Need advice on what clearo to get next

[gatorchin]

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Warning: long post-lol, sorry, just want to be as thorough as possible

ok guys..in my intro thread i stated ive been vaping for a few months now..well, after checking my first purchase, which was made september 18th 2014, i've been vaping since i got that order in the mail...i still smoke analogs from time to time(the first 2 weeks i got my first setup, i smoked 0! cigs)...but i don't buy packs for myself..my wife smokes and vapes, more analog's than vaping..that being said, from time to time i will grab on of her analogs..sometimes 2-3 a day..sometimes none..but thats neither here nor there for this discussion..but my ultimate goal is to quite the analogs, period...so back to my question.

i started with an "genuine" protank II kit that came with a 2200mah ego battery..i say "genuine" because i'm not really sure if it was or not..but the seller had excellent reviews and i got the whole kit for $23.99..two weeks later the same seller up the price to around $70 for the exact same kit..as i was gonna buy my father one since he like mine so much..i loved it from the word go..at this time i was totally ignorant to the fact about juices..i didn't know about pg/vg and "made in china" juices, which is what i bought for the first few months, as we didnt have any vape shops around, and the gas station stuff was all i could get..but i still loved vaping.

Recently as i began to read and do some research, i found a deal (or what i thought was a deal) for an improved battery/box mod..so i purchased a kit for $45.00 that came with the mvp 2.0 (max 11watts) that came with the iclear 30, which i hated from the start (the iclear)..it seems to always gurgle...so i have been vaping with the original protank II i bought, with the mvp 2.0..i finally found the ratio of vg/pg that i liked, and learned thru more research into the quality of e juice i am purchasing..(i currently have been using mtbaker vapors).

So i became a member of this site, and realized my "up to date" box mod, lol..isn't really up to date...so i am gonna go ahead and purchase an istick 50W.(on that note, is there a better (cheaper) site to purchase that from, besides fasttech??.just wondering..and i want the real thing, not a "styled"..so that's been decided...now i'm really all over the place on what kind of clearomizer/tank to buy to go along with it..i'm not really (at this point anyway) all that interested in "sub ohm" vaping..i do build my own coils for my protank..i just as of a week or so ago learned that i could twist my 32g kanthal (i had already ordered another spool) with a drill, and get my coil, wrapped around a toothpick, 6 wraps, to be 1.4 ohms almost every time..and i'm happy with the results..just letting you know i can build coils and really enjoy doing so..i also learned that the organic cotton i've been using, may not be the best wicking material...which seems to be the Japanese cotton...this also will be my next purchase when i decide on what clearo to purchase.

So, with all that being said, i need some advice, opinions, thoughts, etc on what clearomizer might be best for me to purchase..i have seen rave reviews on the new kanger subtanks...if i were to purchase this, what are the pro's and con's?? (one thing i hate about my protank is all the leaking and gurgling, and i've tried all the tricks i could find and although i have kept it down somewhat, it is still an issue,one that i would rather be able to keep to a minimum with my next clearo.

I heard rave reviews about other tanks..like the aspire nautilus, aerotanks, kayfun, etc..there are a few others that i can't think of right now, but have seen and read about..and there's just too many for me to choose..it has my head spinning..i want still build my own coils, and have a clearomizer that isn't gonna be leaking everytime i turn around, or giving me some type of headache..i know some things are inevitable, and no tank is perfect..i like the style of the all stainless steel ones (btw, how do you know how much juice you have left in your tank if you cant see inside?? i have been wondering about that)...but the glass ones like the kanger sub tanks or whatnot are fine too..i really want a work horse, that will be versitile, but dependable., and also look cool atop my istick.

Now for my budget..i'd like to stay under $50..the more $$ i can save, the better..as my wife is already gonna give me crap cause i just bought this mvp...but she just doesn't understand..lol..so if i can get a good tank for $30 or so, that would be even better.

Sorry for such a long post, but i just wanted to give all the info i could, so you guys that have some of this equipment can give me some solid advice, given what i intend to do with it (not really into cloud chasing, but i would like to be able to throw some cloudz if i wanted too..lol) and the fact that i'm able to build my own coils and such.

