I'm Thinking About Starting To Vape - Which Canadian Brands Are Best?

[Canadian Squid]

Hi Guys!

Brand new to the Site here!

I want to quit smoking, and think (thought?) that vaping might be my best bet?

I don't know anyone who does it and know virtually nothing about it.

Should I do this?

Which is the "safest" kinds/Brand(s) to get?

I'm not a flavour fan when it comes to this - just a tobacco flavour or no flavour.

I want something that can help me and when I use it, so I feel like that when I inhale, I feel something substantial, and blowing out a lot of Vapour (as stupid as it sounds, it's all part of the smoking addiction!).

Maybe I should mention I live in Canada (with regards to the different brands!).

Can someone please help and advise without any disrespectful comments?

Which ones should I avoid (brands and/or types) at all costs?

Thank you very much for reading!

 

[retired1]

Check out this thread: Request a list of Canadian suppliers (Liquids & Vaporizers) (via PM only)

As well as the forum itself: Canada Forum

Quite a few Canadian vendors that are very good. As far as e-liquid, you should try to keep the orders "in country" as customs has the nasty habit of seizing any e-liquid shipment that contains nicotine.

 

[op3operator]

As far as canadian brands? made? i don't know if any are actually canadian made. But here is a list of canadian retailers. Might be able to save some money on exchange rate if theres not a brick and mortar shop near you.

I just found this list last night many Canadian sites listed on there,maybe some right near you. vendor_list - Canadian_ecigarette

I'm no expert on what to recommend for you so i will let others who know this stuff backwards do that. But good luck i hope you find something that works for you.

 

[janiegrl]

Welcome! Yes, vaping is your best bet for quitting smoking! So easy and satisfying, and most people find they enjoy vaping even more than they enjoyed smoking. I suggest you head to your nearest B&M (brick and mortar) store. They should be able to set you up with what you need. Once you have a better idea of what it's all about and what you like and dislike, then you can venture into online stores. If you give us an idea of what part of the country you're in, I'm sure someone here can recommend a store or two.

 

[Canadian Squid]

Hi!

Thanks everyone for your input so far!

I really do appreciate it.

I suppose when I said "best brands in Canada", what I meant to say was the best brands that are available in Canada for purchase, so I guess I wasn't clear on that.

I also want to be clear that I want to start Vaping with the ultimate goal to be to stop smoking AND Vaping, not using the Vape just soley as a replacement for smoking. I'm unsure about how long to stick with each nicotine dose before lowering it, until eventually, I'll just (hopefully!), stop altogether.

Obviously, you cannot test the different brands and flavours when first buying, so I don't want to get stuck with a big cash outlay on my first one, only to find out it's not what I was looking for, don't like the taste, not enough of a throat-hit, not enough of a large cloud, etc., which I why I'm looking for some help.

Also, do they list the chemicals on the labels? I want to avoid Diacetyl and some other nasty chemicals if I can...

The first site I came across was put together really nicely, but it's an American site and I'm not sure if we share the same brands:

Best Electronic Cigarette Brands 2016 - Expert Reviews:
Best Electronic Cigarette Brands 2016 - Expert Reviews

I'm in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and there is a shop called Mr. Smoke at 43 York Street (they have a Facebook Page), that I'm thinking about checking out soon-ish. Maybe it's just easier to actually get down there and talk to Staff rather than calling, not knowing what I'm even talking about?

I'd actually like to start Vaping as soon as possible.

We don't have a B&M Store here I'm aware of?

Anyway, I hope this helps with further replies?

Thanks again guys!

Hope to hear more from you all, and I hope to make some decisions soon and keep you posted!

 

[janiegrl]

Actually, you can try them out in a store before you buy. At least if you hurry up - I think Ontario (or is it just Ottawa?) has some legislation going about vaping inside vaping stores. It's about to change, so go now while you can still test them out. (My knowledge on this is obviously a little sketchy. Maybe a local can give some better info.)

