Vandy Vape Kylin M RTA Review – Mesh Coils and Top Airflow

The Vandy Vape Kylin M RTA is the mesh version of the hugely popular range of RTA’s so has Vandy Vape nailed it with the Kylin M tank?

M obviously stands for mesh and the other significant difference with this latest rendition of the Kylin is the top Trapezoidal airflow – a fancy name for the shape of the honeycomb holes.

This is my first mesh rebuildable so I was: [i] a little nervous of those horrific dry hits and [ii] intrigued to see what all the fuss is about.

I have been fortunate to review most of the Kylin RTAs – the original Kylin with the fixed deck and the recently released Kylin V2 RTA. I somehow missed out on the Kylin Mini however Michelle has done a preview of that one.

OK Vandy Vape are, it’s fair to say, one of the respected vape companies out there and did indeed win our EcigClick Awards in 2017 as the Best Vape Brand. They produce some of the better received tanks and rebuildables – such as the Berserker range and and of course the recently released indestructible Jackaroo vape kit.

The New Kylin RTA Goes Down The Mesh Route So How Does It Vape?

Let’s see if the Kylin M RTA is worthy of the brand and a place on our recommended RTA’s.

This was sent to me free of charge for the purpose of this review – thank you – and as always my thoughts and opinions are not swayed by freebies.

Inside the Box

Mine is not the retail packaging however there’s a very generous list of contents:

• 1 x Kylin M RTA
• 2 x Mesh Coil(0.2ohm)
• 2 x Mesh Coil(0.15ohm)
• 2 x Coton Laces
• 1 x Extra Glass
• 1 x Resin Drip Tip
• 1 x User Manual
• 1 x Accessory Bag

Kylim M RTA Specs

• Length: 34mm
• Diameter: 24mm
• Capacity: 2ml (TPD) – 3ml and 4.5ml bubble glass rest of the world
• Thread: 510
• Colour: SS, Blue, Gunmetal, Gold, Frosted Grey, Rainbow, Matte Black

Key Features

This is obviously a mesh RTA that comes with options. By that I mean there’s a couple of choices as to what mesh you use inside. There are x2 types in the box:

• 0.2ohm: 40-60w
• 0.15ohm: 50-70w

Others can be purchased in packets of 10 as can the cotton shoelaces which have been specifically designed for this tank.

It’s a little confusing as Vandy Vape says not to push the 0.2ohm mesh above 45w as this might cause a dry hit…as to if it does I’ll get on to later.

This is a 24mm RTA with a top fill design and what’s been called a Trapezoidal top airflow – which is a fancy way of saying 20 tiny honeycomb style holes on both sides arranged in that shape.

Incidentally as you can see from the photo the juice fill ports are quite deep into the top cap which some nozzles can’t reach…a niggle.

Capacity is 2ml here in the EU and for the rest of the world the straight glass gives you 3ml whilst adding the bubble glass gives you 4.5ml.

The deck is pretty straightforward and features a ceramic ‘shrapnel’ design that is spring mounted. This means the cotton should always be pressing against the mesh resulting in no chance of a dry-hit. By all accounts a dry hit from a mesh coil is not something you need on your bucket list…

Design and Build Quality

The Vandy Vape Kylin M RTA feels significantly heavier and sturdier than its predecessors and really has a hefty weight to it – shorter too.

The build is first rate with just the slightest crunching when I first took it apart…now juiced up everything goes together smoothly.

The deck is well built too with decent sized and good quality Phillips screws and the mesh jaws open smoothly. The ‘shrapnel’ ceramic cotton bed seems good quality and it has a pretty tough spring which up to now has kept that cotton tight against the mesh – there’s a couple of spare springs in the box.

Design wise it carries the Kylin looks and style but like I said it does feel and to my eye look chunkier…drop this on the floor and the pavement will crack lol.

Given this is the first mesh rebuildable I have used…how was the vape?

How Does the Vandy Vape Kylin M RTA Perform?

As I just said this is my first experience with a mesh rebuildable and to be honest given all the stories of evil dry hits I was a little say we say nervous.

First up inside the box is a metal rod which is used to shape and bend the mesh into a horseshoe shape fitting the length needed perfectly – nice touch.

Placing the pre-built mesh coils onto the desk is an absolute doddle – however they are very fine indeed and once secured I barely touched one before it buckled a little – so take care.

One word about the airflow. I received the black matte version and trust me with my failing eyesight it’s hard to make out how open or closed it is. The main reason being the colour is the same underneath…a niggle but not for those with younger eyes!

Wicking the Vandy Vape Kylin M RTA

I used the cotton laces supplied in the box and trust me you’ll need a sharp pair of scissors as there’s plenty of hairdressing to do.

The cotton wad needs to be packed all around the surface of the mesh – the spring helps but make sure it’s packed in tight.

