Insert clever headline here...

[Omnipanzer]

That "Green Smart Living battery VVV tank:" looks pretty cool actually.

The Ocelot leaves all the coolest info behind.

 

[mkbilbo]

I sent my DIL some juice since I make my own now, and she sent me her favorite. I have the bottle, the name of the store in Austin is "All About Vapor" 510-671-vape is the phone number.

If you go there, they can show you all the different things, you can hold them in your hands, allow you to try new juice, and also meet others who are vaping. I live in California, so have never been, but she loves it there. There is no address on the bottle, but I hope I gave you enough informaiton that you can find it. Having a real store dedicated to these things is such a luxury, I don't have one where I live.

Okay now that is really great to know. Thanks! Found them right off. They're actually in Round Rock, one of the north end suburbs. About 45 miles from me but the toll roads make it a pretty easy drive. I'll have to go check it out soon. Have been reading here about refilling Blu cartomizers (is that the term?). Seems that could cut costs even further and, these days, every penny counts.

 

[mkbilbo]

Oh, just for future reference, their site is over this way:

All About Vapor

In case any other CenTex folk wander by. Think I'll see if my brother's free this weekend and wants to run up and check it out.

 

[wandawag]

welcome! isn't it a wonderful feeling knowing you are smoking fewer analogs? ( i prefer the word "stinkies"). i too am new to vaping. after 45 years....no stinkies for me since dec 7! i too started with a disposable. i then went to green smart living....which is a prefilled cartomizer and very simple. hubby and i are both doing this. Good for you...keep at it!

 

[mkbilbo]

If it is working, that is the most important thing. If you decide that you would prefer a less expensive system, as I finally did, remember -- if you don't return it, you can always pay it forward to someone else interested in quitting. As you said, it was the same cost as a carton

True enough.

Even having the "starter" thing only a couple of days, I can see some of the problems folks talk about. Sometimes, I swear, it seems the batteries last five minutes. But can't knock Blu too much. Not when my two pack a day habit fell to all of three today. And I'm not even trying. The pack from Sunday is sitting where it usually does, the unopened carton is in the cabinet where they always go. Haven't done anything dramatic like throwing out the cigs and lighters.

The three times I've had this, "I wanna a real cig" impulse, what's funny is I had the same reaction: meh.

I actually seem to like "vaping" more. Which flat blows me away. Every other attempt to get away from cigarettes has been nightmarish wars of will power and some pretty hideous "cessation" stuff (like the gum, I don't care how they try to flavor it, that stuff is awful).

The more I read around here, the more I wonder if it being what I think I see people call a "cigalike" (that right?) may be a big factor in what's going on with me at least. One of my biggest problems on top of being "hooked" is I actually like smoking. Always have. May be a psychological thing going on in there.

BTW, if you find a juice you like, those carts ARE refillable if you don't vape them until they burn. That is how I found ECF, I was looking for a less expensive way to get the juice, stumbled on a video on youtube on how to refill them, and that led me here. And smoking cigarettes became history.

ETA: There is a brick and mortar store in Austin that you can visit and taste various juices, as well as buy equipment. They will be a bit more than online vendors, but also can be an invaluable resource to get you started so you can escape all the confusion on what to buy. I sent my DIL to it as she lives there, and she was thrilled! She bought the eGo kit there, and now I can guide her to the online stores where she can replace things as necessary. She still buys her juice there, they have one she adores.

Saw a mention of them in this thread and found them right off. Had no idea we had a shop like that. They're up in Round Rock which isn't around the corner but it's an easy enough drive (well, long as it's not rush that is). Their website has just a ton of flavors of the liquid. Might have to run up there this Saturday and check it out.

 

[mkbilbo]

Hi mkbilbo! Congratulations on accidentally quitting smoking!! That is what happened to me too - blew me away!

That's what's so funny about it. It just kinda... happened. I've tried to quit so many times I can't count and it's always been a nightmare. This was kind of, "Wait, did I quit smoking?"

