One of the first stages on your vaping journey is deciding what tank you want to use, with the choice out there being endless if you choose to look long enough. Or perhaps you are an experienced vaper looking to move from your regular tank onto something more advanced. Here at The Vape Pocket Guide we want to make things as easy as possible for you so join us whilst we take a look at all you need to know about Vape tanks, and the details associated with them. This is not an exhaustive list and is designed to explain what each tank is and point you in the right direction in making that all important decision.
Types of Tanks
Sub Ohm Vape Tanks
Sub ohm tanks are high capacity, high power stock coil tanks. They require a coil change when the cotton has charred but normally provide around 2 weeks of vaping before a change is required. They require high power from the mod and utilise higher VG content in Eliquid to create bigger clouds. Eliquid is low strength nicotine and the vape is much smoother, although more intense for flavour and vapour production.
MTL Tanks
These are designed for lower powered vapes and more specifically for mimicking the smoking style which makes them ideal for first time vapers. They utilise higher strength nicotine Eliquid and provide a much bigger hit of nicotine, which then leads to less vaping required. These vape tanks utilise changeable coils also with more emphasis on a smaller profile compared to their bigger brother in sub ohm tanks.
RDA
An RDA, or Rebuildable Dripper Atomiser to give it its full name, is a device that takes away all the filler of the standard vape tank and provides the user with a base and a mouth piece. They require coils to be built and wicked manually meaning high level of knowledge of Ohms law and skill are required to be able to use them safely. The design is that it removes the chimney of a standard tank , meaning draws are coming directly from the cotton on the coil, improving flavour and providing the user with plenty of customisation upon the deck. They are low profile style and can be smaller in diameter than your stock coil tanks. They require Eliquid to be dripped directly onto the cotton, with no room for storing Eliquid otherwise.
RTA
RTA tanks are similar to an RDA, but offer the tank part of the vaping experience to hold a greater amount of liquid. The design of the RTA (rebuildable tank atomiser) is similar to a MTL or sub ohm style tank depending on sizing and come with a glass compartment and drip tip in similar style also. The RTA is another experienced vapers tool, requiring hand made coils and wicking to effectively and safely use them. The draw of the RTA is that you can have both the customisable option that the RDA brings, along with a chamber for holding Eliquid. This means you can have a tank and a rebuildable base all in one, with plenty of high quality versions on the market.
Disposable vape tanks
Fairly new to the market, disposable vape tanks are designed to be single use tanks, that are to be disposed of when the coil has ran out of life. Coming in both MTL and DL designs, they hold a smaller amount of Eliquid but provide similar functionality, with a filling port reminiscent of a pod style system. Made from plastic rather than glass, they look different to standard tanks, with even light up options available on the market. You buy a pack of tanks rather than coils and once used, they can be disposed/recycled where applicable.
Perhaps you are an advanced user of vaping and are unsure of which type of coil wire to use in your RDA/RTA. Not to worry, we have a helpful guide here on which coil is best suited for what job you want to achieve.
Types of Vape Coils
Vape coils come in many different types with each one offering both pros and cons for their usage. Additionally depending on the coil type, different ways of vaping can be explored and used.
Kanthal
The most common material in vaping is Kanthal metal,the most common style coil in the industry for stock coils. Kanthal is used due to it simplicity to use, ability to withstand high temperatures and its versatility. The negative to Kanthal is that it is fairly limited and cannot be used in different vaping methods such as temperature control. However for a beginner wire, there is nothing simpler on the market today.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel wire is a much more adjustable wire and can be used in both standard and Temperature control vaping. The benefit of using SS is through its cleaner taste and longer life which makes it ideal to be used in a rebuildable device. However it can be unstable in standard vaping conditions and also more difficult to build with, making this more geared towards TC vaping over standard vaping.
Nickel
Nickel is a rarely used material for coils in vaping due to its difficulty and limitations when used as a vaping coil. However the advantages it brings may well be ideal for you. Nickel is more stable than SS, provides a better balanced flavour and is a lot more accurate in reading resistances. The disadvantage however to using Nickel is the difficulty in building with this material and the gunking up of the coils compared to the others which means more maintenance is required when in use.
Hopefully this guide has been a great intro into the world of vape tanks and coils. As with anything, vape tanks are based on user preference and just because you use a stock coil over a rebuildable, it doesn’t dampen your experience with many stock coil tanks matching rebuildable tanks for flavour and performance. Remember always make sure you know what you are doing before you pick up a new type of vape tank. If you want to know more, check out our what is vaping guide or vaping mods 101.