As to the legs this is where the fun for me began lol.

First wick and I pushed the legs into the juice ports and onto the deck and trimmed what I thought was enough.

Nope!

Whilst I could see bubbles and was able to take half a dozen deep draws the 7th gave the slightest and I mean slightest hint of a dry hit…talk about panic lol.

I got out the scissors and cut so the legs were just in the juice port and thinned out the rest between the mesh and legs quite a bit…

The juice caused the legs to swell but hopefully as you can see from the photo there was a lot more room for the juice to travel and in turn I got a much juicer/wetter vape.

So in a nutshell – pack the mesh – thin out the rest and leave the cotton legs just inside the juice port…a kind of slightly and I mean slightly longer dam method as the pro’s call it.

That way has worked for me however I’m sure there’s other/better ways as you’ll see 🙂

Flavour and Clouds

I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing all of the Kylin’s so I have seen the flavour improve on each rendition.

I have to say that wicked well this one has good flavour but not amazing as I’ll explain later.

0.2ohm Mesh 40-60w

I began at 40w to be on the safe side lol.

The vape was on the cooler side of warm but still pleasant with decent flavour and superb clouds.

I pushed it to the so called max of 45w and things warmed up slightly with little real difference in flavour or clouds.

For fun [lol] and science I had one blast at 60w and to be honest got a very good vape out of it. The flavours were slightly better and the clouds were phenomenal. However chain vaping meant I could instinctively feel I was pushing it a bit far – could be my wicking – but the hint of a burn was definitely in the background.

I’ve been vaping this one at a liberal 45w and enjoying it immensely – particularly after a couple of fills which obviously really saturates the huge wad of cotton under the mesh.

0.15ohm Mesh 50-70w

After using the Kylin M RTA at the lower end of the wattage I used a similar wicking method – however this time I thinned the legs and tails out even more and cut them shorter. This is pretty much the dam method – as in resting the legs on top of the juice port.

I began at 50w and immediately knew this was the way to go!

I bumped it up in 5w increments and each time the vape got richer – wetter and more and more flavoursome – with really thick dense clouds.

At 70w I took my life into my hands and chain vaped for at least 7 or 8 pulls with no hint of a burn of threat of a dry hit!

I did however settle at 60w and that is how I’m now using it.

The key here, as it seems in all mesh rebuildables, is the wicking. Get it right and you’ll get a great vape – get it wrong and you’ll get a dry hit from hell!

Airflow on the Kylin M RTA

Apart from my issue with seeing how open or closed the airflow is I’ve had no other issues at all.

The Kylin M RTA proves we’ve come a long way from the days when top airflow meant poor flavour.

The honeycomb style means this is a smooth vape – however it is rather noisy.

Wide open and even half closed it’s very airy indeed however go past half way and things really do tighten up significantly.

I like an airy vape however even I’ve had the airflow shut down to just under half.

Pros

• Good flavour
• Superb clouds
• Easy build
• Nice design
• X4 mesh coils in the box
• Mesh cotton laces in the box
• Useful bending tool!
• Top airflow

Cons

• Wicking needs to be spot on
• Noisy
• Juice fill ports deep in the top cap
• Difficult to see airflow setting
• Flavour’s good but not amazing
• Constant dread of dry hit!
• Really does drink your juice!

Final Review Verdict

The internet has been full of vapers crying foul over the design of the Kylin M RTA deck.

Many say they’ve lifted the ceramic spring loaded block straight from the Wotofo Profile Unity RTA. Sure it looks similar but hey you can say that about pretty much all the Chinese vape manufacturers out there lol. So for me it’s not much of an issue – plus I’ve never used the Profile so can’t really compare the two.

OK so what do I think about the latest Kylin?

I think it’s a good tank that is a cinch to build on – however to get the best out of it you need to take time and care when it comes to wicking. Get it right as I somehow have managed to do and it’s a great vape with good flavour and dense clouds even at the mid-range wattage.

The airflow is a little noisy and as I’ve said this is an airy tank indeed but being top fill means you really shouldn’t get any leaking which is a huge bonus for me – especially as many vapers still think all – and not just the original with faulty deck – Kylins leak!

I’ve kept away from mesh rebuildables mainly due to the constant threat of a dry hit. For me vaping should be fun and relaxing and not a game of Russian roulette if you catch my drift.

Whilst the flavour is good, for me it’s not quite as good as the Kylin V2 which I enjoyed – especially now I can taste again lol. This could of course be down to my wicking or the Vandy Vape mesh coils – I have no way of knowing and as a bit of a mesh virgin I have no idea if other coils will fit.

The Vandy Vape Kylin M RTA is good but not great IMHO – however I certainly wouldn’t put you off buying it especially if you’re a mesh tank aficionado!