Skyline-R RTA Final Edition made by YFTK, the latest release of the series born at the end of 2016 which over the years has found many fans and that, for one reason or another, I never decided to purchase. This sample was provided by the shop shareAvape.Made of 316 stainless steel with a polished finish, it has a (substantial) weight of 54 grams excluding the drip tip, while the height is 37 mm. 22 mm diameter, 3.2 ml capacity, featuring an airflow ring, liquid control, top refill, and several airpins. The usual small box with the YFTK logo contains the Skyline-R RTA Final Edition with a baggie of spare o-rings, a second RDL drip tip alongside the pre-installed MTL one, and 5 airpins, one of which is already installed.
The two stock drip tips are made of black plastic: one for MTL vaping with a 4.5 mm bore and 10 mm height, and an RDL one where the bore starts at 4.5 mm and flares out to nearly 6 mm at the end, also 10 mm high.The top cap is the most complex part but also vital for liquid control. As will be seen later, the Skyline-R Final Edition has a double chamber, with the smaller one rotating inside the larger one, allowing you to regulate the flow of liquid to the deck.
The first component, on the left in the photo (furthest from the Skyline), is what I call the "510 connector" where the drip tip is inserted; it consists of a thread that, when rotated, operates the liquid control. Second, in the center, is the ring that screws onto the chamber block, allowing the third component—the refill cap—to stay firmly in place since the seal is handled by an o-ring. It is not a simple mechanism, and yes, you have to manage 3 components to refill, but once you have it in hand, the operation becomes much clearer.
The tank is press-fitted with the seal provided by an o-ring and must be pulled out from the top once the 3 elements described above are removed. As with combi tanks, the two parts are joined by threading. The material is not specified, but it felt like polycarbonate to me with a NON-polished finish, so it remains matte even when filled with liquid. Capacity: the only one available is 3.2 ml.
The chamber, or rather the chambers, have a dome shape that already hints at the type of eliquid the Skyline-R is intended for. The smaller chamber is simply press-fitted into the larger one thanks to the o-rings. There is enough space between the two, thus avoiding the risk of jamming that plagued the first Skyline. There is also a limit stop for the small chamber which features a small tooth, meaning it has a specific direction for insertion into the large chamber. Rotation is instead handled by the drip tip's 510 connector. The chimney diameter is 4.5 mm.
The deck requires a tab or a mod to be unscrewed, as you need to screw the Skyline-R Final Edition onto it to rotate it into position. It is held by a bayonet system that totally integrates it into the tank body, so there is no way to grip it to pull it out otherwise. To insert and remove the tank-chamber block, there is a notch (that sort of teardrop-shaped engraving seen in the photo below on the right side of the deck) to be matched with the airflow window, making it very difficult for it to accidentally pop open in a pocket or briefcase.
In this bayonet mechanism, a semblance of an airflow ring has also been created, which partially closes the two mirrored intake holes and can be adjusted at will. I should specify that there are two air intake holes and two they remain; there is no way to totally close one off. Despite this, closing or opening the air holes really affects the draw, but again, to operate it easily, the Skyline-R must be screwed onto a tab or mod to rotate the tank and reveal the airflow hole. To pop it off, there is an engraving on the deck (which should be visible in the photo) to be aligned with another mark engraved on the tank block.A pro of this system is definitely being able to separate the entire tank block, even when full of liquid, to rebuild the deck.
The deck has two parallel posts with two hex screws to tighten the wire; if you are a fan of complex coils, the hole is wide enough to allow installation. A small tip: it is easy for excess leads to touch the chamber, so always make sure to cut them flush with the posts. The cotton wells are much smaller than I thought for an MTL-RDL hybrid atomizer; even when building on a 2 mm bit, it is easy to cover them completely and, above all, I never experienced "cooked" liquid leaking back and contaminating the tank. Wicking is always abundant even with a minimum slit open, as the liquid enters the deck laterally. There is no need to move the wick away from the intake hole or thin it out to death; it is more important to choose an adequate length (influenced by the height of the coil you choose based on your habits) so that it touches the bottom of the wells without overdoing it.The Skyline offered by YFTK includes airpins in the box which, in addition to the airflow ring, regulate the draw resistance. These are mostly oriented towards MTL vaping with choices of 0.8, 1, 1.2, 1.5, and 2 mm. To remove and insert them, there are no o-rings and they require quite a bit of force; it is impossible for them to move during use. So, even for use on mechanical devices, you can rest easy. They can also be changed with the build mounted, meaning both cotton and wire already installed in the Skyline.
Finally, the assembled tank block with the two chambers, seen from below, and the base with the engravings. The only part that (for now) seems to come off is the 510 pin which brings its insulator with it, so be careful when dismantling. The deck seems to be a single assembled body but fortunately arrives very clean and cleans up well anyway by soaking it and unscrewing the pin and airpin.
The draw is faithful to the airpin you decide to install and then adjust the contrast with the airflow ring. The draw is full with a dense vapor but not without resistance if you choose the tighter MTL airpins. It is not extremely silent, not because of turbulence, but because of the amount of air entering the base from the two air holes, which is then managed by the airpin.
Regarding the choice of eliquid, like its younger brother, it is more dedicated to sweet aromas, whether they be fruits, creams, or flavored tobaccos. It is not an atomizer that pushes sugar notes on its own, but the type of abundant vapor and draw tends to highlight these flavors if present in the eliquid you are vaping.
Building, considering the amount of steel: from a 28 g you can go up to a 26 g and, if you are a fan, even complex coils up to around 20 watts without problems by adjusting the under-coil hole. The distance between the two posts is not very much; depending on the wire diameter you choose, you might have to wrap the coils slightly closer together but, regardless, 6 wraps is all you need to cover the air hole well. Your own tastes will dictate the rest.
Skyline-R Final Edition: after missing the first Skyline, it was like discovering a classic about 10 years after its release, and as a fan of almost hybrid MTL - open MTL to near RDL atomizers, I particularly appreciated it.It remains a vintage atomizer, the likes of which are almost no longer made given the many parts it is composed of and the amount of steel used. More than a few operations are laborious, but each of them is designed that way for a reason, which translates into efficiency and reliability when the Skyline is full of liquid and you are vaping—but on this point, re-read all the required precautions first. The liquid control and cotton wells in my case never contaminated the tank with cooked liquid. During the vape, thanks to all the steel present between the double chamber and the tank block, making it get hot is difficult; therefore, the aromatic yield always remains clear even with chain vaping.Skyline-R Final Edition available on shareAvape at the following link
YFTK Skyline-R Style RTA Final Edition Rebuildable Tank Atomizer- shareAvape with the possibility of purchasing it with a 5% discount by entering the code
MSKY valid until June 30.
I would like to thank e-cigarette Forum for their kindness in granting me this space, and shareAvape for providing the Skyline.
