why are we doing this anyway?

[Lando80]

I tried my first vape 3 years ago. It was horrible. My buddy had purchased an "advanced system" from a kiosk at our mall. It consisted of two non-510, weird sized, cig-a-like batteries with a couple of crappy cartos and a charger. The kiosk was, of course, happy to sell him three 7 ml. bottles of "e-liquid" for ten bucks a piece. It tasted like radiator fluid and produced a tiny puff of "smoke" if you sucked on it for twenty seconds. No wonder I thought E-smokes were a joke.
Fast forward a bit.....I'm puffing on a kayfun lite on an m16 with a 6 wrap 28 gauge coil @ 1.1 ohms -blowing clouds of 12mg Boba's. Vape bliss........ my question is why did it take me what seemed like endless trial and error to get here? it didnt take me long to find evods and move on to rbas. But I am not what the community would call advanced. This stuff isnt rocket science and we need to quit trying to scare newbies away from good vape experiences.
It seems to me that there is a sense of elitism in the vape community. Its not as if your 200 dollar mod will be less special if John Q. Nomoreanalogues starts winding his own coils. The reason people arent coming over in droves is because "starter kits" suck. Why did we all move on to bigger better things? easy answer...because starter vapes suck!!!! Back in the day it took alot of money and dedication to get a good vape. (Ive heard the horror stories about blue foam in cartridges.)
Fellow Vapers, this is no longer the case. why dont we start directing newbies towards the stuff that will get them to really quit? You dont even need a multi-meter anymore. Cheap vv's with ohm testing capabilities can be had new for less than an ego twist. Great e juice can be had for 30 cents a ml. Perfectly functional mechs are twenty bucks. Solid built starter gennies with insulated wick holes like the rsst for 25 dollars. Dream tank for next to nothing, GG clones, and at the very least (and I do mean VERY LEAST) protanks. The only reason any of us got away from the stinkies for good was because we found something better. This forum is full of great info and some helpful people but it can get buried by a bunch of pretentious gear head elitists. There is plenty of room in this community for collectors, users, quitters, novices.........and so on. Can we quit telling new folks to get cig-a-likes? Everyone at every bar I have been at in the last few months that I have let try my rig has said the same thing. "I tried a Blu (or something similar) a while ago and there is no way I would quit for that crap...BUT--that thing you've got would make me quit right effing now!!" Can we start really helping these people? I mean really how hard is this stuff. Maybe we shouldnt be trying so hard to be the only guy on the block with this "advanced" set-up

 

[st0nedpenguin]

Dear god my eyes.

 

[gammaxgoblin]

OK... what should I get? I've got a vivi nova with an ego vv. I can't spend a lot. Please advise!

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[Lando80]

OK... what should I get? I've got a vivi nova with an ego vv. I can't spend a lot. Please advise!

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Nothing at all wrong with what you have, Gamma. If it it's good enough, then Great! However, If you want to blow clouds of satisfying vapor, Try a cheap Chinese mech with a dripper. The Grand Vapor clone mechanical mods are 20ish bucks at Fasttech.com (Sentinel, V2, Or M16) I-GO L's are 15 bucks everywhere. Goodlifevapor and MT. Baker sell great juice for cheap. If you dont have a variable voltage mod you can buy a multimeter at Lowes for $15 to test your coil. There are more videos than you can count on Youtube about how to wind a coil. You will need some silica and and Kanthal (stick with 32 gauge for now) Dont be intimidated. Buy a "two cents for safety" fuse to put in your mechanical mod for 4 bucks at Vaportekusa and there is nothing to worry about

 

[WarHawk-AVG]

OK... what should I get? I've got a vivi nova with an ego vv. I can't spend a lot. Please advise!

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

So you have a pretty good setup there...why change?

Yeah the skinny stick type cigs are a joke...tell em they need a workhorse, something with a 510 adapter connected to a honkering 18XXX battery and some 24mg e-juice (I went 18 because I was smoking ultra-lights...bleh)

Heck you can even DIY a el-mega cheapo and throw whatever 510 you want on the badboy
The Puck II eCig Mod - The PUCK e-Cig Mods

Heck Google The Bolt by SmokTech then get a tank and BLAMO!

