Newbie couple needs guidance

[jaytex1969]

Since you seek detailed knowledge and are willing to put in the time, I'd recommend you check out some of Phil Busardo's YouTube reviews and videos ("pbusardo"). He's got his stuff together and really covers everything in his reviews.

You can go cutting edge on gear like most people or you can be a tightwad like me. I buy older designs that aren't cool any more and get them on clearance for a few bucks.

Since there's two of you, having matching models and interchangeable stuff might be beneficial.

The marketing trend is bigger, faster, more and it never ends. You guys are light smokers and I can't imagine you'll need high wattage devices. You may WANT high wattage and, if so, that's okay. But don't let the cool kids bully you into getting more (or less) than you want or need.

I smoked 33 years, hand rolled American Spirits for the last 20 and only began putting in filters after the angina attacks started. I killed my smoking habit with 7-9 watts and 2ohm cheapo single bottom coil tanks. Four months later, that's still what I'm using, with no real intent on "upgrading".

One thing you'll hear over and over, and for good reason, whether it's a 1watt or 500watt device, get the best batteries and charger you can. A cheap mod or tank will get you by. A cheap battery could hurt you or your family.

For the price of 3 cartons of death, you could be up and running.

As an example, here's the stuff I use:

SMOK SID, $20 on clearance
Battery Charger, $32

SMOK SID, $25 but more color options (his and hers?)
SMOK GBC tanks, $3 each
Batteries, $10 each, (get 4 so each of you has 2 to rotate)

Coils for tanks, $30 (bulk purchase, 3 "ten packs" gets you under a buck apiece and only takes a month to travel from China )

I'm not "pushing" this list, just sharing one person's example. It's way past my bedtime, so enough from me for now....

Good luck and welcome!


Jay

 

[APF]

EVOD Twist VV for her.



eGo ONE for you.



Just a thought.

 

[RAJ_rios]

I haven't read all of the posts from other users (there are many) but just in case it hasn't been mentioned, my all time favorite fluid for getting off of cigarettes is Pipe Sauce brand Long Bottom Leaf. I recommend getting a mod with variable/higher voltage than the normal 3.7V, or a 1.2Ω atomizer with a normal (3.7V) battery.
For a long time smoker, you will likely want to get a tank style clearomizer so that you won't need to refill it throughout the day. The Kanger AeroTank is a good option (not too expensive, 510 threaded high compatibility, very user friendly) but a smaller Kanger EVOD Glass (ego threaded) would be your basic budget go-to.
As for batteries, the VV twist style ones nice for quickly selecting the vapor production/throat hit you want, but like you said future proofing with a good model is a long-run money saver so I'd go with an Eleaf iStick if a box-style mod is an acceptable form factor. The reviews and price point are hard to hard to pass up, and the kits come with an adapter for 510 and ego threaded clearomizers. You won't need any additional supplies except for spare coils when the old ones die out.

TL;DR Long Bottom Leaf is the juice you want to get her to start with to come from cigarettes.

 

[doesitmatter]

I would usually say stay away from tobacco flavors, but id suggest you to use it for this one time, to get her slightly 'hooked'.. thats my 2 cents, the rest seems to be covered already.

 

[FadedSun]

Aspire and Nautilus starter kit.... first choice.

Thanks for showing me this kit it was just what we needed. I ended up ordering two of these. They have the tank most people have been recommending, a pack if coils, sample juice, and even a small tip to help filling the mini tank. It seemed like a great price for all that was included, and all the basics we'll need to get started.

My wife was getting quite upset at all the time I was putting into reading reviews and guides this weekend . So I just decided to stop looking at so much right now and just get those basic kits. I'll have plenty of time later to read up on things more and buy a better setup. From what I understand these will still make great backups later, so it'll still be money well spent.

For the free juice I got a 6 and a 12mg/ml. I picked the PG 65% VG 35% and i'm reading now that PG 80% VG 20% might have been better for starting out. But i'll just keep that in mind as we try it.

Thanks everyone for the advice!

 

[r77r7r]

Good starter setup. If it starts to seem like vaping will work, order more eliquid and equipment quickly. I preferred using at least 3 of those type of batteries per person.

Backups for your backups!

