Specifications:
Materials: Stainless steel, polycarbonate
Diameter: 22mm (24mm model also available)
E-liquid capacity: 2ml
Innokin is one of the largest manufacturers in vaping and has always focused on new users. As a result, rebuildable releases are few and far between but now we finally have the Ares 2, a sequel to the original Ares, which was released all the way back in 2017. Is it worth checking out?
Construction, fit and finish of the Ares 2 are good. This tank has quite a few moving parts, but they’re all machined nicely and have great tolerances. Several chunky seals on the top and bottom of this tank ensure that leakage is nigh on impossible and overall, it feels well put together. Small details, such as the detents on the airflow control ring have been executed properly, resulting in a satisfying click between each selection.
When it comes to user experience, it’s clear that Innokin has spent a lot of time thinking about new users and this perspective has paid off. The build deck is extremely simple, with two side mounted Phillips head screw posts. Just drop a coil in, tighten up the leads and you’re pretty much good to go. The simplicity of this build deck takes much of the frustration out of building for those with less experience and speeds up the process for veterans.
Wicking the Ares 2 is also a breeze. I found that regardless of build, cutting my wicks so they are just caught in the wicking wells would always result in a fully saturated vape, to the last drop. Walls on the side of the deck make it hard for excess e-liquid to pool around the airflow, which mitigates the risk of flooding and makes wicking more forgiving.
Once you’re ready to fill, the Ares 2 has a simple sliding top-fill mechanism, with a sealed membrane. I’ve had no issues with this, though due to the small capacity of the 22mm model, I do recommend filling slowly.
Normally I don’t talk about accessories but in this case, I have to. The Ares 2 is packaged with two pre-made spaced coils, 1m of 26g kanthal, cotton, two coiling rods, a screwdriver, plenty of spares and a tool to wrap your own spaced coils. This is pretty much everything a new builder could need, aside from wire snips and that’s fantastic.
The airflow system is perhaps the biggest change from the original Ares to this new model. It has two separate points of control, which allow a level of fine tuning that should satisfy even the pickiest of MTL vapers. First, there’s an external control ring, which allows you to select from individual inlets, all the way down to 0.8mm, or several at the same time, using a slot. In addition, there’s an internal airflow controller, situated underneath the coil. Innokin describes this as a “cross airflow control”, or CAFC. This is a small wheel, that can open or close a slot under the coil, as much or as little as you prefer. It can be adjusted on the fly with a small screwdriver, without removing your build. How you configure the CAFC places a hard limit on the amount of air fed to the coil, so experimenting with this is key to finding your preferred draw.
In terms of performance, I’m thoroughly impressed with the tank. I found my preferred draw by closing the CAFC to approximately half and then selecting the second largest inlet on the airflow control ring. Airflow is incredibly smooth throughout the range of options and flavour output is comparable to my favourite MTL atomisers, when using my “benchmark” 26g MTL build.
In summary, the Ares 2 is a fantastic MTL RTA and Innokin has done a great job of making rebuilding less intimidating for those who want to give it a try. New users may need to experiment with the CAFC to find a draw that suits them but this is not a steep learning curve and can be adjusted easily. A fantastic option for MTL vapers who are interested in RTAs.
Pros:
• Smooth draw
• Comprehensive extras provided
Cons:
- Some experimentation needed with CAFC to find ideal draw
