I want to tell you a story but I want to ruin the ending first. I smoked my last (notably unsatisfying) cigarette last Thursday after battling with the habit for almost 2 decades. I don't want to be a lifetime consumer of nicotine but, for now, I'm convinced: vaping is more satisfying, cleaner, more fun, and more healthy than any other delivery mechanism. If you enjoy nicotine in any form, I highly recommend this method. This is my path to enlightenment and I hope this post helps to find your own.
Setting the Scene
I started smoking analogs (regular cigarettes, for the uninitiated) occasionally when I was fourteen. This strange, unhealthy, unfortunate habit caught hold and left me smoking a pack (or more) a day until I was about 28 when I tried quitting for 100th time and it stuck. It was one of the best choices I've ever made and I was happy to be rid of such an awful part of my life.
Flash forward several years and, given the right circumstances, combination of people and volume of adult beverages, you might find a cigarette in my hand every now and then. Analogs slowly crept back into my life and I started buying packs when the urge struck. It was never more than a few a week but the smell, taste, coughing, wheezing, and shame was nagging me once again. With an unknowing wife and unborn daughter weighing heavily on my conscience, I knew this "indulgence" could not be a part of my life. It was removed unintentionally through a chance encounter with an excellent salesman.
The First Piece of Equipment
I bought a Joyetech eGo-T (a certain type of battery), two Vision V2 clearomizers (a certain type of liquid container), and two 15mL bottles of less-than-great e-liquid for $110 at a corner smoke shop. I knew this was probably overpriced but, despite my penchant for buying online, I bit. I went in that day to buy yet another pack of Dunhill Reds, several past the first time I said "never again." Ahmed, the man behind the corner who set me on this path, talked me out of an $11 pack of cigarettes and into a piece of equipment that cost ten times more.
I'll spare you the details surrounding the purchase since that's not what I really want to share. Safe to say, I overpaid by a huge margin. With that behind me, I'm happily without analogs once again and feel like my path to this point can help others.
The Lingo
The absolute hardest part about getting started with vaping (the act of using an ecigarette), for me, was understanding how everything works and what the different parts are. I'm a bonafide geek (developer by trade) so I'm used to jargon but everywhere I went (online at least) it seemed like everyone already knew the time. What was VV? Should I use a cartomizer? What was VG? What was PG? It was all a big jumble of words and acronyms.
If you're just getting started with vaping, you don't need to know everything, just enough to take that first, important step:
This weird, confusing world of vaping can be intimidating to a first-timer, particularly someone who already has trouble with technology in it's various forms. The sections below cover the points above in detail. If you're confused, thinking about taking a step, or just testing the water, give me a chance to help you through. I'm totally convinced and I have nothing to gain by convincing you.
Pieces of the Puzzle
Despite paying a huge markup, I ended up with a combination of equipment that suits me very well.
I learned recently that "eGo" is just a type of battery connection, not necessarily a brand name. If you're just getting started, this is the most universal connector you can buy so I highly recommend starting with this style. There are a few different brands of battery makers out there and, as far as I've read, they range in quality. Buy from a distributor that tests their equipment (Discount Vapes has been impressive) and it's hard to go wrong. Don't worry about anything fancy like variable voltage for now; just get something that's highly rated with the eGo connection and you'll be fine. If you're a heavy smoker, get two batteries so you're never without. That's one part down, two to go.
To hold your liquid, you have a number of different options. Skipping straight to the punch, I recommend a rebuildable clearomizer (a clear tank to hold liquid with wicks that hang from the heating element at the top) like the Vision V2 pieces I accidentally ended up with. I tried a highly rated cartomizer (not sure how to explain this but typically has a rolled up wicking material in the middle and, in some cases, a tank surrounding) and ended up with liquid dripping all over myself and my battery. It's in the garbage can now. I also tried a highly-rated tank with a bottom coil (heating element at the bottom with very short wicks) and was not impressed. I also tried an expensive and highly-rated atomizer. I can't seem to put it back together to tell you whether or not I like it or not. Keep it simple and stick to a Vision V2 clearomizer or similar.
