Top air RTAs

[Shawn Hoefer]

The Vaperz Cloud TFMT

This is the only 30mm too air tank I am aware of. To be brutally honest, that's its only selling point.

Let's break it down...

• 30mm diameter
• 55.6mm tall
• Threaded, proprietary drip tips (yep, there are 2 of 'em... A threaded delrin and a threaded stainless and delrin hybrid... The delrin has a 9.5mm bore, and the hybrid has an 8.5mm bore)
• 2 piece chimney
• 3 post/4 terminal build deck
• 3 piece airflow
• 4ml capacity

The deck...


Plenty of room for my standard 3mm fused claptons. Probably could go to nearly 4mm. However, I fear that the wick channels would not handle that much wick.

The top cap and airflow...




The top section of the 2 piece chimney has airflow directed at the top of the coils, but it's not indexed... You'll have to look to ensure that it's lined up and back it off or tighten further to align. The second section of the airflow assembly sits on top of that and the glass. This section also has the single fill port. Note that the fill port is between the o-rings, while the air sits inside both o-rings. Again, this is not indexed... You'll have to line it up and set it on there. The third section rests on the second. There's no way to line this up... No indexing, no marks... The threaded drip tip then screws on the the wee little stub protruding through the AFC sections. The drip tip is the only thing holding the tank together. That means when you're taking the drip tip and third section of the AFC off to fill it, you've got to be holding the remainder of the tank down or you'll run the risk of dumping your juice all over your mod and yourself.

The flavor is just so-so... That's a mighty big chimney! There's plentiful air, though... You'll justbhave to have x-Ray vision to line things up. Vapor production, with my build, is acceptable, but nothing the write (more) about.

So, to recap...

BIG tank
Little capacity
Outdated deck
Seriously silly AFC and fill port
Lots of potential for dumpage when filling or adjusting AFC
Proprietary threaded drip tips.

Again, IMO, the only selling point to this tank is the 30mm diameter... It'll look nice on mods like the Cylon or the G-Class. There's not much else redeeming about it... Not when tanks like the Engine (25mm and 5ml) or the Zeus Dual (26mm and 5.5ml) also on thr market.

 

[DP2Raja]

Honestly it was the draw that killed it for me. Way too much wide open, and dialing it down caused a whistle that drove me nuts. The flavor wasn't bad per say, just not great. I'm sure if I played enough I would have found an appropriate build, just didn't seem worth the effort for me.

Yes, I understand, if you did not like the draw why mess with dialing in the flavor. Totally logical.
I have adjusted the air intake from wide open to barely open and cannot get it to whistle.

I noticed mine is first generation. When I ordered a black one to go with the original SS version, it was packaged slightly different and came with the bubble tank. The original offering did not come with the bubble tank. Anyway, the flavor is off on the 2nd one I ordered. An aftertaste I cannot get rid off. I will be tossing the black one due to some sort of flavor contamination. Probably due to the coating. Not sure. The SS version is awesome.

 

[Shawn Hoefer]

I tried counting all of 'em today...

1. Engine
2. Engine Mini
3. Engine Nano
4. Engine II
5. Zeus
6. Zeus Dual
7. Horus
8. Solomon II
9. Themis
10. Themis Mesh*/***
11. Dead Rabbit
12. AceVape MK*
13. Athlon 25†
14. Sapor
15. TFMT
16. X-Baby†
17. Juggerknot
18. Juggerknot Mini***
19. Cubis**/†
20. Unimax**/†
21. Intake
22. Rimfire*

* = Not yet written up
** = Ain't gonna put myself through that again
*** = On order
† = Subohm Tanks with RBAs

That's a lot more than I figured there were when I started this... Did I miss any?

 

[Marc411]

Shawn,

I didn't read the entire thread but is there one 22mm top airflow tank that you would say is outstanding in all the tanks you have tested?

 

[Shawn Hoefer]

Shawn,

I didn't read the entire thread but is there one 22mm top airflow tank that you would say is outstanding in all the tanks you have tested?

That's an easy one. The Engine Mini is the best 22mm top air RTA out there. It also happens to be about the only 22mm top air RTA out there. There is the Sapor, but it's janky. Of course, I'm not counting the abysmal Cubis line (which would include the Unimax). Everything else is 24 and up.

 

[Shawn Hoefer]

Acevape MK RTA

This is a 25mm RTA in diameter, and 40mm tall. It holds 3ml with the straight glass or 5ml with the bubble glass.

