I've been at this e-cigarette stuff a few years now. I started with mini 3-piece e-cigs, like the m400 series, using refillable cartridges, and have since moved on up to the automatic 808D threaded ECHO, using either cartomizers or clearomizer tanks. I've dabbled with the 510 and some other e-cigarette models along the way, but I've been generally fairly satisfied with e-cigarette models like the ECHO, using short batteries.
I used to have no problem using e-liquids with a lot of PG in them, like Halo's Freedom Smoke Juice, which were generally pretty satisfying e-liquids, and also performed well in my equipment. But I eventually developed allergic skin reaction issues to heavy PG blends, and had to cutback on the PG, drastically. Good tasting all or mostly VG tobacco e-liquids seem to be a rarity, and I've been having a hard time finding ones that work well in cartomizers or clearomizers without quickly gunking up the works and getting a burnt chemical taste after only 2-3 days of use, or sometimes less.
These types of cartridges are not cheap, running between $3.30 to $5.50 a pop (or even more), depending on where I get them. Availability of automatic 808D ECHO threaded cartomizers or tanks is somewhat limited in the U.S. I've tried cleaning both types of devices to make them last longer, but that only works occasionally, and usually only lasts 2-3 days more before the cartomizer or clearomizer just isn't reusable anymore, even despite further cleaning.
The cartomizers hold a lot of juice, do not leak, and give good vapor and flavor delivery (in the dual-coil models), but the polyfil wicking material in them seems to get clogged up easily within a few days. This makes them last less than clearomizers (like the CE4s), which generally seem to be easier to clean. However, the clearomizers (be they rebuildable or not) hold half the e-liquid that the cartomizers do, tend to leak substantially more, tend to leak even more after cleaning, and are overall more frustrating than cartomizers (except on the very rare occasion when they are working perfectly out-of-the-box). They also typically cost more, so getting a little more use out of them isn't all that valuable, especially with all the fussing they require. One great benefit of the clearomizers compared to cartomizers is that once you've discovered the device isn't any good anymore, you can easily recover most of the e-liquid you've already put in it for use in another device. Not so for the cartomizers. Fill up a cartomizer with 3ml of juice, discover the cartomizer is no longer any good, and your 3ml of juice is pretty much gone. You may as well have poured the juice down the toilet instead.
Of course, heavier PG blend e-liquids perform better in these devices, as far as device use longevity goes, usually by several days or more, but those e-liquids aren't an option for me anymore. So far I've tried Vaperite's all VG and PG/VG blend e-liquids, which aren't bad, but they tend to clog up my equipment even quicker than other all VG e-liquids. I've tried diluting these juices with 5-20% distilled water, with so-so results. Now I've moved on to other all VG juices, which supposedly perform better, but which have questionable flavor.
I recently got some Johnson's Creek Red Oak line of tobacco e-liquids, all of which so far taste something like paint thinner. I am steeping these with the caps off for several days to see if there is a magical improvement in flavor. These e-liquids seem particularly prone to leaking in clearomizers, and are almost too thin, rather than too thick like some other VG juices. I also recently got some Organic Best Damn Tobacco from Virgin Vapors. This is the ugliest, coudiest e-liquid I've ever had, but on the first day I received it this stuff at least tasted better than the Johnson's Creek Red Oak line stuff. It also doesn't leak, though at the same time it doesn't seem particularly thick at all. I am open bottle steeping this stuff as well, which is recommended, so it may actually work out well, as there are hints of decent flavor hidden in this juice. Supposedly Virgin Vapor's Organic Dark Side of The Moon juice is even better as a straight tobacco flavor, though it is meant to be a dark chocolate tobacco blend. I have yet to try it, but may, depending on how well the other e-liquid I have steeps.
Despite some possible moderate success with the Virgin Vapor e-liquid, and some forlorn hope for the Johnson's Creek stuff, I'm still very much on the prowl for better tasting and performing all VG tobacco flavor e-liquids. In the past, before I got into the ECHO and using cartomizers or clearomizers, I have had good taste success with Alien Visions Boba's Bounty and Intellicig's ECOpure RICH. Unfortunately both of those are difficult to get these days for different reasons. Intellicig's ECOpure flavors are pretty much gone from the U.S. market, replaced by the new U.S. company's ECOvape flavors that are simply not as good or clean performing. Alien Visions has been dramatically changing their website, and run into so many problems with that they are almost perpetually closed, which has become amazingly annoying. The owner of that company has also apparently been very sick, which has exacerbated the problem. I hope his health improves, regardless of whether or not his website ever reopens.
I've pretty much given up on using clearomizers. Their increased cost, leakage issues, and spotty reliability are too much for me to hassle with. Too bad, as otherwise they are a cool concept and look nice on top of my short and fat ECHO batteries. ECHO dual-coil cartomizer prices seem to have dropped, so they are looking to be a better and more practical option over clearomizers now. NorthWest Vapors is selling them for nearly the same price as standard single-coil carts, about $3.30 or so a piece.
I'm just not sure where to go from here with finding good all VG tobacco flavor juices. Maybe Alien Visions will be be open again for business soon, but I'm still uncertain of how well Boba's Bounty (a great tasting all VG juice) will perform in cartomizers. The juices from Johnson's Creek and Virgin Vapors may eventually steep beautifully. In the meantime, I feel sort of lost, so any advice I can get from fellow forum members on the subject would be most welcome.
