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RDA Suggestions

Hello,

I have a few questions and I would like to hear people's experience. Regarding my vaping experience, I started with a SMOK Baby Beast, then moved to a Limitless Plus RDTA, and recently purchased a Pharaoh Dripper Tank. All on a SMOK Alien 220W. I have been having issues with the Pharaoh leaking from the seam at the bottom and digiflavor have sent me a new deck and it leaked too so third deck on the way, with my fingers crossed. I am looking to buy a new RDA and need your valued suggestions.

I tend to vape using prewrapped coils (Aliens, Staples, and Fused Claptons, etc..so definitely "exotic" build type coils. I do not wrap my own coils.) I am also using wattage mode until I get a more accurate temp control device (i.e. Yihi or DNA). I have vaped 0.25 and 0.3 ohm single coils on the Pharaoh between 50-65Watts. On my limitless I am running dual twisted coils ohming at 0.12 and running at about 70-80Watts. I tend to like a warm/slightly hot, dense, and flavorful vape (so ultimately flavor chaser). All my coils are kanthal/nichrome and I might try out stainless steel in the future.

I would like the rda to give me the option of running single and dual coils. I would also like to drip carelessly (to a certain extent) from the drip tip and I understand that with bottom air flow I would have to be careful (just like the pharaoh), however, if you guys think that bottom airflow vs side airflow gives a major boost in flavor then I dont mind the hassle of taking care while dripping for the flavor boost (as long as I dont have to "paint" the coils). Price point is not an issue, however I would like to get what I pay for, so spending $100 on a kennedy given it performes really well in the flavor alley isnt an issue, for example.

I understand flavor is subjective, and it really depends on your coil build and wicking and that there is no ultimate answer however I'm just looking for recomendations on RDA's that you guys know give a really warm flavorfull vape. Also please tell me about your personal experiences not hearsay as there's a lot of that floating around.

Thank you,
 

Don29palms

Silver Contributor
Member For 3 Years
ECF Refugee
Unlisted Vendor
The Digiflavor Drop is aguably the best RDA on the market right now. The Lucid RDA is my favorite and the Drop is a close #2. The Lucid is not for everyone and probably not for you. I think you would be extremely happy with the Drop.
 

Carmmond

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I got the Bonza a couple days ago and I’m really liking it. Good flavor, dual or single, deep well.... holds almost 2ml’s and comes with three nice drip tips! I may even get a second one;)

Edit: forgot it also coms with a squonk pin.
 
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The Digiflavor Drop is aguably the best RDA on the market right now. The Lucid RDA is my favorite and the Drop is a close #2. The Lucid is not for everyone and probably not for you. I think you would be extremely happy with the Drop.

I was actually considering the drop. I like how the lower air holes are positioned to have the air go under the coils, making it closer to bottom air flow style. How would you compare it to a goon or a bonza? Also, just out of curiosity, why do you say the lucid is not for everyone?

I got the Bonza a couple days ago and I’m really liking it. Good flavor, dual or single, deep well.... holds almost 2ml’s and comes with three nice drip tips! I may even get a second one;)

Edit: forgot it also coms with a squonk pin.

What were you using before the bonza? how is the flavor of the bonza compared to your other rdas? Also, what builds were you using?

Still can’t go wrong with the original goon, imo.

Do you have one? If so how do you like it? I am actually really interested in the goon v1.5 however I read online that some consider it a cloud chaser which is giving me some doubts. Would you say its more of a flavor or cloud chaser? What builds did you try in it?

Thank you guys, I really appreciate the help
 

Dave.G1066

Member For 2 Years
Member For 1 Year
The reload v 1.5 is very good and have amazing flavor and bottom airflow you can run dual or single coil and is super easy to build on. IMO a dual coil rda doesn’t give the best flavor in single coil mode because how it’s chamber is and the airflow it mutes the flavor.. But again that’s just my imo
 

Dave.G1066

Member For 2 Years
Member For 1 Year
I have 4 goon v 1.5s and the are a cloud chasersing rda but if you close the airflow down 1/4-1/2 way the flavor is great . Now I have 4 of the original goon give amazing flavor and clouds with because of how the airflow holes are and I can run that with the airflow wide open and the flavor is unpoint
 

mach1ne

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
another vote for the reload. i hammer juice into the drip tip and it never leaks out the bottom airflow. it a single coil airflow option, but as @Dave.G1066 said, its not the best for flavor like that. it is, however, a viable option to use a larger single coil that spans the deck and uses a post on each side (like @raymo2u did here) with dual airflow opened. the csmnt is another one that can handle dual coils, or a big single equally well.
 

Don29palms

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Member For 3 Years
ECF Refugee
Unlisted Vendor
The Goon is ok. The Apocalypse or any of the other Armageddon Mfg. RDAs are much better than any of the Goons.

For ease of build, single or dual coil, decent clouds and good flavor the Drop is excellent.
 

Carmmond

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
What were you using before the bonza? how is the flavor of the bonza compared to your other rdas? Also, what builds were you using?



Do you have one? If so how do you like it? I am actually really interested in the goon v1.5 however I read online that some consider it a cloud chaser which is giving me some doubts. Would you say its more of a flavor or cloud chaser? What builds did you try in it?

