Become a Patron!

Top Airflow - I don't Understand

r055co

VU Donator
Platinum Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I don't understand the appeal, none, zilch, not at all. IMO it dilutes the flavor and does a very poor job cooling the coils.

In order of best airflow
  • Bottom
  • Side
  • Combination of the two
I've just been seeing more top airflow designs coming out and all I do is scratch my head.
 

SirRichardRear

AKA Anthony Vapes on Youtube
VU Donator
Diamond Contributor
Member For 3 Years
Reviewer
I don't understand the appeal, none, zilch, not at all. IMO it dilutes the flavor and does a very poor job cooling the coils.

In order of best airflow
  • Bottom
  • Side
  • Combination of the two
I've just been seeing more top airflow designs coming out and all I do is scratch my head.

couldn't agree more. I've said it time and time again. some RDAs have good flavor with side airflow but none can match a bottom airflow or as you said a combo of the 2. but bottom is always needed for best flavor
 

r055co

VU Donator
Platinum Contributor
Member For 4 Years
couldn't agree more. I've said it time and time again. some RDAs have good flavor with side airflow but none can match a bottom airflow or as you said a combo of the 2. but bottom is always needed for best flavor
I love the Mose by MCV, air comes in from the top but is channeled to the bottom for a bottom and side air. Flavor is great love that RDA.
Another flavor beast is the Darang, again air comes in from the top but channeled down to come out to hit the sides. These two RDA's I've had zero leaking, testing both I overdripped to the point where the coils were submerged in juice. Spitty as all hell but zero leaks.

My favorite is bottom air or combination of bottom/side directly onto the coils.
 

SirRichardRear

AKA Anthony Vapes on Youtube
VU Donator
Diamond Contributor
Member For 3 Years
Reviewer
I love the Mose by MCV, air comes in from the top but is channeled to the bottom for a bottom and side air. Flavor is great love that RDA.
Another flavor beast is the Darang, again air comes in from the top but channeled down to come out to hit the sides. These two RDA's I've had zero leaking, testing both I overdripped to the point where the coils were submerged in juice. Spitty as all hell but zero leaks.

My favorite is bottom air or combination of bottom/side directly onto the coils.
all my favs are bottom only except for the one hatty you turned me on to which is bottom and side. that little thing is a beast. I really like this gear too. it's bottom air but channeled form the side. right now my list of favs would be (in no order)
tsunami 24
Pharaoh
Hatty
Gear

Same with RTAs i know the engine was a hot ticket, i just got one in yesterday but in no way do i expect it to equal side or bottom airflow RTAs. i remember back in the days before when we only had side i was using a patriot (many years ago) had to drill the holes bigger and built the coils so the air would come under them to get better flavor.

Never tried a Mose or Durang but i think people always feel what they have is the best. nothing wrong with it, as long as you enjoy it who cares, but it's just a natural thing people do. I'm always on the lookout for something better then i have and willing to try new stuff. too many people shrug off suggestions IMO
 

r055co

VU Donator
Platinum Contributor
Member For 4 Years
all my favs are bottom only except for the one hatty you turned me on to which is bottom and side. that little thing is a beast. I really like this gear too. it's bottom air but channeled form the side. right now my list of favs would be (in no order)
tsunami 24
Pharaoh
Hatty
Gear

Same with RTAs i know the engine was a hot ticket, i just got one in yesterday but in no way do i expect it to equal side or bottom airflow RTAs. i remember back in the days before when we only had side i was using a patriot (many years ago) had to drill the holes bigger and built the coils so the air would come under them to get better flavor.

Never tried a Mose or Durang but i think people always feel what they have is the best. nothing wrong with it, as long as you enjoy it who cares, but it's just a natural thing people do. I'm always on the lookout for something better then i have and willing to try new stuff. too many people shrug off suggestions IMO
yeah I like the Gear also, not one of my favorites but it is up there. The Tsunami, good RDA but not overly impressed with it. They claim to have as good as a Kennedy flavor, not even close ;)

Couple you should try are the Mose and Yuri, really like those a lot. Them and if you can find one I can't recommend enough the United Chaos, that is one flavor beast.

