I almost wish I hadn't looked

[thinkingaboutit]

A few weeks ago a co-worker showed up at our smoke shack with an e-cig. It is one that simply looks like a triple size cigarratte. I thought nothing of it until Monday I heard that she hasn't had an analog (yea, I've been reading) in a month! This is especially huge for her...trust me.

So I start looking when I am at gas stations, and I knew there had to be better/or cheaper out there. Here I am, and now I am confused as hell I never expected to find 1/10th of what I have seen so far and I think I only scratched the surface. So, I come for advice and not just the reading. Is there a "getting started" guide? I want to stay with a smaller size, knowing the battery will suffer..I'll figure out how to deal.

From some reading here, I started leaning towards this:
Smokeless Image | Only The Best Electronic Cigarette | Volt Pack Electronic Cigarette Kit

I can see the battery would be really bad, so this is an alternative I started looking at:
Elite Vaporworks KGO Starter Kit with Boge LR Cartomizers - KGO

I could use some help here. I want something that is decent quality, but I know nothing about the strength and flavor (I smoke a bit over a pack of Marlboro lights a day), and about a million other things. I know so little I am not sure what to ask

 

[NGIB]

As long as the size is OK with you, the KGO kit you listed is a good one. All you'll need to do is pick a juice and you're good to go. Don't buy large bottles of juice at this point as it's a task to find what you like so stick with smaller bottles of flavors you think you might like. Also, get at least 24mg (2.4%) nicotine level. A mistake many folks make is starting out with low nicotine juice and they go right back to smokes as vaping doesn't give them the nicotine they are craving.

I looked at their juice list and I'd probably pick the RY4 from that. RY4 is generally a mild tobacco flavor with a touch of caramel & vanilla...

 

[r77r7r]

Top,left of this page in a tab marked INFOZONE.

 

[luvinit]

Absolutely go with the KGO.. I have four of them. True, it's a little bigger than an analog but it has terrific battery life. Fully charged will last all day and into the next. I've moved on to some other pv's but I use my KGOs for loaners to people who want to give vaping a try, and it convinces every one of them that this thing will help you quit for good! Also agree about the juice.. get some 24mg and some 18 or 16mg... small bottles to start. Everyone thinks they want that tobacco taste but once you try some of the other flavors out there... and there's a million!.. you might completely move away from tobacco blends. ECBlends has small bottles for $2.50.. doesn't get much cheaper than that for testing flavors out..

The best part of Elite's KGO kit is that it comes with cartomizers instead of the atomizers that most kits come with. Make sure to fill them properly and don't let them dry out. There's tons of great videos out there on how to do that. Go with the KGO.. you won't be sorry!

 

[Beans]

Welcome to the forum TAI, I'm so excited your gonna give this a try. Personally, I started with a cig look alike and it worked for all of two weeks. I quickly up graded to an eGo or KGO style which wooped my 1 1/2 27year PPD habit. I compare Capri cigarettes to the mini style and a full flavored cig to the eGo/KGO styles. So it's really up to you and your smoking habit. What kind of smoker are you?

 

[elfstone]

Welcome! You did some good research.

The Volt and the KGO are great products. As you correctly pointed out, the Volt will have a shorter battery life. It also has a different threading type, called KR808. The KGO has the more popular 510, but you can really find most vaping accessories for both of them.

Now, then, beyond the battery capacity there is also an issue regarding the ability to provide power. Power is directly related to the warmth and richness of the vapor. With larger batteries, such as the KGO, we can do a trick to increase power - use of low resistance vapor heads. A small, cigarette lookalike cannot withstand the current required to power low resistance so that is off limits.

One of the most important elements that makes transitioning to vaping easier is the consistency and reliability of your vaping setup. If you tend to run out of charged batteries throughout the day, or - as it happens - the vape decreases in intensity as you vape because the battery discharges, you will be less likely to have a good transition experience.

Size and feel matter, but surprisingly less than you'd imagine. I know - I was there - before starting this I would have sworn I could never, ever vape on the larger models, and I would never, ever be able to adapt to the push button ones.