B&M store just refers to an actual store that you can walk into, as opposed to online only sales. So Mr. Smoke counts. I'm in Calgary - a long ways from Ottawa, so I don't have any recommendations for you as far as a good store.

Avoid reading those "Best Brands" reviews. They're all fake. You're probably thinking of trying a cigarette-looking device (we call them "cig-a-likes"). Just about everyone wants a device that's familiar and similar to a real cig. Those are highly unsatisfying and almost never recommended by experienced vapers. Try to come to terms that the farther away from the cigarette form factor you get, the more satisfaction you'll have, and the easier it will be to quit smoking. A good beginners set up is a iStick 30W with a Nautilus Mini. Easy to use, available just about everywhere, very enjoyable. It's nothing like a cigarette, but the battery is only slightly bigger than a bic lighter. I'm quite happy with mine.

 

[janiegrl]

I'm back to give you this link - (4) Good Starter Setups for a Beginning Vapor | E-Cigarette Forum It's an excellent page for beginners. Pretty much any hardware is available here, although for juices, it's best to stick with Canadian brands.

 

[Crow79]

Squid, I'll pm you. I'll help narrow down your choices. I'm in Canada, and Ive tested many many mods and liquids out.

 

[Crow79]

Squid, in short... My general suggestion for a beginner vaper is the following setup(s):

For people who don't wanna rebuild:

Joyetech VTC mini (upgraded firmware)
CUBIS tank (not the Tron)

For those interested in rebuilding:

Joyetech VTC mini
Geekvapes Griffin tank
Or
Kanger Subtank mini

⚠

The CUBIS tank is nice for travel, as it doesn't leak Because it's a cup. However, most tanks like the Griffin or anything with a sandwiched Pyrex sleeve WILL leak if you go on an airplane, or drive through road with changing elevation through hillsides,mountains, etc because of pressure changes.

For that kind of travel I recommend the CUBIS, or a dripper.

As for Canadian ejuice. I strongly recommend starting with VanGo ejuice. They are high quality, have over 100 flavours, and they also have a great line of tobacco juices based on CANADIAN tobacco flavours (they are pirate themed names for the tobacco line). You'll be able to determine what you like and dislike through their line.

I sent you a more in depth message via pm. My suggestions may change based on your answers.

Some people may say the setup I suggested is overkill for a beginner, but i disagree. Underkill is far worse than overkill for a new vaper, trust me. The VTC mini is perfect, and inexpensive.

 

[Canadian Squid]

Actually, you can try them out in a store before you buy. At least if you hurry up - I think Ontario (or is it just Ottawa?) has some legislation going about vaping inside vaping stores. It's about to change, so go now while you can still test them out. (My knowledge on this is obviously a little sketchy. Maybe a local can give some better info.)

B&M store just refers to an actual store that you can walk into, as opposed to online only sales. So Mr. Smoke counts. I'm in Calgary - a long ways from Ottawa, so I don't have any recommendations for you as far as a good store.

Avoid reading those "Best Brands" reviews. They're all fake. You're probably thinking of trying a cigarette-looking device (we call them "cig-a-likes"). Just about everyone wants a device that's familiar and similar to a real cig. Those are highly unsatisfying and almost never recommended by experienced vapers. Try to come to terms that the farther away from the cigarette form factor you get, the more satisfaction you'll have, and the easier it will be to quit smoking. A good beginners set up is a iStick 30W with a Nautilus Mini. Easy to use, available just about everywhere, very enjoyable. It's nothing like a cigarette, but the battery is only slightly bigger than a bic lighter. I'm quite happy with mine.

Squid, in short... My general suggestion for a beginner vaper is the following setup(s):

For people who don't wanna rebuild:

Joyetech VTC mini (upgraded firmware)
CUBIS tank (not the Tron)

For those interested in rebuilding:

Joyetech VTC mini
Geekvapes Griffin tank
Or
Kanger Subtank mini

⚠

The CUBIS tank is nice for travel, as it doesn't leak Because it's a cup. However, most tanks like the Griffin or anything with a sandwiched Pyrex sleeve WILL leak if you go on an airplane, or drive through road with changing elevation through hillsides,mountains, etc because of pressure changes.

