Trying to kick the cig habit officially... Where do I start?

[htown]

I am new to the whole e-cig thing...obviously. I live in Houston, Texas.... as if my name did not give it away. I had been on the fence for the last few months because I did not know where to start or what to buy. Let me give you a little background, I have been smoking for about 15 years, started because my previous wife did... before that I did not. So I used to smoke a lot then, I slowed down after marrying my current wife who hates it and wants me to quit. I have told her I did, but really did not as I would secretly buy packs and sneak out at night to smoke when i would drive to the post office, store, brother's house, etc. It is like cigarettes are a mistress that I'm cheating on my wife with.8-o I used to smoke Marlboro Lights(shorts) for over 13 years, now I have been smoking Newport Menthols(shorts) for about a year or so. When I am around my wife and kids, I don't smoke at all and have no urge to do so, but when I am by myself that is a whole different story. I currently work with my wife which I enjoy, but I am afraid to take a different job to work by myself because I will smoke more on the drive and at the work. I mainly smoke when I am driving by myself (doesn't matter where I go) or when I am around other smokers then I sometimes chain smoke my cigs because I feel like I am not going to get the opportunity to have another one for a while and possibly because I feel the need to have something in between my fingers and the smoke, etc. I probably buy 2-4 packs a week, sometimes more depending on what I am doing.

Well the other day my wife found out (found cigarette .... in toilet ) and she is upset to say the least and so I need to officially stop this, I hate smelling like smoke, my car smelling like smoke, and trying to cover it up with deodorant, cologne, sprays, halls, and gum. I do not want this to ruin my marriage and my happy family so I want to find something that is similar to an analog cigarette. I want to eventually get off the nicotine and just maybe get something with some flavor possibly only, not sure if they make them without nicotine. I am not sure what to do(starter kits, disposable, etc) or where to go (local or online), I probably have a budget of less then $50 to start off with. Yesterday I stopped into Walgreens to see what they have, they had several brands Blu (familiar name because of the commercials), Infiniti, and NJoy from what I could tell. The lady offered me a little help (not much), so I went ahead and tried the NJoy King Menthol one for $7.99 (one disposable cigarette). Well it lasted less then 12 hours, not very long or maybe I just puffed on it a lot. It felt a little weird, but I guess it takes some time getting used to it. The only thing I did not like about it was it did not seem to have enough "smoke" and it seemed not very flavorful. It was unique in the way it works, but it was my first time so I don't know if that is how it suppose to taste or what. I have been reading comments on here about certain brands and what not to get and a lot of it just doesn't make any sense as I am not up on the e-cig lingo.

I am sure there are several people out there with the same questions and of course have some good answers to this post so any help would greatly be appreciated. I am trying to enter this new world as it looks fun!

I hope I can get some good info and the best advice on where to start so I can get off of nicotine and mainly the smoke smell that is disgusting and harmful to my kid's asthma with the problem of third hand smokehttp://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...1&sa=X&ei=hqQDUuirKOTlygHn_YHgAQ&ved=0CCYQvwU.

Thank you!

 

[bosun]

Newbie to vaping. Long time (40 years plus) cigarette smoker. Every time I 'quit' I would get the shakes, nervousness, and my temper was always quick to boil over. A couple of months ago picked up a starter set. Had the e-cig in my shirt pocket even though I was still smoking coffin nails. Ran out of cigs and instead of going to the store decided to give the e-cig a good chance. No shakes, no nervousness, a slight bit of irritation. I was surprised. Coming up on two months without a cig! My recommendation is to get a kit and some liquid to put in it. Various flavors available. You should get plenty of recommendations on brand and source of a starter set, I'll leave that up to posters with more experience than me. A bit of a learning curve with the language, vaping isn't the same experience as actually inhaling a cigarette but it is working for me!

 

[mmrock]

this is a good deal. it comes with everything you need to start out with. there are other starter kits on this site too.

