Over a year removed... Current State of Vaping Industry. I feel lost.

[CumulusCreator]

Hello everyone,

I quit vaping in early 2020...possibly January 2020.

It appears as though a lot has changed.
I never really wanted to completely stop, I loved the vape industry....but I was going through a big change in life.

I want to pull out my old gear and use the mods, but I need to buy new batteries.

I started looking at some of my favorite vaping websites and a lot has changed....

My question is:

Is getting back into the vaping community/industry really a good idea these days....or are we in our last dying days? Can someone catch me up on all the current events...and what exactly is going on?

Hell, even battery mooch's recommended battery list sort of ended at the same time I backed out....and his youtube channel has gone dorment. Is he still around?

 

[Ed Brown]

A lot has changed indeed. I'd say that the community here on ECF is not in its last dying days. Over the last year much has been said about stocking up, buying from china, and adapting to the situation. There's quite a few good threads here about what is going on. Many of those threads are on the first page of the General Vaping Discussion. Batteries can still be obtained. Mooch visits this site and google can help you find his recent reviews.

I'm still using equipment from 2020. Nothing wrong with it at all. A new Dead Rabbit RDA is virtually the same thing as a 4-year old Goon RDA. Build decks have evolved though, but that's not a show stopper for older equipment. The manufacturer's need to come up with new gimmicks to sell the new hardware IMO.

Good luck, and don't give up.

 

[CumulusCreator]

A lot has changed indeed. I'd say that the community here on ECF is not in its last dying days. Over the last year much has been said about stocking up, buying from china, and adapting to the situation. There's quite a few good threads here about what is going on. Many of those threads are on the first page of the General Vaping Discussion. Batteries can still be obtained. Mooch visits this site and google can help you find his recent reviews.

I'm still using equipment from 2020. Nothing wrong with it at all. A new Dead Rabbit RDA is virtually the same thing as a 4-year old Goon RDA. Build decks have evolved though, but that's not a show stopper for older equipment. The manufacturer's need to come up with new gimmicks to sell the new hardware IMO.

Good luck, and don't give up.

Thank you for your response.
How is vape juice ordering these days?
I immediately looked up M.Terk because I loooooved Turkish Kake. I was able to find that juice on Grimm Green's recoil rda website...

But I noticed Liquid Barn and a few other DIY type sites don't list nicotine anymore...any issues getting juice these days? Or are there a severe lack of juices on the market these days at all?

 

[Ed Brown]

I don't know. I still get emails from sites in the USA that seem to be selling juice. But since I stocked up on nic and DIY, I have not ordered juice on line. It's still readily available at B&M shops as refillable pods are all the rage now.

 

[Ed Brown]

Oh, one significant recent development: non-tobacco (synthetic) nicotine. It's probably over half of the market at B&M's around here. They think (hope?) that it will manage to evade the FDA's crackdown. I hope they're right but I think that if the FDA want's to double down, they'll go after that too.

 

[UncLeJunkLe]

I want to pull out my old gear and use the mods, but I need to buy new batteries.

18650 batteries are not affected by FDA or shipping bans. But you should buy them from reputable sites like IMRbatteries.com, 18650batterystore.com, Liionwholesale.com and not from local vape shops or vape sites.

Other than that, since you have gear, your focus needs to be on buying concentrated nicotine base to make your own juice...

List of US Retailers Still Shipping 100mg Nicotine Base | E-Cigarette Forum

If you don't want to make your own juice, then you will have to vape what they want you to vape, if they allow you to vape at all.

 

[MickeyRat]

Just saw this thread. I know the feeling. I never quit vaping but, I DIY my juice and I settled on a set of gear. I just bought a bunch of it and quit keeping up. Now it seems that some of my gear is unavailable and I need to switch. The problem is figuring out what to. So, I come on here as an ECF veteran and ask noob questions.

 

[ImperfectFuture]

DIY is the way to go here. I ordered my nic from nicbase, they have great customer service (shipping charge is ridiculous though). I have found I need to up my nic, but around 10mg to 11mg does it (along with a nic salt I purchased 35mg, I don't like the flavor). My DIY mixes are cleaner than the purchased juice, which the majority was Vapetasia, though I like Red Dragon.

I started by watching a few you tube videos (DIY or DIE, DIY Vapor is still good). I used to make ejuice using drip method, now I use a scale. With scale, you can make a few mistakes (go for 2ml to 5ml less than the full bottle) and still have great juice. Start with one shots (close to what you like to vape) and move on to studying recipes. I am not complicated at this point, but will start some clones and a wacked juice change (RY4) by making 10ml samples.

