I really wanted to like the XC-116, especially considering the cost, but I just don't. Tastes funky to me- especially after a dry burn, much like silica or ekowool. Cotton can't be beat in my humble opinion.
It really depends on application. For a dripper 116 is king when done right. 1/8" 24Ga 5-6 wraps, twist your nextel through an d expand it into the coils by opening the middle channel. I prefer 6 wraps at around .6. I doubt I will find a more reliable setup than that. The fat wire lasts forever and the nextel lasts longer than that. If you have a lighter on you then your good, preferably a mini torch.
I get 0 funky flavor from it when using it right. When you pulse your coils red after extensive use you are essentially making the gunk into an ash and when you reapply juice it leaches into it. You have a few options to get around this. If you are simply switching flavors, press your fire button for a second and put flame to it. Let all the juice burn off of it and your ready to go with no funk when it dries. Dont pulse the button after the fire starts unless it looks like its going out.
Situation 2 is your VP is dropping and your coil is going black, flavor isn't quite there anymore..etc. When you do the above periodically this only needs to happen once a month or less depending on your juice.
1.Perform the same procedure as above
2.Take the nextel out of the coil
3.Pulse your coils red and blow on it to get the ash off or scrub it with something. Rinse your atty off with water and pat dry.
4.torch your nextel off the atty completely until it glows white and looks clean again
5.After it has cooled down wet the nextel with juice and twist it back into the coils and its basically back to day 1
or
you can just dry burn it, hold your atty off the battery sideways and rinse it with a little water, pulse until the water is gone, then reapply juice
or
you can dry burn it and vape through 12-15 puffs of Ashy Larry and have it rocking again.
The initial taste of 116 is better than cotton when done this way in a dripper. The overall taste is greater than or equal to cotton, and it maintains this level for waaaaaay longer than cotton. It is overall less maintainance than cotton in a heat intensive utility. The cost is much greater but the ceramic wicks can be used over and over again so it isn't as expensive as it would seem long term.
In a genny I haven't tried it but I doubt it would be very good compared with mesh or AO.
In a Kayfun style atty I would take hemp fiber or rolled cotton AO hybrid>hemp fiber>cotton>116>132>ekowool>silica
in a taifun style/fogger atty I would take 116>cotton
in a PTII style I would take 132 with a coil wrapped around a 14Ga syringe needle(if I remember correctly) and the 132 twisted through, a flavor wick of 132, and a little hemp fiber diaper on the outside after assembled if leaking becomes a problem.
So basically the only applications I can see cotton being better is in a kayfun style atty or in a genny if done right.
The next best to me is German silica.
