O.K. Potential New Vapers,
What started as a letter to my lifelong friend who was considering vaping kind of evolved into a bunch of information about vaping.He needed advice and direction on what to purchase so instead of me just saying" Okay, get this and this or this and this" , followed by confusion, maybe, I wrote this introductory "primer" so you won't run into alot of unknowns that might turn you off to messing with all this. Bear with me. It's worth it, in so many ways.
There are others, many more comprehensive than my little treatise, but this is my two cents...
Starting out:
Hardware
First,
The Battery: Beginnings..........
This is something you must really consider when starting out. What I looked for is something with versatility, primarilly.What I started on was whats referred to as a Q510 kit.The 510 is a thread size designation of the fitting/connection between the battery and atomizer.It's also hands down the most common connection in vaping. It worked enough for me to take the plunge, but really just didn't satisfy me enough.
These cigarette size/feel devices more often than not just don't do the trick to allow people to comfortably quit "analogs"(regular cigarettes). The "pro" of these is that they feel and look like a regular cigarette. But generally they are grossly inadequate.
A note, and a digression here:
(About the ones you buy in gas stations/mini-marts etc. Don't feel disheartened if these didn't work. It would probably be weird if they did.
Part of the reason they just don't fill the void is because of size limitations.The battery size is usually either 180 mAh or 280 mAh. And not only is THAT wimpy, without a second battery, when these things poop out, guess where you go? Back to the gas station and DING spend another 5-7 bucks on cigarettes. )
And this, my friend, is a critical juncture in a forked road.
Herein commences the internal dialogue:
"Ah forget it!" we say all too often "this is too much work, another gimmick and waste of time and money.
PLUS I actually like cigarettes! Yeah! The habit, the excuse for a break and reflection midway through the hurried day,the feel of the smoke as I inhale and exhale throug my nose! Especially when I go out and drink. After a meal. AFTER SEX, oh HELL yeah!!
Yes, I know all too well about all the blah-blah-blah. I am a smoker. Period. I am living life. I am free, white and 21 and it's my prerogative. And ALSO I enjoy the company of other smokers. the comraderie we share. People like me who secretly CANT STAND the addle-pated, mamby-pamby holier-than-thou "non smokers" or" reformed" smokers who just want a reason to ..... and moan about my little pleasure! Always complaining of the overblown "second hand smoke". Seriously ? What about smog? Or all the other hazards out there?
I SMOKE. Let me enjoy MY habit."
"Ah yes, I even enjoy that, the righteous rebellion." we say with an internal grin.
So, I imagine that this is a common internal rhetoric. With me, I guess I tried it because I was just not able to continue pissing away money without return. At least when you vape you end up with "stuff". Neat "stuff".
Instead of a pile of cigarette butts (that you shamelessly, on occasion, smoke down to the fiberglass when you can't dig enough pennies out of the sofa cushions, car seats and clothes dryer. (I think I once found 38 bucks inside a dryer under the drum! I could have bought a Telescope with that! [ you'll understand what that is, later LOL] )
Back to the technical info:
Batteries continued
After the Q510 cigarette starter kit, I graduated to an "Ego" style battery. The typical next step.
Most all Ego style batteries have various capacities for power storage. The averages are from 650mAh to 1300mAh.This is just how much power it can store before recharging is necessary. The Ego is usually the next step after the cigarette size/feel designs( sometimes referred to as PCCs).
You, inevitably, are going to want some sort of variable voltage so you can emulate a cigarette feel when you vape.The standard voltage of an Ego type cigarette is 3.7 volts(This is without variable voltage or VV). The typical VV is a 3-6v range with incremental adjustments of 0.1. The semi-new Ego Twist is variable from 3.2-4.8. Many like my Innokin are 3.3to 5.0, some mods (a term used for E-cig setups; you will also hear PV,[personal vaporizer] or APV [advanced personal vaporizer], usually used to describe something that is a step above a fixed voltage Ego- type device. Recently in the forums I read of a woman that could only be content with vaping at 5 volts. Power in batteries just widens the versatility you can have at your fingertips.