You will save a ton of money if you DIY. I have from 35mg, 11mg, 6mg, and a lot of 3mg (chain vaping sub ohm). I also use RY4 double as a mix in other juices, it is great (and saves on the coils).

I use pod systems - Smok novo 2 and 3, smok 50w. Making my own juice has let coils last a hella long time. Mixing with a clean purchased juice (light brown to clea with my RY4 double single flavorr) also produces long lasting effects. I clean my coils and pods, have a lot of equipment to last for long time. Eventually, I will need regulated mods with RDAs, but am not there yet. I will need batteries and a charger.

In the meantime, I order from element vape (vaporfi closed my account, even though it was their own fault) and flavor jungle (those are both close to me). Element Vape does Pudo Point within a few days (gated secured community, why vaprofi failed, the contracted driver took off without trying, waited over month from order date for failed attempt), and Flavor Jungle either one day or two (so worth the price). Some supplies I needed to get off Amazon (Prime member). I purchased amber bottles without the droppers, since I use chubby for the actual mix.

Finding a reliable vendor(s) close to you is key. You get your supplies cheaper, regular sales tax, and much faster than the cheaper suppliers. I may need to eventually change to Chinese suppliers, but with the current world crisis, how long will that be available?

PS, I may order more 100mg nic juice again because I have raised the amount I vape from early projections. Nothing like having extra in case WA state raises the vape tax. Unfortunately, out of state providers are charging the vape tax, while the local B&M vape shop(s) is 14.99+ sales tax for anything from 3mg to 50mg. No more vape juice online, and I like the flavors I create on my own.

Good luck.

 

[ShowMeTwice]

Eventually, I will need regulated mods with RDAs

I would do that now if I were you. Figure out how many mods you will need for your future. Buying at least one mech mod would be in your best interests.

Figure out what RDA's and RTA's you might like.

I may need to eventually change to Chinese suppliers, but with the current world crisis, how long will that be available?

Folks here are ordering from Fasttech, Sourcemore and HealthCabin on a near daily basis.

If you are serious about getting into regulated mods and RBA's the time to do so is now.

Wait and you might only find BT closed pod devices available.

 

[ImperfectFuture]

I would do that now if I were you. Figure out how many mods you will need for your future. Buying at least one mech mod would be in your best interests.

Figure out what RDA's and RTA's you might like.



Folks here are ordering from Fasttech, Sourcemore and HealthCabin on a near daily basis.

If you are serious about getting into regulated mods and RBA's the time to do so is now.

Wait and you might only find BT closed pod devices available.

I already like the Alexa RDA, and the coil clout coils. Not sure about box mods, though there are several out there. Would like suggestions on regulated mods (my Vape shop has them).

 

[ShowMeTwice]

I already like the Alexa RDA, and the coil clout coils. Not sure about box mods, though there are several out there. Would like suggestions on regulated mods (my Vape shop has them).

If I were you, I would start a new thread under the General Vaping Discussion sub. By doing so, you will get more people offering mod suggestions for you to look at.

General Vaping Discussion

In your post state your requirements. Single battery, dual battery. 18650, 20700, 21700 battery. High end mod. Low end mod. Ect. That will help others in helping you to find what might work best for you.

If you want to support your local vape shop - awesome - but just so you know, you can save yourself a lot of money by purchasing mods from FT, SM and HC versus buying local.

Sorry, I wouldn't know what mods to suggest. I haven't been in a local vape shop in many years and don't know what they carry these days. FWIW, the mods I own, and prefer, would not be found in a local vape shop.

 

[Coyote628]

18650 batteries are not affected by FDA or shipping bans. But you should buy them from reputable sites like IMRbatteries.com, 18650batterystore.com, Liionwholesale.com and not from local vape shops or vape sites.

Other than that, since you have gear, your focus needs to be on buying concentrated nicotine base to make your own juice...

List of US Retailers Still Shipping 100mg Nicotine Base | E-Cigarette Forum

If you don't want to make your own juice, then you will have to vape what they want you to vape, if they allow you to vape at all.

Just wanted to agree with suggesting liionwholesale, I recently ordered some fresh molicels and had my batteries in 2 days. And that was with standard 3-5 day shipping.

 

[tj99959]

The handwriting has been on the wall for a long time.
Ever since the FDA lost the lawsuit with N-Joy, (2009-2011) and that really pizzed the FDA off, we have known that vaping days would be coming to an end.
So the only alternative has been to become "self reliant". Luckily manufacturers have stepped up to the plate over the past 10 years, and there have been some really great products to choose from.
So get a few while you still can!!! (or learn how to make your own)

Vaping is so simple that there is NOTHING that we can't do for ourself!!!