Developing nicely
We’ve been waiting for the Ares 2 for a while now. Building on the success of the first Ares, Innokin has managed to improve this RTA in terms of styling and comfort while retaining the strengths of the original. Is this the ultimate version of Ares, or should we expect a third?
Technical specs
| Diameter | 24 mm |
| Height | 59 mm |
| Capacity | 4 ml |
| Weight | 66.5 g |
| Filling | from the top |
| Assembly type | single |
| Mounting plate | single coil |
| Range of use | depends on assembly |
| Air intake | from underneath |
| Drip tip | 510 |
| Materials | stainless steel, Pyrex |
In the box:
- Spare tank
- Spare parts
- Coils
- Drip tip
- Tool
- User manual
Revolution or evolution?
The 510 pin on the underside of the atomizer is long enough that you could use it on a hybrid mod. The inscriptions on the body are finely engraved. The base is 24 mm in diameter, which is now a standard size.
The first Innokin Ares was reasonably successful. The Ares 2 looks very similar but has been improved by a few small details, like the top cap.
Positioned on the top of the Ares 2, the cap slides to let you fill the 4ml tank. There’s a silicone seal for extra airtightness. You can also remove the top cap for deep cleaning. This type of cap isn’t always very reliable and tends to loosen over time, which can cause it to open when you least expect it. Innokin has used a proprietary drip tip to fix that. Actually, it’s a 510 drip tip, and its (elongated) base blocks the top cap. There’s no way the atomizer can open on its own. It’s well designed and practical.
You could use a classic drip tip, but if you want to guarantee that the top cap stays shut you have to use the drip tip provided.
The atomization chamber is curved to really concentrate flavour, and it’s wide and high enough that it won’t make vapour that’s too hot.
They’ve hardly touched the design of the Ares 2, but when the original design was so good, why would they? There’s no point in making drastic changes to an atomizer that works perfectly well.
Easy to assemble
The mounting plate is easy to access. It’s slightly different from the original model. In the centre, beneath where you put the coil, there’s a cap with a central slit and notched edges. You can turn this cap clockwise to reduce the air intake under the coil for a more restricted draw. This is a real bonus, and lets you really personalise your vape. However, you need a tool like ceramic pliers to turn this hard-to-access part. That’s a shame, because the atomizer comes with plenty of accessories. The box contains the tools you’ll need to make your own coils, one coil and some wick – plenty to get started right away with the Ares 2. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come with anything you can use to turn this cap. A small tool with the same notched shape on its end would have made the whole process so much easier.
A 3mm coil fits easily on the mounting plate. There’s enough room on either side of the posts to allow fairly easy assembly. The plate is easy to use for anyone new to rebuildables. The screws are located on either side of the posts and hold the coil in place perfectly. But you do have to be careful with complex assemblies, in case the tabs get bent as you screw them in. There is nothing to hold the wire while you tighten it.
You pass the wick through the two oval holes to guide it down to the bottom of the tank. This is a change from the original model where these parts were open. Fitting the wick is easy – you don’t have to be a technical whiz to wick the Ares 2. Just cut the wick shorter or longer depending on your preferences, but don’t leave it too long or it might get squashed up at the bottom of the tank. The wicking properties are even better!
The air flow adjustment ring offers real precision in terms of openness. You can use the slot fully open and adjust using the 5 different sized holes, or choose the single opening with just one hole. It is very precise and offers a huge choice when it comes to air restriction. Each turn of the airflow ring makes a small click, which holds your setting in place perfectly. That means the ring isn’t going anywhere even when you’re out and about.
The Ares 2 delivers a very satisfying vaping experience. It delivers great flavours and the amount of vapour you expect for the assembly you use. There are so many airflow settings – and that gives you a huge restriction range, from very tight to much airier. And that’s before we even get to direct inhalation. Each puff delivers the full, concentrated flavour you’d expect from a real MTL. In itself, this atomizer isn’t going to revolutionize vaping. It’s more about the fine-tuning of an already successful model. The Ares 2 is a great MTL atomizer that’s easy to live with and easy to use.
In summary
What we like
- Lots of airflow settings
- Really good flavours
- Easy to fill
- Simple design
What we don’t like
- Proprietary drip tip for safe filling
- Impractical air restriction cap
