As a gift, which do you recommend?

[NubeeResearcher]

The cartridges are crap (sorry), but they are. I just throw them in the garbage, it's not fair to even compare what vaping can be to a cartridge. Do yourself a favor and get some Boges at 2 and 3 ohms (1 pack of 5 each), you can get them from here Boge 510 Cartomizers for 510 or eGo ,or here if you wanna buy 3 or more packs Crystal Clear Vaping you can get 15 cartos for 20 bucks. They also have clear cartos which I think any newbie should have to see how juice travels. They also carry drip tips at (from what I know) the best price for the same at other sites, here GoodProphets.com - Your View into the World of Vaping...
I would get aluminum, delrin, and if they have the pretty swirl ones she might like that....that way she can see what she's most comfortable with in her mouth - also they come in pretty colors. But they also have them at CCV if you wanna stick to one shop.

As for juice, here's a list of places that do 3ml sample sizes that I got through a search in the forum
ARES
Pure Vapes (0 nic)
FreedomSmoke USA
Vaperite (sample pak)
Juicy Vapor - over 400 flavors
Good Prophets
Bluemist Vaping - great fruit sampler
Vapors Etc. ($6.95 for 5)
Velvet Vapors - love their Buttered Popcorn
Grand River Vapors
Southern Ambrosia (3pak sampler)
BomBayVaping
Vermillion River (Free Sample 4.5ML, and 4.7ml samples for $3.25)
Vapor Room
Pink Spot Vapors
ttteliquids.com
VoidMist
Johnson Creek Orig. Smoke Juice
Vermont Vapor
VividSmoke
Aroma E-juice
Strictlyejuice
Mr-e-liquid
want2vape
Liberty Flights
Vaperite (6pak)

and this place, although they do not have 3ml, have 13mL for like 6 bucks and have THE best fruit flavored juice I have tried, it's just the best IMO http://shop.vaporheads.net/USA-Mixed-Flavored-E-Liquid-USA-Mixed-Flavored-E-Liquid.htm it's called Orange Strawberry Banana, simple enough, but the best blend of fruit flavors I've tried bar none. Not that I truely taste each of the said flavors, but it's just a great mix. In fact, I've just convinced myself to fill up a carto with that right now. But remember *taste is purely subjective*.

I think that's about it and you'd be all set. AND go with manual batts...there is a reason why it's been said countless times on this forum and why you've found that in your research manual is better.

 

[mynameisrob]

If you buy a 15-pack of cartos from CCV you get a syringe and a free drip tip too!

 

[NubeeResearcher]

Oh! And don't forget to check these places for coupon codes and sales.

https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AXQuWOYlCSL1ZGc1NHZjdHNfN2Riemc4Mnc3&hl=en&pli=1
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/general-e-smoking-discussion/146219-coupon-code-master-list.html
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/pay-forward-pif/85781-deals-steals-304.html
and this is the classifieds where members of the forum often put up large lots of juice for decent prices http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/classifieds-swaps/index2.html - the benefit here would be that the juices are steeped already so no waiting game to get the best flavor outta ur newly bought juice.

Oh! Yeah, Rob above me is correctamundo! I forgot to mention that! Thanks.

 

[dormouse]

Just throwing another suggestion in - if this person has never vaped then I recommend something much simpler as a gift like a manual KR808D-1 - see SmokelessImage, Bloogplanet, Halocigs G6 which have the rubberized finish lots of colors and the best sealed manuals. I recommend the 78mm manual batteries to make a 120mm 320mah ecig. Prefilled cartomizers (SI has some sampler packs) and one simple tobacco juice and one vanilla juice - between those you can refill just about any flavor carto and get a nice blend of flavors while learning. And a 510 drip tip is nice for use as a mouthpiece (the plain clear colored and the rounded delrin at LiteCigUSA.net should fit and some others there are too tight. there you can also buy a DSE901 atomizer which can use the same drip tip on the batteries I listed above, for testing new juices). Vapor4Life cartomizers can also be used and their batteries have the benefit of allowing much longer drags and a bit stronger 3.7v unregulated (vs 3.6v regulated) but they don't have the extra 40mah of charge the others I listed have, and their manuals are not sealed as well. I use both.