With good e-juice and a system that is a workhorse...even a smoker of almost 2 decades can quit! Ask me how I know

 

[Susan W.]

So, I think that's what we do here. It all depends on what a person is asking for. Some people do like the cig-a-likes and are looking for something that looks like a cigarette but for the most part as far as I've seen and read, most suggest an eGo type set up for a newbie.

 

[run23]

haha. we all end up here one way or another don't we? why is Blu so popular? probably because they have an actual marketing department. they place their products in front of people instead of having them 'find their way' so to speak. i picked up my first e-cig because it was there...while i was buying something else. i'm not the only one to have started there either.

i've been a lurker for a long time and just recently created an account. even as a lurker, i found this forum to be full of people willing to help. in fact, it seems that they are all very passionate and willing to help a newb out. most of the time when i've read people recommending the cig-a-likes it's in response to someone actually looking for something along those lines. some people will never be interested in an RBA or give a hoot about sub ohm vaping, or variable volt what-have-yous.

that's what makes this hobby so fun. you can get in at any level and just sit back, relax and enjoy a nice vape....

 

[Lando80]

I realize that sounded a bit .....y and I do apologize. I just got that "I could never..." comment tonight from a former Blu user. It's just so frustrating when someone asks me, "where can I get one of those?", Whiile I am holding a mech with an rba. Then I have to give a ten minute pretentious speech about how you have to do hours of research and get into a group buy. So frustrating. Why doesn't someone just market a great easily accessible product?

 

[GraCnT]

I am by no means defending cig a likes, well... maybe. Just a little.
If it wasn't for them I wouldn't have quit. Yes, I spent alot at first because I needed 2 carts a day.... 1-2 packs per cart my .... lol
But, some need to start with what they are familiar with.
Me? I quickly went to an ego set up and that was fine for awhile.
I finally got a i taste and now am looking for a mech mod. I am a carto tank user.. and I'm happy.
I don't think I'm ready (still) to wrap my own coils. But we will see.

If someone showed me a huge mod with a rebuild able coil that I had to do myself at first I probably wouldn't have started vaping.
Price wouldn't have had anything to do with it for me. I would have found it intimidating.
Anyway, I guess if someone is happy with the setup they have, and they're satisfied.. then YAY!!
If not, ecf is here to help in any and every capacity. From cig a likes to rba"s and mech mods and everything in between. All you have to do is read, or ask.
Sorry for the long post! Vape happy!

 

[DoogieTony]

I haven't seen anyone on here recommend a cig-a-like unless the poster asks for that type.

If you had never seen an e-cig before and someone slaps down a mech mod and a genny, most would have no clue where to start and I'd rather someone be turned off by an underpowered batt than turned off by hard shorting their 18650 and have it go thermal.

An ego type batt with a carto-tank/clearo is a great and easy way for people to get familiar with vaping. When people first start most just need something that works and that's why egos get recommended so frequently.

I don't see it as being elite to assume a person should learn at least the basics of what they're doing before attempting a potentially hazardous activity.

 

[quiter]

I honestly don't know why everyone seems to like to make things so difficult.

I started vaping before there was a 510 and now it seems that all people do is argue over the newest best thing. Trust me people it's all better and cheaper than it was back then unless you choose to make it hard.

 

[quiter]

I haven't seen anyone on here recommend a cig-a-like unless the poster asks for that type.

If you had never seen an e-cig before and someone slaps down a mech mod and a genny, most would have no clue where to start and I'd rather someone be turned off by an underpowered batt than turned off by hard shorting their 18650 and have it go thermal.

An ego type batt with a carto-tank/clearo is a great and easy way for people to get familiar with vaping. When people first start most just need something that works and that's why egos get recommended so frequently.

I don't see it as being elite to assume a person should learn at least the basics of what they're doing before attempting a potentially hazardous activity.

Right on! Personally I think an EGo is a great place to start. I started before there was even a 510 on the market. I also don't understand why people don't keep it simple with mechanical mods. A simple device like the K100 with an LR (1.8oHm) device produces more than enough vapor for 99% of the people who try one. Why go all psycho trying for sub ohm madness anyway? I guess to prove you can, but for noobs advice should be practical and safe.

