So many choices for vaping, why?

[plantlvr]

As a long time smoker that never intended to quit smoking, I was thrilled when I started with my little 510 as a lark, and I didn't have another merit ultra light (shudder ) after the second day of vaping.

I was a hardcore marlboro red smoker for 30 years before I decided to 'do something for my health' and switch to 'ultra lights', hah, like that made a damn difference.But I was a loyal merit ultra light smoker and never wanted another brand.

But to get back to the reason for my post, all of us smoked, and most of us were loyal to the brand we smoked. So why the HELL now that we vape, are we all up in arms about so many things like,sales, flavor,volts,refilling,etc?

I am all for exchanging info but it seems to be getting out of hand.Lets just try to keep it real and celebrate every cig we don't smoke.

Vaping is fun and I understand that it can be overwhelming at times but try to keep it positive and remember that it does take a little more effort then flippin the bic and firing up a cig.

 

[katz-in-boots]

Interesting question. As a 30+ year smoker, I only ever had 2 brands, though I did reduce my nic level.

I suspect that if I had not tried to go to 0mg nic too soon, and hadn't gone searching for a cheaper, more satisfying alternative, that I would have weaned myself off vaping as well. (I also suspect I wouldn't have been able to maintain it, and would've smoked again). For a long time I was trying to make vaping like smoking, as easy as grabbing the pack + lighter when I left the house. I believe there comes a point where one becomes a vaper rather than a smoker.
The sheer number of flavours and devices out there are tempting. We start looking for vaping nirvana. Some of us just enjoy experimenting and buying new things. It all helps distract us from smoking - which is what I, at least, am still addicted to. I will also say that forum addiction adds to the mix. Without finding this forum & therefore V4L, I think I'd have weaned myself of vaping (but not necessarily smoking).

We don't have to be on the forum, therefore finding out about all these alternatives. We don't have to try new flavours or devices. We could place a regular order, say once a month, without even knowing about sales. Perhaps we lose perspective and get all worked up about things we don't even need to know about.

Yep, it could be as easy as grabbing a pack of prefilled cartos and spare batteries and heading out for the day. As long as the products & experiences give us what we need to keep off the cigs, all the rest needn't matter.

Good topic Plantlvr

 

[Morandir835]

Ms. Plantlvr have a few answers-

Think a lot of us learned our lesson with cigs, we were never explained every aspect of them, just found a flavor/brand we liked and with no questions asked picked them up. See how far that got us?

I rarely get up in arms with sales, but when it comes to refilling it's one of those where you try to give people the best advice possible on how to waste as little juice as possible. With a lot of my tests they're designed to let you know every aspect of what you're using hardware wise, how to keep your equipment working as long as possible, and know/fix whatever issues may arise. Yes you can always drop the contact cs route, but what if the person only has two batteries and one is malfunctioning but fixable? That wait time between charges can mean a trip back to analogs. Cigs and stress go hand in hand, known quite a few people who went with a mod, or got a mod with issues because the stick batts or egos didn't work, and the malfunctioning mod was the nail in the coffin for their vaping journey.....

Vaping and smoking are two very different beasts, I'm a hardcore vaper, still in my heart a hardcore smoker. Vaping doesn't replace smoking, just gives an alternative. I know if tomorrow I couldn't vape would go right back to analogs. With my previous vaping decisions before V4L they all ended in failure and me still smoking and giving up on vaping........

 

[SAG]

Plantlvr, this is an interesting question with great responses so far. For 36 years I smoked the same brand and not once did I go on a forum to see if I could improve my smoking experience. I consider myself a vapor now. I decided that if I'm going to switch to something else that can be habit forming, I'm going to be more conscience of what I'm putting in my body and how I spend my money. If my vaping experience is/was a failure, that bic and pack would be in hand. The forum, while supportive and fun, is also educational for me. It has taught me that there are many options, fixes, etc to keep me from ever going back to the analogs. It also has helped me with my second consideration, where and how I spend my money.

