New to Vaping, Just getting started

[kaorte]

I've had the casual drag off friends E-cigs in the past, but never thought about getting one for myself since I've never been a smoker... well, not a cig smoker.

My girlfriend is a smoker (pack a day) and she is interested in quitting so I started reading more into E-cigs and vapes. I have one friend who is into them so I asked him for some advice, coupled with a lot of reading on this forum... I settled for the Vision Spinner 2 and some Aspire tanks. They should be here sometime this week. Hooray!

Since I live in Chicago, we have quite a good number of e-liquid sources in the neighborhood that we are going to hit up when they arrive. I am afraid to order online and hate all the flavors, so I figured a taste test for the first round would be a good idea.

Girlfriend seems to be on board. She is excited for them to get here and so am I! I've always enjoyed hookah and using other peoples vapes, so I figure a low nic level and some sweet flavors would work well for me. She likes the taste of cigs so we will probably be getting her some tobacco flavors. Though I have a feeling she will like a lot of the sweet flavors as well.

I'm sure we will be getting into this as a hobby. We spent all weekend looking at pictures of mods and some really creative setups. I already have my eye on a few other things I want to try.

What I don't really know much about is the e-liquid. Do you guys have any brand or flavor suggestions? I see a lot that look delicious, but if I got ever single one that looked delicious I would be swimming.

I've always found forums to be the most helpful places to learn about a particular hobby. I've been a member of a few in the past and have always enjoyed the experience. So, Hello!

 

[Sir2fyablyNutz]

Hello koarte and welcome to the forum. I'm somewhat new myself so I only have about 20 different flavors I've tried. The best advice I can give is to go to a vape shop and sample the flavors there to find what appeals to you. I've bought 95% of my stuff online. E Cigarette Suppliers Forum <--link to forum suppliers (but also look for coupons) There is a search box at the top of every page. Once I got my nicotine level correct in the vape I stopped the cigs. I keep around 10 different inexpensive "cartomizers" here to switch flavors often. I'd also suggest looking at "mods" variable voltage VV and variable wattage VW for your tank. It willl enhance your experience. (plus you will want a backup battery, can't use it while it recharges with your current setup.) I wish you and your girl luck!

 

[southyr6]

Sounds like you ordered a pretty good set to start her on. Don't be discouraged if the set gives you problems, because there are certainly better sets you can purchase if she can at least see herself making the switch permanent. It took me a ton of experimenting back in 2010 because the technology sucked and almost everything i bought was a huge inconvenience. Vaping has come a long way. If the experience works for her, set your sights on the highest quality setups.

As far as juice, that's all a matter of individual taste. I myself came from smoking reds, but i liked the fruit flavored juices the best. I also quickly realized that the strength of the throat hit was directly connected to the level of nicotine in the juice. I vaped 24mg to get the strength i wanted. Now that i'm using a Kanger Subtank, i've had to cut the nicotine in half. It's just so powerful, but the flavor is 10x as prominent as it is in the little tanks. So, if she wants a strong throat hit (like i did), then get her a higher nicotine juice. Flavors, she'll have to experiment and see what she likes. I vaped blueberry almost exclusively for the last 2 years. Now with this Subtank, i find myself in love with bakery flavors (bananas foster, blueberry and cream, peanut butter, etc...)

Happy vaping, and best of luck!!

 

[Larry J]

Welcome to the Forum, kaorte. You've definitely come to the right place to learn about vaping. Read all you can and then ask any questions you still have. There are lots of very knowledgeable people here who are great about sharing what they know about this incredible hobby. Enjoy!

 

[Rat2chat2]

to ecf kaorte. Nice to meet you and so glad that you are here. Great place to find out anything you need to know. So glad you got your girlfriend interested because this is going to be a great hobby for ya'll. If you have any question, just ask. Always some pretty wonderful people here that can help. Have fun and make yourself at home.

 

[Cavenerd]

Kaorte - Welcome to ECF. It's great that you've joined us and I hope you'r GF gets off of the "realsies" by vaping. There is plenty of info here and you will find almost as many opinions about juices as you will find different juices out in the RW.

I started with menthol and mint flavors because I used to smoke menthols but soon realized that menthol juices were not for me. They we're like smoking vick's vapor rub (which I have on good authority from another thread that you should NOT vape).

Start slow. Visit the B&M's and hit the Jucie-bar/dripping-station/tasting-center (whatever) and taste whatever you think sounds good, or weird, or interesting. I stayed clear of the "cheaper" juices and went for the gourmet stuff initially. Not to say there's not some great, inexpensive juice out there. I wanted to know what the "highest" quality stuff was before I started to make my mind up about the more common stuff.

