Can I get some experienced advice for a first timer?

[thecosmicenergy]

Hello all you vaporers, this is my first post. I have already done a little research on PVs and watched all of the "Doctor Vapor" vids on YouTube. Now that I'm excited and ready to buy one, I thought I would come here to get some expert advice on the brand, type and where I should buy from. Let me describe my smoking habits and preferences to you as that would probably help:

1. I only smoke when I drink, which is two nights a week.
2. I usually smoke about a pack on each of those nights.
3. My current brand of analogs is Winston Light 100's, and I think at first would like to get some juice or carts that are tobacco flavored or least something that is beer friendly and won't clash with it...i.e. "Blueberry Lung", etc.
4. I think I prefer a matte black finish with a blue LED instead of one that mimics an analog.
5. I plan on refilling/dripping my own atomizer/cartridge.

Also, it seems there is a general favorable consensus on Manual batteries rather than Auto Batts, right?

With some help, I hope to be vaping by this weekend.

Thanks in advance,
Cosmic

 

[bombshellECHO]

First off welcome to ecf!

Well I have a good one for you but some would say no do to being auto does size matter alot to you? If not for what you described you like I would look into a auto echo yeah yeah my name has echo in it and im suggesting it looks like im an advertiser but alas I am not. The auto echo is what I started off on and it was awesome if the led isn't a deal breaker I would deff go with the manual echo 1100 mah or 1300 mah it dosnt have a led but it has the upside of being a manual. I think I got mine from sterling vapor (hope I spelled that right) also I would recommend picking up a atty and a drip tip (I prefer the plastic ones) and maybe some extra cartomizers as well. Good luck and happy vaping!!!
Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk

 

[madjack]

...my advice(such as it is), goto E-Liquid and Electronic Cigarette Shop - Category Listings click the 20%off button in the top left corner and scroll down to "Riva 510 lite"...this is a Joye eGo clone with a true 3.7 bat for 29.99...keep the atty's for dripping but goto Crystal Clear Vaping and pick up some Boges or Resurrectors and you will be setup for hardware...for e-joose, first off, you cannot exactly recreate the taste of burning funk unless you burn something...get some USA, Cowboy, or someother tobacco flavor in 18mg nic strength to start with and getta vaping!!!!!!
madjack

 

[Baldr]

I was in a similar situation, though I was a much heavier smoker. I went with the ego T, 1000 mah batteries, and have been very happy with it. Type A tanks/atomizers worked well for me. Recently, I got some of the EMDCC's and I like them. Since they came in a few days ago, that's all I've used, and they'll probably be my day-to-day, at least for awhile now.

I'll link those....

eGo Mega Dual Coil Cartomizer

Are you sure you want a light on the end? Most of the better PV's don't have a light, and myself, I'd prefer not to have one. If you try to stealth vape, that's just one more thing to draw attention. And it really doesn't serve any purpose.

Good luck.

 

[cskent]

I don't know how close you are to MadVapes, they're in Cornelius, NC. If you're close enough to make the drive it might be worth it to actually see, touch, and try a few PV's before you decide. If not then I'll try to help. If you plan on dripping get manual batteries, auto's can be ruined by leakage, and if you drip it'll leak sometimes. If you smoke a pack at a time you probably won't want a small battery. Look at units that have at least a 650mah capacity or larger. Ego's, Riva's, Echo, E-Power and the like are good starting points.

Strange as it may seem, I like coffee flavor with beer. The one I vape is from Vapor Bomb and has good strong throat hit and that's what you will want to go with adult beverages. Tobacco flavors don't do it for me, but that's my preference and your tastes may be very different. In any case start with a blend of 80/20 PG/VG or thereabouts and you'll get decent vapor and better throat hit.

 

[JJWilder]

I'll agree with madjack if you want a manual battery without an LED, that is larger than a normal cigarette size, get the Riva 510 Lite Bundle. (This kinda sounds negative, but I absolutely don't mean for it to be)

In your description, it sounds like you're in the market for a cigarette size model, just with different colors. If that is something you want to start on, I recommend the Volt by Smokeless Image. I began with the Volt auto, before moving to a larger battery, manual model. If you are gonna be vaping a lot in a short period, make sure you get a few batteries if you choose the Volt, or any cigarette size model.

To narrow some results; does it have to be cigarette size? with an LED?

