About to make the jump, but a few important questions remain...

[Tacotuesday]

First, hello everyone. After reading so many posts, I have to say that it is amazing how informative and caring everyone is here. I will be placing my first order in the next day or two, and I am worried about a few things:

I want to make sure I do it right. I have studied all the large beginner kits, but am afraid I am missing some, so can anyone tell me, if price is not an issue, what is the BIGGEST and BEST kit? I know "best" is subjective, so here is some info on me.

I smoke 1 to 1.5 packs/day for 18 years. Knowing my personality, ease of use is probably the most important factor, even more than taste. I will probably start at 16-18 mg. I can do it at office (USB pass-through is a necessity then right?) I am away from home a lot. Like I said I don't care too much about cost...I am too scared of failing to let that govern my first purchase.

The one thing that worries me most, however, is the nights I go out. A couple times a month I am out real late and will figure on being out for 10-14 hour stretches without a chance to refill or recharge. (and, like most people, my analog consumption goes up tremendously when I am out drinking) Can anyone else who does it tell me what materials they need and how many to get them through a full evening, night, and usually morning of, for lack of a better word, partying?

Any advice I can get before I make my decision on this will truly be appreciated! I can't wait to join your ranks!

Oh yeah, one last thing...where do I get the counter thingy to see how much money I saved and how many analogs I avoided? I know it sounds somewhat overly-optimistic to think I need a counter before I have even tried it, but I know I can do it!

Thanks all, John

 

[Jmitchelliv]

For the nights you go out, you may consider a basic 510 kit with a PCC (Basically it's a case that can also charge your batteries on the go), or many members here hight suggest you just go with an eGo/Riva right off the bat. The battery life on the eGo/Riva blows away that of the 510. Where you might get 2-3 hours of vaping from the standard 510, the eGo/Riva will give you about 6-8 hours... certainly good enough for any night out... and I know how you party in Chicago.

Either way you go, to avoid constant refilling, I'd suggest the Boge 510 cartomizers. Fill 'em up, take a few with you, and you're good to go for hours.

 

[JC Okie]

I'm with Jmitchell on the cartomizer. I'd suggest the 510 Riva from E-Liquid and Electronic Cigarette Shop - Category Listings. They're selling them for $30 right now and that's just an insane price. Each of their batteries will last 6-8 hours....carry the extra one with you when you're out on the town. The kit will come with two atomizers, but you can buy cartomizers for about $8 for a pack of five. Each of them will hold 25-30 drops. Don't forget to get lots of juice. I suggest you buy several little 5 or 10 ml bottles until you figure out what you like, then order it in 30ml bottles. You CAN do this.....it's going to be easier than you think. Also, I don't think you can get a counter until you have a few more posts. You need at least 5 to get out of this forum and get your privileges.

 

[DaveP]

I recommend the Ego with a Monster atty. The Monster atty (Joye Type B Cylinder) will hold about 2.5ml and the Ego battery will give you about 6 hours of vaping. One extra batt should get you through the long days and you might have to top off the monster cart once. A 10ml bottle of juice and a batt will easily fit in a pocket.

The Revision 4 ceramic cartos are also a good choice.

All of these are available at Electronic Cigarettes, Eliquid by Awesome Vapor

Monster atty: http://www.awesomevapor.com/Monster-atomizer-for-eGo_p_183.html

 

[DivaB]

Well...for me price is important. I was a 3 pack a day smoker and didn't quit right away. It took me 5 months to figure out what flavor worked best for me, if cartomizers or attys were my thing (it's caromizers), and to make sure I had plenty of supplies and working equipment and started MODing some things for myself. I prefer the ce2 R4 xl cartomizers, my preference in Liberty Flights Riva kit (only $30) when going out on the town (along with extra batteries in a 900 mah). In my car I use my own boxmod car charger port, at home I use my own boxmod or flashlight mod, and my regular and mega 510s are just backups now. I was a heavy menthol smoker, but during my 5 months found that for me it was honey e liquid that did the trick (who would've thought). During that 5 months I did have on average 2 - 3 analogs a day. I think everyone is going to be different here and you just have to figure out what is best for you. Of course with price not being an issue, someone else on here can recommend and awesome battery mod for you. Because of that 10 -14 hour stretch you have where you can't refill will be a bit difficult. Some may swear by the wetbox, I have one, and don't care for it...but perhaps for you, it is something you want to look into and you may love it...there are also ones out there that will hold a 6ml bottle rather than the 3ml bottle. Good Luck and have fun!

 

[dale3h]

Having used both the Joye 510 and Joye eGo for 2 days now, I'd highly recommend the eGo right off the bat. I'm not exactly displeased with the 510, but it doesn't provide anywhere close to the same hit that the eGo does.

As for carts vs cartos, I couldn't tell you...I haven't experienced a carto for myself yet, but I hear they are great!

I had 3 analogs on Wed, 3 on Thurs, and none today. It is really a lot easier than I thought it would be...I am a chain smoker when I work, so I purchased a USB pass thru and I couldn't get happier!