 

[Richard75]

When I was in high school chemistry (and general chemistry in college) they taught us about electron orbitals. Nothing much about them, we just knew that in a specific shell around a nucleus, that's where the electrons were whizzing around. Fast forward to senior year, during the second semester of physical chemistry (and inorganic), I learned that the orbitals weren't really orbitals at all, but statistical distribution graphs (stemming straight from quantum mechanics) rotated about the axes, which represented where an electron was "most likely to be". I remember feeling like I was lied to by my high school and freshman teachers. Then I remember thinking, well, back then most of us probably weren't ready for that information, even if what we were originally taught was not exactly right. This happens all the time in physical sciences. You're taught something simple, then later you learn there's a lot more to it. It's not like the simple way is wrong, it's just not totally right.

Those crappy cig-a-likes aren't lies or deceptions, they're a starting ground. No one sticks with them 'til the end, just as no chemist still believes that electrons are literally flying around in those exact orbital patterns, but I'm sure almost all of us started there. And truthfully, I think smokers would find it harder to convert if you slap a Provari and an AGA-T in their hand before a cig-a-likes or an eGo.

 

[gokusnimbus]

everyone is different and with so many vapor products being produced, there's something for everyone. Some just want to vape flavors. Some want to collect pv's as art pieces. Some want a light and discreet pv. Some are a mad scientist box modders. Some want cig-a-likes. I feel like we all try to help out. Egos are a great start for n00bs bc they're learning the basics. And that's where we all started. Its a shame that there is elitism that goes on but that's everywhere with everything. At least I feel like I'm doing my part conversing with new vapors at local stores and sharing the experiences I had. It's weird how vaping can bring us all together *tears up* its beautiful lol

 

[SharonMM]

I agree with a lot of your points op. I see a lot of vape snobbery here too. I see too many resident know it alls who practically jump at the opportunity to discuss all the stupid newbie mistakes instead of directing them to the right resources. I've seen newbies post here with a contrary opinion and they all jump aboard the bully train and have a laugh at their expense. And then like eachothers snarky comments. Sadly, those newbs tend not to stick around here very long. They come here looking for advice and that's what they get. Great way to help out a fellow vaper. As if dealing with crappy starter kits, and having to learn a second vaper language wasn't enough to make you want to go back to smoking, being treated like that certainly is. It's pretty pathetic imo. It's not everyone, there are plenty of genuinely helpful folks here too. But the snobbery is here and it happens often. And frankly I just don't get it. Either give a useful answer or take a pass on the thread. I'm pretty new but if I ever get to a point where I feel knowledgeable on this topic, I will be happy to share what I have learned. Even if its been asked before.

 

[Abbell]

There are many different people I meet and talk to about vaping. I either have a Vamo or a MVP out. I still have my V2s occasionally, but far less. I aim for the person who is considering alternatives to smoking and wants to get their feet wet.

There will always be those who jump in with both feet, but most just want something simple o try instead of full commitment. I found some Fin kits at Sams for $10 and I pick up 2 or 3 each time I go there just to have some on hand. I sell them for the same price. I explain that these kits are basically a small step up from disposables sold at a myriad of convenience stores. I also have a small inventory of Ego style batteries and tanks. I invest some time letting them see what some simple options are. One nice thing about the Fin kits is that it comes with a 510 usb charger so they don't even waste much on the kit if they switch up to the ego.

 

[Marius_Kingsley]

I actually liked my starter kit. Some no-name eGo style 650 mAh battery with a CE4 tank. Got me to quit smoking immediately, and only cost $17.99. I've since bought the cheapest VV eGo battery I could find with a digital display (eGo-V V2 mega) and I think that's about as far as I'll go. I mean I see the advantage of variable voltage, but honestly, in order to get the most out of it, I'd have to start building my own coils, and I really just can't be bothered. I'm happy to buy new coils for my EVODs and Protank, and just ditch the old ones as they burn out. And tomorrow, I'm probably going to buy a 510 automatic "cigalike" battery just to have around.