So based on the info you guys have from me thus far, can you give me a short list of tanks i can be researching and such before i buy?? Like the pro's and con's of maybe three or 4 of the most popular ones?? I've also read some back and forth about buying clones of certain things ( i will not buy a clone battery/mod)..i understand both sides of the arguement...but it seems the clones for the clearo's are hit and miss..i've read reviews on fasttech, some clones seem to be just as good, others not so much..i'd rather put my $$ into an authentic, since those guys engineered the product..but if i can save alot of $$, and still have a tank that performs as good as the original, i will go out on a limb and hope not to get flamed by saying i'm not above a clone..i have kids to feed, a 2 1/2 year old son, ,a 17 year old daughter, and a 3 month old grandson, all under my me and my wife's care.obviosly..but that's a discussion for another day.lol)..anyway, money is tight, as it always is with me..but i just wanted to throw that out there..i would rather buy the authentic, but a clone that perfoms just as good and will save me a substantial amount of $$, i'll consider it...if we are talking $10-20 dollars, i'll go authentic everytime..but if we are talking $40 savings for a clone that will perform just as good, i would have to think about it..that's alot of diapers..lol..but again, no clones on the power source.

Sorry for such a long post, but i'm really needing some help in deciding what clearomizer to purchase..as i want this one to be my last one i get, for a long while anyway...that's why i am going ahead and getting the istick50w..i figure that will do about anything i want it to do, in the forseeable future anyway.

Thanks for reading, if you got this far..any help is appreciated.and if you have any questions for me, fire away..i'm here to learn..i love vaping and i hope to be vaping for a while, and put the analogs down completely...(btw, i was vaping 18mg, but my last order i dropped to 12mg).

Happy vaping everyone.
gatorchin

 

[Completely Average]

I own the Kanger Aerotank, Aspire Nautilus, and several RTAs including a pair of Kayfuns.

For flavor the Kayfun is the best when it's working right. However, it's a LOT of hassle. The downside of a rebuildable atomizer is that they require a LOT of maintenance. Wicks have to be changed frequently and if the flavor goes off or starts tasting burnt that means you have to siphon the juice out, tear the tank down, clean it, remove the wick, rewick it, put it all back together, and then refill it with fresh juice. It's usually best to simply discard the burnt tasting juice, so you may be throwing away several ml of juice with each rewicking. The only alternative it to continue vaping on a tank that gives nothing but nasty, burnt tasting hits. There's also a lot of side costs that no one ever tells you about. Wire cutters, a tiny screwdriver, a jig of some sort to wrap coils around, really sharp scissors to cut the wick, ohm meter, kanthal wire, and wicking material such as cotton as a bare minimum. If you don't already have these things you'll need to buy them.

Because of the hassles involved I rarely use my RTAs. Every now and then I'll break them out and use them for a day or two, but I don't use them for day to day use. I don't work in a vape shop so if the flavor drops off or starts tasting burnt I can't do anything about it until I get home, and let me tell you the first day I got a burnt taste at 8:30AM and was working until 6PM I stopped taking them to work.


Then is the Kanger Aerotank. Really the only good thing I have to say about them is that the coils are cheap and easy to rebuild if you want to do that. They changed the coil design late last year and in my opinion the new coils kill the flavor. There is almost none. Plus the holes in the coils are really small so they don't work well with high VG juices and you have to use them at pretty low wattage or you get burnt or dry hits. Mine sits in a box collecting dust.

My daily use tank is the Aspire Nautilus with the BVC coils. The flavor isn't quite as good as the rebuildables like the Kayfun, but there isn't anywhere near the hassle involved either. If a wick or coil goes bad you just take it out, screw in a new one, prime it with some juice, and it's ready to go. The coils are a bit more expensive than the Kangers, but you can find them for around $10 for a box of 5. They've got much better wicks than the Aerotank so they're more reliable with high VG juices. In my experience they can also take MUCH higher wattages and produce a LOT more vapor than the Aerotank. With my DIY juice I can run the Nautilus at 19 watts, blow big clouds, and chain vape as much as I want, but the Aerotank produces half the vapor and starts giving dry hits if I go over 11 watts with the same resistance coil. The Nautilus blows the Aerotank out of the water when it comes to flavor though. It's not even close.


