Sub Ohm Vape Tanks: What You Should Expect

You've heard all the hype, and you think you're ready to choose a new sub-ohm tank style clearomizer. But how is your new hardware going to change your vape? That's largely going to depend on what you're vaping on now. Let's look at this from a couple different angles.

Are you using an older style of clearomizer, like the Aspire Nautilus or Kanger Protank series? Well, the big thing you're going to be hit with is an ultra-loose draw, followed by a wall of clouds. Sub-ohm tank operate under higher power than traditional clearomizers, so in order to avoid overheating the coils and burning your wicks or vape liquid flavors, they need more air to pass over the coils to keep them cool. Of course, more heat and more air (and the subsequently larger clouds produced) means more vape liquid consumption – plan on using a lot more liquid than before, but also expect to extract richer, fuller flavor than you'd have ever imagined possible on a last-generation device.

A quick note about all that liquid consumption – if you're vaping with nicotine, plan on dropping strength considerably and quickly. If you're going to blow clouds twice the size of what you used to be able to, you're going to use twice as much vape juice, which means twice as much nicotine. In order to keep your consumption constant and avoid taking in more nicotine than you need to keep cigarette cravings at bay, you're only going to need half as much nicotine per milliliter of juice.

Sub-ohm vaping is largely better suited to direct-lung hits, as opposed to the mouth-to-lung style required when using a traditional clearomizer. Some good tanks for transitioning include the Kanger Subtank and Innokin iSub – these devices allow options providing for tighter airflow as well as coils with higher resistances, so you can gradually work your way up to wide-open airflow or just enjoy the benefits of increased performance without turning up the power if you so choose.

What if you're an RDA user who's been dripping for a while? This is a completely different ballgame – maybe you abandoned tanks a long time ago because they just weren't delivering the flavor or cloud experience you demanded. Be prepared for a vastly changed landscape, even if you tried some of the first sub-ohm tanks when they hit the market a year or so ago.

Many of the latest and greatest tanks are offering a myriad assortment of coil builds, from double, triple, or even sextuple options to pre-wrapped and wicked Claptons. Most tanks, if they don't offer a rebuildable head standard, have one available for optional purchase so you can use your own preferred coil builds and wicking techniques, essentially doubling as an RTA for when you want to build and a throwaway-coil clearomizer when you don't.

Tank recommendations are going to be quite different than for traditional clearomizer converts – you'll probably want a tank with tons of power and airflow to match. Don't worry, there are some options out there that are more than ready to compete with your RDA on both counts.

First, take a look at the Uwell Rafale and Smok TFV4 – while the TFV4 won Guide To Vaping's prestigious award for the best clearomizer of 2015, users who've experienced both tend to rank the TFV4 as their #1 choice and the Crown as #1A. There are also a fair share of vapers who prefer the Crown – the performance is both that good and that close. And since both of these proven winners have been around for a few months, a host of new competitors are already lining up to take their shot at the title. Check out our review blog for a rundown on the latest 'next big thing,' it's sure to be right around the corner.