 

[FadedSun]

Good starter setup. If it starts to seem like vaping will work, order more eliquid and equipment quickly. I preferred using at least 3 of those type of batteries per person.

Backups for your backups!

Good point, I just ordered a spare battery for each of us. Now she'll have a blue ones (her favorite color) instead of the black that comes in the kit. A dead battery when you really need it wouldn't work out well. Now we should have spares for everything except the tank. But I'd really like to try out the tank before I make any plans to buy a spare or a different type.

I'm done spending money now! I'm sure a lot of you have said the before Well except for the juice flavor experimenting that's bound to follow.

 

[NealBJr]

Thanks for showing me this kit it was just what we needed. I ended up ordering two of these. They have the tank most people have been recommending, a pack if coils, sample juice, and even a small tip to help filling the mini tank. It seemed like a great price for all that was included, and all the basics we'll need to get started.

My wife was getting quite upset at all the time I was putting into reading reviews and guides this weekend . So I just decided to stop looking at so much right now and just get those basic kits. I'll have plenty of time later to read up on things more and buy a better setup. From what I understand these will still make great backups later, so it'll still be money well spent.

For the free juice I got a 6 and a 12mg/ml. I picked the PG 65% VG 35% and i'm reading now that PG 80% VG 20% might have been better for starting out. But i'll just keep that in mind as we try it.

Thanks everyone for the advice!

Glad you finally found your setup. That's the easy part. finding a juice that your wife will like... that's another. Since she's the more skeptical one, she'll probably be over judgemental on the juice for starters.

Sometimes the juice doesn't totally taste like how it smells, but for the first time, however, it might be a good idea to let her smell it first to see which juice she would like to try first. I recommend when you first get the kits and juice, shake the juice, take the cap then the nozzle off, and sit it on a shelf while you open up and examine the rest of the package. Mt. Baker makes their juice fresh, which means you don't get old stock. It also means that sometimes you will need to at least air their juice out. Depending on the juice, sometimes it gets better with age. Since juice is VG+PG+Nicotine+flavoring, sometimes the flavor extracts use some sort of fermented product. The most ideal would be to let it air out for a day. But if you're like me, sometimes you just can't wait. If you want to try some immediately, go ahead. Just keep the nozzle and cap off, and put it in a safe place for the rest of the day.

The People at Mt. Baker are some good guys. They're very good when it comes to customer service. Keep the receipt, and if you have any problems, feel free to contact them. They don't have the largest selection of hardware on their site, but what they do have, they have for a good price. I usually have to look real hard to find a place that has the same product cheaper, and when I do, it's not cheaper by much, and usually from either overseas and/or from a site I've never heard of. At least with them, I know I can trust them.

Good luck, and if you have any questions, let me know... Actually, even if you don't, I'd like to know how things went..for good or bad.

happy vaping!

 

[TotemHarpy]

I use Mt. Baker too, and they are lovely! And super fast (I ordered friday, I will be getting my juice today. That's with the cheapest shipping available.) Last time, the Bananas foster was pretty good right out of the package, but after a day or two WOW it's delicious. The Grappler on the other hand was a bit bitter, after about a week of shaking and letting it sit (I didn't air it, might try that this time) it's delicious!

 

[NealBJr]

I haven't read all of the posts from other users (there are many) but just in case it hasn't been mentioned, my all time favorite fluid for getting off of cigarettes is Pipe Sauce brand Long Bottom Leaf. I recommend getting a mod with variable/higher voltage than the normal 3.7V, or a 1.2Ω atomizer with a normal (3.7V) battery.
TL;DR Long Bottom Leaf is the juice you want to get her to start with to come from cigarettes.

Glad to hear someone likes their stuff. Those people's shop are 10 minutes down the road from me. They do make some very good juice. I like their clockwerk in their steam sauce line. However, the major downside to them, is their sauce comes in fancy non-childproof bottles. :/ some of the best tasting juice though.

Every time I walk in there, they have what I call "the crazy british guy" who always has something torn apart in front of him. Real nice fellas, and the owner drives a quite interesting VW bug.

