Smok Skyhook RDTA Box Review – + Video By TheDevilVaper

Today we are looking at the Smok Skyhook RDTA Box which is a 220w vape mod that uses 2 18650 batteries. It also features an in-built 9ml tank.Smok is a company based in China and have been operating since 2010.

They have released products such as the TFV12 and TFV18 Tanks, along with devices such as the SMOK Nord and more recently, the OSUB 40w and RPM 5 and RPM 5 Pro

What’s In The Box

• • 1 X Skyhook RDTA Box Device
  • 1 X Micro USB Charge/Upgrade Cable
  • Spare Airflow Barrel
  • Rubber Bung for Single Coil Option
  • Bag of Spare O-Rings and Screws
  • Instruction Manual
  • Warranty/QC Card
  • Battery Safety card

Features

• Output Power: 6w-220w
• 9ml Internal Juice Reservoir
• Temperature Control (Ni/Ti/SS/TCR)
• 2 x 18650 Powered (not included)
• Resistance: 0.1-3Ω (VW) 0.06-3.0Ω (TC)
• Material: Stainless Steel
• 6 Colours
• 130 x 5 x 30.5mm

Build Quality & Design

The Skyhook RDTA Box comes in six different finishes. The one I have is black and gunmetal and these two colours pair up nicely.

Overall, it has a solid feel to it, but I feel that the fake carbon fibre panel cheapens it slightly.

The Atomiser

On top of the device is the atomiser and a filling port that hides away the 9ml internal tank.

The atomiser has a dual post “velocity style” deck that uses allen key grub screws to secure your coils.

You also have the airflow options of bottom, side or a combination of the two when using one of the two different airflow rings included in the kit and by twisting the drip tip.

The deck is large enough to fit some pretty big coils on, so the main restriction you’ll have when building will be the holes in the posts.

The deck can also be used in single coil mode using the included bung that blocks off one side of the deck.

Both the atomiser and the cap for the reservoir screw on nice and easily without any sticking or squeaking.

How To Fill The SMOK Skyhook RDTA

1. Unscrew the cap marked with an e-juice dripper
2. Add your e-juice
3. Screw the cap back on and let the wick soak up the juice for 5 minutes
4. You can see the juice capacity in the window on the topside of the mod

Wicking is extremely easy, just put the wick through your coils, remove the deck from the device and pull the wicks through the bottom of the deck and leave roughly 10-15mm dangling into the tank.

The level of the internal 9ml tank can be viewed through a little cut out in the side of the device, it is not overly accurate but it gives you a rough idea of how much e-liquid you have left.

The Screen

The 0.96 inch OLED screen on the front is extremely easy to read in all lighting conditions and it displays a mass of information including the wattage, voltage, and resistance. Along with extra values such as the PCB temperature, puff counter and amp draw.

Definitely good for those who like to keep an eye on what they are doing.

The + and – buttons are located on the front of the device and have a firm, clicky feel to them.

The fire button is more of a bar which runs down the whole side of the device. Instead of finding a single button, a simple squeeze of the hand is all you need to fire the device.

None of the buttons rattle on my device whilst giving it a rigorous shake.

It is a great size and fits nicely in the hand!

Below the + and – buttons is the micro USB charge/upgrade port.

I personally wouldn’t suggest using this to charge your batteries. A separate external charger will be better for your batteries, but this is down to my personal preference.

The Bad Bit…

IT LEAKS (or leaked) LIKE A SIEVE.

From the top of the viewing window and out of the bottom of the device.

After taking apart the device to investigate, I found that this was due to the lack of a seal between the tank and the top of the device.

So I cleaned the e-liquid up, applied some silicone sealant and left it to cure for 48 hours.

This has fixed the issue, BUT this shouldn’t be an issue. I can only put this down to either a faulty batch or it missed the QC process.

I was able to identify and fix the issue quickly, but your average Joe may not be able to do so, which may result in the device being returned to the vendor.

Also, after some research across the internet, I found that this is not an issue with just my device, others have experienced the same problem but it isn’t overly common.

I looked at other Skyhook RDTA Boxes, and the way to identify whether you may experience this issue is to look into the e-liquid filling port.

If you see a translucent glue around the edges, your device shouldn’t leak.

All I would advise is to check with the vendor that your device comes with a warranty if any faults should arise.

How Does The Skyhook RDTA Box Perform?

Variable Wattage Mode

You have a usable wattage of 6 to 220w out of this device.

I personally use it around the 100w level using the coils included with the kit.

When using wattages exceeding roughly 150w, the hit seems to lack a punch ever so slightly, but as I rarely use the device at this level, it’s not a massive issue to me.

You also have three different preheat functions.

• Hard
• Normal
• Soft.

Soft didn’t seem to help ramp the coils up quick enough, so I would suggest using Hard or Normal depending on what build you are using.

Temp Control

Although I’m not a regular user of TC, the Stainless steel temperature control mode works very well and performs greatly in a dry cotton burn test, even up to 315c.

All I got was a slight yellowing to the wick before the protection kicked in.

Battery Life

Whilst using the included coils that came out to 0.3ohms, at an average of 100w, I was getting roughly a day out of a pair of Samsung 25Rs.

Obviously with different builds and wattages, the battery life will change.

See The Smok Skyhook RDTA Box In Action With My Video Review

What I Like

The SMOK Skyhook RDTA box is exactly how I would have changed the Alien to make it better, but without the 510 connector on top and the 9ml tank.

It fits nicely in the hand, the menu system is easy to navigate, the atomiser is easy to build on and it produces some acceptable flavour once it’s built correctly.

The option a single coil mode is a great extra. The bung works well without having to worry about any e-liquid leaking out.

What I Dislike

The original leaking issue I had. This should not happen at all with devices like this.

Liquid and electricity does not mix. Yes, it’s fortunate that I was able to fix the issue, but I shouldn’t have to.

A device should come ready to use, in full working order, straight out of the box.

Obviously with the mass production of these devices, some may slip through the net with issues, but it generally shouldn’t happen.

The lack of 510 connector. Yes, I know it’s an all in one device, but a 510 adapter would be a great option so the user can put their own atomiser on, rather than being stuck with the one included.

Final Review Verdict

Overall the Smok Skyhook RDTA is a great device despite the issues I had with the leaking.

But once this was fixed, it is great to use. It looks great, it preforms great for me and it doesn’t zap through the battery as quickly as I thought it would.

If I lost or broke this device, would I pay to replace it?

Yes and no.

I like it, but not enough to buy another one if it broke (again). But with the amount of mods that Smok are churning out lately, I’m sure that a Skyhook Baby or something will be in the pipeline.

If this was to happen, possibly an 80w chip and 5ml capacity is what I think we’ll be seeing.

Pros

• Fits nicely in the hand
• Large e-liquid capacity
• Easy to use
• Great screen size
• Good value for money

Cons

• Possibility of leaking
• Lack of 510 connector
• Paint finish chips easily on buttons