Thank you guys, I really appreciate the help

I have the Sapor and Twisted Messes V2 RDA's that I have used in the past. The builds I have used in all three have been SS316L triple core fused claptons at around .21. Out of the three RDA's the Bonza has the best flavor and I believe it's because of the small air holes.... it just make the draw so smooth. You are going to get good clouds with this tank but after using it for a couple days I'm loving the flavor I'm getting from it. Some of the juices I have been using for a long time in my tanks pop so much better in this RDA.
 
Thanks for all your replies guys. I really appreciate the support and recomendations. After looking more at your suggestions I am slightly concerned that I wont be able to close the airflow enough on the goon to get better flavor if its too airy for my liking. Also, im having trouble finding an original goon for sale online. My decision is more coming down to whether I want bottom (reload, kennedy, etc...) or side airflow (apocalypse, goon, csmnt, drop, bonza, etc..) I understand with side airflow I can position the coil to where the air partially flows under the coil but with bottom airflow its almost gurranteed to have ultimate airflow for flavor. So i guess my new question is does bottom airflow provide that much flavor enhacement that its worth risking the leaking issues? Keep in mind my limitless has side airflow however its an rdta and i dont know how that compares to an rda...

Also for people that are using/have used the reload, can I drip through the drip tip straight down and not get any leaking from the airflow? if so, how come? It seems like juice will slide over the coils and drip down into the airflow tubes? maybe theres something im not seeing...

Again, thank you guys, your support is appreciated.
 

Don29palms

Silver Contributor
Member For 3 Years
ECF Refugee
Unlisted Vendor
Here's an idea. Go on Fasttech and pick up a couple different clones of the RDAs you like. They are less than $10 each. Once you find what you like get an authentic. If you want an authentic go to Armageddon Mfg. and get a Rapture. It has both side or bottom airflow.
 
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mach1ne

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Also for people that are using/have used the reload, can I drip through the drip tip straight down and not get any leaking from the airflow? if so, how come? It seems like juice will slide over the coils and drip down into the airflow tubes? maybe theres something im not seeing...
i think the coils are like an umbrella for the air holes in this case. if you build with enough room for the wicks and coils over/around the air holes they seem to channel the juice away from them instead of into them. its one of the only bottom air atomizers that works like that for me (as long as you dont dump enough juice in to flood over the top of the air hole tubes, obviously). i have had more juice pour out the side of my csmnt than my reload.

and i second @Don29palms on the clones. there are lots of reasons to dislike the whole clone industry, and a lot of people will not buy them on principle...but i like them for 'demo' purposes. for the price of an authentic goon/csmnt/reload, you can try out all three (and a couple other things too). you can learn lessons (maybe you hate postless decks, or bottom air, or giant drip tips etc) for much cheaper. another bonus is that if/when you decide you like the clone enough to buy an authentic, you can almost guarantee that it will be even better than the clone you liked :cheers: (and also his recommendation to look at the rapture rda, though its prolly not any good at single coil, its got great flavor, smooth air and its also very good at not leaking when you dump juice in the top).
 

minimag03

Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I assume you'd like a duel coil RDA, right?

If so, I'd suggest either a Drop or a Troll V2 22mm for a few reasons.

Both the Drop and Troll are simple to build, which is very important when picking a first RDA.

They are both practically leak proof because their wells are large (especially the Troll) and they are side airflow.

Both are cheap. I know you said money isn't a huge issue, but most high end RDAs aren't that much better than the mass produced ones in the ~$30 range. You can buy a high end RDA once you have gone through a few regular ones, know exactly what you like/dislike, and can appreciate some of the little nuances of high end RDAs.

Stay away from bottom airflow RDAs right now. I made the mistake of making a bottom airflow RDA my first it wasn't fun. Usually the flavor is a little better but they can be very inconvenient and only really practical when at home. They are def one of those products that I'd suggest picking up as a second or third RDA instead of your daily-driver/workhorse.

The Troll V2, 22mm is a stellar beginner RDA, even better than the Drop in that respect. However, the Drop is def a better RDA over all and one that you will enjoy even after you're a seasoned veteran.
 
Here's an idea. Go on Fasttech and pick up a couple different clones of the RDAs you like. They are less than $10 each. Once you find what you like get an authentic. If you want an authentic go to Armageddon Mfg. and get a Rapture. It has both side or bottom airflow.

I really like this idea...I might pick up a couple of different clones, side air vs bottom air and then decide what I like more. Are all the clones on fasttech the same quality? I see slightly different prices.

i think the coils are like an umbrella for the air holes in this case. if you build with enough room for the wicks and coils over/around the air holes they seem to channel the juice away from them instead of into them. its one of the only bottom air atomizers that works like that for me (as long as you dont dump enough juice in to flood over the top of the air hole tubes, obviously). i have had more juice pour out the side of my csmnt than my reload.

and i second @Don29palms on the clones. there are lots of reasons to dislike the whole clone industry, and a lot of people will not buy them on principle...but i like them for 'demo' purposes. for the price of an authentic goon/csmnt/reload, you can try out all three (and a couple other things too). you can learn lessons (maybe you hate postless decks, or bottom air, or giant drip tips etc) for much cheaper. another bonus is that if/when you decide you like the clone enough to buy an authentic, you can almost guarantee that it will be even better than the clone you liked :cheers: (and also his recommendation to look at the rapture rda, though its prolly not any good at single coil, its got great flavor, smooth air and its also very good at not leaking when you dump juice in the top).

