Prrl Labs is bringing two of the most interesting cannabis products to market in 2022: the Neo + Terp Surfer. The Neo is a compact, battery-powered device for delivering sub-combustion heat to any pipe or bong. "The Neo solves what economists call ‘switching costs’," said Prrl Labs’ co-founder Josh Winicki who has a PhD in economics. "Through the power of design, we believed we could break down the psychological barriers keeping people from trying dry herb vaporization." Other vaporizing devices on the market are closed-system, black box products that force the user to completely change their practices. Because the Neo simply replaces the butane lighter, it only requires a small change in routine.
The Neo’s evocative lines arise from the intersection of conical volumes and angular planes to create jewel-like facets reminiscent of a 23rd-century ray gun from a mid-century comic book. When the Neo was released in 2020, the reaction was immediate and sales poured in from all over the world. Multiple five-star customer reviews noted its unusually attractive design and thanked Prrl Labs for "ruining smoking" for them.
After the Neo’s immediate success, customers requested a companion pipe optimized for vaporization. Lewis, a former aerospace engineer, teamed up with award-winning industrial designer Michael Stefan. "Given my experience in technical design with Coach and Tumi, I was thrilled by the challenge of designing an elegant piece to complement the ‘retro-futuristic’ look of the Neo," said Stefan.
The resultant ‘Terp Surfer’ pipe re-imagines traditional construction, materials, and style to create a unique design. The name is derived from the way the Neo allows one to "surf" the aromatic terpenes in cannabis by varying one’s breath. Its modular design enables easy cleaning, serviceability, customization, and dosing.
The combined material elements of the Neo and Terp Surfer coalesce into a unified design language that balances both form and function for a sublime smoke-free smoking experience.
Retro-Futuristic Cannabis Vaporizers
Prrl Labs Designs Unique Smoke-Free Smoking Accessories
Trend Themes
1. Retro-futuristic Vaporizing Devices - Designing unique smoke-free smoking accessories that break psychological barriers and require only a small change in routine.
2. Sub-combustion Heat - Creating compact, battery-powered devices that deliver sub-combustion heat to any pipe or bong, providing a one-of-a-kind smoking experience.
3. Terpene Surfing - Developing modular designs that allow easy cleaning, serviceability, customization, and dosing to enhance the aromatic terpenes in cannabis.
Industry Implications
1. Cannabis - Manufacturing vaporizing devices and reimagining traditional construction and materials in the cannabis industry.
2. Design - Collaborating with technical designers to create unique, retro-futuristic smoking accessories that solve psychological barriers and balance both form and function.
3. Consumer Electronics - Innovating battery-powered devices for smoking that balance both design and function in the consumer electronics industry.