This is the continuation of my vaping guide here I'll be going into some specifics advice on quitting as well as some advice on the hardware.
General quitting advice
Now I’m a big believer in the effectiveness of vaping. That said there are definitely some tricks that I found worked for me.
A little chemical help
First and one that I really hadn’t considered until recently is that my doctor had put me on Welbutrin at one point to quit smoking. Even after I started again I’d gotten back on it at my wife’s urging since she liked me better on it (apparently it helped me be more level when dealing with the munchkins) and while I didn’t really put my finger on this aspect of my success until very recently I really think the Welbutrin helped me get through the withdrawal.
Detox
Oh yeah don’t think that just because you start vaping that you won’t go through withdrawal. There is a hell of a lot more involved in smoking than just nicotine.
I still went through the bad gas, the shakes and just general funky feeling of detox so you need to be ready for that. The vaping helps but you still gotta get through the withdrawal and honestly I think the Welbutrin was the key that pushed me through. I say this because all the other people I know who tried ecigs ended up going back to analogues except for me and that is the one real difference I can identify.
So I don’t think it would be a bad idea at all for someone who’s looking to go down this path to see their doctor about a script for it. Do be aware that some people do have unusual reactions to it. My cousin said drove her nuts, for myself however it just kind of calmed me down (oh and increased libido ;-) )
Saving over the long run
Don’t waste time on the cigarette like stuff.
Accept the fact that you’re eventually going to end up with something that looks nothing like a cigarette anyway and you’ll save money in the long run.
Also a couple hundred dollars up front may seem like a lot compared to a $50 starter kit for an Ego or some sort of mini, but by the time you end up buying 3 or 4 kits or replace a few of those $20 batteries you could have already bought the higher end mod you’re going to end up with anyway.
So you might as well spend that couple hundred on something good rather than on a bunch of crap which is going to leave you still needing to buy the good device.
Plan for Success
Make sure you keep plenty of supplies on hand. Ecigs are not as convenient as an analogue; you can’t run down to the corner store if your last atomizer or battery dies or if you run out of juice and buy more.
Odds are unless you are lucky and live close to one of the actual suppliers you’ll have to order it online then wait a few days minimum for it to be shipped to you.
So plan ahead and make sure you have plenty of juice and parts. The good news is unlike when I started you probably won’t have to worry about your order getting tied up for a month in customs.
Skex's criteria for a good PV.
KISS keep it simple and standardized with as few failure points as possible.
A good PV should be modular where each component can be replaced easily by the end user.
As such my favorite devices tend to be mechanical screwdriver/torch type designs. These devices are basically just a tube to hold the batteries with an end cap, a spring, an adapter to fit the atomizer onto and some sort of switch.
I really like the Prodigy V3.1 from Puresmoker, It’s simple, mechanical, modular and easy to service, and it’s also very flexible as far as voltage and atomizer/carto choices.
The Megalodon also looks really solid. These are both mechanical devices with solid construction that use standardized batteries and atomizers; the GLV-2 also looks pretty good, though I worry about its resistorized switch which was the main weakness of the Prodigy V1.
There are of course countless similar mods and I’m not familiar with the majority of them but in general as long as the primary criteria are followed I’d suspect one would have excellent luck with any these type devices.
That said I personally recommend the V3.1 as it’s the device I use.
If you want flexibility these types of devices are also excellent in that many can run with multiple battery combinations offering different voltage options as well as being available with different adapters to allow use of multiple types of atomizers.
Variable Voltage
Now I know that Variable Voltage is all the rage right now and if you have a good reliable daily use Vape and money to burn I imagine they’re pretty cool (Hell I'm even thinking of starting a fund for a Provari myself), but I’d not want one as my primary PV.
Electronics fail period. No matter how reputable the company and how good the components they will eventually fail, when that eventually will be is anyones guess.
No matter how good the warranty on devices like the Provari and the Darwin may be if they fail you’re still going to have to send them in to be repaired at which point you will be PVless for a few days.
So those should only be viewed as secondary luxury devices IMO while a good mechanical screwdriver will be your primary quitting Vape.
Atomizers
Admittedly this is where I have the least varied experience and there are many options available to people and the 510s are very popular right now with most of the fancier options like tanks cartos clearomizers and other autofeeding systems are built to that standard. So they seem like a sound choice.
There are also the 901s which seem to have fallen mostly out of favor nowadays as such I'd probably steer clear of them as they'll have more limited versatility.
However since I'm basing this on my personal experience I recommend sticking with the KISS principle and going with a pen style BE112.
I’ve found these to be very tolerant at high voltage even in the standard resistance form, they also hold the most juice and run cooler. Of course ideally you get both 801 and 510 adapters for your mod to get the best of both worlds.
Atomizers are inherently unreliable.
You’ll get some that will run well for weeks if well maintained, while others will die in days, others will blow out the first time you send current through them, they’ll get a bad taste when you screw up and run them dry they’ll burn out when you manage to screw up and turn the device on for a minute in your pocket and some will just be DOA.