So im assuming your build and wicking technique can either get it to leak or not leak when dripping straight through the drip tip? Can you please post pictures of your build/wick because my pharoah dripper is similar in terms of the bottom airflow but without the tubes and if i drip without tilting it to the side (i.e. straight through) then I almost always get juice puring out of the airflow holes. Maybe its because I'm running a single coil on the pharaoh? About that clone thing, I might actually do that, or get a rapture rda and try different airflow settings to see if I like side, bottom, or a combination of both. How would you compare the flavor of the rapture vs the reload and the csmnt?

I assume you'd like a duel coil RDA, right?

If so, I'd suggest either a Drop or a Troll V2 22mm for a few reasons.

Both the Drop and Troll are simple to build, which is very important when picking a first RDA.

They are both practically leak proof because their wells are large (especially the Troll) and they are side airflow.

Both are cheap. I know you said money isn't a huge issue, but most high end RDAs aren't that much better than the mass produced ones in the ~$30 range. You can buy a high end RDA once you have gone through a few regular ones, know exactly what you like/dislike, and can appreciate some of the little nuances of high end RDAs.

Stay away from bottom airflow RDAs right now. I made the mistake of making a bottom airflow RDA my first it wasn't fun. Usually the flavor is a little better but they can be very inconvenient and only really practical when at home. They are def one of those products that I'd suggest picking up as a second or third RDA instead of your daily-driver/workhorse.

The Troll V2, 22mm is a stellar beginner RDA, even better than the Drop in that respect. However, the Drop is def a better RDA over all and one that you will enjoy even after you're a seasoned veteran.

I totally understand your point of view and it makes sense. My thought process was get a high end rda that is a flavor machine and mess around with it (coils, builds, wicks, etc...) until I find a good sweet spot and then just keep that rda. However, Im liking the drop more and more, I just wish I could try some of these rda's before buying them. Regarding bottom airflow, what I was thinking was that if the flavor is much better, then im willing to deal with not dripping straight down, or tilting (like my pharaoh dripper) or something like that, but I dont want to go through all this hassle when dripping if the outcome (flavor) isnt that much better than a side airflow one like apocalypse/csmnt/goon...Whats your take on flavor from bottom vs side? Is it that much better?

Thank you guys, this is really helping me out.
 

minimag03

Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Maybe it's just me, but I've almost always viewed bottom airflow RDAs as painters instead of drippers. If you take the time to remove the top cap and apply the liquid straight onto the coils, you won't get nearly as much leaking. But that goes back to the inconvenience aspect of bottom airflows.

The Drop is every bit as good as the CSMNT and better than the Goon or Apocalypse. Plus it is way easier to properly build than any of the of those RDAs; I cannot stress the importance of that aspect enough to a newer builder. Just because it costs less than a high end RDA doesn't mean that it won't give you high end performance. I think a good way to judge an RDAs performance is watching youtuber non-review videos, where they aren't having to use a certain product. In those videos, I've seen a lot more Drops than any other RDA (and a lot more Dead Rabbits before the Drop was released).

Like I mentioned before. The flavor is usually a little better with bottom airflows, but it's such a small amount that I don't think it's worth the hassle for daily user RDA. It's worth picking up a cheap one eventually just so you can try it out, it's just not a good idea to buy one as your go-to atty (as you've already found out with the Pharaoh). I really like the Wotofo Lush Plus RDA and it can be found for very cheap. It's great for flavor but not a good option for everyday use.
 
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Don29palms

Silver Contributor
Member For 3 Years
ECF Refugee
Unlisted Vendor
Maybe it's just me, but I've almost always viewed bottom airflow RDAs as painters instead of drippers. If you take the time to remove the top cap and apply the liquid straight onto the coils, you won't get nearly as much leaking. But that goes back to the inconvenience aspect of bottom airflows.

The Drop is every bit as good as the CSMNT and better than the Goon or Apocalypse. Plus it is way easier to properly build than any of the of those RDAs; I cannot stress the importance of that aspect enough to a newer builder. Just because it costs less than a high end RDA doesn't mean that it won't give you high end performance. I think a good way to judge an RDAs performance is watching youtuber non-review videos, where they aren't having to use a certain product. In those videos, I've seen a lot more Drops than any other RDA (and a lot more Dead Rabbits for the Drop was released).

Like I mentioned before. The flavor is usually a little better with bottom airflows, but it's such a small amount that I don't think it's worth the hassle for daily user RDA.

I would second these opinions. I have Goons, Apocalypse, pharoah (I can't stand), Sherman, Mask, Dead Rabbit ( garbage), Drop and Lucid RDAs and a few more. The way the Drop airflow is it's more like a bottom airflow. Even how I set my coils on a side airflow the air still come up on the bottom side of the coils. I liked my Goons ok until I got my Apocalypse and Elite. Both of those are much better than the Goon. The Dead Rabbit is garbage. The Drop is amazing and is arguably the best RDA on the market right now. Of course these are ONLY MY OPINIONS. I have many authentics and clones. There are some you can't can't tell the difference and some there is an obvious difference.

In my opinion most of the time flavor and clouds depend more on the build and eliquid more than the RDA. There are some exceptions good and bad. Also it's very subjective from one person to another.
 

SkoldVape

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I would second these opinions. I have Goons, Apocalypse, pharoah (I can't stand), Sherman, Mask, Dead Rabbit ( garbage), Drop and Lucid RDAs and a few more. The way the Drop airflow is it's more like a bottom airflow. Even how I set my coils on a side airflow the air still come up on the bottom side of the coils. I liked my Goons ok until I got my Apocalypse and Elite. Both of those are much better than the Goon. The Dead Rabbit is garbage. The Drop is amazing and is arguably the best RDA on the market right now. Of course these are ONLY MY OPINIONS. I have many authentics and clones. There are some you can't can't tell the difference and some there is an obvious difference.

