RTA Tanks

The Wotofo Serpent ELEVATE RTA just arrived in my office and, after using the original SMM Serpent RTA quite extensively, I was obviously super-keen on seeing how the new model compared.

The Wotofo Serpent ELEVATE RTA is, once again, the brainchild of Suck My Mod – a very good, very popular YouTube reviewer.

Once again, the Wotofo Serpent ELEVATE RTA is a single coil RTA with a deck that reminds me a lot of the Recurve RDA.

It has a top-mounted airflow and is larger than the Serpent SMM RTA.

I loved SMM’s work on the Serpent SMM RTA. It kicked a lot of ass in the flavor department. But will lightning strike twice? Is the Wotofo Serpent ELEVATE RTA a legit new contender for best RTA of 2018?

This post is essentially an unboxing and setup. I literally set up it up as I wrote each section to give you a blow-by-blow account of how it works out the box…

Let’s take a gander at what you get with this sweet little number…

Wotofo Serpent ELEVATE RTA | What You Get In The Box

One thing I really dig about Wotofo is its packaging. It packs in loads of goodies and the box design is always very cool.

I love the green and black color scheme and the fact you get cotton and coils in the box. And not just any old cotton either; no, here you get shoe-lace style cotton for super-easy wicking.

Wotofo also includes a spare drip tip, a 510 adapter, Clapton coils (2 of them), an extra tube, extra O-Rings, and extra screws. Bottomline? This is an epic haul of gear.

But then, I wouldn’t expect anything less from Wotofo!

It always provides tons of accessories with its vape products, be they mods or tanks.

Wotofo Serpent ELEVATE RTA Deck

The deck is pretty straight-forward. It’s very similar to the Recurve RDA’s in that its housed inside a half-cylinder-style structure.

The airflow comes from the sides and you have to pre-clip your leads. Nothing out of the ordinary here, just another solid, easy to use Wotofo deck.

Once you’re pre-clipped, installing the coil is a cinch; just place it, tighten the screws, position it correctly, and you’re done.

Again, this is a very simple deck. There’s no learning curve, save for the pre-clipping of the leads, and the install went smoothly for me on the first go. Just make sure you don’t cut your leads too short.

As you can see in the images, the deck is slightly elevated off of the bottom of the tank. This is because you need to wick your cotton downwards into the juice holes.

The deck is quite high up when you’re complete and there is a sheer drop from it right down to where it meets with the E Juice. But because the airflow is at the top, there is ZERO leaking.

Wotofo Serpent ELEVATE RTA Wicking Tutorial

Because of the nature of the deck; the coil is located high-up and the cotton has to drop down to wick, I was kind of worried about how this would work in practice.

When distances are involved, wicking can be tricky, as the juice has got to meet the cotton, soak the cotton, and make its way up to the coil so as to ensure it stays nice and juicy.

My first attempt didn’t go very well; I got a dry hit once the initial juice had burnt off the coil. I then proceeded to trim down the cotton, making it thinner and less bulbous over the juice ports.

This seems to have done the trick, but I still get that sneaking suspicion that I haven’t got it quite right just yet. I think this one will take some finesse before I 100% nail it.

First Vape

The first vape was decent enough, but then I’d already primed the coil with E Juice, so that’s to be expected.

I did get a dry hit after the seventh or eighth one, though, as mentioned above. This required me to go back and take a look at my wicking. I used too much, essentially, and once trimmed down it vaped better.

That was about two hours ago, and since then it’s been vaping OK but I still haven’t got the wicking down 100% – though I will figure it out!

Initial impressions? This isn’t an RTA for newbie users; the wicking takes precision to get right. For this reason, I wouldn’t recommend this to inexperienced RTA users right now.

The Single Coil Wotofo Serpent ELEVATE RTA Picks Up Where The Serpent Left Off And Adds In More Flavor And Improved Airflow. Really Impressive Stuff Once Again. VaporDNA is Retailing It For $34.99

Wicking is always tricky on RTAs, but some are better than ours – these RTAs are the easiest to wick, for instance.

I’d say I have the wicking about 75% right, and even with that discrepancy in mind the vapor is great and the flavor is very impressive. I can’t wait until I get it right, as the flavor should be superb!

Will it make it onto our Best RTA Tanks 2018 Guide? Hard to say right now, I need to spend more time with it.

Once I’ve done this, I’ll review it and update this post with a full verdict.

Until then, here are the key specs and details for the Wotofo Serpent ELEVATE RTA.Diameter: 24mm

Wotofo Serpent ELEVATE RTA Specs & Features

Threading: 510 thread

E-liquid Capacity: 3.5ml

Filling Method: Top filling

Airflow Type: Adjustable top airflow

Insulator Material: German PEEK

Extra Accessory: 4.5ml bubble tube, Coil trimming tool

Best Price: $34.99 via VaporDNA (Use Code: “DNA10” To Get 10% OFF)

There are a few RTA tanks around that claim to be leak-proof, and the AUGVAPE Intake RTA has just joined the fray – but is it any good?

AUGVAPE Intake RTA Review: This RTA Tank is 100% “Leak-Proof”

Reader Rating12 Votes69

PROS

It NEVER Leaks

It's Super-Simple To Wick & Set Up

Really Well Designed, No Wonky Bits

An Ideal RTA For A Complete Newbie

Things To Keep In Mind

Flavor Isn't Brilliant. It's Good, Just Not Exceptional

75

A 100% LEAK-PROOF RTA Tank

Ideal For First Time RTA-ers!

