SMOK TFV8 Full Review

[Adversarious1]

I know there is another thread about this tank, but I thought I'd do an actual review of this tank.  Even online reviews have seemed to cover just the basics and not compare any of the different coils in the same review.  So without further ado, I present my review of the SMOK TFV8.

I’ve been using the TFV8 for about a week now.  I had enough loyalty points built up with one of my local B&Ms that I couldn’t pass it up, so I bought a black one.  After loyalty points were applied it cost me a whopping $15 after tax.  For those who may have been living under a rock for the past couple of months, the TFV8 is a sub ohm tank from SMOKTech.  It features a 6ml capacity, huge airflow, multiple coil options including an RBA coil head and a wide bore delrin drip tip (a delrin 510 adapter is included in the box for those who don’t like wide bore tips).

Almost immediately I knew I was going to want at least one, possibly two, more of these tanks.  Based on the way I vape, sub-ohm tanks are what works best for me and this tank definitely works.  It produces both clouds and flavor.  For me it’s a nice balance of each.  I’m not looking to chuck huge clouds and I’m not looking to be overwhelmed with whatever fruit or dessert flavor I happen to be vaping at the time.  So since I already knew I liked the tank and wanted at least one more, I ordered a second one.

There are a few things that really set this tank apart from some of the others I own and use.  The first, and probably the most prominent, is everything that’s included with this tank.  Most tanks I own came with the tank and an extra coil or two and, of course, a little blue screwdriver or hex wrench.  Occasionally I would find some extra O-rings or, in the case of RTA’s, some wire and some cotton, but for the most part it was just an extra coil or two.  This tank includes a ton of extras.  O-rings, spare Pyrex tank glass, cotton, extra coil heads, vape bands, cotton, hex wrench and a delrin 510 drip tip adapter.

The first thing that actually caught my eye, though, was the size of the coil heads.  Saying they are huge would be an understatement.  These things are Ginormous.  Seriously.  They are big.  They are also offered in a fairly wide variety, although all of their coil heads are of the sub-ohm variety.  The coil heads included with the tank are the V8-T8 Octuple coil head (.15 ohm), the V8-Q4 Quadruple coil head (also .15 ohm) and the rebuildable base pre-installed with dual fused claptons (claimed .28 ohms). 

Each of the included coil heads (as well as most of their other coil head offerings) is unique.  Different airflow design, different wicking slots…things that set them apart from each other and make them different experiences in spite of the same ohm rating.  Of course, as I already mentioned, there’s the size.  I took pics of the included coil heads and the RBA head side-by-side along with a couple of other coil heads for size comparison.  The coil heads on the top from left to right are a KangerTech OCC head and an Aspire Atlantis coil head.  The heads below from left to right are the V8-T8, the V8-Q4 and the RBA head.  The second pic is a view of the insides of the coil heads.

While I haven’t used the RBA heads from either tank yet, I did check them on my ohm meter for a couple of reasons.  The first was that the claptons in the first tank looked a little sloppy to me.  Almost as if someone was watching the clock before their shift ended and this was the last set they had to do before they could clock out and go home.  As I suspected, it came in at .44 ohms, quite a bit higher than their claimed .28 ohms.  On the other hand, the coils in the RBA from the second tank look much cleaner and they clocked in right on the money at .28 ohms.

On the tank itself, the airflow is huge.  It isn’t most airflow I have experienced, but it is more than adequate.  Two slots on each side that can be adjusted with a sliding ring on the base.  While the adjusting ring doesn’t lock into place, the friction on it is sufficient enough to keep the airflow set where you want it.  I haven’t had any issues with my airflow adjusting itself, and I am frequently shoving my setup in a pocket, taking it out, repeat, throughout the day.

As with the TFV4, it’s a top fill tank with a hinged top that “swings” out of the way.  A convenient feature because you can literally refill while on the move without having to worry about juggling a tank top or drip tip while you fill.  The fill slot is more than sufficient even for bottle drippers.  That being said, don’t forget to close off your airflow if you happen to be outside on a hot day when you fill your tank.  I did have one issue with leakage after a refill, but that was 100% operator error and I have had zero issues since.