They are consumable components just accept that and be sure to keep a good supply of them on hand.
Batteries,
The importance of good batteries in the vaping experience cannot be understated.
I think the majority of dissatisfaction users find with vaping comes from poor battery performance.
There are some excellent write-ups on the site that go into the technical details and science behind it but what it boils down to in the end is that vaping is very hard on batteries and it’s pretty much impossible to put enough power into anything that’s going to look like a cigarette to give a good vaping experience.
This is why everyone who’s been doing this for a while will tell new users to get over the “must look like a cigarette” thing.
Batteries also wear down over time.
That battery that gave you huge plumes of vapor that would cause a steam engine to be envious on the first hit will eventually only generate unsatisfying wisps.
These are also consumable components which is why I so strongly recommend using standard batteries in a screwdriver type mod over integrated models like the EGO or even the variable voltage devices like the Darwin.
Personally I run the dual RCR123A batteries these are 3.2v and are generally run in pairs to provide a 6v vaping experience or in a pair with a resistor to get 5v.
High 5V and 6V vaping is great at least on my favorite flavors, however some flavors don’t do well at higher voltage. I found some fruity flavors to taste bad at 5V.
Another option are the single 3.7v batteries offered on some of these devices or some will just run a single 3.2 for a 3v experience. I think this really comes down to user preference. If your favorite juice tastes like crap at 5 or 6V you aren’t likely to be a fan of high voltage vaping.
I'll note here that some information I've read on the forums recently suggests that a single 3.7V system may actually be safer than the dual 3.2s.
Another thing I’ve found is that carrying these batteries around can get a bit dangerous if a little care isn’t taken. I’ve had several get extremely hot in my pocket and even had a couple fizzle out their guts when allowed to come into contact with keys/atomizers/coins in my pockets or other container.
As such I suggest carrying them around in small plastic baggies or other types of containers to keep them from coming into contact with other objects. It also helps to keep them separated into matched pairs.
I try to keep 4 pairs of batteries in rotation at any given time. This will allow me to have one set in each charger (one at home and one at work) one set in the PV and a spare ready to be swapped in on demand without having to come right off the charger and risk blowing out an atomizer.
I’ll use a set until their vapor production becomes unsatisfying then rotate them out. I try to keep a couple sets on standby to replace them. Though what you’ll probably find is that all 4 sets will give out around the same time so when they start getting a little iffy it’s time to visit your battery wholesaler.
This covers the hardware side of Vaping next I'll get into the care and feeding of you PV then on to some specific product recommendations.
General quitting advice
Now I’m a big believer in the effectiveness of vaping. That said there are definitely some tricks that I found worked for me.
A little chemical help
First and one that I really hadn’t considered until recently is that my doctor had put me on Welbutrin at one point to quit smoking. Even after I started again I’d gotten back on it at my wife’s urging since she liked me better on it (apparently it helped me be more level when dealing with the munchkins) and while I didn’t really put my finger on this aspect of my success until very recently I really think the Welbutrin helped me get through the withdrawal.
Detox
Oh yeah don’t think that just because you start vaping that you won’t go through withdrawal. There is a hell of a lot more involved in smoking than just nicotine.
I still went through the bad gas, the shakes and just general funky feeling of detox so you need to be ready for that. The vaping helps but you still gotta get through the withdrawal and honestly I think the Welbutrin was the key that pushed me through. I say this because all the other people I know who tried ecigs ended up going back to analogues except for me and that is the one real difference I can identify.
So I don’t think it would be a bad idea at all for someone who’s looking to go down this path to see their doctor about a script for it. Do be aware that some people do have unusual reactions to it. My cousin said drove her nuts, for myself however it just kind of calmed me down (oh and increased libido ;-) )
Saving over the long run
Don’t waste time on the cigarette like stuff.
Accept the fact that you’re eventually going to end up with something that looks nothing like a cigarette anyway and you’ll save money in the long run.
Also a couple hundred dollars up front may seem like a lot compared to a $50 starter kit for an Ego or some sort of mini, but by the time you end up buying 3 or 4 kits or replace a few of those $20 batteries you could have already bought the higher end mod you’re going to end up with anyway.
So you might as well spend that couple hundred on something good rather than on a bunch of crap which is going to leave you still needing to buy the good device.
Plan for Success
Make sure you keep plenty of supplies on hand. Ecigs are not as convenient as an analogue; you can’t run down to the corner store if your last atomizer or battery dies or if you run out of juice and buy more.
Odds are unless you are lucky and live close to one of the actual suppliers you’ll have to order it online then wait a few days minimum for it to be shipped to you.
So plan ahead and make sure you have plenty of juice and parts. The good news is unlike when I started you probably won’t have to worry about your order getting tied up for a month in customs.
Skex's criteria for a good PV.
KISS keep it simple and standardized with as few failure points as possible.
A good PV should be modular where each component can be replaced easily by the end user.
