Hi all, advice needed for 'upgrade' from 21st Century

[kingu]

I'm presently using 21st Century cartomizer pv - oversized analog look, about 120mm long, 8mm thick. I'm presently smoking about 10 RYO analogs a day, down from 38. I bought the kit from the local Circle K because the smoke in the car was just getting to be too awful with two smokers and one non-smoker. Since then, the car has become a 24/7 non-smoking zone.

Things I don't like about them: It looks like an analog. I've had it accidentally trigger putting it into my pocket, and would much rather have a manual system. No blank cartomizers available (though I'm on the ninth refill of one of the starter cartomizers and haven't touched my stock of them.)

Things I love about them: Apparently, from reading on here, I've got some phenomenal battery life going out of these things. I can use it all day and into the evening before running out of power, and most frequently run out of juice first. I like the vapor production - not huge clouds of vapor (which does have it's appeal), but a very good mouthful which helps curve the urge for an analog.

In the way of an upgrade, I can see two very distinct paths - home use and portable use.

For portable use, I'd like to try to stay within the 120mm overall length, though thicker base is fine. Judging from YouTube style videos, I think I'm looking for a high resistance cartomizer with low-medium vapor production. I'd very much like to keep it 'stealthy' in that there's minimal lights, bells, whistles - mostly because I don't need everyone to know how bloody addicted I am sometimes. A stealth inhale is great, because if everyone realizes only half of my smoke breaks are to actually smoke cigarettes, I'm going to lose those breaks.

For home use, I'm think I'm more towards the whole drip tip experimentation phase, and don't mind hitting the odd shaped mods.

A bit more background - I've been making RYO analogs for 6 years now, being extremely selective in finding my preference in tobacco flavor and filter style. If I was smoking over the counter boxed analogs, complete instant conversion to a PV would be extremely easy - those things are just horrid. Smoke breaks at work are breaks from an extremely tight time cycle environment, and are the most difficult to give up. But the PV I'm using now has allowed me to set those breaks to my choice, not my desperate need.

So I come to ask humbly for advice as to what to seek out -

 

[swedishfish]

Welcome to the forum!

You get much better battery life with ego type pvs.

Hoosier has the KGO- 1100 mah battery (1 hour per 100 mah)
KGO 1100 mAh 2 battery kit

Sweet-Vapes has a ego-cartomizer kit
Sweet-Vapes.com

Liberty Flights has a basic Riva lite kit (purchase cartomizers) Click the 20% off button top left
E-Liquid and Electronic Cigarette Shop - Category Listings

I'd purchase 2 boxes of boge 2.0 cartomizers or 1.7 smoktek cartomizers, a couple drip tips and about 30 ml of juice in varying nicotine strengths.

 

[swedishfish]

If you want something for some quick stealth vaping, there is this-

THE SD KEY RING E-CIG BY TROG

You can use the same cartomizers that you use on the ego.

 

[swedishfish]

I don't vape tobacco juice so I can't recommend any. My mom does and gets her juice from Backwoods Brew. My sister, an ex-marlboro smoker vapes Vapor Station Tampa. You never know, you may find you don't like vaping tobacco. I didn't. I found I like fruity flavors or mint.

Juice of the year awards
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-discussion/244945-2011-juice-year-award.html

 

[kingu]

Wow, that SD Key Ring goes on the must buy list, just because it's just too damn neat NOT to get. On the ego you suggest, I assume you remove the big atomizer and just use the cartomizer, which looks like it'd reduce the overall length a bit.

What type of difference is there between the BOGE 2.0 and the Smoketek 1.7 cartomizers in the way of vapor production? I'm guessing that the 1.7 would produce a bit more, as it's got lower resistance?

(Man, I feel like when I started black powder - a little knowledge goes a long way to showing complete ignorance...)

 

[swedishfish]

The 1.7 is warmer, plus it's bigger. It holds about double what a boge 2.0 holds.

My 750 mah battery ego with a boge 2.0 carto is about 4 1/4" long
My 1000 mah (I think, or 900) battery with carto is 5 1/4" long

This is rought but the boge 2.0 not counting threading is about 1 1/2" long and the 1.7 is about 1 3/4" long.

Taste is subjective, but some juice reviews

copy and past this in-

Vapenstein.

Click on "It's Alive"

 

[Striker911]

I quit smoking analog and use the 21st also. Been a good set up. I also mix my own juice cause its a lot cheaper that way. The 21st website says that the carts are refillable and they are, as you know.

If u want one of the best thats a huge step up then try provape.com Its pretty much a at home vape IMHO but with the way the 21st works for me I have no problem taking them when I leave the house. I have two 21st battery's since they are only $12 or so. Anyways. The provari is my next buy from provape. I know of two occasions where people bought juice and did not like it and they sent new flavors for free. In this market customer service is key. I was ripped off by v2 for like $150 in the past so I know how imp good service is. Also how imp reliability is.

 

[CharityRoyal]

Oh I'm jealous of the key ring! so cool.


I'll throw in a nod to the new "Stealth" batteries from V4L. This would be similar to your 21st century in a lot of ways. The manuals have a small backlit LED on the switch trigger, and that's it. No big LED on the tip, and the trigger light can easily be covered up by your hand if you want to be uber stealth (I use it in movie theaters with no prob). My colleagues think it's an attractive looking pen when they see it. It's a KR808... I think it's a regulated one.. I forget all I read about it. In any case, the bat life is longer than it is with standard KR808s.

If you were to go that route, though, make sure you scout out a good v4l discount first (join their mailing list, I've gotten several 38% off offers).

