Help for a noob

[bob933576]

Hi Folks,

I'm a noob on the forum and I've been vaping now for about a month. I started with the 510 Titan tank from totally wicked. At first I loved the device. I didn't touch a cig for the first week. Over time, I found that the amount of vapor recived has less and less and batter-life became pathetic. I'm lucky if I get 40 drags off a fresh recharge. It dosn't help that I lost half the starter kit. I lost the larger battery with its catomizer when I was driving around the other day. (epic FAIL!)

This is what I need help with: I want to invest in a new device. These are my requirements:

1. Ease of use, but easily modified
2. Good quality and longevity, I don't want to have to replace the battery every few weeks and I want a good amount of vapor with each hit.
3. When I was picking out an e-cig, for some reason I wanted one that looks like a real cig. That is no longer a requirement.
4. Versatility. I want one that I can drip with and use a tank. (with or without mods). I also want something that I could modify and customize in the future. (compatibilty with the 510 cartomizer would be a plus)
5. Price. Price Price. I've already spent a small fortune on my 510 between the device, replacement battery and ejuices. I want to spend around $100 for the new pv and its initial necessary accessories.

I've been looking at the Odyssey from TW, Silver Bullet and the LavaTube (I'm open to other suggestions). I don't know which one is for me.
To be honest researching and shopping pvs is a bit overwhelming. This is one noob that needs some "hand holding"

Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[Cjax]

Ego batteries have done me very well for ther first year of my vaping. they're relatively dependable and even the 650mah lasts atleast till i get off of work. they are passthroughs(charge and vape at same time) and they are very versitile (anything with a 510 connection will work). they even make a variable volt, the ego twist. Just starting out though i highly recommend a couple standard ego batts, maybe 900mah and make sure the device you pair them with (atomizer, tank, carto etc.) is low res. Makes for tons of vapor. I still use my ego 650mah and drip all day on 306 atties. after a year i'm finally ready for a mod, my point being is you don't have to rush into getting an expensive device first, just get something that works, figure out a setup that suits you and enjoy it!

 

[nanovapr]

Hi Bob, welcome to ECF. It sounds like you are doing the right thing, researching, and trying to get a better device early on. The minis are plagued with tiny batteries, some only have a lifetime of 30-40 charge cycles (usually a month or less). I have no experience with a Silver Bullet, but they get great reviews, and use commonly available batteries. It looks like they could be vaped at either 3.7volts or 6 volts depending on battery configuration.

I have been around a couple of Lavatubes, they are also a good device. They are true VV, so you can have many choices in between. They are not constructed as solidly as the Silver Bullet.

I can't advise on the Odyssey, no experience at all.

Good luck, and stick with it!

 

[cskent]

Hi and welcome to ECF. You've started out the same way a lot of us did, and found the pitfalls of the cig lookalikes to be true. No harm in that, just a lesson learned. The three devices you've listed are all quite different from each other.

The Odyssey is a fixed voltage 14500 device with a bottom button and built in tank. It's made in the UK.
The Silver Bullet is a fixed voltage 18650 device with a side mounted button. Made in the USA.
The Lavatube is a variable voltage 18650 device with a side mounted button. Made in China.

While the Lavatube is the least expensive and most versatile, being variable voltage, quality of build is not up to the standards of the other two. The Silver Bullet is an American classic. It'll be hard to find a more durable APV on the market. Both use an 18650 battery for all day vaping on a single battery. The Odyssey is relatively new on the market but the 5 year guarantee must say something about the quality. The 14500 battery will allow you to vape quite a while between charges, but you'll find yourself changing batteries more often than with the other two.

So it depends on what you're after. Long battery life?, go with the SB or Lavatube. Build quality?, go with the Odyssey or SB.

Personally I don't like bottom buttons. I also like long battery life. Variable voltage is not one of my priorities even though it's nice to have sometimes. So my choice between the 3 would be the SB. But that's my preference. I'd suggest you look at the features each have, weigh the pros and cons, and look around a bit more to see what's on the market. You've only listed three devices and there are hundreds out there. One of them will have all the features you're looking for.

 

[kgupta]

Check out Volt by Smoekeless Image. My friend refered me to it and I really liked it. It is a nice piece.

 

[18SixFifty]

I have owned all of your choices and them some, having vaped for over three years.

For the price I would have to go with the lava tube. This is actually as good as any lava kit on the market it's just not the fancy chrome but it does come in silver. It's the exact same electronics as the bets. It checks your battery strength and OHMS it has Pulse modulation, which makes for a very consistent vape.