"So why the HELL now that we vape, are we all up in arms about so many things like,sales, flavor,volts,refilling,etc?" I hope you have a better understanding of MY reasons as to why these things matter to me.

 

[Dirtay J]

It might be me feeling defensive, but I have a feeling this is in a way directed towards me. Even if it is just pure coincidence that some of what you said is issues I have been fairly verbal about I decided it was enough to warrant a response. Anything I say here is not ment in and is not to be taken in a hostile manner. It is purely me speaking about vaping, V4L and anything in between. I am a very light hearted person and rarely get worked up about something. Though if it is something I love or feel very strongly about I will defend it or point it out so that a issue can be fixed.

Everyone is different with their vaping and what they want out of vaping. I look at vaping as a hobby. A hobby that just so happens to replace a nasty addictive habit I picked up over 16 years ago. When I started vaping I wasn't looking for a new hobby. I had enough, played tournament paintball and race off road R/C cars competitively. I just wanted a better and cheaper option to my smoking habit. Well I didn't think about the fact that I am also bit of a tech junkie. So once I kicked the cigs and started looking into all the other vaping devices out there, other than stick batteries, I realized this would be more than just replacing the cigarettes. I love getting and trying out all the different devices out there. Plus I don't play paintball anymore so another hobby isn't a bad idea.

Also I love V4L. Mainly because out of all the companies I tried, their products are what got me off the cigs. Also because of the awesome customer service! Especially back in '09 when I first started vaping. Because of this I will always be a loyal customer in one way or another. Also I have no problem saying the hard things to try to help make it a better company. So if there is a problem with service, hardware, juice or advertisements I will point it out so that it can be fixed. This is why I pointed out the flyer for the recent 30% off sale. I didn't do it just to get people all worked up, or to get anything at a discount that shouldn't be discounted. It was just misleading so I wanted to make sure that they didn't make that mistake again. Same will go for the OMG VV. I personally have not had a major issue with mine yet, nor do I expect it. But there has been some people with issues. Now I am not surprised because of the track record of the OEM device(Vision TOX, thank you to whomever figured it out I forget who it was.) So if someone is having a issue I will point that out. That info might help someone find a fix or get a better understanding for what they have/or are getting. Also I hope that someone in power at V4L might see that and make the needed changes to make sure the next device they come out with is better. I had hoped they learned with the 5v OMG. The OMG VV seems better, but still isn't perfect.

When it comes to refilling the more info the better. Everyone has their own way to do it, but it can be tricky. So the more info a person has the easier it will be for them to find a way that works for them. That's what I did and have not had a issue refilling, unless I personally did something wrong or was just in a hurry and screwed it up, not due to a lack of info.

Generally vaping is fiddly and sometimes some tinkering is needed, so the more info out there the better! That along with a company that backs up its products and I am set. So even though I will get products from other vendors it is only because V4L don't carry those products. And it is just silly to expect one company to carry everything. There is so much out there that I don't see a way for a company to stay in business and do that.

 

[jeffree]

Plant, I catch your point and lean in the same direction. But only lean. I'm so lazy when it comes to vaping that I barely tolerated all the early trial and error while searching for my basic gear. Sure, it was also fun and exciting in some ways, especially the cig quits, but I really wanted, above all, just to find my sweet spot--a few flavs, a handful of dependable batts, and some blank cartos that suited me. Once there, I continue to keep things simple until a product I like suddenly changes or disappears (far too much of that in this field, IMO).

On the other hand, I can easily see how some folks totally enjoy the process... much like with any hobby. I could probably even get there myself if I didn't have another hobby (music) that I like a whole lot more. Too many choices, too little time, and all that.

But an interesting thread. In fact, it sparked another that I just now posted ('lazy guy').

 

[keyzygirl]

Vaping is so much more interesting than smoking. I love that Ive found such a great alternative to smoking but I also love the political and tech side of vaping. There is always something new going on to read about or a cause that needs to be made public so people can get involved and help keep it legal.

