• October 7, 2024

Perfect Performance

 Perfect Performance
Photos by Mike Huml
The Dyadic squonk mod allows all the conveniences of squonking with a minimal increase in overall size and bulk.

By Mike Huml

The Dyadic squonk mod from Wotofo and Tony B. is a testament of functionality and simplicity. Wotofo is well known for creating simple, yet effective, vapor products, and the Dyadic continues this trend. In fact, the simplicity and common sense approach to the Dyadic yields a product that addresses many issues inherent to squonk mods. Paired with a quality atomizer such as the Rebirth RDA, the Dyadic is the best all-around squonk mod in its price range.

To paint a broad picture, the Dyadic is a dual-18650 squonk mod at its core. It’s designed for pure performance and convenience with minimal extra features and no unnecessary tech. In true Wotofo fashion, the Dyadic emphasizes functionality and performance first, and everything else is secondary.

Starting with aesthetics, Wotofo and Tony B. have found a happy medium between functionality and style. At first glance, the Dyadic can look burly and intimidating, but pictures don’t quite do it justice; it’s much more compact than it first appears. The Dyadic makes use of two removable plates that house the batteries and the squonk bottle. With a center-facing screen and if viewed only in a photo with no reference as to the size of the device, the Dyadic can look almost like two mods side by side. This betrays its true size as the Dyadic is no larger than an average dual-battery device.

The design of the Dyadic is much better suited to neutral colors, such as black, silver or gunmetal, as brighter colors tend to accentuate the boldness of the mod, giving it that toy-like appearance. Neutral colors provide a sleek and professional aesthetic that works extremely well. The color screen is minimalistic in a great way, remaining large and easy to read without drawing attention away from the rest of the device.

To the chagrin of some, the 510 connection is offset rather than centered. While this provides an arguably more comfortable vaping experience and a more pleasing aesthetic since many atomizers will fit flush to the side, it limits the number of atomizers than can be used while also being visually pleasing. Atomizers with a diameter of 24 mm are the ideal size, but one can get away with using 25 mm atomizers with nearly no overhang. Naturally, smaller atomizers will work as well, but atomizers larger than 25 mm will look flat-out ugly. As 24 mm and 25 mm atomizers have virtually become the new standards, only a few outlying products won’t suit the Dyadic.

Lastly, the fire button and adjustment buttons are located in the center of the large side of the device. This is better suited to vapers who are right-handed as the thumb naturally rests on the button while the remaining digits gravitate toward the squonk bottle. However, after minimal practice, southpaw and ambidextrous vapers can find comfort in the Dyadic as well. These small “complaints” are the price of functionality when it comes to the Dyadic as it seems as if convenience and performance were considered first and foremost, and the aesthetics were built around these features.

The major problem with squonk mods is the size versus power compromise. A squonk bottle takes up nearly the same space as a 18650 battery. As such, many manufacturers opt for a single 18650 battery design in order to keep the size akin to standard dual-18650 mods. The problem here is that squonk mods are exclusively for RDA use, and RDAs tend to be power hungry. A single battery may not be enough for many RDA users that use high wattages, and if it is, it won’t last for very long. Of course, the trade-off here is that one does not need to drip manually.

In a sense, the inconvenience of shorter battery life is made up for by the convenience of not having to drip, all the while still enjoying an authentic RDA vape experience. However, it’s safe to say that most vapers who use RDAs are considered enthusiasts, and it’s not unrealistic to expect many of those enthusiasts to vape at over 100 watts. This leads to the inevitable need for more batteries.

Other devices certainly exist that fill this need, but they are fairly rare and tend to be prohibitively expensive. The Dyadic also fills the need for a multi-battery squonk mod, and it happens to retail between $50 and $60. Likewise, most other dual-battery squonk devices are large to the point that they aren’t very well suited for portability and work better as a desk mod. However, one of the most attractive features of a squonk device is the ability to travel with it and not have to carry a bottle of juice around as well. Setting it on a desk and using it only when stationary diminishes the value of this convenience.

