A little discouraged...is vaping for me?

[ReleaseXtheXKraken]

Alright, I got my Volt in the mail yesterday, played around with 2 juices, and I just don't know how I feel about it. Its not bad by any means, its just....not satisfying? Flavors taste kind of muted. I kind of thought that flavors would "pop" and they just arent. I have a menthol juice from Halo...Menthol Ice 12mg (unsure about pg/vg although by how clear the juice is I'd say all pg) and Tasty Vapor's Kretek 12mg 80pg 20vg. I made sure the cartos were very moist when i filled them, not overfilled and pooling and the batteries were fully charged. I don't know if its me, if my taste buds just suck or what. I really want to like this ecig but I dont know, I just feel a little disappointed. Is there anything I can do to amp up the flavor?

 

[Cynder]

hey, I started with the Volt, so I'm familiar with it. Most of the menthol flavors I've tried have a good throat hit, and the flavor was in my face as well. So just going from what you said here, I'll ask how long after filling did you let them soak up and wick? What method of filling did you use? Also, what I've found that happens sometimes in cartos is that the juice gets in the center tube. Take a paper towel and either tap it a few times or blow on the mouth end and wipe out the excess. If you used the "condom" method of filling this almost always happens (at least in my experience).

 

[Sicarius]

You could buy some ethyl maltol to add to the menthol (cool feel in the throut) and some clove or cinnamon for the Kretek. The flavourings go really far and can easily give you the pop you looking for.

 

[Sicarius]

You can also experiment with different cartos. The CE2 style cannot be beaten for flavour IMO. What threading has the Volt got.

 

[kbpipes]

I have had a similar experience. The flavor is there, but not what I was hoping for. Also I miss the smell of a cigarette burning. I also miss the rich tobacco flavor.

Also when I first started to vape it felt a bit clinical. I did not feel this connection I usually do with smoking. It seems like in the beginning you need to push through. These feelings come and go. At the moment I am really craving an analog. I have been for 2 days. I am not going to give in.

Lastly it seems after a few weeks the flavor is more noticeable when I vape. I think it has something to do with your taste buds healing.

 

[ChrispyCritter]

Unless you were a light smoker you might be better off using 18-24mg nic to start off..I started at 36mg it was too high and then I used 24mg for awhile and it really got rid of the cravings..I was a more than a pack a day smoker..more nic will get you more throat hit also...

 

[Cynder]

The volt is a KR808. There are CE2'd for KR808, though they require a bit of modding they are pretty darn good.

kbpipes, I still (almost 3 months analog free) get urges. this is going to take a bit of will power and perserverance to get through, at these times I have my higher nic strong throat hit juices to get me through. I sometimes miss the same things that you do. But I can't go back, I refuse.

 

[vafromnc]

I had the same experience. I got very discouraged, almost threw all my stuff away in disgust. I decided to get a 5 volt device, and got a little 5v pass through. It made a huge difference. Now, I use my lower volt device during the day and my 5v in the mornings and evenings. Little things like that can really help.

 

[ambition]

The tastebuds take a little time to rebound.
Aside from menthol, I'm yet to find a prefilled carto that I truly enjoy (I rarely smoked menthol analogs btw) but when your taste improves, you'll start to notice the flavour of juices more.

I can sympathize with you about it not feeling quite right, and there's always things that you'll miss (I too miss the smell of a freshly lit cigarette) but the more you stick with it, the more you'll start to notice yourself enjoying vaping and seeking out new experiences through new hardware, different style cartos and tasty juices.

Some juice vendors that make juice themselves can make the flavour stronger for you if you prefer. I think tastyvapor is one.

So yeah, stick at it, at first it feels like work but it gets to be so much better after a short time. You're not the only one to have thought this at first.

 

[VapingRulz]

I can't vape 12mg because it tastes like nothing. I'd suggest that you up your nic level to at least 18mg. You can lower it gradually, once you are on firm vaping ground.

 

[bigtiime]

+1 for upping your nicotine level. 12mg is very low to start with and will more than likely not satisfy your nic cravings. Flavor is something that you will have to discover. We could recommend 100 juices and you may not like any of them. Juice chasing is a very big and somewhat enjoyable part of vaping. The Volt is a great kit. Give yourself some time to learn how to use it and also to make the adjustment from smoking to vaping. This may not happen overnight. Good luck to you!

 

[ReleaseXtheXKraken]

Thanks for all the input. For whatever reason though I just cant taste anything really. I thought maybe I just burnt my tongue on this sandwhich that I had...but food tasted the same as always, drinks tasted the same as always, my cigs tasted the same, just couldnt really taste any of these juices. I can get hints of flavor but nothing over the top. Nothing that makes me go "WOW." Really the majority of the juices I have just make me go "Meh, thats just above flavorless." My buddy tried the ejuice I got today. For me, pretty bland. For him, he could taste the fruityness of the New Melon from Vaporbomb, he could get strong flavor from the Kretek from Tasty Vapor and the other juices I had with me. I thought maybe the Menthol Ice from Halo could have blown out my taste buds...but I just dont know. I'm going to keep trying, this was an investment and I'm not going to throw in the towel just yet, just a lil irritated with my experience so far...