As such my favorite devices tend to be mechanical screwdriver/torch type designs. These devices are basically just a tube to hold the batteries with an end cap, a spring, an adapter to fit the atomizer onto and some sort of switch.
I really like the Prodigy V3.1 from Puresmoker, It’s simple, mechanical, modular and easy to service, and it’s also very flexible as far as voltage and atomizer/carto choices.
The Megalodon also looks really solid. These are both mechanical devices with solid construction that use standardized batteries and atomizers; the GLV-2 also looks pretty good, though I worry about its resistorized switch which was the main weakness of the Prodigy V1.
There are of course countless similar mods and I’m not familiar with the majority of them but in general as long as the primary criteria are followed I’d suspect one would have excellent luck with any these type devices.
That said I personally recommend the V3.1 as it’s the device I use.
If you want flexibility these types of devices are also excellent in that many can run with multiple battery combinations offering different voltage options as well as being available with different adapters to allow use of multiple types of atomizers.
Variable Voltage
Now I know that Variable Voltage is all the rage right now and if you have a good reliable daily use Vape and money to burn I imagine they’re pretty cool (Hell I'm even thinking of starting a fund for a Provari myself), but I’d not want one as my primary PV.
Electronics fail period. No matter how reputable the company and how good the components they will eventually fail, when that eventually will be is anyones guess.
No matter how good the warranty on devices like the Provari and the Darwin may be if they fail you’re still going to have to send them in to be repaired at which point you will be PVless for a few days.
So those should only be viewed as secondary luxury devices IMO while a good mechanical screwdriver will be your primary quitting Vape.
Atomizers
Admittedly this is where I have the least varied experience and there are many options available to people and the 510s are very popular right now with most of the fancier options like tanks cartos clearomizers and other autofeeding systems are built to that standard. So they seem like a sound choice.
There are also the 901s which seem to have fallen mostly out of favor nowadays as such I'd probably steer clear of them as they'll have more limited versatility.
However since I'm basing this on my personal experience I recommend sticking with the KISS principle and going with a pen style BE112.
I’ve found these to be very tolerant at high voltage even in the standard resistance form, they also hold the most juice and run cooler. Of course ideally you get both 801 and 510 adapters for your mod to get the best of both worlds.
Atomizers are inherently unreliable.
You’ll get some that will run well for weeks if well maintained, while others will die in days, others will blow out the first time you send current through them, they’ll get a bad taste when you screw up and run them dry they’ll burn out when you manage to screw up and turn the device on for a minute in your pocket and some will just be DOA.
They are consumable components just accept that and be sure to keep a good supply of them on hand.
Batteries,
The importance of good batteries in the vaping experience cannot be understated.
I think the majority of dissatisfaction users find with vaping comes from poor battery performance.
There are some excellent write-ups on the site that go into the technical details and science behind it but what it boils down to in the end is that vaping is very hard on batteries and it’s pretty much impossible to put enough power into anything that’s going to look like a cigarette to give a good vaping experience.
This is why everyone who’s been doing this for a while will tell new users to get over the “must look like a cigarette” thing.
Batteries also wear down over time.
That battery that gave you huge plumes of vapor that would cause a steam engine to be envious on the first hit will eventually only generate unsatisfying wisps.
These are also consumable components which is why I so strongly recommend using standard batteries in a screwdriver type mod over integrated models like the EGO or even the variable voltage devices like the Darwin.
Personally I run the dual RCR123A batteries these are 3.2v and are generally run in pairs to provide a 6v vaping experience or in a pair with a resistor to get 5v.
High 5V and 6V vaping is great at least on my favorite flavors, however some flavors don’t do well at higher voltage. I found some fruity flavors to taste bad at 5V.
Another option are the single 3.7v batteries offered on some of these devices or some will just run a single 3.2 for a 3v experience. I think this really comes down to user preference. If your favorite juice tastes like crap at 5 or 6V you aren’t likely to be a fan of high voltage vaping.
I'll note here that some information I've read on the forums recently suggests that a single 3.7V system may actually be safer than the dual 3.2s.
Another thing I’ve found is that carrying these batteries around can get a bit dangerous if a little care isn’t taken. I’ve had several get extremely hot in my pocket and even had a couple fizzle out their guts when allowed to come into contact with keys/atomizers/coins in my pockets or other container.
As such I suggest carrying them around in small plastic baggies or other types of containers to keep them from coming into contact with other objects. It also helps to keep them separated into matched pairs.
I try to keep 4 pairs of batteries in rotation at any given time. This will allow me to have one set in each charger (one at home and one at work) one set in the PV and a spare ready to be swapped in on demand without having to come right off the charger and risk blowing out an atomizer.
I’ll use a set until their vapor production becomes unsatisfying then rotate them out. I try to keep a couple sets on standby to replace them. Though what you’ll probably find is that all 4 sets will give out around the same time so when they start getting a little iffy it’s time to visit your battery wholesaler.
This covers the hardware side of Vaping next I'll get into the care and feeding of you PV then on to some specific product recommendations.
