Vapor Mods

The Vulcan RDA is available for $64.99

The Vulcan RDA is one of the latest of some really innovative rebuilable dripping atomizers that have come out recently. This is the first I’ve seen coming out of Japan and it is astonishingly innovative in terms of design and performance.

At first site, it looks kind of like a double Tobh. This intrigued me as the Tobh is one of my favorites. They certainly borrowed the “fin” concept, but as we’ll see when we break it down, the fins ad as much function as they do form. This is a really interesting RDA. AND its affordable so kudos for one of the first Japanese imports in the vape world.

The Vulcan also comes housed in a fitted plastic case. The cases design even mimics the Vulcan – this is really cool. Its also nice to have a nice way to store your Vulcan when not in use.

I have to say I’m pretty impressed with this device. Every attention to detail is there – its really nice. In fact, I think the price point is really low on this as it rivals some of the most expensive RDA’s on the market in terms of design, build quality and performance. The Vulcan really delivers.

Design of the Vulcan RDA

As mentioned earlier, the Vulcan is like a double Tobh in some ways. The fins are quite obvious and they actually server a formal purpose of cooling the RDA. This is not only visually stunning, but it keeps the RDA from getting too hot. This is a really nice design choice.

The engraving on this RDA is possibly the nicest I’ve seen. Its clean and impressively machined. Both sides of the Vulcan feature the clean logo with a nice cutout around the capitol “V”. These “V”s act as the airflow holes. Though they are not adjustable, they are cool. Really nice touch and attention to detail. The bottom of the RDA features some Japanese and English writing giving you the year 2014, the number and “US exclusive”.

The inside of the Vulcan RDA is really interesting as well. The device comes apart in 3 pieces – the deck, middle sleeve and top cap.

1) The deck
The deck is quite different than any conventional RDA. The Vulcan has the cooling fins as you see on the Tobh right on the base. This keeps the device from getting too hot. The deck features the standard 3 post configuration (1 positive, 2 negative posts), and the 2 negative posts are part of the deck ensuring maximum connectivity. What’s unusual also about the deck is that the posts sit pretty high. This allows for a deep juice well and better airflow because the wicks will sit well below where the air holes are. Each post uses a brass thumb screw to tighten down on to your leads. That’s right – no screws. This might be an issue if you have big fingers, but the posts are far enough apart. The deck utilizes 2 o-rings to fit on the middle sleeve.

2) The middle sleeve
The middle sleeve fits over the deck of the Vulcan RDA. Its pretty minimal in terms of design. As I mentioned, the air-holes fit right around the “V” in the logo on each side (there are 2). You don’t really even notice them which is slick. The downside is that there is no adjustability of airflow. Its loose enough to be comfortable, but this means you’ll need to find the sweet spot for your ohm resistance when rolling the coil. I like it, but if you’re an extreme sub-ohm vaper, you might find this limiting. Interestingly enough… the Vulcan RDA IS comparable with the Tobh. I haven’t combined the two yet, but it is possible.

3) The top cap
The top cap features the cooling fins as well. It is conical on the interior which is what you want for perfect vapor production. The top cap accommodates just about any standard drip tip.

The Vulcan is finished off with a red copper, adjustable center pin in the 510 connection for excellent connectivity and punch.

Performance

The Vulcan is a solid performer. The vapor production and the flavor are both top notch. I have no regrets having spent my own, hard-earned cash on this. Its quite impressive actually.

My only complaints would be 2 things and they are really minor. They need to find a way to incorporate adjustable air flow in the next version. There’s got to be a cool way to do it with the same logo concept. I’m just afraid extreme sub-ohm vapers will find this a problem. But for those folks, there’s always the Tobh.

The other thing is the thumb screws in the posts. You can of course replace these with standard philips head screws, but I’d like the option of at least a flat head slot to do the tightening.

However, note that these are really nit-picky complaints. This is a really solid RDA at a really REALLY good price. This is definitely a player in terms of value – I seriously think they priced this one low.

I hope this is the start of exiting things coming out of Japan. Get one and experience this for yourself – you’ll be really glad you did!

