Newbie here, have a few questions

[CountX]

I hate to be a burden and jump on a forum just asking for strangers help.... But I promise to help contribute to newbies if/when I am more knowledgeable in this new(to me) area.

So I want to get off cancer sticks....And fast.

My addiction started young, around 12 or so with the purchase of a carton between friends. That grew into a good pack a day habit for a decade here.(my bday is today) I was shortly there after afflicted with some ailments, first I had a bout with asthma, then a torrent of it. These days I get woken up by it if I smoke before bed. And this is all with prescription medicine(inhalers), but since I have not quit like my doctor tells me it won't help much. As of lately this has become intolerable as I have an active job, and am trying(trying!!) to have an active life-style. The ball and chain of my lungs has brought me close to quitting cold turkey a few times, but never successfully.

So for to stop smoking I figured my bday would be a good time to start. I have seen and tried ecigs, from friends, and they seemed a good alternative to stop smoking tar and vape instead, with the hope to eventually stop all together or at least to 0 nicotine. I asked around and bought a couple starter kits to try. Now here's where my optimism turned to severe disappointment. Blu and ProSmoke kits. The blu works, and it kinda feels like smoking, but the taste is strangely burnt or something, and now that I have actually done a little research I fear I wasted a lot of money. The Prosmoke kit is god awful, maybe I got a bad one or something but it leaks a ton on my lips causing me to gag, the smoke is very burnt tasting and leave a very bad chemical taste in my mouth. Just what I want, more nasty chemicals in me.

So here is where I stand, a blu kit/prosmoke kit, hating them more and more as I read about them on here and trying to make the best of this situation. I have just about exhausted my funds for this endeavor for now...

But I call out, to anyone who will hear, what shall I do... How can I make this right. I'd like to just vape a packs worth of the addictive stuff and not gag half the time. These flavors are unbearable. The blu doesnt even give a good hit at all and I ordered the highest nicotine level.. the prosmoke tastes so bad I feel nauseous just thinking about it. What to do...

 

[Lt. Col. Killjoy]

If you are set on a cig size device, I would recommend a KR808 d1. I would go with Halo for the convenience of being able to buy a quality KR808 unit and some of the best tobacco flavors around from a single vendor. They call their KR8 the G6. check them out here:


Halo Electronic Cigarette

 

[negrete35]

I'm still fairly new myself. I started off with Blu's as well. Didn't satisfy. Most here would tell you that you should stay away from cigarette look-a-like ecigs. What did work for me was an ego battery and a vivi Nova tank. I would recommend you visit discountvapers.com. Buy yourself a couple eGo twist batteries and a Vivi Nova or two. Don't forget a charger. I can't remember if they have juice available there or not. If they do, get some if not, try pinkspotvapers.com. good luck and stick with it. It gets much better than Blu's.

 

[CountX]

I guess I figured that I could get a new atty and some fluid and half solve the situation with what I already have instead of closet it.

 

[Buggs5347]

Personally, I love Blu. There are pros and cons to all of it. Blu is easy. You screw on a prefilled cartomizer and go. That being said, there is a learning curve to all of them. It's different than smoking a cigarette. No matter what you choose. There is more muss and fuss when you are dealing with the bigger batteries, liquid, filling, possible leaking, defective parts, etc. Is it worthwhile - YES!! Do it. Make up your mind you are going to use a safer method of getting your nicotine and just do it. Put up with it and learn.

I have not smoked a cigarette since the second day I started with a Blu disposable and though it wasn't exactly like a cig, I knew I could make it work and ordered a kit. Used disposables until I got my kit. So I started at 24 mg nic with the disposables, then moved to 18 with the kit and a week or so later switched down to the next level for a week or so and on down to now I am using the 8 mg and working in some 0 mg. Because I was curious, I have purchased some ego twists and various tanks and cartos to try along with juices. I still prefer my Blu for at work and out running around. At home it is fun to try the other stuff. Where there's a will there's a way. You might prefer one over the other. But the important thing is to set your mind to it, enjoy the process and think of it as if you are switching brands of cigarettes. It takes a little while to get used to a different brand.

