The Oumier VLS RDA is from a relatively young vape brand, specializing in RDAs, RDTAs and all things tank, by the look of it. They are quickly making a name for themselves and if the Wasp Nano RDTA, which I reviewed recently, is anything to go on…I can understand why.
The product up for review today is the very versatile and wholly unique VLS RDA, with its innovative build deck that accommodates both single and dual builds, in both vertical and horizontal format.
While the deck can still be tricky for the unseasoned builder to get a handle on, making use of some of Oumier’s streamlining features…like a removable base for easy vertical builds and smooth wicking, can really make this RDA a lot of fun to play with. Read on to learn more and see how it vapes!
What’s In The Box
- 1 X VLS RDA
- 1 x Triple Screwdriver
- 1 x Pack Organic Cotton
- 2 x Ni80 Fused Claptons
- 1 x Squonk Pin, Extra Screws and O-rings
- 1 x User Manual
Features
- Unique build deck for dual or single vertical or horizontal builds
- Removable base for easy coil placement and wicking
- Dimensions: 22mm x 38mm without tip
- Comes in Delrin and PEI/Ultem, with SS
- Comes in Clear Gold, Frosted Transparent and Glossy Black (I have the black)
- Middle adjustable airflow, 5 holes each side
- 19mm delrin/Ultem drip tip (810)
Build Quality & Design
On opening the small black Oumier VLS RDA box, I found the glossy finish and the square shaped knurls on the base ring a little off putting…I felt it looked, well, cheap.
I held this opinion about the finish until I finally screwed it on to a few of my mods and, as is evident in the snaps I took of it on the Capo 100 from iJoy, found it to have great balance and, actually rather a swanky look with the Gloss and All!!
Starting at the bottom, the base of the VLS RDA is a stainless steel affair, with a removable 510 pin, there is a squonk pin inside, which is that flat head type of screw where the groove cuts right across it, allowing a little juice to seep out at your mod connection. Irritating but no biggie.
The base ring has shiny finish, SS on the black and white versions and gold coloured on the gold version. The ring has square type thingies (hmmm) all around it by way of knurling.
Please look at the pics to better understand what I mean…I am not THAT superhuman.
The base has an innovation on board, in that it actually unscrews from the deck/barrel section, allowing you to remove the open bottom deck and easily access your posts with a coiling tool during vertical builds.
All the base is is basically one big plate, which connects with the positve post on the deck by means of an protruding and insulated screw under the deck. The negative post can be recognised by the fact that the screw underneath it doesn’t protrude and therefore also doesn’t make contact with that detachable baseplate.
The barrel, which on my black version is thin but firm, has a VLS RDA brand printed on the side and 5 small holes arranged in a flower on either side.
The barrel ends with a tapering topcap, in contrasting SS, which is not separable from the barrel and which is nicely domed within.
The drip tip is an 810, removable, nice, comfortable and visually unspectacular.
Removing the barrel and base from the deck I see the dual posts, they are big and thick and they do take up a massive amount of space on the inside of that barrel. The reason they are so massive is, basically, to accommodate the first of its kind versatility that is the VLS.
Meaning, the fact that this deck can handle dual or single builds in vertical or horizontal format!
Does it do this comfortably? Not necessarily.
Do you need to have a couple of vaping badges to get it all right without having a stroke? Yes.
We will, however, get to that in the performance and building sections.
Either post has 5 holes drilled through it to coincide with those airflow holes on the barrel. Of course, a 90 degree barrel twist will put those airflow flowers in between your posts and lessen the restriction slightly.
Now, how that airflow hits your coils in either setting depends entirely on your coil configuration and wicking.
You will find a horizontal and a vertical terminal on either post, with the layout on each post being flipped. All terminals are round drilled in such a way that you can lay the leads into them from the side or from above, instead of having to thread through a hole, if you catch my drift.
Accessories
A nice looking pair of fused Claptons was included, in the opposing lead style that is necessary for this build deck…however I found the Ni80 to be extremely soft for a deck that’s this tricky to build on, we will get to that later though.
I also found that the triple driver that was included did not fit the screws perfectly and was difficult to work with. Oh and, since this build deck requires the use of a coiling rod far more than any other deck I’ve seen, I would have liked to see such a tool included amongst the accessories. Still, this RDA is dirt-cheap, so we can’t really blame Oumier, can we.
How Does The Oumier VLS RDA Perform?
Now, the base ring is only about 3 mm thick, reverse threaded to the deck and screwed into your mod the other way…what this means is that you’ve got to take extra care when adjusting your airflow or tinkering with the screwed in RDA because one is inclined to grip the barrel and even a tiny reverse twist will actually break the deck contact with the baseplate, resulting in a no atomizer reading on your mod.
