Trying to find the right starter kit

[Lonars]

Hi, I'm having some trouble finding the right starter kit and everyone here seems rather helpful as I've been reading through many topics. I'm hoping someone could help me.

I'm 20 years old, been smoking since I was seventeen. I've notice in the three years that I've quit smoking three times but after a month it feels like it hits me and ill spend a whole day with nicotine withdrawals until I smoke.

So, two weeks ago I stopped smoking analogs for three days then started smoking some Square XL Momma Mia flavored E cigs. Theyre amazing, and I haven't felt the need to smoke a cigarette even though I smoke with everyone else during smoke breaks at work.

TLDR; I need an E cig comparable to a Square XL. 18mg and 3ml of liquid, and a 650mah battery has been lasting me two days. I want to get something with a similar style, manual button, but refillable and rechargeable for around 50$ to my door. I would also like to upgrade it in the future if I ever feel like it's necessary. I'm also wondering what it costs as upkeep, what parts will i have to buy often. I'm pretty new but I haven't been able to find a complete starter GUIDE just everyones opinions on starter kits.

I would love to here everyones thoughts, these forums in the last 2 days have been so helpful and supportive. Also, I plan on taking a trip to the AltSmoke Vapor Lounge thats about 2 minutes from my house tomorrow and talk to them to, does anyone know how helpful/realistic they are?

 

[Bold Rascal]

My advice (and you may not like it) QUIT period...

 

[BiLLi0]

Get an EVOD with iTaste VV3

 

[Lonars]

My advice (and you may not like it) QUIT period...

I don't dislike thought. But I would like for anyone else to refrain from advice like this. I wont quit smoking for a while. I just want an e cig that tastes half way decent taste that I can work the nicotine content down for a while.

I'll be using this E cig while at work. Once I'm home I don't really use it. And if I do want to smoke I usually have an hour or so with my hookah outside.

 

[Baditude]

My advice is to visit a local vape shop. There are dozens fine shops in Cincinnati, with one in nearly every neighborhood. You can see the options available and get expert advice from sales people to see which ones fit your expectations. Most have juice tasting bars where you can try the flavors before you buy them. AltSmoke is one of the better shops and has two locations (Eastgate & Springdale).

E-Cigarette Forum | Store Locator

A good starter setup for a beginning vaper

 

[SunshinePete]

Has the OP seen the itaste VV3? Same sort of style as the Square XL, 800mah variable voltage battery, USB charging with pass through, comes in a pack with clearos and suits your budget. But not upgradeable and I don't know that any ecig is. Finding an Eliquid that suits you is far more of a challenge, I haven't settled on one yet.

 

[Bold Rascal]

I don't dislike thought. But I would like for anyone else to refrain from advice like this. I wont quit smoking for a while. I just want an e cig that tastes half way decent taste that I can work the nicotine content down for a while.

I'll be using this E cig while at work. Once I'm home I don't really use it. And if I do want to smoke I usually have an hour or so with my hookah outside.

Okay okay, My advice was a bit heavy handed. I started smoking when I was your age and just wished I had never started. That being said, I have been vaping with an Itaste VV3 paired with a Nautilus and now a Nautilus Mini. The itaste is super easy as a beginner, well made and will last you a good long while. If you decide on the Nautilus or Nautilus mini just make sure you get the new 1.8OHM BVC atomizer, not the BDC.

Get a good quality American made juice. Not more than 50%VG.

Would still like to see you just quit though...

 

[Susan~S]

I've been to the AltSmoke shop in Louisville and found them very helpful. They have a wonderful vape bar where you can try out all the different flavors.

Here are a couple of options for starter kits. Look at both of them if you go to AltSmoke
1. eGo Twist / Spinner Kit
2. iTaste V3.0 Express Kit

Here are a couple of video reviews on these products:
1. THE EGO TWIST IS A GAME CHANGER The Vision Spinner & Ego Twist both work the same way
2. A PBusardo Review - iTaste VV V3 Review starts at 10:00

Here are some additional links if you are interested in learning more about e-cigarettes (and all the parts and pieces). Below are some blog posts by ECF member Baditude that I highly recommend for someone new to vaping and/or looking to upgrade.

