What is RDL Vaping?
RDL vaping (or RDTL vaping) stands for Restricted Direct-to-Lung vaping. This vaping style is a cross between MTL and DTL vaping and can be a bit confusing to understand. Let’s break it down in our RDL vaping guide.
Everyone has a vaping style, whether they know it or not. Some people spit clouds like a chimney, while others puff gingerly as one does when smoking cigarettes.
And for vapers in between, there’s another, albeit less distinct vaping style: RDL vaping. Restricted Direct-to-Lung vaping is much less defined than MTL and DTL vaping, with blurry lines separating it from the two primary vaping styles.
Let’s break down the definition of Restricted Direct-Lung vaping, explore the different vaping styles, and list the best vape kits to suit the hybrid RDL vaping style.
What is Restricted Direct-to-Lung Vaping?
RDL vaping (Restricted Direct-Lung) or RDTL vaping (Restricted Direct-to-Lung) is a vaping style that’s essentially a middle ground between Mouth-to-Lung vaping (MTL) and Direct-to-Lung vaping (DTL). Many vapers consider it an airier version of MTL vaping.
RDL vaping isn’t a new term—it’s been used on various forums and vaping subreddits for a long time—but in recent years, the best vape brands in the vaping industry have been debuting vape kits designed specifically with RDTL vaping in mind. This has brought RDL into the mainstream.
What are the Different Vaping Styles?
There are two primary vaping styles: Mouth-to-Lung (MTL) and Direct-to-Lung (DTL). Besides MTL and DTL, there’s a hybrid vaping style that’s risen in popularity recently: RDL vaping.
Before learning what RDL vaping is all about, you’ll first need to ask: What is MTL and DTL vaping? We’ve covered MTL and DTL extensively in another article, but for now, let’s take a quick look at the different styles of vaping so we can understand what makes RDL vaping unique.
Mouth-to-Lung (MTL) Vaping
MTL (Mouth-to-Lung) vaping is a two-step process. With MTL vaping, the vapour is pulled first into the mouth before being inhaled into the lungs—just as you would smoke a cigarette. MTL vaping is the most common vaping style among new vapers, and those using vapes to quit smoking are usually MTL vapers.
MTL vaping is known for its discreet cloud production, sharp throat hit, and higher nicotine strengths.
MTL vape kits—including pod kits, vape pens, and starter vape kits—and MTL tanks are generally low-powered and use high-resistance MTL coils, which makes them compatible with higher-PG vape juice like nic salts and 50/50 freebase nicotine E-Liquids.
Most beginners start their vaping journey as MTL vapers because MTL vape kits and pod kits are designed to be used with high-nicotine vape juice like nic salts, which offers the best chance of quitting smoking thanks to its satisfying throat hit and quick nicotine delivery. Over time, MTL vapers often shift to the RDTL vaping style and may eventually become DTL vapers (though not always).
An MTL kit will have a tighter airflow to provide a smooth and satisfying nicotine delivery. These devices are often designed to be beginner-friendly, requiring little maintenance and having very few settings to ensure beginners find them easy to operate.
MTL Vaping Specs
| Vaping Style | Clouds | Throat Hit | Nicotine Strengths | Coil Resistance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mouth-to-Lung | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | 3mg - 20mg | 0.8 ohm - 1.2 ohm |
Direct-to-Lung (DTL) Vaping
DTL (Direct-to-Lung) vaping, also known as sub-ohm vaping, is a style of vaping where the vapour is pulled directly into your lungs like smoking shisha or a water pipe (or simply breathing). DTL vaping is generally reserved for more advanced vapers using high-wattage devices with sub-ohm coils and high-VG E-Liquids.
DTL vaping is known for its dense flavour and vapour production, low-nicotine E-Liquids, and highly customisable devices.
DTL vapes—like advanced vape kits and mods with attached sub-ohm tanks—are high-powered and use low-resistance vape coils. DTL devices are designed specifically to be used with high-VG E-Liquids with a content of 70% VG or more, including most shortfills.
These vape kits require lots of power, so they usually offer great battery life. They also tend to have numerous settings, like adjustable airflow and variable wattage.
Because a DTL vaper will consume more E-Liquid per puff than an MTL vaper would, sub-ohm vaping requires E-Liquids with a low nicotine strength. DTL vapers should not be using any strengths above 6mg in their sub-ohm kit, though 3mg is the standard for most vapers. This is because it would be easy to consume too much nicotine while using a sub-ohm device.