I've got a Darang which is a flavor beast also but a tiny deck. I've got a Darang V3 inbound from the PI, really looking forward to that one.

Been mulling over getting a 25mm Ruby, but I'm holding out for the Sith by Silver Wolf Customs. It's a 4 battery parallel, for me that is a must have, can't wait till it's available.
 

SirRichardRear

AKA Anthony Vapes on Youtube
VU Donator
Diamond Contributor
Member For 3 Years
Reviewer
yeah I like the Gear also, not one of my favorites but it is up there. The Tsunami, good RDA but not overly impressed with it. They claim to have as good as a Kennedy flavor, not even close ;)

Couple you should try are the Mose and Yuri, really like those a lot. Them and if you can find one I can't recommend enough the United Chaos, that is one flavor beast.

I've got a Darang which is a flavor beast also but a tiny deck. I've got a Darang V3 inbound from the PI, really looking forward to that one.

Been mulling over getting a 25mm Ruby, but I'm holding out for the Sith by Silver Wolf Customs. It's a 4 battery parallel, for me that is a must have, can't wait till it's available.
looked at the mose and darang. the deck doesn't really do it for me. the mose is super short and only 1 hole per post and the darang is 3 post. The yuri RDA looks more up my alley. i'll keep my eye open for a sale on one if it pops up. I'm kinda a deck snob lol i don't miss the old days when building was hard trying to squeeze shit into small decks with small holes and 3 posts. Now i like the 2 post 2 holes per post, the clamp, and the postless
 

SirRichardRear

AKA Anthony Vapes on Youtube
VU Donator
Diamond Contributor
Member For 3 Years
Reviewer
for me with an RDA it's simple what makes a good one

1) 24-25mm preferably 30mm is ok, not a huge fan of smaller then 24mm
2) deck styles. Velocity 2 post with 2 holes per post, postless, or clamp style (pharaoh or goon)
3) Airflow. bottom mandatory. can be mixed with side or top as well
4) wide bore tip not a 510
 

celticluvr

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
ECF Refugee
The iSub apex has a top airflow... it's not bad as an upgrade from the iclears and Aspire ET-S's. Actually it is great and super fantastic compared to those... BUT now that I have the baby beast... HOT DAMN this juice tastes awesome!:xD:
 

Johnnytraveler

Gold Contributor
Member For 3 Years
Member For 2 Years
all my favs are bottom only except for the one hatty you turned me on to which is bottom and side. that little thing is a beast. I really like this gear too. it's bottom air but channeled form the side. right now my list of favs would be (in no order)
tsunami 24
Pharaoh
Hatty
Gear

Same with RTAs i know the engine was a hot ticket, i just got one in yesterday but in no way do i expect it to equal side or bottom airflow RTAs. i remember back in the days before when we only had side i was using a patriot (many years ago) had to drill the holes bigger and built the coils so the air would come under them to get better flavor.

Never tried a Mose or Durang but i think people always feel what they have is the best. nothing wrong with it, as long as you enjoy it who cares, but it's just a natural thing people do. I'm always on the lookout for something better then i have and willing to try new stuff. too many people shrug off suggestions IMO
Please post an update/review on the engine. I already bought 2 avocados but am considering adding the engine.

Sent from somewhere in Vietnam.
 
Last edited:

SirRichardRear

AKA Anthony Vapes on Youtube
VU Donator
Diamond Contributor
Member For 3 Years
Reviewer
Please post an update/review on the engine. I already bought 2 tsunamis but am considering adding the engine.