 

[thecosmicenergy]

I'll agree with madjack if you want a manual battery without an LED, that is larger than a normal cigarette size, get the Riva 510 Lite Bundle. (This kinda sounds negative, but I absolutely don't mean for it to be)

In your description, it sounds like you're in the market for a cigarette size model, just with different colors. If that is something you want to start on, I recommend the Volt by Smokeless Image. I began with the Volt auto, before moving to a larger battery, manual model. If you are gonna be vaping a lot in a short period, make sure you get a few batteries if you choose the Volt, or any cigarette size model.

To narrow some results; does it have to be cigarette size? with an LED?

Yeah, I just realized that I forgot to mention that I didn't want one with a bulky battery; I think I would kinda feel like I was smoking on a magic marker. lol.

I am pretty set on a blue LED too.

That being said, I really am attracted to the Volt with the PCC:
Smokeless Image | Only The Best Electronic Cigarette | Volt - Pro Starter Kit - Starter Kits

Cost: $56.91 w/free shipping and after 15% discount code (ECR69). I figure that I can get 2 of the manual batts in the 78mm length (320mAh), and since one is always being charged in the case, I can easily swap it out if needed. Does that sound like a plan, or am I overlooking something?

Cheers,
Cosmic

 

[carpedebass]

I'm gonna go out on the proverbial limb and NOT answer your question exactly the way you wanted. I will not tell anyone what they should purchase as their first PV. There are so many brands and gadgets that I haven't tried, I don't feel like I could really give you a qualified answer.

I will say this though...someone above suggested going to a forum supplier in person and trying a few out for yourself. I think that's the best advice. Only you know what is going to work for you...there is NO possible way we can tell you that. Do as much research as you can before pulling the trigger on a PV and hardware...then pull the trigger and dive in head first.

 

[wv2win]

Any PV that has a light at the tip is considered to "mimic" an analog. I usually recommend the E-Power, which is the better cousin of the eGo/Riva and like those is the size of a slim cigar. Since you only smoke twice a week, a regular 510 might work fine for you. You will get about an hour and a half out of the battery vs 5 hours out of the E-Power battery.

Good idea to stick with manual batteries.

 

[Baldr]

Yeah, I just realized that I forgot to mention that I didn't want one with a bulky battery; I think I would kinda feel like I was smoking on a magic marker. lol.

Think of a Sharpie permanent marker. That's much more accurate when compared to the size of an eGo setup.

 

[HzG8rGrl]

Yeah, I just realized that I forgot to mention that I didn't want one with a bulky battery; I think I would kinda feel like I was smoking on a magic marker. lol.

I am pretty set on a blue LED too.

That being said, I really am attracted to the Volt with the PCC:
Smokeless Image | Only The Best Electronic Cigarette | Volt - Pro Starter Kit - Starter Kits

Cost: $56.91 w/free shipping and after 15% discount code (ECR69). I figure that I can get 2 of the manual batts in the 78mm length (320mAh), and since one is always being charged in the case, I can easily swap it out if needed. Does that sound like a plan, or am I overlooking something?

Cheers,
Cosmic

 

[swedishfish]

Yeah, I just realized that I forgot to mention that I didn't want one with a bulky battery; I think I would kinda feel like I was smoking on a magic marker. lol.

I am pretty set on a blue LED too.

That being said, I really am attracted to the Volt with the PCC:
Smokeless Image | Only The Best Electronic Cigarette | Volt - Pro Starter Kit - Starter Kits

Cost: $56.91 w/free shipping and after 15% discount code (ECR69). I figure that I can get 2 of the manual batts in the 78mm length (320mAh), and since one is always being charged in the case, I can easily swap it out if needed. Does that sound like a plan, or am I overlooking something?

Cheers,
Cosmic

Where did you get the impression that an ego looks like that? That's sort of silly.

Here's a thought - Why not pick out a pv without making fun of the pv's that others use? You might get a more positive response that way. You don't want a bigger battery- you don't want a bigger battery. Leave it at that.

Now I'm hoping that you get a mini so I can point and laugh at the person that looks like they're vaping a coffee stir or a toy cig with 8 batteries in their pocket.

See how that works?

 

[DaveP]

We all think we want a slim ecig until we actually use one and decide that charging every hour is for the birds. The Ego is a nice pocket sized ecig that, even in the 650mah size, lasts 5 or 6 hours between charges. It takes any 510 threaded atomizer and opens up a new world that slim, low mah batteries can't play in.

I'd recommend the Riva light bundle along with a box or two of Boge 510 cartos and a 306 atty with a drip tip. I find myself using the drip tip when I'm sitting around watching TV or using the computer. When I go out, I take a couple of cartos with me and sometimes an extra battery and a bottle of juice, just in case I get caught away all day.

