4_5stars

Augvape Intake MTL RTA Review

The Intake RTA by Augvape and Mike Vapes was one of the best top airflow rebuildable tanks I have ever had the pleasure of reviewing, so I was really excited to hear that the Chinese manufacturer and the popular YouTube vape reviewer had teamed up to create a new version of the Intake RTA specifically for MTL (mouth-to-lung) vaping. Let’s see what they came up with:

Intake MTL RTA Packaging and Presentation

The new Intake MTL comes in the classic atomizer packaging, a small cardboard box with a small picture of the device and some branding on the front – EU version also has the pointless nicotine warning – and a list of contents, some social media pages and a scratch-and-check authenticity sticker on the back.

Inside the packaging we have the Augvape Intake MTL RTA next to a bubble glass that increases e-liquid capacity from a decent 3.1ml to a whopping 4.6ml, as well as a small user manual, a warranty card and a bag of accessories, which includes: two Ni80 clapton pre-made coils (0.8Ω), four spare post screws, spare o-rings and gaskets, and five different airflow reducers (1.0mm to 1.8mm).

I think this is one of the most complete atomizer kits I’ve received recently, considering most companies don’t even include pre-made coils. This one not only has two, but those reducers alone are super cool, as they allow you to tweak your vaping experience.

Intake MTL RTA Design and Build Quality

Augvape’s newest MTL atomizer is 24mm in diameter and made primarily of stainless steel and glass. It comes in only three colors (stainless steel, gunmetal and matte black) and just like the original Intake RTA, it’s a top airflow, “leak-proof” design.

Starting from the top, we have a Delrin 510 drip tip, with a 5.1mm inner diameter, which connects to the chimney, which is slightly narrower at 4.1mm diameter. The drip tip is replaceable, so if you don’t like this classic design, you can replace it with your favorite 510 tip.

The top cap has a slightly different design than that of the original Intake RTA, but it works exactly the same. A quarter turn counter-clockwise will detach the top cap from the mod, giving you access to the top fill system, which consists of two fairly large kidney-shaped slots.

Right under the top cap we have the airflow control ring, which features a grand total of 10 different size (from 1mm to 1.8mm) air slots, split into two groups of five. Removing the metallic ring, you can see two different size air slots leading into the tank itself, each corresponding to each 5-hole group. One of them is a large round shape, while the other is the classic oval shape we usually see on direct-lung atomizers.

The design of the airflow allows you to use the new Augvape Intake MTL RTA from a very restrictive mouth-to-lung vape, to a restrictive direct lung hit, and anywhere in between. Without even throwing those included airflow reducers into the mix, you already have tons of tweaking possibilities, thanks to the design of the airflow.

At first glance, both the metallic barrel and the build deck look very similar to those of the original Intake RTA, and the base is basically just a metallic plate that holds the build deck and connects it to the mod via a standard 510 connection. The gold-plated connection pin protrudes just a little, so I definitely would not recommend using the Intake MTL on a hybrid mod, not that you’d have any reason to do that.

Unscrewing the build deck from the atomizer, you can see that the barrel leading into the chimney has the exact same design as the original Intake RTA, which makes sense, as it was a very smart top-airflow solution. You basically have three slots, two smaller one to the sides, and a bigger one in the middle. The side slots connect to the two metallic tubes rising up from the build deck to feed the air from the top all the way to the bottom. The air then comes out under where the coil should be and goes back up through that larger center shaft.

The build deck itself is also similar to that of the original Intake, although the clamp style is a bit different, and so is the airflow slot under the coil. But the two airpipes, the wicking slots and the cutouts under the wicking slots are all very similar to the original design.

Speaking about the build deck, one thing you don’t see on many atomizers, be they DL or MTL, is reverse threading screws. Basically, the post screws lock and unlock in opposite directions than they way they normally do. There ae even some indications printed on the build deck, but even so, it van be confusing at first.