Elite Vaporworks KGO Starter Kit with eVod Cartomizer - KGO

 

[RoseB]

Hello and welcome to ECF If you're working with a budget of 50 bucks, and want a cig-like check out Smokeless Image. They have a popular reasonably priced cig-like setup. You can get various strengths of nicotine e liquid, including 0. You can also get pre-filled cartomizers ( the .... part). If you take the time to refill you'll save some money, and have more flavor options. Seeing that you got 12 hours out of a Njoy king, makes me think you'll be able to stretch your cartomizers a long way. Tried an Njoy yesterday and got about 45 minutes out of it, but I chain vaporize. Good luck!

 

[Bob Lion54]

For cig-a-likes, I'm a fan of the Halo G6 - Clicky Click-click!

There's also the Volt from Smokeless Image, which is the same thing, but Halo has really good juices. Clicky for Volt!

 

[mmrock]

ecf has a list of suppliers you can look at too.

Forum Suppliers List

 

[daleron]

This is nice to start with & you get your choice of 3 juices
Ego-O CE4 System -1000 mah

They are also in Texas if that help's you decide






Forgot you wanted a cig-a-like

 

[bnrkwest]

Welcome!!! Cig a likes I agree with Halo & Volt, you can also get a Halo Triton, bigger sized ego style battery for longer batt life. Fits the cartos and clearos (Triton tanks) I use the Triton every day because these are my favorite clearos, but I use cartos every day too. Good choice for newbies and old timers like me for easy grab and go set ups. bnrk

 

[chellemakepeace]

I slowly made the transition, and before I knew it, I didnt like ciggs anymore! GOOD LUCK!

 

[tfnc]

The Bull Smoke has a good cheap starter kit,but be warned it wont take long to out grow the cigalikes and want to get something more reliable and cost effective. (Thats how i found this site)

 

[indoorsindica]

For me the easiest setup I have is an ego battery (small 600 mAh 510 batteries) and an ego-c tank kit. And it is only because it is a good place to start, I really only recommended the ego tanks for the simple fact that you can turn off the battery stick it in your pocket and not need to worry about juice either wicking out of the atomizer and out the mouthpiece, nor do you have to worry about the tank leaking through the mouth.

With that said if you want good vapor/taste out of anything other than light/clear liquids the ego tanks dont cut the mustard.

If you really want something satisfying it is going to take a good variable battery, a good cartotank/protank2/evod/iclear/rba for a delivery system, and supremely important is your juice. All the mods in the world will do you no good unless you find a juice you like. Theres a whole new world when you start really looking at juices. The E-liquid forum on this site is the best place to start out. But keep an open mind and be wary. Everyones pallet is different, so you will find and buy juice you dont like, but the reviews help.

 

[hvac999]

Start ahead of the curve get http://www.myvaporstore.com/Vision_Spinner_Joye_Ego_C_Twist_Combo_p/vvs-c.htm Select the 1300mah Spinner and EVOD cartomizer

 

[Gena]

Do you have a B and M store in your area? I think this would be the place to start because you can try different juices and look at different devices.

 

[mkbilbo]

I do not want this to ruin my marriage and my happy family so I want to find something that is similar to an analog cigarette. I want to eventually get off the nicotine and just maybe get something with some flavor possibly only, not sure if they make them without nicotine. I am not sure what to do(starter kits, disposable, etc) or where to go (local or online), I probably have a budget of less then $50 to start off with. Yesterday I stopped into Walgreens to see what they have, they had several brands Blu (familiar name because of the commercials), Infiniti, and NJoy from what I could tell. The lady offered me a little help (not much), so I went ahead and tried the NJoy King Menthol one for $7.99 (one disposable cigarette). Well it lasted less then 12 hours, not very long or maybe I just puffed on it a lot. It felt a little weird, but I guess it takes some time getting used to it. The only thing I did not like about it was it did not seem to have enough "smoke" and it seemed not very flavorful. It was unique in the way it works, but it was my first time so I don't know if that is how it suppose to taste or what. I have been reading comments on here about certain brands and what not to get and a lot of it just doesn't make any sense as I am not up on the e-cig lingo.

Hm.

Considering the issues you mention (as in, "ruin my marriage"... um... ruh roh!), first thing I'd suggest is let go of the "similar to an analog cigarette" idea right away.

