Things you wish you would have known when you started vaping

[Ceryni]

this is part me wanting to know things that you guys wish you would have known when starting to vape, and part me being excited about making my first vape purchase today so I thought I'd share.

- I wish I would have known about all the cruddy rip-offs that people get themselves into with false information, almost bought an elite Elight at my mall vendor for 95-130 bucks and would of gotten a really bad deal.

anyway, just purchased my Nebula from V9 so it should be here within a few days. got blank SC turbos (instead of pre-filled) and a pocket case. Also got menthol, cinn. bun, mocha, and pina colada flavors from Viking so I'm really excited to kick the analog habit. All together was about 93 bucks total, but I figure it'll be worth the money since I've heard such good things from both vendors. If I have any analogs left when my stuff arrives, I'll give them to somebody.

so yeah, wewt. can't wait to start vaping I'll probably add more lessons once I get it from Ben.

 

[cliff5550]

I wish I'd known:
-that I didn't have to buy something that looked and felt like a cigarette in my hand.
-that I should buy only manual batteries instead of wasting money on and killing automatic batteries.
-that sweet juices would never work for me and I should just go with tobacco flavors.
-and oh so much more.

Good luck on your vaping path..

 

[clyde2801]

You're already ahead of the game, coming on this website and doing your research before you bought a e-cig.

My advice is to read up on the new members forum on everything you can. Decide on what you want out of an ecig, juice, etc.

Once you've narrowed your choices down, do more research and find as many in depth, comprehensive, and extended use reviews you can about them. Also look on the classifieds section and see how many are for sale there. A bunch of people selling that mod could indicate trouble or long term dissatisfaction. If there's only a couple, you may be able to find a good deal.

Above all, be patient and gentle with yourself. If you get a mod you ultimately don't like, remember that it's part of the cost in getting an education in vaping. You also may be able to sell your mod on the classifieds and recoup some of your tuition.

Finally, I would advise not to let the up front purchase price of a mod deter your decision. If you get something that's expensive, it'll be worth it if it's dependable and enjoyable by you to vape. Besides saving your health, it'll make its money back over extended use.

 

[Ceryni]

yeah, I bought manual batteries based on several people here on the forums (including grimm) saying that they're way more beneficial and not prone to accidental firing and other hazards like breaking down.

 

[clyde2801]

yeah, I only bought manual batteries based on several people (including grimm) saying that their way more beneficial and not prone to accidental firing.

I started with a manual 510 myself. Good safe dependable choice.

 

[SuZamme]

1. That flavors with the same name can be very different from different suppliers.

2. ECF is the definitive source for information on other vapers experiences on the entire range of juices, hardware, and life w/o cigs.

 

[jj2]

I wish I had the information available on this forum now available to me back then.
Right now, there is just about everything you need to know here. The only downer is that it is scattered but as time goes on its getting better.
My advice to new people---read everything in the ECF Library, the stickys in the New Members section. And then read more: The Review section and the Library Annex (it’s a Social Group).
Ask questions, if no one can answer, ask in the Ask The Veterans forum.

 

[Ceryni]

Thanks for the info, didn't know about the veterans forum.

 

[Hellen A. Handbasket]

I wish I had known:

About the Google search engine on the forum (back then, I used the internal ECF search (which sucked). The Google internal search was only at the bottom of each page and I didn't find out about it for about 5 months! Now it is in the search pull down at the top. Everyone should use the search engine often when you have a question or think you have invented the next best modification. LOL Pretty much everything is discussed/addressed/tried out on the forum somewhere.

That I should join ECF right away and just post. Everyone is soooo helpful here! I went through each and every forum just lurking along and reading for a month before I even joined. Wish I would have joined right away and not been afraid to post. Posting took another month or two. Now you can't shut me up. ha. I've made lots of good friends here in 14 months. Priceless.

Mods. That a battery mod isn't scary and makes better vapor and performance from an atomizer (and can save you money). I have 50 stock batteries around here I'll probably never use. I wish I had put all the money from batteries into a Mod, li-ion batteries and chargers instead.