They (if it's an Ego) are sealed and are in fact what you are purchasing when you get an "Ego" "Lavatube" "Brand X e-cig" or whatever. They come in fixed voltage or variable. The price range is all over the map: $10 bucks or less up to a couple/three hundred bucks.
My box (the INNOKIN iTASTE) that I was vaping on was $60 ish and came in a kit with the battery itself, 2 clearomizers(fancy name for a cartomizer with wicks into a small tank instead of heating elements woven into polyfill) and its charging cord( I can get them now for about $50 ish). The only thing keeping me from being 100% ecstatic with it is the fact that the first one I got had its internal charging port come loose from the board effectively preventing a recharge. The vendor made it good,but I am extremely gentle with it now, and I'd rather have ultra-durable with my stuff.
The cool thing is the battery is a whopping 2600mAh, making it good for beyond 24 hrs of puffing like a freight train.AND it's Variable voltage AND you can vape on it as a passthrough(details on that below) AND it can charge devices AND it's got ridiculous safeties internally that will keep it from going thermal or just plain shorting out.
So, you can get a variable voltage battery for 20-35 bucks, or you can go onward and upward if you want a gadget that will not only vape well,but come with extra features and/or durability and/or warranty etc.
Now here is another consideration with batteries. They make batteries that are called passthroughs as they allow you to vape on them while they are charging from a USB power source. They are an Ego device (most always) and allow you to use it with or without the power/charging cord.Most are not variable voltage in an Ego style with the exception of one that is 3-6 volt variable with a digital display. About 30 bucks.
(A note about passthrough charging cords: There's nothing magical or special about a standard Ego passthrough cable. All it is is a standard male Type A to male Mini B 5 pin cord. You can find 'em all day long on Ebay or even at a dollar store. If you have an old cell phone oft times their power cords are in exactly in this configuration. This is not some specialty that you must purchase from an online vendor at a grossly inflated price. The Innokin is the exception here, and I am sure there are others)
I really like this idea. You don't want to run out of power. If your battery poops out, no vapey. So if you don't buy one that's a passthrough, you need to purchase an extra battery so you can have continuous power and thus continuous vape-ability.
That's the novel about batteries. For all intensive purposes they ARE the Electronic Cigarette, the device itself.
Next,
Atomizers,Cartomizers and Clearomizers
(cartridges are a waste of time and money and will not be mentioned in depth)
The ignition device i.e. atomizer (with or without cartridges), cartomizer, clearomizer or tank(which is just a big fancy clearomizer). They make the vapor via a small electrical coil which heats and vaporizes eLiquid(or juice as it's called). The 510 connection is the most used in vaping and it's best to start with that, as it will eliminate alot of confusion. Just about all Egos and their variants are 510 threaded. There are 306,808 and 901 as well, but just grow a little bit first and try a 510 connection device.
Atomizer:
A machine manufactured metal cylinder with small coil, no visible absorption material (polyfill). These are either bridged or unbridged and provide the purest flavor in my opinion (especially in an unbridged atty).
A regular atomizer has a "bridge" that serves as a cover for the coil and a metal wick that heats up the juice. Unless an atomizer says it's bridgeless assume it's bridged.
A bridgeless atomizer can come either with or without a "pan" that covers the heating coil. The pan is supposed to assist heating the eJuice, but really just impedes vapor. I avoid them.
Good vendors will usually provide a downward view image of their attys so you can see exactly what you are getting
Bridgeless atomizers are a couple of dollars more than a standard atty, but oh so worth it. I must mention that Empire Mods (empiremodsDOTcom) make the very best bridgeless atomizers in the known universe.
A regular atomizer only holds about 3-4 drops of juice.Requires dripping juice on the coil to function. It's tedious to some, but the flavor really shines in an atty. Atomizers can be cleaned in a variety of hassle-free ways. They come in many different resistances usually from 1.5 Ohm to 3 Ohm, but up to 5 ohm or more. They can last for a week or a month depending on use.