The Vulcan RDA is available for $64.99

Also check out the Storm RDA V2

The Storm RDA V2 in stock for $24.99

The Storm-A by Orieco was one of the first in a wave of rebuildable dripping atomizers when it came out a few months ago. It was one of the first models that gave you features of an expensive RDA, but for under $30. Well here we are just a few months later and now we’ve got a new company name and a new model – the Storm RDA V2. So is it that different and is it improved on?

Let me start by saying this – the original Storm-A was an extremely impressive RDA. It incorporated design elements typically only found in RDA’s over $100 and delivered at a mere fraction of that cost. The Storm RDA V2 takes that same ethos and improves the original design in some very important ways.

The company changed from Oreico to Focusecig. I don’t know if its a name change, or a whole new company, but I suppose it doesn’t matter too much. The Storm V2 is a really nice RDA for the price. So what is new in terms of design.

New in the Storm V2

At first look we see the same basic setup. The Storm V2 comes in 3 sections, a 1 post, 2 screws to the deck configuration (which limits the number of parts for a harder hitting connection when the two negative screws go directly into the deck). There are 2 large juice wells in the sides of the deck. The other 2 sections are the top cap and the air flow control ring.

The new improvements start with a taller deck section. The juice wells are also slightly rounded which almost doubles the size of juice you can drip. This is really nice as you can get about 20 drops in this RDA if you wick it correctly. This is a nice addition for vaper’s who prefer dripping. Conventional designs like the IGO-W or the Patriot need re-dripping every 4-6 vapes on the device. This will let you go much longer between refills.

Next you’ll notice the top cap is taller which is to compensate for the deeper wells. But what’s REALLY cool is that the inside of the top cap has been redesigned to allow a conical funnel for the vapor as it leaves the RDA. You see this on the best RDA’s on the market like the Tobh or even the Magma. This creates a spinning motion to the vapor as you’re pulling air through the device. It means a denser vape and a smoother pull. This is really nice and well thought out.

And finally the last major difference is the airflow control. It was good before but tweaked now to be slightly better. The Storm A featured a slot collar that controlled 3 holes on each side of the device. The holes are eliminated and you are left with 2 slots that lay over one another for the airflow control. This is only a slight difference I realize, but my complaint with the wholes is that on my RDA they weren’t drilled in a straight line. It just looked sloppy. The airflow control now is very smooth and cleaner looking.

One other thing I should mention is that the Storm A featured various colors of airflow control pieces you could buy to change up the look of the device. These are NOT compatible with the Storm RDA V2. Not a big deal for me, but the redesign made them incompatible. I’ve not seen new ones available. I like the included stainless steel so for me its not a problem.

What’s missing?

My ONLY complaint about the Storm is the center pin for the 510 connection. There is no screw so you can’t extend this. For most people this is not a big deal, but for me it adds another point of adjustability when you’re working with a mod to get things flush. A fixed 510 pin is pretty standard for this price range so I guess I’m asking for a little too much, but it would be nice to see.

One thing missing is the third hole in the inner top cap that accommodated for single coil builds. The Storm RDA V2 is now a double coil only RDA.

Conclusion

Folks the Storm A was a no brainer and now the Storm RDA V2 is even better. At under $30 why wouldn’t you add this to your collection? If you’re on a budget, this makes and excellent dripper. It also makes a very reasonably priced spare so get one today!

The Storm V2 in stock for $24.99

How does a Tobh Atty Clone compare to the original?

The Tobh Atty Clone: In stock for $10.08
The Tobh Atty (Origional): In stock for $89.99

The Tobh Atty clone started showing up a few months ago on various vendor websites. Now, for me, the Tobh is one of the best RDA’s I’ve seen this year. It is utterly fantastic. Its designed and machined like no other. When you buy the real deal is is literally an impressive work of art. Its designed for big clouds and it delivers. The airflow is tuned for people who love sub-ohm builds. I really can’t say enough about the Tobh.

So naturally when I saw the clones showing up, I got curious. Could a $10 clone really rival the $80 real thing? So I decided to get one just to compare for this website. Lets see how they compare.

Appearance

As you can see from the photographs, the Tobh and the Tobh Clone have some differences. The real Tobh has a slightly nicer brushed finish where the clone’s finish is somewhere between brused and polished. The clone is just a hair taller as well. Then we have the fins…

The fins are amazing looking on both the clone and the original at first glance. On close inspection, the clone’s fins are not nearly as cleanly machined. In fact I didn’t notice at first but I cut both my finger AND my thumb just putting the drip tip on! At first I didn’t realize what cut me then when you run your finger along the fins, the edges are razor sharp. BE CAREFUL!!! The original Tobh has smoothed edges and you can tell the extra attention when into every detail.