The AUGVAPE Intake RTA is an ideal tank for anyone that is completely new to the world of RTAs. It’s simple to setup, easy to wick, and it NEVER leaks. In the month that I used it, I didn’t have a single leak – and I even tried it with rubbish wicking. It also looks really cool too, and while there are better tanks for flavor on the market, the Intake RTA is one of the most forgiving RTA setups I have ever used. Perfect for beginner RTA users.

PICTURES

Best Place To Buy Online?

VaporDNA | $29.99

The biggest thing about RTA tanks that puts people off is that they leak – or they’re fiddly to wick. Or, sometimes… BOTH!

There are definitely a few beginner-friendly options around right now, and the AUGVAPE Intake RTA, with its unique airflow system, is yet another option.

This tank, like a couple on the market right now, claims to be 100% leak-proof, so even the n00biest of n00bs can work and live with it.

It’s also pretty darn cheap too (just $29.99).

So how does it stack up in reality? Let’s bloody well find out, shall we?

AUGVAPE Intake RTA Design

Fully Loaded On Top of The GeekVape AEGIS Mod

The Intake RTA is certainly a handsome chap. The bulging glass tank, the knurled effect around the drip tip, and the blue resin drip tip all make for an aesthetically pleasing tank.

As soon as I unboxed it, I knew I liked it. It just has “that” look about it – Vandy Vape is good at achieving this kind of thing. And so too is AUGVAPE it seems.

It’s a big boy, though. Chunky, solid, robust – and it’s also a single coil RTA which I found kind of bizarre. Normally, single coil RTAs are a little more svelte and slimmed down.

The Top-Mounted Airflow (Which Links Up With The Internal Tubes)

Not that this is a bad thing. I like my tanks with a bit of muscle, and the AUGVAPE Intake RTA has it in spades.

But what makes the AUGVAPE Intake RTA so unique in the RTA space is its airflow, which is placed at the top.

This is why it NEVER leaks. It literally CANNOT leak!

Why? Simple: gravity just won’t let it happen.

This is a clever move, and I expect to see A LOT more RTA tanks using a similar system in the coming months.

All you have to do when setting it up is ensure the airflow posts, these are found inside the tank, are lined up. That’s literally it. Bang the coil in, wick it, and you’re good to go.

A Handsome Devil!

The airflow control is located just below the drip tip. You can have it wide open, partially closed, or whatever suits your style best. Personally, I prefer it wide open.

To refill with E Juice, simply turn the top cap counter-clockwise and it pops off, revealing large(ish) kidney-shaped fill ports.

All told, this RTA is INSANELY easy to set up and live with.

AUGVAPE Intake RTA Deck

This is a single coil RTA, and that means you can run it pretty economically without degrading the flavor or performance.

During my stint with this vape tank, I’ve been running it in and around 45W to 60W, and it seems perfectly happy at either increment.

Setting the coil is also really simple on this deck too; you gave two Philips screws that secure it in place, and lining it up with the airflow is as easy as can be.

The Deck And Those Unique Airflow Tubes

This, for me, is what makes the AUGVAPE Intake RTA so special. It’s been made with new users in mind, those that might not be used to an RTA or rebuildable deck.

And it has done ALL it can to make it as painless as possible.

The airflow system is also kinda unique too; the tubes circulate the airflow to the bottom of the tank and onto the coil, and you also have that side airflow at the top as well.

This is partly why you do not get any leaking, as there are no exposed airflow ports at the base of the device. The tubes do all the internal airflow work.

The machining and connections are all very much on point too; everything connects and comes apart in a buttery smooth fashion.

The Large Kidney-Shaped Juice Fill Ports

There are no stiff components or wonky screws. Once everything’s set, the tank fits together perfectly and feels incredibly secure.

I’m a huge fan of single coil RTA tanks, as they use less power yet still provide great flavor and clouds. The AUGVAPE Intake RTA is no exception to this rule.

Chuck in ZERO leaking and AUGVAPE could well have a winner on its hands here.

So how’s the overall performance?

AUGVAPE Intake RTA Performance

It’s good. I like it, especially since it doesn’t leak – like, at all.

The one thing I’m not 100% loving about the Intake RTA is the airflow; it’s kinda restricted even when wide open.

I don’t mind restricted airflow at all, but I like having the option to rock out with my airflow wide open when the mood takes me.

This is an entirely subjective point, however, as what I like will almost certainly be completely different to what you do.

The tank runs smoothly though, really smooth, and it’s super quiet as well. Flavor is decent too. Not the greatest. But definitely well above par.

Solid Connector, Beautifully Finished

It’s just not quite as precise as I’d like it to be. RTAs, for the most part, are big hitters in the flavor department. But the Intake feels more like a decent sub ohm tank, with respect to flavor.

The big idea here is simple: it’s an RTA that doesn’t leak. This is big, as it means new users can pick on up and use it right off the bat with no hassle.

And I think this is the entire point of the AUGVAPE Intake RTA. Simplicity. But this simplicity comes at a cost: and that cost is flavor – it’s just not quite as good as some RTAs around right now.

And this is 100% down to the airflow system that is used in it.

I do like this tank a lot. I’ve had a blast testing it. It does A LOT of things right – especially the zero leaking thing.

It is definitely a great option for anyone looking at dipping their toes into the world of RTA tanks.

This is why we included it inside our Best RTA Tank Guide – it’s simple and easy to use. And for an RTA, that is always awesome

I just think an experienced RTA user will feel a little short-changed in the flavor department.

For anyone coming from a sub-ohm tank, however, the AUGVAPE Intake RTA is definitely worth a look.

It’s simple to use and performs solidly in almost every regard.

Check out ALL the color options for this tank over at VaporDNA (Best Price: $29.99).