Sub-Ohm Vaping Explained: 5 Things to Know Before You Try It
Posted by Courtney McElligott on Aug 31st 2016
Sub-ohm vaping, often just called sub-ohming, comes down to the resistance of the coil inside your atomizer. A standard above-ohm coil usually sits somewhere between about 1.5 ohms and 2.8 ohms. A sub-ohm coil fires at less than one ohm of resistance. Under Ohm's law, lowering a circuit's resistance lets more current flow, which means more power reaches the coil. For experienced vapers, that translates into bigger clouds and a more intense draw. Sub-ohm setups generally pair best with high-VG e-liquid, so look for juices with a vegetable glycerin (VG) ratio above 50%.
Is Sub-Ohm Vaping for You?
As long as you use quality gear and follow safe-use basics, there's no single right way to vape. Asking a vaper why they sub-ohm is a bit like asking a Chicagoan why they love deep-dish pizza, or questioning someone's taste in music. It comes down to personal preference. There are real differences between above-ohm and sub-ohm vaping, but which one suits you depends on the experience you're after.
5 Things to Know About Sub-Ohm Vaping
1) Bigger Vapor Production
The most obvious difference between sub-ohming and above-ohm vaping is cloud size. If chasing thick, dense clouds is the experience you want, sub-ohm hardware paired with high-VG e-liquid is what gets you there.
2) A Different Draw
Because sub-ohm devices deliver a much larger, warmer draw, many adult vapers choose a lower-strength e-liquid when they make the move. With RDAs and sub-ohm tanks, a lower nicotine level combined with a higher VG ratio is the typical pairing for a smooth, full draw.
3) More Pronounced Flavor
The larger coil surface area and faster heating of sub-ohm devices tend to push flavor forward. Plenty of vapers go a step further and build their own coils to fine-tune flavor and vapor. Higher VG can slightly mute flavor on its own, so many e-liquid makers reformulate their high-VG lines to keep the taste they're known for.
4) Warmer Clouds
Higher wattage produces warmer vapor. Opening up the airflow cools that vapor back down, so the inhale lands pleasantly warm rather than hot. Dialing airflow in is a big part of getting a sub-ohm setup to feel right.
5) Direct-Lung Inhale
Sub-ohm vaping is built for direct-lung (DL) inhaling. Instead of the mouth-to-lung (MTL) routine of a tighter draw, many sub-ohm vapers pull the vapor straight to the lungs for that big, airy chest hit. It's a noticeably different style from a small pod or pen.
With a clearer picture of how sub-ohming works, you can decide whether it's the right style for you, or whether a tighter MTL setup fits your taste better.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly does "sub-ohm" mean?
Sub-ohm means the coil in your device has a resistance below 1.0 ohm. Lower resistance lets more current flow, which produces more heat, bigger clouds, and a warmer, more intense draw than a standard above-ohm coil.
What VG/PG ratio works best for sub-ohm vaping?
High-VG e-liquids are the usual choice. Many sub-ohm vapers reach for a 70% VG / 30% PG blend, and generally anything above 50% VG works well. Higher VG produces thicker clouds but is harder on coils, so it's a trade-off between cloud size and coil life.
What nicotine strength do people use in sub-ohm devices?
Because the draw is much larger, lower-strength freebase e-liquids are common in sub-ohm setups, often around 3mg, with roughly 6mg being a practical upper limit for most people. High-strength nic salts are generally made for small MTL pods, not sub-ohm tanks. Nicotine is an addictive chemical regardless of strength.
Do I need a special device to sub-ohm?
Yes. Sub-ohm vaping calls for a sub-ohm tank or RDA and a battery or mod that can safely handle low-resistance coils at higher wattage. A regulated mod with built-in protections is the easiest and most sensible starting point.
What's the difference between sub-ohm and mouth-to-lung (MTL) vaping?
Sub-ohm vaping is built for direct-lung (DL) inhaling with an open, airy draw and big clouds. MTL vaping uses a tighter draw, higher resistance, and produces smaller clouds. They're simply two different vaping styles, and which one you prefer is a matter of taste.
Why does my coil seem to wear out faster when I sub-ohm?
Higher wattage and thick high-VG juice put more demand on a coil, so sub-ohm coils naturally need replacing more often than low-power above-ohm coils. Priming a new coil before use and not running it dry will help it last as long as possible.
These products are intended only for adults 21+. Nicotine is an addictive chemical. This article is general product information and is not a smoking-cessation claim.