Sub-Ohm Vaping [Guide]
As vaping has increased around the world, innovation has pushed vape mods from small low-powered cig-style devices to high power sub ohm devices. It’s not new for vapers to want to push the limits, and sub-ohm vaping allows them to do just that. If you’re not familiar with sub-ohm vaping, you’re in luck - we wrote this sub ohm vaping guide to teach you everything that you need to know!
Ohms and Ohm’s Law
Before we get to all the cool vaping stuff, we first have to cover some scientific basics. An “ohm” is a unit of resistance. Ohm’s Law states that there is a relationship between voltage, current and resistance. More specifically, Voltage = Current / Resistance or V = I/R. How does that relate to vaping? Basically, by decreasing the resistance (ohms) of your atomizer, more electricity will flow through it, changing the overall vape experience.
What is Sub Ohm Vaping?
In it’s most simple definition, sub ohm vaping means vaping with a coil that has resistance under one ohm. Conversely, vaping with a coil that has a resistance over one ohm is considered above ohm vaping.
In its infancy, sub ohm vaping was mostly explored by vaping veterans who built their own coils and constructed their own devices. They figured out through Ohm’s Law that their mods could produce far more wattage and power if they lowered the circuit’s resistance (ohms). By using a rebuildable atomizer and building their own coils, they were able to blow bigger clouds and intensify their vape experience. These were the first sub ohm coils and sub-ohm atomizers.
Today however, the market is very different. The popularity of sub ohm vaping has resulted in an explosion of new commercially produced and regulated sub ohm devices and sub-ohm vaping kits in the vape market. Sub ohm vaping is no longer reserved just for experts, but is available to everyone through safe devices with advanced vaping technology and eliminating the need for sub ohm coil builds for most consumers. On average, commercial units range between 10 watts and 300 watts, although at least 30 watts is typically needed to sustain a resistance under an ohm.
Sub Ohm Vaping vs Regular Vaping
The main difference between sub ohm vaping and regular (above ohm) vaping is whether or not the atomizer’s resistance is above or below one ohm. However, in terms of the vaper’s experience, there are three major differences that come from the increased power of a sub-ohm device. These three differences and reasons why sub ohm vaping is popular include:
·Bigger Clouds: If more power means one thing for vapers, it means bigger and more vibrant clouds. For cloud chasers, and those who just prefer more vape on each hit, the performance of a sub ohm device far exceeds the performance of an above ohm device.
·More Flavor: More vape means more flavor. Since sub ohm vaping uses more vape juice than vaping at a higher resistance, sub ohm vapers are able to maximize the flavor on each and every pull.
·Warmer Vape: Sub ohm vaping means more power, and as a result, the vapor will typically be warmer than an above ohm experience. Commercial devices and tanks usually have ample airflow to ensure that the vape is not hot enough to cause discomfort, but instead, enough to make sure that each hit is warm and smooth on your throat.
Three Ways to Sub Ohm Vape
For those who choose to sub-ohm vape, an atomizer with a resistance under an ohm will be necessary. If you are trying to figure out how to sub ohm vape, there are three options available:
1.Rebuildable Dripping Atomizers (RDAs): In the beginning, if you wanted to sub ohm vape, a rebuildable dripping atomizer would have been your only choice. These atomizers allow vapers to build their own coil and wrap their own cotton. Instead of a tank, users would simply drip e-liquid onto the wick.
2.Rebuildable Tank Atomizers (RTAs): RTAs are similar to RDAs in that they allow individuals to build and customize their own coils, but the coils are built within a tank so that dripping is no longer a requirement. Instead, e-juice is held in a small tank that gives a much longer vaping experience between juice refills.
3.Sub Ohm Tanks: Commercial tanks make sub ohm vaping very easy. Since commercial coils are ‘ready-to-go’, vapers don’t have to build them or maintain them. Instead of screwing in a coil and wicking cotton through it, users can simply spin a commercial coil into the tank, fill the tank with e-liquid, and begin vaping immediately.
Best Sub-Ohm Vape Mods
VooPoo Drag 2
Voopoo Drag 2 is the sequel to the massively popular and award winning Voopoo Drag (2018 winner of the Best Mod Under $50). We really loved the original and thought that Voopoo would be hard pressed to deliver and improvement, but they did! The Voopoo Drag 2 is lighter, smaller and has an extra 20W. The GENE.FIT is awesome chipset, with coil protection and FIT settings for best output for flavor, clouds and battery.
SnowWolf Mfeng 200W
SnowWolf Mfeng 200W mod is manufactured by Sigelei and you can feel the awesome build quality the second you hold the Mfeng. It can support temperature control modes for a large number of coil types so pairing it up with a good sub-ohm tank is a breeze. Don't worry it doesn't bite.
SMOK Species 230W Mod
The SMOK Alien 220W was the most popular vape device for a large period of time until SMOK discontinued it (for legal reasons, allegedly). It's replacement the SMOK Species is set to become just as popular. Essentially an Alien V2 its superior in every detail.
Vaporesso Polar 220W Mod
Vaporesso continue to go from strength to strength and the Polar caps it off. The Polar has one of the fastest firing speeds of any vape mod, at 0.001s it's hard to imagine it getting any faster. If you're looking for a mod that fires super fast and has awesome power, you need to get the Vaporesso Polar.
SMOK Mag Grip 100W Mod
Blow your vape friends away with the SMOK Mag Grip 100W mod. At vaping.com we're massive fans, using the design inspiration of a hand gun the Mag Grip is a delight to hold. For safety reasons we recommend using a external battery charger, we also recommend you have two batteries for the Mag so that you can enjoy lock and loading the battery. Like all SMOK products there is a whole suite of protection features making this an awesome all round mod.
Best Sub-Ohm Tanks
Horizon Tech Falcon Sub-Ohm Tank (Resin Edition)
If you've been looking around trying to find out what the best sub-ohm tank is in 2019 then you'll have no doubt already crossed paths with the Falcon tank. The reason that the Horizon Tech Falcon Sub-Ohm Tank is so popular is it's flavor reproduction, quite possibly the best tank for flavor going. Thanks to the special blend of cotton and wood pulp the coils can hold more e-liquid, the more vape juice that gets heated the more flavor you get. If you choose the Falcon Sub-Ohm tank you won't be disappointed.
Famovape Fat Baby Mesh Tank
Mesh technology is the latest breakthrough in vape coil technology and the Famovape Fat Baby tanks take full advantage. Mesh coils last longer and because of the increased surface area that gets heated provide more flavor. The tank can be filled up to an impressive 6ml e-liquid capacity and it couldn't be easy to use, just slide back the top cap and refill. The glass is reinforced Pyrex Glass so it has improved protection should it take a fall.
Vaporesso SKRR Sub-Ohm Tank
Another sub-ohm tank which uses a blend of materials in its coils for supreme flavor. The Vaporesso SKRR also features a unique coil shape which is designed to eliminate spit back.
Choosing The Right Sub Ohm Mod
There are hundreds of sub ohm mod options on the market today, and as vaping popularity continues to expand, this selection will increase. When you’re looking for the perfect sub ohm device, the most important thing is to know what you require for your ideal vape experience. If it’s about big clouds, find a device with a higher wattage capability. If it’s about long battery life, find a sub ohm device with multiple batteries. No matter what you need, there’s a device out there for you.