In my opinion most of the time flavor and clouds depend more on the build and eliquid more than the RDA. There are some exceptions good and bad. Also it's very subjective from one person to another.
I can't stand the Dead Rabbit. I don't see why so many people like it. It's overrated hyped up shite
 

mach1ne

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
So im assuming your build and wicking technique can either get it to leak or not leak when dripping straight through the drip tip? Can you please post pictures of your build/wick because my pharoah dripper is similar in terms of the bottom airflow but without the tubes and if i drip without tilting it to the side (i.e. straight through) then I almost always get juice puring out of the airflow holes. Maybe its because I'm running a single coil on the pharaoh?
here are some pics. its hard to see, but i tried to get angles that let you see the air tubes in relation to the coils. these are 3mm fused claptons (for unregulated series). i just re-wicked for the photos, and to test, once they were wet and vaping, i dumped a 3/4 full eye dropper through my drip tip and no leaking. i tried to get a video, but its too big to upload and i dont have time to make it work. youll have to trust me lol..either way, this is a pretty basic install for this atty, theres no trick between having it leak or not, in my experience. this is just a clone i got a month or two ago to test out btw (it made it to the authentic purchase queue though).
rl3.JPG
rl2.JPG
rl1.JPG


About that clone thing, I might actually do that, or get a rapture rda and try different airflow settings to see if I like side, bottom, or a combination of both. How would you compare the flavor of the rapture vs the reload and the csmnt?
i have only tried one build/juice in the rapture so far (also a clone from the same order as the reload). i would put them both slightly ahead of the csmnt for flavor, but the csmnt is a really smooth vape and i have used it more than the other two overall...the rapture has a crazy upside down deck that seems to help channel juice away from the air holes when you go in from the drip tip. i was actually very impressed with how it didnt leak tbh. it looks like it would leak like a sieve...as long as you dont let the juice get deeper than the airholes you are good.

im gonna agree with @Don29palms and @SkoldVape on the rabbit as well. i was pretty hyped up for it and so far it has not lived up to it for me. its not 'bad' imo, its just not my first choice for postless deck, top airflow, squonking, large single coils, or dual coil builds...so it mostly gets left behind in favor of atomizers that do any of those things better.
 
Maybe it's just me, but I've almost always viewed bottom airflow RDAs as painters instead of drippers. If you take the time to remove the top cap and apply the liquid straight onto the coils, you won't get nearly as much leaking. But that goes back to the inconvenience aspect of bottom airflows.

The Drop is every bit as good as the CSMNT and better than the Goon or Apocalypse. Plus it is way easier to properly build than any of the of those RDAs; I cannot stress the importance of that aspect enough to a newer builder. Just because it costs less than a high end RDA doesn't mean that it won't give you high end performance. I think a good way to judge an RDAs performance is watching youtuber non-review videos, where they aren't having to use a certain product. In those videos, I've seen a lot more Drops than any other RDA (and a lot more Dead Rabbits before the Drop was released).

Like I mentioned before. The flavor is usually a little better with bottom airflows, but it's such a small amount that I don't think it's worth the hassle for daily user RDA. It's worth picking up a cheap one eventually just so you can try it out, it's just not a good idea to buy one as your go-to atty (as you've already found out with the Pharaoh). I really like the Wotofo Lush Plus RDA and it can be found for very cheap. It's great for flavor but not a good option for everyday use.

I dont think I would like to paint the coils everytime, kind of seems like too much of a hassle for a small increase in flavor. If flavor would be way much better then Id reconsider... Seems like the drop is the way to go. Im going to pull the trigger on one soon hopefully.

I would second these opinions. I have Goons, Apocalypse, pharoah (I can't stand), Sherman, Mask, Dead Rabbit ( garbage), Drop and Lucid RDAs and a few more. The way the Drop airflow is it's more like a bottom airflow. Even how I set my coils on a side airflow the air still come up on the bottom side of the coils. I liked my Goons ok until I got my Apocalypse and Elite. Both of those are much better than the Goon. The Dead Rabbit is garbage. The Drop is amazing and is arguably the best RDA on the market right now. Of course these are ONLY MY OPINIONS. I have many authentics and clones. There are some you can't can't tell the difference and some there is an obvious difference.

In my opinion most of the time flavor and clouds depend more on the build and eliquid more than the RDA. There are some exceptions good and bad. Also it's very subjective from one person to another.

