Having never used an RDA before I have to confess the Venom from Vaporfi has sat on my ‘to do’ list for a while to say the least.
Add to that the website suggesting this RDA is designed for the ‘expert vaper’ it’s little wonder I’ve left it alone 🙂
So for the record this review is coming from an absolute RDA and all round coil/deck building beginner and it will be written through my eyes as a first time user.
What Can We Expect From The Venom RDA by VAporfi?
The Venom RDA is a 22mm diameter RDA with a dual post deck. The selling point, or major difference with this RDA, is that it changes colour when vaped at different wattage! Gimmick? We will talk more about that down below.
So given this involves the serious side of vaping : DIY coils – wicking – wattage – resistance etc – as always please make sure you know what you’re doing and double check absolutely everything – safety is paramount with this kind of thing.
You can read our beginners guide to RBA’s here to set you in the right direction. You can also check out our Best RDA list for more ideas.
OK, let’s see how I got on as a first time user of an ‘expert’ RDA.
Thanks to Vaporfi for supplying the Venom free of charge for the purpose of this review. As always our views are our own.
In the Box
The usual fresh green and white packaging from Vaporfi and on opening you’ll find the star of the show front and centre with the manual – spares and tool in the bottom.
- 1 Venom Color Changing RDA
- 1 Pack of Japanese Organic Cotton
- 1 Stainless Steel Drip Tip
- 1 Delrin Drip Tip
- 1 510 Connector
- 1 Adjustable Airflow Ring
- 1 Velocity Deck
- 1 Accessory Bag (4 Extra Post Screws, 9 O-Rings, 1 Allen Key)
VaporFi Venom Specs
- 22mm Diameter
- 22.0×40.5mm
- Brass Center Screw
- Dual Stainless Steel Posts
- Resistance Range: 0.05ohm – 2.0ohm
- 510 Threading
- 6 Deck Airholes
- Standard Configuration: Conical Top Cap Intake
- Wide Bore Configuration: Flat, Increased Airflow Intake
- Color Changing at or above 80-100W
- Kanthal Resistance Range: 0.1ohm-2.0ohm
- Temperature Control Resistance: 0.05ohm-2.0ohm
Key Features
It’s a dual post velocity style deck – which I found after researching – is one of the easiest to build on.
As you’ve already seen it has kanthal wire resistance between 0.1ohm-2.0ohm and Temp Control resistance of between 0.05ohm-2.0ohm.
However the main feature has to be the colour changing capabilities – a bit gimmicky maybe – but it does look pretty cool 😉
At around 80watts the tank does indeed start to whiten revealing the VaporFi logo before slowly fading to black as it cools down.
I received the black version and grey is also available.
Note: The Vaporfi Venom can be used with a temperature control build/mod however as a first timer I did not attempt this.
Design and Build Quality
I’ve been fortunate enough to review a few Vaporfi products and all of them have been built and designed well with the Venom RDA no exception.
All threads were smooth and buttery and the top cap has just enough resistance and seals tightly.
Design wise I have to say it’s a looker with the black version I received looking great on both my box mods and vape pens.
How Does The Vaporfi Venom RDA Perform?
As I’ve already explained this is the first time I’ve had an RDA in my hands to use – though I did have a toot on a few at vapefest.
I spent a long time looking at instruction videos – none were available for the Venom – but I did find plenty regarding dual post velocity style decks.
I decided to buy pre-made kanthal coils and found them an absolute cinch to put into the posts – next step in my vaping journey is to build my own from scratch – so watch this space 😉
The build I achieved was reading 0.18 ohms but with a little fiddling [moving and spacing] I got that to 0.2 ohms and made sure the coils were heating from the inside to out.
Wicking was easy too – though maybe with the first one I used a little less cotton than I should – as I said this is my first ever attempt 😉
At 50 watts to start my first mistake was the e-liquid I used.
I popped in Twelve Monkeys Mangabeys fruit flavour e juice that has a little bit of fizz to it – let’s just say that fizz that tastes great in a tank really hits the back of the throat off a dripper!
I re-wicked [more cotton this time] with a more suitable e-liquid, Vaporfi Catch Ya Latte, and the difference was amazing . I know this particular e-liquid well – but not as well as this.
Vaping ‘purists’ swear by dripping and I can see what they mean – the clouds are incredible and the flavour seems to go to a whole new level.
I dutifully took the Venom RDA through 5 watt increments until I hit 80 watts. The clouds were spectacular and the flavour was rich and creamy.
And of course the tank itself did indeed change colour [see pics above] which as I said before whilst a little gimmicky maybe it is fun and vaping
should be 😉
What I Like
I found this a little small for a first time builder but to be fair it wasn’t that crowded in there.
It gave off tremendous clouds and the flavour profile was mind blowing.
I know I’m a big kid at heart but I really liked the colour changing effect it’s fun and a cool little addition.
What I Don’t Like
It is on the small size and I did find myself having to drip constantly – yeah I know that’s the point but like I said it is small and I have big lungs haha.
The top airflow holes were a little tricky to turn as you need to grip the shaft of the cover whilst holding the top cap – even after a week it’s still tight.
Final Review Verdict
Phew I did it and on an RDA designed for ‘expert vapers’ lol.
In all seriousness I thoroughly enjoyed the Venom RDA and I have been bitten by the whole RDA and RTA bug.
For me personally I don’t think RDA’s are the way to go but RTA’s most definitely.
What I’m trying to say is I really don’t have the time to use a dripper 24/7 but the flavour from homemade coils and cotton has blown me away.
But I shall most definitely be using this a lot at home and particularly when doing e-liquid reviews.
So given I’m scared to death of snakes if I dropped this into a tank filled with harmless Garter Snakes would I delve in to rescue it?
Do you know I probably would 😉
Pros
- Nice design
- Well manufactured
- Wattage and temp compatible
- Cotton included
- Changes colour
Cons
- Might be too small for some
- Pricey