Hi ECF and, more specifically, browsers of the New Member's Forum!
Here is my story of entering the vaping World. It might provide some members with some nostalgia.
Green Smoke
In 2008, I took my first step into electronic cigarettes. I choose Green Smoke based on reviews and, quite honestly, marketing on the brand. The product was an exciting alternative to smoking analog cigarettes. I purchased all the flavors and a kit that included two different sized batteries. Green Smoke also included a hard plastic "Membership Card" that explained that the user was not using a normal cigarette and that no ash nor smoke was generated from its use. At an airport, I actually used the card effectively to diffuse a fellow passenger's anger at my vaping while waiting for a flight.
It was entertaining to let friends try all the flavors but I remember having to instruct them on how to get decent vapor production. I would say that in order to generate any vapor volume you have to "double inhale," taking one short pull followed by a longer inhale. At the time, Green Smoke's equipment utilized an automatic shut down feature that did not allow a user to inhale for longer than a couple seconds at one time. I am unsure if that feature is still employed by the company today but it was not entirely preferable and required the user to practice with the equipment to get a desirable result.
After dealing with battery issues, waiting for cartridges, and the removal of the Strawberry Freeze flavor I was back to analogs.
Blu Cigs
On April 1, 2012 I decided to ditch the analogs again and get in shape. The prior month I purchased all the P90x equipment I would need as well as the Blu Premium Starter kit. As a sucker for marketing (e.g. Green Smoke & P90x), I was excited about the portable charging pack that is also a carrying case resembling a cigarette pack. However, both Blu Cigs and P90x worked for me. During the remainder of the year I dropped my body fat percentage from 22% to 6% and kicked the analogs.
I really enjoyed the responsiveness of the Blu premium batteries and enjoyed several of the company's flavors. It was not long until the battery life became a problem and I decided to buy the Premium 100 longer batteries. The longer lasting, larger batteries are intended for use with longer lasting and larger "flavor cartridges" as well. I became attached to the Vivid Vanilla Premium 100 Cartridges and the Premium 100 batteries. This combination had the best vapor production and taste I had ever experienced in any nicotine delivery system. I imagined that I would continue with this method of vaping for life.
Then in late March of 2014 my home air conditioning unit stopped working...
Mods
My girlfriend's friend works in air conditioning and came over to look at our unit. He determined we needed a new capacitor but he didn't have our size on hand. I rode with him to go buy a new capacitor. On our ride he is using a big silver tube device that I have seen occasionally around town before. I am curious by nature and begin asking him questions.
Is it cheaper than smoking?
Is it cheaper than Blu?
It it expensive to get into?
Is it difficult to do?
What should I buy?
I took feverish notes on my phone trying to type words I have never heard of like kayfun, ehpro, hcigar, and nitecor. Than other words I jotted down as he said them not sure of their meaning in this context like mods, clones, nemesis, kanthal, and Rip Trippers. He told me what I should get and to watch the videos on the YouTube channel Rip Trippers.
I thought, well, that is a whole lot of information and at least I have the basics or some semblance of a roadmap if I ever want to try it out. I was still happy with Blu despite the smoke volume disparity compared to his mechanical mod, as he called it.
Then on July 25th I came across the old note on my phone and decided to watch a couple videos on the Rip Trippers youtube channel. I commited and started buying things from my shopping list. Digital display efest battery charger, hcigar nemesis clone, kayfun lite (I chose a version 2+ clone from ehpro), and Sony 18650 aw imr batteries.
Then I found ECF. I found answers to question I had and to questions I should have been asking. I also found some more things to buy. I bought the evolve kick 2, a multimeter, 28g kanthal, organic cotton balls, NCR18650PF batteries, wire cutters, drill bits, and a Hanna mode DNA 30 clone by cloupor.
Without some youtube channels and ECF's posts I would have second guessed myself too much and would have never made the switch from the "plug and vape" world of Blu to the customizable world of mods.