Finally. the liquid (AKA e-liquid, nicquid, juice). Pick all of your parts "correctly" and then use it with a crappy liquid and all your work is for naught. Choosing the right liquid is critical and some, honestly, take like garbage (or fish sauce or rubbing alcohol).
The first two bottles of liquid came from the shop that sold me my ecigarette. Both flavors were tobacco and were chosen to fit what I smoked at the time. It turns out that this was a bit misguided but there's no way I could have known when I bought it. What you'll find out as you spend more and more time in this subculture is that there are good people making liquid at a quality level similar to the picky foodie culture.
My first online order (you'll only find the best stuff online) was from Backwoods Brew, shipped to my mom because I had not copped to this new habit yet to my wife. I bought several highly-rated liquids from them; Casablanca, 555 Exotic, Waffle, Orchard Frost, Malty Toffee, and Honey Flue. They were all carefully crafted and what I thought would be my favorite wasn't (Orchard Frost is my go-to despite never smoking menthol cigarettes). The point here is: experiment broadly because taste is relative and you never know what you're going to love.
I now have experience with 3 different liquid makers and Backwoods is still the winner by far. Two more are on my list to try: Ahlusion and Heather's Heavenly Vapes. You'll find as you research more and more that this liquid part is not only relative but it's also very broad. There are more quality liquid makers out there than equipment manufacturers. Look for sampler packs, try flavors that are highly rated, and keep branching out. Even if you're a die-hard Marlboro smoker, it could be a Peach Pie flavor that gets you off of analogs.
The Flow
As I mentioned above, the two critical components of letting vaping take over your analog problem are the throat hit and the nicotine level.
Take the flavor and overall liquid quality out of the equation and you're left with how satisfying the liquid feels to you. This satisfaction level comes down to how a single inhale works for you. How it hits the back of your throat (throat hit) and how big of a dose you get (nicotine level) are what comprise this overall satisfaction.
The easy part is the nicotine level. There are a number of resources out there to choose the right level but, in the end, it will be personal choice. If you're smoking a lot, like a pack a day or more, start high. If it's too high, you can take shorter inhales less often during the day. If it's too low, however, you won't feel enough nicotine in your system and you might just assume that this replacement just isn't going to work for you. If you're concerned about this, try a sampler pack of the smallest amounts of the same flavor in different levels and see how it works for you.
The hard part to get right is the throat hit. All your gear comes together to give you a specific hit so it can be difficult for a beginner to know what to change. Here's what I've learned:
There's just something about an inhale off of an analog cigarette that just feels like it can't be replaced. That satisfying inhale half-way through an analog just feels "right" to a smoker and seems like it couldn't be replaced.
I'm here to tell you that this is totally false. In fact, combine the right equipment with a high-quality liquid and you'll forget all about how an analog feels. I get deeper, more satisfying inhales from my current setup. So much so that an analog now just feels weak an ineffective, in addition to being disgusting. Getting that tingly nicotine dose along with a strong throat hit will make you forget all about regular cigarettes.
In fact, I'd even suggest continuing to smoke as you go down the vaping path. Again, keep trying equipment and liquids until you start to see how much better this can be. Vape before lunch then go out for a cigarette. You'll find yourself slowly preferring the clean, strong, sweet-smelling vapor to the your analog breaks and the switch will be much easier if not pleasurable.
Try, Try Again
I said it before and I'll say it again: with all the different option out there for vaping, it's hard to get it exactly right out of the gate.
Cigarettes are simple. You buy a pack of 20, make sure you have some way to light it on fire, and you're good to go. You know how they feel, you know what to expect, you can bum one from anyone, and they're sold everywhere.
Comparatively, ecigarettes are complicated, require maintenance, can get messy, and are found, for the most part, only online. You'll get questioned by people when you use one in public, you'll get gross nicotine liquid on your hands and mouth now and then, and the charging process requires an outlet or USB to be handy on a regular basis. There is a pretty heavy trade-off when you first get started that can be hard to get used to.
But, ignoring the health, safety, and hygiene benefits, you're really opening up a huge number of options by switching:
Just. Keep. Trying. You might spent $50 on a kit with a couple of batteries and a couple of liquid containers plus $30 - 40 on liquid to get started. Try that out for a while then shell out another $20 on parts to try a different container. Order a sampler of liquids from a different distributor as well and see what you like. Read up on the forums to see how people are vaping, what liquid they're using, and the problems they're having.
