Only PAX was able to release two diametrically opposed products within months of each other and nail them both down. One is the PAX 3, which offers perhaps more bells and whistles than any personal vaporizer to date. The other is the PAX Era, a masterclass in simplicity designed specifically to provide the easiest concentrate experience possible.

The device itself is described as “ultra-slim”, and that’s the truth. In my pocket it stands out as a carton of Juicy Fruit. Even single-use disposable pens are bulkier than the Era, which is so small you could lose it every now and then. There are no buttons to turn it on or adjust the settings. Instead, it only activates when plugged into a pod, a proprietary cartridge that PAX has supplied to two companies to date: Bloom Farms in California and the Lab in Colorado. To disable it, simply remove the pod.

The device itself is described as “ultra-slim”, and that’s the truth. In my pocket it stands out as a carton of Juicy Fruit. Even single-use disposable pens are bulkier than the Era, which is so small you could lose it every now and then. There are no buttons to turn it on or adjust the settings. Instead, it only activates when plugged into a pod, a proprietary cartridge that PAX has supplied to two companies to date: Bloom Farms in California and the Lab in Colorado. To disable it, simply remove the pod.

To use the PAX era, you have to go to a pharmacy that sells these Bloom Farms pre-filled pods, which are without a doubt the biggest drawback of the era for now. Speaking to PAX Labs CEO Tyler Goldman for a previous story, he told me there are plans to expand the number of companies receiving PAX Era pods, but for now Californians have one option.

Luckily it’s a good one! Bloom Farms currently offers three specialty oil blends: indica, hybrid and sativa. I received an indica pod as my sample and it was a tasty (and potent) concentrate. The Bloom Farms website conveniently provides a store locator to show where pods can be purchased. The zip code “94131” gave me a list of ten dispensaries in San Francisco, six in the East Bay, four in San Jose, and many others throughout California.

The bottom line is that it won’t be difficult for most to find the pods, but it does mean that once a pod runs out, the era is by definition useless until you grab more.

The experience of using the Era couldn’t be easier. Once a pod is plugged into the device, the four-petal design flashes to let you know it’s ready, and you can start hitting it right away. There is no waiting time! The draw is smooth and flavorful, a compliment to both the Bloom Farms oil and the unit itself. Specifically for the indica, I found one deep pull to be more than enough, but results can vary based on tolerance.

As a final bonus, the PAX Era, like its sister, the PAX 3, can be paired via Bluetooth with the PAX Vapor app for custom settings for volume, temperature and flavor.

THE VERDICT

cool factor

The coolest feature of the PAX Era is how discreet it is. It’s hard to make a list of places you are could not take this thing, plus the fact that you can hit it as soon as you plug it into a pod means it has easily become my favorite travel vaporizer, especially with a battery life of up to 220 puffs. In addition, you can adjust your settings to one degree via an app on your smartphone. That the PAX Vapor app

works with both the Era and the PAX 3, meaning you can control a whole range of products in one system. You can even lock your device from the app, meaning no one can steal you precious while you’re gone.

practical

If you have pods, the Era is as practical as they get. If you don’t, it’s not that easy. As mentioned, Era users will just have to go where the pods are if they want to refill.

On the other hand, you can’t really blame PAX for making a closed system product. With a generic pod, aspects like quality and leakage would be much more variable, and by hand-selecting Bloom Farms and the Lab, PAX has ensured that they place their pods in the hands of competent concrete makers. On the charging front, the Era uses a micro USB port and takes 60 minutes to charge. Hard to beat that.

affordability

At $59.99, the PAX Era is by far the most affordable PAX product on the market. It is more expensive than some comparable units, but as the PAX has become standard you will not find a more complete quality product.

The pods won’t be cheap either. On ApothecariumSF.com, all three blends were in stock and retailed for $40 each. (To be fair, these are 500mg cartridges, and each cartridge will last a long time.)

SCORE: 4/5