This will be a comparison between the Firefly and the new Pax 2 portable vaporizer. This Firefly vs Pax 2 breakdown will show why each one of these portable vapes could be someone’s favorite. Both offer different qualities that separate them apart.
Update: The OG Firefly and Firefly 2 are discontinued and no longer being sold.
The Firefly 2+ Vaporizer (Firefly 2+ Review) is out now so is the Pax 3 vaporizer (Pax 3 Review). I recommend checking out my list for the best portable vaporizers if you wanted an up to date list.
The Firefly is nearly on-demand heat with great vapor production/quality and the Pax 2 is one of the smallest, lightest, and consistent vaporizers out now. The Pax 2 is a HUGE improvement over the original Pax and has eliminated the cleaning/maintenance aspect by 80-90%. PaxVapor has been an industry leader in the vape niche for close to a decade now and Firefly is the up-and-coming contender.
The Firefly is the only PURE convection portable vaporizer currently on the market. Others will make the claim but none can do it like the Firefly. The unit is a bit bulkier because of the stainless steel design but still pocketable and produces great vapor quality.
The Pax 2 retails for $199 and the OG Firefly WAS $269. Click here to check out the Pax 2 directly from paxvapor.
So let’s get into the details and break down some of the differences between the Firefly and the Pax 2.
Table of Contents
OG Firefly vs Pax 2 Size Comparison
The Firefly is definitely the bigger unit weighing about 241 grams while the Pax 2 weighs around 92 grams. The external dimensions of the Pax 2 are 3.87”H x 1.21”W x .085”D while the Firefly is 5.5”H x 2”W x .85”D.
I can still travel with my Firefly (and I still do) so the size isn’t that big of a deal but the weight is a really big difference. I can still get the Firefly in my short pockets during the summer months but it definitely weighs me down. I know it’s in my pocket and it’s taking up room where my cell/keys would be.
It’s completely the opposite with the Pax 2. You won’t even feel the Pax 2 in your pocket. You’ll have to keep checking to make sure it’s still there in between sessions. I’m really impressed with how much size they were able to cut down.
They completely removed the mouthpiece design and placed the on/off – temp select button internally so it’s NOT in the vapor path. This also completely removed the mouthpiece altogether. The new design sits flush along the top of the unit which makes concealing it even easier than the previous model.
Battery Information
The Firefly uses a replaceable high-powered L-ion battery with no USB charging whereas the Pax 2 does off USB charging but the batteries are NOT replaceable.
This really comes down to preference and you can make either work. Personally, I’m a fan of the USB charging because I just picked up an Anker battery pack which will charge my Crafty, Pax 2, PUFFiT 2, etc.. all while on the go.
On the other hand, you can just pick up an extra battery or two for your Firefly and easily swap one out in seconds (literally).
Battery life is really the only difference in this category and the Pax 2 comes out on top with about 70+ minutes of continuous average use. The Firefly is down around 45 minutes which isn’t the best. Firefly IS releasing some new more powerful batteries which they just got in stock and should add +15 minutes or so.
The Firefly will completely recharge the battery (from dead, in the unit) in about 45 minutes which is one of the fastest charging batteries currently in a portable. The Pax 2 will take about 90 minutes to fully recharge. NEITHER unit has pass-through charging (use while charging).
Firefly also offers an external charging dock that will let you charge a battery outside the unit.
*Bonus – PAX 2 can be charged with the charging dock from the original Pax and it cuts the charging time by about a ¼ which is pretty cool.
The Chambers, Heating Elements and Vapor Paths
I rate both of these units in the top three as far as heating techniques and vapor paths, the Firefly being the very best in terms of vapor quality.
The Firefly uses an all-glass heating chamber and a stainless steel vapor path to achieve cool but dense vapor. I’m able to get about .15 grams in the chamber with the Firefly and that’s plenty for 1-2 people to be heavily medicated.
The best feature about the Firely is the nearly on-demand heat up. I can literally pull out the Firefly, pre-heat the bowl and take a draw before the Pax 2 finishes heating up. So if you are someone that needs quick sessions and it’s only going to be 1-2 people then the Firefly is probably your best bet. The smell is a lot less with the Firefly than the Pax 2 because of the convection style heating so that’s also another nice feature if you need quick, inconspicuous sessions.
The Firefly is still a big unit so you won’t be too inconspicuous but at least you could be out on a smoke break for a minute or two, hit the Firefly, and be back inside. The Pax 2 would still be cooking herbs on the way back in producing odor and warm in the pocket.
The Pax 2 is definitely a session vape and I really feel like the Pax 2 shines for activities like festivals, camping, hiking, concerts, or anytime you have a big group of friends with you. The PAX 2 has a good size bowl and longer battery life, you can session the Pax 2 for 15+ minutes if you wanted to and just get 3-4 people smashed. You can’t do that with the Firefly.
I was able to get ~.2grams in the Pax 2 chamber using my Santa Cruz Shredder. I was able to get ~.4grams when using my MFLB Finishing grinder. Now I packed it down pretty tight so I don’t really recommend this but I do recommend that you use/pick up the MFLB Finishing Grinder to use with your PAX 2. It really helps produce much denser clouds and an even vape of your herbs. Ramps up the cleaning a bit but it’s worth it.
The Pax 2 uses a stainless steel oven and vapor path.
*Firefly Concentrate Pads are out now and they work really well. If you have a Firefly already or going to be picking one up soon then I recommend adding the pads to your order. It’s extremely easy to use and it tastes sooooo good.
Cleaning & Maintenance
Overall, both these units are extremely easy to clean.
The Firefly can basically just be wiped down after use while the oven/lid is still warm and it stays clean. Maybe once a month I’ll put some ISO on a paper towel and wipe down the stainless steel vapor path on the inside and take a Q-Tip to the bowl. The window on the lid does get dirty pretty fast but it doesn’t hinder the device in any way, you just can’t really see the herbs clearly so I try to keep that clean.
The new Pax 2 is a HUGE improvement in the cleaning/maintenance compared to the original. It definitely gets dirtier faster when using a finer grind but all you have to do is dip the pipe cleaners in some ISO (both included now) and clean the vapor path. You can take a Q-Tip to the oven/screen and that’s it.
Overall I would still say the Firefly is easier to maintain and clean.
Pax 2 vs. Firefly Comparison Wrap-Up
I hope that I could do a good enough job of explaining the pros/cons of each of these vapes. Both the Firefly and the Pax 2 are very good vaporizers and as I mentioned above, each could be anyone’s favorite.
Personally, if I had to choose one or the other at this point, I would probably go with the Pax 2. IF it was my ONLY vape. Just because I know that at some point in time I’m going to want to be inconspicuous about just what it is I’m doing with the strange device I’m inhaling from. The Firefly screams look at me which is cool if you can get away with that but the Pax 2 is definitely much more discrete/concealable.
Storytime: I took the Firefly out to Wayfarer State Park last year and I was just taking small draws throughout the day while floating with friends. The married couple next to us look over on the way out and was like “nice smoke piece guys”. They were super friendly and were genuinely interested in the Firefly I think but my point is people see it. It’s a flashy device and has a bit of size but it does do the job extremely well.
Had we been using the Pax 2… they might not have even seen anything at all. Click here to pick up the Pax 2 directly from Paxvapor for $199.
If you want more information about each of these vapes you can check out my reviews for each below and if you guys have any specific questions about the differences between these two, feel free to leave a comment below or hit me up on my contact page.
Thanks for checking out my site and have a bomb ass dank ass day.
