Sub-ohm vaping is vaping with a resistance level of less than 1 Ohm. It offers additional benefits to regular vaping, and you need a special vape pen or vape mod fitted with coils suited to sub-ohming. Let’s learn more about the process, equipment, caveats, and other relevant details within the sub-ohming space. It’s a relatively new concept, but it’s worth it!

The Basic Electric Terms as Used in Vaping

You may have heard of volts, watts, amps, and resistance, and you probably found them confusing. For our purposes, let’s see how they apply to vaping specifications. We’ll use the common analogy of water. Volts or voltage describe the water’s full capacity i.e. the pressure produced by the faucet whenever you open it. And resistance is the hosepipe or faucet width.

This defines how much water can pass through at a given time. If the pipe is narrow i.e. high resistance, pushing too much water through it can burst the pipe so the volumes are limited. A low resistance or wider pipe can let through a lot more water. Amps describe the amount of water released per second, depending on the pressure (volts) and faucet width (resistance).

Finally, wattage or watts confirm the size of the container that receives the water e.g. a glass or bucket. In vaping, the wattage (W) shows how much electricity your vape battery can hold while the voltage (V) shows how much current comes into the vape when it’s charging. And the resistance shows how fast or slow the coils heat up, which affects vaporization in the wick.

Sub-Ohm Resistance vs Regular Resistance

A standard vape has a resistance of 1.5 Ohms to 3 Ohms while a sub-ohm vape keeps its level below 1 Ohm. In both cases, the resistance is influenced by coil thickness, the material used to make the coil, or even the number of coils inside the vape. Standard coils typically produce less heat. Their lower temperatures emit cooler fumes and thinner, lighter clouds as a result.

But low-resistance vapes make thicker clouds because the puffs are warmer. Remember, coil resistance combines with other factors to facilitate the sub-ohm experience. For example, a high-resistance coil has the potential to overheat so it’s combined with increased airflow, big wick chambers, a wider surface area, and lower wattage to keep the coil cool and safe to vape.

Power and resistance are inversely proportional, so low-resistance sub-ohm vapes have a higher wattage and voltage to match. These additional specifications make sub-ohm vapes more expensive. Also, because the wick heats up much faster on low-resistance coils, the wire endures more punishment. It needs to be more durable and you have to change it regularly.

Comparing Sub-Ohming with Classic Vaping

Lots of people use vapes to beat a (cigarette) smoking habit. This is because vapes lack some of the toxins in tobacco e.g. formaldehyde and tar. Also, with vapes, you can gradually reduce your nicotine levels until you’re down to the 0% nicotine in many flavored vapes. That way, you can still enjoy the feeling of pretty puffs and smoker breaks with none of the side effects.

But cigarettes, pipes, and cigars have a harsh throat hit, so smokers sometimes seek the same sensation while vaping. As they slowly ditch tobacco, they may be drawn to the gentler feel of vapes. This is where sub-ohming comes in because it feels so much softer on your tongue and throat. It offers warmer fumes, bigger clouds, and a broader variety of flavors and buzz.

Sub-ohming can also provide higher hit intensities. Since the resistance is low, the coil gets hotter and the heat travels quicker. A larger surface comes in contact with the wick, which is why the fumes are warmer, the clouds are denser, the head rush is higher, and the flavor is deeper. The downside is the battery and e-juice deplete sooner and the vape finishes faster.

The DTL and MTL of Vaping

DTL means direct-to-lung while MTL means mouth-to-lung. Novice vapers take the fumes into their mouths and release them almost immediately. DTL vapers take more of a ‘belly breath’. They lower their diaphragms, creating more space in their lungs. They’ll often hold the hit for five to ten seconds before they release. It’s a technique associated with sub-ohms.

This is because sub-ohm vapes release more plumes per hit so you get a bigger fix with each inhale. Conversely, MTL vaping is when you first take the vapor into your mouth then pull deeper by either sucking in more air or inhaling the vape multiple times before exhaling. If plumes slip out of your mouth or nose, suck them back in. Timing lets the nicotine circulate.