Variable Voltage 1.5 Mod Kit - Smoke Anywhere For Penny's, LLC Store

I would add a vivi nova from got vapes. You really can't beat the vivi nova there is nothing else better on the market. It's easy to rebuild for pennies on the dollar or you can just buy replacement heads and they are cheap as well. It's flavor is the best.

GotVapes VISION ViVi NOVA™ 3.5ml V2.5 REBUILDABLE TANK [gv-VIVINOVA-TANKV2.5] - $12.95 : GotVapes.com, E-cigarette Supplies - Atomizers Cartomizers Mods Juice and more

This will be well under a hundred bucks complete and you will have one of the best setups available anywhere.

 

[the_vape_nerd]

I have owned all of your choices and them some, having vaped for over three years.

For the price I would have to go with the lava tube. This is actually as good as any lava kit on the market it's just not the fancy chrome but it does come in silver. It's the exact same electronics as the bets. It checks your battery strength and OHMS it has Pulse modulation, which makes for a very consistent vape.

Variable Voltage 1.5 Mod Kit - Smoke Anywhere For Penny's, LLC Store

I would add a vivi nova from got vapes. You really can't beat the vivi nova there is nothing else better on the market. It's easy to rebuild for pennies on the dollar or you can just buy replacement heads and they are cheap as well. It's flavor is the best.

GotVapes VISION ViVi NOVA™ 3.5ml V2.5 REBUILDABLE TANK [gv-VIVINOVA-TANKV2.5] - $12.95 : GotVapes.com, E-cigarette Supplies - Atomizers Cartomizers Mods Juice and more

This will be well under a hundred bucks complete and you will have one of the best setups available anywhere.

Just to suggest here....hoosier ecig supply sells all these items under a single website...orders over 55$ get free shipping and they are a pleasure to deal with and have the lowest price i've found on most items they sell...good luck

 

[bob933576]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I apreciate it.

Question: Is it risky to buy an "off brand" pv? I can see that this Variable Voltage 1.5 Mod Kit - Smoke Anywhere For Penny's, LLC Store is a better value than this Buy Lava Tube | Get Lava Tubes | Find LavaTubes Carry Case and Accessories but is the namebrand one a better product or am I paying a premium for the brandname?

Thanks again

 

[*deleon517*]

i personally only buy my lavatubes (have purchased 3from volcano,the 2nd link you posted) as they were the ones who created the idea and put it into motion . reason for buying 3 were i broke my original one while in a motorcycle wreck, not long after i gave my chrome away to my cousin. so i need a replacement which puts me at 3. when they release the 2.0 i will have purchased 4 from them.

many of the knock offs boast higher amp limits and dont always have what they claim. also they recommend not using the AW IMR batteries which in my opinion are the best ones out there. but thats just my honest opinion on why i buy from where.

 

[Zann2700]

i personally only buy my lavatubes (have purchased 3from volcano,the 2nd link you posted) as they were the ones who created the idea and put it into motion . reason for buying 3 were i broke my original one while in a motorcycle wreck, not long after i gave my chrome away to my cousin. so i need a replacement which puts me at 3. when they release the 2.0 i will have purchased 4 from them.

many of the knock offs boast higher amp limits and dont always have what they claim. also they recommend not using the AW IMR batteries which in my opinion are the best ones out there. but thats just my honest opinion on why i buy from where.

I wish I would have had this kind of good advise when I started vaping over a year ago!

 

[bob933576]

i personally only buy my lavatubes (have purchased 3from volcano,the 2nd link you posted) as they were the ones who created the idea and put it into motion . reason for buying 3 were i broke my original one while in a motorcycle wreck, not long after i gave my chrome away to my cousin. so i need a replacement which puts me at 3. when they release the 2.0 i will have purchased 4 from them.

many of the knock offs boast higher amp limits and dont always have what they claim. also they recommend not using the AW IMR batteries which in my opinion are the best ones out there. but thats just my honest opinion on why i buy from where.

When is the the 2.0 coming out?

 

[cdunn96]

First off, Welcome and good luck. I have a few VV units and I have been looking to get another just to have. The new Lava Tube that came out or is coming out is getting very good reviews, well that depends on your needs but Volcano has for the most part been great! They have very good customer service and I love their products. The price is not bad at all and I would consider going with the new lava tube. Right now I think the old tube is somewhere around $50 for tube only.