Product Review: Rove Pod System

I've been sleeping on Rove for way too long, and now I'm basically ready to tattoo their logo on my forehead (kidding, but only barely. Upper arm? I'll reach out to their marketing team.)

I'm writing about 5 different pods today, Skywalker OG, Watermelon Burst and Blue Dream that I paid for myself, plus a Strawberry Cough and Northern Lights they were kind enough to supply for review purposes. Full disclosure and all that. 

Okay, so the more I learn about Rove, the more I absolutely love them. I first encountered them through Arizona’s inaugural Best in Grass completion, in which their Skywalker OG Live Resin Diamond vape took first place in the non-rosin vape category. Right off the bat, I was excited that the Best in Grass sample wasn't some throwaway disposable, but actually a full battery, so you could easily get more pods when you realized that it was the best thing in the bag. Unfortunately, I put the battery down until recently…and I'm so glad I picked it back up.

Before getting into the pods, I want to put focus on the battery itself because holy shit, the attention to detail. The very first thing I noticed was a brief haptic feedback vibration when the pod clicks in—which is delightful. I unfortunately opted to not read the directions (because who does that?), which would have told me that inserting and removing the pod three times switches between heat settings, and two times kicks off the preheat function (You did. I just tricked you into it.) So, I ended up taking a few rips that were way harder than expected, BUT to the device's credit, that didn't fuck with the long-term taste or harshness at all.

A blinker on these is eight seconds instead of the usual ten, and I've been assured that their Research & Development employees have stress-tested these bad boys to make sure they handle multiple blinkers back to back. Personally, I haven't pushed it past two—half because I don't want to break my new favorite product, and half because after two blinkers, I genuinely don't need another rip (and my lungs would probably file a complaint.) What I love is that the haptic feedback also kicks in when you hit that eight-second mark. It's a small feature, but it makes the whole thing feel thought through in a market drowning in generic mass-manufactured bodies that all have the same failings. 

The pods themselves recently got updated to a postless design, which is a game-changer for airflow consistency. But the real MVP here? Their mouthpiece. It's uniquely shaped to sit in your mouth like it was custom-made for you, instead of those basic rounded or straight-up circular 510 tips that feel like you're sucking on a robot's finger. Don't get me wrong, those don't feel BAD, but they don't feel anywhere near this comfortable, either.

Completely unrelated to functionality, out of three different bodies I've gotten, each one has a different pattern! There are currently five individual designs you can get, with more on the way. Oh, and the pods are recyclable. Plus, Rove actually gives a shit about more than just profits—they make regular quarterly donations to international charities, which honestly makes me feel considerably less guilty about my newfound obsession.

Last, but certainly not least—the lab tests. Long time listeners will know that I want to make sure I check all provided documentation before testing a product so that I can know what to expect. Scanning the QR code doesn't just dump you into some basic PDF like most brands do with Google Drive links; it goes straight to the specific products LucID page. A fully functional website that actually encourages you to sign in and track your own dosing and effects over time—like, they want you to build a personal database of how their products hit you. Most companies just want to meet the bare minimum compliance requirements and call it a day, but Rove's out here using a platform that's designed to help you dial in your perfect experience. The fact that they're willing to put this in-depth third-party tracker on their packaging shows they're not just confident enough in their product to let you document exactly how it performs, they WANT you to. Signing up will earn you points for every unique QR code scanned redeemable for rewards like merch and coupons. Plus, it stores it to your account so you can know exactly what you got in the past!

And now for a review of the actual product that's had me gushing for six paragraphs without even cracking open the packaging:

Appearance: The packaging all gives off extremely premium vibes, as far as the battery itself - it's a sleek little bar shape. The pods themselves are nicely designed to really give you full visibility to how much of that perfect golden amber oil is left. 

Taste: All of the flavors are incredible. The watermelon and strawberry taste super fruity, but not at all artificial, while the Blue Dream, Northern Lights and Sky OG all have slightly unique but very earthy tasting profiles. That's thanks to Rove using the High Terpene Extract (HTE) of the actual strains for their cannabis flavored pods. Obviously, there aren't strains that actually taste like watermelon, and for those fruity flavors they very clearly do their research and vetting for the terpenes used. Personally, I usually don't care much about a well-flavored vape because after I've gone through a day or so, it either has entirely dissipated and became mostly flavorless, or just tastes slightly more and more cooked as it goes on. Not these, though. Even down to the last pulls before it was empty, these guys tasted just as good pull after pull. Even the blinkers.

Individual notes: Watermelon Burst tastes exactly like a juicy watermelon. No plant hints at all, just sweet notes. Not to say it doesn't have some layers to the taste, especially between inhale and exhale. 

Strawberry Cough is similar to Watermelon Burst, but with fresh strawberries. Still some layers of flavor to it, but very little to no herbal plant flavor. Both sweet strains are very notably NOT at all artificial tasting. If you're wondering how this actually works: both strawberry and watermelon strains get their fruitiness from a blend of terpenes like limonene (citrus/sweet), myrcene (fruity/earthy), and linalool (floral/sweet), but the specific levels make all the difference. In the Watermelon Burst, limonene is much higher, giving it a bright, juicy melon flavor, while Strawberry Cough has more myrcene and linalool for a sweeter, berry-like taste. Your brain picks up on these unique blends and fills in the familiar fruit.

Northern Lights has slight notes of orange and vanilla underneath the herbal tastes. Not nearly as sweet, but still very pleasant!

Blue Dream has more of a lavender lemonade taste to it. Floral, a little sweet, and a touch of citrus at the end.

Lastly, Skywalker OG was the most straightforward flavor profile, with it honestly just tasting mostly like weed plain and simple. 

Experience: The high itself is killer all around for each strain. Pretty fast onset, especially if you rip a blinker on high heat. I would definitely recommend being cautious if you aren't a power smoker. Even if you regularly vape or light up, these guys definitely can get you just as high as other products on the shelf with less, so it isn't hard to treat it like a penjamin with a more forgiving THC % and make a grave mistake. 

To directly quote the LucID page:

Each puff will vaporize between 3mg and 5mg of cannabinoids. For inexperienced users, we recommend starting with 2 to 3 puffs and waiting up to 10 minutes for effects to be felt. 

Rating: 5/5. Rove is hands down my new favorite brand.

Additional Notes: They often have deals at Zenleaf on combos for a starter kit (battery + pod) and a refill kit. They also have refill kits in 2-pack. It's both the same strain, but if you know you like it the savings are a steal!

And don't forget about the preheat setting, especially if it's been sitting in a cooler area taking a rip without running it could result in a mediocrely disappointing hit. 

While Desert Sounds Magazine received some of the vape products from Rove in exchange for a review, all opinions, experiences and feedback are entirely our own. We do not receive any commission on any sales made as a result of this product review.