I used the condom method to fill the cartos. The usually seemed a little dry so I would drip in a few drops so that they would be saturated. For my first carto (the Menthol Ice) I filled it up, blew into the carto to get any excess juice out of the center tube, wiped it off (including the connection), popped it on the battery and just started vaping. I vaped for maybe an hour or two. Flavor was good, not over the top but good. Very methol-y. Good vapor. I went to bed and the next day the vaping experience was different. The flavor diminshed. I topped it off by dripping some drops in (while disconnected from the battery). Filled another carto with some Kretek (same method as above) and didnt really get anything satisfying from that or the other carto from then on out.

I may up the nic strength when I get this taste issue sorted out. I'd say I'm about a half pack day smoker, give or take. I was iffy about starting on a higher nic content just for the fact that I dont like harsh throat hit from cigs or otherwise. i like it there, yea, but mild and warm not choking me so I opted for a lower strength but I guess I'll have to check it out and see.

 

[Island Vapor]

If I am not mistaken.Tasty vapor makes their juice to order so letting is steep for a week or two the flavors will come out more or letting the juice sit in hot water helps it steep.I have never been a big fan of CE2s.I like carto tanks.I also like VV PVs.To me it brings out the flavor.Adding WTA to my e juice give me a more satisfying vape as well.Aroma e juice has WTA.All the best of luck.You just have to find out what works for you.You will.their are a lot of very helpful people on this form.

 

[tidegirl]

Another thing that tends to happen is losing your taste buds for the juice. This has happened to me a few times already. Try changing your juice, or using stronger flavored juices. They will return.

For 1/2 ppd smoking 12 mg actually sounds about right. You could try upping the nic if you feel that the 12 mg is not controlling your cravings. Otherwise be patient for your taste bud's nap.

 

[clt1dpw]

I agree with Ambition.
Starting out is hard, but after a couple of days I noticed the tastes really came thru.
Thats all the time it takes for the Analog effect to let you body start healing.
After that, then it is just a matter of tring different flavors.
Start at 18 to 24 mg for 1 to 2 pack a day smoker.
Also try small samples of differnt flavors.
I have found that after 1 1/2 years of vaping, that my tastes change a little every couple of months, so back up flavors is like changing clothes for differnt seasons.
I smoked for 35 years and I love vaping.
Don't get discouraged quickly and you and your family will love it.

 

[Kay1959]

I started out with not being able to taste any flavor also. I bumped up the nico mgs and started making my own juice, so I could adjust the flavoring and nico content. Both of these adjustments have worked well for me. Something also that no one has mentioned here yet is the possibility that you aren't vaping right. I had to learn how to vape, it's not the same as smoking. You inhale for about 5 seconds through your mouth, and then exhale through your nose, that way your tasting the flavor with both your mouth and your nose. Try that and see if that dosen't help. I also know that there are some companies where you can order 'double flavor' which might help you also. Hang in there, once you find your sweet spot you won't look back at another analog!!

 

[VapourMonkey]

Another thing that tends to happen is losing your taste buds for the juice. This has happened to me a few times already. Try changing your juice, or using stronger flavored juices. They will return.

For 1/2 ppd smoking 12 mg actually sounds about right. You could try upping the nic if you feel that the 12 mg is not controlling your cravings. Otherwise be patient for your taste bud's nap.

I find my tastebuds seem to be erratic, some days the flavour is overwhelming, other days with the same setup and juice, I can hardly taste it.

 

[PumaSpeed]

I have been vaping for about 3 days now, at the moment most of the flavors seem to taste the same, except the Menthol and Halo's Midnight Apple, and as a lot of people suggested, the nic level has a bit to do with it, so I upped mine, getting a shipment in today of 24mg. I was on 12mg and it wasn't doing anything for me, I also did a flavor shot on them as well (TastyVapor) to get some added flavor.

All the flavors I have tasted bland, and blah, so give it time, I've noticed to let the flavors steep and it will get stronger. Just don't give up and give in! There are a lot of people here to help and yes the info is overwhelming, but keep reading and find what works for you! Good Luck and Welcome to Vap'ing!

 

[andyman97]

I tried a lot of different flavors and only a handful gave me the flavor and satisfaction that I liked. The first problem was that I was only using 11-12 mg juice. I stepped up to 18 mg and that took care of weak throat hits. The other issue I was having was that I was just using an ego with LR cartos. I stepped up to a mod with a real battery and that helped tremendously.

As for flavor, at a decent voltage, you'll get more flavor on LR, but some juices just don't satisfy, I've found. I would really recommend some alien visions juices. Boba's Bounty and Gorilla juice are favorites, along with Raf-a-licious and Hype. I'd suggest ordering at least a couple of small bottles to test out, and if you do, ask for a flavor bump during checkout.

 

[markfm]

I agree with upping the nic.

Also, if you're a menthol person, pick up a bottle of liquid menthol concentrate, either the Menthol Liquid or Menthol Liquid (PG) here:
Perfumers Apprentice - Menthol and Mint

Shake the menthol bottle first, then add just a little bit to your eliquid, about 5 drops per 30 ml bottle of eliquid, shake it a bit, then fill the carto. If the menthol is still light, try another 5 drops. This will definitely kick up the menthol factor. Either the 15 or 30 ml bottle is a good price point, will last a long time.

Good luck!