Smok Fortis Kit Reviewed

Hey folks, I’m back again with another hardware review, this time around, a tank and mod combo!
Today’s review comes from Smoktech, yep that company that everyone seems to love to hate. I’ve got to say, regardless of the stigma or views many vapers have of Smok, I reckon they’ve put out some really great quality pieces of gear over the last year. Their RPM coils were great, and the RPM2 coils even better, and they’ve come a long way since their early days. So much so, I’d encourage vapers to consider picking up one of their later releases to get a better idea of how far they’ve actually come.

Anyway, enough guff from me, I’m going to get stuck into this review!

Let’s take a look at Smok’s latest mod and tank combo, the Fortis Kit!

Big thanks goes to Smoktech for sending this directly through to me for review!

General Info & Photos

Smok are always releasing products, they seem to churn them out pretty quickly and one type of product they like to release a lot of are sub-ohm mod and tank combos! This time around, their latest offering, the Fortis kit, is designed to be a lightweight, single battery device, capable of 100Watt output, with one of their powerhouse tanks on top, the TFV18 mini.

That’s right this beast not only maxes out at 80 Watts when used with an 18650 battery, but puts out an additional 20W, for a total of 100 Watts with a larger 21700 battery. Another impressive feature is the TFV18 mini’s 6.5ml e-liquid capacity, that’s a pretty decent amount of volume for one of these setups, and will keep you vaping most of the day with minimal refills.

You know the drill, straight up stylish single battery device, with removeable battery, spring loaded 510 connection, and a sub-ohm tank on top.

The Body

The body of the Fortis is impressively lightweight at 94grams, a fantastic size and styled to perfection, with plastic front fascia, metal frame around the outside, and a lovely leather heel on the palm side of the device. This padded leather also adds to the lightweight feel of the entire setup, making it a pleasure to hold in the hand, with all of the buttons in all of the right places. This is a very ergonomic device.

Up top of course, we have a spring loaded 510 connection, which will allow you to put almost any tank you like, should you not want to use the TFV18 mini. It’s also gold plated for a better connection.

The bottom of the device houses either a single 18650 with adapter or 21700 battery hidden behind a slide and open, hinged battery door. The door holds really well and is easy to open, yet stays put when you want it to. I’ve not had the swing door open on me by accident, not even close.

The front face is where all of the action happens, you’ve got a large square fire button, two smaller adjustment buttons, a high definition screen with the ability to change the themes colour, and a USB Type-C charging port, for those times you’re caught out without an external charger.

The Fortis fires up straight away with no delay, and punches out it’s power paired with the 0.2ohm coil in the TFV18 mini exceptionally well.

The Tank

The TFV18 mini might not be the largest tank in the world but that doesn’t stop it from pumping out some great flavour, with a lovely dense vapour. Just as impressive is the e-liquid capacity of this tank with it’s bubble glass, able to store 6.5mls of e-liquid to make sure you’re not needing to refill all too often.

Constructed of stainless steel, with a Pyrex glass tank, the TFV18 tank is similarly built to some of Smok’s previous tanks of the range, with your typical removeable base that you’d screw your coil into, fixed pin 510 connection and swinging top for filling.

Airflow is adjusted via the airflow adjustment ring at the base, which gives you 3 (tri) large cyclops style airflow holes that you’re able to adjust right down to completely closed, or wide open if you wish. Wide open is wide open and you get quite an airy draw, I’ve been using mine not all the way open, just slightly restricted.

The filling mechanism is equally a joy to use, comprising of a locking button, and swinging top that swings away to reveal a single large kidney shaped fill port for fast filling, that’s saying something because I typically dislike this kind of top cap, but it really does work so well. Tolerances are excellent, and it swings away enough to not get in the way when filling with a large bottle.

The TFV18 mini has a decent sized drip tip up top, however it is a delrin sleeve, with no male end, so fitting your favourite drip tips for a bit of extra flair is out of the question.

The TFV18 mini takes Smok’s V18 Mini Meshed coils, of which you’ll get x2 0.2ohm coils in the pack. They’re rated for anywhere between 40W to 80W with a recommended best wattage of 60 Watts.
I have to say these are excellent coils, putting out some great flavour and a nice dense vape. They don’t seem to last quite as long as others on the market, but I’ve managed to get a full week out of them before a sudden degradation that had me swapping coils out quick smart!

Battery

As mentioned earlier, the Fortis houses an external battery, your choice of either 21700 or 18650 with the included adapter sleeve. The battery is inserted positive side up, behind a slide and swing door, which feels quite sturdy, considering the design of it. I think Smok have done a great job here, it’s easy to open, easy to close, but doesn’t open accidentally in the pocket.

You can also charge your battery in an emergency via the USB Type-C port, which offers up a 1.4A charge rate, to get you vaping again in no time. Not as fast as some devices on the market, but in all honesty, a better charging rate for longevity of your batteries.

Any Leaks?

I’ve had absolutely no leaking with the TFV18 mini tank and V18 Mini Mesh coils. It’s performed wonderfully, often left sitting for some time, and without the slightest hint of seepage or eliquid in the airflow holes.

Usage & Features

The Fortis is a no frills device, while some might not like it, others will relish in the fact that this device is a wattage only mod. The buttons are nice and clicky, without being over the top noisy, they provide a nice feedback, a happy medium between soft and clicky I suppose.

The screen is a wonder, as many of Smok’s latest screens have been, they’ve gone with a 0.96 inch TFT this time around, with a display that shows everything you might need. Wattage, battery level, resistance, voltage and puff counter. All of this also comes with themes, so that you can adjust the screen to use a colour combination that you love.

How to operate the Fortis:

• Click the fire button x5 fast to turn the device on and off.
• Using the up and down buttons will alter the wattage.
• Click the fire button x3 will completely lock and unlock the mod.
• Holding down both adjustment buttons will lock and unlock the wattage.
• Fire and up buttons together, will allow you to change the theme colours.
• Fire and down button together will clear the puff counter!

Pros:

• Excellent quality build
• Lovely screen and front panel
• Really comfortable and lightweight to use
• Coils are both tasty and provide dense vapour
• Can take 18650/20700/21700 battery
• Spring loaded 510
• 6.5mls eliquid capacity

Cons:

• Drip tip is a sleeve and not a true drip tip

Where to Buy:

Of course you can pick this up directly through Smok’s online store, where you’ll be able to get it for a pretty competitive price of $69.99 USD, I’m not aware of an Aussie stores stocking them yet, but keep an eye out, as this kit is just released, there’s bound to be a few that pick them up.

Conclusion

All in all, I’ve had a great time with the Fortis kit, it hasn’t skipped a beat, and has been a really reliable piece of gear. The vape is great from the TFV18 mini tank, with great flavour and a nice dense vapour, only made better by the Fortis mod’s instant fire pushing out some nice power at the push of a button.

Some might not like the lack of modes, with this being only a variable wattage device, but I think there is beauty in simplicity, and to be honest, you’ll likely only use wattage mode anyway with the coils that are available.

If you’re looking for a great setup that takes either 18650/20700 or 21700 batteries, with a large eliquid capacity of 6.5mls, fires up quick smart, and is super comfortable to use, this is a great choice!

Shane Presser

Shane Presser has been vaping since 2013, and has extensive experience with advanced equipment, coil builds and DIY mixing. He is the man behind VapersGarage, and also more recently Aussie Vape Stores, a resource to help vapers find their nearest Vape Shops, and eLiquid Vendors.