Need advice and suggestions on this...puzzled and frustrated

[imaginedtruth]

Hi, everyone. I recently made a number of attempts to quit smoking. I tried gums, patches, and even Chantix, and none have worked. So, I decided to dive into the e-cig market to see what I could come up with.

I primarily smoke Camel light cigarettes, and have been a smoking for over 15 years.

I tried a few possible ideas, and so far none have worked exactly the right way needed. However, I did find a e-liquid that actually does taste somewhat similar in taste to the cigarettes I smoke. That is the Turkish tobacco by Halo.

Initially, I tried using Blu (the 510 type I think from what I have read?), given their starter kit contains at a somewhat low price with a nice full kit. I also chose the newer 100 type, since their battery is supposed to last longer and work better. I can give as review that is false. The battery might be longer, but doesn't have enough voltage on a automatic type to give a really good throat hit, with a good amount of vapor compared to a traditional cigarette. Blu also does not offer refillable blank cartridges. However, they do offer 1 thing I consider a GOLD find. Their starter kit PCC (personal charger kit), not only holds and extra battery with extra cartomizers, BUT also allows putting in a fully assembled battery attached to a cartomizer.

There is a reason I consider their PCC a solid GOLD find. I have limited hand dexterity, due to being permanently disabled from a TBI I suffered in 2008. Having to pull out a battery, and re-screw on a cartomizer every single time I smoke, is way too much time and effort, vs the Blu PCC which is just long enough to allow keeping 1 e-cig fully assembled.

Sadly, I also consider the Blu company a piece of trash. Even being disabled, with SSI as my only limited form of income, they too advantage of me. I made the mistake of returning the original starter kit, because I though it wasn't charging the batteries properly. So, with their warranty, they sent me a new one. But then, after sending me the new one, they have and continue to try to charge me for both the new kit they sent, which was supposed to be a warranty replacement, but also sent my original kit back to me in a bag with no letter or anything as loose pieces with no original box, and keep trying to charge me for that as well. So, despite the gold find of how their PCC works, i cannot in any way recommend anyone EVER trust or try to use Blu.

I also tried the Apollo starter kit, given that theirs also includes a cigarette sized PCC. However, it is too complicated for me to use, because it isn't long enough to keep a cartomizer already assembled and attached to a battery. So even though their battery, is a lot stronger than the Blu's one, it is too much work for me to easily take out the PCC, then take out a battery, and then screw on a cartomizer every single time I want a smoke.

To date, I have yet to find a company that offers a PCC type like the one Blu offers.

I tried working with halo, to try out manual batteries, and even tried a carry case instead of a PCC since they were out of stock at a time. Unfortunately, the carry case is no better than the PCC included with the Apollo kit. Again, it just isn't long enough to keep a battery attached to a cartomizer. The halo manual batteries are nice, but I can only get much use of them at home.

Unfortunately, I am not a woman. I don't carry a purse. So, my only option is to find a means to keep and carry something about the size of a traditional or 100's type of real cigarettes in a pants pocket. It is true, I could just keep a pre-assembled automatic battery in a pants pocket, but either by moving suddenly or just moving a leg or something, a e-cig will just start trying to activate inside my pants lol instead of the ability to keep it inside a pack PCC like thing to keep 1 already assembled like was possible with the Blu PCC I started with.

I have nothing against the idea of trying a Ego type with a much better battery, and potentially even a tank system to reduce the difficulty I have in refilling a cartomizer. However, an Ego type battery, pre-assembled with battery, cartomizer, and/or tank, is way too big to just shove in a pants pocket.

So, right now, I am at a loss. I do not know what to do to get Blu off my back to stop recharging me and depleting my bank account. I also am at a loss as to any idea of what other brand or type might work for what I am looking for.

I just need to find a good functioning long lasting auto battery, with a PCC or at least a carrying case, like the one Blu offers, pre-assembled so I don't have to constantly take out the PCC or case, take out a battery, and then screw on a cartomizer every single time I want to smoke.

I wouldn't mind trying to keeping and using the 100's Blu kit I have, but I need to find affordable blank 510 type cartomizers I can refill myself, or pre-filled, that has a close to Camel lights type taste and flavor as the cigarettes i smoke do. I would also need to find a 100's type battery like the one included in the Blu kit, so I can make a pre-assembled e-cig in it, that the Blu PCC can charge, and that actually has a battery strong enough to give a better throat hit and vapor, kind of like the strong batteries I got with the Apollo kit I tried.

