528 Custom Vapes is one of the most easily recognized names in RDAs. Their RDAs are extremely sought after by experienced vapers. What started out as an experiment to find a tank that could perform as a dripper has evolved into a brand name that commands respect among avid vapers. They now have a large customer base as they continue to make design innovations in RDAs.
528 Custom Vapes currently has several RDAs out in the market. The original Goon RDA is their most popular product to date but they’ve come up new product offerings like the Goon LP with Goon Style Post, the Goon V1.5 RDA, the Goon 25MM RDA and the Limited Edition Goon 25MM
Goon LP with Goon Style Post
This is the latest reincarnation of the famous Goon RDA. You can get this dripper in two colors. Aside from the stainless steel, it also comes in gray. This dripper features a single static bridge-post. This post is at the center of the build deck. It has gold-plated clamps that secure the coil leads through the side platform.
The engravings on the Goon LP, which includes the logo and serial numbers, become a part of the overall design of this dripper. I love the classic beauty of the matte coating in my dripper. The only concern that I have with it is that liquid stains easily mark the coating. However, these stains are just temporary and disappear as quickly as they appear.
I mentioned earlier that this is a reimagined design based on the old Goon. It uses the same clamp system as the older version. However, in this Goon, the clamps are in a horizontal position.
The downside with this design is it makes it trickier to position your coils. You’ll need your leads to be trimmed to almost an exact length. Precision is the key in this dripper because it leaves very little room for error. You will need to position the coils in perfect alignment with the top cap and airflow holes. You will eventually get it right after a few attempts. It took me forever to place the coils right and I always strip the post screws. I almost hated it but with enough patience and practice, I was able to get it right. Once you’ve perfected the technique, it won’t post any more problems for you.
I love the taste on this dripper. The only drawback is the small juice well. Although I believe that is expected because of how low the profile is. Squonking it solved that issue as well.
Goon V1.5 RDA
The Goon V1.5 RDA is one of the best RDA’s I’ve ever tried. Just like any RDA, it has its own faults, but the good features outweigh the negative ones. I like the utilitarian design of this dripper. This sleek-looking dripper comes in two finishes. You can get it in either a stainless-steel finish or a rose gold finish.
What is well-loved about the Goon 1.5 is the amount of deck space available to build on. Mind you, the original Goon RDA already has great deck space. But the V1.5 managed to further optimize that space. It retained the bridge clamp system. One improvement though is the posts are now wider and thicker.
The V1.5 features an adjustable cyclops airflow. This type of airflow allows for fine airflow adjustments. Just rotate the top cap if you want to adjust the airflow. The slots for airflow on either side of the V1.5 are quite large. These slots make this dripper feel even airier compared to the original Goon RDA.
When it comes to flavor, in my opinion, this version has a better flavor than the older version. The flavors seem more pronounced and I detected even more flavor notes in my e-liquids compared to when I was using the original Goon. This new version also has a smoother flavor delivery.
Goon 25mm RDA
This dripper has an amazing build space. I never thought it possible but it has an even larger build space, both horizontally and vertically, compared to the Goon V1 and the Goon V1.5. It features the original V1 style airflow. It comes in two finishes, black and stainless steel. It uses stainless steel for its bridge post, clamps, and camp screws. This RDA comes with one set of Allen key screws, Allen key tool, and one set of Phillips screws. Each purchase also comes with a stainless steel squonk pin and extra o-rings.
If you frequently encounter trouble while building, then this might be an ideal RDA to start with. The use of innovative dual post bridge clamps allows for easy building. Event the installation of large coils is easy. One thing I like about this RDA is the deep design of its deck. The deck has enough room for a decently-sized juice well.
The Goon 25mm also utilizes an AFC ring. This offers great heat resistance. Although not as good as ceramic ones, the ring is more than enough for you to avoid burning your lip whenever you take long hits. The drip tip that they use in this RDA also helps in reducing overall heat.
If you need a premium RDA but don’t want to shed too much then this is a great RDA for you. They are just a shade over $50. This is a great price compared to other RDAs in the market today. Sure, you can get cheaper RDAs but those are mostly Chinese counterparts. Although China-made RDAs may be of good quality, I like the idea of knowing that my RDA is from here since I can easily get assistance if needed.
FAQs
Which one is better? A 3 post RDA or a 4 post?
Traditional RDA’s use three posts. There is the positive center post and two negative ones. This is easier to work with, especially if you’re making a single coil. The downside with this is it can be hard to use when working with dual coils. This is because you’ll have to fit one leg of each coil through the center post.
They call four post RDAs as split center posts. These have 2 holes so these are easier to work with when building dual coils. They also allow for more room. This extra room makes it an ideal RDA to work with if you’re just starting out on building RDAs.
What are the different types of airflows?
Cyclops
Cyclops airflow is the most commonly used airflow style. You will find this in traditional RDAs. A Cyclops Airflow has one or two horizontal airflow slots. This type of airflow allows air to come in from the sides. This will result in air striking the coil horizontally.
There is a downside to this type of airflow. Since the airflow slots are on the side, you need to take care not to overfill your RDA with too much juice. This will result in juice pouring out of the airflow slots. This can also happen if you tilt your RDA. With a Cyclops Airflow, the best thing to do is to vape off all of your juice before putting it away.
Bottom Airflow
Some RDA’s have air coming from the base. This air then rises directly underneath the coil. This system is the bottom airflow. This type of airflow is ideal for those who love the flavor. Just like with the Cyclops airflow, you also need to make sure that you don’t overflow your RDA with juice if it has a bottom airflow because the juice will go straight out of the bottom air holes.
Top Airflow
Due to the leaking issues with other types of airflows, some users prefer the top airflow. With a top airflow, the air comes in horizontally at the top of the RDA. The air then heads down where it directly hits the top of the coils. There are also variants that have air holes in the top cap to aim the airflow downwards.
Although the flavor is quite good with a top airflow, a bottom airflow still delivers better flavor quality. The only way that you will have leaking issues with this type of airflow is if you tip it upside down. Since the air holes are at the top, overfilling won’t be an issue.
Behind Airflow
In this type of airflow, air comes from the bottom. However, instead of air hitting the coil directly, air gets directed horizontally so it hits the coil from behind. This type of airflow is present in just a few RDAs and the ones that use this are often more expensive.
What is squonking?
This is a term that I did not recognize when I was brand new to vaping. I actually thought it was the name of a mod. Squonking is a bottom fed atomizer. It’s a device that holds the e-juice supply internally and feeds the e-juice directly into the atomizer. You simply press the e-juice bottle via the squonk hole in the mod. This action feeds the e-liquid into the RDA. The e-juice is pressure-fed into the atomizer and results into the saturation of the cotton and coils.
One advantage of squonking is you don’t have to re-drip your RDA. This is because the supply is already inside your RDA. It also eliminates the need to carry a bottle with you all the time.
Squonking won’t work on all RDAs. Squonking is also not recommended for those who don’t know how to use an RDA or doesn’t know how to build one.