(Here is where I differ in my opinion of low, medium and high resistance. Alot of folks try to refer to 2.5-3 Ohm attys as standard resistance. I disagree. I think 2-2.4 Ohm is standard, below that is low and over 2.5 Ohm is high)
When operating, an atomizer must be kept wet with eJuice. A dry coil will eventually burn out or pop the coil and rendered useless. With attys it's better to flood than to dry-fire. This process is why many choose....
Cartomizers:
An atomizer with polyfill that absorbs juice and is superheated with coils that permeate the polyfill.Regular size cartos hold approximately 1.6ml of juice.Some are up to 5ml like the SmokTek 2.5 Dual Coil. The manufacturer Kanger makes bottom coiled cartomizers. You will see names like Boge, Smok, and others such as Vision who also make...
Clearomizers:
Essentially this is a cross between a cartomizer and a tank. Capacities range from 1.6 ml to7 ml.Composed of a clear juice reservoir surrounding a central heating coil with wicks that extend and absorb juice and vaporize it. You want wicks that are long enough to absorb the juice. This is where cartomizers have sort of an advantage as the saturation is more uniform than some clearos.These can be rebuildable, disposable or with replaceable central coils. Very handy and much more strealined than...
Tanks:
Essentially a cartomizer with holes in it, encased in a tank reservoir holding 1-7 mls of juice, or a clearomizer that has a larger capacity and usually a semi-beer barrel shape, for all day vaping. There are other styles with wicks like a clearomizer as well, difference of course, is mostly capacity.
About Tanks...
Here you need to consider how much and how often you smoked and in what situations etc.These devices all are between about a buck to ten bucks each. They are sometimes costlier depending. Again wide range of options. They dictate flavor and intensity of the vape. it is essentially a large clearomizer.You might want to get your feet wet a bit first before diving into tanks. There are myriads of considerations here and keeping it simple can be a very good thing in the beginning. Yet not constantly refilling can be a real plus.
Chargers:
are very plentiful for Ego-styles and can be had for 3-8 bucks. They simply screw into the same connection on the battery that takes the atty/carto or tank. Then you plug the USB Class A Male (opposite end) into a PC or hub or other power source.
Okay, that's what you need hardware-wise to make the vape happen.
Next:
E-liquid (eJuice, JOOSE, or e-juice)
Ah, where do we start?
Ejuice is Liquid Nicotine formulated into a Propylene Glycol or Vegetable Glycerin (henceforth referred to as PG and VG respectively) carrier base.
This is then further mixed with flavoring and various ratios of PG/VG. When you shop for e-juice very often you will be asked what percentage of Nicotine and then what percentage of PG/VG you desire.
Yes, it can seem confusing, I will try to help out here.
This is what the e-juice is, in essence. Nicotine(usually 0mg to 36mg) in a base of varying PG/VG suspension.
First lets talk...
Nicotine.
Much has been said about "how much" and where do I start etc. A basic guidline goes something like this:
24mg- If you are a heavy smoker
18mg- If you are a moderate to heavy smoker
16mg- Moderate light to Moderate smoker
11mg- Light to moderate smoker
6mg- Smoke just when I go out or rarely, etc.
These are almost as subjective as flavors.
I will tell you my story. I was a 40 cigarette a day smoker for 32 years.(with a few breaks each 1-2 years off) When I restarted a year and a half ago after a 2 year break, I was down to 1 and a half packs a day.
Always "Full Flavor" and for quite a few years non-filter.
I absolutely had no freakin idea which Nicotine concentration to start with. I certainly didn't want to poison myself as the Nicotine warnings are all over the vaping forums. I took it very seriously and you should too. You will be very safe in all things if you err to the side of caution. I figured it's pure nicotine so perhaps 18mg'll do it.
I got, like, one of each, and 3 at 18mg and one 24mg. I dinked around with the 18mg and tried to "make" it work.
It was not really phasing me. Except for a fruity bottle of 24mg, just slightly.
Ah, reality.
I still use 24mg many months later and occasionally 18mg. But I am into the 20s. Some folks chain-vape all day long the at bedtime have a fruity dessert vape in the single digits.
Not me.
Nope, I chain vape all day and all night at 24mg. I'm not scared. At all. What I am is slightly entertained over all my initial caution.
