The Augvape Occula RDA is another joint project this time with vape reviewer, expert coil builder and designer Kent Hill aka Twisted Messes.
Kent has a huge following on YouTube and has brought out a number of extremely well received RDAs such as the Skill RDA – the TM24 Pro-Series and the original Twisted Messes RDA which received a glowing review from our old friend Jamie.
What Can We Expect From The Augvape Occular RDA?
OK the Occular RDA is 24mm and can be used in either single or dual coil mode and as you’ll see from the rest of the review – this is one big ol’ chunk of metal that builders are gonna absolute love!
This was sent to me for the purpose of review direct from Augvape – thank you – and as always freebies do not sway my thoughts and opinions in anyway shape or form.
So has the Occula RDA been a sight for sore eyes or had made me blinking mad? Apologies for the really bad puns…I did have far more cornea ones 😉
One for the best flavour RDA list? Let’s take a closer look…
Inside the Box
A box rather than the usual Augvape tube and inside you’ll find:
- 1x AUGVAPE OCCULA RDA
- 1x Hex Allen Key
- 1x BF Pin
- Spare Parts & O-Rings
Occula RDA Specs
- Diameter: 24mm
- Juice Well: 5mm
- Type: Single/Dual Coil RDA
- Innovative Internal-post clamp design
- Dual posts design for easy single/dual coil building
- PEEK Insulators & 10mm widebore drip tip
- Dual downward airflow – AFC via knurled top cap
Key Features
The Augvape Occula is a 24mm dual post design and nothing we haven’t seen before however it’s the size of it all that stands out here!
There’s a lot of metal involved especially those clamps – they are HUGE! The post holes are massive too and designed to take those big-ass chunky exotic coils. Let’s put it this way…this RDA will appeal to the builders out there and those vapers who like running a lot of power through their coils.
It’s a dual and single coil RDA – however as I said the builders out there have enough room to try as many as they can fit inside lol…did I mention those post holes and clamps are massive!
The over-size continues with the juice well too with a very generous 5mm and given the x6 snakebite airflow holes are quite high on the dripper – over dripping or squonking isn’t an issue at all…unless you try really and I mean really hard.
Talking of squonking yes there is a squonk pin in the box and as to how it squonks I’ll get onto in a mo’.
Design and Build Quality
As is usual from Augvape the build quality is very good indeed. I have seen reports of the O rings being a little flimsy on some of them however mine seem solid enough and certainly haven’t gone for a wander.
The deck screws follow the over-sized theme and are chunky to say the least and can be used with either a Phillips or flat screwdriver.
Despite the slab of metal on the deck and the size of those clamps the dripper isn’t as heavy as you might think either.
Design wise it’s bang on my taste with a classic shape – just one smart looking logo – crisscross knurling on the top and those badass looking snakebite airflow ports adding to the pleasing look.
The drip tip is an 810 however a few of mine have been loose – so I guess it’s pot luck if yours fit. Speaking of the drip tip, I’m glad I received the stainless steel version as it has a silver band across the top. On the black it’s gold and for me it looks a little too flashy…handy matching it with a gold or copper mod I guess.
Overall the Occula RDA is well built and pleasing to the eye…so with all that metal and airflow how does this chunky monkey vape?
How Does the Augvape Occula RDA Perform?
There’s no coils or cotton included with the dripper so I had to make do with the last of my pre-made Wotofo Quad Core Fused Claptons – which look a little lost on that massive deck!
Building is an absolute doddle – though saying that the edge of the deck is quite high which made it a little fiddly getting the coil legs in. However in subsequent builds I used a jig to slot them in with no bother.
Those clamps as I’ve already mentioned are huge and solid and clamp down easy enough – those coils ain’t going nowhere!
Wicking as you might expect is a doddle and you’ll need plenty of cotton to hit the bottom of the 5mm deck…especially in squonk mode.
More Power! More Power!
As I mentioned earlier this is a big boy and is screaming out for plenty of power.
In dual coil mode my coils ohmed out at 0.11ohms and I began at a liberal 75w…I could instantly tell this beast of an RDA needed far far more and even at 111w the vape was on the cool side of warm with all 6 airflow ports open.
I pushed it up to 150w which is pretty much twice my usual level and sure it had warmed up a bit but it was still a comfortable vape even for this old dude…like I said more power!
Single Coil Mode
Given the size of my remaining coils I’m not sure I did this dripper justice if I’m honest.
I keep banging on about the size of everything and even in dual coil there was room for much bigger coils.
In single mode even with half of the remaining airflow closed it was nowhere the vape I got off two…again that’s down to my coils and if you have some big-ass babies then you’re gonna love playing with this one!
Squonking the Occula RDA
Dead easy to switch out the 510 and there’s nothing fancy with the squonk action. The juice comes out of the single bore and does its job well enough.
I popped it on the dual battery Desire Design Cut Squonk Mod [that I picked up dirt cheap in a recent sale 😉 ] as my go to BF DNA75c Lost Vape doesn’t have the power for this big bugger!
At 100w in dual coil mode with all the airflow open it was a great vape to say the least!
Trust me if you have a more powerful squonk mod the Occula will really come to life…
Flavour and Clouds
I used Wick Liquor Boulevard – one of my go to juices – and have to say the flavour is very good indeed particularly in my dual coil set-up. In single coil it was still acceptable however I’m not sure my personal coil was big enough for the job.
My current go to RDA is also from Augvape – the BTFC and I have to say despite the sheer amount of chunky metal and ton of airflow the Occula gets close to that one in flavour.
- Further reading: Best E-Liquids
Comparing both using the same e-liquid I still think the BTFC shades it slightly – but only just. Of the two the Occula is definitely one for the builders / experimenters and those vapers that like high wattage vaping.
As you might expect with the amount of watts needed to push this one – the clouds are phenomenal to say the least!
Pros
- Huge build deck
- Huge juice well
- Huge clamps
- Huge post holes
- Huge post screws
- Easy to build on
- Simple contemporary design
- Well built
- Solid clamp system
- Hard to over-drip or over-squonk
- Single or dual coil
- Perfect for experimenting with huge coils/builds
- Great flavour
- Incredible clouds
Cons
- These are more subjective…
- O ring issues with some
- Drip tip VERY low profile – I like it!
- Not all 810’s seem to fit
- Can get a tad warm at super-high wattage…obviously – but see drip tip 😉
Final Review Verdict
The Augvape Occula RDA feels like a bit of a departure from the companies usual, shall we say, finesse styled RDAs.
What I mean by that is Twisted Messes has brought his signature, almost industrial style design deck however the Augvape styling of the top cap hides what is a bit of a beast to say the least!
This is most definitely one for the builders and will take some huge fancy coils. I wouldn’t pop this one on board a 75w mod let’s put it that way – to get the best out of this one you need power and lots of it.
Despite my coils being big enough for most RTA’s and drippers they seem lost on this deck to say the least. However the flavour and clouds are still right up there and nudging at my go to the Augvape BTFC.
Stick some fancy big old wires in this one and I reckon you’re in for more than treat.
Think wolf in sheep’s clothing – as in it looks pretty as a picture but man does this bad boy bite!
