Aerial vaping as a priority
Protank 4 comes in a red and black carton box, the colours of the Shenzen company. Inside, as often with Chinese manufacturers, everything is present. Tank, drip-tip, two disposable heads (one ceramic SSOCC in 0.5 Ω and one MTL in 1.5 Ω).
KangerTech had the good idea to include a velocity-type RBA deck which grants you the ability to build your own coils. Finally, cotton wicks, spare screws and o-rings, allen key and two Clapton coils are also present in the kit. Only a spare Pyrex tank is missing.
Visually, the change is obvious from the version 3. Its diameter slightly increased from 18 mm to 22 mm. It has an adjustable airflow system located at the bottom. The Pyrex tank is now shock-protected by a stainless steel cover and the drip-tip is much larger and equipped with an airflow. The tank has doubled its liquid capacity and now reaches 5 ml. Not that the latter is rather around 4 ml when using the RBA deck.
Protank 4 is almost predestined to aerial vaping (DL). The double airflow system is huge, its Delrin drip-tip wide (10 mm) and the RBA deck set with in dual coil with the two Clapton wires. Ideal for cloud chasing.
Technical review
The main features of the Protank 4 by KangerTech are:
- Material: Stainless Steel and Pyrex
- Tank capacity: 5.0 ml (4.0ml using the RBA deck)
- 510 Threaded
- Includes a Ceramic SSOCC 0.5 Ω Atomizer Head for Direct Lung (DL) and a Nichrome SSOCC 1.5 Ω Atomizer Head for Mouth to Lung.
- Un plateau reconstructible Pro RBA de type Velocity prémonté en double Claptoncoil de 0,3 ohm
- Length: 47 mm (65,5 mm with drip-tip)
- Diameter: 22 mm
- Weight: 62 g
- Includes a Delrin insulated drip-tip with adjustable airflow
- Cotton, spare screws, Allen key and 2 Clapton coils
- User manual
- Colours: Silver or Black
Filling the tank is simple and the system is also “childproof”, as pointed out by Kanger. Unscrewing the upper ring allows lifting it up, a large opening appears that accepts any type of pipette tip. Even used carefully, drops of liquid often sit out and require cleaning the exterior when rebuilding the atomizer.
To avoid leakage by the airflow vents, it is preferable to shut them at filling and to open them while holding the atomizer upside down. The Protank 4 is leaking after setting the heating head, something that is annoying but that disappears with time.
… tight vape lovers are not forgotten
Protank 4 also fits to tight vape lovers with its mouth-to-lung (MTL) Nichrome SSOCC 1.5 Ω Atomizer Head. This vaping style requires reducing the air flow and, of course, shutting down the drip-tip airflow system. Even better, given the large drip-tip if the Protank 4, it is preferable to switch to a tighter one, if available at home. Vaping this way is very delightful with a very dense vapor between 15 W and 18 W and a good rendering of flavors.
With the Ceramic SSOCC 0.5 Ω Atomizer Head the Protank 4 turns to direct lung (DL) aerial vaping. Wide open airflow system and genuine large drip-tip make the Protank 4 breathe more easily. Starting at 30 W, vapor volume becomes larger and tasteful. The sub-ohm experience is delightful until 60 W beyond which e-liquid may spit out of the drip-tip and reduce your pleasure.
Like on every drip-tip equipped with airflow, this system doesn’t add much, maybe a bit more vapor? But it surely affects the rendering of flavors.
The velocity-type RBA deck is a success. Even if its has been scaled down, it is easy to mount with the genuine dual Clapton coil at 0.3 Ω. Dedicated to DL inhalation, the Protank 4 produces huge clouds but flavors get a bit blander than with the ceramic head.
I deplore that Kanger did not provide a reducer for the atomizer chamber, for single coil use. The solution, even if clearly not academic, consists in stuffing cotton on one side of the deck.
In summary
The “+”:
- Versatile use for DL vaping or MTL inhalation
- Beautiful finish
- Two coils included
- Easy top-filling
- Velocity-type RBA deck
- Good value for money
The “-“:
- Possible leaks of e-liquid
- Drip-tip too wide for DL inhalation
- Not included: Chamber reducer for single coil use
Conclusions
Rank 4.3/5. Based on it conception and performances, Protank 4 deviates from its predecessor, Protank 3. The innovation KangerTech put into it takes the “4” closer to a Subtank Mini V2. Even if it allows mouth-to-lung (MTL) vaping, it easily turns to aerial and is particularly convenient to direct lung (DL) inhalation around 40 W with its airflow wide open; a vape style that better sticks to this atomizer. It nevertheless requires a learning process to reduce leakage issues that particularly arise with SSOCC heads. Finally, Protank 4 is well designed, well equipped and its finish is beautiful. Its versatility makes it a good choice for users who don’t want to be limited in their vaping experience.