Okay, I haven't quite yet. But I had three, what do folks call 'em, "analog" today. Two packs a day to... three cigs. Without trying. No big drama of throwing out the cigs and the ashtrays and the lighters and all. They're all in their usual spots. I could go get one right now. But I ain't. Weirder still is the three times I've lit an analog today, I wasn't all that impressed. They're just... okay. Had this "I wanna real cig" impulse earlier this evening. And actually thought, "Nah, the Blus are better." Which was another surprise.

Sure it's pricey, but the Blu got your attention and made you realize these crazy e-cig thingys might actually work - so Yeah Blu!

And unless the whole thing just flaked totally, not that pricey. When the feds did their tax hike on tobacco, Texas jumped in with a hike of their own and prices doubled overnight. The "starter kit" was no more expensive than a carton. Then an extra five pack of cartridges was $15. If it can get even reasonably within striking distance of being the equivalent of a carton, it's a wash. I mean, seriously, my favorite analog brand went to $70 plus tax overnight. I had to switch to a cheaper one but still couldn't get below $60 plus tax. And as I'm learning more around here, I can see refilling cartridges cutting the cost further.

"Cig-a-likes" often come in handy too - I have a cheap rechargeable I take with me when I go out sometimes. (If you got a PCC charging box with your kit, I'm envious; I'd like to charge mine on the fly.)

It does actually. Have a charger in the too cute by half "pack". But it's everything everybody says about it: slow.

In fact, I'm about ready to do some violence to these batteries today. They just don't hold a charge well. Though to be fair, a rechargeable in a small form that's used to generate heat can't last well. A heating element's gonna burn through power fast and small battery tech is still kind of limited. Though I'm a bit suspicious of Blu's little USB charger. It'll turn blue to signal "ready" then change it's mind. And turns blue awful fast. I'm starting to wonder if it's lying to me.

I think "cig-a-like" may be what I should go with. At least for a while. Maybe quite a while. On top of being "hooked", I like smoking. Always have. I'd be willing to bet there's a "psychological" thing going on with the ones that imitate a tobacco cig. Also, it seems to be working so I don't wanna change anything too suddenly!

A useful thing about the Blu is that is has a 510 thread connection...

That's one of the nice things about the forum here. People knowing stuff like that. At first, I was utterly mystified what a "510" was about. Now I can see it opens up some ways to deal with Blu's defects without tossing the whole thing and starting over. Which is good since a big part of this for me is saving money. Since that big tax hike, my smoking cost was eating me alive. Yeesh!

 

[vsummer1]

There is a psychological aspect to it. What would I do with my "hand to mouth" addiction without my PV? But my box mods and larger tubes do the job much better

If you really want to stay with the Blu, buy online and you can get the refills for less than $10 rather than $15. That is a dollar a PIECE less!

The reason I left the Blu was 1) battery life 2) battery life and 3) high cost of refills. Those things were constantly charging and it drove me nuts. Now I change my battery once a day and fool with other things.

ETA: the fact that they are 510 threaded is a major bonus also, as I had the cartos that fit on the bigger batteries. In fact, I had surgery a few weeks ago and dug up some old Blu cartos to put on an old eGo so if it got lost at the hospital I wouldn't mind

 

[mkbilbo]

Blu is a fine beginner kit but those cartridges get expensive. There are many different routes you can go that will save you a lot of money. Whenever I try something new I just use it until I break even on how many packs of cigarettes it saved me and then I consider myself even and ready to try something new. PV's can easily be the road to salvation at least they are for me and I've smoked through every other option out there e.g. patches gum etc. welcome to the community and if you decide to put down the cigs we're here for you.

I've had the same problem. Gum, patches, "cold turkey", you name it, I've tried it. To have it just sort of... happen is a bit mind blowing. And while the cartridges are kind of pricey, since the big tax hike on cigs, I'd still come out ahead even if I just bought them at Walgreens. But I'm picking up a lot of great tips here and a couple of folks told me we have a vapor shop here. Which I did not know. Already checked out their website and it looks like I could get set up to do my own refills so that could save even more.

