Russ WareGetting the airflow right in your chosen vape device can make a big difference to how enjoyable and satisfying the overall vaping experience is.
Many new vapers set the airflow on a new device and seemingly never think about it again. If that works for you, great. But not taking full advantage of everything that adjusting the airflow can do could mean that you’re missing out on finding the perfect draw, that is, the draw that keeps you vaping instead of being unsatisfied and switching back to smoking.
Airflow in a vape is definitely the foremost factor affecting the tightness or looseness of the draw, but that isn’t where its usefulness ends. So, let’s take a look at what vape airflow is, what it does, and how you can use it to get a vaping experience that suits you perfectly.
- Vape airflow is the volume of air that can pass through the vape when you draw on the mouthpiece. While the volume of air varies greatly, every vaping device has some sort of airflow system because it is an integral part of how vaping works.
- The airflow system inside a vaping device can be designed in several different ways, but from the user’s perspective, there are two types: Fixed and Adjustable. The type of airflow you find in a device is largely influenced by the vaping style it is designed for.
- Airflow obviously affects the tightness of the draw through the mouthpiece, but it can also influence several other factors. These include the intensity of the e-liquid flavor and the throat hit, as well as the warmth of the draw and volume of vapor produced.
- The easiest way to find your perfect draw is to choose a device that offers adjustable airflow. Then make small adjustments and test the draw with each for a decent length of time. Think about what works and what doesn’t, and readjust the airflow to achieve the desired effect.
What is Airflow, and Why Do Vapes Need It?
Put simply, airflow in a vape refers to the volume of air that passes through the device every time you take a puff. The airflow serves several important purposes, including cooling the coil to prevent it from overheating, adding volume to the vapor that is produced, and helping to keep vapor flow consistent. These combined effects contribute to both the enjoyment and satisfaction provided by the draw.
Because the flow of air through a vape is integral to its operation, every type, regardless of its size, price, or target user, has an airflow system. When you think about it, that makes complete sense. Without some way for air to enter the vape, beyond the hole in the mouthpiece, drawing on it would be like trying to suck the air out of an empty Coke bottle.
How Airflow Affects Your Draw
Several elements of your vape combine to affect the draw, from the choice of e-liquid to the wattage and coil being used. But none of these has as much of an effect as the airflow pathway itself.
Vapor Temperature
Tight or restricted airflow results in a warmer draw as there is less air to cool the coil and vapor. Loose airflow gives a cooler draw, lowering the temperature of the vapor, even at high wattages.
Flavor Intensity
The flavor of the draw is usually more intense when there is low airflow, as there is less air mixed with the vapor to dilute the taste. Loose airflow can lighten the flavor of the e-liquid and, in some cases, help to highlight different flavor notes.
Vapor Production
If you like big clouds, loose airflow (along with high wattage) is essential. Without enough airflow, vapor production will be low, and the draw will often be too warm to inhale with the required intensity.
Throat Hit
Low airflow and the tighter draw that it produces can have the effect of making the throat hit more intense, while high airflow normally results in a smoother draw and less of a throat hit.
E-liquid Usage
The higher the airflow, the more vapor will be produced with each draw. And while some of that increase will be due to the air adding volume, it also generally results in the e-liquid being used up more quickly.
Fixed Vs. Adjustable Airflow
Although the airflow system in a vape can be designed in several different ways, from the user’s perspective, there are only two types of airflow: Adjustable and Fixed. The type of airflow you will find in a vape is often determined by the category of device (disposable, pod, tank mod, etc.).
Adjustable Airflow
A vape with adjustable airflow gives the user direct, manual control over the volume of air that can pass through the device. Adjustment is commonly achieved by moving a small sliding cover over the main airflow hole. This could be on the body of the device or, in some larger devices, as a rotating ring on the tank. How much of the hole is blocked by the cover controls the flow of air.
Fixed Airflow
In devices with fixed airflow, the volume of air passing through the device cannot be adjusted in any meaningful way. There will still be an airflow hole somewhere on the device (often a pinhole on the base), but beyond covering that hole with your finger, airflow will be the same from one puff to the next.
Best Airflow for Every Vaping Style
Airflow is definitely not a one-size-fits-all thing. Low volume, fixed airflow might be fine for a small MTL disposable vape, but that doesn’t mean it would work for the many other varied types of devices available today.
MTL = Low Airflow
MTL (Mouth-to-Lung) vaping, of all the styles, is supposed to most closely mimic the experience of smoking a cigarette. Devices made for MTL vaping will have low or restricted airflow because this provides the tighter draw, low vapor production, and more intense throat hit that is needed to achieve the effect. MTL devices, including disposables, usually use low wattage and relatively high-resistance coils, both of which suit minimal airflow.
RDL = Medium Airflow
RDL (Restricted Direct Lung) vaping requires more airflow than MTL because it most commonly involves lower-resistance coils (think 0.8 to 0.4) and higher wattage (~30W). Both of these elements require enough airflow to cool the draw to a level that allows it to be taken directly into the lungs comfortably. RDL vapes will also often be capable of MTL, in which case the airflow slider will allow the draw be adjusted from tight (MTL) to loose (RDL).
DL = High Airflow
DL (Direct Lung) vaping requires the most airflow of any vaping style. It is the third element of the essential trinity of DL vaping, alongside high wattage and low-resistance coils. Direct Lung vaping is characterized by big clouds, which would be very difficult to achieve successfully without a relatively huge volume of air passing through the device, cooling the coil, and driving vapor production.
How to Find the Perfect Draw
Finding the airflow level that works best for you and your vaping style isn’t difficult, but if you are a new vaper struggling to get that perfect draw, there are a few things you can do to make it even easier.
- Choose a device that offers a good airflow range. You might think that tight airflow will work best for you right now, but vaping style often evolves over time. Choosing a vape that allows both a tight and a looser draw means it will likely serve you better for longer.
- Take a careful look at how the adjustable airflow works in your device. Some use a single hole that can be gradually covered or uncovered to adjust the flow very accurately. Others use a sliding plate with two or three small holes to tighten or loosen the airflow by fixed increments.
- Make small adjustments to the airflow and test each level for a decent length of time. If you are used to smoking or even using disposables with their (generally) tight draw, a looser draw might feel odd at first, but it is worth giving it a bit of time to see if the change sticks.
- Think about what works and what doesn’t about the initial draw and adjust accordingly. Draw too harsh? Opening the airflow a bit will smooth it out. Lack of flavor intensity? Close the airflow to concentrate it. Draw too warm? Open the airflow to cool it.
The Bottom Line
It is easy to assume that the airflow of your vape is used to make the draw tighter or looser and nothing else. But as we have hopefully shown here, choosing the right airflow can have a huge effect on your overall vaping experience.
It isn’t the be-all and end-all, and you should certainly also consider factors like coil resistance, e-liquid type, and wattage, but even small adjustments to the amount of air that can flow through your device can make a huge difference.
Being able to modify flavor, throat hit, and vapor temperature on the fly can mean the difference between having an okay vaping experience and having a truly enjoyable and satisfying one.
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