The 3rd generation Aromamizer RDA has gone back to its roots and is a flavourchaser. With a unique AFC and pretty dope design aesthetic it should peek your interest. It’s a 25mm to go along with this crazy new trend that bigger is better (not sure we agree). Let’s check it out…
It’s a tall atty with a larger diameter, it looks great on a flat top box mod, just keep in mind with this new larger trend it may not fit well on all devices. But on a nice simple box mod with the stainless textured center barrel section installed it looks really high end and sophisticated. Its lines are pretty clean and the unique AFC not only works well but helps keep everything tidy (looks & mess). Steam Crave has taken their Vortex airflow to a new level with the V-RDA, the inner fins are much larger and you really can feel & taste the swirling air. Airflow is silky smooth and probably one of the quietest RDAs on the market (even fully open). Like the pervious versions of the Aromamizer RDAs you don’t have to worry about aligning the AFC with your coils which is something you really begin to love, just pop on the top and forget about it till your next drip. One little con about this vortex system is you need to disassemble the atty after using stronger flavoured juices, condensation build up in the inner AFC fins can make flavour remnants from your last juice stick around if you don’t (It’s an easy task).
Flavour is very good, could it be better? Yes, we aren’t buying this new 25mm trend. It increases your vapor chamber size, good flavour is always a product of the smallest space possible with the best direct airflow. If you are a crazy coil lover (Claptons, Fused, Stapled, Twisted, Parallel, etc..) you are sure to love the bigger chambers cause they can fit these coils much easier. We just don’t like the heat and intensity that goes along with this new increasingly poplar style of vaping. Simple Spaced Coils between 28-24awg is where it’s at for comfortably warm flavourful vapor that’s easier on your battery life.
All that said, you can get a pretty great vape out of this atty with a simple 24awg, 3mm, 5-6 wrap, dual spaced build, ohming in around 0.25 and run between 60-75W. The build is easy, as to be expected with the Velocity style deck and the extra space. One big note, is you want to align your build with the lower post hole, their is an inner chamber ledge you need to allow clearance for. We easily fit 3mm coils and you might even be able to jam in 3.5mm but that’s about it. Wicking is very easy to set thanks to shallow juice well walls, don’t worry it holds lots of juice (20+ Drops). Just be aware of the AFC, you want to allow enough clearance for it to flow nicely around your coils, lower is better on this atty.
Vapor production has a bit of a trade off for flavour, the vortex creates quite a flow of air which produces good flavour but adds a wispy quality to the vapor. Sure it’s still got plenty of clouds, they just aren’t as dense as you may experience on other attys. It’s a fair trade for the flavour and silky quiet airflow your get to enjoy. We are sure if you throw in some claptons it will wake this atty up quite a bit and increase the intensity levels. We just wish the chamber was more condensed, but maybe we’re alone in this, maybe everyone wants the crazy intense, hot, high wattage, free for all that the industry seems to be supporting these days.
The AFC works rather well, better than we thought it would. It’s very flexible, allowing for a very restricted to almost full lung hit. The idea of a sort of donut or ring that closes down on top of Airflow holes is pretty ingenious and you’ll be surprised at the accuracy or sensitivity. Less than a quarter turn and really effect the settings. We hope to see this style in more of Steam Craves products, they are on to something, it would be dope in an RTA. Having it at the top of the barrel also keeps things super tidy, if you leave the top cap/barrel on after a fresh build and drip down the top there is no leaking or condensation of any kind. If you like to pop your cap & drip you will get a slight ring of juice on the top of your mod over time thanks to condensation on your o-rings.
You get a lot for your money with this atty, two completely different looks thanks to the glass and stainless center barrels, a very comfortable chuff style cap, a 510 drip tip adapter with the famous Steam Crave spit back protector that creates that back pressure some of you have come to love, and plenty of spares. It’s a great RDA with lots for great design thinking/features, Steam Crave has redeemed themselves in our book (the v2 was not good). It comes down to aesthetics, if you love the way it looks, buy it, it’s a pleasure to vape and build, and it’s $40. We are definitely going to keep ours in rotation.