Mod Pod Showdown

Since 2016, Vaping technology has progressed on two basic tracks. There are low output vape pod kits for salt nic juices and more powerful vape mods for max-VG e-liquids. Within these categories there is a lot of variety. Today, these two tracks are merging. Adult vapers no longer must choose between a compact vape pod kit and a twin battery box mod.

Vape Mods

There has never been a shortage of jargon in the world of vaping. It is a market dominated with terms such as mods, pods, carts, Direct Lung Vaping, Mouth to Lung Vaping, PG/VG ratios, coils, cartomizers, priming, restrictive airflow, etc.

The list of terminology is endless and access to a glossary sometimes seems a necessity. But it turns out adult vapers are looking for a few basic attributes: flavor, ease of use, and satisfaction.

The popularity of vape mods was initially linked to the fact that freebase nicotine e-liquids are a bit harsh at higher levels. Vaping lower nicotine strength juices avoided this pitfall and huge vapor clouds offset the lower nicotine strength.

In the era before salt nic juices, vapor production was king. A box mod powered by two or even three 18650 was the apogee of vaping hardware during the era before salt nic juices emerged as a viable alternative. But the reality is that even the most avid max-VG vapers do not use their mods at 220 watts. Only a few coils even function at 120 watts.

Mesh Coils

The replacement of wound coils with faster heating mesh coils reduced the need for such elevated wattage outputs. Through trial and error, it has been determined that for most max-VG juice vapers, the sweet spot for sub-ohm coils is between 50 to 80 watts. Within this range, huge vapor production can still be enjoyed but the battery life is greatly prolonged. Juice consumption is also reduced significantly. It is no coincidence that this is also the peak output of the Vaporesso Gen Nano and its competition such as the Smok RPM80, Voopoo Drag S Pro and Voopoo Drag S.

Mod Pods

Vape pod kits with higher wattage outputs and sub-ohm coils that can handle thicker freebase nicotine juices have been available for several years. With swappable coils but the same outdraw functionality of a traditional pod kit, they are known as Pod Mods. This class of device is now being joined by the Mod Pod. What is the difference? A Mod Pod is much closer to a mod in performance but has all the convenience of a vape pod kit.

Mod Pods are compact devices that may resemble a shrunken vape mod but have the functionality to handle every type of vaping style. The have significant power on tap compared to a typical vape pod and are cloud chucking machines when their sub-ohm coils are installed. Yet they can also be equipped with a high-resistance coil, even if such a coil is not standard, which allows Mod Pods to handle salt nic juices.  

In the case of the Voopoo Drag S family, Mod Pod refers to more than just mod with a wider band of coil options and a smaller footprint. Voopoo’s PnP and TPP-X pods can be attached to a 510 vape mod with an adapter or snapped into place on a Drag S using a magnetic connection, just like a vape pod. TPP stands for "Tank Pod Push" and PnP "Plug n' Play".

The original Voopoo Drag S comes with the PnP Pod Tank and the Drag S Pro comes with the TPP-X Pod Tank. The devices are compatible with the other tank, although the Drag S doesn't have the horsepower of the Drag S Pro. Both tanks can also be used on 510 threaded mod when the adapter is attached. 

Vaporesso Gen Nano

In pictures, the Vaporesso Gen Nano looks an awful lot like a typical vape mod. It has the classic rectangular design, a centered tank and an OLED screen that can be navigated with a pair of buttons. With an AXON Chip, Pulse Mode and the features of a full-size mod, pictures do not do justice to this beautiful Mod Pod.

Place the Vaporesso Gen Nano side by side with a Vaporesso Gen S and you can really see the size difference. The Vaporesso Gen Nano measures 115 x 40.3 x 24.2mm. It can fit a 22mm tank without overhang and has a classic 510 connection. The Vaporesso Gen S is a more traditional vape mod and measures 146 x 54 x 30mm. This is a significant size difference.

