New Member to ECF

[Maurice Pudlo]

Hello all, I'm a long time smoker, started way back when I was 14 or so (your welcome Marlboro).

In any case I've taken a few breaks from smoking in that time, maybe a year and a half if I add up all the time I had quit.

I'm not sure that I want to get away from the nicotine, but I'm 100% sure I want to get away from the smelling like an ashtray.

A good friend has switched from smoking to using an e-cigarette and seems to be singing a good bit of praise for the product in general.

I gave hers a quick puff, expecting much less I was pleasantly surprised with the feel and taste. I can't comment on the nicotine delivery as the single draw wasn't really enough to mimic that of a whole smoke but I think that it should do the trick.

My personal addiction centers around both the nicotine and habit of smoking; I smoke a tad more than a pack a day, but not always entire cigarettes. I'm not really enjoying it, I'm not sure I really ever did.

I'm quite the ugly person to be around without my smokes, especially if any more than a few hours has passed since my last one.

I'm very motivated to switch to a less stinky alternative. If I can wean off of the nicotine great, but from the outset I'm looking just one step ahead.

Maurice

 

[DavidOck]

Hi Maurice, and welcome to ECF. You've picked the right spot for hints, tips, and recommendations - and the right spot to find out what to spend your cig money on. And on, and on!

You don't say where you are - USA is a pretty wide location

If you have a B&M nearby, a good way to test to waters is to go in and talk to them. And most will let you taste different flavor juices. While juice is cheaper online, unless you know what kinds of flavors your like, you can burn through a lot of cash getting flavors you don't like. (When that happens, put them aside. Tastes change.)

Many start with an "ego kit", typically a 650 mAh fixed voltage battery, charger for it, and some sort of topper that holds the coil, wick and juice. I'd recommend a variable voltage battery like the Spinner, so you can adjust for different resistance coils, different flavor juices, and taste. And get two - one to use while one is charging. Nothing worse than being "ugly" while waiting for your battery to charge! (Get two -or more -toppers as well. Good for having two flavors / strengths going, good insurance against hardware failure.)

At your stated cig level, a juice in the 18 mg range might do the trick for you. And talk to your vaping friend, too. He/she may have some good info and resources close at hand.

Welcome to the journey. And don't fret any lapses along the way.

 

[Harlen]

Hello and welcome
Ben there know what your going thru.
I started with a high nicotine of 36 mg/ml 8 months later I'm down to 8mg/ml and one day I will be off nicotine , I may or may not stop vaping (I like it ) but I will be off nicotine .
Good luck and best wishes

 

[DorsaiMaster]

Welcome to ECF! You will find this to be the beginning of a wonderful journey. Congratulations on taking your first steps along the path to feeling better. Everyone here is willing to help and try to make this an easy thing for you. Have a great day!

 

[Arnie H]

Welcome to ECF Maurice. I used to get cranky as well, if more than about 2 hours elapsed between smokes. I did enjoy them though on occassion, and there is some evidence that either nicotine or cigarettes have a slight anti-depressive effect. When Europeans first visited the Americas, they clearly recognized the relaxing aspects of smoking. Vaping continues this. Best of luck.

 

[wonner]

I'm very motivated to switch to a less stinky alternative.

The problem with smoking is that it is so easy to go back, and it so easy to ignore all the reasons we chose to quit. But if you are ready and willing to change, you can do it.

My suggestion is to take photos of everything you dislike about smoking; the money it costs, the ashtrays, smelly clothing, burn holes, discolored teeth, and anything else you hate. Post them in a conspicuous place, so anytime you have the urge to buy a pack, you can see all of the reasons why you don't really want to.

Hope that helps.

 

[FringeChief68]

Hello Maurice and Welcome to ECF

 

[Paulles87]

You are surely making the first step in the right dirrection..good luck and vape happy..(kicked a almost 18 year smoking habit)

 

[DigitalVI]

I know it works for me, and I never wanted to quit. Finding this forum was very helpful.

 

[Maurice Pudlo]

I'm located in Louisville Kentucky.

I was looking at the "iTaste VV v3.0", seems to have nice reviews and seems to have a tech appeal that fits my liking.

I'm not sure I want the larger boxy vapor devices, at least not from my current understanding of how they work.

I will admit there is a bit of "I just like the way the "iTaste VV v3.0" looks too. I'm not always that great at picking based on the old adage "form follows function". It seems though this may well be a fairly good product that suits my needs...I am open to suggestions.

As for what liquids I'd pick to vapor with, I'm currently sucking down Marlboro Southern Cut, which has a slightly closer to cigar smell prior to burning than most other cigarettes. I like cloves, mainly the taste on your lips after smoking, but I've heard (rather seen reviews) that the liquid analogs come up short of the real deal.

I'm not exactly looking to save a buck or two, so cost isn't exactly a major factor to me, I've no real idea how vaporizing compares to smoking on a cost basis. If it is more then so be it, if its less great, I'll buy coffee with the savings.