If you're happy with the clearos you have and want to dabble in the rebuildables, making your own coils and such then they will give you the best flavor and can produce really nice vapor with the right tank and build. Just keep in mind that there's going to be a learning curve, a lot of trial and error, lost juice, and probably many hours tinkering with it trying new things before you find just the perfect combination of coil and wick for you.

If you're wanting a clearo that you can use all day, every day, with as little hassle as possible then get the Nautilus.


EDIT:

One more thing. If you're thinking of going with a subtank be aware that they require straight lung hits to work right and go through a ton of juice. If you're a mouth to lung hitter you'll either have to change to straight lung hits or you'll not be satisfied. I've got no experience with the current subohm tanks, I prefer high watts and high ohm coils to subohming.

 

[issy]

The nautilus really is an easy out and about tank, I like it quite a bit. Check out the eleaf Lemo, I've read that a lot of people love their's as well (I don't have one). Search results for: ’lemo’

 

[gatorchin]

I own the Kanger Aerotank, Aspire Nautilus, and several RTAs including a pair of Kayfuns.

For flavor the Kayfun is the best when it's working right. However, it's a LOT of hassle. The downside of a rebuildable atomizer is that they require a LOT of maintenance. Wicks have to be changed frequently and if the flavor goes off or starts tasting burnt that means you have to siphon the juice out, tear the tank down, clean it, remove the wick, rewick it, put it all back together, and then refill it with fresh juice. It's usually best to simply discard the burnt tasting juice, so you may be throwing away several ml of juice with each rewicking. The only alternative it to continue vaping on a tank that gives nothing but nasty, burnt tasting hits. There's also a lot of side costs that no one ever tells you about. Wire cutters, a tiny screwdriver, a jig of some sort to wrap coils around, really sharp scissors to cut the wick, ohm meter, kanthal wire, and wicking material such as cotton as a bare minimum. If you don't already have these things you'll need to buy them.

Because of the hassles involved I rarely use my RTAs. Every now and then I'll break them out and use them for a day or two, but I don't use them for day to day use. I don't work in a vape shop so if the flavor drops off or starts tasting burnt I can't do anything about it until I get home, and let me tell you the first day I got a burnt taste at 8:30AM and was working until 6PM I stopped taking them to work.


Then is the Kanger Aerotank. Really the only good thing I have to say about them is that the coils are cheap and easy to rebuild if you want to do that. They changed the coil design late last year and in my opinion the new coils kill the flavor. There is almost none. Plus the holes in the coils are really small so they don't work well with high VG juices and you have to use them at pretty low wattage or you get burnt or dry hits. Mine sits in a box collecting dust.

My daily use tank is the Aspire Nautilus with the BVC coils. The flavor isn't quite as good as the rebuildables like the Kayfun, but there isn't anywhere near the hassle involved either. If a wick or coil goes bad you just take it out, screw in a new one, prime it with some juice, and it's ready to go. The coils are a bit more expensive than the Kangers, but you can find them for around $10 for a box of 5. They've got much better wicks than the Aerotank so they're more reliable with high VG juices. In my experience they can also take MUCH higher wattages and produce a LOT more vapor than the Aerotank. With my DIY juice I can run the Nautilus at 19 watts, blow big clouds, and chain vape as much as I want, but the Aerotank produces half the vapor and starts giving dry hits if I go over 11 watts with the same resistance coil. The Nautilus blows the Aerotank out of the water when it comes to flavor though. It's not even close.


If you're happy with the clearos you have and want to dabble in the rebuildables, making your own coils and such then they will give you the best flavor and can produce really nice vapor with the right tank and build. Just keep in mind that there's going to be a learning curve, a lot of trial and error, lost juice, and probably many hours tinkering with it trying new things before you find just the perfect combination of coil and wick for you.

If you're wanting a clearo that you can use all day, every day, with as little hassle as possible then get the Nautilus.