The smaller size of the Gen Nano is accomplished using a built-in 2000mAh battery. The Gen Nano can’t quite match the power capacity of a vape mod with a pair of 18650 batteries, but it does not have to. It is the brilliant Vaporesso GTX 22 tank that makes the Gen Nano a true Mod Pod.

The maximum output of the Vaporesso Gen Nano is 80 watts, but it can be dialed all the way down to five. This feature is present on many vape mods. The difference is that the GTX 22 has coils that take advantage of the low end of the power band. On the high-end, 80 watts is plenty of power for most max-VG vapers. There are not many coils left on the market operating at over 100 watts. It turns out 50 to 80 watts can generate plenty of vapor with the newest generation of mesh coils.

Vaporesso GTX 22 Tank

The Vaporesso GTX 22 Tank is exactly what the compact Vaporesso Gen Nano mod needs to run with the big dogs. With a diameter of 22mm, it does not overhang the chassis of the compact Vaporesso Gen Nano. The top-fill design is easy to use. With excellent airflow control, this tank can handle all styles of vaping. The top fill design is easy to use and has wide ports. Considerable effort has been invested in the improvement of the GTX tank's leak resistance. 

The GTX 22 is compatible with a plethora of coil designs. The coils are press fit, and Vaporesso went to great lengths to prevent leakage. Depending on the Pyrex you choose to affix, the e-liquid capacity is either 3 or 3.5ml. But a perfectly designed tank avails you nothing with mediocre coils. It is in this category that the Vaporesso Gen Nano equipped with the GTX 22 tank really delivers.

Vaporesso GTX Coils

The GTX family of coils by Vaporesso is extensive and continually updated. These coils run the gamut of resistances and wattage capabilities. At the cloud producing end of the spectrum is the 0.15ogm GTX Mesh which is rated for 60 to 75 watts. This coil is optional and does not come with the Vaporesso Gen Nano. The Gen Nano comes with the 0.2ohm Mesh Coil (45 to 60 watts) and the 0.6ohm Mesh (rated for 20 to 30 watts). This is a perfect selection. The 0.2ohm Mesh has the low resistance necessary for massive vapor production. Operating as low as 45 watts, you can extract plenty of puffs out of your Mod Pod.

The 0.6ohm Mesh works at as low as 20 watts. Coupled with the air flow control, it turns what appears to be a miniature mod into a 510 threaded super pod. While probably a bit stiff for a 50mg salt nic juice, it is clearly designed with MTL vaping and higher nicotine strengths in mind.

Another optional coil of note is the 1.2ohm MTL Coil. Running at a mere 12 to 20 watts, this is your salt nic juice coil extraordinaire. This unbelievable flexibility puts the Vaporesso Gen Nano into an elite category of true all in one.

Vaporesso GTX Coil Series:

0.15ohm GTX Mesh Coils - rated for 60-75W
0.2ohm GTX Mesh Coils - rated for 45-60W
0.3ohm GTX Mesh Coils - rated for 32-45W
0.6ohm GTX Mesh Coils - rated for 20-30W
0.8ohm GTX Mesh Coils - rated for 12-20W
1.2ohm GTX Mesh MTL Coils - rated for 7-11W

Voopoo Drag S Pro

Not surprisingly, there is a lot of competition in the Mod Pod field.  Perhaps the ultimate exemplar of this design’s potential is the Voopoo Drag S Pro. With a 3000mAh battery, 80 watts power output, 5.5ml e-liquid capacity, 0.96” TFT display and the amazing TPP Pod Tank, the Drag S Pro is a remarkable device.

Clad in beautiful leather, the Voopoo Drag S Pro is a very sleek and attractive device. Compatible with TPP coils, this is a mid-power range device which can function as either an autodraw or button-fire device.

It also has an on-off switch to reduce the odds of pocket firing. The GENE.FAN 3.0 chipset is incredibly efficient with rapid ramp up speeds. You can even download temperature control modes from Voopoo’s website.