You can do it, and we are all here to help support you along the way!

 

[Jessara]

Hi and welcome to ECF! Looks like you've already gotten some fantastic advice here, so here comes the only thing I can add...

You might just get REALLY lucky and the first kit you order, and the first juice you try might be your personal utopia. But honestly, and practically - it probably won't be. It's going to take you some time and experimenting to find out exactly what works the best for you. You might experiment with minis (510/Kr808), fat batts (eGo/Riva), big batts, mods, juiceboxes, bottom-feeders, etc. You'll try nicotine in a wide range of strengths, you'll delve into the thousands of flavors. You'll play with atty's/carts, cartomizers, tanks.... So just prepare yourself to the *possibility* that no matter what you get at first, your needs may change (or the order of importance) as you get deeper into vaping.

Now that I've probably thoroughly confused you - I'll back up what the others said is a good start. An eGo or Riva (same thing as an eGo, just rebranded) and cartomizers is probably what you'll be happiest with when you go out.

 

[trouble2k]

I would second and third a few of the suggestion you've already gotten. eGo or Riva starter kit from Liberty Flights, one extra 900 mah battery for the long nights, one eGo passthru for computer use, and BOGE 510 cartomizers. That would be enough to keep anybody fully charged and ready to vape at any given time.

 

[oldsoldier]

After reading the original post since price is no object I would suggest a REO grand Reo Mini or ALI'I with extra batteries. they're solid mods with juice feed and the battery life is excellent. Take a spare battery if you think you'll be gone a long time and you're all set.

The 2 minute learning curve ( I don't have one but everyone that has one seems to say the REO's learning curve is only a couple minutes) and straight up convenience of not needing to fiddle with carts and cartos make it worthwhile.

Buy a couple extra attys and some different juices and you are all set.

 

[Tacotuesday]

Wow! Thanks everyone for the quick replies and support!

Jessara - nah..."moderately" confused maybe But like anything, I know that as I learn, I will adapt. I thought I was a pretty smart guy, but I admit I am lost regarding a lot of the sheer volume of info and technical details available. It is pretty intimidating, kinda like chemistry class, which I had to take 2 times.

I was leaning toward eGo but one thing I am worried about is I think that the more similar the shape and look is to an analog, the better my chances are at first. Is the eGo or 510 much bigger?

 

[jm_joslin]

I have tried 3 diff types of ecigs and my fave is the joye ego. I used to smoke about a pack a day sometimes a little more. The joye ego battery usually will last me a little over a day without a charge. The battery on the ego is awesome. If your worried about the battery going dead, I would recommend getting a charging case for the joye ego. If you purchase the starter kit, it will come with a usb that plugs into a wall adapter. The usb cord can also be charged in any usb port so a charging case might not be necessary. Also, if you get the kit, make sure it has 2 atomizers and 2 batteries. This will give you two complete cigs.



My next recommendation is to not use prefilled cartridges. I prefer dripping directly onto the atomizer. Prefilled carts really suck, more expensive, and do not last as long as they claim they do. I was filling my own carts but that was annoying. If you will be traveling alot, I would think dripping would be easier. Some might disagree but for me and my husband, we think its less maintenance. If you decide to drip, buy a drip tip or just pull the cartridge off and drip the liquid directly onto the atty.

Also make sure you get a case for the joye ego. It makes it so much easier to have your batteries, usb cord, and a small bottle of liquid in the case. They will send a cheap little pouch with the kit but you will have to dig for everything.

Do not forget to purchase prefilled carts or liquid.

Joye Ego starter kit Joye eGo Starter Kits | Joye eGo Electronic Cigarettes

Joye ego carrying case Zipped eGo Carrying Case | Joye eGo Case

Joye ego charging case Joye eGo Personal Charging Case | Route 66 Vapor

 

[trouble2k]

Wow! I was leaning toward eGo but one thing I am worried about is I think that the more similar the shape and look is to an analog, the better my chances are at first. Is the eGo or 510 much bigger?

Having something more similar to a cigarette can be helpful for a lot of people in the beginning. But, then we start steering away from that fairly quickly once we (1) realize that small batteries just don't have enough power to keep us going, and (2) we start changing our habits that surround smoking; such as holding it between our fingers, flipping the ashes, etc...These are habits we will be breaking either way. I think for most of us we realize the most important part of the transition from smoking to vaping is...well, the vapor. (And, of course, a good flavor to go along with it.)

Just my opinion, but I think that the trust a person can put into their first kit is extremely important. If you do go out on the town and run out of power (I've done it), the more likely you will be to bum a smoke to get you through. Especially after you have a few extra drinks in you. Trying to carry around charging cases and keeping an eye on them while you're out could be a bit of a hassle also. But, if you can just have one good, long lasting battery with a couple of extra cartos in your pocket, you don't have to babysit it or worry about it. When you have something that you are confident with--that's where your best chances for quitting come from.

 

[jj2]

Welcome TacoTuesday. I'd go with the eGo or model like it.
Hopefully you'll be vaping before they approve the next tax hike and get it going. At least Illinois is one of the states (at the moment) that isn't out to ban the ecig.