So you just gotta try it out for yourself. If you want to be very adventurous, get a bottle of each strength around to what you think you might be classified as a smoker then titrate it to your dose. It's the true learning curve.
Oh about...
PG and VG: Propylene Glycol and Vegetable Glycerin
There's alot of talk about this and I won't go into all the intricate debating factors about PG.I think it's safe ( unless you have an allergy to PG) and I know it's safer than cigarettes.
What I will say is this:
Vaporized PG creates what is called a throat hit (Higher concentrations of nicotine contribute to this also). That feeling that we once thought was exclusively available from tobacco or other burned vegetative stuff. You just gotta have it, especially when you escape from the cigarette addiction.
Vaporized VG creates voluminous vapor. Yup, plain ol' glycerin.It completes the facade that tells your subconcious not to freak out about "not smoking". (Well the Nic and PG help)
There are people out there that vape only VG and claim it's the way to do it, but so far I think PG is necessary to emulate smoking . Of course, it's only my opinion at this point in time.
I will just say start with 80/20 PG/VG.
You can play with ratios later. Generally if a juice vendor doesn't say specifically what the ratio is it's either 80/20 (Like Madvapes or Good Prophets) or 50/50 (Like ECB, who does allow that customization AND makes really good affordable juice).
Next:
Flavors:
or
"I want something that tastes exactly like a cigarette!"
Well, no, you don't. You want something that tastes just like an ashtray. You just don't know it yet.
It's okay. I did too.
You can have something that tastes like a cigarette. Specifically it tastes like a cigarette that you stubbed out and relit later.
It's called "Ashtray" and Parkes Vaping sells it in up to 30mg nicotine. Some say you even smell like a cigarettte when you vape it.I am sure that there are others.
But Caveat Emptor.(buyer beware)
What so many e-liquid vendors call "Wartboro" or "Khamel" or "Minston" or "Menschen and Wedgies" will taste exactly like these brands ...
If you went to the convienience store (bought a pack of any of the above) pulled out a cigarette and put it in your mouth.
Then chewed it up. And chewed and chewed. Whilst you were smelling the opened UNLIT pack.
So, yeah taste is subjective and any author's views are limited to his experiences. But I have heard others say the same thing. I am trying to curb what could be disappointment leading back to analogs.
Truthfully there are some out there with these names that are a great vape. But you probably aren't going to dig 'em until you get your sense of taste back. Your real sense of taste.The great news is thus: Your taste buds will develop new flavor profiles, and if you like tobacco flavors you will most likely like cigar flavors or pipe tobacco blends.
And yes, maybe even fruit or candy flavors.
I know, I know I said the same thing. No way.
I am presently enjoying a Cuban cigar with heavy cherry flavor.
And Chocolate Chili is AWESOME!
And so is Black Licorice and Watermelon!
And, I even like those tobacco eating/smelling flavors once in awhile, maybe it's subconcious sense-memory or something
Yup, I know. I remember FEELING and KNOWING no way would I dig those flavors. Surprise.
And that's basically it.
There's all kinds of "goodies" that you can purchase when you vape, and still all kinds of things to learn. I think part of the success inherently in switching over to vaping happens because there's not a void "where cigarettes" used to be. You've got vaping, you find good folks online just like you who honestly know what it was like and is like.
As life continues you can choose to titrate down to no nicotine or continue vaping as you like. You're just not killing yourself with every puff. If you want to tinker with stuff...well vaping's got it.If you didn't have an erector set as a kid, well, nows your chance!
You can customize your PV, learn to rebuild atomizers and/or make your own e-liquid. When you make juice and build atomizers instead of spending 10 bucks EVERY DAY you are looking at 10 bucks.....EVERY MONTH! Or less.
Kiss your girl without smelling like an ashtray, quit cigarettes without gaining 100 pounds. Experience smells again! There isn't that gnawing guilt inside every time you're outside in the cold looking at the burning crapstick thinking "What am I doing? I could have a meal (or whatever) for what I paying for these things!"
All this, and you don't need to sacrifice a thing ever again!
May you live longer and happier, Welcome to vaping!