Since you’re holding a larger amount of vapor at a time, the clouds you blow out are bigger. DTL needs special sub-ohm coils because you’ll be tugging at them for longer stretches. If the coils are high resistance, those extended inhales will make them overheat and burn them out. Also, the lower voltage and wattage on high-resistance vapes don’t sustain lengthy inhales.

Power vs Puff in Sub-Ohm Vaping

In the past, people used DTL and sub-ohm vaping simultaneously because DTL vaping needs a low-resistance coil. But you still had to practice that specific type of inhalation, which was harder for newbies to master. But these days, sub-ohm vapes have built-in sub-ohm coils so even inexperienced users can manage. Be careful though, because sub-ohm hits are intense!

While most people agree that sub-ohm vaping is defined by low-resistance coils, it can also be categorized by the size of the clouds. If you don’t have the budget for a sub-ohm vape, buy disposables with sub-ohm e-juice. These e-liquids have a higher VG quotient so they produce bigger plumes and a softer throat hit. But they need a higher wattage to efficiently vaporize.

What flavors are good for sub-ohm vaping? Technically, you could use anything. But since the plumes are warmer, they taste better if you go with sweeter variants like Peach Mango Watermelon. Tobacco, coffee, and creamy custards work well with warm vape equipment. In contrast, cool, icy, menthol flavors are better suited for the lower temps of classic vaping.

Is Sub-Ohming Suitable for Everyone?

As we mentioned before, classic vaping relies on the MTL technique. This is what cigarette smokers do, so it’s the most common approach when you first switch over from tobacco to vapes. MTL vaping also results in a harsher throat hit, just like cigarettes. This is partly why smokers avoid sub-ohming. If it’s too mild on your throat, you’ll soon relapse into tobacco.

Over time – or for beginners who dislike that throat tickle – sub-ohming gets increasingly attractive. The warmer fumes and gentler throat hits are welcome. But remember that sub-ohming means you inhale more deeply so you absorb much more nicotine per puff. That can overwhelm vaping novices. So if you’re unfamiliar, try sub-ohming with 0% nicotine at first.

You’ll still enjoy those thick, satisfying clouds, especially if you use high-VG sub-ohm e-juices that are primed for puff power. Or invest in a vape mod or vape kit with multiple coils, wicks, tanks, batteries, and atomizers. That way, you can mix and match your components to tailor a classic or sub-ohm session according to your mood, flavor, and nicotine requirements.

Nicotine Salts and Freebase Nicotine for Sub-Ohming

Lab-based nicotine is generally derived by refining the raw nicotine from tobacco and other plants. Freebase nicotine is processed with ammonia to make it more acidic, raise potency, and make it easier to absorb. Older vapes mostly use freebase nicotine. Since it needs more power to break it down, freebase nicotine is best for the high-wattage and low resistance.

But nicotine salts are treated with mild acids like citric or benzoic. This means you can evaporate the e-juice at lower temperatures with high resistance, producing that strong, tobacco-like throat hit. Check that the e-liquid you’ve selected is suitable for sub-ohming. Even if you have the right equipment, using the wrong e-juice could dim your experience.

DTL sub-ohm vaping gives you a faster hit because the vapor goes straight to your lungs and into your bloodstream. Start with lower nicotine concentrations until you get used to it. Even though a low-resistance vape uses more battery power and sends more vapor to your lungs, you get buzzed faster. This means you inhale less often, making your vape last longer.

How to Get the Best from Sub-Ohm Vaping

Sub-ohm vapes have low-resistance coils. They work harder and need regular replacement. Learn to make your own coils and wicks to save money. Clean them often to avoid clogs and dry hits. Use high VG e-juice with 60% or more for bigger clouds and a smoother throat hit.

VG is thicker so it needs higher vaping temps. Practice your DTL vaping so you can conserve your e-juice and battery by using your vape less often. Start with 0.3% to 0.6% nicotine then gradually raise the percentage if you must. Creamy flavors are more enjoyable to sub-ohm.

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