Bonza V1.5 RDA Review — The Bonza Made Better

A lot of vapers love the Bonza RDA, and it’s easy to see why: It’s easy to build on, hard to over squonk, and delivers amazing flavor. What could make it better?

Well, Vandy Vape and The Vaping Bogan had a few changes in mind. It seems like they listened to the community and revamped some features on the Bonza to make it even better.

The Bonza V1.5 RDA brings a more precise airflow adjustment, a deeper juice well, and an improved build deck meant to deliver better flavor and an easier user experience. In this review, I’ll go over everything you need to know about this RDA.

This item was sent to us for the purpose of this review. This does not in any way affect our opinion or ratings of the device.

Bonza V1.5 RDA Review — The Bonza Made Better

What’s in the Box

• 1 x BONZA V1.5 RDA
• 1 x 810 Resin Wide-bore Drip Tip
• 1 x 810 Delrin Wide-bore Drip Tip
• 1 x 510 Drip Tip Adapter
• 1 x Squonk-Ready 510 Pin
• 1 x Accessory Bag

Key Features of the Bonza V1.5 RDA

• 24mm Diameter
• Collaboration with The Vaping Bogan
• Dual Coil RDA
• Two Clamping Posts
• Four Terminals
• 9mm Deep Juice Well
• 15 Airflow Holes Per Side — Fully Adjustable

Design & Build Quality

From the outside, the Bonza V1.5 looks almost identical to the original Bonza RDA. It has a nice 24mm diameter, and features a beautiful resin drip tip. But there are a few subtle differences.

Compared with the original Bonza, the skull & bones logo is more deeply etched into the body of the Bonza V1.5. The same goes for the scripture-like pattern that runs along the edge of the top cap. The clean and precise machining  give the Bonza V1.5 a refined and modern look.

And this clean and precise machining isn’t only limited to the etchings — it also goes for the rest of the Bonza V1.5. The entire body is made of 303 Stainless Steel for durability, and constructed very well. The paint quality has also held up well during my not-so-gentle testing, and that’s always a good sign.

You get two goon-style, 810 drip tips included with the Bonza V1.5. The first is resin and is very beautiful, while the other is a more plain and reserved black drip tip. They are both wide-bore and interchangeable with any other 810 goon-style drip tips you have.

Airflow

The airflow on the Bonza V1.5 is the same as on the original: fifteen small airflow holes on each side. These are arranged in three rows of five airflow holes per side. But one large improvement over the Bonza 1.0 are the numerous ways in which you can adjust the airflow.

The Bonza V1.5 keeps the same conical, domed shape inside of the top cap. This maximises and concentrates flavor, and should make for a more tasty vape.

The outside of the top cap has a series of “steps” cut into it. This allows you to adjust the airflow in a number of different ways. You can close off individual holes in the rows. Or you can close the top and/or middle row. But you can also close off columns of airflow holes and adjust the airflow vertically. This gives you so many options that you’re guaranteed to find an airflow configuration that suits you.

But what if you close half of the airflow vertically? Won’t it restrict the airflow to one side of the coil? Good question, but it’s one that Vandy Vape apparently thought of when designing the Bonza V1.5. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the mid cap on the Bonza V1.5 rotates and locks. What this means is that you’re able to tighten the Bonza V1.5 on to your mod as you would regularly, and then twist the mid cap to position the airflow holes. This allows you to perfectly center the airflow, no matter what your configuration or how many holes you’ve closed.

Now, the top cap on the Bonza V1.5 is quite tiny in terms of grip-space. This translates into the top cap being a bit difficult to turn. The patterned engraving helps a bit, but adjusting the airflow is still not the easiest thing to do. And with all of the different airflow combinations, I found myself struggling to twist and adjust the top cap to try them. So while I love the idea and concept behind this airflow, I have to say that it’s mildly frustrating to use.