Future My Beginner Story posts:
E-Liquids
My First RDA
Here is my story of entering the vaping World. It might provide some members with some nostalgia.
Green Smoke
In 2008, I took my first step into electronic cigarettes. I choose Green Smoke based on reviews and, quite honestly, marketing on the brand. The product was an exciting alternative to smoking analog cigarettes. I purchased all the flavors and a kit that included two different sized batteries. Green Smoke also included a hard plastic "Membership Card" that explained that the user was not using a normal cigarette and that no ash nor smoke was generated from its use. At an airport, I actually used the card effectively to diffuse a fellow passenger's anger at my vaping while waiting for a flight.
It was entertaining to let friends try all the flavors but I remember having to instruct them on how to get decent vapor production. I would say that in order to generate any vapor volume you have to "double inhale," taking one short pull followed by a longer inhale. At the time, Green Smoke's equipment utilized an automatic shut down feature that did not allow a user to inhale for longer than a couple seconds at one time. I am unsure if that feature is still employed by the company today but it was not entirely preferable and required the user to practice with the equipment to get a desirable result.
After dealing with battery issues, waiting for cartridges, and the removal of the Strawberry Freeze flavor I was back to analogs.
Blu Cigs
On April 1, 2012 I decided to ditch the analogs again and get in shape. The prior month I purchased all the P90x equipment I would need as well as the Blu Premium Starter kit. As a sucker for marketing (e.g. Green Smoke & P90x), I was excited about the portable charging pack that is also a carrying case resembling a cigarette pack. However, both Blu Cigs and P90x worked for me. During the remainder of the year I dropped my body fat percentage from 22% to 6% and kicked the analogs.
I really enjoyed the responsiveness of the Blu premium batteries and enjoyed several of the company's flavors. It was not long until the battery life became a problem and I decided to buy the Premium 100 longer batteries. The longer lasting, larger batteries are intended for use with longer lasting and larger "flavor cartridges" as well. I became attached to the Vivid Vanilla Premium 100 Cartridges and the Premium 100 batteries. This combination had the best vapor production and taste I had ever experienced in any nicotine delivery system. I imagined that I would continue with this method of vaping for life.
Then in late March of 2014 my home air conditioning unit stopped working...
Mods
My girlfriend's friend works in air conditioning and came over to look at our unit. He determined we needed a new capacitor but he didn't have our size on hand. I rode with him to go buy a new capacitor. On our ride he is using a big silver tube device that I have seen occasionally around town before. I am curious by nature and begin asking him questions.
Is it cheaper than smoking?
Is it cheaper than Blu?
It it expensive to get into?
Is it difficult to do?
What should I buy?
I took feverish notes on my phone trying to type words I have never heard of like kayfun, ehpro, hcigar, and nitecor. Than other words I jotted down as he said them not sure of their meaning in this context like mods, clones, nemesis, kanthal, and Rip Trippers. He told me what I should get and to watch the videos on the YouTube channel Rip Trippers.
I thought, well, that is a whole lot of information and at least I have the basics or some semblance of a roadmap if I ever want to try it out. I was still happy with Blu despite the smoke volume disparity compared to his mechanical mod, as he called it.
Then on July 25th I came across the old note on my phone and decided to watch a couple videos on the Rip Trippers youtube channel. I commited and started buying things from my shopping list. Digital display efest battery charger, hcigar nemesis clone, kayfun lite (I chose a version 2+ clone from ehpro), and Sony 18650 aw imr batteries.
Then I found ECF. I found answers to question I had and to questions I should have been asking. I also found some more things to buy. I bought the evolve kick 2, a multimeter, 28g kanthal, organic cotton balls, NCR18650PF batteries, wire cutters, drill bits, and a Hanna mode DNA 30 clone by cloupor.
Without some youtube channels and ECF's posts I would have second guessed myself too much and would have never made the switch from the "plug and vape" world of Blu to the customizable world of mods.
Future My Beginner Story posts:
E-Liquids
My First RDA