I dare say, this has happened to me many times and by various means but I simply drank more cider, to keep my blood pressure down.
The Oumier VLS RDA is tricky.
The large posts leave no room for error when doing builds in either horizontal or vertical formats, as the potential for a short waits around every corner, between the adjacent or stacked coils themselves and between the coils and the posts.
The barrel releases nicely from the deck, that’s one thing I can say…thanks to three nice big o-rings, which is a good thing on vertical builds, where the wicking gets in your way a bit and you need to access that nice deep juice well just to ensure that your lower wick leads get a good soaking.
I found that the RDA performed best in single coil config all round, as it cuts the potential for a short out of the picture and also cuts down the dry hit potential of vertical wicking.
I found squonking on a vertical build very tricky, since the upper wick lead has a tendency to dry out, even when the bottom lead is soaked.
I found the juice well ample and the airflow holes well placed to prevent any kind of over-drip/squonk leaking.
I definitely would have liked to have seen a taller RDA here, as more room is required in-between the strange wicking of a vertical build and the mouth piece opening, in order to actually develop some air dynamics within the barrel and avoid a mouth full of delicious juice.
On the other hand, I find that the glycerine, when ingested orally and in large doses, does work wonders on the digestive system…
All round, I find this RDA to be a bit of a hassle. I feel that more effort could have been made to increase the room between those posts somehow. We are not all of steady hand…nor, indeed, are we all of steady mind and therefore, this RDA will cause a good many headaches (and bowel movements), of that I am certain.
Nevertheless, there can be no denying the fact that, when you get those coils just so, with your wicking perfected and your spacing all on point, that this RDA delivers some s-e-r-i-o-u-s-l-y cumulonimbus action, with flavour that is quite literally FULL.
How To Fill
When using single or horizontal builds, simply drip through the tip, when using dual vertical build, be careful and pop the barrel so you can make sure your juice well is full and your bottom wick soaked.
Ease of build
I highly recommend that you opt for the lowest mm coil option if doing either format of dual build, as the space is really just not enough between the posts to allow for the natural movement that occurs with heat on coils.
A pair of 3mm coils can be used…my home coils were 3mm 5 wraps…but the slightest moving or warping and they made contact with the posts or with each other.
I severely damaged the soft Ni80, included coils on my first attempt to double build on this RDA (horizontally)…too much manoeuvring and twisting for that soft material.
This is a challenging deck. Although the cut out deck-bottom and the ability to separate the base from the deck does wonders when placing your verticals, I still felt that it was TERRIBLY fiddly, something that requires a good deal of practice, perhaps, if you’re up for the challenge.
Double Horizontal Build
When you do a double horizontal build, the coils are stacked and, regardless of how you manoeuvre things, any flat or alien wire will get twisted on the upper coil, due to the fact that the screws come at it at 90degrees…
I’ve found that this tendency to deform my leads and twist my coil not only leads to warping and movement (which results in shorting, since the coils will be inclined to touch something) but it also affects the resistance of those coils adversely. It’s just a tricky deck, even though it has potential for something great, it’s not perfect yet.
Airflow is very restricted on the dual vertical or on a beefy vertical, due to that wicking situation not being ideal for internal dynamics.
What I Liked
- The RDA looks the bizznizz on my Capo 100 and many other mods, its well balanced, dimensionally and the glossy black creeps into your heart…kinda like how you don’t like insects but dragonflies are still awesome.
- The removable base makes building and wicking a good deal simpler on this complex deck.
- The juice well is nice and deep.
- The deck really is versatile, allowing single and double, vertical and horizontal builds.
- Squonkable!
- Godly flavour on all well placed builds.
- Wicked clouds on all well placed builds.
What I Dislike
- The deck is tricky to use, especially on double builds where space is needed.
- Wicking on vertical builds can obstruct the airflow to the mouthpiece and provide a pleasant mouthful of goopy juice.
- The top cap should have been taller.
- Leads on upper coils get twisted and damaged.
- The deck tends to get unscrewed from the base during use, resulting in broken contact between the deck and base and a NO ATOMIZER reading.
Final Review Verdict
I’m not a patient person…and only drink more cider when frustrated, so let’s just say that using the Oumier VLS RDA has been interesting.
I’ve enjoyed the challenge of it and I must admit, the flavour and clouds off this weird insect are stellar. If you get out of the habit of building 3mm coils just because they look big then you will LOVE building on this thing, it’s different and it vapes like a KING.
The wicking is very tricky on vertical builds and can easily mess up your airflow but the point is, those vertical builds can actually vape really, really well. I’ll put this RDA away for now but once my hangover-hands steady, I will go to the shelf and try another round of builds on this guy, the VLS vapes well and deserves massive credit for the versatile fun factor!