DTL Vaping Specs
| Vaping Style | Clouds | Throat Hit | Nicotine Strengths | Coil Resistance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct-to-Lung | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | 0mg - 6mg | 0.1 ohm - 0.6 ohm |
Restricted Direct-to-Lung (RDTL) Vaping
RDTL or RDL (which stands for Restricted Direct-Lung) vaping is essentially a cross between MTL and DTL vaping. Many consider it an airier Mouth-to-Lung which offers great flavour and vapour production like Direct-to-Lung vaping does. With the RDL vaping style, you pool the vapour in your mouth while also inhaling directly into your lungs.
Comparing RDL to other vaping styles, MTL (Mouth-to-Lung) vaping has a tighter airflow and DTL (Direct-to-Lung) vaping uses higher-powered devices.
As a hybrid vaping style, RDL vaping offers the best of both worlds. You can enjoy flavourful vapour from higher-PG E-Liquids like you would in an MTL device but with more airflow to create larger clouds.
RDL vape kits are often primarily MTL devices which are compatible with specific RDL coils and pods and have an adjustable airflow feature. This allows you to use the same E-Liquids, like nic salts and 50/50 freebase nicotine juices, while opening the airflow to enjoy big clouds similar to DTL vaping.
RDTL vape kits are often compatible with the same high-PG E-Liquids that MTL devices are but have a less restricted airflow and offer much greater vapour production.
You may find the odd DTL vape kit offering RDTL vaping as well. These kits will also offer adjustable airflow, though in the case of a DTL vape device, you’ll need to tighten the airflow to achieve an RDL vape. Depending on the model and the coil used, these devices may require you to use high-VG E-Liquids like shortfills.
Because RDL vape kits vary so much, you’ll need to double-check the product description or the user manual for the specific vape kit model to ensure you’re pairing it with the correct type of vape juice.
RDL Vaping Specs
| Vaping Style | Clouds | Throat Hit | Nicotine Strengths | Coil Resistance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted Direct-to-Lung | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | 0mg - 20mg | 0.6 ohm - 0.8 ohm |
MTL vs. DTL vs. RDTL Vaping
| Vaping Style | MTL | DTL | RDTL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clouds | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Throat Hit | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ |
| Nicotine Strengths | 3mg - 20mg | 0mg - 6mg | 0mg - 20mg |
| Coil Resistance | 0.8 ohm - 1.2 ohm | 0.1 ohm - 0.6 ohm | 0.6 ohm - 0.8 ohm |
Benefits of RDL Vaping
Compared to MTL and DTL, RDL offers the best of both worlds with regard to vapour and flavour production, allowing for both the dense clouds from DTL vaping and the higher nicotine content found in MTL vaping.
RDL vaping is an excellent choice for intermediate vapers who’ve run the MTL gambit but don’t want to sacrifice their nicotine to try DTL vaping. RDL is an excellent stepping stone before shifting into DTL vaping, though many experienced vapers (myself included) stick with RDL so they can continue enjoying high-nicotine E-Liquids like nicotine salts but with better flavour and bigger clouds.
Of course, MTL and DTL both have their merits. But for those looking for bigger clouds than MTL can offer, RDL vaping is the style of choice.
Best RDL Vape Kits
We offer a wide range of Restricted Direct-to-Lung vape kits using RDL coils and pods. The RDL vapes on our list here all feature adjustable airflow (except for one model) so you can tailor your draw to better suit your vaping style, and they’re all compatible with high-PG E-Liquids like nic salts and freebase 50/50 E-Liquids.
You can learn more about the different vape hardware available in our vape kit guide, which dives into all the different types and features available.
None of these vapes are designed exclusively for the RDL vaping style, and there currently aren’t any vapes on the market specifically for this vaping style. Instead, you’ll find that a majority of RDTL vape kits are for either MTL or DTL vaping with the option of a restricted airflow for RDTL vaping.
1. OXVA Xlim Pro 2 Pod Kit
£24.99
Pros
Cons
The OXVA Xlim Pro 2 is our best-selling vape kit at the moment, offering both MTL and RDTL vaping with adjustable airflow and pods with built-in coils.
The pods are available in 0.8 ohm and 1.2 ohm for MTL vaping, and there’s a 0.6 ohm option that’s perfect for RDL vaping. You’ll get a 0.8 ohm and a 0.6 ohm pod with your purchase of the kit.
