New member here

[stern]

Hello new forum community!

My name is David and I am introducing myself to say hello and to raise my post count so that I may post in other areas.

I am a pack/ pack-and-a-half a day Newport smoker. I am almost 25 and am closing in on the point of no return regarding my nicotine addiction.

I decided to switch over to the e-cig so that I can quit nicotine on my own time, and without the harmful effects of tobacco combustion. I am frankly just not ready to give up the habit, so I figured I may as well reduce the harm. I was dependent on opiates for several years and kicked that habit, so addiction is no stranger to me. What is amazing is how much more difficult nicotine has proved to be in terms of quitting. But I digress.

I decided to register here because this was my primary source in my e-cig research. Thanks to this community, I was able to educate myself on this new (and jargon filled) nicotine delivery alternative.

After much research (and cost/benefit analysis) I decided to take the plunge and ordered a Provari VV V2 last week. It just came and now I am waiting on my juice, which should be here tomorrow. I have never tried an e-cig before and hope that it will prove to be a decent replacement for my analog habit.


I can't post in the specific product page, so I also wanted to share how positive my experience with Provape was.

They accidentally sent me the red LED version, when I had paid an extra $15 for the blue LED model. I wrote them a kind e-mail telling them of their mistake. Frankly, it wasn't worth the hassle of replacing my unit with the blue version, so I asked if they could send me a second battery free of charge. I received a kind e-mail 90 minutes later from their customer service rep and she apologized and agreed to send me a second battery free of charge. Two days later (today), I received my second battery in addition to a free drip tip, which I had not asked for.

Needless to say, I won't hesitate to do business with Provape in the future, assuming this hobby is as compulsive and accessory-filled as it seems on the forums!

 

[X P3 Flight Engineer]

Greetings from Canada! Welcome to ECF!

Glad you are off to a good start! Hope your juice arrives soon. I wish These were available when I was your age!

Once you quit everything (as I have many times), remember if you feel like smoking is a good idea or 'must have', you can fall back on vaping instead. It's a Great safety net.

Enjoy the experience!

 

[Cyberslinger]

Welcome! And wow a Provari for your first esmoke. Jumping right in huh! Everyone raves about them so I think you're gonna be pretty damn happy with it.

 

[jj2]

Hi and welcome stern.

 

[dgm76513]

Welcome to ECF! I'm glad the forum was able to help you.
A provari right off the bat, huh? Wow! Congratulations on your powerleveling
I believe the term is: You're doinitrite

 

[stern]

Welcome! And wow a Provari for your first esmoke. Jumping right in huh! Everyone raves about them so I think you're gonna be pretty damn happy with it.

Welcome to ECF! I'm glad the forum was able to help you.
A provari right off the bat, huh? Wow! Congratulations on your powerleveling
I believe the term is: You're doinitrite

The way I figured this was that I need to quit smoking. It's not really a question at this point, as I am fast approaching the stage where the habit is so integrated into my life. I am at that stage where I get anxious when I know I won't be able to smoke for a couple of hours. The idea that I won't be able to take a 5 min break from life to do absolutely nothing but puff on my cig and... almost meditate, is a tough pill to swallow. I am so used to these little smoke breaks that I can't imagine going without them. After all, I can't break up my day by standing outside doing nothing for 5 minutes.....

So I knew that I either have to quit, or find a replacement. If I continue smoking, I will most likely one day wish for nothing but a time machine to go back and quit before it was too late (after a disastrous, smoking-related diagnosis).

Well I don't need a time machine yet, and this is my opportunity to avoid the dire need/wish for one in the future.

So if I am going to switch, I will eventually purchase the best model. Why not save the money and get one of the better models right off the bat? I also see a top-of-the-line e-cig as something that will strongly increasing my chances of switching over from analogs (love that term, btw). Fortunately, I also have the money to do this. Sometimes having some money is the best way to save money lol.