 

[jSquared]

Hi imaginedtruth and welcome to ECF! Sorry to hear about your troubles. One option you could definitely look into is the Innokin iTaste MVP, which is extremely pocket-friendly (even with a clearomizer on top) and has incredible battery life.

JJ

 

[Smokachino]

Hi, and welcome to the forum. I'm sorry to hear about your troubles with Blu . If you purchased it with a credit card, you can always dispute the duplicate charge with your credit card company.

I like JSquared's suggestion of the Innokin iTaste MVP. Another option may be the Joyetech eRoll, which does have a PCC that fits a whole assembled ecig. Here is a link to a review from one of our forum members:

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/joyetech-eroll-mini/397579-joyetech-eroll-user-review.html

Best of luck to you, and please don't hesitate to post any other questions you may have.

 

[RoseB]

Hello and welcome. I keep a 1100 mah eGo with a tank in my front jeans pocket. It seems like it wouldn't work, but it does. Infact last weekend I thought I lost it. Nope was in my pocket the whole time. Some sites sell lanyards, and that is an option. Sorry the blu turned out to be a pain. On the plus side it got you started

 

[d510]

When I moved from cigs to vape, I started with the NJOY Kings. They're about the same size as a cig, similar throat hit, and not completely terrible flavor. They feel similar in the hand as analogs too. They have some serious downsides - they don't last long (the advertise the same as a pack of smokes, but I think it's more like a 1/2 pack). The flavor is pretty terrible. They're disposables to the nth degree - you either recycle them with NJOY (send in 8 and they send you a fresh single) or toss them. But they're effective - I keep a few in my backpack in case my other gear stops working.

I tried the Kanger EVOD Tank/Battery kit, and to be honest, it's a pretty huge step up with limited size increase. And it allows you to select many of the flavors out there. One 650Mah battery lasts a day for me, if I'm taking vape-breaks and not chain vaping. The build quality isn't awesome, but the kits are fairly cheap, so you can replace it as you need. I'd suggest getting a second charger, as it seems to be particularly ....ty.

Cheers to you!

 

[KTark]

You might look into a juicebox. With a carto on top, they are slightly smaller and thinner than a pack of 100s cigarettes. It is what I use when golfing or riding the lawnmower, etc..

Here is a link: http://www.ecigarette-mods.com/boge-revolution-v2/. Paste it into a browser and search though, as you can surely find them cheaper elsewhere, I'm just being lazy and posting the first link my search engine turned up. I'm thinking you should be able to find one for not much over $50.00 should you decide to go that route. There are a bunch of juiceboxes and juicebox threads out there to research as well. Good luck, you've come to the right place, and don't give up!

 

[Zipslack]

As for Blu double-charging, I bet there is some minor clause somewhere, but I would still dispute it with my credit card company. The cc company will look into it for you and carry a lot more clout than "average joe" calling to complain.

As far as carrying assembled cigalikes, it's been suggested to use an eyeglass case for small reading glasses. You should be able to fit 2 or more in there. I actually used one of those hand sanitizer sprayers with the guts removed - my 510 battery with a nano clearo or a regular cartomizer fit perfectly -just rinse thoroughly and punch out the pump portion.

 

[MamaTried]

Hello and welcome!

One other option is a "man purse"-- or shoulder bag.

A few years ago I lost the use of my right hand to nerve damage. (And I was right-handed.) Dealing with buttons and zippers became problematic at best, so I took to wearing sweatpants. Being 60, I rapidly got tired bending over to pick up things that fell out of the sweatpant pockets. So I bought a shoulder bag that handles my wallet, car keys, misc stuff and now my vaping supplies.

Good luck!

 

[candimccann]

As for the e-roll... I would worry that the OP would have trouble getting the unit out of the pcc...I've watched vids and many have commented that even with the 'eject' button it takes a little finesse to get it out.
As for a juice feeder, I've got a Reo and I love mine, but I could see that dexterity or finger strength again might be an issue. I have some arthritis and there are times when I have trouble squeezing the bottle with certain fingers.

+1 for the hard eyeglass case as a carrying case for the 510/blue. I started with 510 sticks and carried mine in a clamshell eyeglass case and it worked well. There was room for a little juice bottle and a usb charger. Also, an eyeglass string/lanyard works as a lanyard for a small stick battery... both loops around the battery and there was enough play in the line to be able to vape it while wearing it.

 

[Smokachino]

As for the e-roll... I would worry that the OP would have trouble getting the unit out of the pcc...I've watched vids and many have commented that even with the 'eject' button it takes a little finesse to get it out.
As for a juice feeder, I've got a Reo and I love mine, but I could see that dexterity or finger strength again might be an issue. I have some arthritis and there are times when I have trouble squeezing the bottle with certain fingers.