But the selling point that makes the Drag S Pro a Mod Pod is the Pod Tank design. Unfortunately, there is no MTL coil with the TPP-X Pod Tank. Not all is lost, any device that can fit the TPP tank can also handle the PnP Tank, which has a much more extensive collection of higher resistance coils.

The Voopoo Drag S Pro comes with two coils. There is a 0.15ohm TPP-DM1 Mesh Coil (60-80W) and a 0.3ohm TPP-DM4 Mesh Coil (32-40W).

Voopoo TPP-X Pod Tank

The 5.5ml TPP-X Pod Tank might end up being a game changer in terms of both form and function. It can be affixed to a 510 threaded base or is magnetically attached to the Voopoo Drag S Pro. The press-fit coils and side-fill tank are useful innovations as well. A lot of thought went into reducing leakage with this design.

Although there is no true MTL coil for the TPP-X pod, your Drag S Pro can also be outfitted with the PnP Tank. Combined with autodraw functionality, it makes the Voopoo Drag Pro S a viable alternative for even fans of very small MTL vape pod kits. There is no shortage of PnP coil designs which are suitable for that purpose. The current selection of TPP coils place a heavy emphasis on vapor clouds and flavor.

Voopoo TPP Coil Series

0.15ohm TPP-DM1 Coils - rated for 60-80W
0.2ohm TPP-DM2 Coils - rated for 40-60W
0.15ohm TPP-DM3 Coils - rated for 80-100W
0.3ohm TPP-DM4 Coils - rated for 32-40W

Voopoo Drag S

The names can be a bit confusing. But if you are looking for a Mod Pod that can handle MTL vaping, the Voopoo Drag S might be the better option than the Voopoo Drag S Pro.  It is the smaller and less powerful device. It has 5-60 watts of power, a 2500mAh battery and the GENE.TT Chip Set. Otherwise, the features and form factor are very similar. It also has autodraw and button fire functionality. The nice screen can be navigated with two button menu access. 

In real world terms, the big difference is that the Voopoo Drag S comes standard with the PnP Pod Tank. This not going to do you much good out of the box versus the Voopoo Drag S Pro. Both the coils included are sub-ohm. The Voopoo Drag S kit includes a 0.3ohm PnP-VM1 Coil and the 0.2ohm PnP-VM5 coil. But the PnP family of coils is massive. There are plenty of higher resistance coils to choose from.

Voopoo PnP Tank

The PnP Tank also has an optional 510 connector like the TPP-X Pod Tank. It can be used in either version of the Drag S. More importantly, the PnP Coil Series is massive. If you want to use a Drag or a Drag S as a salt nic juice consuming, flavor producing, MTL device, you can choose from several high-resistance coils available for the PnP Tank.

Voopoo PnP Coil Series

1.2ohm PnP-TR1 Coil - rated for 10-15W (MTL)
0.6ohm PnP-TM1 Mesh Coil - rated for 20-25W (Half DL)
0.8ohm PnP TM2 Mesh Coil - rated for 12-18W (Half DL)
0.15ohm PnP-VM6 Mesh Coil - rated for 60-80W (DL)
0.2ohm PnP-VM5 Mesh Coil - rated for 40-60W (DL)
0.3ohm PnP-VM4 Mesh Coil - rated for 20-28W (Half DL)
0.45ohm PnP-VM3 Mesh Coil - rated for 25-35W (DL)
0.3ohm PnP-VM1 Mesh Coil - rated for 32-40W (DL)
0.45ohm PnP-M1 Single Coil - rated for 28-35W (DL)
0.6ohm PnP-M2 Single Coil - rated for 20-28W (DL)
0.8ohm PnP-R1 Dual Coil - rated for 12-18W (MTL)
1.0ohm PnP-R2 Dual Coil - rated for 10-15W (MTL)
1.2ohm PnP-C1 Ceramic Coil - rated for 10-15W (MTL)
0.25-2.0ohm RBA Coil - Rebuildable Option