My name is Jonny and I’ve worked at Totally Wicked for just over 3 years. I was given the Totally Wicked arc GTi on the 12th December for testing purposes so it’s seen some sights and been through the wars whilst on my person over the festive period.
As a bit of background, I’m a vaper of four years after switching from a relatively mild 5 or 6 a day smoking habit in 2015. I’ve never been a massive fan of dripping, rebuilding coils or blowing huge clouds. I just like something I know I can depend on so I’m not nipping to the shop for a 20 deck.
Anyway, I’ll cut to the chase and let you know what I thought of the newest member of the highly-regarded Totally Wicked arc range.
Totally Wicked arc GTi review
I’ll start off by saying, when my two-week testing period was up, there was no way I was giving this e-cig back. I never thought I’d find an upgrade to my arc 5 but the GTi has now firmly rooted itself as my all day vape. Here’s why…
Look and Feel
My weapon of choice was the Grey version of the GTi. I usually steer away from bright coloured e-cigs so the grey was perfect for me. The other colour options are Rose Gold, Black and Red. On top of all four colour options is the GT Air tank in a polished silver finish, which adds a nice touch to the aesthetics. As you would expect from a reliable arc, there’s no fancy touch screen or colour screen to drain the battery. There is simply a crisp 0.96inch display to show key information at a glance.
There’s not much more else to talk about in terms of the looks, it’s pretty much a ‘beefed up’ version of the arc 5. Its sides are ‘arc’ed (excuse the pun) meaning it sits really comfortably in the hand. It’s not too bulky either and fits easily in my jeans pocket alongside my wallet (which admittedly is empty after the recent festivities). On the whole a really nice-looking e-cig with ideal dimensions and weight to take out and about.
arc GTi Battery
The arc GTi has an internal 3000mAh battery. For its relatively compact size this is an impressive capacity. It easily lasts me all day, when fully charged and vaping consistently at 12W. For me, that’s ample battery life but what really made life easier was the charging solution.
It features USB-C fast charging. This technology has recently been introduced to a few electronic cigarettes and most of you will recognise the flat fitting from newer mobile phone models from the likes of Samsung. This means that the GTi will recharge fully in just 90 minutes when used with the QC 3.0 charging lead which is included in the box, and a suitable wall plug.
For me, this battery capacity coupled with quick charging is the real stand out feature. There is, of course, larger capacity internal battery mods on the market however you compromise on size to accommodate for these. Personally, I believe the GTi has struck the perfect balance between battery capacity and product size.
Power and functionality
The arc GTi mod will fire up to 80W, which is more than enough power for the everyday vaper. It also means if you want to stick a beastly sub-ohm tank or even an RDA on top, it should have enough power to meet your needs.
I for one tend to stick to Variable Wattage mode, and when kitted with the GT Air Tank this is the only suitable option. However, for those who are pairing the battery with a more advanced tank, the arc GTi is fully featured with a number of temperature control modes. The menu is super easy to navigate, simply click the fire button three times to access these modes and use the +- buttons to cycle.
Now, let’s get on to some other technological features. I must admit, I had to read the manual before I came across some extra hidden functionality. To reach the advanced menu, simply hold the + button and fire button down for a few seconds. This led me to a few bonus options which actually came in pretty handy.
Stealth mode, preheat function and resistance locking are all accessible to enhance functionality. Various pieces of tracking information are also accessible. These include puff count, current voltage and total vaping time. Most vapers probably won’t need to access this menu but I thought it was pretty cool and genuinely useful.
GT Air Tank
This chrome GT Air tank looks pretty simple, and that’s exactly what it is. It’s the most user-friendly tanks I’ve ever used. From refilling to changing the coils it really is fool proof; and without compromising on flavour.
Let’s start with the refill mechanism. It’s a sliding top but with a little twist. Basically, you push a button on the side and then slide it across to open. I’ve got a lot of time for this sort of mechanism as it means it won’t open in your pocket and dump 2ml of e-liquid that you’ve just refilled.
I kept my airflow on the small inlet hole options to give a relatively restricted draw, which I prefer. There is also a wider slot option for vapers who prefer an airier draw.
These little features are great but what really made an impression on me is the coils.
GT Coils
If there’s one thing I dislike about vaping, it’s annoyingly messy coil changes. With the GT Air Tank, this annoyance is no longer. The GT coils utilise a push fit system. When the coil needs changing, simply unscrew the base of the tank, pull the coil out and push your new primed coil in.
This can even be done with a full tank of e-liquid. As you pull the coil out, the e-liquid chamber seals to avoid any spills or lost fluid. When the new coil is put in, the chamber re-opens… now that’s what you call useful innovation.
Beyond the simplicity of use, the GT coils perform really well. The coil fitted has a 1.2ohm resistance and you get an extra one in the box as a spare. The flavour is fantastic and the longevity seems to be very good. I’m yet to find an atomizer head which competes with the CS range but this GT coil is definitely in the same league.
Final Thoughts on the arc GTi
Overall, I don’t really have a bad word to say about this kit. It does everything I need from an e-cig and more. From the styling to the performance, it gives me that sense of pride to carry it around with me and the confidence to know that I can rely on it for prolonged periods of time. What’s more, with an RRP of £54.99, it is excellent value for money
I would recommend the arc GTi to pretty much anyone has been vaping for a few months. If you’re a smoker looking to switch to vaping, you probably don’t need a GTi quite yet but give it a few months and you’ll be wanting to play about with some advanced features.
If you’re an advanced or hobbyist vaper then go for the mod only, which has an RRP of £36.99. It has the versatility and features to be suitably paired with a range of tank options, all at this great price!
It’s a solid 9/10 from Jonty!