 

[Lt. Col. Killjoy]

I'm not one of those people that steer people away from the cig sized devices. The feel of those little batts is very comforting when you are making the switch. Most people end up moving on from them, but there is no harm in starting with a kr8 or a Joye 510. If a new vaper thinks they can get over the feel of a larger device, then by all means, jump right in. Whatever it takes to kick the analogs.

 

[SpicyMcHaggis]

Are you dead set on a cig look-a-like? If so, the Volt by Smokeless Image is well regarded around here. I have no experience with them though.

I started with the eGo c-Twist, which is a little bigger than your Blu and the Volt. It's variable voltage and has way more battery life than your Blu.

If you don't mind a little bigger device I'd recommend the Twist and a Vivi Nova tank. It's a near perfect beginner set-up.

 

[evilfrog]

For mini, cig-sized units most people recommend the Bloogs or Volts(or the Halo... there are probably others) for batteries as they are higher quality. Cartomizers (the part the liquid goes in) of good quality can be bought from various vendors, including the Bloog and Volt folks. Threading may be different then what you have so be sure to check this (you can ask the vendors if it is compatible). Most - but not all - people migrate to larger devices quickly (Rive, Ego Twist, etc...) as they provide longer battery life. You should probably consider doing this, but it isn't mandatory for a good vape.

You might just be burning your cartomizers dry - thus the burnt taste. Are they burnt tasting from the first puff? I've never tried those models so I'm no expert on them

To stop liquid from leaking into your mouth: get a drip tip to put on your carto. They are cheap and will solve this problem almost completely.

As to the taste being chemical-laden: It's a pain, but you're likely better off getting the liquid separately from a specialist (eventually you can learn to make it yourself if you wish). Taste on these things is subjective, so this process can take a fair amount of time and money.
It's worth it! Once you find equipment and liquid that works for you everything becomes much easier. We all waste money on stuff that doesn't work for us in this pursuit, but it's cheaper in the long run and a heck of a lot better for you.

 

[Rickajho]

I don't know how much this is gonna help but:

There is a sub forum on ecf for Blu. You may want to scan through there and see if you can find any technical help. Blu Electronic Cigarettes

Posts about ProSmoke do show up on ecf quite a bit but there is no dedicated forum. So try the search option. I did happen to find this post about generic help tips for ProSmoke: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/new-members-forum/118221-prosmoke-check-list-may-help-other-e-cigs.html

Just get your post count up a little higher to post in the Blu forum and elsewhere.

 

[CountX]

From what I read the prosmoke is M-401?, or just 401 threaded?, some kinda big mesh bridge atty, and a fiberglass looking stuffing in the cart... The blue is 510 threaded, and uses a single piece cart/atty, disposable.... No idea how big mah the batteries are, but I have 4 now...2 from each kit. The blu pack charger thing is awesome, but the lack of vape coming out kinda sucks, the burnt taste/strange taste is kinda ok now that i've been puffing a bit. But I do not like their tobacco flavor, not at all like a real thing.(not that I love those..) Menthol leaves a pleasant after taste tho, fresh but still has that burn/strange chemical taste. The prosmoke is completely disgusting the more I try it the worse it gets...and it's the one that seems to drip a lot out the front. Havent seen a single drip come out the blu, and trust me I've been sucking hard on it to get more vapor, but that increases the burnt taste

I see there are boge 510 cartomizers that apparently are compatible, standard resistance, I wonder if it's worth to try that...

Eh I'll take whatever advice you guys say is best. I just can't shell out another chunk of cash right now so it will have to wait.(unless I get some cash for my bday or something haha)

 

[CountX]

Unfortunately I'm kinda shafted on the prosmoke thing because all of them make me gag at the weird chemical taste. I'd not have gotten it if I had a chance to try it

 

[peraspera]

Unfortunately I'm kinda shafted on the prosmoke thing because all of them make me gag at the weird chemical taste. I'd not have gotten it if I had a chance to try it

If you are short on funds I would suggest you salvage as much of what you already have and save for a couple of Ego Twists, charger and a Vivi Nova tank. The incessant battery charging for cig-alikes is annoying but many people on ECF have quit using them including me. I ordered Twists after coming here but I still use the cig-alikes as well as my Twists.

