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Is the OXVA Arbiter 2 RTA the Best Rebuildable Tank of the Year?
The Arbiter 2 is the third RTA in OXVA’s Arbiter series, following the original Arbiter (2020) and the Arbiter Solo. Designed by Justin Lai, it’s a compact 24.5 mm tank (26 mm at the main body) with a postless build deck for single or dual coils. It features 5 mL bubble glass, 3.5 mL straight glass, and innovative T2B fanned airflow for optimal coil coverage. While the original Arbiter was widely praised, the Arbiter 2 aims to refine and improve on its predecessor. Keep reading to discover the key updates!
Specifications
- Dimensions:26 mm x 52 mm
- Weight:77 g
- Coils:Single or dual coil
- Top to bottom fanned airflow
- Tank capacity:5 mL capacity
- 810 drip tip with 510 adapter
Kit contents
- Arbiter 2 RTA with bubble glass
- Straight glass
- Ni80 fused clapton coils 0.4 ohm
- Shoelace cotton
- Spares bag, including grub screws, allen key, 510 drip tip adapter
- Manual and warranty card
Build quality and design
The Arbiter 2 RTA has a sleeker design than its predecessor, with a beveled top cap and compact dimensions (24.5 mm at the base, 26 mm at the body, and 52 mm tall). It features excellent machining, though a quick cleaning is recommended due to a slight machine oil smell. Available in five colors with flawless finishes, it includes an 810 resin drip tip and a 510 adapter.
The airflow system combines top-to-bottom airflow through honeycomb and slit-style holes with a pyramid-shaped array for optimal coil coverage. Designed smaller for broader mod compatibility, the Arbiter 2 delivers improved aesthetics and functionality.
The Arbiter 2 replaces the original's truss bridge-style deck cover with a fixed air sleeve press-fitted into the chimney.
A key issue is the air sleeve, which doesn't spin freely and tightens after a few turns, impacting the tank assembly. This occurred with both units I tested.
The RTA offers two glass options: a 3.5 mL straight glass and a 5 mL bubble tank.
Its compact design may require the straight glass for compatibility with side-by-side mods.
Filling is done via two kidney-shaped ports (8 mm x 3 mm) beneath a threaded fill cap that requires just over a quarter-turn to open.
Build deck and wicking
- The Arbiter 2 RTA features a postless build deck with hex head grub screws, which are small and prone to stripping if over-tightened.
- The screws are not visible from above, so care is needed to avoid loosening them too much, as they may fall out.
- The deck supports single and dual-coil builds, but dual builds are limited to 3 mm coils despite claims of a spacious deck.
- Wicking is simple but requires minimal cotton due to the small wicking holes (8 mm x just under 3 mm).
- For 3 mm coils, combing out the cotton ends is necessary to prevent dry hits; 2.5 mm coils require less combing.
- Single-coil builds should perform well, with 4 mm coils appearing to be an ideal size.
Airflow
The Arbiter 2 RTA features adjustable top airflow through two 13 mm x 2 mm cyclops-style slots. These slots direct air downward into a pyramid-shaped array of honeycomb and slit-style holes on each side of the deck. The pyramid design mirrors the engraved pattern on the AFC ring, with larger central holes to maximize airflow hitting the coil center and additional rows beneath for bottom-side airflow.
The airflow is smooth and slightly more restricted than the original Arbiter, with a faint whistle on slow draws, though this is unlikely during normal use. The AFC ring adjusts effortlessly and has stoppers at fully open or closed positions. However, it is non-removable, which could limit deep cleaning, though this isn’t a significant drawback
Arbiter 2 performance
The Arbiter 2 RTA delivers impressive performance, building on the success of the original. I compared both using identical setups: 2.5 mm Coilology Ni80 tri-core fused Claptons, Cotton Bacon Prime, and Milk By The Pound e-liquid. Adjusting the original’s airflow to match the Arbiter 2, both RTAs performed well at 0.14 ohms and 53 watts, producing great clouds and flavor.
However, the Arbiter 2 stood out for its superior flavor. This could be due to its fanned airflow, shorter design reducing vapor travel, or a combination of both. While flavor is subjective, the Arbiter 2 achieves RDA-level performance in an RTA.
CONCLUSION
The Arbiter 2 RTA performs well with great flavor, but my main issue is the fixed air sleeve inside the chimney. It’s supposed to spin freely, but it gets stuck after a few turns, giving the impression of bad threads, though the tank still screws together fine. Both samples I tested had the same issue.
That said, the Arbiter 2 outperforms the original in terms of flavor. If you’re looking for improved flavor or need something that fits a variety of mods without overhang, this RTA could be a solid choice.
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