Hello Everyone,
Time to report back on my progress.
Thursday evening I received my KR808 starter kit and two 30ml bottles of juice at 24mg nicotine.
I familiarized myself with the equipment and placed the batteries in their charger as instructed by the manual.
Next I searched the web on how to refill blank cartomizers and decided to use the condom method by following this video:
A double demo! The Cartomizer Condom Filling Method, and the Taryn Spin. - YouTube (the intro is a bit silly but the demo worked like a charm for me)
I left the cartomizer sit for about 30 mins (I read somewhere I should do this).
Finally the time came to pick up my battery and try this thing called vaping I had been reading so much about.
First a side note: As a Newport smoker (strong menthol and throat hit) I searched the internet extensively for the best possible liquid to match my cigarette of choice. I comb this forum and many others and all arrows pointed toward the nhaler.com NuPort with 24mg nicotine.
I was very excited and ready to throw my cigarettes out the window. (As a devout smoker I had discovered in the past few months that I was developing an alarming allergy to tobacco and even the smell started to bather me so I had high hopes for a possible alternative.)
I carefully read the beginner's tutorial on this site and did exactly as I was instructed.
Took three small puffs without inhaling and then...
...came my first real puff...
First thing that went through my mind: "What the hell is this?"
It tasted nothing like a Newport. What was everyone talking about? How can anyone think this tastes like a Newport!
I puffed away because the throat hit was as strong as my cigarettes when I break off the filter if not stronger. I puffed and I puffed and then I got a bit of a headache (something which never happens to me). I figured I'd better stop. I told myself I'd be smoking a Newport in no time. Five minutes past but I didn't feel like smoking a cigarette so I went on about my business thinking I had gotten so much nicotine from the vapor I better take it easy.
I thought about smoking before going to sleep but then decided against it.
I woke up still not craving a cigarette and waited to see what would happen after lunch (smoking after a meal is my favorite time to smoke, those who claim the best cigarette is the one after sex are clueless). I ate a good lunch and instead of lighting my usual cigarette I went for the KR808. I figured I should give it another chance. The first hit made me cough (a rarity), the second one was better and in no time I was vaping away. At this point it kind of tasted like a Newport.
I thought to myself: "Hey, this could work."
It didn't compare much to a cigarette in terms of taste and feel but in terms of satisfaction it kind of worked.
I delve right into further research and discovered a vapor bar was open on the other side of town and figured I would have to visit it to continue my search for that Newport taste which eluded me.
Meanwhile I discovered the existence of a large array of PVs and the option of variable voltage. I watched as many videos on youtube as I could and started falling in love with the ProVari (was this just a case of gadgets addiction?)
I figured how silly it would be for me to buy a $250 starter kit only to abandon the whole vaping idea a few weeks down the line ...my thought went to the surf board in my garage, the rock climbing gear, the racing bike, radio station equipment and all the things I bought over the years, used a few times and left in a corner to collect dust (as you can see I have a problem). Then I thought: "Damn, that ProVari sure looks shiny and nice, I'll be the envy of all the vapers." ..then I quickly realized I actually don't know any vapers.
To make a short story longer I vaped the whole day and didn't smoke any of my beloved cigarettes.
The next day I got in my car and drove to the other side of town to visit the vapor store. As I walked in I was overwhelmed by the quantity of e-juices; shelves after shelves from floor to ceiling covered with e-juices. I thought: Newport here I come!
I spoke to a few clueless but very polite employ who told me I could taste as many juices as I wanted (mind you, at this point I had only tried the NuPort and the 555 Menthol from nhaler.com and I couldn't even tell the difference between those).
I got my PV out, borrowed a drip tip and went hunting for my menthol fix. I tried all the menthol I could get my hands on from winter green to honey mint, from mint ice cream to Marlboro Menthol and it went from bad to worse to I've lost control of my taste buds. All in all everything was pretty disgusting making me realize perhaps I had been lucky to start my vaping experience with nhaler.com's NuPort juice. The salesman read the disappointment on my face and offered to make a juice for me right then and there and modify it based on my instructions and taste. I was pretty hopeless by this point but figured I had nothing to loose.
We went over to the counter and we started looking for the right tobacco flavor then the right mint flavor and then the nicotine amount. I spent the next twenty minutes trying out his concoctions and saying more mint or more nicotine. After a while I felt bed for him so I just said it tested fine and to give me a bottle to go. He obliged.