The ProSmoke is an odd duck M403 size and empty cartomizers are very difficult to find. There are a couple of links to where you can purchase them in this thread. However, it sounds like the ProSmoke may not be working properly. If it's not too late you might want to check with your credit card company about a chargeback if the seller won't refund your money.

Blu has 510 threads so you can purchase any empty 510 cartomizer and the juice of your choice to fill it. The 510 threads also fit a Twist which will be handy down the road. There are lots of videos on YouTube that show how to do fill a cartomizer using different methods. Watch a few so you can try different methods if you don't like the method you use on your first try.

When pre-filled cartomizers get too empty of juice they burn. Your burnt tasting cartomizers might have been dried out when you purchased them or you might have vaped them too dry. Normally one can refill pre-filled cartomizers a few times but pitch any with a burnt taste as there is no way to remove it.

When you start getting what seems like dry puffs from a cartomizer top it off right away with a few drops of juice to prevent it from getting a nasty burnt taste. If there were any of the Blu flavors you liked before the taste turned burnt you can order juice from Johnson Creek which supplies Blu juice. Finding juice one likes can be an expensive challenge so if you liked any of Blu flavors order your first juice in those flavors from Johnson Creek.

Since you smoked a pack a day or more start out with 24mg and/or 18mg strength. I smoked 2+ packs a day and used 24 mg an hour before bed and an hour after getting up in the morning. Vaping delivers nicotine to the body much more slowly than cigarettes so I made a point of vaping my 18mg for an absolute minimum of two or three drags every ten to fifteen minutes to prevent nicotine level crashes. I was lucky in that I never craved a cigarette but I vaped like a steam engine if the thought of a cigarette even crossed my mind.

Keep asking any questions you might have. People here will help you hobble your way using what you have until your budget allows for less frustrating gear.

 

[CountX]

I would like to first of all, thank you immensely. Your advice hit straight to home. I got the blu kit off a friend....(should have been suspicious!) I have already sent correspondence to prosmoke asking for a full refund, and failing that I will dispute it with my credit card company.

I am actually really digging the blu sans the burnt taste...but i think that is because I drag really hard. My friend next to me was laughing at how hard I was pulling to get my nicotine fix(trying not to break open a pack of real cigs). The tobacco is crap, but everything else is pretty good. The crappy part is JC doesnt seem to sell the blu flavors at all . So I am at a loss for ejuice, I suppose I should try the other JC stuff.

Looking on youtube and around here, the best bang for the buck carto for 510 is the boge low resistance one. Which from all I can tell will work ok on my blu batteries but just drain them faster. Which is ok by me as I just keep one charging and use the other for a full battery all the time. As for the ejuice I may as well order a sample or something from the same place I get the carto and save on shipping. I have been looking around and found a few suppliers that are trustworthy according to ECF members. I would of course appreciate your opinion on that front.

If/when I get my prosmoke money back, or get some extra scratch, I'll look into getting a real battery/charger to slap on the catros I end up sticking with. Then I suppose next step from there is a tank and mouth piece? Maybe then get into DIY mixing my juice? I of course am tempted to just put all this on a CC and get set up, as I know I will be saving on not spending 8 bucks a pack. I will just wait til the next paycheck and budget it in . What are your thoughts?

 

[peraspera]

You might want to give some serious thought to using the CC. Virgin Vapors has legit for ego Twists on sale this week for a really cheap price. They also have the USB charger and wall adapter you will need for the Twists. I have the larger size and the batteries last me all day. I don't know how much their shipping is.

I've never used Blu's myself but maybe you can find some people who have found similar juices on the Blu forum. You need 5 posts to be able to post there but I'm pretty sure you can read the posts before that. You also might want to see if there are any decent brick and mortar vape shops near you to get some juice. Usually they will let you try juices before purchasing.

I got a recent order of Boge LR cartomizers from VaporBeast which has free shipping. Boge has had some recent quality control issues but the cartomizers I got from them have all been just fine. Two of my four favorite vapes are from VaporBeast so you might want to try their inexpensive samples.

 

[vsummer1]

Because you are not getting satisfaction from the hit of the Blu, and you are asking for an inexpensive remedy, I will suggest you try this starter kit for an eGo. It is much less to buy the juice and fill the clearo yourself than to buy pre-filled cartos from them.