The bottle that’s integrated into the Dyadic is very flexible, so it won’t deform even after extended use. Squonk mods can be messy, but Wotofo has addressed this issue by incorporating a silicone plug into the “cap” of the bottle for filling. When removed, a large juice port is revealed, meaning vapers will not need to remove the entire bottle or fiddle with removing the cap in order to fill.

The Dyadic addresses all of the issues pertaining to squonk mods. It’s on the larger side in general but no more obtrusive than the average dual-battery mod. The battery placement, bottle/atomizer position and double-plated exoskeleton all serve to ensure that the Dyadic remains a suitable size while still offering up to 200 watts of power and allowing vapers to carry around a dripper with 8.5 mL of liquid in the squonk bottle. There really are no inherent negative aspects to this mod, although per each vaper’s personal preference, some of the aesthetics may not be ideal. Functionally, the Dyadic has no glaring flaws to speak of.

As for the menu system, this has been scaled back in the interest of simplicity and functionality as well. Five clicks of the fire button turn the device on or off while pressing both adjustment buttons simultaneously locks the keys, including the fire button. Pressing the fire button at the same time as the right side adjustment button cycles between three power modes: standard, powerful and powerful+. That’s all there is to it. There’s no temperature control, no memory settings, no power curves.

Again, Wotofo has always been focused on pure and simple performance, and the Dyadic does indeed perform. If the lack of temperature control seems like a huge negative, consider that this is a mod for RDAs, and many vapers who drip do not use temperature control. It’s fairer to consider the fact that for those who find the Dyadic appealing, less menu bloat is likely a positive.

The Dyadic was reviewed alongside the Rebirth RDA from Hellvape and Mike Vapes and is worth mentioning as it is one of the best RDAs on the market for both squonking and dripping. It’s a 24 mm RDA that works perfectly with the Dyadic. It utilizes a two post design that enables easy single-coil and dual-coil builds. Being that dual-coil builds are more difficult to set up with only two terminals, this RDA is best for advanced vapers, but intermediate vapers might consider the Rebirth as well for the great single-coil performance.

The top cap is a single piece of stainless steel that rotates to adjust airflow. The honeycomb airflow provides the smoothest airflow path possible, and the partially raised sides of the deck block the holes when the cap is rotated in order to fine-tune the amount of airflow. The airflow path is best described as “side-bottom” airflow with each airflow channel angled slightly upward to catch the vapor as it naturally rises from the coils.

The Rebirth is a jack-of-all-trades RDA. When dripping, overfilling can cause e-liquid to leak from the airflow holes. Since the airflow is angled upward, this means juice flows downward. Luckily, small overfills are forgivable as the surface tension prevents the juice from leaking out of the airflow holes, and airflow from the subsequent drag will pull that liquid back to the coil.

Squonking reduces the risk of leaking since each counter squonk sucks some of the excess juice back into the bottle. However, coils tend to rest high on the deck, meaning that squonking is unlikely to saturate the coils directly. Instead, as the liquid rises, it saturates the wick, and the user must wait a small amount of time before that liquid reaches the coil.

Overall, the Rebirth RDA is the best option for those who know what they like to drip but also want to try squonking. The vapor and flavor production of this RDA is stellar, and although both dripping and squonking have their drawbacks, no other RDA can do both so seamlessly while also offering a single-coil option with no compromise.

The Dyadic is the perfect dual-battery squonk mod. Each design aspect has a purpose, and it performs as well as a dual-battery mod should. It allows all the conveniences of squonking with a minimal increase in overall size and bulk and without sacrificing performance or power in any way. The cherry on top is the price point. At $50 to $60, it falls right in the sweet spot for dual-battery mods, and with only a minimal learning curve, a simple menu and a slick look, the Dyadic is perfect for first-time squonkers and enthusiasts alike.

Mike Huml

Mike Huml

Mike Huml has been vaping since 2009 and has been working in the vapor industry for more than five years. He has extensive experience in various industry segments, including purchasing, quality assurance and content creation.