Yeah ultimately the build and juice weigh in more than the RDA but I wanted to make sure that I was indeed getting a flavor rda if you will. You seem like youve had your fair share of rda experience and if you think the drop is way better than a goon, apocalypse, dead rabbit, etc.. then again, it seems like the drop is the way to go. Just out of curiosity, what dont you like about the Pharaoh?
 
here are some pics. its hard to see, but i tried to get angles that let you see the air tubes in relation to the coils. these are 3mm fused claptons (for unregulated series). i just re-wicked for the photos, and to test, once they were wet and vaping, i dumped a 3/4 full eye dropper through my drip tip and no leaking. i tried to get a video, but its too big to upload and i dont have time to make it work. youll have to trust me lol..either way, this is a pretty basic install for this atty, theres no trick between having it leak or not, in my experience. this is just a clone i got a month or two ago to test out btw (it made it to the authentic purchase queue though).
View attachment 102323
View attachment 102324
View attachment 102325

i have only tried one build/juice in the rapture so far (also a clone from the same order as the reload). i would put them both slightly ahead of the csmnt for flavor, but the csmnt is a really smooth vape and i have used it more than the other two overall...the rapture has a crazy upside down deck that seems to help channel juice away from the air holes when you go in from the drip tip. i was actually very impressed with how it didnt leak tbh. it looks like it would leak like a sieve...as long as you dont let the juice get deeper than the airholes you are good.

im gonna agree with @Don29palms and @SkoldVape on the rabbit as well. i was pretty hyped up for it and so far it has not lived up to it for me. its not 'bad' imo, its just not my first choice for postless deck, top airflow, squonking, large single coils, or dual coil builds...so it mostly gets left behind in favor of atomizers that do any of those things better.

Thank you so much for the pictures. Wow, thats a lot of juice dumped into it without leaking. Thats impressive honestly, never thought a bottom airflow rda could handle that much dripping without leaking. I think I might get a reload clone just to try it out. Which clone do you have? I was looking at fasttech and they had a whole bunch and I didn't know which one would be of good quality. If you could post a link to your clone that would be great.

Thank you guys for all the help!
 

mach1ne

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Thank you so much for the pictures. Wow, thats a lot of juice dumped into it without leaking. Thats impressive honestly, never thought a bottom airflow rda could handle that much dripping without leaking. I think I might get a reload clone just to try it out. Which clone do you have? I was looking at fasttech and they had a whole bunch and I didn't know which one would be of good quality. If you could post a link to your clone that would be great.

Thank you guys for all the help!
im pretty sure it was this one.
 

minimag03

Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I dont think I would like to paint the coils everytime, kind of seems like too much of a hassle for a small increase in flavor. If flavor would be way much better then Id reconsider... Seems like the drop is the way to go. Im going to pull the trigger on one soon hopefully.

I was referring to painting coils in bottom airflow RDAs instead of dripping, which eliminates leaking all together. That's how I use all my bottom airflow RDAs. Although painting will give you better flavor than dripping in certain RDAs, mainly ones where the coils are set to the side like the Goon and Apocalypse. The Drop, CSMNT, and Reload all have their coils set almost directly below the drip tip, so dripping through the tip will directly saturate the coils instead of relying soling on capillary action. I think that's a big reason those RDAs are known for having stellar flavor.


The Reload is a great RDA. If you really want a bottom airflow, it's probably the best option available. If money is no issue, and you do decide to go with a bottom airflow, just buy a real Reload. They are in stock right now so no need to get a clone...

http://www.evcigarettes.com/reload-bf-rda-by-reload-vapor-usa/


I still think a Drop is a better option. Especially since it's 1/4 the price of a Reload. VaporRange is having a 10% off sale right now. You could get a Drop for like $24.50 shipped...

https://www.vaporrange.com/Digiflavor-Drop-24mm-RDA-p/digiflavor-drop-24-rda.htm
 

Don29palms

Silver Contributor
Member For 3 Years
ECF Refugee
Unlisted Vendor
I dont think I would like to paint the coils everytime, kind of seems like too much of a hassle for a small increase in flavor. If flavor would be way much better then Id reconsider... Seems like the drop is the way to go. Im going to pull the trigger on one soon hopefully.



Yeah ultimately the build and juice weigh in more than the RDA but I wanted to make sure that I was indeed getting a flavor rda if you will. You seem like youve had your fair share of rda experience and if you think the drop is way better than a goon, apocalypse, dead rabbit, etc.. then again, it seems like the drop is the way to go. Just out of curiosity, what dont you like about the Pharaoh?
It's easier for me to say what I liked about the pharaoh. I liked the build deck. I got the pharoah basically to test some braided coils I like to make every now and then. I don't really like single coils to begin with but its fun to play with. IN MY OPINION I would never recommend a pharaoh to anyone when there are sooo many better RDAs out there. My Lucid is my #1 RDA. I don't think it's a good RDA for a beginner. It can be tricky to build on and it does have a learning curve. It's also a vertical coil RDA. I use my Drop when I don't use my Lucid. I get bored easily and build and use alot of my RDAs regularly. I like to use my RDTAs when I'm driving. ( or my Gbox)
 
im pretty sure it was this one.

Thanks, I will buy a clone soon to test it out. I think ive made up my mind and I will be getting a drop soon!

I was referring to painting coils in bottom airflow RDAs instead of dripping, which eliminates leaking all together. That's how I use all my bottom airflow RDAs. Although painting will give you better flavor than dripping in certain RDAs, mainly ones where the coils are set to the side like the Goon and Apocalypse. The Drop, CSMNT, and Reload all have their coils set almost directly below the drip tip, so dripping through the tip will directly saturate the coils instead of relying soling on capillary action. I think that's a big reason those RDAs are known for having stellar flavor.


The Reload is a great RDA. If you really want a bottom airflow, it's probably the best option available. If money is no issue, and you do decide to go with a bottom airflow, just buy a real Reload. They are in stock right now so no need to get a clone...

http://www.evcigarettes.com/reload-bf-rda-by-reload-vapor-usa/


I still think a Drop is a better option. Especially since it's 1/4 the price of a Reload. VaporRange is having a 10% off sale right now. You could get a Drop for like $24.50 shipped...

https://www.vaporrange.com/Digiflavor-Drop-24mm-RDA-p/digiflavor-drop-24-rda.htm

I think Im going with the drop and perhaps buy a reload clone and see how that works out before I pull the trigger and get an authentic.