Vaping is not smoking. It can be much like smoking. Enough to be a replacement for a very large and increasing number of now former smokers. But it's not exactly the same thing. It is it's own thing. I think it's a much better thing. And I say that as a once heavy smoker (2 packs a day at least for 30+ years) who nobody thought would ever quit. Especially not me. If you'd told me, oh, a year ago, I would be quit now, I would have laughed in your face. Also, blew smoke at you.

Seems a lot of us pass through a, "just like cigarettes" phase. You may want to skip ahead. The "cig-a-like" (the ones like Blu and NJoy that try to imitate cigs) seem to work only for very light/social smokers. And only sometimes. Blu seems to have spent more time on "cool looking" than anything. I almost threw mine at a brick wall (actually, gave it away). And if an NJoy didn't last long, well... NJoy uses high levels of nicotine so you get more "per puff". The idea seems to be it should last longer because you won't need to take so many drags on the "cig". I was a heavy smoker and am a heavy vaper and NJoy's nic level makes my eyes bug out.

One of the most recommended starter kits around here is at My Vapor Store. Doesn't, necessarily, have to be that exact kit nor that exact vendor (though MVS is a good vendor and that's a good kit). But that's what I, at least, would consider a "starter". I fumbled through Blu and one other kit before landing at that kind of kit (putting it together by trial and error in my case) and that was when my smoking finally came to an actual end. I was "dual use" for a good six weeks or so. It was when I got my eGo Twist batteries and Vision clearomizers and found the right juices that I finally found I had seriously just lost interest in smoking.

(No, really. I got a new order of e-liquids one day, needed some cabinet space, found the remains of a pack of cigs and some ashtrays and threw them out because they were in the way. The significance of this only struck me later. At the time, they were just in the way and had to go.)

Yes, it's more than $50 and you'll need liquids too. But bear in mind, the hardware is durable. It's not like cigarettes. You buy a pack or carton of cigs with the obvious intent of setting fire to them. Vaping hardware lasts longer. You don't need to buy a battery a week or something like that.

(Also, I'm in Texas too. I know what cigs cost since that big tax hike. A vape kit can "pay for itself" in very little time.)

I say skip the "cig-a-like" phase. Sounds like you can't, ahem, afford wasting a lotta time playing with the little widgets that probably won't work out?

Vaping is not smoking. It's different. I say better. I have one "tobacco like" flavor. I barely touch it anymore. I did the, "I wanna tobacco taste" thing too. That's a snipe hunt. Vaping offers hundreds, if not thousands, of varieties. Unlike cigs which offer menthol and non-menthol. Why limit yourself? I have blueberry. Right now. That's what I'm vaping. I love blueberries. Can't get enough of 'em. Can't imagine going back to... menthol or non-menthol. If I get bored with blueberry, I have banana, wintergreen, and blue ice set up and ready. Unscrew one clearo, screw another on and go. Also trying a red cream soda (whatever the heck that is, haven't made up my mind on it) and a freebie sample a vendor tossed into an order that's something "chimpo"? Huh? But giving it a whirl.

I thought I wanted "just like tobacco". Turns out, I was wrong.

Open yourself to the idea of flavors and that's when you'll hit your "OHMIGAWD" juice and cigs will seem harsh and nasty and boring and stinky in comparison. I found a wintergreen. Reminds me of these candies my grandma (who passed some years back) used to always have in her purse. Would that be a "comfort vape"? I dunno. Can't get enough of it though. But offer me a cig now, I might throw you outta my house.

You can quit smoking with this vaping stuff. I tried every other thing out there except Chantix (suicide may be one way to quit smoking but I'll pass). Every quit attempt was a living hell. And I always went back. The gum worked decently enough and I tried it a second time but the second time round, the stuff tried burning holes in my cheek. No idea what that was about. Still, it shows how much of a nicotine addict I am. Only a nicotine replacement can work for me. I are hooked. The only way for me not to be addicted to nicotine is to not ever start. Unfortunately, time travel has not been invented yet.

Anyway, that's my 16 inflation adjust two cents...

