Product intro and specs
The Aloha Sun Rodman 9K is a compact and user-friendly disposable vape. Designed to deliver flavor and convenience on demand, the 16 mL capacity Rodman 9K is a special edition line from Aloha Sun, in collaboration with legendary NBA player Dennis Rodman.
Aloha Sun is a new company to me. They carry several lines of disposable vapes, ranging from a few hundred up to 9K puff ratings, all with a Hawaiian theme.
The Rodman 9K is a USB-C compatible disposable vape built on a 550 mAh battery. The devices sport a discreet smart screen for monitoring battery and juice levels, as well as adjustable airflow for a tight MTL draw up to a restricted lung hit. The menu includes 14 flavors in 5% nicotine, ranging from fruit combinations to candy. There’s even a sweet tobacco and an unflavored option.
Let’s dive in a little deeper and see what the Rodman 9K is all about.
Price: $13.99 (at Element Vape)
Flavors: Rodzilla (strawberry ropes), acai berry, pineapple banana ice, overtime, buzzer beater, the worm (sour gummy worm ice), cool mint, RodmanBlast (rainbow candy), the menace (strawberry passion), hall of fame, peach berry, all star, VCTobacco, clear
- E-liquid capacity: 16 mL
- Nicotine strength: 50 mg
- Smart LED screen
- Adjustable airflow
- USB-C charge port
- Rubber mouthpiece
- 1 x Special edition Rodman Card/flavor profile
Size, look, and feel
The Rodman 9K is both stylish and mature. It's got a rounded-box form with an off-set, bite-friendly mouthpiece. The finish is a matte, rubberized coating that's contrasted with glossy embossed artwork (including a graphic image of Dennis Rodman). Those contrasting textures, along with its lightweight and compact form factor make it comfortable to hold and use.
One aspect of the Rodman 9K that I appreciate is its subdued, almost stealthy design. Even the LED screen is minimal (but easy to read). Although the mouthpieces are colored and suggestive of the flavors, most of the devices are dark colored, if not all black. There are some flavors that have a marbled or a camo-like design, but they stay in the adult-appeal lane. I bet people would've thought the "Rodman" was going to be all crazy-looking!
I was sent a stunning box set containing all 14 flavors. A Dennis Rodman basketball card (made by Aloha Sun) is included inside every individual flavor. The card showcases his stats, a quote, and a flavor description. Each card is different per flavor and depicts a different live shot of Dennis Rodman from his days with the Chicago Bulls. But as someone who grew up in the Metro Detroit area during the time of the Detroit Pistons championships, I will always see him as a Bad Boy, no matter the jersey.
Getting started
Starting with the Rodman 9K is as simple as it gets. Remove the device from its box and internal packaging, then remove the rubber plug from the mouthpiece (it’s there to prevent leakage during shipping).
Since the Rodman 9K has an automatic draw, you don’t have to press any buttons—just puff, and it’ll activate. As you take your first draw, you might want to adjust the airflow switch to suit your preference. The airflow control switch is located on the bottom of the device. By default, it's set to its most open setting, which provides a restricted lung hit. Closed off, the airflow gets tighter, producing a mouth-to-lung draw, similar to that of a cigarette.
On the side of the Rodman 9K is the smart screen. As mentioned, it’s discreet. The information is displayed toward the bottom of the screen, which is right about where your hands are going to be when holding the device. In that respect, you’ll need to specifically set out to see what’s on the screen.
The information displayed on the screen is the liquid and battery approximations. The liquid capacity is a simple metered droplet; the battery capacity is displayed as a numerical percentage readout. When the percentage gets close to or at 0%, that’s the time to charge. When the droplet is out of bars, that’s when it’s time to dispose of the device.
How does it hit?
The Rodman 9K has a smooth and quick-firing draw. It’s got a nice level of restriction to the draw, specifically in the MTL (closed-off airflow) mode. Even with the airflow open all the way, the draw is quiet, adding to its already stealthy design. Personally, I like the Rodman 9K with the airflow open about half the way. It makes for a nice and prominent throat hit, but without anything aggressive.
I haven’t experienced any major cons with the draw or hit. No gurgling or juice in the mouth, nor has there been any leaking or dry hits. The only minor con is that, occasionally, the draw feels a little congested in its tighter airflow settings. Other than that, it’s been consistent and flavorful.
Aloha Sun Rodman 9K best flavors
The flavors are surprisingly good. Of course, some I like more than others, but there wasn’t anything off-putting in the bunch. I guess I’m surprised at how much I like them because I’d never heard of Aloha Sun and didn’t expect much.
There’s a wide range of flavors for the Rodman 9K, even including a sweet tobacco flavor and an unflavored option. As with most disposables, the flavors all have a cooling effect, but it ranges from barely noticeable to a high level of chill. These are my five favorites:
VCTobacco: A decadent dessert tobacco combining a sweet, smooth, and rich vanilla custard paired with nutty tobacco. There's a faint cooling on the exhale that finishes off the flavor experience. It's a nicely executed tobacco flavor that doubles as a dessert mix. Very good.
Juicy grapes: Sweet and juicy tasting. It’s hard to describe, but this is a very satisfying flavor with a bright and vibrant flavor profile that tastes more like natural grapes than candy flavor.
Lychee Guava Ice: Slightly floral, aromatic, and exotic. A sophisticated flavor. Slight cooling.
Allstar: A blue razz ice flavor with a sweet-forward flavor profile. Very little on the tart side. Minimal cooling.
The Worm: A sour taste with the distinct aroma of gummy candies. Dennis Rodman’s nickname was a perfect name for this juice.
How long do they last?
The Rodman 9K has a good amount of runtime for a 550 mAh battery. While 550 mAh isn’t necessarily a lot of battery capacity, the Rodman 9K can easily get me through a day of heavy vaping without needing a charge.
When it is time to charge, just plug in a USB-C cable to the device and out to a power source. It’s no different than any other small electronic device. It takes approximately 65 minutes to charge.
The liquid capacity is stated to be 16 mL. While I can’t verify that, I can say that the droplet meter doesn’t lose bars quickly. After draining the battery once, you can still be at a full droplet. That doesn’t mean that you haven’t used up some liquid; it just doesn’t deplete as quickly as some other devices.
Pros / Cons
Gallery
Verdict
I like the Rodman 9K and find myself reaching for it more and more. It’s a simple device that does what it’s supposed to do, and it does it well. The flavor menu is diverse and includes some flavors that you don’t see in every line. Like that VCTobacco, which I find to be a great dessert tobacco!
Besides occasionally getting a draw where the airflow feels slightly congested, I have no major cons with the Rodman 9K. I like the vape quality and the design of the products. Often, I like the experience of a disposable vape but dislike the product design (like with the Geekbar Pulse). With the Rodman 9K, I can have the device in my hand without it attracting unwanted attention and interest. I really appreciate that!
The Rodman 9K by Aloha Sun is recommended.
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