Let me clarify – the fins are slightly rectangular on both but I’m talking about the very edge of each fin – the clone’s are cheap and it didn’t take much to hurt myself on them. This is a drag. Clone -1 big time.

The logo is slightly different on each RDA as well. The real clone has a thinner circle around the “Atty” logo – the clone is thick.

Another note I need to make because you see it in the photos – my original Tobh’s logo is a little scratched. This is because I’ve carried it everywhere in the last few months since I bought it. Its a lot of wear and tear. This should be noted as my fault – NOT how the original came. I suspect the clone will wear as well – we’ll, that is if I actually continue to use this bladed thing.

Under the top cap, both pretty much look alike. They both have the conical top that helps direct air through the device and into the drip tip when you vape. This is cool since its a key part of the Tobh design.

Decks

The deck is where you start to see major differences. The original is beautifully machined on the bottom of the deck. The pattern in the steel is gorgeous – its like seeing mother of pearl or something. The clone’s bottom deck is similar, but doesn’t look quite as nice. It makes me think that its not made of the same grade stainless steel or that its just not built the same way. Either way its just not as cool.

You’ll also notice a big difference between the original and Tobh atty clone by looking at the posts. The clone features slightly smaller posts (only slightly). The original uses nice big screws and the clone looks like they used whatever were lying around. Also the post holes are considerably different – much smaller on the Tobh clone.

A word about this – another key design element of the Tobh RDA is the one piece deck and negative posts. It makes better contact on the RDA and in theory hits harder when vaping. The fact that they are slightly smaller is concerning. The smaller holes are annoying when building dual coils and the smaller screws are disappointing as well.

Performance

So here’s what really counts right? Can you tell the difference when vaping the Tobh vs the Tobh clone?

To level the playing field as much as possible I did the same build on both the Tobh and the Tobh clone. I used 5 wraps of 25 gauge Kanthal wire on each coil. Both were built with double coils as designed. When built the original measured at .260 ohms and the clone measured at .261 ohms. I used the same mod – my copper/brass nemesis, the same battery (a freshly charged Sony VTC5) and I used the same juice (Drake’s Mellon Fiasco). Both were wicked with the same cotton. I’ve gone back and forth between the two several times.

The clone vaped well, but the original was clearly better. I know that’s not very scientific, but that’s the most important thing of this whole review.

The original blows huge clouds and has a really nice, big flavor. The clone has pretty much the same flavor, but the vapor wasn’t as massive.

People, the big clouds are why you buy the Tobh! That’s a big deal!

And another BIG difference – the clone atty leaks juice out the holes. Yep another slight design corner cut.

I’d say the clone is about 50% in flavor and performance of the original Tobh’s 100%.

If you’ve got a really tight budget, I’d take the IGO-W or even the Storm-A over the clone. They’re just a much more solid vape.

What puzzles me a little (and if you have anything to offer – share below) but its amazing the tolerances are for RDA design. If I ever have the chance of meeting Mr Tobh, I’d love to find out how many prototypes there were before he landed on the magic design. The Tobh clone and the original seem close enough to perform the same, but they are far from. The clone really feels cheap considering I’ve been using the original for months now.

The Verdict

The clone didn’t surprise me much – its a cheap knock off. Not horrible or unusable (except for cutting myself) but its a knockoff.

The original is still one of my favorite RDA’s to date.

Reasons to buy the clone

1. you’re cheap (not insulting – its a valid reason)
2. you’re not as proud of your vaping gear

Reasons to buy the genuine Tobh

1. You care about your gear and are proud of what you like
2. You care about supporting Tobh – a small USA company owned by a talented guy who cares about what he does
3. You want the best

Let me wrap up by saying this. The above reasons are from the heart. You could even have some fun and get both and do this comparison for yourself.

The Tobh is beautifully built with a lot of heart and soul. I have nothing against clones – I’ve bought many myself, but the Tobh is NOT overpriced at $80. Its worth it for me to pay 8 times the price of the clone to be 8 times as happy with the device every time I use this RDA.