As for tobacco juice-- I'd also put in a nod for Backwoods Brews. Lots of good tobacco flavors. Their "applewood" is not tobacco technically, but reminds me a lot of a real cig. Even as my tastebuds have changed to not really want tobacco flavors anymore, I still love applewood.

I'll leave the carto questions to the experts (I'm too much of a newb). But there's a good chart about carto resistance floating around this forum somewhere.

 

[kingu]

Ugh, I swear, some of these websites have gone out of their way to make it FAR too complicated to order, or see what you're ordering.. (example, buy 1pk for $9.95... but no details what a 'package' is, which I have to assume is five cartomizers, but hey, could be one for all I know... GRR!)

 

[swedishfish]

If you want a good deal on cartos-

Crystal Clear Vaping

a 5 pack of 1.7 for $7.85 or 15 for $21.50. Use the code ECF5OFF for 5% off. I don't think you can place orders on Sunday. You also get free drip tips.

Crystal Clear Vaping

You can get a 5 pack of Boge 2.0 cartos at Joogler with a free bottle of juice. Use the code ECF5OFF for $5.00 off your first order.

Joogler Juice - Online Store

 

[Warren D. Lockaby]

If you want something for some quick stealth vaping, there is this-

THE SD KEY RING E-CIG BY TROG

You can use the same cartomizers that you use on the ego.

Just wanted to point out, I don't believe it advisable to use *low resistance* (2.0 ohm) cartos on the Trog; 3.0 ohm should be fine I think.

 

[swedishfish]

Really? I've never used it but they say you can. But I've never tried it.

We have tested this unit with LR Cartomizers and they work awesome! These are an automatic switch unit so drippers beware.
Yes a J Tank looks silly on it but it works awesome! And for the price snag a couple of these awesome little units!

Have you tried these? I really want to try one!

 

[Warren D. Lockaby]

Really? I've never used it but they say you can. But I've never tried it.

We have tested this unit with LR Cartomizers and they work awesome! These are an automatic switch unit so drippers beware.
Yes a J Tank looks silly on it but it works awesome! And for the price snag a couple of these awesome little units!

Have you tried these? I really want to try one!

I could be wrong here Swedishfish, but I'm thinking any battery with less than 450 or 500 mah needs a higher resistance for the sake of the battery (not just between charges, but for its useful life). Anyway though, I haven't tried these but would love to get hold of one. With 3.7 volts under load and (I think it said) 300 mah it should kick out just fine with a 3.0 BOGE carto!

 

[swedishfish]

I could be wrong here Swedishfish, but I'm thinking any battery with less than 450 or 500 mah needs a higher resistance for the sake of the battery (not just between charges, but for its useful life). Anyway though, I haven't tried these but would love to get hold of one. With 3.7 volts under load and (I think it said) 300 mah it should kick out just fine with a 3.0 BOGE carto!

You might be right- probably are! One of these days I'm going to get one!

I picked up a janty stick in the classifieds for stealth vaping. It's pretty small but it does light up a bit.

 

[brandontrjn]

I think your right on track trying to get 2 kinds (on-the-go type and a bigger Hangin-out type)

The problem you mentioned with 21st century is due to a 2-way sensor. These are waaay more sensitive than some of the better brands.

With a manual battery, you have to be careful not to activate it in your pocket as well. If the button gets depressed, it will go until the safety cut-off kicks in. I use autos and recommend them for the on-the-go type vaping you're looking for.

Check out the starter kit VapeShot Starter Kit. I have had mine for almost 4 months with no problems. They use a 1-way sensor that is pressure activated (by inhaling on the carto). This is the standard of high-quality units now. In 4 months, I have never had it activate accidentally, and don't know if it's possible for it to activate accidentally. I've tried dropping it, banging it ion my desk and have had it in "high winds".

I also stealth vape all the time and have never had a problem with the "slim" style autos.

21st Century is alsom more expensive than the other brands recommended in the replies above

 

[kingu]

I think your right on track trying to get 2 kinds (on-the-go type and a bigger Hangin-out type)

The problem you mentioned with 21st century is due to a 2-way sensor. These are waaay more sensitive than some of the better brands.

Now that makes a whole lot of sense, bit surprised that there is a 2 way sensor, but of what I've tried, it's a reasonably good unit. As for expense, pair of batteries and a charger with 5 cartomizers for $40 isn't all that far off the prices of other items. Not that I'm being defensive about it - I knew I was overpaying, but the cost compared to analogs at retail is night and day. Compared to my RYO analogs, it's a bit more expensive, but my end health is worth a few bucks.

With a manual battery, you have to be careful not to activate it in your pocket as well. If the button gets depressed, it will go until the safety cut-off kicks in. I use autos and recommend them for the on-the-go type vaping you're looking for.

I honestly didn't expect this advice, but it makes sense to me. At home, button pushing is a whole lot easier, and it's not going in and out of a pocket, but at work, it is, if I'm vaping on the go. If I keep it in the car, that's a whole 'nother matter, and something I'm going to have to consider.

Check out the starter kit VapeShot Starter Kit. I have had mine for almost 4 months with no problems. They use a 1-way sensor that is pressure activated (by inhaling on the carto). This is the standard of high-quality units now. In 4 months, I have never had it activate accidentally, and don't know if it's possible for it to activate accidentally. I've tried dropping it, banging it ion my desk and have had it in "high winds".

What is the overall battery life like for your VapeShot? Have they held up for the 4 months? Should I expect to replace them more often than that?

 

[Striker911]

Also. I have my 21st in my pocket all the time and its never activated in my pocket. I use the condom on the end though. So no way and no pocket lint.