IMPORTANT: Figure out your and your GF's NIC levels and realize that the juices you're tasting in the B&M's are probably 0% so the flavor may change when you get your NIC'ed juice home. At a pack a day, I would say start out at 12-18% juice in a tank and then adjust fire from there. Also, if you don't smoke cigarette's stay clear of the NIC'ed juice. 0% for you, is my advice. Nicotine IS addictive.

I started with a tank/clearomizer set up, bought a couple dozen 18% NIC juices and then immediately switched to dripping so the 18% juices were way to potent for me. Net money waste: way too much.

The point is, be wary of what you buy until you figure out the right NIC level. Initially, it may have to go up or down so I would say hold on to your hard-earned $$$ until you figure that out at least. Then go crazy.

Also, don't try and vape tequila. It is UNPLEASANT.

Welcome and I'll see you around the threads.

 

[tommyboy66]

Just got a shipment from mtbakervapor.com. Great price, quality juice. I tried five flavors to start. Their 30ml's are less than $8 and you can add extra shots of flavoring if you'd like. Once I settle on a fav or two, I plan on getting their 236ml. Check 'em out.

 

[GreenFord]

The wife and I were in the same situation, except I smoked/dipped and she didn't. She wanted to vape so she could spend some outside time with her friends who smoked and vaped. We went to a B&M and tried several flavors we both liked. Since I was a beginner to vaping I got 18mg and she got 0mg. That way if 18mg was too strong I could cut it with her juice. Since I use Halo I had to make sure that we didn't use any tank cracking juice. I now DIY with supplies from several venders.

 

[Rsunderl]

Hi kaorte and welcome to ECF!

I also like Mt Baker. juices as well as a few "premium" juices. The advice given above is all very good, so I don't have much to add re: liquids there. However, here are a few pointers about vaping when you are new to it that can help avoid the scratchy throat that many newer vapers experience:

• Your body getting used to vaping.
  Vapor isn't like smoke. It has larger particles than smoke, and it could be your body getting used to the new sensation.
• Getting dehydrated.
  Vaping actually draws water from your body to produce the vapor. It's therefore important to take in plenty of liquids while vaping. Some folks do water, some fruit juices, and some even put just a bit of apple cider vinegar into a glass of water. I do this myself sometimes - sounds yucky, but it actually helps your body to absorb the water, and if you use just a little bit of the vinegar, it's not bad.
• The flavor of the juice.
  Flavors like cinnamon or menthol are natural irritants. That's why they work so well as an over-the-counter congestion relief remedy. Trying a milder flavor might help. (although cinnamon IS really tasty LOL!).
• The nicotine content of the juice.
  Higher nicotine content causes a harsher vape (some call it "throat hit"). Try a couple of different juices with varying nicotine concentrations. It's a balancing act between getting enough nicotine to satisfy your cravings and not getting too much throat irritation.
• The PG to VG ratio of the juice.
  The more PG, the more "throat hit" (and more flavor). The more VG in the mix, the less "throat hit, but less flavor, too. Again, play around with juices of different ratios.
• Your vaping style.
  If you take short, hard draws, one right after the other, this can cause the coil to get quite hot and you'll get a harsher vape because of the heat. Try taking gentler, longer draws and see if that makes a difference.
• The power setting of your device.
  Start with a low power setting, take a draw or two, then step the power up a bit. When you reach the point where the vape is harsh or the flavor starts to go away, back the power down a notch. Each different juice will have its own "sweet spot" regarding power.
• The heat of the coil.
  I know when I first started vaping, I was doing it like smoking. Taking short, quick draws, one right after the other. This gets the coil very hot, cooks the juice and can get quite harsh.
• Dry hits.
  This is when the wicking material can't keep up with how you are vaping. The coil gets dry and you get a nasty burnt taste. Give the wicking a few seconds between draws so that they can keep the coils wet.

Hope this helps and wasn't overwhelming.

Happy Vaping!

 

[kaorte]

Thanks everyone! I will probably get some 0% for myself..but I do enjoy the nic buzz so I might 'borrow' some of my girlfriends. Lol.

Thanks for the warm welcomes! So far I think my favorite thread is the pictures thread. Lol

 

[kaorte]

I've been refreshing my tracking info like crazy for the past few days. ~Vape mail~ to arrive this afternoon. Me and the girl were planning on hitting up a few local stores tonight to try out some flavors.