I used to have no problem using e-liquids with a lot of PG in them, like Halo's Freedom Smoke Juice, which were generally pretty satisfying e-liquids, and also performed well in my equipment. But I eventually developed allergic skin reaction issues to heavy PG blends, and had to cutback on the PG, drastically. Good tasting all or mostly VG tobacco e-liquids seem to be a rarity, and I've been having a hard time finding ones that work well in cartomizers or clearomizers without quickly gunking up the works and getting a burnt chemical taste after only 2-3 days of use, or sometimes less.
These types of cartridges are not cheap, running between $3.30 to $5.50 a pop (or even more), depending on where I get them. Availability of automatic 808D ECHO threaded cartomizers or tanks is somewhat limited in the U.S. I've tried cleaning both types of devices to make them last longer, but that only works occasionally, and usually only lasts 2-3 days more before the cartomizer or clearomizer just isn't reusable anymore, even despite further cleaning.
The cartomizers hold a lot of juice, do not leak, and give good vapor and flavor delivery (in the dual-coil models), but the polyfil wicking material in them seems to get clogged up easily within a few days. This makes them last less than clearomizers (like the CE4s), which generally seem to be easier to clean. However, the clearomizers (be they rebuildable or not) hold half the e-liquid that the cartomizers do, tend to leak substantially more, tend to leak even more after cleaning, and are overall more frustrating than cartomizers (except on the very rare occasion when they are working perfectly out-of-the-box). They also typically cost more, so getting a little more use out of them isn't all that valuable, especially with all the fussing they require. One great benefit of the clearomizers compared to cartomizers is that once you've discovered the device isn't any good anymore, you can easily recover most of the e-liquid you've already put in it for use in another device. Not so for the cartomizers. Fill up a cartomizer with 3ml of juice, discover the cartomizer is no longer any good, and your 3ml of juice is pretty much gone. You may as well have poured the juice down the toilet instead.
Of course, heavier PG blend e-liquids perform better in these devices, as far as device use longevity goes, usually by several days or more, but those e-liquids aren't an option for me anymore. So far I've tried Vaperite's all VG and PG/VG blend e-liquids, which aren't bad, but they tend to clog up my equipment even quicker than other all VG e-liquids. I've tried diluting these juices with 5-20% distilled water, with so-so results. Now I've moved on to other all VG juices, which supposedly perform better, but which have questionable flavor.
I recently got some Johnson's Creek Red Oak line of tobacco e-liquids, all of which so far taste something like paint thinner. I am steeping these with the caps off for several days to see if there is a magical improvement in flavor. These e-liquids seem particularly prone to leaking in clearomizers, and are almost too thin, rather than too thick like some other VG juices. I also recently got some Organic Best Damn Tobacco from Virgin Vapors. This is the ugliest, coudiest e-liquid I've ever had, but on the first day I received it this stuff at least tasted better than the Johnson's Creek Red Oak line stuff. It also doesn't leak, though at the same time it doesn't seem particularly thick at all. I am open bottle steeping this stuff as well, which is recommended, so it may actually work out well, as there are hints of decent flavor hidden in this juice. Supposedly Virgin Vapor's Organic Dark Side of The Moon juice is even better as a straight tobacco flavor, though it is meant to be a dark chocolate tobacco blend. I have yet to try it, but may, depending on how well the other e-liquid I have steeps.
Despite some possible moderate success with the Virgin Vapor e-liquid, and some forlorn hope for the Johnson's Creek stuff, I'm still very much on the prowl for better tasting and performing all VG tobacco flavor e-liquids. In the past, before I got into the ECHO and using cartomizers or clearomizers, I have had good taste success with Alien Visions Boba's Bounty and Intellicig's ECOpure RICH. Unfortunately both of those are difficult to get these days for different reasons. Intellicig's ECOpure flavors are pretty much gone from the U.S. market, replaced by the new U.S. company's ECOvape flavors that are simply not as good or clean performing. Alien Visions has been dramatically changing their website, and run into so many problems with that they are almost perpetually closed, which has become amazingly annoying. The owner of that company has also apparently been very sick, which has exacerbated the problem. I hope his health improves, regardless of whether or not his website ever reopens.
I've pretty much given up on using clearomizers. Their increased cost, leakage issues, and spotty reliability are too much for me to hassle with. Too bad, as otherwise they are a cool concept and look nice on top of my short and fat ECHO batteries. ECHO dual-coil cartomizer prices seem to have dropped, so they are looking to be a better and more practical option over clearomizers now. NorthWest Vapors is selling them for nearly the same price as standard single-coil carts, about $3.30 or so a piece.
I'm just not sure where to go from here with finding good all VG tobacco flavor juices. Maybe Alien Visions will be be open again for business soon, but I'm still uncertain of how well Boba's Bounty (a great tasting all VG juice) will perform in cartomizers. The juices from Johnson's Creek and Virgin Vapors may eventually steep beautifully. In the meantime, I feel sort of lost, so any advice I can get from fellow forum members on the subject would be most welcome.