What started as a letter to my lifelong friend who was considering vaping kind of evolved into a bunch of information about vaping.He needed advice and direction on what to purchase so instead of me just saying" Okay, get this and this or this and this" , followed by confusion, maybe, I wrote this introductory "primer" so you won't run into alot of unknowns that might turn you off to messing with all this. Bear with me. It's worth it, in so many ways.
There are others, many more comprehensive than my little treatise, but this is my two cents...
Starting out:
Hardware
First,
The Battery: Beginnings..........
This is something you must really consider when starting out. What I looked for is something with versatility, primarilly.What I started on was whats referred to as a Q510 kit.The 510 is a thread size designation of the fitting/connection between the battery and atomizer.It's also hands down the most common connection in vaping. It worked enough for me to take the plunge, but really just didn't satisfy me enough.
These cigarette size/feel devices more often than not just don't do the trick to allow people to comfortably quit "analogs"(regular cigarettes). The "pro" of these is that they feel and look like a regular cigarette. But generally they are grossly inadequate.
A note, and a digression here:
(About the ones you buy in gas stations/mini-marts etc. Don't feel disheartened if these didn't work. It would probably be weird if they did.
Part of the reason they just don't fill the void is because of size limitations.The battery size is usually either 180 mAh or 280 mAh. And not only is THAT wimpy, without a second battery, when these things poop out, guess where you go? Back to the gas station and DING spend another 5-7 bucks on cigarettes. )
And this, my friend, is a critical juncture in a forked road.
Herein commences the internal dialogue:
"Ah forget it!" we say all too often "this is too much work, another gimmick and waste of time and money.
PLUS I actually like cigarettes! Yeah! The habit, the excuse for a break and reflection midway through the hurried day,the feel of the smoke as I inhale and exhale throug my nose! Especially when I go out and drink. After a meal. AFTER SEX, oh HELL yeah!!
Yes, I know all too well about all the blah-blah-blah. I am a smoker. Period. I am living life. I am free, white and 21 and it's my prerogative. And ALSO I enjoy the company of other smokers. the comraderie we share. People like me who secretly CANT STAND the addle-pated, mamby-pamby holier-than-thou "non smokers" or" reformed" smokers who just want a reason to ..... and moan about my little pleasure! Always complaining of the overblown "second hand smoke". Seriously ? What about smog? Or all the other hazards out there?
I SMOKE. Let me enjoy MY habit."
"Ah yes, I even enjoy that, the righteous rebellion." we say with an internal grin.
So, I imagine that this is a common internal rhetoric. With me, I guess I tried it because I was just not able to continue pissing away money without return. At least when you vape you end up with "stuff". Neat "stuff".
Instead of a pile of cigarette butts (that you shamelessly, on occasion, smoke down to the fiberglass when you can't dig enough pennies out of the sofa cushions, car seats and clothes dryer. (I think I once found 38 bucks inside a dryer under the drum! I could have bought a Telescope with that! [ you'll understand what that is, later LOL] )
Back to the technical info:
Batteries continued
After the Q510 cigarette starter kit, I graduated to an "Ego" style battery. The typical next step.
Most all Ego style batteries have various capacities for power storage. The averages are from 650mAh to 1300mAh.This is just how much power it can store before recharging is necessary. The Ego is usually the next step after the cigarette size/feel designs( sometimes referred to as PCCs).
You, inevitably, are going to want some sort of variable voltage so you can emulate a cigarette feel when you vape.The standard voltage of an Ego type cigarette is 3.7 volts(This is without variable voltage or VV). The typical VV is a 3-6v range with incremental adjustments of 0.1. The semi-new Ego Twist is variable from 3.2-4.8. Many like my Innokin are 3.3to 5.0, some mods (a term used for E-cig setups; you will also hear PV,[personal vaporizer] or APV [advanced personal vaporizer], usually used to describe something that is a step above a fixed voltage Ego- type device. Recently in the forums I read of a woman that could only be content with vaping at 5 volts. Power in batteries just widens the versatility you can have at your fingertips.
