I remember somehow learning about what we then called "e-smoking" in late 2007, apparently soon after it first arrived in America. I don't remember exactly how/where I caught wind of it, but it must have been online somewhere. I was (still am) a longtime pipe smoker--never really a cig smoker--who got interested in the "e-smoking" as an option for reducing my real smoking and coping with situations such as staying in non-smoking hotel rooms or homes.
I remember researching further and learning that the real stuff had to be ordered from Ruyan in China, and there were also some American-based sites selling cheap knock-offs of the Ruyan products. The available form factors were mainly the cigalike, an e-cigar, and an e-pipe. As a pipe smoker, naturally the e-pipe attracted me the most.
I remember spending a few hundred dollars and a fair amount of hassle to order the genuine Ruyan e-pipe and a supply of the juice cartridges from China. I also tried a cheap knock-off pipe and knock-off replacement juice cartridges and juice to refill cartridges from other sites--these were all terrible. The Ruyan stuff was the only thing that performed (at first) and tasted worth a darn.
I remember the Ruyan e-pipe and its juice cartridges coming in upscale packaging and seeming very much like a luxury-style product--which it should for the price. (I was counting all this as 2007's Christmas present to myself, and also thinking of it as an investment in future health from reduced smoking.) I remember really liking the Ruyan e-pipe at first. The juice came only in cartridges and only in one flavor. (I.e., from Ruyan itself. As mentioned, I tried different juices and carts from other sources but didn't like them.) I happened to really like the flavor--tasted to me like a maple syrup tobacco. I began using the e-pipe daily, replacing multiple pipefuls of real tobacco.
I remember finding this forum in my Googling around about "e-smoking." There were a small handful of forums/sites on the topic; all with very little traffic and content. Apparently I joined this forum in Jan. 2008 as its 13th member and made a handful of posts. I remember also around this time coming across examples of people creating flashlight mods for a more powerful "e-smoking" experience--I knew that this was something I should not mess with given my lack of DIY skill. Those were being called "mods" because they were literally "modified" from flashlights.
I remember generally enjoying my e-pipe over the next few months, but growing annoyed when its performance started to degrade. Eventually it quit working altogether. (Later I would learn the fatal flaw of these early devices--the atomizer was built into the e-pipe device itself and was not replaceable; the replaceable cartridges held juice only; once the atomizer burned out, one was left with a useless device that had cost a few hundred dollars to get and would cost another few hundred to replace.)
At this point, I just gave up on the "e-smoking"--the technology just wasn't there yet. Also, the market wasn't there--aside from my disappointing experience with the e-pipe itself, it was a pain to have to order everything from China. The whole thing didn't seem to be catching on anyway, so why get into something that will cease to be available soon?
I remember in 2009 seeing those guys selling the cigalike kits at mall kiosks, thinking maybe it is now starting to catch on, and toying with the idea of trying it again. But I took a pass.
I remember in late 2012 starting to notice that the e-cig finally DID seem to be catching on. I noticed some people vaping in bars and the like. I noticed that Walgreens was now selling the Blu cigs, and I was hearing more people refer to "vaping" as "a thing." This got me interested again. This is when I got back into it--I first tried a disposable Blu from Walgreens just for the heck of it, and later an Ego/clearomizer setup from one of the handful of b&m vape shops that I discovered in my area. The Ego performed worlds better than my original e-pipe. I quickly acquired a small collection of various pipe-style mods and learned that cartomizers gave me better flavor than the Ego clearomizer.
I remember learning that "mod" no longer referred specifically to jerry-rigged flashlights and now includes factory-made devices and devices specially made by individual craftsmen. (This was really confusing to me at first--whenever I saw "mod" I thought it meant somebody was taking an off-the-shelf device and modifying it somehow.)
Around this time, I remember looking for a forum where I could post a couple questions, finding this forum, and trying to create an account. I remember being informed that I already had an account here, dating back to Jan. 2008, and had in fact been the 13th member to join. I remember being pleasantly surprised to remember this.
I remember liking my pipe mods at first but starting to get frustrated by the short life of the small batteries and reliability issues. I tried a Zmax, which got me used to the tube form factor and 18650 battery life. I soon moved on to tube mechs, which have become my preferred form of mod, coupled with a Nautilus Aspire, which gives me my preferred vape.
I remember around 2013-2014 seeing vape shops start to pop up all over town. Before, there were only a few in my area, and the closest was like a 15-mile drive away.
I remember noticing recently that all the cool vapers these days seem to be using box mods running subohm coils and feeling a little square what with my tube mod + Nautilus setup. I remember saying to myself "Who cares? This is what I like. Vape on!" So I remember continuing to vape with my tube mech/Nautilus set up, just a second ago.
@Langdell - marvelous pipe stories, but even better yet...... you're the 13th to join ECF??? That is itself is extraordinary!!!!
I'd like to start a thread dedicated just to you and the original colonists.
WOW and WOW and WOOOOW.
Do you know if there are any of your original ECF buds still around from 2008?
AMAZING. And I feel honored that you posted here.
Welcome HOME.