It's easier for me to say what I liked about the pharaoh. I liked the build deck. I got the pharoah basically to test some braided coils I like to make every now and then. I don't really like single coils to begin with but its fun to play with. IN MY OPINION I would never recommend a pharaoh to anyone when there are sooo many better RDAs out there. My Lucid is my #1 RDA. I don't think it's a good RDA for a beginner. It can be tricky to build on and it does have a learning curve. It's also a vertical coil RDA. I use my Drop when I don't use my Lucid. I get bored easily and build and use alot of my RDAs regularly. I like to use my RDTAs when I'm driving. ( or my Gbox)

I like how easy the pharaoh is to build and wick but after using it I think I can get better flavor from other attys. The Drop it is!

I have another question for you guys. My Alien is acting all weird with reading ohms and im getting errors like "ohm too low" and "ohm too high" randomly and sporadically. I have ruled out my attys and im sure its the mod. I guess its Smok's signature. Im looking to start using TC and Im determined to get a dna mod (chose it over YiHi for warranty, customer service, and more accurate temp control). Ive been researching and I think it only makes sense to get a dna250 since its the latest and best out there(supposedly). Let me know what you guys think. Ultimately price isnt an issue as its going to be my daily mod for a while. I would prefer something that takes 18650 batteries (dual/tripple) since I have a bunch of them and Id rather just change the batteries when theyre dead instead of charging the mod. I dont mind using escribe and learning how to use it. What would be a realiable mod to choose? I dont care that much about aesthetics and I would rather get a reliable mod that wont fail in a year. Im unsure whether custom or production mods would be better. Let me know what you guys think!

Thanks again, I really appreciate it.
 

Don29palms

Silver Contributor
Member For 3 Years
ECF Refugee
Unlisted Vendor
I don't have any DNA mods anymore. I had a Drone and it didn't last long. I use my Revenant for tc and it works perfectly for me. I don't really care for tc that much. I did put some coils in the Lucid and I'm running it in tc right now. Suprisingly the flavor is even better. Love that RDA!
 

minimag03

Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I'd suggest a Voopoo Drag, as long as you don't plan on using a super low resistance for TC, or using super chunky coils. It's a superb mod for the money. I think it's every bit as good as the DNAs. I don't use all the fancy settings on those mods either, so take that statement with a grain of salt lol.

The DNA250 is supposedly the best out of the bunch. DNA 160s have all the features as the 250, they are the same board with a lower wattage cutoff. Keep that in mind while shopping around.

If money is really no problem, you should look into nice 3D printed mods. Boxxer (made by Ginger Vapes) and Rebel Vapes are the biggest producers. I've heard that Rebel uses better materials when 3D printing their mods, which don't wear/fade like Boxxers. But that's all something you you need to look into for yourself tho.
 

stanglifemike

Silver Contributor
Member For 2 Years
I have another question for you guys. My Alien is acting all weird with reading ohms and im getting errors like "ohm too low" and "ohm too high" randomly and sporadically. I have ruled out my attys and im sure its the mod. I guess its Smok's signature. Im looking to start using TC and Im determined to get a dna mod (chose it over YiHi for warranty, customer service, and more accurate temp control). Ive been researching and I think it only makes sense to get a dna250 since its the latest and best out there(supposedly). Let me know what you guys think. Ultimately price isnt an issue as its going to be my daily mod for a while. I would prefer something that takes 18650 batteries (dual/tripple) since I have a bunch of them and Id rather just change the batteries when theyre dead instead of charging the mod. I dont mind using escribe and learning how to use it. What would be a realiable mod to choose? I dont care that much about aesthetics and I would rather get a reliable mod that wont fail in a year. Im unsure whether custom or production mods would be better. Let me know what you guys think!

Thanks again, I really appreciate it.
I was going to recommend going with Yihi before reading you had already ruled them out...

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 

minimag03

Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Ihanania, where did you hear Yihi didn't have customer service? SX is one of the few Asia based companies that I've heard has good customer service.

I've also noticed a lot of people mentioning having trouble with DNA boards in the recent weeks. Most of the people complaining said they were in Lost Vape products.

Also, another great option for mods that I forgot to mention earlier (bearing in mind that you said cost is no issue) is Vicious Ant. I've read great things about their customer service as well. They mostly use Yihi boards.
 
I don't have any DNA mods anymore. I had a Drone and it didn't last long. I use my Revenant for tc and it works perfectly for me. I don't really care for tc that much. I did put some coils in the Lucid and I'm running it in tc right now. Suprisingly the flavor is even better. Love that RDA!

Glad youre enjoying your lucid. Hopefully some day I'll experiment with it. Why didnt your drone last long?

I'd suggest a Voopoo Drag, as long as you don't plan on using a super low resistance for TC, or using super chunky coils. It's a superb mod for the money. I think it's every bit as good as the DNAs. I don't use all the fancy settings on those mods either, so take that statement with a grain of salt lol.

The DNA250 is supposedly the best out of the bunch. DNA 160s have all the features as the 250, they are the same board with a lower wattage cutoff. Keep that in mind while shopping around.

