The Aspire Nautilus X – Is This the Future for the EU?

Let me save you some time; if you are not a Mouth-To-Lung Vaper, if a 2mL tank just isn’t enough, or if you’ve seen the last of the plus-ohm coils a while ago, you can skip this review of the Nautilus X tank. There is no way you’ll want one.

Aspire Nautilus X – The TPD Compliant 2mL Tank

• Tiny adjustable airflow under narrow drip tip
• U-Tech coil design (will talk more about this below)
• Leak Proof
• Not Made for Temp Control – Wire is Kanthal A1

When handed the Aspire Nautilus X for review (they came from Vapor Authority)  my first impression, before using it, was positive. This small, squat, tank might be pretty nice, I thought. And that new coil design, the U-Tech, from Aspire was being used with it, so maybe this would make a 2mL tank worth owning.

Although, if I were to use a 2mL tank it would require at least a dozen refills every day. And, since I cannot think of a single reason why the TPD would require a maximum e-liquid capacity of just 2mL, I have to believe that making tanks a pain-in-the-royal-ass was the main goal.

THE SPINFUEL DEMO VIDEO

Two Deal Killers of the Nautilus X (for me)

There is a single resistance level to the Aspire Nautilus X, it’s way up there at 1.5-ohms. Even after a substantial break in period, this will always be a mouth-to-lung (MTL) tank. I’m exclusively sub-ohm now, and exclusively a DL, Direct Lung Vaper. Trying to vape with an MTL style, I was struggling big time, and I wondered how I ever smoked tobacco products with a MTL style?

What is Aspire new U-Turn U-Tech?

Aspire’s new U-Tech coil technology is all about the all-new airflow system. In a nutshell, this new U-Tech coil is about drawing air through the tiny airflow slot under the drip dip, into the coil head, straight down, and then using a U-shaped, or elbow pipe at the bottom, to redirect the airflow back up the coil head and out through the drip tip.

The new U-Tech coil technology, or U-Turn technology, might just be awesome, but until I see it in a sub-ohm resistance or 0.5 or less (and offered with other wire material than Kanthal A1), I can’t really comment on how big a difference it will make. So the problem for me is not the future of U-tech system, it’s the method of changing that coil head in the Nautilus X when it needs changing. As for the 1.5-ohm Kanthal A1 coil for the Nautilus X, a sub-ohm coil would suck that 2mL capacity as fast as smoking a tobacco product cigarette, and the airflow is too small to generate enough vapor in any case. So, perhaps 1.5-ohm was the only way to go.

Changing the new U-Turn U-Tech Coil Head

If you buy the Nautilus X because you are a happy MTL vaper and like the design, or whatever, the first thing to do is check the coil head that comes preinstalled in the tank. Make sure its securely tight. Chances are it will be. In fact, from the factory is just might be too tight, as it was for me. If it is too tight, unscrew it and reseat it to “hand tightened”. Sometimes a tank with a coil head that is too tight will force an error on the mod, or force a short-circuit, so always reseat the factory installed coil head.

Once the Nautilus X has e liquid in it, to change the coil the user would unscrew the top cap, reach for the top of the coil head, unscrew it (don’t worry, it won’t leak), lift it out and replace it. That’s how it’s done.

Even if you allow the e liquid to vape out close to the ‘dry burn’ level, you’ll still have ejuice clinging to the coil head. So it’s messy, but it has to be. I know this sounds like another criticism, and maybe it is, but many other tanks require a messy coil head exchange as well. Replacement Coils come in 5-packs for $16.99.

The 2^nd Deal Killer for the Nautilus X

This deal killer is really directed at the EU’s TPD law that went into effect on the 20^th of May, and it is directed at EU Vapers more so than US Vapers.

Knowing what I do about both the FDA regulations and the TPD (read Clive Bates wonderful breakdown on this issue)   in the UK, in the short term the US got the better deal. The huge ship that is the US, it will take 2 years to fully implement the idiotic Deeming Regs, so for the next two years if I want to continue buying larger capacity sub-ohm tanks, I can. Manufacturers are allowed to continue to make all the current products they make now, and up to August 8^th, (which is why there are so many new products coming out), but in the EU you cannot buy online or in vape shops, anything that isn’t TPD Article 20 compliant. So, let’s touch on the briefly since I believe this Nautilus X will sell well in the EU, but not so much here in the US.

The TPD, Article 20 that goes in effect on May 20^th, 2016 (with time to implement), and any vape shop continuing to purchase and stock anything that is not TPD compliant will not survive. Once the shop’s stock is depleted of its “stock purchased and stocked prior to May 20^th”, it can continue to stay open only if they stock compliant products.

Any “new stock” that does conform to the new regulations include tanks with a maximum of 2ml capacity, non-drip or leak-proof, along with the ability to use a filling system or ‘dock’ system that will allow the user to refill the tank without leaking or dripping. Hence, products like the Nautilus X.

As for e liquid, only 10mL bottles can be purchased, with a maximum nicotine strength of 20mg.  These new ‘rules’ are total bullshit, and should be seen as such by any sane individual. Can you, or anyone explain to me what difference it makes in safety or health whether a tank can hold 2mL or 10mL’s? Can you or anyone tell me the logic in forcing EU Vapers to purchase 10mL bottles rather than 30mL, 60mL, or even 120mL? These things make no sense at all. Well, except for one reason; To make Vaping as frustrating as possible so that current Vapers say “Fuck it” and go back to smoking tobacco products, pleasing all the corrupt politicians in the EU and the Big Tobacco companies. What other reason could it be? A child-proof 10mL bottle of juice is just as safe as a 60mL bottle of child-proof e liquid, is it not?