I’ve said this before about clones on this site, but its worth saying here. I think battery tube mods are overpriced. I don’t build them, but its a tube that holds a battery and conducts electricity. But RDA’s are completely different. They are designed with passion and are MUCH more difficult to make. There’s lots of details, tiny parts and precision that goes into these.

If you can’t afford a Tobh, save your money. Its worth the wait.

I don’t have a problem with clones – but these are not 1:1 and its not a Tobh. The clone in this case is a cheaper, Tobh style RDA, but not a Tobh.

The Tobh Atty Clone: In stock for $10.08
The Tobh Atty (Origional): In stock for $89.99

Also check out my top pick for best RDA of 2014 so far – the Magma RDA by Paradigm Modz

In stock: Get it here for $115

The Magma RDA is a rebuildable dripping atomizer made by Paradigm. The Magma is made of surgical grade stainless steel and features quite a unique design. The airflow is unconventional for a dripper, but the Magma isn’t just a gimmick. This device is a really interesting alternative to the more mainstream rebuildables.

The airflow is brought in through the sides of the device and then released underneath the coils via channels inside the deck. This releases air to the coils in a way more similar to the Kayfun Lite or Russian 91%. Most conventional RDA’s bring the air in near the side of the coil which changes the direction as it leaves the top. You do loose a little bit of vapor production with the Magma RDA design, but you gain a more intense flavor. This device performs quite well. It should be noted as well that the Magma comes in one of the fanciest boxes I’ve seen to date. Its a treasure chest complete with a metal latch. Paradigm are very proud of the Magma and I appreciate the details down to the opulent package. Very nice touch. But on to the RDA itself.

Breaking the Magma Down

The Magma RDA is made of 3 main parts: the deck, the airflow control ring and the top cap. The deck features the standard 510 connection on the bottom with an extension screw. It will fit on any 510 mod you put it on. Extension screws are important to me because they are way more adjustable and you’ll ensure a good fit on any mod.

The deck is like nothing else and is what makes this RDA so unique. The Magma features only 2 posts – 1 positive and 1 negative. Each post uses a standard flathead screw top. The posts are surrounded by the two airflow chambers. These are the chambers that allow air to come in and release underneath where you build your coils. There are 2 large juice wells between the two airflow chambers. If you wick this right you can get more juice into this RDA than any other that I’ve tried. I can easily drip 25 drops into this thing which makes it really useful for vaping away.

The airflow control ring fits around the deck and features a series of holes in various sizes. This makes it easy to control the amount of air you want coming into the unit. It works great for both mouth hits and lung hits when vaping. You just dial the ring to your personal taste and you’ve got it. Also worth noting is the hole pattern as it allows for both single and double coil builds.

Once you have the airflow control where you want it, you lock it into place by screwing on the top cap. Very nice and easy to adjust. The top cap is a slightly conical design which, as we know on well built devices, this spins the air as it goes to the drip tip creating a more dense and smoother vape. The Magma RDA doesn’t come with a drip tip, but the standard connection will fit any standard drip tip you want to use.

Performance

The Magma is quite different in how it performs than some of the more traditional RDA designs you see. This is not a cloud blower. You do get a satisfying vape out of this, but its more about flavor than it is big clouds. This is fine for me. The flavor is as good or better than it is on some of the popular RDA’s such as the Zenith, Tobh or even the Castle. I actually like to use this in situations where I don’t want big clouds, but want the top flavor of a dripper. This is nice if you’re around a bunch of non-vapers.

Should I get the Magma RDA?

The Magma is an extremely high quality, high end RDA. Its not cheap and I’ve not seen a clone of this yet. Is it worth the money? For flavor and beautiful design quality, absolutely. If you’re looking for a cloud chucker you might not like this. Personally I love clouds, but I still have a place for this in my collection. I’m extremely happy with it.

In stock: Get it here for $115

Need an awesome 26650 mod? Check out the Hades Version 2

Available for $115 at Kidney Puncher

I arrived home yesterday to find some vape mail waiting for me. This package was a long time coming – it contained the new Zenith RDA – the Double Cross V2. And by a long time coming I mean a really long time. I ordered this literally 3 months ago as a pre-order. Apparently there was an issue with one of the machines at Crescent Moon and the whole production was seriously delayed. But finally this arrived today. Was it worth the wait?