If money is really no problem, you should look into nice 3D printed mods. Boxxer (made by Ginger Vapes) and Rebel Vapes are the biggest producers. I've heard that Rebel uses better materials when 3D printing their mods, which don't wear/fade like Boxxers. But that's all something you you need to look into for yourself tho.

How low is super low on the Drag? Also what do you consider a super chunky coil? My idea behind a dna was the ability to customize it for temperature control and stick with that. I didnt know that about the 160s, thats actually interesting as I dont think Ill ever go above 160 Watts, I'll look into it. I acutally really like the 3D printed mods. One of my friends has a boxer and has used it for about a year and the color has faded and I remember him complaining about it. I might get the Rebel. Any pros/cons you can think off?

I was going to recommend going with Yihi before reading you had already ruled them out...

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

I mean i havent had any experience with them. Just what I read online...How would you compare both?

Ihanania, where did you hear Yihi didn't have customer service? SX is one of the few Asia based companies that I've heard has good customer service.

I've also noticed a lot of people mentioning having trouble with DNA boards in the recent weeks. Most of the people complaining said they were in Lost Vape products.

Also, another great option for mods that I forgot to mention earlier (bearing in mind that you said cost is no issue) is Vicious Ant. I've read great things about their customer service as well. They mostly use Yihi boards.

I was reading on forums and a few people were saying they never heard back from Yihi, or they had issues with warranties, long shipping times, etc...Do you have any experience with yihi's customer service? Also would you suggest a yihi vs dna? and why? Yeah ive seen some people mentioning issues with Lost Vape products, I wonder if its the mod or the chip thats causing it. I've looked at Vicious ant and they might actually be a good option, the rebel is one too.

Ultimately, i want a reliable durable mod with accurate temperature control and if anything were to happen wrong, I would want the company to stand behind their product. Size and aesthetics are less important to me. Let me know what you guys think!

Thanks again
 

Don29palms

Silver Contributor
Member For 3 Years
ECF Refugee
Unlisted Vendor
My the screen went out and the fire button broke on the Drone. I'm not a big fan of tc anyway. Some people really like it. I can take it or leave it.
 

minimag03

Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
How low is super low on the Drag? Also what do you consider a super chunky coil? My idea behind a dna was the ability to customize it for temperature control and stick with that. I didnt know that about the 160s, thats actually interesting as I dont think Ill ever go above 160 Watts, I'll look into it. I acutally really like the 3D printed mods. One of my friends has a boxer and has used it for about a year and the color has faded and I remember him complaining about it. I might get the Rebel. Any pros/cons you can think off?

I was reading on forums and a few people were saying they never heard back from Yihi, or they had issues with warranties, long shipping times, etc...Do you have any experience with yihi's customer service? Also would you suggest a yihi vs dna? and why? Yeah ive seen some people mentioning issues with Lost Vape products, I wonder if its the mod or the chip thats causing it. I've looked at Vicious ant and they might actually be a good option, the rebel is one too.

Ultimately, i want a reliable durable mod with accurate temperature control and if anything were to happen wrong, I would want the company to stand behind their product. Size and aesthetics are less important to me. Let me know what you guys think!

The Drag has a limit of 80w in TC mod. So if you build low resistance (below .15 is where I've seen a huge difference) or use a really large coil with lots of wraps (like a triple core clapton, quad core clapton, alien, etc) the 80w might not be enough to quickly get the vape up to your desired temp. It's easily fixed by not building a low resistance/extra large coil when using TC, and it seems most TC users don't do that anyway. The Drag is amazing other than that one small issue. Besides that one little problem, I think it's the best mod on the market if you're considering price. I've put my Drag through hell and it still performs like it did out of the box. I'm actually going to buy a second one once I have the spare cash.


Pros to a Boxxer is Ginger Vapes is a US-based company while Rebel is UK-based. However, Rebel uses solid-color materials that don't fade when making their ally grey and ally black mods , while Boxxer uses dyes which do fade (like your friends) and even come mismatched out of the box. Ginger and Rebel offer both offer DNA and Yihi boards in their mods.

I'm not the best person to ask about DNAs and Yihis, nor do I know much about the 3D printed mods. I'm mainly telling you what I've noticed people mentioning on the forums, and you're better off doing your own research on the subject since it's your money. I'd hate to tell ya something incorrect and you get a mod you don't enjoy.

Rebel Vape 20700/21700 DNA 167 (the ally black version of this mod would be my personal choice if buying a 3D printed vape)
https://www.esauce.co.uk/rebel-mod/...-2070021700-evolv-dna-250-rebel041-rebel-vape


Another major aspect to consider is the type of battery to get. Those companies offer different types of batteries in their mods. 18650s will possibly be dead in a few years, and I'd guess 21700s will be replacing them. If I were buying a pricey mod like that, I'd go for the 20700/21700 model. The only drawback is there are very few 20700/21700 batteries out that are superb performers for vaping; you're pretty much stuck with the iJoy batteries for now. However, Samsung's 30T should soon be widely available (I've already seen it listed on large wholesale websites). It will probably be the king of 21700s for a very long time.

It's a good idea to read up on batteries as well (if you haven't already). There are LOTS of fakes on the market even being sold my reputable vaping companies (unknowingly, I hope). The link below will tell you everything you need to know about batteries. Battery Mooch practically a saint to the vaping community haha. Check out his Youtube videos, they are great. If you need to buy batteries, I'd suggest Illumn.

His blog
https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/blogs/mooch.256958/
 
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My the screen went out and the fire button broke on the Drone. I'm not a big fan of tc anyway. Some people really like it. I can take it or leave it.

