RTA DTL MOD - Salt Nic Recommendation

[jimee01]

EDIT: I meant MTL, not DTL. New to the acronyms. I vape (for now) like I smoke cigarettes..

I'd like some advice here if possible. 1st: I'm not 100% certain that I've used the correct acronym's but I believe I have.

I'm looking for a rebuild-able tank (coils) and mod that can do salt NICs. I'm currently using 35mg and I do like a good bit of air. My current vape setups are a JUUL, and a Vaporesso XCROS with the 1.2Ω pods. I do not like the lower ohm pods, they hit too hard. I'd like something more comparable to this that's rebuild-able with simple coils. I dislike disposable items in general, and getting the pods isn't super easy now, and based on what I've read it will probably only get more difficult.

As a point of reference on the airflow, I currently vape the XROS with maximum airflow.

I really don't like carrying giant mods and tanks. I like the form factor of the JUUL and the XROS, so a smaller mod and a 2-2.5ml tank is probably more my style.

I'm looking at the Innokin Ares 2 LE, but I don't know how well this works for DTL and if it provides enough air.

With is much as I was spending on cigarettes, cost isn't a huge issue.

Background:
I've tried vapes several times. My first setup in 2010 was Joye 510 ecigs that I refilled with and had to use the lipton pyramid teabags to hold some johnson creek juice. I gave up on these and went back to smoking. A few years later mod with an aspire nautilus tank (I think) with the replaceable atomizers.

Historically I'd typically vape 18mg (sometimes 24mg) freebase nicotine juices I'd buy at the local vape shop, and some 18mg from Johnson creek. I never could really satisfy the nicotine cravings, and it physically hurt to vape. I coughed more with these setups than I did smoking, my chest hurt, etc.

I'd given up completely on the idea of vaping, but I recently saw a 'documentary (Broken: Big Vape [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11348920/]), and it actually introduced me to nic salts and convinced me to try them. I bought a JUUL, and for the first time vaping worked for me. No pain, no nicotine withdrawals, and I'm not constantly having to vape.

Apparently I hit all this again at the wrong time (PACT/etc), so if I can stick with this I'd like something I can keep running for a very long time. I think I'll probably carry the vaporesso xros for as long as I can get pods, and use the mod/tank at home and work. I'm also looking at DIY juice, which always interested me anyway...

 

[Territoo]

Howdy from a fellow Texan. I'm a DTL who likes to blow thick clouds on a sub-ohm device and I use nic base at 8mg/ml, so I can't help you with a specific setup. However, I can give you a general idea of what you should look for. I'm sure there are others that can give you more more specific recommendations. You are interested in a low profile mod, so I'd go with a single battery mod, unless you vape high wattage (over 80 watts), chain vape, or need more battery life. There are some dual battery mods that are less bulky than others, but anything with two batteries is going to be bulkier than one. You didn't mention what wattage you vape, but most MTL don't usually vape at high wattage, especially with high nicotine levels, so you probably don't need a dual battery mod that goes to 200 watts. As far as atties, at 1.2 ohms, a single coil RDA would be best. You'll get all kinds of opinions as to which one is the best. Watch some YouTube videos on the RDAs that interest you to see how easy they are to build and which ones interest you the most. The Shinyitis Support Group people can give you some opinions on hardware. For DIY, join us in the Random DIY mixing and more thread.

Shinyitis Support Group

Random DIY mixing and More

 

[jimee01]

Thanks for the advice Territoo. I've been watching some youtube videos, and based on teardowns from here I was looking at the Vaporesso Target 200, but the size had me bit worried about portability. I'm leaning toward the Vaporesso Target 100, and hoping the build quality will be just as good.

For the tank I was looking at the Innokin Ares 2 RTA LE. The LE version doesn't seem to be as well reviewed, but from what I've seen it seems to be a bit better than the base version. Since I've never made vape coils, having all the tools included is appealing as well.

 

[BrotherBob]

New

Welcome and glad you joined.

 

[Hawise]

Welcome @jimee01! I haven't tried the Ares 2 so I can't advise you on that, but I thought I'd offer a few tips on terminology.

I see you've sorted out the MTL / DL distinction, but just to sum things up, the main differences are:

• MTL and DL really refer to different ways to inhale, but they're generally used to describe setups with the following features:
  • MTL uses higher resistance (ohm) coils than DL
  • MTL has less airflow than DL
  • MTL goes through less juice per puff than DL, so people tend to compensate by using higher nicotine concentrations with MTL

The specific style of vape that you're looking for is called 'loose MTL', meaning MTL with more airflow than you sometimes get. While RTAs (rebuildable tank atomizers) almost always have adjustable airflow, some MTL RTAs probably won't adjust high enough for you. You'll want to look for a tank that reviewers say is for loose MTL or has a loose draw.

Your salt nic requirement is easier to sort. All devices (both tanks and mods) can handle both salt and freebase nicotine. You've probably encountered devices that claim they're for one or the other, but that's really just marketing nonsense.

The juice trait that can matter is VG/PG proportion. VG (vegetable glycerine) and PG (propylene glycol) make up the bulk of most ejuices. PG is thin and runny while VG is thick and viscous, at least until it heats up, so some tanks and coils work better with different proportions of the two. In general, MTL tanks and coils usually work well with around 50 - 80% VG, while DL tanks tend to work better with 70 - 90% (or even up to 100%) VG.

Good luck, and you may want to drop by ECF's Rebuildables Forum for more advice and tips on building.