They (if it's an Ego) are sealed and are in fact what you are purchasing when you get an "Ego" "Lavatube" "Brand X e-cig" or whatever. They come in fixed voltage or variable. The price range is all over the map: $10 bucks or less up to a couple/three hundred bucks.
My box (the INNOKIN iTASTE) that I was vaping on was $60 ish and came in a kit with the battery itself, 2 clearomizers(fancy name for a cartomizer with wicks into a small tank instead of heating elements woven into polyfill) and its charging cord( I can get them now for about $50 ish). The only thing keeping me from being 100% ecstatic with it is the fact that the first one I got had its internal charging port come loose from the board effectively preventing a recharge. The vendor made it good,but I am extremely gentle with it now, and I'd rather have ultra-durable with my stuff.
The cool thing is the battery is a whopping 2600mAh, making it good for beyond 24 hrs of puffing like a freight train.AND it's Variable voltage AND you can vape on it as a passthrough(details on that below) AND it can charge devices AND it's got ridiculous safeties internally that will keep it from going thermal or just plain shorting out.
So, you can get a variable voltage battery for 20-35 bucks, or you can go onward and upward if you want a gadget that will not only vape well,but come with extra features and/or durability and/or warranty etc.
Now here is another consideration with batteries. They make batteries that are called passthroughs as they allow you to vape on them while they are charging from a USB power source. They are an Ego device (most always) and allow you to use it with or without the power/charging cord.Most are not variable voltage in an Ego style with the exception of one that is 3-6 volt variable with a digital display. About 30 bucks.
(A note about passthrough charging cords: There's nothing magical or special about a standard Ego passthrough cable. All it is is a standard male Type A to male Mini B 5 pin cord. You can find 'em all day long on Ebay or even at a dollar store. If you have an old cell phone oft times their power cords are in exactly in this configuration. This is not some specialty that you must purchase from an online vendor at a grossly inflated price. The Innokin is the exception here, and I am sure there are others)
I really like this idea. You don't want to run out of power. If your battery poops out, no vapey. So if you don't buy one that's a passthrough, you need to purchase an extra battery so you can have continuous power and thus continuous vape-ability.
That's the novel about batteries. For all intensive purposes they ARE the Electronic Cigarette, the device itself.
Next,
Atomizers,Cartomizers and Clearomizers
(cartridges are a waste of time and money and will not be mentioned in depth)
The ignition device i.e. atomizer (with or without cartridges), cartomizer, clearomizer or tank(which is just a big fancy clearomizer). They make the vapor via a small electrical coil which heats and vaporizes eLiquid(or juice as it's called). The 510 connection is the most used in vaping and it's best to start with that, as it will eliminate alot of confusion. Just about all Egos and their variants are 510 threaded. There are 306,808 and 901 as well, but just grow a little bit first and try a 510 connection device.
Atomizer:
A machine manufactured metal cylinder with small coil, no visible absorption material (polyfill). These are either bridged or unbridged and provide the purest flavor in my opinion (especially in an unbridged atty).
A regular atomizer has a "bridge" that serves as a cover for the coil and a metal wick that heats up the juice. Unless an atomizer says it's bridgeless assume it's bridged.
A bridgeless atomizer can come either with or without a "pan" that covers the heating coil. The pan is supposed to assist heating the eJuice, but really just impedes vapor. I avoid them.
Good vendors will usually provide a downward view image of their attys so you can see exactly what you are getting
Bridgeless atomizers are a couple of dollars more than a standard atty, but oh so worth it. I must mention that Empire Mods (empiremodsDOTcom) make the very best bridgeless atomizers in the known universe.
A regular atomizer only holds about 3-4 drops of juice.Requires dripping juice on the coil to function. It's tedious to some, but the flavor really shines in an atty. Atomizers can be cleaned in a variety of hassle-free ways. They come in many different resistances usually from 1.5 Ohm to 3 Ohm, but up to 5 ohm or more. They can last for a week or a month depending on use.