I haven't quite gotten away from "analogs" yet but I went from one and half to two packs a day to yesterday I had all of three cigs total. So I'm sold.

 

[mkbilbo]

The reason I left the Blu was 1) battery life 2) battery life and 3) high cost of refills. Those things were constantly charging and it drove me nuts. Now I change my battery once a day and fool with other things.

Yeah I'm learning real fast how annoying Blu's batteries are.

Still, that psychological thing, I'm betting that's a big part of it for me. So it's not so much "wanting" to stay with Blu, it's more not making any sudden moves. I mean, it's working. Nothing else has. In hindsight, I wish I'd stuck to disposables and done more research. If I'd found the forum here before buying the "starter" thing, I could have gotten better info.

Did do an order with Blu direct so caught a discount. Still, with that big tax hike, cartridges would have a hard time equaling what it was costing me to buy the regular stuff...

 

[vsummer1]

Yeah I'm learning real fast how annoying Blu's batteries are.

Still, that psychological thing, I'm betting that's a big part of it for me. So it's not so much "wanting" to stay with Blu, it's more not making any sudden moves. I mean, it's working. Nothing else has. In hindsight, I wish I'd stuck to disposables and done more research. If I'd found the forum here before buying the "starter" thing, I could have gotten better info.

Did do an order with Blu direct so caught a discount. Still, with that big tax hike, cartridges would have a hard time equaling what it was costing me to buy the regular stuff...

You can also buy blank carts and fill them yourself after your Blu's die/burn. The vape store should sell them, and they are also 510 threaded so will go onto your Blu just as your Blu's will go onto any 510 threaded thing. But if you DO buy an eGo or some other thing from them, you should be aware that the Blu charger is proprietary and reverse from the Ego etc. so you will need a new charger. Make sure your Blu charging cable is kept apart from all others!

 

[Omnipanzer]

I've had the same problem. Gum, patches, "cold turkey", you name it, I've tried it. To have it just sort of... happen is a bit mind blowing. And while the cartridges are kind of pricey, since the big tax hike on cigs, I'd still come out ahead even if I just bought them at Walgreens. But I'm picking up a lot of great tips here and a couple of folks told me we have a vapor shop here. Which I did not know. Already checked out their website and it looks like I could get set up to do my own refills so that could save even more.

I haven't quite gotten away from "analogs" yet but I went from one and half to two packs a day to yesterday I had all of three cigs total. So I'm sold.

yah I just got back on the vapor horse and I went immediately from 1.5PAD to 3 smokes over the last 10 days. It'll happen just make sure you go at a pace you're comfortable with. It's all about doing it in a way you're happy about... this is not a sprint it's a marathon. ;-)

In the mean time we're here if you have any questions or need any advice. I'm an intermediate level user myself but we have some real pro's around here. Just lurk around if you haven't already and you'll see what I mean.

 

[mkbilbo]

welcome! isn't it a wonderful feeling knowing you are smoking fewer analogs? ( i prefer the word "stinkies"). i too am new to vaping. after 45 years....no stinkies for me since dec 7! i too started with a disposable. i then went to green smart living....which is a prefilled cartomizer and very simple. hubby and i are both doing this. Good for you...keep at it!

Heh, stinkies. I'll have to remember that.

 

[mkbilbo]

Your Blu is probably returnable if you want to go with something else. Save your receipt.

Heh, I went the other way. I returned the unopened carton of regular cigs. The idea of sixty bucks sitting in a cabinet going stale didn't sit well. And it's not like I can't get any more if I changed my mind.

That having been said, there's nothing wrong with the Blu and a great deal that's right. Most of us start with a cig-alike (but many won't admit they ever had anything but a full-sized mod). Many of us move on to something else when the battery life gets too annoying.

I am discovering the flaws Blu has that folks talk about. Including one of the two batteries I'm just about ready to take outside and beat with an axe. But in general... it's okay. I get the feeling Blu spent more time on the "cool" factor than the "make it work" factor. Too bad too. It's a sharp looking product. But not that well done.