For that kind of travel I recommend the CUBIS, or a dripper.

As for Canadian ejuice. I strongly recommend starting with VanGo ejuice. They are high quality, have over 100 flavours, and they also have a great line of tobacco juices based on CANADIAN tobacco flavours (they are pirate themed names for the tobacco line). You'll be able to determine what you like and dislike through their line.

I sent you a more in depth message via pm. My suggestions may change based on your answers.

Some people may say the setup I suggested is overkill for a beginner, but i disagree. Underkill is far worse than overkill for a new vaper, trust me. The VTC mini is perfect, and inexpensive.

Thanks a lot again Crow79 (and everyone else that's also replied so far!!!)!

I think that I definitely would NOT be into into rebuilding anything, especially since I'm brand new to doing this...Is that a reasonable answer for not wanting to? I'm not even sure what it means to do so and how often coils have to be replaced, etc. How many should I buy on my initial startup? The Mr. Smoke shop is kinda far from where I live and I have a few problems getting around...What would be ideal for me to buy on my initial visit (ejuices, coils, ???, whatever else I'll need, etc.), so that I wouldn't have to go back there for awhile? I'm disabled, so it's a pain for me to get around. I don't want to run out of anything and want to be well stocked for minimum 2-4 weeks at least? Can I still smoke regular cigarettes along with VaPing if I feel that I need to? Just cut back on the number of cigarettes?

I think I will try your recommended:

Joyetech VTC mini (upgraded firmware)
CUBIS tank (not the Tron)

Do I have to be very specific when asking about "upgraded firmware" and with regards to the CUBIS Tank, do I have to tell them that I don't want the CUBIS Tron? Is that the standard issue for the Tank (the Tron), and the Joyetech VTC Mini (non-upgraded firmware)? Or do they ask you when you request these items?

Is a typical Vape Store likely to have this setup you recommended?

If for some reason they don't have this, what should be my Plan B or Plan C?

Thanks again!

Hope to hear from you again soon!

CS

 

[janiegrl]

Personally, I wouldn't go to Mr. Smoke. I know nothing about the store, but what I found on Yelp shows it to be a store that sells lots of....other things that can't be mentioned here. Try to find a store that is specifically for vaping. Here's Yelp's 10 Best Vape Stores in Ottawa The Best 10 Vape Shops in Ottawa, ON . Not that Yelp reviews are accurate...that was just a super quick search. You may be surprised at how many vape shops are around once you start looking.

Whatever you decide to get, you should get extra coils. Coils need to be replaced every 2ish weeks. You should get at least 1 with whatever tank you get, so you'll need spares to keep yourself going. You'll need some juice too. I would suggest only buying 1 bottle at a time because you may find the nicotine amount is too much or not enough. Kinda sucks having lots of bottles of juice you can't use (there are ways you can adjust them, but when you're just starting out, it's better not to over-stock).

It's perfectly fine to vape and smoke at the same time. Not everyone can quick cold turkey, even with vaping. I gradually cut down on the cigarettes as I increased my vaping. It took me a couple weeks.

I think the Joyetech VTC Mini needs a battery. You should get 2 plus a charger. That way while one charges, you can still vape with the other one.

My recommendation for a plan B:
Eleaf iStick 30 watt (internal battery, so no need to buy more, plus it comes with a charging cord) $50ish (my store charged me $70, but I think the going rate is $50)
Nautilus Mini tank - $40
Extra Nautilus coils - $20 for a pack of 5
1 bottle of e juice (or 2 bottles, if you think the nicotine amount is good) about $20/bottle

Not much more than a carton of smokes, and that should keep you going for at least a month. Once you have your setup, the only things you'll need to keep replacing is the juice and coils.