The vaping experience is absolutely awesome.  SMOK calls it the Cloud Beast, and it is.  I typically take one to two second drags and that is more than enough with this tank to fog up the inside of my car or my mancave.  I have been vaping on the black tank with the V8-T8 that comes installed on the tank for a week.  Again, that is a .15 ohm coil head.  SMOK claims the coil is rated at 50-260 watts but recommends 120-180 watts for the best vaping experience.  I have been vaping it at 120 watts.   The juices I have been using have been a 30PG/70VG blend.  I suspect for my personal tastes I will likely find myself going a little higher in the wattage for thicker juices and a little lower with thinner juices.

I installed the .15 ohm V8-Q4 coil head on my second tank.  I have been vaping it only for a few hours now, but so far my experience with it has been as enjoyable as with the V8-T8 coil head.  It has been a slightly different experience, though.  First, SMOK claims the V8-Q4 is rated from 50-180 watts with 90-150 watts for the best vaping experience.  Next, the airflow is a slightly more restrictive than the airflow with the T8 coil head.  It’s a subtle difference but it is noticeable.  Finally, the particular juice I started with in this tank was also a tad thinner than the juices in my other TFV8.  The juice I have been vaping with the Q4 coil is a 35PG/65VG blend.  I bounced around between 80 and 105 watts with the Q4 coil head.  95 watts seems to be the optimum spot for me with the particular juice and that coil head.

Now for the negatives, and they aren’t really negatives, only opinions.  The first – it can get warm if you are chain vaping.  The only time I really chain vape is when I’m driving.  A 2+ hour commute in rush hour traffic can contribute to that.  And since drinking and driving is not only stupid, but against the law, chain vaping helps me cope with the idiots on the road.  The other negative is that it is only 6ml.  Wait, what?  ONLY 6ml?  This puppy is a juice hog.  I can easily go through two fills per day and be well into a third with this tank.

All in all, this is an excellent tank if you like sub-ohm tanks and you are a DTL vaper like me.  The airflow when using the T8 coil head and the included wide bore delrin drip tip rivals that of most RDAs I have used.  There are a couple of other coil head options besides the coil heads that come with the tank, including a different RBA head, but all of the coil heads are rated at .15 or .2 ohms.  The main differences between the heads are the airflow and the wicking channels.

If you are a MTL vaper or you don’t like warm vapes, this tank may not be for you, although I suppose you could swap out the pre-installed claptons for you own coils and run something with a higher ohm rating.  But if you don’t like warm vapes or sub ohms and you choose to buy this tank anyway, you have been warned.

Last, even at MSRP, which is something like $59.99, I think this is a great tank.  I didn’t pay MSRP for either tank and you don’t need to either.  I have seen them online anywhere from $29 to $37.  Depending on where you get it from and the cost of shipping, you may actually save money by going with one from a slightly higher priced vendor, so shop around.

[Tam]

Thanks for a thorough review. You managed to answer the one question I had that I couldn't find in any of the other reviews of this tank. I'm a MTL vaper who likes a cool vape so this one is probably off my list. Thanks for saving me the money for a tank that probably wouldn't work for me.   

[Bebop]

Now that's the way to review a tank.   Nice job,  Adv.  that is one mouthwatering review  

 

 

 

 

[Adversarious1]

Thanks @Tamand @Bebop.  My goal is always to cover as many aspects of a product or liquid as I can.  It seems none of the people on Youtube cover everything and even write-ups are usually just a regurgitation of the information provided by a company.

If I ever don't answer a question about a product or liquid, feel free to ask it and I'll provide an answer.  I have another product I'll be doing a write-up on, but I'm still playing with a couple of the features.  I also have an e-liquid review I'll be posting in a little while, just as soon as I have it written and edited.

[Jeffb]

Im having a hard time getting mine to work properly  Very little vapor no matter what setting I have it at. Its sounds like its just cooking the juice. I feel like such a rookie

 

[Edna]

That's some great review! and very well thought out.

It's not a tank for me but I can see it's attraction for some people.

Now if I'm asked about the tank I won't sound like a complete idiot and I can refer them to your review.

Thanks

[smacksy]

Im having a hard time getting mine to work properly [emoji20] Very little vapor no matter what setting I have it at. Its sounds like its just cooking the juice. I feel like such a rookie [emoji38]

 

Mine sounds it's vaping the juice sort'a like that...I had to look at the coil (tops of cotton) to see if it was burnt vaping at 125w...it wasn't.. Was told that PG will sizzle somewhat loudly at higher wattages so I switched from 75/25 to 100% VG..It quited down alot and now I can barely hear it, and get a thick, flavorful, vape...lol

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

[Jeffb]

30 minutes ago, smacksy said:

Mine sounds it's vaping the juice sort'a like that...I had to look at the coil (tops of cotton) to see if it was burnt vaping at 125w...it wasn't.. Was told that PG will sizzle somewhat loudly at higher wattages so I switched from 75/25 to 100% VG..It quited down alot and now I can barely hear it, and get a thick, flavorful, vape...lol

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

I use a high PG ratio juice. Maybe thats the problemo. But It should definitely produce more vapor than Im getting, even with a high PG content.

