One of the reasons I love rebuildable tanks is customization. Of course, any tank is going to have its limitations – deck space, width, capacity, etc. But the VGOD Elite RDTA represents the first time I’ve ever penalized a device for a drip tip.

Oh, the Elite RDTA is still a kicker of a tank, but having more options than the stock cap could have moved the Elite RDTA to … well… elite status. Read on to see why.

On the surface, the VGOD Elite RDTA is standard fare for this type of tank. Matte black metal, short glass section, side airflow, and a 24mm width tell most of the visual story here. It’s a tough looking atomizer that should nicely complement most any mod it encounters. And with a hybrid-friendly, gold-plated 510, there aren’t too many mods that won’t work with the Elite RDTA.

The real excitement comes when you open the tank to reveal the tremendous build deck. Not tremendous in that it’s the widest arrangement we’ve seen. But tremendous in how well-positioned and user-friendly the format is. Between the idiot-proof coil slots, to the massive screws, building on the Elite RDTA proved to be an absolute delight, even with thinner-gauge wire.

As I mentioned in the preview, the Elite RDTA has monstrous screws that almost look like you won’t even need tools to operate them. Sure enough, I was able to use my fingers to solidly secure a thicker coil in place. It’s not quite as easy as it seemed, but in a pinch, users could do some thicker coil surgery without a multitool and make it through the day.

For thinner wire, you’ll need a tool, since you’ll need to really clamp and secure that wire in the massive terminals, otherwise it will come loose – something that happened to me more than once while building on the Elite RDTA.

(For the record, VGOD included a multitool, so rest easy…)

For build enthusiasts, the dual-coil Elite RDTA deck is a veritable playground. Though there’s no option to convert the deck to a single-coil setup, I’m not sure the target audience would want that, anyway.

As mentioned, the coil terminals on the Elite RDTA build deck are larger than normal, so thicker, larger builds will do extremely well. There’s plenty of space for complicated wire types, and fatter gauges “catch” better on the large screws.

Thinner builds were a little trickier. Though the massive screws have no problem staying in place, higher gauge wires can be a little finicky to place and seat. It wasn’t a tremendous problem, but fans of thinner wire might want to test a few coils before taking the Elite RDTA home from the shop.

Wicking the VGOD Elite RDTA was a pleasure. Like most RDTAs, the Elite gives users a lot of leeway in cotton use. I tend to use longer wick tails with these devices, simply because I can. But those concerned about dry hits or proper wetting of the coils, a shorter wick will do just as well. Because of the nature of the standard vacuum-wicking setup, juice naturally flows to the coil, and I never experienced any dry hits.

Though it’s not related to the deck, VGOD put center-positioned airflow slots approximately halfway up the Elite RDTA’s 46mm tall body, leading to tremendously open draws. This was a major hurdle for me and the VGOD Elite, as there was no instructions on how to adjust airflow. The default position is “wide open,” and I had no idea how to control this.

VGOD’s website touted something called “invisible airflow control,” and it was true – in the sense that I couldn’t see any. My emails to VGOD’s support team went unanswered at the time of writing, but if they offer some solutions, I’ll happily update this review.

Despite my ignorance to the finer operations of the Elite RDTA, the wide open position is likely the default for a reason – it vapes really well!

Using a pair of flat clapton Kanthal coils, reading at approximately 0.2 ohms, I wicked these coils and filled the tank, vaping in no time. The flavor was surprisingly good for a device with such ample airflow, with even nuanced juices coming through.

Vapor production was outstanding. Though I don’t know what qualifies as a “competition-grade” atomizer anymore, the room-filling fog that came from the Elite RDTA cannot be denied. Even on higher-resistance builds, at lower wattages, the vapor was suitably thick and flavorful.

I tested some temperature control builds on the Elite RDTA, and they all worked well. There was no noticeable improvement in flavor as a result, but TC fans will be satisfied with the performance.

One TC item of note – thinner titanium coils were especially finicky in those large terminal ports. Be very careful when seating and securing titanium coils, or face an eternity of jumping resistances.

But, let’s get back to my primary concern of the Elite RDTA is the (seemingly) non-replaceable mouthpiece. The combination of wide open airflow slots, and a tremendous widebore mouthpiece, makes for an airy draw – airier than many would like.

Now, I really enjoyed the flavor from the Elite RDTA, but part of me wondered how much more intense it would have been with a slightly more restricted setup. Using a standard 510 drip-tip might have offset the side airflow a bit, making the already-good flavor even better.

In the end, for those who want dripper-quality flavor and clouds to match, the VGOD Elite RDTA is a tremendous atomizer. I truly enjoyed the ease of build, spacious deck and top-tier performance. I just wish there was more ability to craft the experience to suit my style.

For airflow reasons alone, I can’t give the Elite a top score. But this shouldn’t deter people looking for a cloud-focused, flavorful vape, because the Elite RDTA will make a lot of vapers very happy.

Score: B+

VGOD Elite RDTA specs:

• VGOD engraved Elite RDTA shield
• Top mount one-way fill port
• 4ml tank capacity
• Vacuum wicking system
• Hybrid friendly protruding gold plated 510 pin
• 24mm Diameter
• 46mm (less 510) Height

VGOD Elite RDTA contents:

• 1x VGOD Elite RDTA
• 1x Extra Pyrex glass
• 1x Spare O-rings
• 1x Multi Tool