 

[TobyT]

The first thing you have to decide is whether you are wanting to quit smoking and quit vaping too. Getting into the sub ohm tanks and more expensive batteries start you down the road of the hobbiest and will make it more difficult to quit vaping if that is your end desire. So the istick and the mini nautilas would be perfect. If you are not sure, the istick 30 or 50 would still be a great starting battery with a nautilas and you can always add sub ohm to them.

 

[FadedSun]

The first thing you have to decide is whether you are wanting to quit smoking and quit vaping too. Getting into the sub ohm tanks and more expensive batteries start you down the road of the hobbiest and will make it more difficult to quit vaping if that is your end desire. So the istick and the mini nautilas would be perfect. If you are not sure, the istick 30 or 50 would still be a great starting battery with a nautilas and you can always add sub ohm to them.

Short answer: I'm fine with continuing to vape unless/until I hear some hard evidence that long-term it's killing us just as bad as cigarettes.

Long answer: I could quit smoking cold turkey and skip vaping all together. I've only been a smoker the last 3 years and in that time I've quit 3 times 1 month, 2 months, and about 8 months. What brings me back isn't the cravings or NEED to smoke, it's that my wife won't quit and for many reasons I can't handle her smoking while I don't. She's been a smoker the majority of 20 years (oddly enough I met her during her 1 lengthy smoke free period of her life). So vaping is what I hope will be our compromise. I told her that smoking will be a constant friction in our relationship (she's already seen plenty of this), but that if we can switch to vaping I could see it as something we could continue lifelong.

 

[NealBJr]

Short answer: I'm fine with continuing to vape unless/until I hear some hard evidence that long-term it's killing us just as bad as cigarettes.

Long answer: I could quit smoking cold turkey and skip vaping all together. I've only been a smoker the last 3 years and in that time I've quit 3 times 1 month, 2 months, and about 8 months. What brings me back isn't the cravings or NEED to smoke, it's that my wife won't quit and for many reasons I can't handle her smoking while I don't. She's been a smoker the majority of 20 years (oddly enough I met her during her 1 lengthy smoke free period of her life). So vaping is what I hope will be our compromise. I told her that smoking will be a constant friction in our relationship (she's already seen plenty of this), but that if we can switch to vaping I could see it as something we could continue lifelong.

I can definitely relate to the friction. For me, it was the other way around. I was the smoker, and she was the non smoker. We have two boys... so, I was the "odd one out". I never believed in smoking around non smokers. Even at work, when I went out for a smoke break, there was the employee table outside. Even if they were smokers, I didn't like the idea of smoking around someone who was eating. I actually would position myself upwind when I was talking to a non smoker, and I carried a portable ashtray so I didn't have to litter.... I was one of the few conscious minded smokers I know. Around my non smoking family, I didn't smoke in the car, or house. After a movie, or going out to eat, the family would wait for me while I smoked outside the car.... I can definately relate.

As a vaper, I am equally conscious minded, but not nearly as much. Vapor smell is not as offensive, so I don't mind vaping around someone who is eating, as long as it's not an "in your face" type thing. I don't vape in public often, and when I do, I stealth. Same thing in the car, I do not vape in the car unless I'm by myself. on long trips, I bring a lower powered device.

It is a good compromise in my opinion, as long as she's willing to take the step. People who are not really willing to give it a try will usually tend to be over critical over the minutest details. When I tried to talk to my mother in law about switching, she would come up with one excuse or another. "they're too sweet" is something she would say, or they don't satisfy.... she eventually quit using chantix, but those drugs had their own side effects... when she gets an urge, she does have her little cigalike thing called Mistic "the bridge". I don't think it's a strong enough device to get anyone to quit, but it is enough to help her fill the gap that Chantix doesn't do.

...and funny I am mentioning this... she just went through lung surgery today and is in recovery. I am waiting for the news that I can go visit her... she had a mas 1/2" diameter stage 1 cancer... combined with her emphysema, it will be a rough recovery. She just quit about 6 months ago. We're awaiting results to discuss chemo options which should come in a few days. I think it has to do if it's gotten into the lymph nodes.

So far, I've lost both my grandfathers and my stepfather due to smoking. Oddly enough, I ran across a website that still defended cigarettes by saying "there's a man who lived to 106 and HE smoked" then professed that cigarette smoke was not harmfull... that got me so mad...