And while I may change my mind in time, I think a big part of this for me is the "cig-a-like" thing. One of the biggest things that kept me going back to cigs is I like to smoke. Always have. The kind of "psych out" factor is probably a big part of why the transition was so easy. The things like the gum or patches, I missed the smoking. I was getting the nicotine but it wasn't any fun.

 

[Omnipanzer]

"Heh, I went the other way. I returned the unopened carton of regular cigs. The idea of sixty bucks sitting in a cabinet going stale didn't sit well. And it's not like I can't get any more if I changed my mind."


Perfect mindset right here.

 

[mymares]

Hello, I am new this is my first post... I dont mean to hijack someone elses post, but the above pics made me do it!

I have been ryo analogs for many years.

my son sent me a e-go t 1100 and a few clearmoizers and some juice a little over a month ago that he thought I would like since I have been smoking menthol for over 40 years..
Most have been "ok" but did not keep my off my ryo which I perfected over the years as to mix of tobacco and tubes... I have bought other menthol and have experimented with mixing.

even tho I cut back to half the about a third of what I was smoking I still had a few analogs a day...

the other day when I went into the tobacco shop they were surprised that I did not buy my usual amount of tobacco, told them about the new e-cig setup.. they also carry a small amount of e-cig setups.. they just got in Green Smart Living and she asked if I wanted to try one since their distributor set them up with different flavors for customers to sample... WELL I LOVED the menthol high, it was the perfect taste for me....
NOW I see The Ocelot that you have one attached to a battery and I have 2 questions...

what type of battery does the cartomizer fit? ( I tried it on my e2 it screwed in but did nothing)

does anyone know how I can duplicate the flavor in ejuice?

I have tried different flavors, fruit, different menthols different levels of nicotine, mostly all vg's and none were exactly what I want, until the GSL menthol high, ( would like to try the low and 0 nicotine)..... I would love to duplicate that in a cheaper way, since RYO costs me about $14 a carton..

I have been vaping for about a little over a month now, and I cant believe how much my sense of smell was gone before! a neighbor had smoked an analog before I saw her and I could smell it all over her, never had in the past... taste is also starting to change.. would love to stay off the analog's if I can find the perfect menthol flavor as I have in the GSL.. tho, the battery has not been too bad, lasts me about 8 hours and believe me I have been vaping more then I would smoke since I love the flavor so much..

any help with my questions will be greatly appreciated.. thanks to all, and again sorry for highjacking

 

[Omnipanzer]

mymares, you really should go ahead and start your own thread for maximum responses particularly since this thread is a few days old. The options in e-juice flavors are as varied as the people who vape them. The only option is to try a few until you find what you like. Most e-juice stores will have a sample size however if you begin your own thread you might be able to find someone who smokes menthols that can recommend their favorites for you. You might even find someone who found they liked the menthol high themselves and have already done the leg work (not to mention the money spent) to find a comparable e juice. I'm guessing it is a menthol with their "high" level of nicotine which would probably be 18mg. This is all conjecture on my part though. Good luck in finding what you want or what you are looking for but definitely start your own thread so you can actually get the answers you are looking for.


Your "e-go t 1100" is going to be a 510 threading however some companies in order to make their stuff somewhat proprietary will shorten the positive terminal on their cartomizers and lengthen is on their PV's so that when you try to switch them they won't fire. You will see this issue a lot less with the third party (non-system) based supplies or by going all in on a system which will cost you more but is very simplified. I hope I answered your questions for you and aquatically encouraged you to go ahead and be a little more vocal in the community should you like to be.


Cheers mate.

 

[mymares]

Omnipanzer,

Thank you for responding.. I will start my own thread.. as I was reading thru others I saw that The Ocelot had a gsl cartomizer I was excited that maybe I could go that way some how..

Thank you again, I will post my own thread and hope to get some responses.

Mymares.