So, the second deal killer for me is a sort of protest that Aspire would have to make this tank in the first place in order to be able to sell it in the EU

What About The US?

For Americans, this tank just might make sense for a limited number of MTL Vapers that supplement their tobacco product cigarette usage, or pure Vapers that vape a whole lot less than I do. The draw is tight, the vapor is nothing to brag about, and the flavor…well, actually, the flavor is okay.

However, unless Aspire is realizing sales of the Nautilus X in the millions in the US, I don’t believe Aspire will apply to the FDA and pay the extortion, application fee of nearly a million dollars to keep it on the market.

The Real World Report

Now, I’ll bring this review/rant to close with what it is like to actually use the Nautilus X from Aspire. (You just might understand a little better why Aspire and Kanger will never work with Spinfuel.)

Forgetting the 2mL capacity, the tiny airflow slot that is used to send the air from your draw into the U-Turn U-Tech coil head require a strong pull on the drip tip to get anywhere close to an acceptable vape. The vapor production is miniscule in comparison to sub-ohm tanks with larger airflow slots, through once the coil is broken in, the flavor production is pretty good.

For the purpose of this review I used a thin e juice, White Russian from Johnson Creek. This e liquid has a distinctive flavor that is completely original, and once you know that flavor you can properly judge the flavor production from any coil, coil head, or tank.

Filling the Nautilus X for the first time, and allowing it to sit all alone for more than an hour, and then taking 3 or 4 strong pulls from the drip tip while it remains off any mod, and then blowing into the drip tip 3 or 4 times, it was ready to vape.

I used the Nautilus X on 4 different devices, the Vaporfi 60w box mod, the iStick Pico, the Triade DNA200, and my lovely iStick 100W TC (not the 200w). Experimenting with various wattage and voltage, I found the best solution was between 18-20 watts, or 5.6v to 5.7v. Your settings may certainly be different. My intent was to push as much power to the U-Tech coil without burning or scorching the e liquid.

During the 4-5-hour break in period the vape is miserable. Little vapor, almost no flavor. It was bleak, and sad. Sad because this is the new reality for the EU. Then, once the coil head gave in, and allowed for full saturation of the coils, the vape got much better.

That distinctive White Russian flavor finally came alive, and with a strong MTL draw from the narrow drip tip, with the airflow as open as it could be, it reminded me of what vaping was like back in the CE Clearomizer/eGo-threaded Vision Battery days. In essence, this brand new 2016 high-tech tank allows you to vape like it was 2013. Good job everyone!

New Vapers?

I would, without a doubt, prefer to see a brand new Vaper, someone working their way off tobacco product cigarettes, use the Nautilus X and a small box mod like the Vaporfi, or eLeaf iSticks, 30w, 40w, or any other basic box mod, rather than any cig-alike product on the market.

If I had any friends that still smoked tobacco products and wanted to switch, I would gift the Aspire Nautilus X and the iStick Pico, and wish them well. The tank looks really good on the Pico.

At some point that new Vaper is going to look for more flavor and more vapor, and at time, we would have to consider other products, as long as they were still on the market.

Conclusion

I am saddened that the vaping industry has made so much progress over the past few years that the EU will now have to take several steps backward in order to be in compliance. I am also saddened that in the US, unless something changes, all of these products will disappear in 2018.

Although the Nautilus X is using a new coil system that could be killer at sub-ohm resistances, as it stands the only people this tank would be good for are brand new Vapers, or Vapers that still use the mouth to lung style of vaping and don’t mind constantly removing the top cap to refill it, then they might enjoy it as well.

 

As for myself, I put in the time, a full week, with the Nautilus X (not exclusively that’s for sure), and I couldn’t wait to toss the tank in the trash.  As far as grading the Nautilus X, I have to offer multiple grades to be fair.

For New Vapers – Grade B

For EU compliance – Grade B+

For the Rest of Us – Grade D–

The Aspire Nautilus X is available in Stainless Steel, Rose Gold, and Black and a Limited Edition Rainbow color. Available now on Vapor Authority, the Aspire Nautilus X is $29.99.

Julia Hartley-Barnes

Specs and Features

Aspire Nautilus X Tank Specifications:

Manufactured by: Aspire

Body Material: 304 Stainless Steel

Tank Material: Glass

E-Juice Capacity: 2ml

Threading: 510

Atomizer Coil Compatibility: Aspire Nautilus X U-Tech Atomizer Coils (1.5 Ohms)

Hit Type: Mouth-to-Lung

Available Colors: Black, Stainless Steel, Copper

Height: 1.77 Inches (45mm)

Diameter: 0.87 Inches (22mm)

Aspire Nautilus X Tank Includes:

1 x Aspire Nautilus X Tank – Preinstalled with 1.5-ohm coil

1 x Aspire Nautilus X Replacement Glass Tube

1 x Aspire Nautilus X U-Tech Replacement Atomizer Coil (1.5 Ohms)