1. A Good Starter's Setup for a Beginning Vapor
2. Advancing Up the Vaping Ladder with Egos and Mods
3. Proper terminology - Is it a carto, a tank, or what? A Guide to Juice Attachments.
4. Something Safe for Cinnamon and Citrus Flavors

 

[gandymarsh]

If you're looking for a slim pen-like e-cig, check out Mig Cig (google it). They give a constant 4.2 volts til the battery needs charging. They also have a tank type system available that can be refilled easily.

The iTaste VV3 or iTaste MVP 2 are both good options as you can use many standard clearomizers on either.

 

[Lonars]

Okay okay, My advice was a bit heavy handed. I started smoking when I was your age and just wished I had never started. That being said, I have been vaping with an Itaste VV3 paired with a Nautilus and now a Nautilus Mini. The itaste is super easy as a beginner, well made and will last you a good long while. If you decide on the Nautilus or Nautilus mini just make sure you get the new 1.8OHM BVC atomizer, not the BDC.

Get a good quality American made juice. Not more than 50%VG.

Would still like to see you just quit though...

Thanks everyone who posted, this has been very helpful. Yeah I'll probably go to AltSmoke in Eastgate which is just down the road from me. I think it'll be easier to actually handle a few products and learn all the terminology first hand. I've only been reading about all of this for a few days now so o.o' It's a lot to take in. You have all been very helpful and thank you for the links!

A little more detail:
I've only tried the Square XL Disposables
I tried Blu's the last time I quit smoking and they were awful compared to the above.
I smoke an E cig for a total of about 50 minutes a day compared to 30 cigarettes so I definitely hope I can stick with it. In these 2 weeks I already feel(And my car smells) a lot better!

P.S. to Rascal. I would love to quit smoking. But in the last two years I've gotten away from my family and the considerable amount of drugs and alcohol I've been around since I was a baby(And was apart of at one point) and Have moved in with my girlfriend in a nice quite sub division and I'm in a house with 3 other smokers in it. I've come this far, so quitting smoking is still down the road. Especially until I have my own place, which is hopefully soon. I'm also the first person in my family with a high school diploma so yay for changing my family tree!

 

[jshorty1219]

My recommendation is to not get an ego setup. While they are easy to use, I had nothing but problems with my ego and iclear clearos. Unless you want to get a different clearo with an ego battery. I'm currently using a kanger evod whole setup and I love it. It's very similar, just fill it and push the button to vape away. I can vape away and only get bad cravings for real cigs a few times a day.

 

[jshorty1219]

Thanks everyone who posted, this has been very helpful. Yeah I'll probably go to AltSmoke in Eastgate which is just down the road from me. I think it'll be easier to actually handle a few products and learn all the terminology first hand. I've only been reading about all of this for a few days now so o.o' It's a lot to take in. You have all been very helpful and thank you for the links!

A little more detail:
I've only tried the Square XL Disposables
I tried Blu's the last time I quit smoking and they were awful compared to the above.
I smoke an E cig for a total of about 50 minutes a day compared to 30 cigarettes so I definitely hope I can stick with it. In these 2 weeks I already feel(And my car smells) a lot better!

P.S. to Rascal. I would love to quit smoking. But in the last two years I've gotten away from my family and the considerable amount of drugs and alcohol I've been around since I was a baby(And was apart of at one point) and Have moved in with my girlfriend in a nice quite sub division and I'm in a house with 3 other smokers in it. I've come this far, so quitting smoking is still down the road. Especially until I have my own place, which is hopefully soon. I'm also the first person in my family with a high school diploma so yay for changing my family tree!

While that advice is heartfelt, it's not really helpful to a lot of people who can't just switch. I've been vaping for 3 months and still smoke analogs. I got my first setup a little over a year ago and I vaped for awhile, but it didn't work for me then. There's no rules for switching, it doesn't have to be all or nothing. Eventually, you'll smoke less and less, until the analogs taste nasty.

