SMOK Stick V8 Starter Kit Review
Chris and Ian from the ZampleBox team took a first look at the SMOK Stick V8 kit when it was new. SMOK pitched it as an intermediate kit, a step up for vapers ready to move past their first entry-level starter kit.
The question they set out to answer was simple: is it a good next step, or a dud? Their verdict is in the video. Below, we cover what the kit is, who it suited and what to know before you pick up any pen-style sub-ohm kit.
Short version: The Stick V8 paired a built-in 3,000 mAh battery with SMOK’s TFV8 Big Baby sub-ohm tank in a simple one-button pen, built for vapers stepping up from a basic starter kit. SMOK devices are not sold on our site, so treat this as a look back.
What the Stick V8 is
The Stick V8 is a pen-style kit: a long, tube-shaped battery with a tank on top, rather than a box mod. The kit combined two pieces:
- The Stick V8 battery. A built-in 3,000 mAh battery with a single fire button, charged over USB.
- The TFV8 Big Baby tank. A sub-ohm tank with adjustable airflow that uses SMOK’s V8 Baby coil heads.
Together, they delivered sub-ohm vapor and flavor without the menus, screens and settings of a box mod. There are no wattage settings to learn: you press the button and vape.
Who it suited
A kit like this made sense for a specific kind of vaper:
- You started on a basic starter kit and wanted bigger clouds and more flavor.
- You prefer direct-to-lung hits, where you inhale the vapor straight into your lungs, like a deep breath.
- You want simplicity and don’t care about fine-tuning wattage or temperature.
It was a poorer fit for vapers who like a tight, cigarette-style mouth-to-lung draw or who use high-strength nicotine. If that’s you, a low-power pod system is usually a better match, and our guide to nicotine salts explains why.
What to know before choosing a sub-ohm pen
Pick the right juice
Sub-ohm tanks produce a lot of vapor, so most people pair them with lower nicotine strengths, such as 3 mg or 6 mg, and higher-VG juice. Our guides to nicotine strength and PG and VG explain the tradeoffs, and what sub-ohm vaping is covers the basics.
Look after the coils
Coil heads wear out. When flavor fades or hits start to taste burnt, it’s time for a new one. Prime every new coil with a few drops of juice and let it soak before you vape. See when to change your vape coils and what a dry hit is.
Treat the battery with care
A built-in battery can’t be swapped, so the whole device is done when the battery wears out. Charge with a proper cable, don’t leave it charging unattended, and stop using any device that gets unusually hot or looks damaged.
Keep the tank clean
A quick rinse between flavors keeps your next juice tasting the way it should. Our guide on how to clean your tank walks you through it.
Keep your tank filled
SMOK hardware is not sold on our site, but plenty of juice for sub-ohm setups is. Browse all our vape juice, or start with the fruit and dessert families. If you go through juice fast with a sub-ohm setup like this, the Zamplebox Club‘s Big Juice Box is built for exactly that.
WARNING: This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical. For adults 21+ only.