Let's keep the Smok RPM 25w Alive! ✌

[Ping-vape]

Heya folks,
How's it going?

For any of you MTL/RDL lovers out there (or just getting off smoking), who are looking for a classy MTL device that performs exceptionally well, I highly encourage you to look into the smok RPM 25w.

I've been using this device for a couple of years, and I just can't tell you how happy I am with it.
Flavor is the cleanest and best I ever had, auto-draw is silent, hair-trigger and works flawlessly, vape is warm and very satisfying, and you can get a pretty tight airflow with it if you want. Battery lasts a whole day easily for me, and recharging takes less than an hour. It's also very small and lightweight, with a gorgeous leather cover that not only makes it comfortable in the hand, but also gives it a top notch classy look! (Unlike so many other pods out there which feel and look like plastic toys, honestly).

Anyhow, the other reason for me recommending this great device to you, is that it's still in production... but doesn't have a high demand for some reason (which is a shame). so I figured that if more folks are aware of it, then they'll be making more of it. (Just looked it up on Aliexpress and they only have it white color at the moment, which is a bummer).

So anyhow, if any of you is already having one and liking it, then please feel free to let us know. And if you're considering getting a new MTL device, then do watch reviews about this (Matt from SMM's review on youtube is a great one btw), and if it sounds and looks good to you, definitely consider getting one for yourself... Highly recommended! (And of course feel free to let us know how you like it as well). ^^

I am not affiliated with smok or with any vendor in any way. Just a big fan of this top class MTL device, and want to be able to buy it even 10 years from now if I need to. (Cause honestly, I haven't seen any other tubular device of that size with a leather grip that looks that classy.. and vapes that good

Thanks for reading,
And cheers to you all!

 

[retired1]

Us? Who's us?

 

[Ping-vape]

Just a form of speech retired1.
'Us' in this thread

 

[retired1]

Uh huh....

 

[Tor R]

I've never owned a Smok product, and nowadays with pods and disposables I see even less reason to look towards China, years since they abandoned what we call hobby vapors.

 

[Ping-vape]

Thanks for your comment Tor R.
Isn't China still the biggest in terms of world brands though?
And what other brands are you recommending that are not China-based? (Genuine curiosity)
And what do you mean by "Hobby vapors"?
I make my own e-liquids and rebuild my own coils (LP1, GTX and PnP). So am I a 'hobby vapor' according to your definition?

 

[Tor R]

China is without a doubt the world's dominant brand and sales leader, it is and will always be.
That said, there are Chinese brands that try to step outside their comfort zone, it's just a bit of a rarity these days.

A hobby vapor is someone who has vaping as a hobby, pods & disposables don't bring anything new in terms of experience to the user.
Mixing your own juice and building your own coils makes you a hobby vapor, so technically you are a hobby vapor with what you say.

 

[smacuser]

I make my own e-liquids and rebuild my own coils (LP1, GTX and PnP).

Just for clarification, these are drop-in prebuilt coils. Rebuilding a coil entails winding a coil from wire, screwing it onto an atomizer deck, and manually feeding cotton through it for wicking.

 

[Ping-vape]

China is without a doubt the world's dominant brand and sales leader, it is and will always be.
That said, there are Chinese brands that try to step outside their comfort zone, it's just a bit of a rarity these days.

A hobby vapor is someone who has vaping as a hobby, pods & disposables don't bring anything new in terms of experience to the user.
Mixing your own juice and building your own coils makes you a hobby vapor, so technically you are a hobby vapor with what you say.

Thanks Tor. And what do you think those companies could do to better cater to the hobby vapors (that they are not doing enough)?

 

[Ping-vape]

Just for clarification, these are drop-in prebuilt coils. Rebuilding a coil entails winding a coil from wire, screwing it onto an atomizer deck, and manually feeding cotton through it for wicking.

Hi Smacuser, thanks for your response.
I'd say deck rebuild involves a bit more creativity & expertise, but rebuilding a commercialized coil is not very far off from it I feel. It involves opening and cleaning the coil body, choosing the wire (mesh or coiled wire), and installing it with wicking (choosing the cotton type, density, etc).
I guess at the end of the day it mostly boils down to semantics & common/standardized definitions, isn't it?
For myself, having done both, I'd say rebuilding a commercial coil is a bit more simplified, but it's still a rebuild nonetheless.

 

[Tor R]

Thanks Tor. And what do you think those companies could do to better cater to the hobby vapors (that they are not doing enough)?

How many box mods & attys do you see from China today compared to pods & disposables?

 

[Ping-vape]

How many box mods & attys do you see from China today compared to pods & disposables?

Oh, I hear you Tor. And you're totally right. Definitely not that many.

 

[englishmick]

Hi Smacuser, thanks for your response.
I'd say deck rebuild involves a bit more creativity & expertise, but rebuilding a commercialized coil is not very far off from it I feel. It involves opening and cleaning the coil body, choosing the wire (mesh or coiled wire), and installing it with wicking (choosing the cotton type, density, etc).
I guess at the end of the day it mostly boils down to semantics & common/standardized definitions, isn't it?
For myself, having done both, I'd say rebuilding a commercial coil is a bit more simplified, but it's still a rebuild nonetheless.