Strongest slim ecig, simple as possible to starting vaping. Charge, screw on a prefilled carto, vape. If the carto is run down to near dry it may singe - it's best to keep them damp with eliquid and the drip tip mouthpiece is easier to remove than the end cap. I can get 7 days use out of one cartomizer using thin clear juices like Vapor4Life WOW juices, SmokelessImage/Bloog juices should be 80PG/20VG, and I use other juices PG w/ 10-20% VG.

 

[FussyQBert]

So the cartridges suck. So to use an atomizer you would directly drop the juice into the atomizer then put the drip tip on and hit? Seems mostly for at-home vaping... And I'm guessing this produces a better hit compared to cartomizers.

Do you need a drip tip to hit it at all? or they just make for a much more comfortable feel while in your mouth?

Great info everyone

 

[tj99959]

I know for sure that I would get her a nice pipe mod that she would never use so that she would give it back to me

Do you need a drip tip to hit it at all? or they just make for a much more comfortable feel while in your mouth?

If you don't want blisters on your lip, a drip tip is a good idea. A atty can get a bit hot.

 

[jlazarus]

I'm just a newbie to vaping but love it! I think your girlfriend will as well!

I, too, thought I would only want a small PV - but since I was buying for both the hubby and myself I bought several kits - 1) Riva Deluxe Carto Kit from Liberty Flights (great deal and I LOVE the Decadent Vapor line of juice), 2) the VaporKing from V4L, and 3) The E-power from CCV.

While the VaporKing is smaller, and I do use it a bit, I love the Riva. I think I may love the e-power, but I got one with what appears to be a faulty switch so I'm waiting on a replacement (it turns off, but doesn't turn off). Having said that, since it does turn on, I have tested it and really got some good hits off it. I may end up using that one more at home, etc., but for me, the Riva looks fab and was just so easy....

Size of these 3 are Vapor King smallest, Riva medium, E-Power bigger than the Riva. But my Titanium Riva with a Smok Tech Dual Coil XL with the flat tip looks GREAT! I've had several girlfriends comment on how "stylish" it looks and frankly I could not be happier vaping away on it.

I can't really comment on dripping and atty - I have tried several times and apparently just can't get it right. I know I do NOT like the carts - For the moment I'm a carto girl - I have the Smok Tech as well as some Resurrectors and both are easy to fill (I use a syringe now but dripped juice into them the first few days and it wasn't hard - just make sure she watches a video or two and reads a few how to threads). I like the cartos because they are convenient, last a good while and really aren't that expensive.

If I were buying an e-cig for any of my girlfriends I'd definitely buy them the Riva, with the extra (3rd) Titanium Batt and some good cartos and some DV juice from Liberty Flights - probably about 5-6 sample flavors to "test" and I'd get them in 18mg and 24 mg as well (to test nic strength).

Just my two cents ;-)

ETA: Don't be surprised if she DOES quit analogs though - I was surprised that I did. Why would I want to smoke a nasty, ashy cig when I can have a sweet, clean tobacco flavor or tiramisu or chocolate fudge cake or caramel popcorn or..or...or....;-)

 

[mynameisrob]

A drip tip is not a necessity but like said above, an atty can get hot so it keeps your mouth away from being directly on it.

You can also take the cap off a cartomizer and put a drip tip on it for a mouthpiece. I use a drip tip on the Ressurectors and it works well. It also makes it easy to distinguish what juice is in each carto if you vape a few different juices.
Thats whats nice about ordering your cartos from CCV. Since you get a free drip tip if you order 15 you can collect quite a few. Then put one on each carto you use alot.
I know that the blue drip tip carto is my morning vape, Cafe Caramel, the green drip tip carto is b&m, etc.
It makes it easier, especially in the beginning if your vaping a lot of different juices.
When I first started I had like 5 or 6 different cartos with juices that I liked. I had to always try to figure out what was in each one

 

[keyzygirl]

I say a nice 808 is a good start.V4L has XL manual batts in pretty colors and lots of sampler packs of cartos.

