Beginner’s Guide to Sub-Ohm Vaping

What is sub-ohm vaping? Well, sub-ohming has become the holy grail style of vaping for cloud chasers. However, several misconceptions persist due to insufficient information. Many new and intermediate vapers don’t fully understand sub-ohm vaping or how it works. This comprehensive guide will help you answer all your questions!

Before diving into the technicalities of sub-ohm vaping, let’s explore why you would want to try it in the first place: better flavor and bigger clouds. This is the main difference between sub-ohm vaping vs regular vaping.

Sub-ohm vape mods produce bigger and thicker clouds compared to regular mods. Since there’s more vapor, the vape liquid used for sub-ohm atomizers tends to have less nicotine than regular e-cigarettes. For example, sub-ohm e-juice typically has either 3mg or 6mg of nicotine and a higher vegetable glycerin (VG) concentration. More on that later. To dive deeper, let’s first understand Ohm’s Law.

Understanding Ohm’s Law: What Does Sub-Ohm Mean in Vape Terms?

Even if you’re not a science aficionado, with patience, anyone can understand the basics of Ohm’s Law. Here’s a simplified explanation:

Ohm’s Law, named after physicist Georg Ohm, states that the current passing through a conductor is directly proportional to the voltage and inversely proportional to the resistance.

In simple terms, the lower the resistance, the more current flows through, resulting in more heat and faster vaporization of the e-liquid. A lower resistance atomizer allows more current to pass through, producing thicker vapor—this is the essence of sub-ohm vaping.

Sub-ohm vaping is also called DL vaping (Direct Lung Vaping), where the vapor is inhaled directly into the lungs. This is different from the standard MTL vaping (Mouth-to-Lung) where the vapor is drawn into the mouth first, similar to smoking a cigarette.

While the usual range for standard vaping is between 1.5 ohms and 3 ohms, sub-ohm vaping occurs when the atomizer coil has a resistance of less than 1.0 ohms.

Is Higher-Powered Sub-Ohm Vaping Safe?

The brutally honest answer is: yes and possibly no. Sub-ohm vaping can be safe if done correctly, but it depends on the quality of your equipment. Poor-quality mods or coils can lead to overheating batteries or inhaling harmful particles. To minimize these risks, use high-quality devices with built-in safety features.

We recommend using regulated box mods over mech mods, as they provide better current regulation and safety. Mech mods draw unregulated current from a battery, which can be dangerous if not handled properly.

Mig Vapor does not recommend using mech mods, as these can lead to mistakes that may cause battery failures. Regulated mods are equipped with modern safety features and accurate power control for optimal performance.

Battery Considerations for Sub-Ohm Vaping

One of the most crucial components in sub-ohm vaping is the vape battery. It’s essential to know your battery’s capabilities, especially its discharge rate. Lower resistance requires higher discharge rates, so always choose batteries with a high safe discharge rate to ensure safety and performance.

18650 batteries are the most common for sub-ohm mods. It’s also recommended to use an external charger to maintain battery life. If you use built-in batteries, make sure they’re from reputable manufacturers.

Advantages & Benefits of Sub-Ohm Vaping

When it comes to sub-ohm vaping, the major benefits include:

More Vapor: Expect huge clouds with sub-ohm tanks.
Better Flavor: Enjoy an intense and smooth flavor profile.
Warmer Vapor: Perfect for cold hands and cozy vaping sessions.

Once you experience sub-ohm vaping, it’s hard to return to other types of vaping. The flavor is rich, and the warmth adds comfort, all thanks to the wide airflow on sub-ohm tanks.

Approaches to Sub-Ohm Vaping

There are 3 primary options for sub-ohm vaping:

Rebuildable Dripping Atomizers (RDA): Initially popular among advanced vapers, RDAs require you to drip e-juice onto the wick every few puffs. However, modern sub-ohm tanks like the Gordo Fat mesh coil tank offer better convenience and cloud production.
Rebuildable Tank Atomizers (RTA): These don’t require continuous dripping and offer great vapor production. Though still favored by some, RTAs have been largely replaced by sub-ohm tanks.
Sub-Ohm Tanks: These are easy-to-use tanks that offer massive vapor and are compatible with nearly any mod that works at 30 watts or more. Sub-ohm tanks are perfect for anyone looking to enjoy cloud chasing without building coils.

Other Styles of Sub-Ohm Vaping

Temperature Control Vaping: Modern sub-ohm mods often feature temperature control (TC) options. This allows you to select a specific temperature instead of adjusting wattage. TC requires specialized coils made of Nickel, Stainless Steel, or Titanium.
Squonking: This involves using a squonk mod, which has a built-in bottle to squeeze and flood the atomizer with e-juice. While this style is mainly for hardcore enthusiasts, it adds a fun twist to sub-ohm vaping.

Vape Juice for Sub-Ohm Vaping

Sub-ohm vape juice must have at least 70% VG content to produce the thick clouds that sub-ohm tanks are known for. VG is thicker and helps produce massive vapor, but it doesn’t carry flavor as well as PG. As a result, sub-ohm e-juices often contain a blend of VG and PG for optimal flavor and vapor production.

Additionally, sub-ohm vaping requires lower nicotine levels due to the increased vapor volume. Typically, 3mg or 6mg nicotine strengths are used.

Sub-Ohm Vape Tanks

Modern sub-ohm vape tanks like the Mig Vapor Gordo make sub-ohm vaping much easier. These tanks come with disposable coils and provide massive vapor production with excellent flavor.