 

[issy]

I second (or third) the itaste vv v3 battery. Skip the express kit, get a couple kanger evod clearos, and make sure you have the appropriate charger. Best of luck on your journey, we all follow different paths and take different approaches, and that's ok! Like you, I'm grateful that I only left home with a ciggy addiction when I was 18. Could've left it all behind with a lot worse. I feel for ya, I really do.

 

[Lonars]

Update: I visited the local AltSmoke and it was great! Everyone was helpful and I spent a long while at the bar trying flavor. Ended up getting the flavor Pluto by space jam. Great!
After work I can home and found four eGo batteries in the house from someone else's previous failed vape attempts. They got some cheap clero's and they broke so they quit. I left and went to the vape shop and got an ego c twist with two KangerTech evods. It's wonderful! Good smoke, the other four batteries are working. Love it.

My only question is, the EVOD gets quite hot. Not burning just warm to the touch. Is this normal?

 

[Warpigs]

I smoked 2-3 packs of Marlboro Reds a day, and Chewed 2-3 bags of Red Man a week for 30+ years. In that time I tried to quit alot of times in alot of different ways. Cold turkey, patch, gum, etc etc. Nothing worked for more than 2-4 weeks. Came to the point I HAD to have a cig no matter what. I started vaping a while back and have not picked up a cig since. It's all when and if you really want to quit smoking. It's different for everyone. I quit drinking cold turkey. I quit drugs cold turkey. But the cig's I just could not get away from.

When your ready you will know it. I actually called a quit smoke line and they gave me alot of good advice and 1 months free 24mg patches.(I had a quit coach that helped me by giving me ideas on how to get over the hump like distracting myself with something else when I had a craving (Vape in my case). No one person deals with addictions the same. I'm just glad I don't smoke anymore. I never thought I would every say/type that heh.

 

[Baditude]

My only question is, the EVOD gets quite hot. Not burning just warm to the touch. Is this normal?

A juice attachment will get warm to almost hot. The heating coil is in the tank and heats up the juice when you push the battery button. So yes it is normal.

On the other hand, the battery should not get hot, nor should the charger while charging the battery.

 

[issy]

A juice attachment will get warm to almost hot. The heating coil is in the tank and heats up the juice when you push the battery button. So yes it is normal.

On the other hand, the battery should not get hot, nor should the charger while charging the battery.

Great advice!

 

[mistercrispy]

Id go for the itaste mvp 2. Great battery. Not too expensive. (Got my kit for around $60) and its good for beginning and in the future

#rememberthebuster

 

[Auntie Mame]

Just wanted to add my Congrats for a) knowing you need to do something to help you free yourself from cigarettes, for completing high school and b) because your limb on the family tree will not be loaded with empty bottles...or worse. c) you found a rig you like to start and a juice you enjoy! All good things!

I have grandchildren older than you so I will tell you the same thing I told them-consider more education post HS. Whether it's college, a trade school, a union apprenticeship or whatever it is that draws your interest, go for it! You've already taken steps to be healthier, you might as well be employed in an occupation that brings you happiness and satisfaction as well as more prosperous.

 

[RIMP]

I would 2nd the itaste vv v3 and would also recommend the Aerotank for your tank I have 4 of the vv v3's and 2 mvp's. Both are vv/vw and have a lot of features found on much higher priced mods. Rob at Altsmoke is a good guy I once did beta testing for the BB and he was nothing short of wonderful! If he's at the store tell him Rimp says hi! And don't throw away your used coils from the Aero if you get one. They can be dry burned and rewicked to use again. Something the Nautilus with the enclosed coils can't do as far as I know. The hardest part is finding the right liquid to go with your device. I like nicoticket liquids, pinkspot, and mt baker vapor has an awesome menthol called extreme ice. Best of luck to you in your vaping journey.

Duh, I totally missed all of p2 when typing Glad you had a good experience at Altsmoke and all of the above still applies