I’ve got a ton of RDA’s. My preferred setup is a mech mod with a sub-ohm RDA on the top. I’ve got a lot of these and many of them are very much variations on the same theme. They are all fine and vape very much alike. There’s a few that stand out as I’ve outlined in my Best RDA of 2014 article.

I’ll start by saying the Zenith is among the best – in fact I’m amending the article to include it. Its fantastic. But it does come with a high price tag and I’m sure you’re wondering if its worth over 5 times the price of a IGO W.

Zenith RDA Double Cross V2 specifications

The build and machining on the Zenith RDA are exceptional. The Zenith RDA build consists of a base, 3 posts with allan screws (more on this in a minute), an an outer sleeve with an airflow control ring and a top cap. There are several options you have when ordering that offer choices of what type of metal you want for the air flow control collar. The options are brass, copper, stainless steel, matte black and “media blasted”. “Media Blasted” is a dark grey similar to the material used on the Russian 91%. Its really quite nice. You can order additional top caps and airflow control rings as well. I ordered a copper ring and a media blasted. The airflow control ring never touches your juice so if you’re the type that worries about this – have no fear. Its cosmetic on the outside only.

What’s cool about the Zenith RDA is that the top cap screws down and locks the airflow control in place so it won’t slip. In the RDA’s I own, this is the first to have a true locking AFC ring. When they don’t lock they slip now and then. Its not a big problem, but the lock is a really nice touch on the design.

Also nice is the Delrin insert in the center of the top cap. Its there to isolate the drip tip from heat. I don’t know that this is really a problem, but it looks tight so at least its an aesthetic plus.

Zenith RDA posts

The Zenith RDA is quite unique in its post design. Its a standard, 3 post set up, but what’s unique are the wide slots for inserting your coil leads. This not only accommodates thicker wire, but also allows “wiggle room” in your build. I usually build coils with 5 wraps which requires one of the leads to stretch on a conventional design. This can create a little bit of difficulty when you’re actually building. Not on the Zenith. Short coil lengths fit nicely.

The 3 posts are set with allen screws at the top. I’m not crazy about this because they require the included allen key. Not the end of the world, but phillips head would have been more convenient. And while we’re on the subject – don’t over tighten these screws. My first build snapped the leads off and I had to do it again because they were too tight. Just a little pressure will due.

Performance

The Zenith RDA performs amazingly. The airflow control is really nice and it allows for some serious air to pass through. If you’re a LOW sub-ohm vaper you will really appreciate this. The performance of any RDA is highly dependent on the air flow of your device. Too little and things can get hot if you sub-ohm. Too much and its not a satisfying vape. The Zenith RDA gives you wide enough slots to build just about anything you want. This makes it one of the most versatile RDA’s you can buy.

Also nice is the conical design of the top cap. Much like RDA’s such as the Tobh, this starts swirling the air as it passes to the drip tip and creates a wonderful, warm and dense vape. Flavor is top notch on this device.

Cons

There is little to gripe about in terms of build quality and performance. The only complaint I have, which may seem picky, is the terrible packaging. The box was flimsy and featured really cheesy type and graphics. I know this has nothing to do with the RDA, but come on – if you’re going to charge me $115 for an RDA, don’t show up in an old t-shirt from the 70′s. Know what I mean? The presentation needs to make me want to go buy everything you make. Look like a million dollars if you’re going to charge a premium. Hire a good designer. You’ll still make money I promise.

Should I buy the Zenith RDA Double Cross?

This is a good question. It comes down to your budget because this device is not cheap. Its an excellent performer and probably the most versatile RDAs I own. So how does it compare to lower end, but still good RDA’s such as the IGO W or the Patriot? Well, it is significantly better. You do feel and taste a slight difference and the device looks really amazing. Is it $100 better than an IGO W or $30 better than a Patriot? It is if you have the money.

I say this because cheaper RDA’s can still perform really well if you know what you want. I still use my IGO W with the Halo top cap daily. Its got a great, cheap deck and the Halo has slotted air flow control and a conical top design. The Zenith is a little nicer, but if you can only afford an IGO W and Halo – stick to that. I just feel like the price is really high and if you don’t have the money you can still get a GREAT performing vape out of the cheaper setup.

But if you can swing the cash you’ll love this thing. Its amazing.

Available for $115 at Kidney Puncher

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