Newbie's view for veterans to consider

[Duster6524]

Bravo! I always preface any criticism of a cig-a-like with the statement that MANY of us started that way and we seem to have a love/hate relationship with them.

I appreciate that. A statement like that is very helpful in letting someone know that a cig-a-like "may" be a good starting point but there may be issues and some of these may be addressed with more advanced stuff.

But while I despise them for mostly inaccurate claims of duration and overpricing, some even price-gouging, they serve a purpose. They are easy to buy, non-intimidating, and most importantly they proved to us that vaping in some form, was indeed an answer for us. They were my training wheels and while I regret the money I feel I wasted on them, it was really an investment.

I agree totally. Especially like the training wheels! Investment in better health!

Duster

 

[Duster6524]

Thanks for posting this - only being a month or so in myself, you have many, many valid points.

If it hadn't been as easy as picking up that Blu disposable @ Walgreens, I probably never would've given vaping a try. Was it a Chevette? It sure was, but it showed me that I could make this work, and I could finally really change my life & rid myself of the analogs once and for all. Watching this experience was also enough to convince my husband (and that is really saying something!) and my sister-in-law that it could work for them too. Thank God for that Chevette, I say

It also taught me that although I was definitely ready for a Ford (a Volt), I do not need/want (nor will I probably ever need/want) a Ferrari; that I'm just fine & dandy with my Ford, thank you very much. I'm having so much fun trying out juice flavors, and I know this will keep me occupied for a long time to come.

Best of all, that Chevette probably saved my life and that of several people near and dear to me.

Congrats to you & keep vapin' on!

Thanks and You're Welcome!

It is a lot fun, just need more time to play!

Duster

 

[Duster6524]

Good post!!!
I like the automotive analogy here. I have often though that vaping is more of a personal choice of both looks and performance as to that persons needs.
It's like going to a automobile forum and asking "I want a new vehicle. What should I get??"
Some will say get an old pinto, others a Ferrari some say a big ol'e truck.....then arguments begin on what type of wheels, engine, paint color........
This is a tough thing to get into and some are fine with the cheapo gas station e-cig's and others have all the nice pretty toys. I would never push what "works for me " on others, Cuz they are not me. I will tell them why it worked or why it didnt work for me and maybe that will be a factor for them. That's how I learned....

Very well stated! Posts like yours (and there have been alot with this feeling) helped me learn too.

Duster

 

[Renolizzie]

Great post!

 

[Duster6524]

Thanks and congrats to you!
It is as they say, when you come to terms in your own mind that a change is need, it will happen!

Duster

 

[Lisa66]

Great post, Duster. For what it's worth, I own a "Ferrari", but still use countless "Chevettes". For me, they all have their own value and place in my vaping routine. You are so right...... if it ain't broke......

 

[Duster6524]

Welcome Duster.
I'm certainly not a veteran, but I have been vaping long enough to have formed some opinions.
I personally don't trash e cig look-alikes, that's how I got my start. I do however tell people my experience with them and how I wanted something more less than a month after spending too much money on a kit. I just couldn't deal with the short battery life and lack of a good, powerful hit. I have been helping a friend out who wants to start and I suggested that he skip the look-alike and go straight to something like a Twist - so many of us could have skipped that step. I paid almost the same for a Twist kit as I did for a look-alike kit.

I'm glad that you have a set-up that works for you and totally agree that nothing should be bashed if it is helping someone stay off the smokes.

Thanks!
Veteran was a loose term for those with more knowledge than us newbies.
As others have said and I totally agree with, only you know what you need and finding good info from people like you and this great site helps.

Duster

 

[Duster6524]

While I am glad they worked for you, there has been just as many like my sister, who had bad luck with one from the local gas station and now refuses to try them again. So while it did work for you, as I have said many times there is no one size fits all for vaping.

Luckily for me, I did try them again only with a bigger and better set up, even with that it took me over 4 months to completely break my 3 pad habit.

I'm glad that you tried again and won freedom and I hope your sister gives vaping a second chance one day soon.

Maybe have her think back to when she started smoking and probably the first cigarettes she tried wasn't right or tasted bad and that it took a couple of different ones before finding the right one. Just a thought!

Duster

 

[Duster6524]

I started with the Blu @ Walgreens. I thought it was ok, but just that. The cost was a bit for me and it wasn't just totally what I was looking for. Thankfully today a friend helped me get started with something else. I can say I LOVE what I have now. I excited to try different flavors and such. I can't be thankful for my friend more. It came at a very great time.

We all need friends like that!!

Duster

 

[Duster6524]

You make some valid points. I'm 3 weeks into this and started with a Blu disposable and then a Blu Premium 100 kit and still like it. Love it, actually. Would love it even more if the battery life was just a little longer, but still, it fits my needs and my goals, for now. My curiosity sometimes makes me think about buying something bigger for at home, but then I think about my goal, which is to get down to 0 nic and to eventually nix the entire habit and I think practically that I should not even consider buying anything else. Time will tell where I go with this. I reserve the right to change my goal. Sometimes the physical and psychological habit is harder to break than the addiction to nicotine. I'm doing great on reducing the nic, not so good on the other, yet. I think because I enjoy the taste of vaping a lot more than I ever enjoyed any cig.

That is my current thought process too. Even though I wasn't a fan of flavored tobacco products I'm kinda liking it with vaping. So well see!

Duster

 

[karabas]

Good post!!!
I like the automotive analogy here. I have often though that vaping is more of a personal choice of both looks and performance as to that persons needs.
It's like going to a automobile forum and asking "I want a new vehicle. What should I get??"
Some will say get an old pinto, others a Ferrari some say a big ol'e truck.....then arguments begin on what type of wheels, engine, paint color........
This is a tough thing to get into and some are fine with the cheapo gas station e-cig's and others have all the nice pretty toys. I would never push what "works for me " on others, Cuz they are not me. I will tell them why it worked or why it didnt work for me and maybe that will be a factor for them. That's how I learned....

