Info OVERLOAD!! Need advice - what to start with??

[nikkitta]

Help! I've smoked way too many cigarettes while reading through all of the posts - trying to figure out where to start. I'm looking to buy kits for myself and my husband.

I'll start with him: he's a heavy smoker - 1.5 to 2 packs a day, marlboro reds, he smokes 2 cigs in a row while I finish one. He has been smoking for 15 yrs and really wants to quit. He needs something that holds a charge for several hours and is easy to use - anything complicated will probably get replaced by another pack of smokes!

Me - I smoke about a pack a day, marlboro menthol full flavor. I don't care too much about a long lasting battery, I'm always near an outlet or computer.

My head is spinning from all the different options! I just need a good starting point for e-cig models/kits, nicotine mg (24 for me, 36 for him?), flavors, and where to buy everything from!

 

[mynameisrob]

For your husband Id go with a bigger battery PV. Slim ecigs wont give him the battery life he will need. Check out the Riva, E-Power, and kGo. All three are very nice, affordable PVs that work great. They all have 510 connections so hell be able to use a wide variety of attys and cartos.
The eGo is also nice and popular, but personally I dont like it as much because its a 3.4V PV. The Riva/E-Power/kGo are 3.7V PVs which will handle the low resistance attys/cartos better. I have an E-Power and love it. Everything is replaceable on it so it keeps costs down and its the only one of the three that uses non-proprietary batteries.For the eGo/Riva/kGo, the tube, battery, and switch are all one piece. So if the switch goes, or you need a new battery, you basically have to replace the whole unit. For the E-Power, the tube, battery, and switch are all seperate. So if the switch goes, you can buy just a new switch and continue using your existing battery and tube.
E-Power batteries cost $4 compared to eGo/Riva/kGo batteries that are $14-20.
I also find it much easier to carry a spare battery for the E-Power compared to the others, the batteries are about the size of a AA but alittle longer. They are 1050mah and you get 2 with the kit. So its easy just to throw one in your pocket and he would never have to worry about running out of battery power. I get about a day to a day and a half on one battery.
I dont know what he does, but for me, Im at work all day going to different places. To carry a spare battery for an eGo/Riva/kGo, you basically have to carry a second PV. I find that to be more annoying. For the E-Power I just throw a spare battery in my back pocket and I know I never have to worry about running out. For him though, that might not be a big deal.
Crystal Clear Vaping has a great deal on the E-Power, and you get $25 worth of free stuff. Free Ressurector cartomizers, free 30ml juice of your choice, and free shipping. Also put in ecf5off and get 5% off the order.

The Riva and kGo are both very nice too, I just personally like the non-proprietary batteries because their alot cheaper and last alot longer before they need to be replaced.
The kGo has a 1100mah battery so it lasts a long time. Hoosier Ecig Supply has a good deal for the kGo.
The Riva has different battery size options and works great. LibertyFlights has a very good deal for the Riva.

For you, any of the 3 I mentioned above would be good for you too. But since you said you would be around computers alot, then you could also consider a Passthrough. A passthrough can plug into a computer or outlet and you can vape while it charges. Then when your leaving, just unplug and the PV will run on the battery. Make sure you get one that has a battery in it also and is not just a permanent passthrough.

 

[Balthezar]

Hi nikkitta, and welcome to ECF.
I have an eGo passthrough, you can vape while it's plugged into a USB, or unplug and vape. You can get this one for $16.99:

eGo 510 650mAh USB Passthrough Battery

That one might suit you well. As far your husband, maybe an eGo, riva, or other eGo type, but I'm sure you will get a lot more responses soon.

 

[Dieseler]

Hi Nik and welcome your probably gonna get lots of answers thats my hope to help you.
I'll mention that ego has gotten many started in the vaping world and batteries will last a full day if there 1000mah rated at least there are some out there now at 1300 i see.
I smoked marlb also at 2 packs a day for very long time and now vape a 555 brand e-liquid at 18 mg strength for example .
Never tried anything higher as it satified my urge but were all different in those regards and in types of device and likes of e-liquid.
Here is a website that i used to by my device from , i say used to as i have moved onto a mod but my wife still uses the ego for last 6 months and loves it.
Also her and i well her now numbered and rotated they batteries in use , my 3 and her 3 batts still good at 6 months old.
The batts take about 4 hours to charge back up when the little light on them while vaping starts to flash its time to charge it.
Like i mention you have many options here and i hope others chime in as well and hope this was not to confusing.
Here is a link for starters and idea's for you.
Myvaporstore.com | The Electronic Cigarette Super Store

 

[zenman]

Hello Nikkitta, you want to start with something that
A. Won't break the bank
B. Won't break down and discourage you
C. Has an entry level learning curve

I have always suggested the Joye Ego for first-timers. As you outgrow this device(and you will), you can easily add different parts and replacement parts are easy to come buy.