Long ago I used to rebuild coil heads for Pro Tanks and Nautilus. Have to say that was much harder than making my own coils for decks that were designed for that.

 

[Ping-vape]

Long ago I used to rebuild coil heads for Pro Tanks and Nautilus. Have to say that was much harder than making my own coils for decks that were designed for that.

Thanks for your input Englishmick. And totally got a point there as well.

I don't know how you're rebuilding, but if it involves just taking out the burned cotton, then just burning clean the wire (at least more often than not), then re-wicking, and all on a deck that's fairly easy to work on, then I'd say that can actually be considered easier than rebuilding a commercial coil. Especially if it's an MTL coil with a very narrow chimney (like the LP1 coils I'm mostly rebuilding these days). That said though, I do find that repeated action makes almost everything easier over time.

Btw, have to say my deck rebuild experience is actually only partial, because so far I've only done it with commercial RBA coils (Smok RPM), so that was probably harder than using an actual deck, which often has a lot more space to work with.

In any case, what I like about commercial coil rebuild is that it allows me to rebuild a stock of like 20-30 coils in advance each time, and then just pop-in a new coil whenever I need to. So I don't need to lose whatever juice I have left in the pod (given it's still good), and I don't have that rebuild 'waiting time' each time I need a new coil.

I don't know how it is for you, but do you (or anyone else here) have a similar system of having a few extra decks already pre-built/wicked for a smoother transition when your coils get gunky?

 

[englishmick]

I don't know how it is for you, but do you (or anyone else here) have a similar system of having a few extra decks already pre-built/wicked for a smoother transition when your coils get gunky?

Way back I sort of did that with Pro Tanks. I was kind of obsessive when I first started vaping. Wrapped a lot of coils. Maybe around 150 of them at one time, thought I could set myself up with a lifetime supply. Then I kept a few coil heads ready to install so when a head needed replacing it was quick and easy. I enjoyed that stuff at the time. But I stopped using Pro Tanks 10 years ago and all those coils and heads sat in a box for years until I gave away my Pro Tank stuff.

Now I use mostly KFL's. Like you said it gets easy with practice. I can replace the coil and wick in a KFL pretty fast so it just isn't worth the effort of keeping a supply of coils or decks ready to go.

 

[Ping-vape]

Way back I sort of did that with Pro Tanks. I was kind of obsessive when I first started vaping. Wrapped a lot of coils. Maybe around 150 of them at one time, thought I could set myself up with a lifetime supply. Then I kept a few coil heads ready to install so when a head needed replacing it was quick and easy. I enjoyed that stuff at the time. But I stopped using Pro Tanks 10 years ago and all those coils and heads sat in a box for years until I gave away my Pro Tank stuff.

Now I use mostly KFL's. Like you said it gets easy with practice. I can replace the coil and wick in a KFL pretty fast so it just isn't worth the effort of keeping a supply of coils or decks ready to go.

I hear you Englishmick.
And thanks a lot for the share.

And what made you decide to shift to building decks if I may ask?
There's of course pros & cons to both (pods and tanks), so just curious about it.

 

[englishmick]

I hear you Englishmick.
And thanks a lot for the share.

And what made you decide to shift to building decks if I may ask?
There's of course pros & cons to both (pods and tanks), so just curious about it.

Well, for a start 12 years ago pods like today's weren't around. There were things we called cigalikes which looked like cigarettes and were entirely worthless vapes.

I did get some Nautilus tanks that used prebuilt heads and they were OK vapes, but buying heads was an expensive way to go. Plus I had just quit smoking and the process of figuring out how to make your own coils and wicks, then talking about them endlessly with other folks on ECF, was part of the therapy for me.

 

[Ping-vape]

Right, I hear you. Thanks.
But what would say are the main key points for yours (and perhaps also others') preference of tanks over pods?
Really curious about this one.

 

[englishmick]

Right, I hear you. Thanks.
But what would say are the main key points for yours (and perhaps also others') preference of tanks over pods?
Really curious about this one.

There are probably a lot of different reasons. For me, it's mainly that I enjoy making coils and mixing juice and so forth. Let's me feel like I'm in charge of the vape I get. Plus I have gear I like and know and I don't like change. That's true for a lot of old-timers. Some folks like to tinker and some don't. Some vapers like to get new gear all the time to keep it exciting. Some oldies have dodgy hands or eyes which limits their choices.

Some stuff described as pods allow you to make your own coils so they are halfway in between. A pod with a rebuildable deck and rechargeable battery isn't much different to a tank setup, just a different shape.

My GS comes to visit and he uses disposables. Another point on the scale. In his case he's in the military so convenience is important.

Some pods you have to replace the top part which holds the juice and deck when the juice runs out and the wick gets dirty. You can't refill it or redo the deck. Buying new tops regularly is going to cost more.

So I don't think there's a clear distinction between tanks and pods, just a sliding scale. And there are lots of reasons people make their choices.

 

[englishmick]

By the way, I've enjoyed this thread.