[smacksy]

I use a high PG ratio juice. Maybe thats the problemo. But It should definitely produce more vapor than Im getting, even with a high PG content.

Generally
High VG makes for nice thick clouds..I've found high PG is for flavor mostly, and to thin out thick juice used in low wattage tanks, like the protank..
Cloud Beast vapes great with 100% VG for me...

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

[Rixter]

Got mine today and the vapor production is outrageous. I've vaped a lot of setups over the years, but this is light years ahead of anything I've tried before. Puts my best drippers and sub-ohm tanks to shame...x10. No problems wicking max VG juice, either.

[smacksy]

Just got my second TFV8 from the VT store today..they are indeed awesome cloud beast tanks! [emoji12]

Sent from my XT1585 using The Vapor Talk mobile app

[Bebop]

@Jeffb. Sounds like you're having the exact same problem that fellow had a couple weeks back but he never came back with the reason and a solution.  

[Jeffb]

2 hours ago, Rixter said:

Got mine today and the vapor production is outrageous. I've vaped a lot of setups over the years, but this is light years ahead of anything I've tried before. Puts my best drippers and sub-ohm tanks to shame...x10. No problems wicking max VG juice, either.

I want to be you

1 hour ago, Bebop said:

@Jeffb. Sounds like you're having the exact same problem that fellow had a couple weeks back but he never came back with the reason and a solution.  

Its frustrating to say the least. I'll try different coils and see if I can get different results.

[smacksy]

Its frustrating to say the least. I'll try different coils and see if I can get different results.

Try more VG maybe?

Sent from my QTAQZ3 using Tapatalk

[Adversarious1]

5 hours ago, Jeffb said:

Im having a hard time getting mine to work properly  Very little vapor no matter what setting I have it at. Its sounds like its just cooking the juice. I feel like such a rookie

 

Sorry to hear that @Jeffb.  I've had zero issues with either of mine.  One has the V8 coil that came installed in the tank, the other has the Q4.  Both are producing vapor like champs.

Also, on a sort of related note, in my review above where it says the Q4 is slightly more restrictive, it should say LESS restrictive.  I was thinking more airflow which is where the 'more' came from.

[smacksy]

Sorry to hear that @Jeffb.  I've had zero issues with either of mine.  One has the V8 coil that came installed in the tank, the other has the Q4.  Both are producing vapor like champs.

Also, on a sort of related note, in my review above where it says the Q4 is slightly more restrictive, it should say LESS restrictive.  I was thinking more airflow which is where the 'more' came from.

Is that the other coil that came in the kit? Looks like a single vertical coil?

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

[Rixter]

5 minutes ago, smacksy said:

Is that the other coil that came in the kit? Looks like a single vertical coil?

It's a quad-parallel...four wires side by side wrapped into a single coil.

[smacksy]

It's a quad-parallel...four wires side by side wrapped into a single coil.

Wondered why it had such a big airflow (center), lol
Thx!

Sent from my QTAQZ3 using Tapatalk

[Rixter]

Has anyone tried rebuilding the V8-Q4 with a smaller ID vertical coil (say, 1-1.5mm) and a nice fat cotton wrap? It's the only coil head out of the available three that looks easily rebuildable, and it might just convert the TFV8 into a decent MTL tank. Just a thought.

[Vic]

I just bought this a week ago and love it. I have been using the crown with .25 coils at 50 watt on my Sigelei and 65 on my 120 kanger. But this tank at 90 watts on the Sigelei. Seems like if I go higher I get a little bit of a burnt hit towards the end as I hit for a full breath. Maybe 3 or 4 seconds.

 Just wicked the RBA last night so still adjusting for the long perfect hit. Seems like for me its 70 to 75 watts. Anymore with my long hits and I get a bit of a burnt taste. The thing I dont like is it seems with the RBA coils that come with it it takes time to start going good. I will make some coils in the future like maybe 28 gauge. I should put the tank on my Kanger as it seems it likes a higher wattage compared to my Sigelei. Im loving this tank tho!! And good write up.