Plus I spend around $315 a month on Newports. Justifying a $200 e-cig that will also save thousands and thousands on likely health-related bills in future was easy!

Thanks for the welcome. I see this is a VERY active community.

 

[yankeebobo]

Welcome. A wry good and positive approach. You are definitely doing it right.

I've been about a pack a day smoker in and off for 18-20 years. Currently, at almost 40, I've been vaping for a year and a half. And believe me I KNOW that "5 min break" you are referring to. I take my ecig outside to get the same 5. But I feel better. And don't even mention smell right?

Hopping into the provari right away is impressive. And your justification very sound and logical. That is our next step. My wife and I talked Xmas but it's looking like any week now for two of them.

Currently I use the ego c twist and the variable voltage rocks. So even when provari arrives, I'll likely carry the ego for the times I just don't want to hold a press conference on the provari.

Plethora of info on this site. Like you I just joined after some reading. Best of luck and happy vaping.

 

[stern]

Thanks yankeebob. I was also fortunate to have my parents on my side. I try to support myself, but ANYTHING that will help me quit, my parents would be more than happy to pay for. I was planning on saving up, but as soon as I mentioned it to my dad, he immediately offered to pay for it, without even asking how much it cost! I think he understands the medical costs of smoking, so to him, anything is cheaper than that in terms of money, emotions, health, and lifespan.

 

[WickedSick]

Hi, welcome and great choice !

 

[PittBoss]

Hello and welcome to ECF, stern. Hope you enjoy your time here!

 

[dgm76513]

Well, Stern. Your logic is rock solid. Many people spend MORE than what you did their first time around, often falling victim to their impulse to buy right away which rewards them with a $30-50 kit for $200 at the mall, or even unethical advertisers pushing false reviews of overpriced ecigs right to the top of the search engine queries to grab that market.

Many more people, including myself, have spent more than what you have on their vaping journey which inevitably leads them to a VV mod such as the Provari, which is something I haven't invested in yet because I just HAD to have the Empire mod (which I do not regret buying, btw).

I envy your foresight and the research you have done. I trust you will be a valuable member of the ECF community.

 

[stern]

Thanks so much dgm76513!

I did have a question, but prob shouldn't start a new thread in New Members. Is there a source someone here could direct me to that defines all the jargon, options, variations, and practical implications of the various e-cig components on one page or topic, that also doesn't rely on prior knowledge for full understanding? Most of the beginner FAQs I have seen seem to focus on the basic (for example, "are e-cigs safe?" "atomizer vs. cartomizer"). As such, they are somewhat theoretical. The more advanced FAQs tend to assume prior knowledge, which I don't have. I suppose I am looking for a kind of synthesis that covers the more practical implications of various options, while being catered to an audience with little prior knowledge.

I find myself having to look up terms just to understand what I am reading, and it tends to get quite confusing.
(for example, after reading "510 cartomizers are much better for so and so," I am unsure what this means. My Provari uses 510s, but it doesn't share the characteristics of a 510 starter kit, so does this apply for me?")

Another example, I know my Provari uses 510 cartomizers. Does this mean the Provari is a '510'?

Yet another example, I see all this talk about manual/auto batteries and variations on the cartomizers, such as clearomizers and tanks. I have no clue what all this means practically (such as lifespan, cost effectiveness, getting a different vapor, maintenance, ect.)

 

[ladyb334]

You were smart to start off with the Provape. Wished that I had. Spent way to much money searching for the perfect pen style. There is no perfect pen style as far as I am concerned. Finally decided to invest in the Provape 1 and it was so much better than the pen style and the batteries lasted so much longer. I have up graded to the Provaria mini. Thought that voltage didn't make a difference but, was I ever wrong. I am discovering that some juices do better at a low setting and some do better at a higher sitting. The throat hit and vapor are great. Provape also has excellent customer service.

Happy vaping.

 

[ohai]

Thanks so much dgm76513!

