Pod systems are absolutely everywhere these days. Sometimes it feels like every new product launch in this industry is for a pod system. They're around every corner, under every bed, peeking out from behind every bush — just totally inescapable. "So", you might ask, "what's so special about this one then?" Two words: quality and provenance. Let's take them one by one.

QUALITY

The WILD by Instinct pod system has got to be one of the highest quality vaping products that we've ever seen in this category. The device itself is similar in size to a Juul, but rather than feeling plastic-y and cheap like so many pod devices do these days, the WILD by Instinct battery is solid as hell and perfectly weighted thanks to its machined zinc alloy body. The internal connector pins are brass plated nickel, and a set of rare earth magnets at the connection point draw pods in with a satisfying click to ensure a solid connection every time.

The WILD by Instinct device is designed for casual pod users so it doesn't chuck out clouds like a coal-fired power station, but you'll be surprised at how much vapour it does produce for such a compact design. It's fully air draw activated, so there are no buttons to accidentally fire when it's in your pocket or your purse. The draw is nice and tight for those who prefer mouth-to-lung vaping, but not too tight for the direct-to-lung crowd. We have a good mix of MTL and DTL vapers on the Vapoureyes team, and we've all loved the draw.

Speaking of things we love, the WILD battery charges via USB-C and therefore takes advantage of the superior charge rate USB-C offers, going from flat to full in just 35 minutes using the supplied cable. The battery capacity has been balanced to last the lifetime of one pre-filled pod, which in our experience can mean all-day vaping on a single charge for most casual pod vapers.

PROVENANCE

When we were talking with the WILD team about this fantastic new device, one word kept coming up again and again: provenance. It's a word that means "the beginning of something's existence; something's origin", and it's a word that WILD are obsessive about.

After learning about the horrors of cheaply made pods — the sort of thing you see at sketchy market stalls and on weird no-name websites — the guys at WILD wanted to make damn sure that every drop of juice that went into one of their pods was of the highest possible quality and came from the most reputable juice wizards around.

Well, the Vapoureyes team have been using our WILD kits for the last few weeks in the run up to this launch, and we can confirm that WILD have done a remarkable job because these flavours are utterly fantastic. Smooth but punchy, sweet but not sickly, cloudy but not obnoxiously so — they're everything you could ask for from a pre-filled pod.

There are five superb flavour to choose from: Cool Mint, Forest Berry (blueberry), Orchard (apple), Tropical (mango), and Wild Harvest (Virginia tobacco). Don't let the simple names fool you, these are not single concentrate flavours by any stretch of the imagination. While we're hoping to talk the WILD guys into letting us put some of your favourite Vapoureyes flavours into their pods in the future, for now you're going to adore the delicious flavours they've already made available.

SUMMARY

As mentioned previously, the vape industry moves quickly and we see more than our fair share of product launches. Every few days another new mod, pod, tank, or dripper appears on the scene, and for the most part they come and go without much fanfare. But this time it's different — the WILD by Instinct pod system is a breath of fresh air, and it'll be here for the long haul.