 

[waylonjessi4ever]

I have purposely kept it as simple as i could .I don't want it to be a chore more then neccesary .I am all about simplifying my entire life and it took a major hurdle for me to order the egos ,but i did ,Mainly because it came from v4l in the form of an 808 connection .I own very little compared to most of you but stock up on juices and empty carts ,because i know the trauma of running out .I say to each his own and it the beginning it did help me to have "the hobby " .I have other bills and needs so I try to stick to a budget just like clothing or entertainment ,etc. I usually just grab some extra batteries and some juice for topping off and out the door i go !

 

[Onedesign1]

But to get back to the reason for my post, all of us smoked, and most of us were loyal to the brand we smoked. So why the HELL now that we vape, are we all up in arms about so many things like,sales, flavor,volts,refilling,etc?

I am all for exchanging info but it seems to be getting out of hand.Lets just try to keep it real and celebrate every cig we don't smoke.

Personally I think the forum is as much a support group for staying off analogs as getting and sharing info. I haven't seen anything out of hand unless small things annoy a person. Maybe that's just me.

While vaping is not at all hard, Picking up a bic and a pack is a helluva lot easier for sure so I welcome chatter on a topic which is helping me kick a 25 year habit. I'm over 4 weeks now and if not for the forum communities and V4L CS I'm not sure I would have stuck with it. Now it's definitely turned into a mini hobby for me as I search for a VV and started DIY juicing.

As with all hobbies and habits saving a buck is extremely important and I did agree with the weird add issue earlier this week. But that's fine too as I might have gone for a VV that still has glitches to work out.

Again I don't get what is getting out of hand. Forums are for exactly these discussions.....including this one!

 

[plantlvr]

Thanks everyone, great posts and it made me look at other sides of vaping. My post wasn't directed at anyone in particular, I think I had just O.D.'ed on reading too many vaping forums, juice websites, etc.
Plus I was feeling a bit cranky, working outside in hot temps can make this old broad a 'bittle litchy'

 

[waylonjessi4ever]

You aint old and ya aint b*&&^%% ...I knew it was not directed at anyone ,youre not like that I thought it was a good idea for a post .I like to hear why people do what they do cause i'm curious about people in general

 

[plantlvr]

Aww thanx Nancy . I profess to be anti-social, and I am somewhat, but people are very interesting (in small doses )

 

[Onedesign1]

Aww thanx Nancy . I profess to be anti-social, and I am somewhat, but people are very interesting (in small doses )

I'm very found of people watching myself....they are interesting critters

 

[katz-in-boots]

Aww thanx Nancy . I profess to be anti-social, and I am somewhat, but people are very interesting (in small doses )

Am with you in that. Generally I prefer my people on tv rather than in my face

I've realised another aspect of the way I stock up on stuff is due to my location. It takes about 2 weeks for orders to arrive and costs $25usd. I cannot walk into a shop, a mall or whatever if I run out of anything, though I believe it is possible now in some cities in Australia. It is illegal to sell nicotine products here, and most sellers stock only 510 thread products (these days I have 510 stuff, which helps). Anyway, I have to try to plan ahead, which means I have to think about it. This means it's always going to be more on my mind.

 

[ricklynchcore]

I guess I'm not understanding this thread, could be I'm tired and just trolling. I smoked 35 years of Parliaments, then 2 years ago, found a cheap generic starter kit, and off to the vape races I went. Well, unlike brand loyalty to my cigs, vaping I find, is a completely different animal. First of all my first kit lasted 2.5 months and fell apart. Bats started sticking and burning up carts etc. OK, must be something better, I hoped, need to keep myself off demon tobacco. So there began a journey for the perfect vape experience for me. After countless bats, carts, dripping, and tanks, with numerous failures or hassles and some successes , have settled on the, user controlled, Genesis style atomizer. What has driven this quest was desire for a product which holds up, is cost effective, and delivers the kind of vapor I have learned to appreciate. So along the way yes, I have learned the ins and outs of watts, amps, volts, and resistance. I think this is necessarily knowledge for the device I have settled on. Maybe my quest is over, maybe not. The journey, alot of the way, was driven by the infancy of the hobby, and lack of consistent quality products. I can remember spending 60 bucks on carts that when they came tasted like kerosene, when in the past were perfect. So I have wondered more towards things I can control, mechanical mods, diy attys, and juice vendors who are very consistent. I am now pretty happy. The reason I said I didn't understand thread, is I would think this must have been natural progression for most.