Thanks for the nicotine level suggestion, I think that is one of the nicest aspects of the e-cigarette, being in control of how much you use of an addicting substance is a step toward better things.

Maurice

Edit:

I don't smoke in the house because I dislike the smell of smoke, so I'm not littered with overflowing ashtrays here, I smoke and trash the butts. I drive a ton though and the car is ... well ... I'm sure you can recall the smell and film issues with that portion of this nasty habit.

 

[Kake]

Another new one reportin in, and i found lot of similarities from maurices post.

Started smoking at the age of 13 becose it was suposed to be "cool" (now i know it was not!). And it became more of a habit, every time o walked out of the door i needed to light a smoke. When i jumped in a car i lighted a smoke. When ever i was walking i lighted a smoke. I never liked the taste of the smokes, but it was just the habit. I actualy were nearly 3 years whitout smoking, untill i had my lifes first summer vacation since high school... It was nice summer evening on my parents summer villa, came to cool of from a sauna and opened a beer... And thats when it hit me... i had to have that 1 smoke to glorify the moment, and i was back on the hamsters wheel.


6months ago i had enough. My friend had been vaper for nearly 2 years so i asked him for some consult and bought my first mod, DCT-tank and all the required stuff... After that, ive only slipped once to have half traditional cigaret when my provari run out of battery when i was in a bar.

But, nether is the vaping all roses and butterflies and nice things. It goes reaaaly easyly from "smoking" to "materialism" (dont know if this are right words). Its starts whit an ego, then a cheap mod, then bit more expensive mod, then a provari, then a protank, then a z-atty, then a kayfun, then another provari, then a DNA20 mod Suddenly the smoking traditional cigarets turns out to be the cheaper option. And the fact that lot of these does not feel so user friendly as they could be. Example the protank, that leaks, and gurgles, and burns and and... But whit the right attitude you get over it.




Dont know realy whats the point of this message :/ Just kinda recognized my self from the post, and i need to get more post so i can join the Futura mod thread to ask some questions...

 

[WindyCityJoe]

Welcome to ECF Maurice, I smoked for over 35 years and since I started vaping I don't give cigarettes a second thought except for how happy I am that I quit. I also have an itaste vv v3 and it is a great pv and works great with the mini protank. Best of luck to you.

 

[Maurice Pudlo]

Another new one reportin in, and i found lot of similarities from maurices post.

I can see similarities in what you mentioned as times you smoke, its kind of scary how many smoking triggers are on my plate.

As for being materialistic about the tools, I don't think I'm all that worried about becoming a collector of vapor equipment.

I can see someone pouring vapor liquid into a fog machine though just to see how that would work, I'd be the guy on the side egging that type of person along out of morbid curiosity. I certainly wouldn't do it myself.

On the collection topic, I keep reptiles, that's where my extra money goes as far as collecting things or getting my hands on cool equipment occasionally costs an arm and two legs.

Anyone else here ever seriously consider spending $20,000 on a lizard? That's my $$$ black hole, not smoking.

Maurice

 

[Mark Anthony]

Hello and welcome to ECF Maurice.... I was unsure where it would all lead to when I first started but I'm 9 weeks in stinky free. Through the help of many helpful people here I have been a craving free vaper.... The support system here is second to none.

 

[Maurice Pudlo]

Thanks everyone!

I pulled the trigger on an I taste MVP v2 and its stock pair of iClear 16s.

So far so good, obviously I paid way above online price, $104 and some change got me out the door with two bottles of juice and the MVP v2, I'm happy and an unopened pack of smokes sit in my pocket.

Maurice

 

[DavidOck]

Good deal, the MVP will run circles around the VV3 for battery life. Although you really should get a second battery for backup

And no one has to jump on the upgrade bandwagon. The advantages of the bigger mods are in (generally) longer use between charges, replaceable batteries for when the eventually stop holding a charge (rather than replacing the whole unit), and maybe some extra bells and whistles, like ohm check, battery voltage, and so on. Of course, the MVP2 and the VV3 have most of that, and work well.

Even a Vision Spinner or it's like can provide a good vape, with the right topper.

For some, it becomes a hobby. For others, not.

Initial hardware may be more expensive than smoking, but stay off the "ooooh, new and shiny!" bandwagon and vaping becomes a lot cheaper pretty quickly.

 

[Maurice Pudlo]

I was actually surprised a bit at the price I was expecting it to be higher for the fluids.

I went with 18mg nicotine, and it seems just about where I need it to be. My unopened pack of smokes is still ... unopened. That's exactly how it needs to stay.

Maurice

Nice people at the shop, and a good selection of flavors. I picked up Seven stars and Cappuccino.

 

[plaguehiphop]

You guys have all been very welcoming thank you

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

 

[FringeChief68]

Hello and Welcome to ECF

 

[WalterWhite]

Maurice, congratulations on the purchase and taking the first step towards vaping instead of smoking.