I don't need a Provari, or a Vamo, or a REO. When I watch videos of people using those with their own coils puffing MASSIVE clouds of vapor, I think "Wow, that's cool lookin. Probably killed damn near 2 ml of juice for that one puff, though."

I got into vaping for two reasons:

1.) My fiancee asked me to try it in the hopes that I would be healthier, and smell better. Success on both counts. With the added bonus of HER being healthier. Smoking outside caused her asthma to act up when I came back inside. Vaping inside doesn't upset her at all.

2.) Save money. If I'm burning through so much juice just to get those MASSIVE clouds of vapor, I'll be spending more on e-juice, wire, and wick than I would have on a pack/day of smokes. I'd rather stick to "good enough" at 2-5 ml/day.

But I DO recommend people do a bit of research before jumping into this. I didn't. I got lucky when I switched. I went to the shop to get a Blu starter kit. Since they were out of stock, the clerk suggested my little eGo style starter kit. I spent the next week spending every spare minute I had researching what I was using, and what I needed to know. There's nothing wrong with the cigalike styles. And there's nothing wrong with most of the starter kits out there. You just have to do enough research to know what NOT to buy.

And I don't mean to crap all over Blu. I've never used them, and I've read plenty of posts on ECF from people who successfully switched using Blu. They just don't work for everyone, and I don't think they would have worked for me. But I think I can enjoy cigalikes when I have my Sharpie-sized eGo batts around.

 

[schotzky]

I find that most of the people on this forum are extremely helpful and I have rarely seen people that are rude to new people. That's probably thanks to the mods though.

 

[Cyrus Vap]

Seems the best thing any noob can have is an experienced vaping buddy. For whatever reason I was impressed enough with my mall kiosk disposable to quit smoking immediately, as in, that night. Of course I rapidly moved on to 'better' gear thanks to this forum. I was able to convert my uncle to vaping but it took some adjustments. Volts and cartomizers were sufficiently impressive for him at first but didn't last very long. It took some tweaking of his nic levels, juice flavors, and showing him how to play with Ce2s, etc to keep him happy long term, and its stuck for almost a year now.

My wife's brother, in contrast asked me how I actually got ANYTHING out of vaping, as his disposable experiences (including the illustrious NJOY KING) 'did nothing.' I let him take my VV Reo/ERA (18 mg juice) for a few hours, and he was completely floored (this was minutes after playing with the NJOY). I personally thing he needed to experience the room, and his face (lol) filling up with vapor. And despite the fact that I'm sure he was getting sufficient nic from the high mg NJOY, he felt as if it was the first time and ecig was satisfying his cig cravings.

I think my uncle just needed highish nic without a polyfill taste, with juice that floored his buds. My bro in law needed to feel like his lungs were being crushed by a fog machine.

I personally despair of advising noobs that I can't maintain some contact and back and forth with peoples tastes and needs are going to be variable...and to make matters a tad muddier, the majority of what's out there, expensive or cheap, has been unreliable for me "out of the box." This is based on my own experience of having to modify and play with most of these items to get them to satisfy. I literally get a bit anxious when a stranger asks me "what to get" because I don't want to imagine them cursing their brains out a week from now at a vivi nova for putting out a burnt gasket flavor, or some bottom coil leaking all over their hands. *I* have been there.

Anyway, I dunno, good morning from California

 

[Fury83]

Well, I am not sure if I am a pretentious gear head but I do generally buy expensive things. I do try to recommend folks the cheapest possible setup if that is their goal or stay within their budget. The problem is usually people's wants are not in line with whatever dollar amount they say they can spend. For example, almost anyone who wants a small 18350 mech and wants to spend $50 on it, an rba, batteries and a charger. I'm sure you know what I mean and have seen those threads.

As someone who has had a lot of the china stuff and a lot of the expensive stuff, you can successfully stay off of smoking vaping either. So if your sigelei 19 and dream tank keep you happy, stay happy. I'd only argue if you told me it's as good as a Nemesis and a Kayfun. Most of the recent china stuff is decent for the price, it's just not as nice as the premium stuff. That's where the arguments seem to happen or if heaven forbid someone says the p-word.