It uses an 810 drip tip, and comes with 2 of 'em. One is an over the top like the Zeus, and the other is a shorty blue resin.

The deck is a postless deck. It's raised above the juice flow ports a bit, but easy enough to build and wick although the wick is a bit long.


The wicks tuck down into slots which is fed from through slots beneath the deck.


It's got a decent amount of air. The air is nearly identical to the Dead Rabbit RTA, but a bit smaller. That is, it slants in from the top to the coils.


Where the Dead Rabbit can develop a whistle if the coils are not positioned just so, I've not had that issue with this one.

Also like the Dead Rabbit, the deck is attached to the 510 positive, so it spins when assembling the tank. That means the base has to be removed to put it all together. The chamber and the deck lock in place with tabs and notches...



The vapor and flavor are what you'd expect... Decent, but not mind-blowing.

If you already have the Dead Rabbit, there's not much compelling here. If you are looking at the Dead Rabbit, consider this a close competitor.

 

[VapourFlavour]

I tried counting all of 'em today...

1. Engine
2. Engine Mini
3. Engine Nano
4. Engine II
5. Zeus
6. Zeus Dual
7. Horus
8. Solomon II
9. Themis
10. Themis Mesh*/***
11. Dead Rabbit
12. AceVape MK*
13. Athlon 25†
14. Sapor
15. TFMT
16. X-Baby†
17. Juggerknot
18. Juggerknot Mini***
19. Cubis**/†
20. Unimax**/†
21. Intake
22. Rimfire*

* = Not yet written up
** = Ain't gonna put myself through that again
*** = On order
† = Subohm Tanks with RBAs

That's a lot more than I figured there were when I started this... Did I miss any?

What were your thoughts on the Dead Rabbit? I keep looking at the 2 my local shop has left on stock, but haven't heard much about it.

 

[Shawn Hoefer]

What were your thoughts on the Dead Rabbit? I keep looking at the 2 my local shop has left on stock, but haven't heard much about it.

It's ok. I found it less flavorful than the Zeus Dual, but easier to build.

I posted the whole write up on it on October 10.

 

[pt91]

I have been focused on top air flow RTAs since the first Engine design. I have most of the ones listed.
Very interested in your view of the Juggerknot mini. Bit hard to get right now and with shipping a bit more than most of the ones listed.
I favor single coils now. The intake is my main RTA now followed by the Zeus single. IMO several of the others are so-so and many are just dogs.

I tried counting all of 'em today...

1. Engine
2. Engine Mini
3. Engine Nano
4. Engine II
5. Zeus
6. Zeus Dual
7. Horus
8. Solomon II
9. Themis
10. Themis Mesh*/***
11. Dead Rabbit
12. AceVape MK*
13. Athlon 25†
14. Sapor
15. TFMT
16. X-Baby†
17. Juggerknot
18. Juggerknot Mini***
19. Cubis**/†
20. Unimax**/†
21. Intake
22. Rimfire*

* = Not yet written up
** = Ain't gonna put myself through that again
*** = On order
† = Subohm Tanks with RBAs

That's a lot more than I figured there were when I started this... Did I miss any?

 

[tailland]

This thread becomes more informative each day. Good.

 

[Shawn Hoefer]

I have been focused on top air flow RTAs since the first Engine design. I have most of the ones listed.
Very interested in your view of the Juggerknot mini. Bit hard to get right now and with shipping a bit more than most of the ones listed.
I favor single coils now. The intake is my main RTA now followed by the Zeus single. IMO several of the others are so-so and many are just dogs.

Only a handful I'd call bad. I find most are in the acceptable range, and a couple are good to great.

 

[SonnyCooL]

Only a handful I'd call bad. I find most are in the acceptable range, and a couple are good to great.

u should update ur front page with test result (at least a number or star), so don't have to go thru every page

 

[drmarble]

u should update ur front page with test result (at least a number or star), so don't have to go thru every page

The forum software doesn't let you edit a post after a few days. He can't edit anything on the first page. You will have to use the search tool.
You might be able to talk him into making a blog.

 

[Susaz]

I tried counting all of 'em today...

1. Engine
2. Engine Mini
3. Engine Nano
4. Engine II
5. Zeus
6. Zeus Dual
7. Horus
8. Solomon II
9. Themis
10. Themis Mesh*/***
11. Dead Rabbit
12. AceVape MK*
13. Athlon 25†
14. Sapor
15. TFMT
16. X-Baby†
17. Juggerknot
18. Juggerknot Mini***
19. Cubis**/†
20. Unimax**/†
21. Intake
22. Rimfire*

* = Not yet written up
** = Ain't gonna put myself through that again
*** = On order
† = Subohm Tanks with RBAs

That's a lot more than I figured there were when I started this... Did I miss any?

