Sub-Ohm Vaping Explained: What It Is, How It Works

Sub ohm vaping isn’t subtle. It’s bold, and sometimes even loud, with that sudden crackle-pop from a freshly juiced coil. It’s the kind of vaping that fills the room, turns heads, and raises a few eyebrows. You’re not doing it to blend in. And yet, for all the drama, the clouds, the warmth, the intense flavour - it’s as much an art as a science. You have to fiddle with wattage and tinker with airflow, not to mention keeping on top of your PG: VG ratios. Sub ohm devices are not every vaper’s cup of tea. Some think it's excessive, and it certainly can come across that way in certain situations. Maybe it is, and that is the whole point of this high-powered vaping exercise.

At its core, sub-ohming means using a vape coil with a resistance of less than one ohm. It might sound like a minor detail, but this is what does the trick. Lower resistance allows more power to surge through the coil, which, in turn, generates more heat faster. This extra heat vaporises more vape juice and produces proper clouds of vapour, instead of the discreet wisps you might have come to expect of vapes.

But sub-ohm vaping is more than just about the size of the clouds produced. The resulting inhale is noticeably warmer and fuller. All those flavours that might have seemed muted before suddenly come alive and are way sharper and more complex.

If you are not currently in the mood for a deep dive on all things sub-ohm vaping, here’s a simple checklist to get you started with sub-ohm vaping, no overthinking required.

A sub ohm device is specifically built to handle the power and intensity that sub-ohming demands. You can expect such a high performance from your slim, pocket-friendly starter kit; on the contrary, this is a heavy weight setup.

Typically, it includes a high-wattage mod (basically the battery), a sub-ohm tank with prebuilt low-resistance coils, and enough airflow to make large clouds, the kind cloud chasers need. The tanks usually come with wide-bore trip tips and are designed to run e-liquids with high VG content, something necessary to produce thicker vapour and a smoother draw.

And with the power levels these devices produce - often 40 watts and up, sometimes exceeding 100W - you need reliable battery performance and solid build quality. Which is why most sub ohm vape kits can feel like mini machines as they are robust, weighty, and often packed with customisable features.

How Does Sub-Ohm Vaping Work?

Sub-ohm vaping uses coils with a resistance below 1 ohm, allowing more power and heat to vaporise e-liquid quickly. This produces larger clouds and richer flavour. The low resistance increases current flow, requiring batteries that can handle higher wattage safely, enhancing the overall vaping experience with intense vapour production.

You might see a pro vaping and think that it is all about pressing a button and letting it go. But once you take a peek under the hood, you’ll realise there’s much more to this practice than just hitting a button and billowing massive clouds. Factors such as heat, airflow, resistance, and chemistry all play a role in determining the outcome. Every part of the system plays its role.

There are a few different types of sub ohm vape kits:

• Sub-ohm tanks are probably the easiest way to get started with vaping. These tanks come with prebuilt coils that sit below one ohm, usually somewhere between 0.15 and 0.5 ohms. Just screw in a coil, fill it with e-liquid, and you're set. The mod regulates the power, keeping everything safe and steady.
• RDAs (Rebuildable Dripping Atomisers) are for those who like a hands-on approach, literally. No tank, just a build deck where you’ll set up your own coils and drip e-liquid directly onto the cotton. What you get with this sub ohm vape is a pure and unfiltered vapour that’s intense and coming straight from the source.
• RTAs (Rebuildable Tank Atomisers) make low-resistance vaping personalised as you can build a coil that is truly customised, as it relates to its shape, material and the kind of wicking you use. And unlike RDAs, now you have a tank to hold your juice.

Why High VG Matters in Sub-ohm Vaping

The choice of vape juice is fundamental to the performance and quality of your sub ohm vaping. You can expect the best results with high VG (vegetable glycerine) puff juices - the kinds containing 70% or higher VG. Since this chemical is considerably thicker than PG, it produces denser vapour but without the harsh throat hit. Take care not to introduce too much PG in your solution, as the hit can become rough and scratchy.

And because you're inhaling so much more vapour per puff with sub ohm vape kits, the nicotine strength needs to come down - a lot. Most power vapers vape with 3mg or even 0mg nicotine. Higher strengths (like 12mg or more) are simply too intense for this kind of direct-to-lung (DTL) inhale. It hits harder, faster, and if you're not careful, overwhelmingly so.

The Role of Ohm’s Law

And, if you want to master this particular style of vaping, you will benefit from understanding Ohm’s Law. Stated simply, it is an electrical principle that governs how your vape acts, and you want it to perform optimally. This is where concepts such as voltage, resistance, and current intersect. But, if there is one thing, or rather two, that you want to keep in mind when it comes to sub ohm vaping, it is:

• Lower Resistance = Higher Current = More Heat
• Higher Resistance = Lower Current = Less Heat

Most modern, regulated vape kits take care of this all with their integrated chips and built-in protections, but still knowing the basics will allow you to have a sense of safe wattage and amperage.

And finally, the draw: DTL (Direct-to-Lung). Sub-ohming isn’t like sipping on a cigarette. You inhale straight into your lungs, more like taking a deep breath. It’s open, airy, and deeply satisfying - if that’s what you’re into.

Technically, the best subohm vape kit is the one that creates the densest vapour. But since there is no one-size-fits-all here, you have to pick one based on what you value the most and how much you are willing to splurge on it. That said, a few standout sub ohm vape kits consistently lead the pack for their performance, build quality, and versatility:

At the end of the day, the best sub ohm vape kit is all about where you are on your vaping journey and what you want out of it. You might go for a beginner-friendly sub ohm disposable vape that still does what it is supposed to do. Or, if you want to go all out, you can choose a kit that comes with all the bells and whistles to make the experience even more intense and attuned to all your whims.

For detailed information, check out our comprehensive guide on vape kits!