Ive never really tried TC and would like to give it a shot and see whats its about.

The Drag has a limit of 80w in TC mod. So if you build low resistance (below .15 is where I've seen a huge difference) or use a really large coil with lots of wraps (like a triple core clapton, quad core clapton, alien, etc) the 80w might not be enough to quickly get the vape up to your desired temp. It's easily fixed by not building a low resistance/extra large coil when using TC, and it seems most TC users don't do that anyway. The Drag is amazing other than that one small issue. Besides that one little problem, I think it's the best mod on the market if you're considering price. I've put my Drag through hell and it still performs like it did out of the box. I'm actually going to buy a second one once I have the spare cash.


Pros to a Boxxer is Ginger Vapes is a US-based company while Rebel is UK-based. However, Rebel uses solid-color materials that don't fade when making their ally grey and ally black mods , while Boxxer uses dyes which do fade (like your friends) and even come mismatched out of the box. Ginger and Rebel offer both offer DNA and Yihi boards in their mods.

I'm not the best person to ask about DNAs and Yihis, nor do I know much about the 3D printed mods. I'm mainly telling you what I've noticed people mentioning on the forums, and you're better off doing your own research on the subject since it's your money. I'd hate to tell ya something incorrect and you get a mod you don't enjoy.

Rebel Vape 20700/21700 DNA 167 (the ally black version of this mod would be my personal choice if buying a 3D printed vape)
https://www.esauce.co.uk/rebel-mod/...-2070021700-evolv-dna-250-rebel041-rebel-vape


Another major aspect to consider is the type of battery to get. Those companies offer different types of batteries in their mods. 18650s will possibly be dead in a few years, and I'd guess 21700s will be replacing them. If I were buying a pricey mod like that, I'd go for the 20700/21700 model. The only drawback is there are very few 20700/21700 batteries out that are superb performers for vaping; you're pretty much stuck with the iJoy batteries for now. However, Samsung's 30T should soon be widely available (I've already seen it listed on large wholesale websites). It will probably be the king of 21700s for a very long time.

It's a good idea to read up on batteries as well (if you haven't already). There are LOTS of fakes on the market even being sold my reputable vaping companies (unknowingly, I hope). The link below will tell you everything you need to know about batteries. Battery Mooch practically a saint to the vaping community haha. Check out his Youtube videos, they are great. If you need to buy batteries, I'd suggest Illumn.

His blog
https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/blogs/mooch.256958/

I tend to buy premade coils and im getting great flavor from aliens, fused claptons and staples. Running them on a dual coil setup leads to resistances of around .14 or something of that range. I dont think I'd be happy with the drag for that reason.

Yeah I think I might just go for a rebel, even if they're in the UK. I remember my friend's mod looking ugly with faded sections. I wanted 18650's since I have around 10 of them and I figured it would be better to be able to use my own batteries instead of buying new ones. I never knew 18650's will be dead, why do you say so? and by when do you think that will happen?

Yeah I have learned so much about batteries from Mooch, I learned that my first two batteries are rewraps and I bought all my new batteries from Illumn btw. I also learned about no 18650 battery being above 30A, some good and bad practices, etc...I admire his work and input to the vaping community.

I guess its a DNA vs YiHi question now...hmm back to more research! Let me know what you guys prefer and why!

Thanks again
 

rxmilitia

Member For 4 Years
Currently running single coil on my drop rda. I found the dual coils to run a bit hotter than I like (drop is known for being a hotter rda).

I’ve seen no issues as far as airflow goes running single coil on the drop. I kept my leads long enough to pull the coil into the middle. Vapes like a dream

I do not like single coil on the 24mm dead rabbit. The airflow is just not ideal for it.
 

minimag03

Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Keep in mind that the problem with the Drag only happens in TC. It's a beast in wattage mode.

A lot of trends start in vaping start in the high-end and trickle their way down to the lower-end massed produced stuff. Larger batteries have been working their way into the high-end stuff for a couple years and are now becoming available on low-end products. For example, Wismec has released a handful of mods that use 2x700 batteries. 21700s are also being favored in industries outside of vaping; Tesla switched the batteries for their cars from 18650s to 21700s. I have no idea how long it will be until the majority of mods use 21700s instead of 18650s, but I'm willing to bet that it will happen. Since you have a bunch of new 18650s, there is no reason to hop on the 2x700 bandwagon yet. By the time your 18650s wear out, you'll probably want a new mod anyway lol.

Have you decided what type (material) of coil you're going to use for TC? They can be tricky to find in certain TC-friendly materials like SS316. I'd personally suggest Advanced Vaper Supply. They were suggest to me from member of this site and I've had nothing but great experiences using their spooled wire.
 

Carmmond

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Just remember only the black and gray models of the Rebel use the colored plastic the other colors are also died. I went with the Boxer triple 18650 black because they were state side. If it fades I’ll just re-die it with Rite die, no big deal.... that’s why I went with black.
When you see the price difference between the two you may change your mind. I got my Boxer on their Christmas sale so the Rebel was well over $100 more for the same type of mod. Not worth it to me even if I have to die it every two to three years. I think the die thing is over played... just my two cents.
Watch their Facebook page and website they have sales on the Boxer several times a year.

Another shoutout for Advanced vape supply I have used their 336L and 430 SS and like it a lot.
Edit: Just looked Gingervaper has a Valentine’s Day sale going on FYI.
 
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