experience after using the Zlide almost every day for the past three months.

The Zlide tank is hands down my favorite non-rebuildable MTL tank on the market right now, and by a far margin. I haven’t tried the Vaporesso VM22 yet (Anthony loved it for MTL in his review of the Target Mini II kit), but I can’t imagine it being better than the Zlide. After using all the available coils extensively, I have settled for the 0.8-ohm coil between 15 and 16 watts (second and third level on the Adept mod), with two airflow holes open. The combination of the smoothness of its draw, its performance in flavor and the longevity of the coils make for a sublime vape in my opinion. And, as was the case with the standalone Zlide, I am still wondering why Innokin does not include a 0.8-ohm coil in the package.

I am getting around a week’s vape out of one coil, and I sometimes end up changing coils proactively at that point. Bear in mind that I am using mostly clear juices so your mileage may vary, but they are some of the longest-lasting coils in MTL vaping.

The only time I change between coils is when I want to vape mid-strength nic salts. For that purpose, the 1.6-ohm coil at the lowest power level (11 watts) is a great option. It’s not as long-lasting as the 0.8 coil, but you’re probably going to use it less during the day anyway if you use it with nicotine salt e-liquid.

Durability and water testing

The Adept is listed as an IP67 certified mod, which means that it is dust-resistant, and waterproof for up to a one-meter depth and for up to 30 minutes. It is also supposed to be shock-absorbent, making use of its silicon protective layer.

I started by testing the mod for shock resistance. I dropped it five times from the height of my waist, and an additional five times from a 2-meter height. It did end up with some scratches on the metallic parts of the body (both top and bottom) but the damage was purely cosmetic, and it kept working fine after that. The screen and buttons also looked fine, but the firing button is slightly protruding so it wouldn’t surprise me if it gets scratched after falling at an awkward angle.

I don’t have a 1-meter deep water tank to test water resistance, so I ended up immersing it in a rather deep cocktail shaker for 30 minutes. I then wiped it, left it aside for an additional 30 minutes to dry up, screwed the Zlide tank back on and it fired it up. I did notice a bit of moisture when I removed the silicon plug of the charging port, so I stuffed some paper inside the opening. Three minutes later and the paper was soaking wet. I started shaking the mod and drops of water kept coming out, so I left it an additional half hour to completely dry up. I plugged it in and it started charging… but it wouldn’t turn on anymore. So, unfortunately, the Innokin Adept didn’t pass the water-resistance test.

Note: I watched DJLsb’s review after writing that part, and he notes that the 510 connection is not sealed. Chances are your mod will have a tank on top if it falls into water, so if that’s the reason my Adept failed the water test, there’s a high chance it will be fine in real-life scenarios.

Battery life and charging

Using the 0.8-ohm coil and alternating between the second and third level (15-16 watts), I managed to go through a bit over three tanks in one charge. That’s comparable to the consumption I am used to getting out of an 18650 battery, and enough to cover most people’s daily needs, if not more.

The battery sign on top of the power bars will light up every time you vape, and its color will indicate battery levels.

The battery sign will also light up when the device is plugged in and will turn off when it is fully charged. According to the specs, the device charges at a 2-amp rate. I timed a full charge at just over two hours, which is fine for a device with its battery capacity, especially considering that it supports pass-thru (you can vape while it’s charging).

Pros / Cons

Verdict

The black Adept kit was my daily driver until I bricked it, and even got it with me as my main MTL setup for my holidays. I really enjoyed its form factor, battery life, and the fact that it is rugged, which makes it a great option for camping and outdoor activities.

If you are a beginner vaper, you are certainly going to appreciate the ease of use and ruggedness of the Adept mod, and the great flavor and overall performance of the Zlide. And even if you are a pod user, the Adept kit is almost as easy to use, but much better-performing than every single pod vape out there when it comes to mouth to lung vaping.

The only thing I can fault the Adept mod for, is the lack of the advertised water-resistance—at least without a tank on top. That was a big disappointment. If water resistance is a priority for you, then you’re better off using something like the Aegis Mini instead. But for those who view it merely as a bonus, the Adept kit will survive the occasional splash of water and comes with a high recommendation. Just if you do end up getting one, make sure you add a couple of packs of the awesome 0.8-ohm coils to your cart, as Innokin chose once again to not include the best coil option in the package for some mysterious reason.

What do you think of the Innokin Adept? Let me know in the comments.