Not true - it takes maybe a minute, maybe five minutes to adjust to the push button model, and very shortly thereafter the size is no longer a big deal either.

As you point out, juice is at least as important. Now all people come in thinking they will want to vape something similar in taste to what they smoked. Sad truth is you cannot find that. The burning plant matter taste cannot be replicated. Sure, there are tobacco vapes, but those taste / smell like tobacco flavor, not burned tobacco. Interestingly, you will grow out of your taste for cigarettes if you vape exclusively for even a short time. Most people realize they don't even like the taste and smell of smoke - which is not surprising, cigarettes do stink it's just our brain lies to us because it is smart and had figured out that the sought after nicotine hit comes at the price of the yucky taste.

For all these reasons I recommend that you go with a KGO kit such as theres:

SLB KGO Starter Kit
http://www.sweet-vapes.com/shop?page=shop.browse&category_id=31

In the second link, you will find one called "Vision" kit - it comes with a newer type of vaping head called a CE4+ or eGo Vision cartomizer. It is easier to fill and use that traditional cartomizers, but some people love them some people don't. The rest of the kits come with outdated atomizer-cartridge setups. Do not use the atomzers and cartridges off the bat as they are likely to give you a bad experience. Keep the atomizers because you can use them to drip liquid directly onto them to test liquids.

Also, my recommendation is to get at least a pack of Boge low resistance cartomizers - the standard way to get a basic, consistent and reliable vaping experience.

In terms of juices, I would get ~6 ml samples from a few vendors. Don't limit yourself to a few flavors and do not limit yourself to flavors you think you'd like. You might have surprises.

Nicotine strength is another issue that will take some experimenting. Most light cigarette smokers do fine with 18 mg strength, but i would order at least a few juices in 16 mg and 24 mg to see what works best. I would keep a 24 mg juice around for when cravings hit really bad - I used to call that my "rescue vape". In time, a lot of vapers decrease their nicotine strength, however.

 

[SpecialT]

I see that you're in Minnesota.

If you're anywhere near the metro there are a couple of brick and mortar stores. One is in Anoka and the other is in .... Rapids. They both have web sites so you could take a look at what they have. Anoka is www.ecigshopmn.com and .... Rapids is ECig Crib - Get with the crowd & go smokeless, vape instead! I've been to both and they have a decent selection and are very helpful. Might be worth a try.

Good Luck !

Edit: Also Vermillion River has a store in Lakeville. I almost forgot.

 

[Pappy]

The KGO is a good kit. I have it and I like it. The battery will last all day - it does for me and I'm a fairly heavy vaper. It's about the size of a sharpie marker.

If you get that kit you linked at Elite, I'd suggest getting a wall charger for it also, but it doesn't look like Elite sells one.

Sweet-Vapes.com, DarkCityVapor.com and HoosierECig.com also sell the KGO kit, and those come with the wall adapter. The Sweet-Vapes.com kit comes with 2 clearomizers instead of 5 cartomizers. All 3 of these are well respected vendors.

If you get the KGO kit and have a choice between the 650mah and 1100mah kit, you will want the 1100mah. It's slightly longer (about 3/4"), but lasts longer before needing a charge.

In addition to the kit, you will want a drip tip or two and some juice.

If you really, really need (for some reason) to stick with a cigarette size unit, the Volt seems to be the one most people here believe is the best. I haven't used it so can't offer an opinion.

 

[Just 3 Boys]

Great Info for you here, you won"t be sorry you made the switch. Clearomizers all the way in the beginning and it still leaves alot of awesome gear to get into down the road.

 

[jj2]

As long as the size is OK with you, the KGO kit you listed is a good one. All you'll need to do is pick a juice and you're good to go. Don't buy large bottles of juice at this point as it's a task to find what you like so stick with smaller bottles of flavors you think you might like. Also, get at least 24mg (2.4%) nicotine level. A mistake many folks make is starting out with low nicotine juice and they go right back to smokes as vaping doesn't give them the nicotine they are craving.

