RDA Reviews

CoilArt Mage RDA

We have already looked at some of the other atomizers produced by CoilArt and this time they have turned their attention to a new RDA (Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer). Using the same namesake as the RBA and GTA which they produce, the Mage is a bottom airflow RDA designed to offer excellent flavour and cloud production.

by VapeMaster
Apr 17, 2017

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CoilArt Mage RDA

It can be set up with either a single or dual coil and has fully adjustable airflow suited to whichever type of build you choose. The deck design is straightforward and convenient to work with and the well is of a generous size. So let’s dive straight into the review and see if this is something you might want to consider picking up!

CoilArt Mage RDA features

24mm Diameter
Split Dual Post Design
40mm Height
Suitable for Single or Dual Coil Builds
24K Gold-Plated Deck
Adjustable Airflow
Gold-Plated 510 Contact
PEEK Insulator
Black Delrin Drip Tip
Available in Black, Stainless Steel, Copper, Brass, Red or Blue

What’s in the box?

1x CoilArt Mage RDA
1x Screwdriver
Spare Screws
Spare O-rings
1x Vape Band
Product Card

CoilArt Mage RDA styling and build quality

The Mage RDA is a 24mm diameter atomizer which means it will overhang on smaller mods. Height wise it stands at 40mm tall so it won’t look particular top heavy. This RDA consists of three parts; a base/deck, a top cap and a drip tip. The top cap features three airflow slots so it can cater to single or dual coil buids. There is a single logo lightly engraved on the barrel but it is tastefully done and doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb.

The Mage RDA can be purchase in several different finishes. I received the copper version for review and while I would typically only buy black or Stainless Steel the copper does have a nice lustre to it but I personally wouldn’t want the extra maintenance. Nevertheless some people really do like copper atomizers and on another positive note only the main top cap/barrel is made from that material. The deck and base is made from Stainless Steel and entirely Gold-plated.

The included wide bore drip tip is made from Delrin and uses a press fit design which is secured by a single O-ring in the top cap. Now while it does feel comfortable on the lips the fit of the drip tip is quite poor. Removing the drip tip when this RDA is new is an absolute pain and once removed it will never fit completely flush again or at least that was the experience I had with the item I received. You can of course use Half Moon, Goon or Kennedy drip tips with this RDA but I found that they wouldn’t fit flush and left either a noticeable gap or simply fitted crooked. In my opinion the real issue is the fact that the O-ring in the top cap is simply too big and you would be well advised to replace it if you purchase this RDA.

The deck features a split two post design with generous post holes. The two airflow slots rise up a good way from the well so unless you literally dump juice in there you shouldn’t have any serious leaks. As you would expect this RDA does feature a PEEK insulator and the 510 pin is Gold-plated to ensure superb conductivity.

Airflow

The airflow can be adjusted by turning the top cap which closes down the Cyclops style slots. The top cap features three airflow slots one of which is designed for a single coil build. Fully opened up the airflow caters to direct lung inhales and this gets more restrictive as the airflow is closed down. While the airflow might suggest you could potentially get away with a mouth to lung vape if you were only using a single slot I personally found it much too airy due to the wide bore drip tip so I wouldn’t really recommend it.

Ease of build

This RDA is very easy to work with so you are unlikely to run into serious problems. The screws hold the wire very securely but they are a little on the small side. Surprisingly the included screwdriver that comes in the box is actually of some value and works well which is often not the case. The post holes are generous so you won’t have any issues with thicker wire. One thing you do need to keep in mind is that you coils should be long enough to cover the entire airflow slots in the deck and you do need to remember to keep any cotton well away from them when wicking or you will get leaks. The same thing applies when dripping juice much like the Tsunami or Kennedy RDA’s.

What I do like about this particular deck is that the airflow slots elevate a good way from the base of the well which means you have plenty of space for cotton and juice.

How does it vape?

I first set up the Mage RDA with a single 0.4ohm Clapton coil which I wicked with Japanese cotton. Having juiced up the coil I then filled up the well with some Grey Haze Rainbow E-Liquid and took my first vape. The flavour was surprisingly extremely good even with just a single coil and I could certainly pick out all of the notes in the juice. Now when I say the flavour is good I am talking in terms of other airy bottom airflow RDA’s of this type so you are not getting Hadaly, O-Atty or Snapdragon levels of flavour here but one things for sure unless you are extremely picky it certainly won’t disappoint you and I personally felt it compared well with my Kennedy.

Now once you decide to go down the dual coil route things get even better in terms of flavour and vapour production. I went for a dual Clapton coil build which had a final Resistance of 0.18ohm. This time I decided to use some Colonel Boom’s Cirrus and I got a really superb vape!

Vapour production is rather impressive even with a single coil and at times (also depending on build and Wattage) it does feel a bit like the RDA equivalent of an old locomotive train because it really put out a lot of dense clouds!

In terms of the vape it offers there is absolutely nothing wrong with this RDA in my opinion and it does give you an appealing Kennedy style experience at a much more affordable price!

Conclusion

In terms of the overall construction, ease of build, flavour and vapour production this is a solid offering from CoilArt. Unfortunately there are some minor flaws which let it down. Firstly the top cap can be a very tight fit unless the O-rings are lubricated. Another issue is that once the O-rings are wet the top cap comes off far too easily in my opinion and the final problem is that the drip tip is initially a pain to remove and from that point forward quite a dreadful fit.

Providing you are happy to put up with these issues the CoilArt Mage RDA is well worth considering if you like Kennedy style bottom airflow RDA’s which offer very good flavour and superb cloud production!

Many thanks to Grey Haze who sent this RDA to Planet of the Vapes for us to review. If you would like to purchase one you can get it directly from Grey Haze where it is currently priced at £19.99. Remember to use code POTV10 at the checkout for 10% off your order.