 

[Maximillian]

Not to highjack the thread, but...

I've never tried a kr8. But, recently bought a mod with 808 threading, and so bought some 808 cartos to go with it. So, my question is this. Every 510 carto or atty that I put onto a 510 device, the carto/atty wiggles a bit. No biggie, but annoying, and had to get used to it, not wanting to overtighten it and maybe mess up the batt. The 808, I put the first carto on, barely snug it down, and it's rock solid. Not a bit of wiggle. Anyone who's used both 510 and 808d care to chime in? Is this common?


Maximillian the Vaguely Disreputable

 

[dormouse]

Re cartridges - 3-piece ecigs come with atomizer and some kind of cartridge. But most people instead use a drip tip to test juices and vape occasional ones AT HOME (not safe for driving etc) and use cartomizers for their favorite juices when away from home or almost all the time.

Cartridges are totally open on one end - they can dump 1/2 their juice in your mouth or purse. They are OK to learn on but not the most convenient way to vape. And atomizers can degrade and die. I started on cartridges and one morning had to fight with it for 25 minutes to get my first drag. It wasn't wicking so I added juice, then it flooded and I cleaned it up and wasn't wicking and I added juice then it dumped it in my mouth and I cleaned it up etc. In moving cars was also a place where it liked to go "hey - how about if I dump 1/2 my juice in your mouth?". Not good.

Gift - I still recommend a KR808D-1 manual cartomizer model.

 

[lunabella]

I agree with Dormouse. If you're making the choice for your girlfriend and buying it as a gift, I would buy something as close to a tobacco cig (referred to here as 'analogs') as possible.

I started with a Green Smoke kit (KR808D-2 threading) and although I still like it an it got me off the analogs, I would never recommend it as it's overpriced and not compatible with cartomizers/batteries from other vendors. IMHO, just plain stay away from anything with a KR808D-2 threading. There are much better e-cigs out there for a lot less $$.

I also have an eGo-T. Even though I got the kit with the short (650 mah) batteries, I still find it pretty bulky. If I can't hold it like a cigarette, it doesn't mimic smoking enough for me to be satisfied. I don't personally think i'd feel comfortable vaping it in public. When I do use it, I use it at home and with cartomizers. I don't even bother with the tanks because they're a leaky mess and I'm not a fan of the whistle tip.

So my most recent purchase was a Volt kit from Smokeless Image. I am beyond thrilled with it. It's really lightweight yet really powerful. The cartos seem to last forever (but certainly not even close to as long as a pack of cigs like some ppl will say), the batteries last way longer than I expected (a couple hours at the very least with heavy vaping) and it creates a really nice warm very full cloud of vapour. Because the Pro Kit comes with a personal charging case (PCC), when one battery runs out she can charge it on the go right in her purse. Doesn't get much easier than that. The USB passthrough is an absolute necessity as an accessory IMHO if she spends any time on the computer. Plug it into the computer and never have to worry about draining your other batteries. It's also nice as a back up if both batteries are dead. There's a Volt starter kit that includes everything she'd need to get started (the batteries, 2 packs of pre-filled cartomizers, the pcc, a usb passthrough, and a usb/wall charger as well) for under $100. Now 10 pre-filled cartomizers aren't going to last forever, but it's a start to see if she's interested in vaping. They ship pretty quickly, so if she tries a flavour from them that she likes, you should be able to get it in a few days.

A lot of people prefer the manuals; I tend to prefer the automatics (I find they exactly mimic my old smoking habit), but I like both manuals and automatics. It's just a matter of personal taste. If you do chose an automatic, Volt automatic batteries now come in sealed versions, so you don't have to worry as much about frying the battery if juice gets in it.

BTW - taste is really subjective, but I really like Smokeless Image's RY4 - it's kind of a toasty tasting sweet caramel tobacco.

Regardless of what you pick up for your gf, I really hope she enjoys vaping!!