Quartz Authority Headbanger Review – Bang Your Head

How it Works

To get started with the Headbanger, you’re first going to want to take out and refill the spill-proof bubbler. Next, decide on which experience you want. If you’re looking to use it as a nectar collector, go ahead and screw the atomizer onto the base of the device and insert the bubble mouthpiece.

Once you’re ready, turn on the unit with 5 clicks of the single button. Adjust your voltage/temperature setting to the effects you’re looking for, and hold the button down to engage the heater. After a few seconds, dip the tip into your wax material and inhale.

In the standard wax vape mode, load your material before screwing on the atomizer. The glass mouthpiece will need to be removed before this step. After that, set your temperature again and engage the heating element for a few seconds before taking a hit.

Temperature Flexibility

With the Headbanger, you get three different voltage settings to choose from – 3.4v, 3.7v and 4.0. This is a good range to choose from, and most budget wax vaporizers at this price point have this level of temperature control.

Still, we prefer incremental and full control similar to something offered by the Focusvape Tourist to really get the best compatibility with our chosen material.

Vapor Quality

The integrated bubble mouthpiece does a good job at cooling down your hits before it reaches your lungs while retaining a nice and pure flavour. That fact is helped by the quartz atomizer as well, and you get a relatively pure flavour.

With that being said, we find the heating element itself underperforms in terms of output. You can still get decent sized hits out of it, however, compared to some other units in its price point such as the Utillian 5 (V3), we were left unimpressed by the size of the clouds. If you’re a cloud chaser and like to use most of your material in one big hit, we’d recommend looking elsewhere. For smaller sips of your material, it’ll definitely do the trick!

Manufacturing Quality

We have mixed impressions on the build quality. The entire design seems innovative and well thought out, however, it misses the mark in many aspects. The atomizer, glass, and button all feel finicky and fragile, while the aluminum body feels sturdy.

We also appreciate the integrated storage compartment which hides the nectar collector bit from damage as well as storing some cannabis extracts as well.

Included in the box comes the battery/unit itself, the quartz ‘dip’ atomizer, a quartz ‘dab’ atomizer, magnetic tank cover, 2 quartz jars, mouthpiece/bubbler,  dab tool, Micro USB charger, carrying pouch, cleaning brush and user manual. This is a pretty good kit for the price and it left us satisfied.

Overall, we enjoy the innovative aspects of the build quality, but can’t help but feel as though they skimped out on the quality of the parts and wish it felt a little more ‘premium’ like the Source Orb 4 Signature Kit.

Battery Life

With a 1500mAh internal battery, you get a good chunk of battery life without having to worry about topping up. Still, we feel like this is a touch underwhelming considering the size of the unit and the ability to throw in a larger battery leads us to questions regarding cost-cutting. As there’s no removable battery either like the one that the Source Orb 4 Premium Kit has. Once the cell starts to reach the end of its life cycle, you’ll be left with a fancy paperweight.

Still, it’ll be good for multiple days of frequent hits without worrying about topping up, however, we would’ve much rather preferred to see a larger battery capacity or at least a swappable cell.

Portability

Though the Headbanger features many glass components, it’s relatively well protected and feels safe in the pocket. The glass piece does leak a bit of water if left in the incorrect orientation, so remember to leave it right side up.

The bottom cap used to conceal the nectar collectors atomizer also hosts a convenient storage container to bring some cannabis extracts with you on the go. We always love to see integrated storage compartments and this is a great addition.

The entire fit well into a pocket or the hand, though it does have a little bit of bulk and heft to it. If you’re looking for an ultraportable wax vaporizer, we’re keen to recommend the Linx Hypnos Zero.

Ease of Use

The Headbanger takes a bit of getting used to, unlike the Linx Ares Kit, though it’s very straightforward once you understand how to assemble and use the device. The draw technique is very straightforward and simple, and passing it off to a friend or stranger for a quick session is no problem at all.

Cleaning the device can be a little tricky – especially the glass bubbler. Removing the atomizers and bubble from the unit and letting it soak in a glass of high % isopropyl alcohol will certainly do the trick.

Just remember to shake and stir the solution to help get rid of all the build-up and grime, and give it a quick rinse and burn off session to make sure you’re not inhaling any remaining alcohol fumes. 

Discreetness

We wouldn’t really consider the Headbanger discreet, especially in nectar collector mode. Reloading the unit in the traditional wax vape mode isn’t at all what we consider simple, and on the go, this is a process that’s definitely finicky compared to other units such as the Utillian 2.

It may look a bit like a normal e-juice box, which might not gather the curiosity of others, however, it’s still likely to get a few more stares and glances, especially in nectar collector mode. Still, it works relatively well for stealthy hits, though you might want to go around the corner for this one. 

Overall Experience

The Headbanger brings a lot of innovative and interesting features to the board, but we find the performance and overall execution of the unit a bit lackluster.

We’d love to see the build quality improved, perhaps with independent voltage control and a removable battery. Overall, it’s a decent unit, though we much prefer other units for powerful draws.

If you’re looking for one of the most powerful wax pens for great flavours, check out the Linx Blaze.

If you have questions about our review or just want to let us know what you think, feel free to drop us a comment below! Thanks for reading and as always, keep vapin’