So you've heard talk of rebuildable atomisers or seen fancy terms like RDA or RTA being thrown around and you want to learn more? Don't worry, we've got you covered.

Before using any rebuildable atomisers, it's important that you know about battery safety and ohm's law. For that, you can see our other blog posts here.

Firstly, they're rebuildable? That's right. If you enjoy working with your hands, tonnes of flavour and saving money; you're on the right track. Instead of purchasing replacement coils, you put one together yourself using pre-made or self-made coils and vape cotton (also known as a wick). Putting the work in yourself pays off in outstanding flavour and spare cash to put towards your next new vape!

Let's talk terms. RBA, RDA, RSA, RTA, RDTA - What do they mean? They're all built on the same principle of rebuilding your coils and placing them on the 'build deck'. They primarily differ on how the juice reaches the coils.

RBA

Rebuildable Atomizer: this is a blanket term used to describe all rebuildable atomizers/tanks.

RDA

Rebuildable Dripping Atomiser: these work by dripping your juice directly onto the coils and cotton and then vaping until you need to add more juice, either by removing the top cap or through the drip tip (that name makes sense now, right?). This is an oldie but a goodie. You can reliably get the juice where and how you want it and is the simplest form of rebuilding. Dripping also provides the best possible flavour.

Pros:

• Great flavour
• Nice and simple

Cons:

• Need to carry a bottle of juice with you and manually apply it

RSA

Rebuildable Squonking Atomiser: Squonking is relatively new to the market but is quickly becoming vastly popular. Squonking works by storing your juice in a bottle inside of your mod. Squeezing the bottle will push juice up through pipes in your mod and into the atomiser. This does mean you need a specific type of mod for it, known as a 'squonk mod'. Most RDAs can be used for squonking by changing out the centre 510 pin for a compatible squonk pin that they commonly come with but be sure to check this before purchasing your RDA of choice if you wish to squonk. Due to this interchangeability, you likely won't see the term 'RSA' too often and instead they are simply known as RDAs. Depending on your atomiser, squonking can rival dripping for flavour.

Pros:

• Flavour that can rival RDAs
• No need to carry your bottle of juice

Cons:

• Need to buy a new, larger mod

RTA

Rebuildable Tank Atomiser: You're likely already familiar with tanks and how they work. RTAs are much the same. You rebuild your coils and place them at the bottom of a tank, where the juice flows in designated channels to reach the tail of your wick. Knowing exactly how much cotton to use in your coils can be challenging as too much can lead to dry hits and too little can lead to flooding the coil chamber and/or leaking. Don't worry too much; a bit of practice and you’ll soon be nailing it every time! While flavour from an RTA will be a big improvement over tanks that use replaceable coils, it generally won't be as good as an RDA/RSA simply because the coils are further away from your mouth.

Pros:

• Good flavour

Cons:

• Prone to leaking if you're not careful

RDTA

Rebuildable Dripping Tank Atomiser. It may look like someone took RDA and RTA and smashed them together and you're exactly right; essentially getting the best of both

worlds. Instead of the build deck being at the bottom, like an RTA, it’s placed above the tank. Generally speaking, you leave the tail of your cotton in open slots connected to the tank

where the juice then soaks into the cotton. Having the deck above the tank allows for flavour much closer to an RDA while still being able to hold more juice than an RDA alone. This also leaves the option of dripping your juice onto the coils now and then if you want an extra burst of flavour or to add something different! But hang on; if you can get great flavour off an RDTA, why would you spend the extra money on getting a squonk mod? Well, RDTAs are still prone to leaking if you're not careful with your wicking and squonk mods generally hold more juice but it's nice to have something for everyone.

Pros:

• Better flavour than an RTA

Cons:

• Still prone to flooding/leaking

Summary

So, which is the best? I have good news and bad news. The bad news is: none of them are best. The good news: you get to choose what's best for you. RDAs and squonking excel with flavour. RTAs and RDTAs are a great way to take your juice on the go while still being compact.

Now that your brain is loaded with new information, why not take the step by going on over to our rebuildable section for

some mind-blowing flavour?

-Josh Tucker

Charlestown Super Vape Store