We've all gone through what we though would be best, spent a lot of money, and ended up with an Ego style batt and various attys as our favorite. It's funny how many people have spent hundreds of dollars trying stuff only to arrive at the same conclusion.

 

[Alac]

Think of a Sharpie permanent marker. That's much more accurate when compared to the size of an eGo setup.

http://www.crownlaboratories.com/bluelizard/images/allisonwilliams.jpg
its a little on the large side for me :/

 

[izabella]

Yeah, I just realized that I forgot to mention that I didn't want one with a bulky battery; I think I would kinda feel like I was smoking on a magic marker. lol.

I am pretty set on a blue LED too.

That being said, I really am attracted to the Volt with the PCC:
Smokeless Image | Only The Best Electronic Cigarette | Volt - Pro Starter Kit - Starter Kits

Cost: $56.91 w/free shipping and after 15% discount code (ECR69). I figure that I can get 2 of the manual batts in the 78mm length (320mAh), and since one is always being charged in the case, I can easily swap it out if needed. Does that sound like a plan, or am I overlooking something?

Cheers,
Cosmic

I use the Volt and really like it. It should do quite well for you since you only smoke a couple of nights a week while drinking. Two of the longer batteries should easily get you through a night of drinking. They also offer tobacco flavors that other people (the ones who post in the Smokeless Image thread) seem to really like. I don't vape tobacco flavors - they don't agree with me for some reason - so I can't comment on that.

Volts are great to use, the batteries and cartos are high quality, and their customer service is very good.

 

[markfm]

For an occasional smoker who goes through about a pack at those times, wants general cig form factor, I'd go to a simple KR808D-1 automatic, XL batteries. A basic two battery kit should give you enough run time, no need for the extra $ of a PCC.
Size-wise, the XL is about like a long cig -- the 120mm. The 380 mAh (that's a measure of run time between charges) XL typically lasted me about 4-1/2 - 5 hours, so a pair of them ought to get you through even a pretty heavy night of vaping.

Again, for just occasional use, probably just stick with prefilled cartomizers, be done with it.

Vapor4life is a decent KR808D-1 vendor (their VaporKings are 808), constantly runs sales (check the PIF Deals and Steals thread -- my sig has a link to PIF). I've also had good luck with KR808D-1 from NHaler (save5 might be their current code) and vaporsetc (vapezone used to be their coupon code). The Volt also absolutely has a strong following -- I would still urge going for the larger size (longer) batteries.

I use a big battery mod most of the time, but friends of mine who are truly non-tech I point towards auto 808s. The manual versions are also good, though if it's for just rare party use, I wouldn't bother with something needing a button to activate -- keep it simple.

Price-wise, a basic two-battery XL kit typically runs about $35 - $50, often including an initial set of 5 prefilled cartomizers (you pick the basic flavor and strength).

Good luck!

 

[Rar]

If you are like most of us here, you eventually won't care too much if your PV looks like a cigarette or not. It will be the vaping experience/quality which will matter the most.

 

[thecosmicenergy]

Since you only smoke twice a week, a regular 510 might work fine for you. You will get about an hour and a half out of the battery vs 5 hours out of the E-Power battery.

Don't know if it matters or not, but the Volt is an 808 battery.

 

[hubseven]

If you are like most of us here, you eventually won't care too much if your PV looks like a cigarette or not. It will be the vaping experience/quality which will matter the most.

It is hard when you start to go with a pv that DOES NOT look like a cigarette. If I did this I would have saved tons of time and money, but I admit I fell into that trap and it is a trap. The real danger is that those cig looking pv's turn you back to analogs. Hindsight being golden, I wish had started with a Reo (mini or Grand) with Boge 2.0 cartos then worked into atties when I got more experiece. After 9 months of experimentation I now have all the hardware and juices that are my favorites down pat. Most important NO CIGS for 9 months and counting. Good Luck.

 

[izabella]

The real danger is that those cig looking pv's turn you back to analogs.

Personally speaking, I have not experienced this at all. I use both the V4L's and the Volt's, and they are only slightly larger than a cigarette and worlds apart.

It's only been 2 months for me, but I have no need for cigarettes and I am not interested in bigger batteries. I find that these deliver exactly what I need to stay away from smoking and their appearance doesn't in the least turn me back to cigarettes. I like how they look! The colors are fun! The size feels good in my hand! The throat hit and vapor are great!

The best PV is the one that works for you. That will vary for everyone, and may change over time.