Sent from somewhere in Vietnam.
Will do. But I honestly don't expect it to match the Supreme or boreas. I'm still working on my Modfather review as well as the captain and alpha one. I'll add the engine into my list as well.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 

AndriaD

Yes, I DO wear a mask! I'm vaccinated, too!
VU Donator
Diamond Contributor
ECF Refugee
Member For 5 Years
I agree with y'all completely about bottom airflow, so much that I don't even like side airflow, unless the air is channeled from the side to come up under the coil, as in the Achilles and the Magma. But I'm in the uncomfortable position of *requiring* very tight draw, and they just don't make those anymore, especially not with bottom airflow. IMnsHO, the Achilles is the best atty ever made, combining bottom airflow, tight draw, superlative flavor and TH and economical juice usage at very low wattages. Simply an amazing construction, and never leaks unless you just go completely nuts overfilling it. But nobody makes/sells them anymore. :headbang: I've emailed Frog in Fog a couple of times about them selling them again, and never get a reply. Buttheads.

Andria
 

Iliketurtles

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Its cos of leaking. They put airflow up top it doesn't leak, that is why they do it. If you use temp control like most people seem to do then cooling the coils is not as important so you can have a build with a top airflow atty that will perform well enough. If your build is tailored to the strengths of the device it will give decent performance at whatever airflow / power / temperature the device is best suited to. You only ever really get bad performance from an atty when how you like to vape (power / airflow / temp) does not suit that device. Like a 2ohm coil in a Goon is not going to give a MTL vaper much joy :D If I had a top airflow device like a sapor or similar I would only use TC with it but due to the obvious inefficiency of top airflow only designs I never bought any of them.
 

r055co

VU Donator
Platinum Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Its cos of leaking. They put airflow up top it doesn't leak, that is why they do it. If you use temp control like most people seem to do then cooling the coils is not as important so you can have a build with a top airflow atty that will perform well enough. If your build is tailored to the strengths of the device it will give decent performance at whatever airflow / power / temperature the device is best suited to. You only ever really get bad performance from an atty when how you like to vape (power / airflow / temp) does not suit that device. Like a 2ohm coil in a Goon is not going to give a MTL vaper much joy :D If I had a top airflow device like a sapor or similar I would only use TC with it but due to the obvious inefficiency of top airflow only designs I never bought any of them.
The inefficiency is the problem with top airflow, it's a bad design. There are much better leak proof designs, like I pointed out with the Mose and Darang. They've actually been around for a while, like the Omerta which is an old school RDA from a few years ago.

The current popular top air flow designs are just bad ;)
 

NickIsANoob

Silver Contributor
Member For 3 Years
I like side airflow. I don't own anything with only top airflow and I close it on everything I have.

Goon
Petri RDA
TM24 and squared
Apocalypse
Doode
aromamizer
Boreas
Modfather

My tsunami Gemini mutation and Kennedy are put away
 

SirRichardRear

AKA Anthony Vapes on Youtube
VU Donator
Diamond Contributor
Member For 3 Years
Reviewer
I like side airflow. I don't own anything with only top airflow and I close it on everything I have.

Goon
Petri RDA
TM24 and squared
Apocalypse
Doode
aromamizer
Boreas
Modfather

My tsunami Gemini mutation and Kennedy are put away
was it cause leaks or did u feel you get better flavor from a side?
 

NickIsANoob

Silver Contributor
Member For 3 Years
was it cause leaks or did u feel you get better flavor from a side?

I find that I get great flavor from side airflow as long as the coils are positioned right. since I drip on the go and put my mod in my pocket side airflow works best for me.
The only bottom airflow I use is the pharaoh
 

SirRichardRear

AKA Anthony Vapes on Youtube
VU Donator
Diamond Contributor
Member For 3 Years
Reviewer
I find that I get great flavor from side airflow as long as the coils are positioned right. since I drip on the go and put my mod in my pocket side airflow works best for me.
The only bottom airflow I use is the pharaoh
pharaoh is a great one. have you seen the gear? it's bottom airflow but from the side so no leaks or condensation really
 

SirRichardRear

AKA Anthony Vapes on Youtube
VU Donator
Diamond Contributor
Member For 3 Years
Reviewer
I find that I get great flavor from side airflow as long as the coils are positioned right. since I drip on the go and put my mod in my pocket side airflow works best for me.
The only bottom airflow I use is the pharaoh
and i agree you can get good flavor from a side (loved the velocity) but i feel it's a little better for bottom. especially if you build big
 

NickIsANoob

Silver Contributor
Member For 3 Years
ebd1097a42041467689f94ca55596849.jpg


How big is big?
 

