Honest review time: The Mage Subtank from Coilart

Here’s a look at the latest in the Mage line from Coilart. The Coilart Mage has been around for quite some time in one form or another. Originally the Mage RDA(rebuildable dripping atomizer) became the Mage Combo RDTA(rebuildable dripping tank atomizer), then the Mage GTA(genesis tank atomizer) followed by the Mage RTA(rebuildable tank atomizer) which was recently succeeded by the Mage RTA v2 and finally we have the Mage Subtank. It’s not stayed as one particular style of atomizer for long and basically covers nearly every type of atomizer on the market today. The latest if you haven’t guessed it already is a subohm style tank that comes packed with a mesh coil, the latest craze to take the industry. Here are my honest thoughts on the Mage Subtank from Coilart.

Package contents:

ItemQuantity
MAGE SUBTANK1
EXTRA COIL1
EXTRA BUBBLE TUBE1

Listed features and specs:

  • Φ24 x 44mm overall height
  • 810 drip tip
  • 4.0ml juice capacity
  • Top lid with knurling design, easy to screw out
  • Installed with MESH coil 0.2Ω
  • Extra coil 0.4Ω
  • Color: Black Golden, Black Red, Black Blue, SS, Gun metal, Golden

Packaging and contents:

mage subtank

The Mage Subtank comes packed in a nice black cardboard box which is pretty standard for Coilart. Their black and yellow motif to me really stands out and looks clean and classy. On the front it shows the tank and on the back it lists the contents as well as some basic info and a scratch and sniff authenticity check. On the top of the box it lists the colour options, mine is the black and red version. In the box the tank is safely protected by a thick sponge insert. The kit includes the Mage Subtank, a 0.2ohm mesh coil(installed), a spare 5.5ml PCTG bubble tank, a spare 0.4ohm non-mesh coil and a spare oring. Not a lot of extras but you get what you need to get started.

The tank:

The 24mm diameter tank is made of stainless steel and stands at 44mm tall. It’s got a very interesting look to it with both the top cap and AFC ring being knurled with intermittent lines and holes sort of drilled in to it to add a bit more style. At the top it’s got a really chunky delrin 810 drip tip that’s super thick to help cut down on any heat build up. It sports a coloured band with the name Mage stamped on to it in white. It’s nice and comfortable but you can swap it out for your own if it doesn’t suit you. Unfortunately they don’t include a 510 drip tip adapter should you prefer a smaller tip.

It comes with the stock 4ml glass tank installed along with the 0.2ohm mesh coil but the kit also includes a plastic PCTG bubble tank that holds 5.5ml of liquid if you prefer a bit more capacity and don’t mind the bubble tank look. The one that came with the kit is kind of fogged though and in my opinion doesn’t quite match up with the aesthetic of tank so I opted to stick with the glass myself. I’m also still a bit leery when it comes to plastic tanks as back in the day certain liquids could cause them to crack. I know most of that is history now but I still prefer actual glass.

The tank is top fill and bottom airflow so the top cap comes off to reveal two giant kidney shaped holes that should make filling with nearly any style bottle a cinch. The knurling on the top cap helps to unscrew it but if you tighten it too much it can result in the whole tank unscrewing when you go to refill if you’re not careful. The airflow which is at the bottom is equally easy to adjust by turning the AFC ring which has stops at either end but no clicks. It’s not the tightest but it’s sort of recessed enough that it barely moves on mine so it should stay put once you’ve set it. The shape of the airflow holes is interesting and it looks sort of like a bone, with two holes on either end and a line connecting the two. I suppose it gives you a bit more flexibility from just a series of holes but it also adds some nice style to the tank which I think looks pretty cool. On the very bottom there’s some basic branding and a non-adjustable floating 510 pin which does protrude a bit but should never be used on a hybrid connection. The whole thing breaks down in to four pieces not including the drip tip or coil for easy cleaning. If you need to swap coils you’ll need the tank to be about half empty and then you can remove the base and change it.

The Coils:

The kit includes two coils, the one that it comes installed with is the 0.2ohm Mesh coil while the spare is a 0.4ohm regular wire coil. I started with the mesh coil obviously and found it required quite a bit more break in time then other mesh coils I’ve tested in it’s class but once it got broken in it performed just as well as most other mesh coils I’ve tried. The 0.2ohm mesh coil is rated from 50-90w with the recommended best range to be from 60-80w. I found the sweet spot for me to be right around the 65w mark but it could easily handle 80w without getting too uncomfortable. I don’t think the flavour was quite as well defined as some other mesh coils out there but was still far more then the average subohm tank could put out. Longevity will always depend on juice used, personal vaping habits and QC on the coils but they should easily last a couple of weeks based on my experience. The 0.4ohm coils I found provided a much more subdued experience if comparing it to the mesh coil but as far as a fairly standard subohm coil I found it produced good flavour and good vapour. It’s rated from 30-80w with the recommended best range being 40-50w. For me I was keeping it around 45w which I found was a good balance between performance and battery life. I haven’t used the 0.4ohm coil as long as the mesh coil but I imagine it should be pretty comparable in regards to longevity but again, juices used , personal habits and QC are the ultimate determining factor.

Likes:

  • Build quality
  • Looks/style
  • Top fill
  • Capacity
  • Mesh coil performance
  • Good flavour and vapour

Dislikes:

  • No 510 drip tip adapter
  • Long break in time
  • Bubble tank doesn’t quite match

Overall:

I’ve had a really positive experience with the Mage SubTank. I think it’s well designed, holds a decent amount of juice for a thirsty tank and performs like a champ once the coils are broken in. It’s also got to be one of the better looking tanks I’ve reviewed recently and considering the coils should be interchangeable with a number of other popular tanks out there, there’s hardly any reason not to dig it. If you’re looking for a stylish mesh coil subohm tank the Mage Subtank is definitely one to consider!!