I was wondering if any Chicago people could give some B&M recommendations? I was going to check out Roots, Smoque, and Good Guy Vapes. They all have good online reviews and nice e-liquid selection. We will probably pick up 5-6 different flavors to start off with. Ideally I'd like to just hit one shop, but I am interested in Smoque's flavors, they just don't have any of the other popular brands I see floating around the internet.

 

[kaorte]

So we got the vapes in the mail on Wednesday and went to some local stores that evening. Picked up an assortment of flavors, but all at 18mg for my girlfriend. I am finding these reallllyyy harsh on my throat so I think I will have to get some of my own at 0mg. I don't mind the nicotine buzz, but combined with my throat hurting like mad, not very fun.

We have an aspire nautilus mini, aspire K-1, and a kanger gengitank. It seems to me like the kanger tank/atomizer has the least harshness to it, but with all of them it seems harsher than it should be. I'm not sure if its burning or what, I have it set to 3.3v and 1.8ohm.

I got some extra coils for the kanger at one of the shops we went to, and I think they mistakenly gave me 1.0ohm coils. I'm under the impression that the vision spinner 2's just can't handle these, correct? I'm going to see if they will let me exchange them this weekend. They were very nice at the store. It was a ton of fun trying out all the flavors! I'm lucky to live in a big city where there is quite a large selection of vape stores within a few miles.

 

[Charming]

Welcome to ECF Kaorte! Congratulations on entering the delightful world of vaping. For what it's worth, I vape with the Spinner set-up you described and am perfectly happy with it....for now. I say this as one who is only 10 weeks smoke-free, so this is subject to change. It's taken me all of the 10 weeks to settle on my *ADV's* (All Day Vapes) and I've come to realize this is also subject to change. In summary, I'd say, "Vaping=Change" literally and figuratively soenjoy whatever works for both of you now.

 

[MsShona]

What I don't really know much about is the e-liquid. Do you guys have any brand or flavor suggestions? I see a lot that look delicious, but if I got ever single one that looked delicious I would be swimming.

I've always found forums to be the most helpful places to learn about a particular hobby. I've been a member of a few in the past and have always enjoyed the experience. So, Hello!

Welcome! Yes it is exciting/overwhelming. When I first got started, I headed to a local vape shop. They had tons of testers and I just puffed away until I found 3 flavors that I liked (they had a special....3 10 mL bottles for $10 or something like that). The testers weren't labeled. What I walked out of there with was 2 flavors from a vendor called Mr. E-Liquid, and 1 flavor from a vendor called Mt. Baker Vapor (you'll see both talked about here on ECF, but Mt. Baker Vapor is very popular). Since then I've ordered online again from Mr. E-Liquid and have always been pleased. I've also tried some other vendors. Some have been misses. Thankfully, I didn't drop a lot of cash in the duds. I have also ordered from some new vendors without trying first....but have done a ton of reading reviews.

I think you're smart in testing out juices locally before buying. I did smoke cigarettes, and in all honesty I never got into the tobacco flavors. Although my favorite menthol juice contains a hint of tobacco. So yeah, you just never know. That's the cool thing with vape shops - you get to try before you buy!

Good luck!

 

[ccutty78]

For newcomers to vaping, I would sugest the Kanger EMOW starter kit. I purchased one for a vacation over the summer and was very pleased. I still use it when I'm on the go or at certain functions where stealth vaping is required. the VV 1300mah battery is strong and lasts the whole day. the EMOW tank is compact, has great airflow, and looks good. they give you a pack of 5 coils with the kit and a nice charging cable with Kanger logo on it.
After getting it, i said to myself that I had wished that I would have had that when I first started vaping, because it would have saved me a lot of aggravation and money from trial and error, which is typically my way of learning things. I'm not sure if your still looking or have decided on something else, but your choices are going to get more difficult now that there are of these little mini box mods out on the market.

 

[OlderNDirt]

Welcome to ECF and vaping, kaorte!

I'm a little late to the party, but if you haven't figured it out yet, buy your first bottles of juice in small bottles. Take it home and give it a good try rather then a few hits. If it floats your boat, stop back in for the better value bigger bottle. Too many times I thought I liked a flavor when tasting, but just couldn't hack it for a few hours vaping.

Good luck and happy vaping!

 

[belecp]

Welcome to the forum...ECF has been more help than I can say. I found a local vape shop from the forum and between ECF and the vape shop all the help and advice. I have been off analogs ( tobacco ) cigs for about 19 months. feel great.