As I was getting ready to leave I couldn't help myself .almost uncontrollably my lips moved uttering these words: Do you carry the ProVari?
He could have said no and I wold have walked away with my pride intact but he said yes! Can I see it I said? I said without missing a bit. He was more then happy to comply. It was version 2 with the blue led. First thing I though was: Of course I need this! I need it! I need it! I need it! .maybe I'll go surfing with it. That sobered me up.
Thankfully however their prices are what I like to call airport prices ...meaning they assume you've got no other options so they stick it to you real good. I wasn't going to buy it but I asked if I could try it. He loaded his juice in it, I set it at 5.5 volt (after watching all the videos I looked like an expert scrolling through that blue hypnotizing menu).
I brought the cartomizer up to my lips and took my first ProVari variable voltage vape and made a startling discovery. JUICE TASTES DIFFERENT FROM ON VAPORIZER TO ANOTHER. The minty concoction was actually much better compered to what it tasted like in my vaporizer. I discovered yet another variable that could play a role in my quest for Newport.
I held the ProVari for a few seconds longer thinking you know what then my best judgment got a hold of me and I set it back on the counter. I picked up my juices and walked out proud that my thriftiness kept my excitement in check.
Could all this people claiming to have found the perfect NuPort taste be vaping their juice through a variable voltage vaporizer? It's a possibility ...but now I know that if I want to get serious about vaping my next step would be to find out.
And so began the search for my next vaporizer. Lava Tube, Buzz Pro, Darwin, Prodigy or ProVari? These are just some of the names I've been researching and the more I search the more I find.
My story has just began but if you're as serious about smoking as I was and want to give vaping a try don't let your KR808 starter kit be where it ends. Knowing what I know now I would have skipped this step and jumped right to a serious mod but getting wiser is done one step at the time and the KR808 was a valid step.
Sooner than later I'll have to make a decision on just how far I'm willing to take my vaping. For now my carton of Newport cigarettes has been left untouched since Thursday afternoon but the wait period on the Provape site for a ProVari is 7 to 10 days and that's a long time to curb an addiction I've always encouraged.
Perhaps there are too many options out there and when you take your first step into this world, like myself you may feel overwhelmed, but the people here are always willing to lend a hand so don't be afraid to ask because now there's one more person who may be able to answer.
Time to report back on my progress.
Thursday evening I received my KR808 starter kit and two 30ml bottles of juice at 24mg nicotine.
I familiarized myself with the equipment and placed the batteries in their charger as instructed by the manual.
Next I searched the web on how to refill blank cartomizers and decided to use the condom method by following this video:
A double demo! The Cartomizer Condom Filling Method, and the Taryn Spin. - YouTube (the intro is a bit silly but the demo worked like a charm for me)
I left the cartomizer sit for about 30 mins (I read somewhere I should do this).
Finally the time came to pick up my battery and try this thing called vaping I had been reading so much about.
First a side note: As a Newport smoker (strong menthol and throat hit) I searched the internet extensively for the best possible liquid to match my cigarette of choice. I comb this forum and many others and all arrows pointed toward the nhaler.com NuPort with 24mg nicotine.
I was very excited and ready to throw my cigarettes out the window. (As a devout smoker I had discovered in the past few months that I was developing an alarming allergy to tobacco and even the smell started to bather me so I had high hopes for a possible alternative.)
I carefully read the beginner's tutorial on this site and did exactly as I was instructed.
Took three small puffs without inhaling and then...
...came my first real puff...
First thing that went through my mind: "What the hell is this?"
It tasted nothing like a Newport. What was everyone talking about? How can anyone think this tastes like a Newport!
I puffed away because the throat hit was as strong as my cigarettes when I break off the filter if not stronger. I puffed and I puffed and then I got a bit of a headache (something which never happens to me). I figured I'd better stop. I told myself I'd be smoking a Newport in no time. Five minutes past but I didn't feel like smoking a cigarette so I went on about my business thinking I had gotten so much nicotine from the vapor I better take it easy.
I thought about smoking before going to sleep but then decided against it.
I woke up still not craving a cigarette and waited to see what would happen after lunch (smoking after a meal is my favorite time to smoke, those who claim the best cigarette is the one after sex are clueless). I ate a good lunch and instead of lighting my usual cigarette I went for the KR808. I figured I should give it another chance. The first hit made me cough (a rarity), the second one was better and in no time I was vaping away. At this point it kind of tasted like a Newport.
I thought to myself: "Hey, this could work."