There are other easytouse(but quality) starter units that won't discourage you and your hubby. Hopefully, vets will chime in taking your situation into consideration. It frustrates me when I have seen "what to start with?" Threads responded with "get the Provari with an LR cart and a 70/30 VG/PG".

Stay away from anything in the mall and smoke in the name

 

[swedishfish]

I started vaping with an ego from Liberty Flights. The Riva kit is $30, the cartomizer kit is $35. Get some drip tips, an extra box of cartomizers and about 30 ml of sample size bottle from a juice vendor.

That's what got me off cigarettes and it's still the same basic set up I use today.

I bought a bottle of 12 and 24 in the same flavor, figured I'd mix them together to find my nic level, but 24 was fine for me.

Backwoods Brew has a good menthol and you select the nicotine strength and menthol level.

My sister smoked 2 pks a day of Marlboro and she vapes Vapor Station Tampa.

 

[Huffelpuff]

Ok. Minority opinion here. Skip the learning curve and get something that packs a punch and has rechargeable, replaceable batteries. Reo, ProVari, Darwin, any VV device or HV mod. There are mods out there in all price ranges that meet the standard of long battery life and higher voltage - I found these much more satisfying than a Joye or Riva.

Don't hate me cause I'm different - it's my story and I'm sticking to it!

 

[swedishfish]

Ok. Minority opinion here. Skip the learning curve and get something that packs a punch and has rechargeable, replaceable batteries. Reo, ProVari, Darwin, any VV device or HV mod. There are mods out there in all price ranges that meet the standard of long battery life and higher voltage - I found these much more satisfying than a Joye or Riva.

Don't hate me cause I'm different - it's my story and I'm sticking to it!

When I first started vaping - never vaped, didn't know if I'd like it or throw it in the corner with the other stuff I buy and never use that's collecting dust. A $200 setup or something that was time consuming to research would have been too much for me. A $30 Ego was not. Even if you don't stay with it, it's great to have even as a backup, although I still use mine.

If what you have doesn't work for you, or isn't enough for you- I agree with you, I wouldn't continue to throw money at a setup that doesn't work. Stop and research mods, you may need something higher voltage that can only be provided by a mod.

A $30 ego isn't a bad way to start and you will get at least a decent vape. It works for me so there's no real reason to move on for me except the novelty of trying new things.

 

[Iffy]

I'll repeat in part what swedishfish has posted. Go to LIBERTY-FLIGHTS and get the Riva. Use coupon code october20 for a 20% discount. Also get a couple of 306 atomizers to sample flavors.

If ya'll take to vaping, you'll have plenty of time to research the 'next level' while vaping your Rivas!

 

[Boodle]

Don't stress too much over kits. The moment it hits you that you don't smoke anymore, that you're a vaper, the need for backups will kick in and you'll buy extra kits. I'd suggest you grab a Fat Batt kit like eGo, Riva or KGO. My fave is the KGO. It has higher voltage (more cigarette-like hit) and more mAh (battery lasts a day plus). You can't go wrong with any of the three. You could spend hundreds on a 3.7v mod but it won't hit better than a KGO. (Except variable voltage mods and the fiddle factor is too darn high for a noob). You get two ecig batteries in a kit so you could get one, you and hubby try it and get another or try a different style.

KGO vendors:
Http://BreezeSmokes.com
Http://HoosierEcigSupply.com

Don and Brent give amazing customer service. Strongly suggest you buy from an ECF supplier. There are tons of fake eGos, Rivas and KGOs out there that are junk.

Swedish built you a great list of supplies you'll need. Congrats on your decision. Happy vaping

 

[mlinky]

I think Swedishfish is dead on. There is no more cost-effective way to start vaping that is also adequate for a heavy smoker. It is where I started, and I celebrate one year smoke-free tomorrow. You should be able to outfit both of you for less than $100. Good luck and happy vaping!

 

[nikkitta]

Thanks so much for the suggestions and the support, we greatly appreciate it!! I'm so glad I found this forum!!

 

[hairball]

Go with liberty-flights.com. Cheapest vendor I know of for kits. Get a couple boxes of Boge 2.0om cartomizers, a couple drip tips, and a couple extra 510 or 306 atomizers for testing flavors. Don't forget juice either. I don't care for LF's juices but there are tons of vendors out there so do some searching around.