In his YouTube presentation of the Intake MTL RTA, Mike Vapes explained that he turned to this solution to prevent coil distortion or misalignment with the bottom airflow slot. On his original design, he apparently noticed that tightening the coil down too much sometimes moved it out of position or distorted it a bit, so he decided to do something about it.

I certainly hadn’t noticed this about the original Intake RTA, but I get his point. That also explains why there are four replacement screws included in this kit. If you happen to lose one of these things, you won’t be able to use regular screws from another atomizer, because the threading won’t be compatible. So take care when you detach these tiny things.

The Augvape Intake MTL RTA comes with an airflow reducer preinstalled. It’s the medium-sized one, the 1.4mm, but you have four more (two smaller and two larger) in the accessory bag. You can also unscrew the preinstalled reducer and use the Intake like that, if you prefer a super airy vape, although at that point you are better off using a DL atty.

Using the Intake MTL RTA; How Does It Vape?

Installing a coil on the Augvape Intake MTL RTA is a fairly simple affair, especially if you have a small screwdriver, or better yet, a coil rod to hold it in place, while you fasten the leads in the build deck clamps. Just unscrew the Phillips head screws enough to fit the coil leads under their heads, then align the coil over the center airflow hole, and tighten down the screws.

This being an MTL style tank, you won’t be able to use very thick coils, so keep that in mind. Also, you’ll want to experiment with the height at which the coil itself hangs above the center airhole. The higher it sits, the more intense the throat hit will be, but you’ll have to take into account the nicotine content as well, as you don’t want it to be too strong if you already have a nicotine-rich juice.

Wicking is really easy as well. All you have to do is make sure that the cotton leads barely reach into the wicking slots. You don’t want cotton in all the way down to the bottom, as that will make it harder for the e-liquid to reach the coil effectively.

Another thing to keep in mind with MTL rebuildable tanks in general is that some juices are not as thick as those commonly used in direct lung attys. If you have PG-heavy blend, you will need to leave your cotton leads fluffier, to avoid flooding the atomization chamber, and if you have a juice that’s glycerin-based, you want thin them out a bit. That’s nothing to be scared of though, you just need to experiment a bit, until you see what works based for you. After all, this is a rebuildable atomizer…

Now on to the way the Augvape Intake MTL RTA vapes. As fan of MTL vaping, I have to say that Mike Vapes and Augvape have done a very nice job on this project. Personally, I’ve been very impressed with the way this tank vapes, with all the customization options in terms of airflow, it really is a great MTL option, especially in its price range.

Does it have issues? Sure, for example the threading on the base isn’t the greatest, as it doesn’t always catch when you try to attach it, the reverse threaded screws are probably going to frustrate some people, and fiddling with reducers is not ideal for casual users, but overall, the pros outweigh the cons by a lot.

The Augvape Intake MTL RTA is a very versatile atomizer. You can get away with a slightly restricted direct-lung draw by using the top airflow slots wide open and removing the reducer on the build deck, and you can also use it with a very tight, cigarette-like draw, and everywhere in between. If you just put in the time to experiment, I’m pretty sure you’ll find your sweet spot.

Add in the signature leak-proof design of the original Intake RTA, and you have a very appealing package. I have to hand it to Mike Vapes, he came up with a very, very cool product. I don’t always agree with his reviews, but the guy knows his vape stuff. He’s been around for so long and it shows in his collaborations.

Conclusion

I was a fan of the original Augvape Intake RTA, and I’m glad to see Mike Vapes back with another interesting design, this time aimed at MTL vapers. The new Intake MTL RTA keeps all the cool features that made the original cool – the leak-proof top airflow system, and the simple build-deck – and adds MTL features like lots of adjustable airflow options in the form of airflow reducers and different size air slots. The end result is a very cool atomizer that should appeal to even the pickiest of MTL vapers.

That said, make sure to compare it to other MTL atomizers in the same price range, like the BD Vape Precisio RTA, or the Wotofo Cog RTA, not premium attys like the Kayfun from SvoëMesto.