Pro Tips
These are a few things I learned in the few months of vaping that I wish had been just provided with my equipment. This covers a lot of YMMV (your milage may vary) topics so please take all of the following in that context:
GOOD LUCK AND KEEP TRYING!!
Setting the Scene
I started smoking analogs (regular cigarettes, for the uninitiated) occasionally when I was fourteen. This strange, unhealthy, unfortunate habit caught hold and left me smoking a pack (or more) a day until I was about 28 when I tried quitting for 100th time and it stuck. It was one of the best choices I've ever made and I was happy to be rid of such an awful part of my life.
Flash forward several years and, given the right circumstances, combination of people and volume of adult beverages, you might find a cigarette in my hand every now and then. Analogs slowly crept back into my life and I started buying packs when the urge struck. It was never more than a few a week but the smell, taste, coughing, wheezing, and shame was nagging me once again. With an unknowing wife and unborn daughter weighing heavily on my conscience, I knew this "indulgence" could not be a part of my life. It was removed unintentionally through a chance encounter with an excellent salesman.
The First Piece of Equipment
I bought a Joyetech eGo-T (a certain type of battery), two Vision V2 clearomizers (a certain type of liquid container), and two 15mL bottles of less-than-great e-liquid for $110 at a corner smoke shop. I knew this was probably overpriced but, despite my penchant for buying online, I bit. I went in that day to buy yet another pack of Dunhill Reds, several past the first time I said "never again." Ahmed, the man behind the corner who set me on this path, talked me out of an $11 pack of cigarettes and into a piece of equipment that cost ten times more.
I'll spare you the details surrounding the purchase since that's not what I really want to share. Safe to say, I overpaid by a huge margin. With that behind me, I'm happily without analogs once again and feel like my path to this point can help others.
The Lingo
The absolute hardest part about getting started with vaping (the act of using an ecigarette), for me, was understanding how everything works and what the different parts are. I'm a bonafide geek (developer by trade) so I'm used to jargon but everywhere I went (online at least) it seemed like everyone already knew the time. What was VV? Should I use a cartomizer? What was VG? What was PG? It was all a big jumble of words and acronyms.
If you're just getting started with vaping, you don't need to know everything, just enough to take that first, important step:
- You need 3 things: a battery of some kind, a container that connects to the battery to hold your liquid, and some good liquid. That list is in increasing order of importance as it relates to ditching your analog problem once and for all. Your best bet is to buy a complete kit online from a reputable retailer. See "Pieces of the Puzzle" below.
- The two most important things to get right are the throat hit (TH, the satisfying burn in the back of your throat that comes with a cigarette or the right combo of vaping gear) and the nicotine level (this is decided when you purchase your liquid). An out-of-the-box ecigarette like Blue or similar do NOT have what it takes to fulfill the urge, period. Without a good combination of these two things, it will be much harder to quit the analog habit. See "The Flow" below.
- There are a million different options out there and more coming every day. You don't need to know everything, you just need to get started. Finding the perfect combination of parts might take a little experimentation but that's OK. Everything is fairly cheap and you just need a taste of how good it can be to see how this can be a much better option. Keep trying until you "get it," then try for the right combo for you. Different stripes. See "Try, Try Again" below.
This weird, confusing world of vaping can be intimidating to a first-timer, particularly someone who already has trouble with technology in it's various forms. The sections below cover the points above in detail. If you're confused, thinking about taking a step, or just testing the water, give me a chance to help you through. I'm totally convinced and I have nothing to gain by convincing you.
Pieces of the Puzzle
Despite paying a huge markup, I ended up with a combination of equipment that suits me very well.
I learned recently that "eGo" is just a type of battery connection, not necessarily a brand name. If you're just getting started, this is the most universal connector you can buy so I highly recommend starting with this style. There are a few different brands of battery makers out there and, as far as I've read, they range in quality. Buy from a distributor that tests their equipment (Discount Vapes has been impressive) and it's hard to go wrong. Don't worry about anything fancy like variable voltage for now; just get something that's highly rated with the eGo connection and you'll be fine. If you're a heavy smoker, get two batteries so you're never without. That's one part down, two to go.