I did have a question, but prob shouldn't start a new thread in New Members. Is there a source someone here could direct me to that defines all the jargon, options, variations, and practical implications of the various e-cig components on one page or topic, that also doesn't rely on prior knowledge for full understanding? Most of the beginner FAQs I have seen seem to focus on the basic (for example, "are e-cigs safe?" "atomizer vs. cartomizer"). As such, they are somewhat theoretical. The more advanced FAQs tend to assume prior knowledge, which I don't have. I suppose I am looking for a kind of synthesis that covers the more practical implications of various options, while being catered to an audience with little prior knowledge.

I find myself having to look up terms just to understand what I am reading, and it tends to get quite confusing.
(for example, after reading "510 cartomizers are much better for so and so," I am unsure what this means. My Provari uses 510s, but it doesn't share the characteristics of a 510 starter kit, so does this apply for me?")

Another example, I know my Provari uses 510 cartomizers. Does this mean the Provari is a '510'?

510 refers to the specific kind of threading that is used to connect the carto or atty to your battery. You'll need to pay attention to that when you order accessories to make sure your parts are all compatible, because there are other types of threadings. 510 is probably the most common, but still, watch for that number to be sure.

Yet another example, I see all this talk about manual/auto batteries

A manual battery is one that utilizes a small button that you press while drawing the vapor into your mouth, an auto batt is one that activates while you are drawing on it without pressing any button.

and variations on the cartomizers, such as clearomizers and tanks.

A cartomiser has a polyfil stuffing inside it to hold the liquid as it feeds the atomiser inside it, while a clearomiser has no stuffing and uses a wick to feed the atty- they are generally clear, so you can see how much juice you have left in them. Some people just use an atomiser alone, and drip directly onto it as they vape, while others use a cartridge that is impaled onto and feeds the atty.

A tank is something you use in conjunction with a cartomiser. First, you punch a hole in the carto, and then the tank fits over it and is filled with your liquid. The liquid in your tank keeps the carto wet and therefore prevents burning filler taste and eliminates the need to refill your cartos. The larger your tank is, the more juice it will hold- you can go all day without refilling it if you get a good size one.

I have no clue what all this means practically (such as lifespan, cost effectiveness, getting a different vapor, maintenance, ect.)

This is a lot of info to try to absorb all at once, there are a lot of variables to wrap your head around, and a lot of differing opinions on different methods. Some of us hate cartos, some people have perfect experiences with clearos, while others swear they taste like plastic, and some kinds of juice will crack them. I myself think they are all annoying, and choose to drip directly onto an atty, using a cartidge/tank mouthpiece when I need to be out and about and can't mess with frequent refills.

You can ask specific questions about specific products and read reviews that discuss the pros and cons of each in some of the other forums- there are forums for everything- tips and tricks forums, forums for cartos, forums for atties, etc. Be sure to explore them at your own pace and don't bother trying to force yourself to understand every variable in one sitting- you'll start to absorb it through osmosis the more you read, and the more experience you yourself gain as you learn to vape. It's a brave new world, and the journey is part of what makes it so worth the trip.

And congrats on going for the big guns right out of the gate. I personally don't use one, but there don't seem to be any unhappy Provari users around here. There may be a slightly sharper learning curve with it, but there are lots of people who will be more than happy to guide you- just remind them that you aren't familiar with a lot of the jargon or technical aspects of the hobby yet, and they'll explain as you go. We've got an amazing group of people here.

 

[nansc]

Hi stern and welcome to the forum.

 

[HunnyBunny]

Welcome fellow newbie!!

 

[79Silo]

Welcome and congrats!!!!

 

[stern]

Thank's so much for all the welcomes!

And thank you ohai for that excellent and informative post. I got everything I needed today in terms of hardware and...wetware lol. So part of my confusion was attempting to know everything about it before I even tired it!

I have been vaping all day for the first time, and I have only had 1.5 real cigs so far! (Normally 20-30 a day).

About to have dinner, so I will soon know how effective a substitute this vaping is when the after dinner craving kicks in!