It didn't compare much to a cigarette in terms of taste and feel but in terms of satisfaction it kind of worked.
I delve right into further research and discovered a vapor bar was open on the other side of town and figured I would have to visit it to continue my search for that Newport taste which eluded me.
Meanwhile I discovered the existence of a large array of PVs and the option of variable voltage. I watched as many videos on youtube as I could and started falling in love with the ProVari (was this just a case of gadgets addiction?)
I figured how silly it would be for me to buy a $250 starter kit only to abandon the whole vaping idea a few weeks down the line ...my thought went to the surf board in my garage, the rock climbing gear, the racing bike, radio station equipment and all the things I bought over the years, used a few times and left in a corner to collect dust (as you can see I have a problem). Then I thought: "Damn, that ProVari sure looks shiny and nice, I'll be the envy of all the vapers." ..then I quickly realized I actually don't know any vapers.
To make a short story longer I vaped the whole day and didn't smoke any of my beloved cigarettes.
The next day I got in my car and drove to the other side of town to visit the vapor store. As I walked in I was overwhelmed by the quantity of e-juices; shelves after shelves from floor to ceiling covered with e-juices. I thought: Newport here I come!
I spoke to a few clueless but very polite employ who told me I could taste as many juices as I wanted (mind you, at this point I had only tried the NuPort and the 555 Menthol from nhaler.com and I couldn't even tell the difference between those).
I got my PV out, borrowed a drip tip and went hunting for my menthol fix. I tried all the menthol I could get my hands on from winter green to honey mint, from mint ice cream to Marlboro Menthol and it went from bad to worse to I've lost control of my taste buds. All in all everything was pretty disgusting making me realize perhaps I had been lucky to start my vaping experience with nhaler.com's NuPort juice. The salesman read the disappointment on my face and offered to make a juice for me right then and there and modify it based on my instructions and taste. I was pretty hopeless by this point but figured I had nothing to loose.
We went over to the counter and we started looking for the right tobacco flavor then the right mint flavor and then the nicotine amount. I spent the next twenty minutes trying out his concoctions and saying more mint or more nicotine. After a while I felt bed for him so I just said it tested fine and to give me a bottle to go. He obliged.
As I was getting ready to leave I couldn't help myself .almost uncontrollably my lips moved uttering these words: Do you carry the ProVari?
He could have said no and I wold have walked away with my pride intact but he said yes! Can I see it I said? I said without missing a bit. He was more then happy to comply. It was version 2 with the blue led. First thing I though was: Of course I need this! I need it! I need it! I need it! .maybe I'll go surfing with it. That sobered me up.
Thankfully however their prices are what I like to call airport prices ...meaning they assume you've got no other options so they stick it to you real good. I wasn't going to buy it but I asked if I could try it. He loaded his juice in it, I set it at 5.5 volt (after watching all the videos I looked like an expert scrolling through that blue hypnotizing menu).
I brought the cartomizer up to my lips and took my first ProVari variable voltage vape and made a startling discovery. JUICE TASTES DIFFERENT FROM ON VAPORIZER TO ANOTHER. The minty concoction was actually much better compered to what it tasted like in my vaporizer. I discovered yet another variable that could play a role in my quest for Newport.
I held the ProVari for a few seconds longer thinking you know what then my best judgment got a hold of me and I set it back on the counter. I picked up my juices and walked out proud that my thriftiness kept my excitement in check.
Could all this people claiming to have found the perfect NuPort taste be vaping their juice through a variable voltage vaporizer? It's a possibility ...but now I know that if I want to get serious about vaping my next step would be to find out.
And so began the search for my next vaporizer. Lava Tube, Buzz Pro, Darwin, Prodigy or ProVari? These are just some of the names I've been researching and the more I search the more I find.
My story has just began but if you're as serious about smoking as I was and want to give vaping a try don't let your KR808 starter kit be where it ends. Knowing what I know now I would have skipped this step and jumped right to a serious mod but getting wiser is done one step at the time and the KR808 was a valid step.
Sooner than later I'll have to make a decision on just how far I'm willing to take my vaping. For now my carton of Newport cigarettes has been left untouched since Thursday afternoon but the wait period on the Provape site for a ProVari is 7 to 10 days and that's a long time to curb an addiction I've always encouraged.
Perhaps there are too many options out there and when you take your first step into this world, like myself you may feel overwhelmed, but the people here are always willing to lend a hand so don't be afraid to ask because now there's one more person who may be able to answer.
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