 

[Gaspar74]

Cig a likes are ok but most find it not enough to really quit myself included. I spent tons of money before I found what works for me and so far what works is a Joytech ego c twist variable voltage battery and a decent clearomizer or (tank) the difference between this setup and your standard e cig is night and day and its a lot more interesting as well. Gives you something to take your mind off of smoking.

 

[Sambuca]

wife found the .......

"Houston, we have a problem!"


here's the cheapest twin starter kit i can think of:

1100mAh Twin EGO-CE4 Black Starter Kit with eGo Case - Cuecig.com

you can choose different colors. it's $36.95 and they have free shipping over $35! they ship real fast, you should have it in 2 or 3 days.

figure out what nic content you need and get 1, just 1 juice!

once your kit arrives, hit a brick and mortar store that you can sample the juices. it should be easier because you smoked menthols, you won't necessarily need a tobacco flavor.

good luck, Apollo 13!

 

[JmanEspresso]

Totally suggest skipping the small cig-a-likes, because honestly, VERY few people ever stay with them for long. Either they get fed up and write of vaping as a waste of time, or upgrade.

Might as well start with something that most of us here would just about guarantee will work.

I got into vaping, with the intention to KEEP smoking. Vaping was purely going to allow me to "smoke" when riding in cars with others, or other situations where cigarettes are "banned"/ But rest assured, I had ZERO desire to quit. I 100% fully planned on smoking and vaping. Let me be clear, I LOVED SMOKING. F'ing Loved it. I thought that people who didnt smoke, just didnt get it. EVERYTHING is better with a cigarette. Having your coffee? Cig. HAd a good meal? Cig. Need to make a decision? Cig. Just had some good sex? Cig. Hell, bad sex? CIG! Every single thing, for me, was enhanced by adding a cigarette to it. I quit a whole bunch of other vices of mine, I was set with having cigarettes be the one thing I kept. I would use vaping to allow me to get my nic fix when smoking a cigarette was inconvienent, but I was ADAMENT about not giving up my lovely Marlboro Menthols.


Yeah, that last about about 2 days. After literally only a few days of vaping, I couldnt stand the thought of my lovely cigarettes. Everything about them disgusted me. The smell, the taste, the way I would smell, ugh, its filthy. How the hell could I even try and continue smoking, when Im sitting at my desk having a vape of Amaretto Coffee, or Dutch Apple Pie? Believe me I tried, but it quickly becomes evident that, real cigarettes, taste like utter SHXT.


I skipped the entry level stuff. I tried a Blu Kit, realized it wouldnt cut the mustard, and went right into the big advanced personal vaporizers. However.

What YOU should do, is get an Ego kit. Every vendor has them in some form or another.


My suggestion?>

Get the Vision Spinner Kit from MYVaporStore. Two Vairable Voltage long battery life batteries, plus some Juice Delivery Tanks(Clearomizers), charger, etc etc. Its everything you need but the juice. On the selection page, choose the 1300MAH Vision Spinner Batteries, and for the "tanks", Choose Whatever color Kanger Evods, they are very hassle free and they're not disposable, you can buy replacements for them down the road.

Then, go to MtBakerVapor, and pick a couple juices. VERY cheap vendor, very good juices. I suggest getting some of everything. Get some Fruits, Get some Sweets, Get some Dessert/Bakery, Get a Tobacco or Two.. See what YOU like.

You'll be surprised how quickly you'll forget about cigarettes with that setup and those juices.

 

[mkbilbo]

Let me be clear, I LOVED SMOKING. F'ing Loved it. I thought that people who didnt smoke, just didnt get it. EVERYTHING is better with a cigarette. Having your coffee? Cig. HAd a good meal? Cig. Need to make a decision? Cig. Just had some good sex? Cig. Hell, bad sex? CIG! Every single thing, for me, was enhanced by adding a cigarette to it. I quit a whole bunch of other vices of mine, I was set with having cigarettes be the one thing I kept.

Ayup.

I still get a kind of... wistful (?) feeling about smoking. Like, "gosh, wasn't that great?" Kind of like missing an old friend.