(Here is where I differ in my opinion of low, medium and high resistance. Alot of folks try to refer to 2.5-3 Ohm attys as standard resistance. I disagree. I think 2-2.4 Ohm is standard, below that is low and over 2.5 Ohm is high)
When operating, an atomizer must be kept wet with eJuice. A dry coil will eventually burn out or pop the coil and rendered useless. With attys it's better to flood than to dry-fire. This process is why many choose....
Cartomizers:
An atomizer with polyfill that absorbs juice and is superheated with coils that permeate the polyfill.Regular size cartos hold approximately 1.6ml of juice.Some are up to 5ml like the SmokTek 2.5 Dual Coil. The manufacturer Kanger makes bottom coiled cartomizers. You will see names like Boge, Smok, and others such as Vision who also make...
Clearomizers:
Essentially this is a cross between a cartomizer and a tank. Capacities range from 1.6 ml to7 ml.Composed of a clear juice reservoir surrounding a central heating coil with wicks that extend and absorb juice and vaporize it. You want wicks that are long enough to absorb the juice. This is where cartomizers have sort of an advantage as the saturation is more uniform than some clearos.These can be rebuildable, disposable or with replaceable central coils. Very handy and much more strealined than...
Tanks:
Essentially a cartomizer with holes in it, encased in a tank reservoir holding 1-7 mls of juice, or a clearomizer that has a larger capacity and usually a semi-beer barrel shape, for all day vaping. There are other styles with wicks like a clearomizer as well, difference of course, is mostly capacity.
About Tanks...
Here you need to consider how much and how often you smoked and in what situations etc.These devices all are between about a buck to ten bucks each. They are sometimes costlier depending. Again wide range of options. They dictate flavor and intensity of the vape. it is essentially a large clearomizer.You might want to get your feet wet a bit first before diving into tanks. There are myriads of considerations here and keeping it simple can be a very good thing in the beginning. Yet not constantly refilling can be a real plus.
Chargers:
are very plentiful for Ego-styles and can be had for 3-8 bucks. They simply screw into the same connection on the battery that takes the atty/carto or tank. Then you plug the USB Class A Male (opposite end) into a PC or hub or other power source.
Okay, that's what you need hardware-wise to make the vape happen.
Next:
E-liquid (eJuice, JOOSE, or e-juice)
Ah, where do we start?
Ejuice is Liquid Nicotine formulated into a Propylene Glycol or Vegetable Glycerin (henceforth referred to as PG and VG respectively) carrier base.
This is then further mixed with flavoring and various ratios of PG/VG. When you shop for e-juice very often you will be asked what percentage of Nicotine and then what percentage of PG/VG you desire.
Yes, it can seem confusing, I will try to help out here.
This is what the e-juice is, in essence. Nicotine(usually 0mg to 36mg) in a base of varying PG/VG suspension.
First lets talk...
Nicotine.
Much has been said about "how much" and where do I start etc. A basic guidline goes something like this:
24mg- If you are a heavy smoker
18mg- If you are a moderate to heavy smoker
16mg- Moderate light to Moderate smoker
11mg- Light to moderate smoker
6mg- Smoke just when I go out or rarely, etc.
These are almost as subjective as flavors.
I will tell you my story. I was a 40 cigarette a day smoker for 32 years.(with a few breaks each 1-2 years off) When I restarted a year and a half ago after a 2 year break, I was down to 1 and a half packs a day.
Always "Full Flavor" and for quite a few years non-filter.
I absolutely had no freakin idea which Nicotine concentration to start with. I certainly didn't want to poison myself as the Nicotine warnings are all over the vaping forums. I took it very seriously and you should too. You will be very safe in all things if you err to the side of caution. I figured it's pure nicotine so perhaps 18mg'll do it.
I got, like, one of each, and 3 at 18mg and one 24mg. I dinked around with the 18mg and tried to "make" it work.
It was not really phasing me. Except for a fruity bottle of 24mg, just slightly.
Ah, reality.
I still use 24mg many months later and occasionally 18mg. But I am into the 20s. Some folks chain-vape all day long the at bedtime have a fruity dessert vape in the single digits.
Not me.
Nope, I chain vape all day and all night at 24mg. I'm not scared. At all. What I am is slightly entertained over all my initial caution.