To hold your liquid, you have a number of different options. Skipping straight to the punch, I recommend a rebuildable clearomizer (a clear tank to hold liquid with wicks that hang from the heating element at the top) like the Vision V2 pieces I accidentally ended up with. I tried a highly rated cartomizer (not sure how to explain this but typically has a rolled up wicking material in the middle and, in some cases, a tank surrounding) and ended up with liquid dripping all over myself and my battery. It's in the garbage can now. I also tried a highly-rated tank with a bottom coil (heating element at the bottom with very short wicks) and was not impressed. I also tried an expensive and highly-rated atomizer. I can't seem to put it back together to tell you whether or not I like it or not. Keep it simple and stick to a Vision V2 clearomizer or similar.
Finally. the liquid (AKA e-liquid, nicquid, juice). Pick all of your parts "correctly" and then use it with a crappy liquid and all your work is for naught. Choosing the right liquid is critical and some, honestly, take like garbage (or fish sauce or rubbing alcohol).
The first two bottles of liquid came from the shop that sold me my ecigarette. Both flavors were tobacco and were chosen to fit what I smoked at the time. It turns out that this was a bit misguided but there's no way I could have known when I bought it. What you'll find out as you spend more and more time in this subculture is that there are good people making liquid at a quality level similar to the picky foodie culture.
My first online order (you'll only find the best stuff online) was from Backwoods Brew, shipped to my mom because I had not copped to this new habit yet to my wife. I bought several highly-rated liquids from them; Casablanca, 555 Exotic, Waffle, Orchard Frost, Malty Toffee, and Honey Flue. They were all carefully crafted and what I thought would be my favorite wasn't (Orchard Frost is my go-to despite never smoking menthol cigarettes). The point here is: experiment broadly because taste is relative and you never know what you're going to love.
I now have experience with 3 different liquid makers and Backwoods is still the winner by far. Two more are on my list to try: Ahlusion and Heather's Heavenly Vapes. You'll find as you research more and more that this liquid part is not only relative but it's also very broad. There are more quality liquid makers out there than equipment manufacturers. Look for sampler packs, try flavors that are highly rated, and keep branching out. Even if you're a die-hard Marlboro smoker, it could be a Peach Pie flavor that gets you off of analogs.
The Flow
As I mentioned above, the two critical components of letting vaping take over your analog problem are the throat hit and the nicotine level.
Take the flavor and overall liquid quality out of the equation and you're left with how satisfying the liquid feels to you. This satisfaction level comes down to how a single inhale works for you. How it hits the back of your throat (throat hit) and how big of a dose you get (nicotine level) are what comprise this overall satisfaction.
The easy part is the nicotine level. There are a number of resources out there to choose the right level but, in the end, it will be personal choice. If you're smoking a lot, like a pack a day or more, start high. If it's too high, you can take shorter inhales less often during the day. If it's too low, however, you won't feel enough nicotine in your system and you might just assume that this replacement just isn't going to work for you. If you're concerned about this, try a sampler pack of the smallest amounts of the same flavor in different levels and see how it works for you.
The hard part to get right is the throat hit. All your gear comes together to give you a specific hit so it can be difficult for a beginner to know what to change. Here's what I've learned:
- Given equal voltages, the battery does not seem to make a big different in the throat hit. What will make a difference, though, is if you're running low. If everything was going well all day and the taste or the throat hit starts to lack suddenly, you're likely running out of battery charge. Switch to a full battery or power up again.
- The liquid itself makes a big difference in the throat hit but, in my experience, much less in the "strength" department. Different liquids taste different and feel different, it's hard to explain specifically. I have 2 liquids I bought recently that just hit wrong, they are sharp and less satisfying to me. The Backwoods liquid, however, seems to hit the same spot in the same way. I suspect this has a lot to do with the type of base (glycerin) they use. Try out different liquid mixers to find one that hits right, then try a few different flavors.