How many people are so much opinions

 

[mostapha]

when someone smokes cigs for a long time, some weird syringe looking contraption isnt likely to get them to stop.

Actually…………the Mistics did little more than convince me that the technology had gotten better than my first experience with smoking everywhere's garbage……which honestly was probably mostly the sales chick. IIRC, it was just a 510 batt and a 306 with this stupid cartridge thing that they said would last for a pack of smokes. If I'd known what dripping was and that you could get e-liquid that didn't taste like ash tray mixed with vomit, it might have worked then. ……basically if I'd seen any decent youtube reviews instead of blowing a -ton of money on low-end carp.

But, really, if you(someone) could have convinced me that e-cigs in general had gotten better and said "go buy an ego twist, a cartomator, and a few boxes of boges" or even "go buy a silver bullet and all the carp that goes with it" I probably would have just done it. But I'm a geek. The mad scientist look doesn't bother me, and if I need to look like I belong in a suit in a situation where a PV would ruin it, I'll order a P+10440.

Then again, looking up the Mistic on my phone when I was considering buying one lead me to the ECF review, which lead me to grimmgreen, which lead me to his ego twist review, which is still how I vape. And as much as the little toy-craving boy in me wants to "upgrade" to bigger and better PVs, the adult in me really wonders why.

 

[JaneinMesa]

Same.here...I.rolled.my.own.and.it.wasn't.but.25.bucks.every.2.weeks...No.regular.cig.for.17.days.now.

 

[niczgreat]

I think many, MANY more people try the cheap (or way expensive) cig look alikes, find they don't work for them, go back to smoking, and refuse to ever try any type of vaping again because they think that is all there is to vaping. Of course, we don't hear from these people because they are not on ECF talking about their experience.

We try to steer newbies who are asking for our advice to better units, because we know from experience that it is not likely to work. Sometimes we are passionate about our opinions because we are passionate about vaping. Sometimes that passion can be misinterprested because words on a screen do not convey the tone that we intended when we typed them.

It's great that the Mini worked for the op.
I agree with TideGirl that the mini isn't the ideal setup for a newbie weaning themselves off of cigarettes.

The problem is that the typical drugstore, or Mini Setup isn't enough for so many smokers that want to convert to E-Cigs.
The standard Drugstore unit is around 12mg to 18mg liquid. That nicotine level simply isn't enough to satisfy a hardcore smoker.
I compare it to: If you take an alcoholic that's used to drinking scotch. And the next day give him 3 swallows of beer every hour. Do you think he could make the switch to beer. Coming off of Cigarettes 12-18mg just won't do the trick for the average Vaper. So I recommend 36mg minimum.

This is my ideal entry level solution for a Newbie and why:

1.E-Liquid 36mg.
I've been recommending HeathersheavenlyVapes dot com because they come highly recommended on the forums. Also I have a PG allergy and Heather is the only company offering Tobacco flavors that are 100% PG free. Their prices are very reasonable too. $12.00 for a 30ml bottle is very fair. I DIY (Make my own liquids) but can't find a Tobacco Base that is PG free. I have an order coming in for Gandalf, Dragon Fire,Pirates Booty and Dark Horse. Just 5ml Each to try.

2.The unit, you need something that's going to last the day. You can't have them running out of batteries in the middle of the day. So two 900mah Ego Twists should do the trick. 1 to use and one extra should get even the most hard core through the day.
The unit is ideal for the Newbie because they aren't too expensive. A huge initial investment will scare the Newbie off. While I haven't tried the Ego Twist, the forum views on it have been unanimous that it's a great entry level unit or as a backup for the advanced Vaper. Initially the Newbie doesn't want to carry something huge with them. They are self conscious so the reasonable form factor makes it a great start
3. The Clearomizer.
I've been recommending the Vivi Nova version 2.5. GotVapes dot com. It holds around 3 ml of juice so the Newbie can fill it once a day, with a drip bottle or Dropper. The replacement coil heads are very reasonable too. Newbies are intimidated by Syringes and they don't want to be constantly filling up or hassling with dripping every time they take a vape.

By the way the Vivi Nova coils are replaceble. With the Vivi Nova everything screws in. I'm Mr Two Thumbs, totally mechanically inept and I don't have any trouble replacing the coils.

This setup that I recommended, The E-Liquid should last about 10 days. The Vivi Nova about 1 month and the EGO Twist about 6 months to 1 year. All depends on how heavy the Newbie Vapes.

Cost to get started:

The Hello version is available for $20.00 X 2 = $40.00 at discountvapers dot com
Than the charger costs $6.00
So $50.00 in the door. or $30.00 in the door if on a budget and want to just try it and buy the 2nd one later.

Heathers Heavenly Vapes is selling a bottle of 30ml Juice for $12.00 add $2.00 for shipping $14.00

Vivi Nova Kit $17.00 at gotvapes dot com

So the total for a kit that's powerful enough to wean someone off of smoking is 30+14+17 $61.00 to $81.00

When you consider how expensive Cigarettes are than this is a very reasonable investment in a quality setup that won't break the bank and will provide the E-Cig a fair testing

 

[Wuzznt Me]

Bravo Tom. Well written.

 

[SissySpike]

You are 100% correct Most of us started with the crappy mall or gas station ecigs. I to am glad they are there because they got me off of cigarettes.
I don't think anyone will argue that point with you at all. But they are over priced and Had I known better Id of went with a Mod and saved some money witch is why alot of people say to skip that step go straight for the Mod.