So you just gotta try it out for yourself. If you want to be very adventurous, get a bottle of each strength around to what you think you might be classified as a smoker then titrate it to your dose. It's the true learning curve.
Oh about...
PG and VG: Propylene Glycol and Vegetable Glycerin
There's alot of talk about this and I won't go into all the intricate debating factors about PG.I think it's safe ( unless you have an allergy to PG) and I know it's safer than cigarettes.
What I will say is this:
Vaporized PG creates what is called a throat hit (Higher concentrations of nicotine contribute to this also). That feeling that we once thought was exclusively available from tobacco or other burned vegetative stuff. You just gotta have it, especially when you escape from the cigarette addiction.
Vaporized VG creates voluminous vapor. Yup, plain ol' glycerin.It completes the facade that tells your subconcious not to freak out about "not smoking". (Well the Nic and PG help)
There are people out there that vape only VG and claim it's the way to do it, but so far I think PG is necessary to emulate smoking . Of course, it's only my opinion at this point in time.
I will just say start with 80/20 PG/VG.
You can play with ratios later. Generally if a juice vendor doesn't say specifically what the ratio is it's either 80/20 (Like Madvapes or Good Prophets) or 50/50 (Like ECB, who does allow that customization AND makes really good affordable juice).
Next:
Flavors:
or
"I want something that tastes exactly like a cigarette!"
Well, no, you don't. You want something that tastes just like an ashtray. You just don't know it yet.
It's okay. I did too.
You can have something that tastes like a cigarette. Specifically it tastes like a cigarette that you stubbed out and relit later.
It's called "Ashtray" and Parkes Vaping sells it in up to 30mg nicotine. Some say you even smell like a cigarettte when you vape it.I am sure that there are others.
But Caveat Emptor.(buyer beware)
What so many e-liquid vendors call "Wartboro" or "Khamel" or "Minston" or "Menschen and Wedgies" will taste exactly like these brands ...
If you went to the convienience store (bought a pack of any of the above) pulled out a cigarette and put it in your mouth.
Then chewed it up. And chewed and chewed. Whilst you were smelling the opened UNLIT pack.
So, yeah taste is subjective and any author's views are limited to his experiences. But I have heard others say the same thing. I am trying to curb what could be disappointment leading back to analogs.
Truthfully there are some out there with these names that are a great vape. But you probably aren't going to dig 'em until you get your sense of taste back. Your real sense of taste.The great news is thus: Your taste buds will develop new flavor profiles, and if you like tobacco flavors you will most likely like cigar flavors or pipe tobacco blends.
And yes, maybe even fruit or candy flavors.
I know, I know I said the same thing. No way.
I am presently enjoying a Cuban cigar with heavy cherry flavor.
And Chocolate Chili is AWESOME!
And so is Black Licorice and Watermelon!
And, I even like those tobacco eating/smelling flavors once in awhile, maybe it's subconcious sense-memory or something
Yup, I know. I remember FEELING and KNOWING no way would I dig those flavors. Surprise.
And that's basically it.
There's all kinds of "goodies" that you can purchase when you vape, and still all kinds of things to learn. I think part of the success inherently in switching over to vaping happens because there's not a void "where cigarettes" used to be. You've got vaping, you find good folks online just like you who honestly know what it was like and is like.
As life continues you can choose to titrate down to no nicotine or continue vaping as you like. You're just not killing yourself with every puff. If you want to tinker with stuff...well vaping's got it.If you didn't have an erector set as a kid, well, nows your chance!
You can customize your PV, learn to rebuild atomizers and/or make your own e-liquid. When you make juice and build atomizers instead of spending 10 bucks EVERY DAY you are looking at 10 bucks.....EVERY MONTH! Or less.
Kiss your girl without smelling like an ashtray, quit cigarettes without gaining 100 pounds. Experience smells again! There isn't that gnawing guilt inside every time you're outside in the cold looking at the burning crapstick thinking "What am I doing? I could have a meal (or whatever) for what I paying for these things!"
All this, and you don't need to sacrifice a thing ever again!
May you live longer and happier, Welcome to vaping!