- The thing that makes the biggest difference, in my experience, is the liquid container you're using. I walked through what I chose above but you'll find wildly different experiences across different tanks, atomizers, clearomizers, and cartomizers. Some burn the wick and taste awful while others just won't give a good hit no matter what. Getting even more technical, the ohm rating of the heating element also makes a big difference (stick to around 2 at first). Since these containers are typically cheap, try out several with the same liquid to see which one feels right, then stick with that for a while.
There's just something about an inhale off of an analog cigarette that just feels like it can't be replaced. That satisfying inhale half-way through an analog just feels "right" to a smoker and seems like it couldn't be replaced.
I'm here to tell you that this is totally false. In fact, combine the right equipment with a high-quality liquid and you'll forget all about how an analog feels. I get deeper, more satisfying inhales from my current setup. So much so that an analog now just feels weak an ineffective, in addition to being disgusting. Getting that tingly nicotine dose along with a strong throat hit will make you forget all about regular cigarettes.
In fact, I'd even suggest continuing to smoke as you go down the vaping path. Again, keep trying equipment and liquids until you start to see how much better this can be. Vape before lunch then go out for a cigarette. You'll find yourself slowly preferring the clean, strong, sweet-smelling vapor to the your analog breaks and the switch will be much easier if not pleasurable.
Try, Try Again
I said it before and I'll say it again: with all the different option out there for vaping, it's hard to get it exactly right out of the gate.
Cigarettes are simple. You buy a pack of 20, make sure you have some way to light it on fire, and you're good to go. You know how they feel, you know what to expect, you can bum one from anyone, and they're sold everywhere.
Comparatively, ecigarettes are complicated, require maintenance, can get messy, and are found, for the most part, only online. You'll get questioned by people when you use one in public, you'll get gross nicotine liquid on your hands and mouth now and then, and the charging process requires an outlet or USB to be handy on a regular basis. There is a pretty heavy trade-off when you first get started that can be hard to get used to.
But, ignoring the health, safety, and hygiene benefits, you're really opening up a huge number of options by switching:
- You know that "favorite brand" of cigarettes you have? Pick a favorite liquid distributor and you have a whole range of flavors to choose from. No longer will you have that feeling like "well, that's not my brand" anymore.
- The vapor cloud you exhale is way bigger, way more satisfying, and a lot more fun when you can do it indoors with no repercussions.
- You're no longer held to the 3 - 5 minutes it always takes to get your fix. Take a puff when you feel like it, maybe a couple in a row if you want. You're in much more control of your dosage with an ecigarette.
Just. Keep. Trying. You might spent $50 on a kit with a couple of batteries and a couple of liquid containers plus $30 - 40 on liquid to get started. Try that out for a while then shell out another $20 on parts to try a different container. Order a sampler of liquids from a different distributor as well and see what you like. Read up on the forums to see how people are vaping, what liquid they're using, and the problems they're having.
Pro Tips
These are a few things I learned in the few months of vaping that I wish had been just provided with my equipment. This covers a lot of YMMV (your milage may vary) topics so please take all of the following in that context:
- Heating elements and clearomizers need to be cleaned out regularly. When should you clean it out? When you start to have a performance decrease or funky taste that slowly creeps in. Just empty the tank of liquid, rinse it out quickly with cheap vodka, take it apart with gloves, and soak all the pieces in more vodka for a few hours. Take everything out, let it dry out overnight, and put it back together. Should be as good as new. If it's not, toss it and buy a new one.
- You might read references to "steeping" liquids. This is just leaving your liquid around for a few weeks before using it. I find that this does make a noticeable difference in the flavor and quality of liquids. Techniques vary but this is the method I use: How To Steep Fresh Juice for the Best Flavor - YouTube. Steeping can take a few weeks but it isn't required. If your liquid tastes great right away, just use it. If not, let it steep for a while and try again. After a month, if it still tastes bad to you, dump it.
- Things will go wrong, it's inevitable. Popping, slow pulls, splashes of liquid in your mouth ... it's just going to happen now and then. Make a mental note of how you're using your equipment and if anything makes a difference. Some tanks like a long, slow pull, some don't. Some heating elements don't like it when you take 3 inhales in a row and make you pay with a gross taste. Follow the directions, search on Google for your problems, and take notes if needed. You'll find the right combo if you keep at it.
GOOD LUCK AND KEEP TRYING!!
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