By Spinfuel Editorial • Nashua, NH • June 15, 2024
Horizon’s Arctic series of Sub-Ohm Tanks are some of the most popular tanks ever made. The original Arctic tank set the standard for flavor and clouds many years ago, and with the release of the Arctic V8 and V8 Mini Horizon intends to reclaim its dominance in the Sub-Ohm sector. The V8 and V8 Mini are both terrific tanks for flavor, clouds, and vapor production, but neither tank is what I would call a game-changer. Despite that, both tanks offer a truly satisfying vape. The Horizon Arctic V8 and Arctic V8 Mini will be covered in this review. Let’s dive in!
The Arctic V8 Sub Ohm Tank by Horizon Tech is a new and improved version of the original Arctic Tank, allowing more airflow to provide larger clouds. The V8 tank can take a total of 8 different coil options due to the new and innovative Octuplet and RTA capabilities. The coils that are compatible with the Arctic V8 are the Tiger coil, Hive coil, Snake coil, RTA coil, and the standard organic cotton coils (Clapton, Stainless Steel, Ni200, and Kanthal). The Arctic V8 is a top-fill tank with a 4ml E-Liquid capacity and will be available in 3 color options (Black, White, and Stainless Steel). The Arctic V8 also features an adjustable airflow system, and silver plated contact pins.
There are four coil options for the Horizon Arctic V8 Mini tank: Standard Kanthal, Ni200, Stainless Steel and Clapton.
My Experience with the Arctic V8 & V8 Mini
Horizon shipped the Arctic V8 and V8 Mini to me with all the coil options for each tank, except for the RBA deck in the Arctic V8. Using 70/30 VG/PG eliquid from both Virgin Vapor and Space Jam, I spent about 2 weeks putting the V8 and V8 Mini through their paces. What follows are my authentic experiences with these two Sub-Ohm Tanks.
The V8 Full Size
The Arctic V8 tank, at 22mm wide and 65mm tall, with a 4ml eliquid capacity, is a full-size tank for most box mods. Using a Wismec Reuleaux RX200 (200W/TC), and the Smoktech H-Priv (220W/TC), I set out to determine what makes this tank special. Of the coil choices, I was interested in the Tiger, Hive, and Snake coils, as well as the 0.2-ohm Kanthal.
The first coil I used was the 0.2-ohm Kanthal, rated for 50W-80W. My sweet spot with this coil was 68W. I started with Space Jam’s Andromeda, a 70/30 VG/PG blend. The flavor was good; the vapor production was excellent. Next up was Virgin Vapor’s Organic Coconut Confection, another 70/30 blend. Again, good flavor, excellent vapor. Airflow, even with the full size drip tip, was more than abundant.
Next, the coils that Horizon hopes will set the V8 apart. The Tiger coil (0.3-ohm, 60W-80W), the Hive coil (0.35-ohm, 80W-120W) and the Snake coil (0.3-ohm, 40W-70W). These unusual wire choices offer little benefit to the average user. My flavor expectations are always high, and my cloud chasing expectations are usually higher, so I used the Hive coil first, then the Snake, then the Tiger. Here’s what I found.
The Hive coil is exactly what the name implies, a coil made up of a bunch of wires wound together in the shape of a beehive. Rated to go as high as 120W, I felt it best in the 90W-100W range. The flavor was good, the clouds were good, but nothing stood out as being better than the Kanthal coil I had just used. The same holds true for the Snake and Tiger coils. Decent flavor, decent clouds, but nothing spectacular. What made the experience even less impressive was the eliquid consumption. It was excessive. To get good flavor and vapor, this tank needed to be refilled after a short period of time. This is not unusual for tanks that require a lot of power, but for the performance I was getting, I was hoping to stretch out my vaping time.
The Arctic V8 is a well-made tank, with plenty of airflow, and Horizon did a nice job with the top-fill. However, I didn’t find it particularly special as a whole. It works, and it works well, it just doesn’t deliver a truly special experience.
The Arctic V8 Mini
While the Arctic V8 is an average Sub-Ohm tank, the Arctic V8 Mini is not. The V8 Mini provides excellent flavor and wonderful vapor production, and I found it to be one of the best 22mm diameter tanks available today. I should also mention that the V8 Mini worked wonderfully with the new Smoktech H-Priv Kit, which ships with the 22mm Micro TFV4.
The Arctic V8 Mini has a 3ml eliquid capacity, and at 22mm x 65mm, it’s still a full-size tank. The coils for the Mini are the 0.2-ohm Kanthal (50W-80W), 0.5-ohm Kanthal (40W-60W), 0.2-ohm Ni200 (TC 20W-60W), 0.2-ohm SS316 (TC 20W-60W) and the 0.2-ohm Clapton (30W-70W).
The Ni200 and SS316 coils provided excellent results when using either the RX200 or H-Priv in Temperature Control mode. I had my best results with both coils at 50W and 450-degrees Fahrenheit. The vapor was dense, and the flavor was outstanding. Because these are Ni200 and SS316, the eliquid consumption was on the low side, meaning a longer vape time.
For wattage mode, I found the 0.2-ohm Clapton coil to be the best of the bunch. Set at 55W, it produced ample vapor and deeply rich flavor. The 0.2-ohm Kanthal was a close second, giving me nearly the same amount of vapor and flavor at 60W. As for the 0.5-ohm Kanthal coil, it was a disappointment. At 50W, it produced weak vapor and weak flavor. I don’t recommend this coil, but it is nice that Horizon thought about vapers who prefer less wattage.
Overall, I found the Horizon Arctic V8 Mini to be an excellent Sub-Ohm Tank, and at $28.95, a true bargain. If you’re in the market for a new 22mm diameter tank, put this one on your short list.
Final Thoughts
The Horizon Arctic V8 full-size Sub-Ohm Tank is a good tank that produces good flavor and good vapor. It doesn’t stand out among the crowded sector of Sub-Ohm Tanks, but it does work well for what it is. It’s also very well made. If you’re after massive clouds and great flavor, with some unique coil options, the Arctic V8 will deliver.
The Horizon Arctic V8 Mini, however, is a special tank. It stands out in the crowded Sub-Ohm tank sector by delivering huge clouds and intensely rich flavor. Even though the Mini has fewer coil options, the options it does have are terrific. If you’re looking for a special 22mm diameter tank, the V8 Mini is an easy choice.