It’s really seamless to use and the adjustable wattage is super handy. Plus, the airflow toggle offers minute adjustments so you can fine-tune your draw to suit your preferences. There are other RDTL vapes in the OXVA Xlim pod series, but the Xlim Pro 2 is by far the most customisable.
Overall, it’s a really excellent vape—and you can read more about it in our OXVA Xlim Pro 2 review!
2. Vaporesso XROS 4 Pod Kit
£24.99
Pros
Cons
The Vaporesso XROS 4 is a slim and unobtrusive pod kit offering both MTL and RDTL functionality with adjustable airflow and pods with built-in coils.
It comes with a 0.6 ohm pod and a 0.4 ohm pod, which are both ideal for RDTL vaping. The device has only a single button for operation, and it even offers 3 different power modes allowing you to tailor the size of your clouds.
The XROS 4 is one of the best-selling vape kits this year thanks to its ease-of-use and incredible flavour. The airflow toggle allows you to adjust your draw manually, and changing the power settings is really simple.
A few of the pod vapes in the Vaporesso XROS series offer RDTL functionality, but we’ve chosen the XROS 4 after hearing RDL vapers rave about the device. You can read more about it in our Vaporesso XROS 4 and XROS 4 Mini Review.
3. Uwell Caliburn G3 Pro Pod Kit
£24.99
Pros
Cons
The Uwell Caliburn G3 Pro comes from the world-renowned Uwell Caliburn series offering both MTL and RDTL functionality. It has adjustable wattage and uses pods with built-in coils, with both a 0.9 ohm pod for MTL and a 0.4 ohm pod for RDL vaping in the box.
The vape features the industry’s first-ever full-screen dynamic UI complete with a tiny dancing robot.
The vape is a nice upgrade from the original G3 device, which only offered static airflow; the added airflow adjustment toggle on the G3 Pro makes it one of the best RDL vape kits on the market today.
The G3 Pro is very customisable while staying fairly low-maintenance, since you’ll never have to change a coil. Instead, when the vape starts to taste burnt or the flavour fades, discard the entire pod and replace it with a new one.
4. Innokin Sceptre 2 Pod Kit
£19.99
Pros
Cons
The Innokin Sceptre 2 has long been considered one of the best RDTL kits available and is the closest you’ll find to a device designed specifically for RDTL.
It has a large 1400mAh battery and uses pods with replaceable coils available in a 0.6 ohm resistance—ideal for RDL vaping. The vape features an airflow adjustment switch and is compatible with high-PG E-Liquids.
RDL vapers love the Sceptre 2’s no-nonsense interface, which has just a single button for operation. Plus, the plastic pod will only need to be replaced if it becomes cracked, leaky, or can no longer hold its coil securely in place.
Unlike other vapes on this list, you’ll need to replace the coil in the Sceptre 2 every so often, but maintenance is easy-peasy. The plug-and-play design makes coil changes a breeze.
5. GeekVape Wenax U Pod Kit
£14.99
Pros
Cons
The GeekVape Wenax U is a cheap but sturdy pod vape backed by a sizeable 1000mAh battery.
It uses pods with built-in coils, and while it only comes with one pod in the box, the resistance is 0.7 ohm—perfect for RDL. You can also purchase 1.1 ohm pods for MTL vaping separately.
The device has an airflow adjustment toggle so you can fine-tune your draw, and it also comes with an attachable fabric lanyard for added portability.
It even offers 3 different power modes so you can up your cloud production, which makes this an excellent and affordable little kit for RDTL vapers. All in all, the Wenax U is great for RDL vaping.
Summary
RDTL vaping, which stands for Restricted Direct-to-Lung, is a style of vaping that’s essentially a cross between MTL and DTL vaping. RDL vaping merges the nicotine satisfaction and throat hit of MTL vaping with the flavour and vapour production of DTL vaping, making it ideal for intermediate vapers looking for an upgrade to their vaping experience.
Like MTL and DTL, RDL vape kits offer their own unique benefits, from heavy cloud production to a satisfying throat hit. RDL vaping delivers an incredibly satisfying vaping experience for intermediate vapers who’ve had their fill of MTL vaping and want to keep enjoying their nic salts and 50/50 freebase nicotine liquids before moving on to a more complex sub-ohm vape kit.
If you have more questions about RDTL vaping or you need help finding your next device, our team of expert vapers is on standby. We’re here to help with any questions you may have via phone, email, or live chat—contact us for assistance any time.