 

[Crow79]

As stated above, a 30w istick is actually an excellent plan b. I just recently gave mine to a friend that has decided to switch to vaping.

There's nothing wrong with an Internal battery. It's just that if the battery goes kaput, your mod is done.

Internal batteries have distinct advantages though.

They are far lighter

Usually inexpensive

They generally charge quickly

They are simple to use.

As for avoiding tobacco flavour liquids... I don't entirely agree with your friend. The problem with tobacco flavours is they are, by and large, absolutely terrible, and do not approximate the taste of a cigarette. VanGo tobaccoland has solved that problem, I'm not kidding.

I wouldn't use a tobacco flavour as an all day vape.. I use it as my outlet for times when I REALLY want a smoke.

I mean, do you really want to vape molten candy or cake all day either?! You need a broad spectrum of both sweet and savoury flavours to keep yourself from losing interest.

As for nicotine level... Try samples on your vape shoppe to figure out what works best for you at the power and ohm level you are running. Any knowledgeable shop owner will help you determine exactly what you need, because they want you to continue vaping and come to them as your trusted source as well as where you spend your money.

Bad shop owners will let you buy whatever you want, and then lose your business because you don't stick with the program

 

[Canadian Squid]

Awesome. Thx again!

I managed to talk to one store owner tonight, and he said he likes to use the iStick 30W with the Nautilus Mini which is popular, but not really a beginner's kit, but can be.

I think I'm gonna with with that set up, gonna head out tomorrow.

I heard that the iStick now has a 50W mod, so I'm wondering if that's the better of the two.

Lastly, how often do you need to replace/change the coils?

I guess I should buy one or two coil 5-pack replacements.

Apparently, they do not carry any Joytech vaporizers since it is very hard for customers to find accessories for these models. They are 49.99 for the i stick and 42.99 for the nautilus mini.

They also do not carry VanGo juice, but do carry an apparently very good brand actually, Vaporus. This company is based out of Montreal, Canada.

 

[Crow79]

The 50w istick is nice, but you will sacrifice some portability for it.

The 30w is ridiculously small for its capabilities, I recommend it.

I'm personally not a big fan of the nautilus, but many people really like it.

Keep in mind that the nicotine level you use with the nautilus mini may be too much/too little if you decide to use a different setup in the future. A more powerful device or different coil will change the efficiency in which the nicotine is vaporized.

To give you an example... Most people who began vaping a couple years ago used a device called an eGo. Using 12-18mg nicotine level was commonplace for the average smoker on this device with the available atomizers to satiate their craving and provide a good throat hit. The moment these same people switched to a box mod and a sub ohm system, 3-6mg becomes the limit for most.

As for changing your coils, talk to your shop owner, he will educate you on when it is time to change your coil. Buying 5-10 replacement heads will keep you in good shape for some time.

Vape on!

 

[Canadian_Vaper]

Hello's where in Canadada are ya from? always great seeing more Canadians on here

I'd recommend the Innokin Endura T22, great little starter kit with decent vapor and battery life, if you like it get a second one so you can charge it while you're vaping..

If you want unflavored I know a Canadian site that sells 1L of 12mg for 23$ CAD + 10$ shipping and taxes comes to about 40$, that would probably last you half a year lols. Just PM me if you want the link.

 

[janiegrl]

My store carries Vaporus! It's a decent line. I started with DoMore, which is a tobacco flavour. I've never smoked duMauriers, so I don't know how it compares. It has a little bit of a sweet note at the end. I'm using Tribute right now, which is tobacco blended with other flavours - very interesting, and sweeter than the DoMore. Since Quebec banned online sales they had to take their sales website down, but you can probably find it on the wayback machine, or you might find the wholesale page. You can find descriptions of their flavours, so you can figure out in advance what you might want to try. I love their Key Lime Pie, Banana Cream Cheesecake, and the Vanilla is really interesting. It's not a vanilla extract, more like vanilla beans.