Just picked up a Crown for my HALO. Here are my initial impressions. I'll update after playing with it this weekend.

Very easy installation. Comes with an "extender collar" that allows you pack an extra 20 balls into the loader. The big advantage is that it makes it easier to reload as the HALO/Empire design has a very shallow basin where you load the paint into. Overall, the extender adds maybe a millimeter to the height of the hopper. Not really worth mentioning.

Like mentioned, installing the crown is a breeze as you just pop the extension collar on (or not if you want the low profile) and then placing the crown piece on the collar. You then fasten the crown onto the collar using a plastic ring clamp with a very easy to turn thumb screw. Installation done. The ring can easily be removed and the crown taken off leaving quick access to your hopper for reloading between games.

You do not have to use the extender if you want to keep the lowest profile possible. However, Virtue suggests that you tilt the marker down a little to reload if you aren't using it. Tilting your marker down, however, is a no-no. Keep that marker up and ready to shoot at all times!!! Personally, I'll take that extra millimeter in height for an easier reload with a little extra ball capacity at the start of the game. A shouldn't make a difference either way. I'll be sure to let you guys know if I get shot because of it.

Virtue has released two versions of the crown. A standard stiffness, and an ultra-soft stiffness.With the ultra-soft paddles, Virtue claims that it will give you a faster reload with a small possibility of balls coming out. The standard stiffness still claims a quick reload, but with no possibility of balls coming out.

I chose the ultra-soft. I don't care if I lose a couple of balls in a snake dive. I just want to avoid the loss of half a hopper I would get after reloading with my Speedfeed. If I went to switch sides of a bunker, half of the damn hopper would spill out as the paddles didn't want to pop up. Due to the crowns design, this isn't a problem.

I tested the claim from Virtue by loading up a pod of paint, turning the hopper upside down, and shaking it very vigorously up and down. I was trying to get balls to come out. When it game to the point where I was going to break paint if I shook it any harder, one ball popped out. One ball people!!! Hardly even worth mentioning. I honestly don't think I'll ever spill a ball, even with hard running or taking a bad dive. This is with the ultra-soft version too.

Reloading is very simple. Just open your pod and dump it on the crown and paint will spill right in. I only lost balls when flipping the pod over due to my own clumsiness. Once the pod was on the crown, nothing came out. I all quickly went into my hopper without the need of tilting the marker down or shaking of any kind.

I would strongly recommend the crown to anyone using a HALO, Reloader, or VLocity style hopper. If you are looking for a quicker reload without the hassle of a lid, then the crown is an excellent choice. If you have a speedfeed and hate it like me, then go buy the crown. It's well worth the $30 USD price tag.

It comes in a nice cardboard packaging which holds everything, and even includes a cool Virture sticker. I know it's not a big deal, but it's still a nice bonus.

Hope I've been of the some help.

I'll be playing with it for the first time on Saturday, I'll be sure to update the review with any necessary info then. Hell, I'll probably throw in some unnecessary info as well.

-Marm

EDIT:

Played with the Crown yesterday. It was great. No spilled paint, and no issues. Loaded quick with no problems. I actually don't remember any paint spilling at all! Some of the best $30 I've spent in paintball.    

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Good review. Thanks for the info. Im ordering one for my x7 low pro hopper see one on x7og.

EDIT: Guess you can give rep on the review threads

dose it work on the x7 hoppers? Ive been wanting to buy one but didnt know if it would fit.

yes it does, im gonna order one soon.

im lookin on ebay which one should i buy the one for vloader velocity or the one for halo?

hmmm, a speedfeed that actually works, i might actually think about getting one now!

You need the halo b

The Crown is available on HALO/Empire B loaders and VLocities. Not sure if it will fit on an X7, but if it would, it would be the HALO version.

Yeah I seen one on a x7 hopper on x7og Ill try to find the thread and post it tomorrow It was the halo version

Actually, it technically wouldn't matter if it's just the ring and crown part. The HALO just comes with the extender while the velocity needs a lid adapter.