Puffco Proxy Review: Leafly thinks this hash vape hits like a boss
Since founding Puffco nearly a decade ago, Roger Volodarsky and his team have transformed the company into a lifestyle brand with a thriving community. If you got all the Puffco owners together, and that’s what their annual Puffcon is all about, you’d have the residents of a decent town. Their latest product, Proxy, promises a population boom by creating the easiest experience for people looking to discover the joy of smoking hash.
At first glance, a regular pipe, this electronic heating chamber (dubbed the “atomizer”), base and piece of glass combine to create an experience that Volodarsky describes as “a game changer for hash around the world”.
We thought we’d put the device into practice and answer five of the most frequently asked questions, including why you bought it, whether you’re a longtime listener or a first-time caller.
The Proxy journey began with the idea of designing and making an atomizer that would fit in a standard hash vaping jar called a banger. However, the heavy, early prototypes tipped over a standard hash water pipe called a dab rig. Puffco Chief Technology Officer Avi Bajpai’s work to reduce the tipping problem resulted in a much more modular device.
You can fit this new atomizer into a hash pipe, bubbler or dab rig and unite intoxicating collectors, novices and hash enthusiasts under a single banner. In Volodarsky’s words, Proxy has “the ability to contextualize what is special about the hash and glass scene, [even] for people who are very far removed from this experience.”
Like the best-selling Puffco Peak, Proxy runs on four heat settings: Blue (505°F), Green (520°), Red (545°), and White (560°). You get the best experience with a slow, measured hit, and to be honest you get pretty big hits even starting at the lowest temp. There’s also a lock feature to confuse little hands and security guards.
The slow, slurping inhale – so natural for a pipe – is a big part of what makes the device instantly comfortable in your hand throughout the day. These measured, flavor-packed hits make Proxy easy to smoke no matter the time, allowing you to try small flavors throughout the day without overpowering yourself. And as Wookerson always says, you can’t smoke hash all day unless you start in the morning.
After spending some time with it, I can say that Proxy offers an experience that you haven’t had with Peak. Although it produces smaller draws, there is an undeniably luxurious feeling of raising a pipe to your lips. Combine that with the fact that the simple, bucket-like unit can morph into infinite shapes, unlike its sister models, giving users and glassblowers the ability to customize their experience in a way that appeals to them (the Gandalf Brigade loves it ).
So why isn’t Proxy a bubbler from the start? Well, dry hits are terpier. If you’ve ever forgotten to add water to your Peak, you’ve discovered the flavor benefits of dry hits. Although a little strong, there is a noticeably stronger and more complex flavor. You can already find a whole range of dry tops to help the peak maximize terpene exposure. But Proxy doesn’t just offer tasty hits of rosin and resins. Full melt water hash fans have a new toy.
Volodarsky proudly stated, “There is no better system, including quartz, for consuming water hash than this device.”
“There is no better system, including quartz, to consume water hash than this device.”
Roger Volodarsky, Founder and CEO, Puffco
Proxy also gives users the ability to vape not just five or six star hash, but even the lowest grade. Early tester Wooksauce Winery discovered that even spliff hash vaporized in the new atomizer. I tried running five-star, two-star, and even finger hash through the proxy and got whopping hits that surprised the room. Oh my God. Each time, a thick blanket of dark charcoal was left behind. The trick? Grab your Puffco Hot Knife and collect the char like a woolly willy. The Proxy has performed impressively at things you would hardly consider melting.
The Puffco Proxy Price and Is It Worth It?
At $299, the Puffco Proxy is worth its price, yes. For those who aren’t totally into the Puffco bandwagon, this is the easiest way I’ve seen to start enjoying concentrates. Regular dab rigs can sketch people. The Puffco Peak lures and the Proxy inspires. For fans of the brand, Proxy simplifies the summit, offers a different level of flavor and also opens the door to a whole new world of customization. Grab it and rip it.
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Is Puffco Proxy outperforming my peak or my plus?
No, it’s more like the end of a trilogy – the three complement each other. Puffco knows that hash fandom spans many different lifestyles. Each product suits a different personality.
- Puffco plus Vape Pen – the sleek, discreet one-hitter. Ultra light and portable. Sneak hits in the cinema.
- Puffco Proxy – the classic smoker that offers more hits, temperature settings and modular customization options. Flex at the session.
- The Puffco Peak Pro – the complete G6 airplane. A larger chamber, water filtration, longer battery life and Bluetooth temperature control for avid dabbers. Your dab bar heart.
Is Puffco Proxy easy to clean?
Volodarsky proclaimed Proxy “the easiest-to-clean product we’ve ever made.” Unlike the complicated wiping and soaking rituals Peak Pro owners are used to, most of the time you’ll need a pack of good quality alcohol wipes to dry off the device between heavy sessions. To put this to the test, I worked hard for three days, then removed the base and atomizer to find I barely had to use an entire wipe. For a more thorough cleaning, you can take out the atomizer and soak it in alcohol overnight. Proxy is so easy to organize and so easy to store away – it’ll quickly become your favorite travel companion.
is it getting hot
As for standard equipment, even on nine straight hits the glass never got too hot to handle, more like leaving your whistle in the car on a hot day. The top of the unit gets hot when the session hits dab number three, and especially when you go past the blue setting. You’ll have a natural urge to put your finger on the carb cap and play with the airflow, but STOP. Scorched fingers await.
Puffco Proxy Battery Life?
On average, the proxy can go through between 13 and 15 cycles before dying. The final number will of course depend on which temperature setting you prefer. I’ve found myself running out of juice trying to get through a full day, but like other Puffco products, they have built-in passthrough charging. So when you head out, bring a battery backup (USB-C; 2.4A output like official Puffco chargers).
Puffco Proxy Glass Release Dates?
Puffco scheduled the first glass competition for July/August as well as the release of accessories like the travel pack, rotating carb cap and bubbler attachment. Take out the bucket, slip the flower topper accessory onto any piece of proxy glass and boom, you’re burning flowers. The proxy era in functional glass art has dawned.
Matt Jackson
Author and designer Matt Jackson got his start in the California cannabis industry in 2004. Jackson holds a BA in Creative Writing from Humboldt State University. His work has appeared in Leaf Magazine, SF Station, Skunk Magazine, and North Coast Journal.
Check out Matt Jackson’s articles
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