 

[bigtiime]

nikkitta, You already have many good suggestions for starter kits from some very knowledgeable ECF members so I won't make that anymore difficult for you. What I will suggest to you is to do this together. Buy your kits, learn to use them, and once you have, ask each other questions and tell each other what you like or dislike about what you've bought. Then let the forum help you over the "bumps" if any.

The other thing that I can't stress enough is for both of you to drink lots of water once you start your vaping journey. Vaping will dehydrate you. Good luck to both of you!

 

[El-ahrairah]

Many people starting out go with the eGo/Riva/E-Power/kGo route, but like what mynameisrob said, the eGo isn't a 3.7v device, so if you buy one you want to buy "Low Resistance" atomizers or cartomizers so that you get a little more "oomf" to your vape. I do not recommend starting off with any kind of tank system/CE2/Fluxomizer/etc. Simple atomizers and/or cartomizers are perfectly fine for the new vaper. Keeping it simple reduces frustration!

I've never owned an E-Power, but I've heard good things about it. The fact that the battery is swappable is a plus. What I do recommend is, if you buy a passthrough device, you don't plug it into the USB port of your computer as they aren't really meant for that kind of power flow and you could damage your computer. You'll want to use an AC to USB power dongle, most passthrough kits should come with one, but it's the same one that comes with cell phones and most other electrical devices nowadays.

As for juice, since you both are/were heavy smokers, I would recommend starting at 24mg. If you decide to try 36, order small sample bottles so if ends up being a bit much, you aren't out a large bottle of juice (though you can always cut/mix it later). Where you buy your juice from is completely subjective. Unfortunately, this is going to be where you'll spend your largest amount of time and money. Sorry, that's just the nature of the beast. I, personally, like the juices from Backwoods Brew and ElixirLiquid. When you do make your juice purchase, I recommend buying a tobacco type flavor along with something sweetish so that you can find out your preferences and not leaving yourself with a bottle (or bottles) of something unvapable, should you decide you don't like one or the other.

I hope it helps a bit. If you're still confused or have questions, just ask. It's better to ask questions for free than make costly errors.

 

[nikkitta]

I started vaping with an ego from Liberty Flights. The Riva kit is $30, the cartomizer kit is $35. Get some drip tips, an extra box of cartomizers and about 30 ml of sample size bottle from a juice vendor.

That's what got me off cigarettes and it's still the same basic set up I use today.

I bought a bottle of 12 and 24 in the same flavor, figured I'd mix them together to find my nic level, but 24 was fine for me.

Backwoods Brew has a good menthol and you select the nicotine strength and menthol level.

My sister smoked 2 pks a day of Marlboro and she vapes Vapor Station Tampa.

Swedishfish - I just tried to buy a Riva 510 Carto Deluxe Kit from Liberty Flights and they are sold out. Is that the kit you reccomend? Some kits say they have cartomizers and others have cartridge and atomizer. A little confused on what that means and which to go for. I'll try looking for a Riva somewhere else since LF is sold out

 

[El-ahrairah]

Cartridges are what hold the juice for your atomizer. You plug the cartridge onto the atomizer and the juice then feeds down to the atomizer. A Cartomizer just combines the two into one unit. This allows you to, potentially, hold more juice and skip the mess of a two-piece system. Also, cartomizers are designed to be more disposable (though perfectly reusable) than atomizers, hence the price difference per unit.

Most people who use atomizers leave out cartidges completely and just drip their juice directly into the atomizer.

 

[mlinky]

Swedishfish - I just tried to buy a Riva 510 Carto Deluxe Kit from Liberty Flights and they are sold out. Is that the kit you reccomend? Some kits say they have cartomizers and others have cartridge and atomizer. A little confused on what that means and which to go for. I'll try looking for a Riva somewhere else since LF is sold out

Go ahead and buy a couple of the Riva 510 - Special Edition kits from Liberty Flights. They are only $35, and come with 2.0 ohm atomizers, which is better than the standard resistance. Liberty-Flights is out of the Boge 2 ohm LR cartomizers, but you can get 15 for $20 (with a free drip tip and free shipping) from here: Crystal Clear Vaping That is plenty to share between you, if you just buy an additional 510 drip tip from liberty flights or CCV.

 

[nikkitta]

Ok, so if I buy the special edition, i can buy cartomizers and they will work with it? seems easier than the 2 piece atomizer/cartridge.

 

[mlinky]

Ok, so if I buy the special edition, i can buy cartomizers and they will work with it? seems easier than the 2 piece atomizer/cartridge.

Yes, they all have a 510 connections, so they will work fine. I think cartomizers are easier for new vapers, but it is handy to have a couple of atomizers in the same resistance as your cartomizers so you can try a taste of juice without filling up your cartomizer with a juice you might hate.