 

[bruiser]

The eGo is about the size of a 40 ring gauge cigar. Liberty Flights has them, at the moment, for $40. Probably the cheapest you'll find, unless you spring for the Riva clone. Since you are out and about for long periods of time, I'd also get some mega cartomizers. With those, you don't have to worry about dripping or refilling cartridges. Fill two or three up, put'em in your pocket and away you go. Be sure batteries are charged.

Then, there is the Mega eGo.

 

[Jessara]

And then there is the eGo-T, lol...

Actually if you have your mind set on something "cigarette-like", just DON'T go with a super mini. You will probably end up wishing you hadn't. The mini's aren't bad though (like the 510, KR808D-1) - but you will definitely need a PCC and you'll have to use it to recharge your batteries every few hours. I have a 510 that I've had since I started down this road, and I love it. But in all honesty, if you want something that you don't have to fiddle with every few hours, I still say the eGo/Riva is your best bet. Mods like OldSoldier were suggesting are *really* nice, but you might feel a little weird using one until you really get accustomed to using a pv.

Don't feel bad for wanting something "cigarette-like" - we all pretty much went through that stage. It'll pass. *wink*

 

[Tacotuesday]

Having something more similar to a cigarette can be helpful for a lot of people in the beginning. But, then we start steering away from that fairly quickly once we (1) realize that small batteries just don't have enough power to keep us going, and (2) we start changing our habits that surround smoking; such as holding it between our fingers, flipping the ashes, etc...These are habits we will be breaking either way.

After I read this, I started thinking that maybe the need I had for it to look or feel as close to a analog was going to be counter-productive in more ways than one. (The battery issue etc), but when you said that for the most part, you start to drift away from the typical associations with analogs (shape, ashing etc) I thought that it would be actually kind of DUMB for me to get one that looked like the cursed ones I am trying to get rid of.

I read a few posts about non-smokers having the typical reactions to vapors simply because it looked so similar to an analog. Not only that, but I think that getting away from the white/tan design would go a long way towards clearing my mind of all associations with the old ones.

I am ordering the eGo kit and some extras as soon as I am done typing this...I will post what I ordered on this thread in case anyone sees that I forgot something important

 

[dormouse]

If you are smoking full strength cigarettes then I think 24mg is more common if you plan to vape abut as much as you smoked or a bit more. Some full strength smokers need to start higher. 16-18mg would probably work for a full-strength smoker if you are going to vape about 1.5x as much as you smoked. If you are a lights smoker, 16-18mg is a fairly common starting point for vaping as much as you smoked.

Biggest Best is subjective. The common big ones (extra long battery life) are Ego (a fat battery/charger version of 510), Riva (which I believe is very similar and may be available in both 510 and 901-based models?), and the probably too new to have many fans Elegant Easy (fat battery/charger version of KR808D-1)

But those are all based upon mini models (about 115mm+ long and a bit fatter than a cigarette) which are good models but different.

510 - probably most common on this board, comes with atty/carts or variety of blank cartos also available
901 - less popular than 510, softer cooler tasty drag, cartos probably less available
KR8 - dedicated cartomizer model (though a 901 atty/cart can be used w/ no adapter), good batteries for a mini when used with a cartomizer because more of the length is battery. Many prefilled cartomizers available.

 

[Tacotuesday]

OK I just put in my order... lol, this is so confusing. I don't even know if everything I bought is compatible. If anyone see's any errors, let me know.

Or if I forgot something too...

Order #3013

Order Date: 10th Jan 2011

This order is marked as Awaiting Fulfillment

The outstanding balance of your order is $193.20 USD

Here's how to pay for your order:

Your Order Contains:

* 1 x 10ml E Juice Liquid Pepper
(Nicotine Strength: 18mg)
* 1 x 10ml E Juice Liquid Mint
(Nicotine Strength: 18mg)
* 1 x 10ml E Juice Liquid Raspberry
(Nicotine Strength: 18mg)
* 1 x Joye eGo Starter Kit White
* 1 x Joye eGo USB Passthrough Battery
(Color: White)
* 1 x Joye eGo Type B Mega Atomizer
(Color: White)
* 1 x Joye eGo Type B Mega Empty Cartridges
* 1 x Joye eGo Personal Charging Case
* 1 x 510D Soft Cap Cartomizers Empty
* 1 x 10ml PG VG Mix EJuice Liquid Coffee
(Nicotine Strength: 36mg)

Thanks to everyone for all the help so far!

 

[Tacotuesday]

Yeah...it probably would have helped if I mentioned the strength lol. The past 5 years I have solely been smoking Camel lights after moving down from red, then mediums... I ordered mainly 18 mg, but I did order one 36mg to try. As I figured this would be better for when I am in situations where I only have time to sneak a hit or two.

 

[mlinky]

Normally, I think the eGo is a great starter kit, but if you are really worried about 13-14 hours without recharging or refilling, you probably need a box mod. I think the REO grand would be a fabulous buy for you if money is not an issue and you don't care if it looks like an analog.