EDIT:

One more thing. If you're thinking of going with a subtank be aware that they require straight lung hits to work right and go through a ton of juice. If you're a mouth to lung hitter you'll either have to change to straight lung hits or you'll not be satisfied. I've got no experience with the current subohm tanks, I prefer high watts and high ohm coils to subohming.

ok..at my job, i dont' work in a vape shop, but i work in a place where it is possible for me to work on my stuff with no real problems..but that's something i'm trying to stay away from ...something that has to be "handled with kid gloves"..i want something that i don't have to tinker with every couple of hours...a little bit, like on my protank i will have to pull the coil and blow it clear and what not, while it does get old, i've learned to deal with it..but i'd rather have something with minimal maintenance, besides when a coil/wick needs replaced, i replace it (with one i have rebuilt and rewick myself).

So it sound like the nautilus is one i need to be looking into more.

Seems there was a clearomizer, can't remember which, that you could take the part that holds the coil, the part that you screw the legs of the coil into, and not lose any juice...not sure how that works, but it seems i saw that kind of setup on some kind of tank.

And i'm not really interested in getting into sub ohming..at this time anyway..i like a balance between flavor and a decent amount of vapor..nothing crazy..so i plan on sticking above 1 ohms for now.

Thanks for the advice..really helpful.

 

[gatorchin]

The nautilus really is an easy out and about tank, I like it quite a bit. Check out the eleaf Lemo, I've read that a lot of people love their's as well (I don't have one). Search results for: ’lemo’

another vote for the nautty it seems..and i've heard of the lemo's, but haven't researched...after i help my son find his missing thomas the train track piece he is missing i'll look into the nautty and the lemo.

I'm still not hip with the lingo quite yet as far as RTA's RBA's or whatever..lol..i just know i don't want a drip setup, whatever that is called.

thanks guys for the suggestions and i'll take all the "i learned the hard way" type stuff as well...i'm all ears.

 

[Completely Average]

ok..at my job, i dont' work in a vape shop, but i work in a place where it is possible for me to work on my stuff with no real problems..but that's something i'm trying to stay away from ...something that has to be "handled with kid gloves"..i want something that i don't have to tinker with every couple of hours...a little bit, like on my protank i will have to pull the coil and blow it clear and what not, while it does get old, i've learned to deal with it..but i'd rather have something with minimal maintenance, besides when a coil/wick needs replaced, i replace it (with one i have rebuilt and rewick myself).

You wouldn't have to tinker with a rebuildable all of the time. It's not something you have to mess with every few minutes or hours, Depending on the setup, juice, and power you're running through it you may go several days without doing anything more than refilling it.

BUT, when it does require a change it requires a lot of work. It's often a 15-20 minute job to tear down a tank that's half full of juice to rewick it. Longer if your coil fails. It also means you have to have your full set of tools at your job, or a spare tank that is ready to use.

.

Seems there was a clearomizer, can't remember which, that you could take the part that holds the coil, the part that you screw the legs of the coil into, and not lose any juice...not sure how that works, but it seems i saw that kind of setup on some kind of tank.

You can replace the coils in both the Nautilus and Aerotank without loosing any juice. You just turn the tank upside down, unscrew the base, and the coil screws into the base.

You fill both tanks by removing the base as well.

 

[gatorchin]

You wouldn't have to tinker with a rebuildable all of the time. It's not something you have to mess with every few minutes or hours, Depending on the setup, juice, and power you're running through it you may go several days without doing anything more than refilling it.

BUT, when it does require a change it requires a lot of work. It's often a 15-20 minute job to tear down a tank that's half full of juice to rewick it. Longer if your coil fails. It also means you have to have your full set of tools at your job, or a spare tank that is ready to use.

.



You can replace the coils in both the Nautilus and Aerotank without loosing any juice. You just turn the tank upside down, unscrew the base, and the coil screws into the base.

You fill both tanks by removing the base as well.

so that is an nautilus aspire in the pic?? how are the adjustable airflow on those?? (i'm assuming they are adujstable)..also, if it matter when deciding on this type thing, i'm sometimes a mouth to lung hitter (that's how i started), but lately i've been kinda mouth-to throat, when i feel it hit my throat, i exhale..after i read that you can absorb the nicotine through your mouth anyway, that our lungs aren't designed to absorb the vaporized nicotine..(i think i remember reading that..i could be totally wrong..but lately i do more of the mouth to throat then exhale..but i guess by the time i feel it hit my throat the vape is already in my lungs..lol)