+1 for the hard eyeglass case as a carrying case for the 510/blue. I started with 510 sticks and carried mine in a clamshell eyeglass case and it worked well. There was room for a little juice bottle and a usb charger. Also, an eyeglass string/lanyard works as a lanyard for a small stick battery... both loops around the battery and there was enough play in the line to be able to vape it while wearing it.

I did not know that about the eRoll, Candi, so thanks for pointing that out

 

[Thin]

an Ego type battery, pre-assembled with battery, cartomizer, and/or tank, is way too big to just shove in a pants pocket.

I have a UDT-L mod with an evod on top which I use for out and about, which I usually put in my jeans pocket. It uses 18350 batteries so lasts a reasonable time. Because it's fairly thick it has the feel that it won't break.

 

[Tenzo]

Don't give up. Best advice I ever got was "Don't quit quitting"

 

[bigdaddy1977]

I would second the iTaste MVP. I have had mine for a few months and really love the battery life that it has. Plus you can buy tanks big enough to hold juice that will last you all day. That way you don't have to mess with it, making it easier for you. Welcome to ecf and I hope things get better for you.

 

[imaginedtruth]

Thanks for the quick and friendly welcome and suggestions. I have started looking at some of the possibilities I could consider trying. I guess what frustrates me most, is the PCC, or at least the either standard or 100's offered by Blu, at least seems to be to good to be true. After all, you can charge 1 battery, store a 2nd (pre-assembled w/ cartomizer attached), and a few extra cartomizers, all in a simple easy package. It also makes it a lot easier for me to use, giving me the ability to just pull one out all ready and put together, similar to a actual real cigarette.

My biggest problem with a lanyard, or just carrying things around in a Tic-Tac container, or similar, is my lack of dexterity problem. To try to sum it up as quickly as I can, when I had my accident that disabled me, I also ended up being completely paralyzed on the right side of my body for some time (and I am right handed).

I need a solution of some type that I can afford (my only income is $698.00 a month from SSI), that is simple enough to operate, keep clean, charged, and full of e-juice (and if at all possible, the fewer pieces and parts as possible). I could use pre-filled cartomizers or tanks, but when including shipping charges, could easily equal or exceed the cost of a real pack of cigarettes. However, pulling apart, cleaning, refilling, cartomizers/tanks, is something a lot more challenging for me to do than it is for an average person.

For starters, I need to return the kits I tried from Halo, Apollo, and Blu (with the hope and pray to get refunds for at least the kits), and start from scratch. I thought manual might be a way to go, but lacking good hand dexterity and hand/eye coordination, it just doesn't work well. Something automatic would work much better. However, the idea of a PCC, would seem to work, but it seems like Blu is the only company I can find that includes a PCC as part of the kit with no additional charge, and that offers the options it has, i.e. 1 assembled e-cig, 1 spare battery, 5 full cartomizers, and fits in a pants pocket in a size just slightly bigger than a typical 100's type pack of real cigarettes. I could consider a messenger bag or something, but having parts all over the place, and hoping none get damaged, dropped, or lost, would be a challenge for me. Something that wouldn't need a new cartomizer or tank, or any extra battery, that could actually last all day (I normally smoke about a pack and a half to two packs of real cigarettes a day), that might fit in a pair of pants pocket, could work as well, but that would likely require a huge battery, defeating the size requirements.

I will keep looking around, but I haven't found a perfect solution yet. I don't want to give up.

Ideally, I need to find a business that will take into account my very limited income, and my permanent disability. I don't want to come across badly, but a 10% off discount doesn't really help much. I need something that won't bankrupt me in the process of getting the kit, pieces, parts, and can provide either pre-filled cartomizers and/or pre-filled tanks (given my attempt at refilling them myself is a real challenge for me).

I don't expect a miracle, but I can say, I am honest about my permanent disability, my accident, and my limited income. I can, and gladly will provide any and all needed medical and financial information ever necessary, if it might assist me with getting something that will work well for me, and be actually affordable.

I will also say that it might make for great advertisement for them. If a truly disabled person, with limited mobility capability, (i.e. me), were to be able to actually use their product as a honest functional means to quit smoking entirely, it could go a long way at getting them additional customers. I would gladly do whatever review on YouTube, or even let them use on their site to show people with disabilities, that their product is a choice to get, I'd let them use my face, name, and information all over the place for free.

That said, I don't expect that happening. But additional suggestions and advice is welcome, while I keep on my quest, to some how some way FINALLY quit smoking for good.

Thanks again everyone.