Vape Terms - Learn All Vape Terms
Are you new to vaping and come across a lot of unfamiliar words that you have no idea what they mean? In this post, we will list the most commonly used vape terms and give you, the reader, a better insight into what these unfamiliar words mean.
To make it easy for you to navigate among all the terms, you can click on a term and you will automatically be taken to the explanation.
Coil / atomizer
A coil is an important component in an electronic cigarette. It is this unit that vaporizes the e-liquid in the tank. In some cases, it may be called an "atomizer", but that is technically incorrect, as nothing is burned; instead, it is vaporized.
There are many different coils with different properties, such as producing more flavor while the coil does not produce as much vapor, and vice versa. There is also a new innovative coil called a mesh coil. Read our previous post about mesh coils here.
If you want to read more about the structure and components of an e-cigarette, you can read our vape guide.
RDA - Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer
Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer is the English term, but here in Sweden we use the abbreviation "RDA". This type of "e-cig tank" is not actually a tank, as it does not have a sealed container; instead, you "drip" e-liquid onto coils wrapped with cotton specially designed for e-cig coils.
As mentioned, an RDA does not have a liquid reservoir, but it does have a small "juice well" in case you accidentally pour too much e-liquid into the atomizer.
An RDA is not something we recommend for beginners in e-cigarettes, but the more experience you gain in the vaping world, the more likely you are to come across this term eventually.
RTA - Rebuildable Tank System
RTA stands for Rebuildable Tank System and has a sealed liquid reservoir. With this technology, you as an RTA user can build your own coils and install coils yourself in the tank. The choice is yours, and you can choose which ohm value you want; more on that later in the post.
RTAs are not recommended for beginners. Just as with RDAs, you will most likely come across this term when you enter the vaping world.
510 / 810 thread
When you browse different e-cigarettes on various websites, you will come across the term "thread" followed by different numbers. This term is fairly simple, as it refers to the dimensions of the e-cigarette. An e-cigarette has two relevant threads - the drip tip thread and the connection thread.
For example, if you want to buy a new drip tip for your e-cigarette, you can easily know which type of drip tip to look for: "510" or "810".
Nicshot - Nicotine for e-liquid
If you as a vaper want nicotine for your e-liquid, you have most likely come across this term, as it is very common, especially after the new EU directive - TPD, which prohibits the sale of e-liquid containing nicotine in bottles larger than 10 ml. Therefore, all e-liquid you come across with a volume over 10 ml is completely nicotine-free.
The explanation is simple: a nicshot is nicotine in a bottle, and with the nicshot, you add it yourself to your selected e-liquid and shake it.
MTL - Mouth to lung
MTL is an abbreviation for "mouth to lung" and is a very popular area within the vaping world, as it mimics the feeling of smoking a regular cigarette. MTL vaping is appreciated by people who switch from tobacco cigarettes to e-cigarettes because, as mentioned, it mimics the feeling of smoking cigarettes.
It is worth mentioning that there are different e-liquids adapted for mouth-to-lung vaping, with a "looser" consistency.
Interested in MTL vaping? Check out our MTL vape range.
DTL - Direct to lung
DTL is also a term worth remembering. This type of e-cigarette and e-liquid is aimed more at users who want a lot of flavor and vapor production. DTL e-cigarettes are larger and have more powerful performance than, for example, MTL e-cigarettes.
In the DTL segment, there is an incredibly wide range of advanced and complex flavor profiles that you may not find in the MTL range.
Hardware
To explain what hardware is in a simple way, you could say that it includes all the components of an e-cigarette, from the tank to the mod. A simple and straightforward term.
E-juice - E-liquid
E-juice, as it is so nicely called, has many names, and you have to go with what feels right here - whichever term you feel rolls off the tongue best. To list a few examples so that you, the reader, can learn from them, e-juice is associated with: e-liquid, vape juice, e-liquid, juice, sauce.
Ohm
To explain what ohm is in a simple way, we have taken an excerpt from our FAQ where we explain what ohm is:
"Ohm is the resistance of your coil/atomizer. The higher the resistance value of the coil/atomizer, the higher the voltage required to drive a current of a certain strength through your coil/atomizer."
Simple answer - The higher the ohm value of your coil, the less flavor/vapor it will produce, making it suitable for new vapers who do not want an overwhelming experience. The opposite applies if your coil has a low ohm value. It is worth mentioning that if you vape with a coil below 1 ohm, this is called "sub-ohm" vaping.
Nicotine strength
Nicotine strength is also a common term that you will come across in most cases if you are looking for e-juice. In our 10 ml e-liquid segment, you will come across different nicotine strengths. There are various nicotine strengths to choose from, such as 3 mg, 6 mg, 12 mg, 18 mg and 20 mg.
In Sweden, it is required by law that e-liquid may not contain more than 20 mg of nicotine.
Prime
If you are new to e-cigarettes, this is a term worth remembering. To "prime" your coil means moistening the cotton in the coil and letting it absorb the liquid before you start vaping. The reason for doing this is to avoid burning the coil. We recommend that you read our previous post, where we provide tips on how to extend the life of your coil; you can find the post here.
Vape tongue
Vape tongue is also a well-known term in the vaping world that is worth remembering. If you suspect that you have vape tongue, you can easily recognize it because your e-liquid does not taste the way it normally does, even though you have not changed anything about it.
We have also written a previous post specifically about vape tongue. In the post, we thoroughly explain what vape tongue is and how you can counteract it; you can find the post here.
ADV
ADV stands for AllDayVape and refers to your absolute favorite e-juice, the e-liquid you always have in your arsenal.
VG
VG is one of the most important ingredients, and the abbreviation VG stands for vegetable glycerin. This ingredient is produced through a process called hydrolysis. It can be found in many everyday products, such as baked goods, food, toothpaste & food products.
The VG in e-liquid gives it a sweeter taste and is gentle on the throat. If you are sensitive to "throat hit", you should vape an e-liquid with a high VG content.
PG
PG stands for propylene glycol and, like vegetable glycerin, is a very common product and an important ingredient in e-liquid. PG gives e-liquid better flavor; however, a higher PG content produces a stronger throat hit, and is recommended for vapers who want the same "throat hit" as regular tobacco cigarettes provide.
Have we missed any vape term that you are unfamiliar with? Write your comment in the field below.
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