G Pen Roam Review – A Portable Dab Rig?
Weve reviewed a decent amount of products by Grenco Science before like the G Pen Elite and the G Pen Connect with mixed results. Coming out very shortly after the Connect, G Pen is making big play in the wax world. Is it going to wax on, or wax off? (Im so sorry) Check out our G Pen Roam review here for more info!
If youre looking to buy a wax pen vaporizer, head on over to our Best Dab Pens List for some handy information to help you get started!
If you would like to see how this electric dab rig stacks up against other popular units check out our Best Electric Dab Rigs & E-Nails article.
Review: G Pen Roam
How it Works
As with any device, we highly recommend charging it fully before your first use. Next, open up the Roam and fill the hydro-tube (a great feature that well get into later) to the marked line. Press the power button 5 times rapidly to turn it on.
Use the +/- buttons to adjust your temperature in 25 degree increments. Load your concentrates onto the coil. The Roam has two heat activation modes manual and automatic. Press the power button twice rapidly to automatically heat to your chosen temperature.
It will vibrate when it reaches temperature and stay hot for 30 seconds before cooling down. Press and hold the power temperature button for your desired amount to activate manual heating. It will maintain heat until it released.
Temperature Flexibility
The Roam has a temperature range of 600-800F, or 315-425C. As stated before, you can adjust this temperature in 25 degree increments by pressing the up and down buttons on the side of the device.
We found this to be a pretty solid range of temperatures, as anything hotter than this will drastically change the flavor of your chosen concentrates.
The other feature of the Roam that is pretty neat is Max Mode. While on the highest temperature of 800F, press the power button once to enter Max Mode, which will output full temperature. The LED display will show MAX while this mode is active.
If the unit overheats, the display will show a hand and automatically cool down the unit reaches a functioning temperature. Max Mode is great if you want to extract the most out of your wax or for cleaning out your bucket after a session.
As youve probably guessed, these temperatures are way too hot for dry herb, but if youre looking for a great 2-in-1 device, wed recommend looking at a unit like the Focus V Tourist, which has an attachment for both concentrates and dry herb.
Vapor Quality
The vapor quality of the Roam is great. The water filtration will always be a solid feature, as much as it stresses me out that the water is held internally. As stated before, the Roam features a great range of temperatures for flavor. The long vapor path, through the water, definitely cools your hits before they reach your lips.
I found I enjoyed the vapor from the automatic heat activation mode, which is rare for me. I normally like the pulse the fire button to get my desired vapor, but Grenco has done a great job of ramping up the temperature pretty evenly, and Im into it. If you’re looking to get the best temperature setting from your G Pen Roam, definitely give this a shot first.
That being said, the vapor quality off of the G Pen Roam quartz tank could be better the twisted Kanthal coil of the Utillian 5 (V3) with the Bubbler attachment is still my favourite vapor off of any wax pen Ive ever used.
Manufacturing Quality
The size and shape of the G Pen Roam makes us think of it almost like the Mighty of the wax world, although with much less battery life.
There is a lot to love about the manufacturing quality of the G Pen Roam. Firstly, the aluminum alloy shell is durable and feels nice in the hand. The unit is built sturdily and it stands up without the risk of tipping over I know, it seems trivial, but there are devices out there that make me stress every time I put them down.
The G Pen logo lights up on the side of the device when its turned on, and the whole thing definitely looks slick.
Theyve completely protected the quartz coil attachment, which keeps your fingers away from the heating element, a nice touch. The whole housing can slide out of the device for easy cleaning and loading.
Grenco Science has taken the water filtration system so common in E-Nails and internalized it so it is completely hidden inside of the device. While this is a neat feature, and they claim it is leak proof, it still makes me very nervous to have water inside an electronic device.
That being said, theyre trying something new, and we cant help but applaud the innovation. Innovation in the vaporizer marketplace is how we drive technology forward and I hope they prove me wrong.
Battery Life
The G Pen Roam has a 1300 mah internal battery not the best for a unit in this price point. I found I got about 20 sessions out of a single charge, which is a solid number, but units like the Utillian 722 have a 2300mah battery that blows this out of the water, and handles dry herb as well. Heavier users probably still wont have to charge their unit after days worth of use, which is nothing to complain about, surely.
The G Pen Roam also has micro-USB charging disappointing for an expensive unit in 2020, we would have definitely liked to see USB-C charging, like on units like the Focus V Carta.
Portability
The G Pen Roam comes with a travel case that makes a great case for the traveling capability of this unit. Im so sorry, I really cant help but make these terrible jokes.
The case is made of pure hemp, which is a nice touch certainly. As far as portable e-nails go, the Roam is definitely more portable than anything else out there, including the Puffco Peak.
This mainly comes down to the internal water filtration, which doesnt stick out when in public. You wont be hitting your Puffco Peak in public, while you could certainly take a sip of the Roam without too many prying eyes thinking twice about it.
Its clear that Grenco is trying to make a truly portable e-rig, and the whole thing seems to be designed for use on the go. That 1300mah battery will at least last you a day’s worth of sessions. Id say the Roam is pretty good for any roaming adventures. Okay, Im done.
Ease of Use
Like most e-nails on the market, the G Pen Roam is simple to use and definitely capable of being passed around at a party with little to no effort on your part to explain the nuances to your friends before use.
There is certainly a learning curve to getting the best hits off of the Roam, so connoisseurs wont be turned off either!
Discreetness
The G Pen Roam, might be the most discreet e-rig on the market. If you look at other e-rigs like the Pulsar ROK, the glass attachment sticks out like a sore thumb.
While most e-rigs are designed to be a desktop unit – a substitute for a traditional dab rig that you keep at home; the Roam feels much more like a truly discreet and portable device. You can use it both at a theme park, and playing Roller Coaster Tycoon at home, although I would avoid hitting it on a roller coaster – but hey, Im not going to tell you how to live your life.
Overall Experience
Were pretty mixed on the G Pen Roam. There are things to like about this unit, but shortcomings like the micro-USB charging and limited battery life are glaring mistakes that we feel could have been avoided.
Grenco Science certainly deserves some praise for trying to make a truly discreet and portable e-rig – from the travel case to the internal water filtration, it feels like the first e-rig Im not terrified of taking out in public.
The manufacturing quality is good, not great, but the user interface is easy to work with. The price point might scare some people off, but the device has its perks.
If you are looking for an e-rig that wont break the bank be sure to check out the Utillian 5.
If you have questions about our G Pen review, want to know more about wax vaporizers, 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.