ShowerHead

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
ECF Refugee
Hmmm, I don't have the greatest tastebuds in the world, but my OBS Engine is flavorful.
Now, I do TC at 50W 410-450F, no idea how this would perform if I were used power instead of TC.
So far, I have avoided a 30mm tank. Just too big to leave the house and I want to grab an extra tank, pair of batteries and go.

My reason for trying the Engine was that for several tanks before this, they leaked. If they weren't leaking I was wiping condensation.
The Engine goes into my pocket with no worries about leaking.

So, to recap, good flavor, easy to wick, no leaks, kinda stubby compared to the Supreme.
What's not to like?
 

Eskie

Silver Contributor
Member For 3 Years
Hmmm, I don't have the greatest tastebuds in the world, but my OBS Engine is flavorful.
Now, I do TC at 50W 410-450F, no idea how this would perform if I were used power instead of TC.
So far, I have avoided a 30mm tank. Just too big to leave the house and I want to grab an extra tank, pair of batteries and go.

My reason for trying the Engine was that for several tanks before this, they leaked. If they weren't leaking I was wiping condensation.
The Engine goes into my pocket with no worries about leaking.

So, to recap, good flavor, easy to wick, no leaks, kinda stubby compared to the Supreme.
What's not to like?

The Engine is a terrific RTA and IMO the implementation of top airflow is excellent. Performance has been good enough to retire my Boreas to the drawer. It certainly shows top airflow can work if well implemented. And a dry pocket is a big bonus.
 

mjag

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
My first build with the Engine I thought it was just hype. I used the same build but adjusted the coil positions to get them as close to the top airflow. This made a huge difference in performance. The flavor now matches other top tanks, if there is a difference you would have to be a chef to tell.

Perception is reality, if you go into a build on a top airflow tank thinking it is going to suck, more than likely it will.

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk
 

michaelcard47

Member For 3 Years
I don't understand the appeal, none, zilch, not at all. IMO it dilutes the flavor and does a very poor job cooling the coils.

In order of best airflow
  • Bottom
  • Side
  • Combination of the two
I've just been seeing more top airflow designs coming out and all I do is scratch my head.
 

michaelcard47

Member For 3 Years
Because that's an old notion that top airflow isn't as good with flavor.The newer designs like the Arbitor for instance no longer tries to extract flavor straight up,it draws from under the coils down and up the Af chamber and has made a huge difference in flavor n more and more are being designed this way..watch any YouTube review or Grimm greene builds and he goes both ways when ranking flavor.I'm telling you if you tried that Arbitor at 150w with 2 decent coils you'd be blown away..I was! Plus my Mesh Rta's are all top Af accept the Doom X and flavor is far from a problem and I own all types of Rta's..its becoming an old notion with these new tanks pouring out of china..yes my old ones suck lol but not the last 4 top Af Rta's I bought brother šŸ‘
 

michaelcard47

Member For 3 Years
Meh!! Top AF is shit..
Ey ro55co did you mean
COOLING THE COILS?


Depends..the old ones do but not these newer designs where the Af draws from under and the sides of the coil/coils and goes thru airflow chambers much like a bottom Af Rta.The newer designs do at least and I have a sht ton of Rtas with both top n bottom and with these newer designs flavor is hardly the problem plus they naturally leak less.If your not convinced get any original dealers could Arbitor n push it to 120-150w and be amazed..I was and I have some of the best bottom af Rtas on the market.Even my Mesh Rta's are mostly top Af(not all) and their pretty damn impressive lately.I didn't wanna admit it either šŸ˜‚
 

VU Sponsors

Top