You're forgetting the Mace X tank. Here's out of stock, so anybody can check it out? Thanks!

 

[Shawn Hoefer]

You're forgetting the Mace X tank. Here's out of stock, so anybody can check it out? Thanks!

Ah, but that's a subohm tank... I'm focused on RTAs.

 

[Shawn Hoefer]

u should update ur front page with test result (at least a number or star), so don't have to go thru every page

Wish I could... Can't.

Once I get through them all, I will convert the relevant posts into a blog.

 

[DP2Raja]

Only a handful I'd call bad. I find most are in the acceptable range, and a couple are good to great.

To be honest, "acceptable range" is a non-starter for me. I cannot tell you how much I hate getting a new atty and thinking "Well, it's acceptable". I normally have 3 daily attys all being rotated throughout the day. I will not accept the term "acceptable" as a "rating/description" for one of those. Not being critical of you at all Shawn, you have done a great deal of work that we all benefit from. Thank you for the investment in time and $$.

BUT - there are too many just acceptable top airflow attys (or other styles) out there and when I purchase one that is just 'meh" it goes on the shelf immediately (after trying all the tricks and adjustments to pull flavor and vaping pleasure out of them of course). Acceptable = meh = on the shelf.

 

[mimöschen]

That's the reason I turned my back on top air atties for the most part, because I think that's the problem most if not all top air RTAs suffer from. Compared to a good bottom airflow atty of the same generation, flavor always seems a bit muted to me. Being leakfree isn't as much of a concern for me too, because I haven't had any leaking from my bottom air RTAs in a long time.

For a beginner they are still a very good entrypoint into the world of RTAs though, and for people that have to cope with changing (extreme) surrounding temperatures and/or airpressures, they can be a very valuable asset as well.

 

[Shawn Hoefer]

To be honest, "acceptable range" is a non-starter for me. I cannot tell you how much I hate getting a new atty and thinking "Well, it's acceptable". I normally have 3 daily attys all being rotated throughout the day. I will not accept the term "acceptable" as a "rating/description" for one of those. Not being critical of you at all Shawn, you have done a great deal of work that we all benefit from. Thank you for the investment in time and $$.

BUT - there are too many just acceptable top airflow attys (or other styles) out there and when I purchase one that is just 'meh" it goes on the shelf immediately (after trying all the tricks and adjustments to pull flavor and vaping pleasure out of them of course). Acceptable = meh = on the shelf.

This comes down to semantics and personal taste.

My best up S10 runs and gets from point A to point B. It's acceptable. Gets the job done. Is it as nice as a fully decked out Mercedes? Uh... No.

So, acceptable, to me, means it gets the job done without any significant problems. Does this tank provide nicely flavored vapor in a great enough quantity without excessive flooding or dry hits to satisfy me without leaking, falling apart, or being impossible to build? If so, it's adequate... A C grade if you will. Then, I start looking at anything that makes it stand out, and so forth and so on...

 

[DP2Raja]

This comes down to semantics and personal taste.

My best up S10 runs and gets from point A to point B. It's acceptable. Gets the job done. Is it as nice as a fully decked out Mercedes? Uh... No.

So, acceptable, to me, means it gets the job done without any significant problems. Does this tank provide nicely flavored vapor in a great enough quantity without excessive flooding or dry hits to satisfy me without leaking, falling apart, or being impossible to build? If so, it's adequate... A C grade if you will. Then, I start looking at anything that makes it stand out, and so forth and so on...

I get ya Shawn. My comment was in no way critical of you or your reviews. I am just stating that nowadays with all the good/exceptional attys out there, if it is not exceptional (way beyond just functional or acceptable) it will go on my shelf. I'll drive an S10, but would prefer my F150. Since I have an F150, my S10 will stay on the back lot. We have good choices for attys that allow us to really be picky and fulfill pretty much every aspect of our vaping wants and wishes. So to use an atty that has a 6-8 on the flavor scale or is pretty easy to fill, or fairly easy to put in coils, etc....well, why bother?

You have done an excellent job giving an overview of these. Now, maybe you could give your subject opinion on what the top three you would recommend or buy again if you lost all of them tomorrow? That would be cool.

As users, our collective criticism or praise of an atty CHANGES the market and future development of better equipment.