The best deal I have found for newbies on a basic eGo starter kit, FOR $20 and I would suggest buying some juice with it when you order rather than wait for the free deal below:

Mini Starter Kit - 650mah - Black - DiscountVapers.com
Ths custom kit consists of:

1. (1) eGo 650 mAh battery
2. (1) CE4+ V2 Clearomizers with Long Wicks
3. (1) Charging cable for eGo battery
4. (1) gift Tin with padded pockets

and the free Juice (but I would buy some until it gets there):

A one time free 10ml sample bottle of juice of your choice - with free shipping from VapeDudes.com. They give out 15 a day, counter gets reset at 12 midnight Texas time every day (coupon code fbfree).

 

[kabonk]

where not strangers we are your ECF family

 

[michliu]

I was vaping on Blu until a month ago. My first step up was refilling the Blu cartomizers with ejuice from another vendor. You can find videos on Youtube on how to do this. I wouldn't clean out the old juice, just drip in something that tasted similar, 15-20 drops once you've finished the old juice. A very inexpensive way to get a little more mileage from your Blu cartomizers. It was a bit of a hassle and the flavors bled together, but you can purchase ejuice with higher nicotine than the 11mg in the Blu cartomizers, if you need more nic. When you pick up more ejuice, I would suggest buying a few extra cartomizers, which are also cheap. This will save you the pain of refilling the Blu cartos, which aren't really designed to be refilled. Hope this carries you over until your next paycheck.

 

[Vapoor eyes er]

Now here's where my optimism turned to severe disappointment. Blu and ProSmoke kits. The blu works, and it kinda feels like smoking, but the taste is strangely burnt or something, and now that I have actually done a little research I fear I wasted a lot of money. The Prosmoke kit is god awful, maybe I got a bad one or something but it leaks a ton on my lips causing me to gag, the smoke is very burnt tasting and leave a very bad chemical taste in my mouth.Just what I want, more nasty chemicals in me.

The Blu and Prosmoke are not the issue but the juice. GREAT idea to buy some blank cartos and juice and fill them yourself. As for "dragging really hard" it could be your nic/ mg level is not high enough. I believe it will be a completely diff experience once you get the new cartos and juice. Also, down the road, if you do decide to purchase another PV you'll be able to use those Boge cartos on your new PV provided it's a 510 threading- the most popular threading.
Best of Luck.

 

[Cyrene]

I still use my Blu, I am a refiller - and it's really not the juice, IMO, that doesn't give
the hit that my eGo gives, it's the battery. The Blu battery is not as strong as some
of the others like eGo, etc, but I still like it. I can refill the Blu with the same juice I
use on my eGo, and the hit is way different. It's a combination of the cartomizer and
the battery on the Blu - as I've used the cartomizer on my eGo battery to test it.
I refill and get a bit more from the cartos
on the Blu's that way. I've never tasted a burnt taste on Blu like you have, but I would
think it's a bit dry, so that may be why. But you can get better mileage from the Blu if
you do your own refilling on them.

I did not get off of analogs with my Blu, but it did start me on the right path. The one that
did it was a good ole eGo set-up.

 

[michliu]

I still use my Blu, I am a refiller - and it's really not the juice, IMO, that doesn't give
the hit that my eGo gives, it's the battery. The Blu battery is not as strong as some
of the others like eGo, etc, but I still like it. I can refill the Blu with the same juice I
use on my eGo, and the hit is way different. It's a combination of the cartomizer and
the battery on the Blu - as I've used the cartomizer on my eGo battery to test it.
I refill and get a bit more from the cartos
on the Blu's that way.

I totally agree with this. I have some leftover Blu cartomizers and they work a lot better on my Ego batteries.

When using the Blu carto, sitting them down for a while will help with the burnt taste, the juice gets redistributed through the filler. The pre-filled ones don't last very long though, nowhere close to the advertised equivalent of 1 pack of cigarettes. They last longer when you refill them yourself as you can get the filler good and wet. The vape is better, too. That said, an inexpensive Ego battery with new cartomizers will greatly improve your experience, once your new round of vape funding comes in.