What is sub-ohming?
In the vaping community, something that's gaining popularity is called sub-ohming. In short, this is when a vaper vapes with a device that has coils that have a resistance of less than one. This type of vaping can make huge and luscious clouds. Therefore, it's a big hit with those that love cloud chasing and competing in competitions. It's also great for getting a intense flavor and a vapor that is warmer than normal. With that being said, the airflow does cool down the vapor some, so you don't burn your lips. Sub-ohm vaping is for the extreme vaper and there are instances when it can be dangerous.
Now that you know what sub-ohm vaping is, you might be wondering how it's done. There are a few ways that one can achieve sub-ohm vaping. Those ways are going to be discussed next, so you can get a better understanding of how to achieve this. The first way is to increase your battery power. The reason for this is because the more power you give your coil, the hotter it will get, and the more vapor will be produced. The second way is to give the coil a lower resistance. The reason these two pair together so well is because you can only give the coil so much heat before it starts to overheat. Overheating is something you want to avoid and can have a lot of bad results. The two main things is that it can make the vapor so hot that it burns your mouth and it can burn your wick, which can result in getting a burnt taste. Both are bad situations, as you don't want to be injured and you don't want to have to have a nasty and burnt taste every time you try to take a drag.
Sometimes, people get confused about how to get a lower resistance and there are a few things you can do to get the lower resistance. The first thing is using a thicker wire. Having thicker wire will give more spread-out space so it will heat up quicker than a thinner wire. The other main thing you can do is to adjust the airflow. Usually more airflow will give more vapor production, flavor that isn't very strong, and a vapor that is cooler in temperature. Less airflow will usually give flavor more intensity and vapor that is warmer in temperature.
Depending on the type of atomizer you use, there are 3 main ways that someone can sub-ohm vape. Those are talked about below.
Sub-ohm tanks
The first way is by using sub-ohm tanks. These types of tanks have coils that are already made, and they’re disposable, which means can only be reused a certain number of times. These types of tanks are great for vapers that are trying sub-ohm vaping for the first few times and either don't want to or don't have enough knowledge to build their own coils.
RDA
The second way is by using RDAs or Rebuildable Dripping Atomizers. These can also be called drippers and these devices is where sub-ohm vaping first started. These are usually smaller than other tanks and have an area where coils are built then you attach them using a screwdriver. You would also attach a piece of cotton that you would then use for wicking. The way you use these is by dripping a few drops of e-liquid right on the coils. You would drip more liquid on the coils after taking a few drags.
RTA
The final way is by using RTAs or Rebuildable Tank Atomizers. These are great devices for vapers that want to have the option of building their own coils but don't want to have to deal with dripping. These ones are great for more experienced sub-ohm vapers since they must build the coils all on their own. This will let you build your coils however you want and there are more options, as of recently, that help you control the level of airflow.
Some vapers might think that e-juice selection doesn't really matter when it comes to vaping but it actually does. The biggest reason for this is because normal e-juices don't do well with higher than normal temperatures. In all honesty, even e-juices that are marketed as sub-ohm juices don't do very well. The best thing to do is just make your own. To get the right juice for sub-ohming, the biggest thing you need to ensure is that it's at the right ratio. The ideal ratio for this activity is 80% VG and 20% PG.
When sub-ohm vaping, there are a few things you need to get started. Those things are listed out below:
- A battery that will support coils with lower resistance
- Tanks that can support lower resistances
- Either disposable coils or built coils that have a lower resistance
- A device that can help regulate temperature and airflow
- E-liquid that is at least 80% VG and 20% PG
Keep in mind, if you want to build your own coil then you'll need wire to build them, the tools to build them, and cotton to have proper wicking.
Sub-ohm vaping is more for more experienced vapers. More than likely, it's going to be a lot of trial and error. You should expect to get a more intense flavor and a lot of vapor production. You should also expect to get a vapor that's a little bit warmer than normal. If this sounds like something you'd love, then give sub-ohm vaping a try!