Cottonman Wicking tests

[Rob Fisher]

I have been privileged enough to be sent 6 cotton samples from Cotton Man USA via Cotton Man SA for testing.

Mavaton X has been my go to cotton for some time now so I'm more than a little excited to test these new offerings from the farm in North Carolina!

I tested the Mavaton Reserve yesterday and an am really happy with it because it's got no bits like the normal Mavaton X (not that that detracts from the awesome flavour) and the break in is one or two toots like Mavaton X and glorious flavour. I have a feeling this is going to be the best of the best but will keep testing!

Today I wicked up with the Angel Hair which comes in "strings" as opposed to the sheets... see the pic. It's a bit difficult to thread through the juice holes on the Dvarw when doing the Exocet method and twisting the ends proved to be tricky... the cotton just sprang back to shape. The break in time is longer than with X or Reserve but it wicks like gangbusters and my guess this may be for big tanks that need fast wicking juice. I also get the feeling this may be more resistant to heat and for those that like a long lasting wick this may be the one.

I didn't think the Angel Hair would be one for me but the more I test it the more I start to like it... the breaking in period is certainly longer than some of the others but this may just be the one to wick with when travelling because I think this one will last better... I like to rewick my Dvarw's everyday but if I can't I think I would be better off with the Angel Hair. This could also be a win for the chain vapers and high wattage vapers that need fast wicking!

Angel Hair

Ready to test and resting on my birthday present from one of my daughters. My wooden vape tool box.

The samples and the setups doing the tests!

 

[Rob Fisher]

Next up was the one I was most interested in because it looks so different with its reddish-brown colour. Carolina Red. The moment you juice it up it looks like you need a wick change! Similar feel to Angel Hair but a little easier to thread through the Dvarw Juice holes. Quicker breaking in compared to Angel Hair and also seems to wick very well. Great flavour! Just hard to get used to the colour but its genuine organic cotton and excellent flavour! It will be interesting to see how long Carolina Red and Angel Hair last because that could make them both winners!

 

[NOOB]

Very interesting Uncle Rob. This is really informative. I personally have never used Mavaton, where would one get a hold of this in good ol' SA?

 

[Rob Fisher]

Very interesting Uncle Rob. This is really informative. I personally have never used Mavaton, where would one get a hold of this in good ol' SA?

@NOOB from https://vaperscafe.myshopify.com/products/mavaton-x-organic-cotton-wick-5g

 

[Rob Fisher]

Next up is Mavaton Gold which appears to be somewhere in between Mavaton X and Mavaton Reserve. Nice and fluffy and not as clean as Reserve but cleaner than X. Simple to work with and easy to manipulate just like Reserve and X. No break in puffs needed. Honestly Mavaton X, Mavaton Gold and Mavaton Reserve are all right up my street! I still have two more to test but any of these three are as close to perfection as one can get in a cotton.

Nice and fluffy!


Two more to test.

 

[Rob Fisher]

Side note on Carolina Red. Most cotton swells a bit when saturated but Carolina Red appears not to... or at least a lot less than the others. I normally don't pack the juice holes in the Dvarw very tight because the cotton swells... when the tank gets a little empty because the cotton hasn't swelled and closed the juice holes I get some leaking with Carolina Red.

 

[Rob Fisher]

Second last cotton to test. Mavaton MX. Comes in a rope form but unlike Carolina Red and Angel Hair, this is way more like the normal Mavaton X, Gold and Reserve and seems softer and fluffier. A couple of puffs for break-in, easy to work with and excellent flavour! Really lekker!

The Stratum Aerodynamic approves!


Winner line-up with winner cotton, winner juice, winner RTA, winner tips. Life is good!

 

[Rob Fisher]

The final cotton test was US Pads. A bit of a schlep to roll the perfect size and more of a hassle for the Exocet wicking method in the Dvarw DL. But hardly any break-in and the flavour is great. But of all the cotton it's my least favourite purely because of its form factor.

 

[Rob Fisher]

The Conclusion.

All the cotton have their place depending on what atty, build and juice one is using. But for me and my Dvarw Army, the choice is clear. The top 4 are all so close to each other that I am more than happy with any of them. But here is the list in order of preference.

All the tests were done with the identical Fisher Alien Coil at 28 watts with Red Pill in a Dvarw DL.

1. Mavaton Reserve
2. Mavaton Gold
3. Mavaton MX
4. Mavaton X
5. Angel Hair
6. Carolina Red
7. US Pad

 

[SJY124]

The Conclusion.

All the cotton have their place depending on what atty, build and juice one is using. But for me and my Dvarw Army, the choice is clear. The top 4 are all so close to each other that I am more than happy with any of them. But here is the list in order of preference.

All the tests were done with the identical Fisher Alien Coil at 28 watts with Red Pill in a Dvarw DL.

1. Mavaton Reserve
2. Mavaton Gold
3. Mavaton MX
4. Mavaton X
5. Angel Hair
6. Carolina Red
7. US Pad
View attachment 208521

Oh my. Your current go to Mavaton X is middle of the pack.
Great post @Rob Fisher

 

[Rob Fisher]

Oh my. Your current go to Mavaton X is middle of the pack.
Great post @Rob Fisher

@SJY124 they are all pretty much the same cotton with the top 4 just being different levels of cleaning. The cost between number 1 and 4 is a factor and I guess Mavaton X is the best value for money for the best cotton around.

 

[SJY124]

@SJY124 they are all pretty much the same cotton with the top 4 just being different levels of cleaning. The cost between number 1 and 4 is a factor and I guess Mavaton X is the best value for money for the best cotton around.

Need to get me some Mavaton X to try

 

[NOOB]

@NOOB from https://vaperscafe.myshopify.com/products/mavaton-x-organic-cotton-wick-5g

Thanks Uncle Rob, much appreciated. Will have to give this a try in the near future!

 

[Timwis]

Been following this with great interest and feel i must explore cotton in more detail as i tend to just stick with my tried and tested with almost a cotton is cotton attitude. Being a champion of the different wicking Freemax experiment with and the superior results this is bound to also be true for what we put in our RTA's etc!

 

[Rob Fisher]

Been following this with great interest and feel i must explore cotton in more detail as i tend to just stick with my tried and tested with almost a cotton is cotton attitude. Being a champion of the different wicking Freemax experiment with and the superior results this is bound to also be true for what we put in our RTA's etc!

100% @Timwis! Cotton isn't always cotton... and there is no question that cotton makes a massive difference to the vape.

 

[Timwis]

100% @Timwis! Cotton isn't always cotton... and there is no question that cotton makes a massive difference to the vape.

Mainly just used Jellyfish and Firebolt both of which i much prefer to the earlier cotton bacon i tried but need to investigate much more!

 

[Stranger]

Dischem cotton balls for the win

Only kidding, thank you Rob for a very informative post and for spending what must have been a fair amount of time to do the tests and write up.

Appreciated, as without this we would never know any different.