Not strong or anything. More like... nostalgia. Lasts only as long as it takes to reach for the PV.

 

[frdave]

HTown,

These folks are telling you straight. I first tried a Blu and thought "OK, this is satisfying my nic craving, but I wish there was more "smoke". Went to the internet and did some research. Bought a CE4/dual eGo twist kit and a paathrough battery (I spend a lot of time on the computer and in my car). I have been fortunate and haven't had an "analog" since picking up that Blu. Vaping is a way to stop cigs for alot of people. Not everyone, but most.
My 2 cents and worth every penny,LOL.
\frdave

 

[cliffy15]

I've got some advice that has nothing to do with the equipment you use (well, not REALLY).

I'd been smoking 1-2 packs a day for 20+ years and in the last five years have kind of played around with vaping. It's crazy how much better the products have become. Before, you'd get some nasty nicotine throat hit with very little vapor in a gimmicky device that was expensive and hard to find replacement parts. As I found out, last year, things are very different now and the starter kits are much improved but with a little knowledge (that you can find here) this really can turn in to a obsession - I mean hobby - to get exactly what you want out of your ecig.

First off ... know that smoking and vaping are entirely different animals and it does take some getting used to. Much of the standard liquids don't give off vapor anywhere near the density and feel of cigarette smoke (even lights and ultra light cigarettes). It will be lighter, and sweeter (because of the glycerin) and you'll probably need to get used to taking long, slow draws instead of the quick hit from a smoke.

Also, the vape won't hit you in your lungs, like cigarette smoke. It'll hit you in your nose and throat (hence the very appropriate term "throat hit") and the taste will come more from your sense of smell than from your taste buds. Throat hit comes from nicotine ... menthol and spices (like cinnamon or pepper) add to the throat hit. Throat hit is probably the biggest factor in helping substitute for the satisfaction of a cigarette and without it you probably won't enjoy your vaping experience. There is a transition period as well - a lot of new vapers get a sore throat from vaping and this goes away after awhile.

All that being said, I've got some advice from personal experience so take from it what you will.

1. Don't buy a disposable device but don't go for the expensive equipment right off the bat - you can't control your nicotine/flavor levels enough in a disposable cigarette and expensive mods only help you when you know how to tweak your setup. I would suggest an eGo-style kit. If there is a cheap kit with variable voltage (like an eGo Twist) I'd go with that so you can basically adjust the power that you're vaping at in a fairly inexpensive way. At this point you'll probably want to stay away from direct dripping, and cartomizers, and go for a clearomizer for convenience and ease of use.

Note: I actually recommend some of the cheapest ego-style batteries combined with a cartomizer tank to start off with for my coworkers who are new to vaping. Why? So that they can learn the pros and cons of their device and I can help them "try-before-you-buy" with my own equipment to make their experience better. I actually keep a few old Volcano eCig Inferno kits (where I started) to loan to people and them walk them slowly through other options like battery and tank options.

2. Experiment with different nicotine levels of the same flavor, first. Many places will tell you that 16mg liquids are equivalent to a normal cigarette and 8mg liquids are equivalent to a light cigarette. Many new vapers go with that advice and get something they think is equivalent to what they are currently smoking. I've helped a number of people start vaping and have found that most of them prefer a liquid that is weaker than their current "cigarette level" but that's all personal preference. Experiment with varying nicotine strengths of the same flavor - in this way you'll find your desired level of throat hit and can later experiment with the HUNDREDS of flavors. I never used to smoke menthol cigarettes but found out pretty quickly that adding menthol to my liquids made for a more satisfying experience for me.

Note: For a starter, I generally recommend a 70/30 PG/VG mix as the best all-around liquid for taste and vapor production and is thin enough to work in most devices.

3. Start off slow. Very few people I know are able to do a cold-turkey type of transition from smoking to vaping. If you are one of those, then good for you! Give yourself time to learn about your device, your liquid, and vaping in general. There is a learning curve to vaping and if you're completely frustrated in the beginning you probably won't stick to it/convert to it.

4. Read these forums (seriously!)

Good luck! I've been off the stinkies for 11 months now and don't miss them a single bit!