Tempest 2 Review

Hi everyone, today- I’m reviewing the Tempest 2 from Mad Heaters. This is a battery free (aka manual) vaporizer, so there are no electronic components- it’s just a “cleverly engineered piece of metal” that sells for $225 USD. In this review, I’ll look at the design, talk about performance, and briefly compare it to the new Tornado rig which I have a separate review of. 

Design

The best way to understand the Tempest is to disassemble it and talk about each of the parts separately. 

The head. The mouthpiece. The spiral airpath insert. The heat shield. The bowl. And the Stem.

The Stem

Let’s start with the stem as it is the base of everything else. It is made from grade 5 titanium, and has a heat sink that dissipates heat and helps cool it down, and the airpath channel that runs straight through.

The Bowl

The bowl is also made from titanium, and this is where the herb goes. The small screen can be lowered to adjust the chamber size to one of three sizes between 0.1 to 0.2gr. This is the lowest level-, I’ll leave it there for now. The bowl attaches to the stem with pressure. 

The Heat Shield

Then, the heat shield. It is made from Aluminum I think in this case, and it’s only purpose is to keep your fingers away from the hot stem. 

The Spiral insert

The spiral insert goes into the stem and its function is to cool down the vapor, and the mouthpiece screws right on top to hold the spiral and the heat shield in place. 

The heating cap

The cap can be disassembled as well, but that goes beyond the scope of this review. I will say that this is a very sophisticated and well engineered heating head. It retains heat for a very long time using 3mm zirconia balls, but these can be changed to customize the heating profile. 

This cap also has the only “properly functioning” visual heat gauge I’ve even seen in an analog device. It has a little indicator and three small lines that indicate the heat level. This alone is a game changer in the world of battery-free devices. Most use a “click” mechanism to indicate temperature, and the Tempest clicks as well, but this visual indicator is MUCH better than the clicking system. 

The quality of manufacturing here is really at the highest level. All the pieces fit together perfectly, whether the device is hot or cold, and it seems pretty indestructible. . 

Not included: Induction Heater or Torch

I use the YLL 3.0 induction heater, and I ignore the clicks altogether. I set it to 95 watts, 30 seconds, and this gets me to the second line- which is the sweet spot in my opinion. 

Usage

To use the Tempest, you scoop some herb into the chamber, keeping a fluffy pack- full but not tight- so air can easily move between the herb and heat it up. 

Screw the cap in and heat it up with a torch or an induction heater. Follow the gauge or a timer to know when it’s ready, and that’s about it. 

Reload Storage

One accessory I can’t live without is the reload storage system. It has a couple of compartments plus a de-bowler. So if you’re one of those that like to keep your AVB- the Reload makes it super easy. Plus, it has a magnet on top, which I use to open the hot cap after a session to empty out the bowl. 

Performance

As far as performance, this thing is a serious beast. The vapor is very flavorful- maybe the best I ever had from a battery-free device. It is full and dense, and the temp gauge ensures consistent performance which is always the biggest issue of battery-free devices. It's the first battery free device that I was able to  actually stick with and use long term. 

Tempest 2 vs Tornado from Vestratto

When compared to a Dynavap, or even to the more advanced and expensive Camufluet, it comes out on top. These don’t have a threaded chamber, or a visual temperature gauge. 

The only battery-free devices that can go heads up with the Tempest are the Anvil and the new Tornado from Vestratto. I’m still testing this device and a full review is coming soon, but it’s definitely a heavy hitter. 

Here is how the two compare-

• The Tempest has the visual temperature indicator which the Tornado doesn't have. 
• Also, with the Tornado- the herb is loaded into the cap, which is detachable from the unit. With the Tempest the herb chamber is connected to the body, so the whole stem is dipped. I prefer this method. 
• The Tornado is also more expensive. 
• But most importantly- they provide two completely different types of experiences. The Tornado produces stronger vapor that is super dense, but less flavorful. The Tempest 2 produces a little less vapor, but the flavor is noticeably better. The Tornado is better for one hit extractions, and Tempest is for slightly longer sessions, like 4-6 hits. 

I will work on a more detailed comparison, but I give the edge here to the Tempest. It’s easier to hit “dry” meaning without a bubbler, and the vapor is more flavorful. It’s the better choice for probably 90% of users out there.  

Bottom line

Bottom line, the Tempest 2 is end-game when it comes to “battery-free” or “portable ball vapes”. It’s in a class of its own, and while it’s not cheap, it has amazing value considering the performance.   

It has become my daily driver, in addition to the Venty, Solo 3, and Ruby Twist..