If Darth Vader vaped then the Volcano Lavabox would be his mod of choice for sure! With all the awesome DNA 200 mods on the market it really comes down to personal taste (the aesthetic you like). The Evolve chipset is rock solid and offers everything you could possibly need and more out of a mod.
We have to give it up for Volcano, they were quick to market with the Lavabox and it still has a rather unique aesthetic. We think it has a Star Warsesque look to it, and the all black colour way has a sinister vibe going on (hence Darth Vader). For what look like hard edges (that contribute to its look) it feels great in the hand. The rubber grip is not only replaceable (interchangeable with 4 colours, black, red, blue, and white), it’s very functional, giving a nice tactile hold, the angled cutaway fits your thumb in nicely. It’s a DNA200, so the functions and features are kick ass, and because it’s a LiPo battery (900 mAh standard) it’s lightweight too.
For the most part it’s a great mod, no major issues, good build quality, nice buttons, great 510, and a great look & feel. There are a couple nit picks though, the front plate while giving it that monolithic evil vibe is cool, it has a couple of problems. It’s a finger print magnet, tints the screen (hiding that bright and glorious display), and isn’t the most scratch resistant (in the time we have used it, there are plenty of micro surface scratches, they are only visible on some angles but still an issue for some). The top has cutouts that again add to the look but seem to collect juice over time and it’s not the easiest task to clean. And finally, and this is a bigger issue, ours came with very little configuration in Escribe (Evolves software interface for the chipset). We had to set the Battery Curve & Capacity (ours was set to 8Wh instead of 9.9), Mod Resistance, Case Thermals, and add Wire Prestest (less of an issue really). This is more common than not, more manufacturers that choose the DNA 200 need to configure their mods correctly to get the most out of the chipset. Volcano is aware of the issue and have posted an Escribe profile that you can upload to your device. Grab it here, we just hope they start to ship Lavaboxes with it pre-installed (could be just our device). If your going to buy a DNA200 it’s still good practice to know your way around Escribe and double check your mod when it arrives (from any manufacturer).
These are small issues and none are deal breakers, it’s a great mod. Battery life is decent with the standard 900 mAh LiPo (we think the battery curve could be fine tuned more) and there is a 1300 mAh extension pack/upgrade you can install yourself (it’s $35, you can also buy it pre-installed on a new mod). We like the Lavabox, it has its own vibe and feel to it, it’s a little wider than some other DNA200 mods but it’s pretty compact, very similar in size to a Hobox (which is about the size of a deck of cards), maybe a tad taller (2mm) and bit wider (5mm). It feels substantial without being bulky or heavy. We would love to see a new treatment for the front face plate (we are too OCD for too many fingerprints), but that’s about it. If you are an evil villain or just dig the look, buy the Lavabox with confidence, you’ll love it.