I looked at their juice list and I'd probably pick the RY4 from that. RY4 is generally a mild tobacco flavor with a touch of caramel & vanilla...

Yes it can be overwhelming. 8-o

And just wanted to say hi and welcome.

 

[comeonhitme]

hello thinkingaboutit,

I think you definitely on the right track!. me personally I was very similar ro you before I started vaping. About 15-20 Marlboro Lights a day and trying to figure out which e cig to buy. And like you, I looked hardcore into the SI Volt. Best decision I ever made lol. You should check out the Forum Suppliers section and some youtube videos about the Volt products. A starter kit is very affordable and for a mini e cig it is top of the line without a doubt. You can basically get absolutely everything you need to start for under $100. (and whats $100..like 2 weeks worth of analogs??)

If you want any advice or more info on the Volt you can always PM me.

 

[thinkingaboutit]

Ok, I have my beginner cart ready.

The kgo kit from my first link with the cartomizers.
RY4 liquid @ 24mg as suggested earlier.
6ml bottle of "cowboy" (I'm guessing the name insinuates Marlboro) at 16mg
6ml bottle of "cup of joe" (that sucked me in...I love my coffee and it follows comments above that I may not end up going for tobacco flavor). 24 mg

That should get me going for less than a carton of analogs. The cartomizers look about as simple as filling a zippo, I can handle that. I decided to go this way since the kit seems to have more flexibility for later rather than saving $10 now and respending later.

Thoughts from the experts (or anyone more expert than me)?

 

[NGIB]

Just for giggles, select 1 more juice that is not cigarette flavored (coffee flavors can be so-so). Pick something that mimics something else you like in life - for me it was cherry coke. After 2-3 days I didn't want anything that tasted even remotely like a cigarette and I'm glad I added some non-tobacco type stuff to my first order. A fruit or beverage you enjoy is a place to start.

My 3 main flavors are cherry coke, caramel apple, and strawberry apple...

 

[bigpman]

That's an excellent way to get started. You bypassed my first step, which was the gas station POS, and got a really nice PV.

Just like NGIB said, I would try some juices that are not cigarette like... I found myself liking other flavors a ton more than the cigarette types. Although, RY4 is still one of my all day vapes

Welcome to ECF and glad to hear you are taking the right step!!

 

[thinkingaboutit]

That's an excellent way to get started. You bypassed my first step, which was the gas station POS, and got a really nice PV.

Trust me, I almost did the gas station one...but the "kits" there aren't much cheaper than what I am getting. I added green tea to my cart...I'm really not into sweets and that seems to be predominant. I'll get started with this and probably head to lakeville to support a local store.

 

[Bullette the Cowdog]

Yep...go for Kgo... Make sure it's the 1100 mah battery.
Oh, that just reminded me...
Oops...Yesterday I forgot to smoke.

 

[Pappy]

You're gonna want at least 1 or 2 510 drip tips. You don't HAVE to have them, but you will want them. You stick them onto the end of the cartomizers.

 

[thinkingaboutit]

You're gonna want at least 1 or 2 510 drip tips. You don't HAVE to have them, but you will want them. You stick them onto the end of the cartomizers.

I saw them...but I don't get what they do. I read the beginner's guide so far...

 

[NGIB]

Just a mouthpiece that you can drip liquid through. Some folks prefer the feel of a drip tip, some don't. The only time I use them is when I'm actually dripping into my atomizer to test juices. You'll be just fine without it and trust me, you'll be adding more supplies quite often for a while...

 

[B0MBTRACK]

Great choice on the KGO! I am using it with Smoktech 1.7 XL Cartomizers LR and it is perfect. Before the KGO i had the G6 ecig and it works great especially for its size, but KGO is way to go. For juices, I highly recommend u check out Mountain Oak Vapors.. top knotch quality from the packaging(glass bottles) to the customer service to the taste of the ejuices they have