That I shouldn't try to come down on nicotine too soon. I later figured out it caused me some big problems for about 5 months, and I had to use snus to combat it (sudden weird anxiety and that something missing feeling). Went up to 18mg/24mg and used snus for about 2 months and now all is well.

Snus - See above.

I wish I would have known about AquaClear foam right away (the only cartridge filler I use now in every model I own).

 

[jj2]

I wish I had known:

About the Google search engine on the forum (back then, I used the internal ECF search (which sucked). The Google internal search was only at the bottom of each page and I didn't find out about it for about 5 months! Now it is in the search pull down at the top. Everyone should use the search engine often when you have a question or think you have invented the next best modification. LOL Pretty much everything is discussed/addressed/tried out on the forum somewhere.


Mods. That a battery mod isn't scary and makes better vapor and performance from an atomizer (and can save you money). I have 50 stock batteries around here I'll probably never use. I wish I had put all the money from batteries into a Mod, li-ion batteries and chargers instead.

Totally with you on these two but I joined right off and made a nuisance of myself.

 

[sl1pg8r]

1. That I should just buy a mod first.
2. That I would vape higher lvl liquid in the morning and need to vape lower lvl at night.
3. That I would love this as much as I do. I should have started long ago...


One thing I did do right was come here. This place is an asset to anyone who vapes. Thank you ECF!

 

[greenroot22]

1) i should have come here first
2) that i should have just stuck with manual batts (they seem to work alot better)
3) that the experience is not just like a cigarette

i'm considering my next purchase as we speak and looking for a little more.

 

[Stephra]

I wish I had known how expensive vaping can be! It's finally settled down some now that we have a good backup supply of gear, but that first month was a killer! It's easy to underestimate how much you'll go through, be it battery life, space, juice, cartos (or atties).

In practical use, we needed more batteries than we thought. I figured two would be good, but six or eight is more realistic because - things happen. I went through juice quicker than I expected as well, both from refilling errors that caused waste, and through trying so many flavors and making bad combinations that were unvapeable. Our tackle box ran out of space pretty quick too.

Now that we have a solid back stock of both hardware and juice, we probably won't order for another month. But it is three months in, and we've only backed off the ordering in the last few weeks. Long-term it gets better and evens out, but in the beginning your wallet might groan a little.

 

[jjrose]

1) it really doesn't have to look like a cigarette
2) order more juice
3) changing batteries all day sucks (big batts rock!!)
4) order more juice
5) NEVER RUN OUT OF JUICE

 

[Kirssstens]

The first month can be a mixture of highs and lows, even now those low days happen occasionally when nothing seems to work right.
That even now, 6 months later, I would still experience shortness of breath.
That I wouldn't like all those fruity or soda juices I bought, and now happily vape Hilton tobacco.
And why did I have to waste all that money on the Joye 510 (180mah)?

 

[Ceryni]

Although I did buy the Nebula as my first PV, I think I will get a mod as my 2nd one no question. I do like the portability and look of the Nebula, though I'll have to do something to replace the horrid ash cap. If you make it not look like an cigarette, why put the ash cap?!

 

[topaz_stone71]

1) I really wish I had just bought a mod from the start.

2) The "cheap" juice is less expensive for a reason.

3) Cartomizers are not always the answer for everyone.

 

[angelique510]

I wish I'd have known that not everybody quits smoking the day they get their e-cigs - and that it's not the end of the world if you are not one of them.

... that I didn't have to buy every flavor out there. Two or three good tobacco flavors is all I use.

~A

 

[mini_art]

I wish a lot of things lol. I wish I knew that it doesnt need to look like a cig all the time.

I wish I knew what flavors would finally do it for me and what nic level.

I wish I knew that vaping low level nic at night would stop me from sleeping and that higher levels let me go to sleep at night, but I am probably odd about that.

 

[glowgirl]

I wish I found out years earlier. I wish I had started with lower nic juice as I spent the first few days shaky from too much. I wish I would have come here first... That's it.