Sent from my cm_tenderloin using Tapatalk 2

 

[incantius]

Aww thanx Nancy . I profess to be anti-social, and I am somewhat, but people are very interesting (in small doses )

i'm not anti-social...i just don't like people

 

[ThankU4Vaping]

Aww thanx Nancy . I profess to be anti-social, and I am somewhat, but people are very interesting (in small doses )

This is why I love you. That and you gave me a thread idea too! LOL

 

[HarmonyPB]

Just thought I'd put in my

On my own personal level vaping was an amazing find! I've loved smoking since I took my first drag! But from the very beginning I wanted to try every brand out there to find what I liked best. I did that for a couple years until my friend introduced me to menthols. I fell in love! I had always stayed away from them because someone told me something about it's like fiberglass in your lungs, or something. Anyway, I still wanted variety. So I'd carry a pack of lights and a pack of menthols around with me (I wish they had those "crush" cigs back then!!). Then I was introduced to cloves! Yum!! So I'd carry 3 packs around with me. Whatever I felt like smoking, I'd just grab one and light up! During that time I was also introduced to shisha and bought a hookah and started buying every flavor of shisha I could find! Lol! Do you see where I'm going with this? When I found ecigs I started out with a crappy mall brand. I immediately started looking for juice though, because they only sold 4 flavors and they were $25 for 5 prefilleds! Then I had to find 808-D2 blanks. That worked for a while until the blanks I bought didn't have the notches cut in them anymore and it was a PITA to get any airflow on my auto batts. Plus they had like a 5 second cutoff that was just pissing me off more than anything else! Smoking was so easy! Buy a pack, light the cigarette, inhale, instant gratification! No filling, no searching for proprietary equipment, no frustration or stupid #%@!%#& 5 SECOND cutoff! Smoking started to look like a really good idea at that point.

To make a long story short, after more frustration in the vaping world I decided to actually do some research and find better gear and better flavors to keep me vaping and not smoking. This is of course my own experience, but that's why I care. Sales, volts and other technical info doesn't really interest me. The sales are nice, don't get me wrong, but I used to buy V4L stuff without using sale codes just so I could get freebies. I'm glad people do tests on all of the electrical stuff so that they could tell me what works best. Through trying everything out I have finally found my favorite setup and juices. But I'm not usually one to get angry at anything V4L does or doesn't do. I love their products. If they discontinue something, I'll use something different. If they don't have my all time favorite nic level...I'll buy something different. I won't start an angry thread demanding that they bring back my favorite juice right now or...or...I'll do something that will really hurt them like never shop there again!!! Or I"ll start smoking!! Yeah, that'll really stick it to them! I think that's silly. But I'm a realist, what do I know

Lol, I guess that wasn't as short as I was trying to make it. Sorry for the rant. My fingers just kind of ran away with me there

 

[katz-in-boots]

Yeah! What she said ...

 

[Iowa Gal]

You know.. I like variety so if there is a certain item not available it doesn't really bother me as I have many others to go to. My dad on the other hand has only used 18mg Traditional Tobacco (Cowboy) since we started almost 2 years ago. Early on there was a period of time it was not available...we tried other tobaccos and he never went back to a stinkey..but he is pretty set in his ways. He still prefers the prefilled carto although I've got him juice in the past...gone through the refill methods etc...he just needs to grab and go. He may not save as much money as he could...but he's not smoking and his health has really improved so who cares. I just watch for the wheel sales and get him stocked up when they come along.