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Build Deck

The build deck on the Bonza V1.5 is a beefy dual post, clamp-style deck. There are four terminals: one in each post as well as one clamp per post. You can fit some very large and advanced coil builds in this build deck thanks to the clamps & large terminal holes.

The build deck features some nice and beefy Phillips head screws with very deep slots. I would suggest using a Flathead though, for maximum grip. These screws grip and secure your leads very easily and are easy to turn.

The juice well on the Bonza V1.5 is super deep at 9mm, and this gives you a lot of room to work with. Firstly, you can lay down a bed with your wicks, for maximum performance. But you also have the freedom of squonking and dripping without worrying about flooding or spit back.

Building on the Bonza V1.5 RDA

Because of the clamp-style deck arrangement, building on the Bonza V1.5 couldn’t be more simple. The two clamps are thick and sturdy, and grip your coil very well. Same goes for the screws in the terminals, which also hold your coil firmly.

Start by loosening all four screws. Once done, insert one leg of your coil into a clamp and the other into the terminal on the other post. Then, tighten down your screws while ensuring that your coil stays close to the posts. Now you’ll want to trim your leads with a pair of flush cutters. The way that the deck is arranged makes it very easy to do so, without having to pre-measure your leads. Repeat this process on the other side.

When wicking, you’ll want to make sure that your wicks cover the floor of the build deck. Just spread out your wicks a bit, as this will make the best use out of the 9mm deep juice well.

Building on the Bonza V1.5 is a pleasure. You can fit large exotic coil builds without a problem, you don’t have to pre measure your coils, and the screws secure the coils really well.

Vaping and Squonking Performance

The Bonza V1.5 is a great RDA to vape with, and this is due to a combination of factors. Firstly, the conical, dome shape of the top cap really helps to concentrate the flavor of your ejuice. Secondly, the ability to adjust the airflow in multiple configurations is awesome. Thanks to the stepped cut outs in the top cap, you can find the perfect airflow restriction that suits you. Plus, the locking mid cap allows you to adjust the positioning. This means that you’ll always have your airflow centered on your coils, for the perfect vape. This seems to be a feature that a lot of new RDAs are including, and I’m a fan.

I installed a pair of SS316L stagger fused claptons that came in at 0.15ohms. Vaping with the airflow fully open at 80W I was getting dense, thick clouds. It was a bit too airy for me all the way open, but with the top row closed I could really taste the flavor. The airflow was very smooth and made for a very enjoyable vape.

The fifteen airflow holes on each side really give you a lot of options in terms of adjustment. One way that I really enjoyed the Bonza V1.5 was with two columns of the airflow closed. Then, I centered the remaining airflow holes on my coils. I got really great flavor and clouds with this configuration, and I would suggest you to try it out as well.

As mentioned earlier, the original Bonza was hard to over squonk or over drip. But the Bonza V1.5 is on a whole other level. Thanks to its 9mm deep juice well, I didn’t have a single problem with leaking or flooding. And even when I dripped or squonked the hell out of the Bonza V1.5, I still didn’t have any spitback.

Final Verdict — Bonza V1.5 RDA Review

When it all comes down to it, how does the Bonza V1.5 fare? Well, the top cap can be quite the hassle to turn and adjust the airflow, but that’s the biggest con of this RDA. And depending on how much you like to fiddle with your airflow while you vape, it might be a deciding factor. But when it comes to flavor, airflow smoothness, and overall build quality, the Bonza V1.5 is a stunner.

The build deck is so simple to use that even those new to rebuildables will have no problem. The clamps are nice and beefy, and securely hold even the largest of builds. The fifteen airflow holes on each side of the tank allow you to adjust to your desired setting, and center it with the locking mid cap. And don’t forget the amazing flavor and smooth clouds.

The Bonza V1.5 took everything that was good about the Bonza, and just made it better. I love how they didn’t completely change an RDA that people loved, and instead revamped and improved on things that could have been better on the original.

Just like the Bonza 1.0 in 2018, the Bonza V1.5 is definitely one of the best RDAs to get this year.

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