Welcome to ECF, Pilaf424!
For my
biased and
personal opinion, the best 808 style battery is the Volt from
Smokeless Image. The battery life is average to better than most of the look-of-cigarette batteries, and can last 2 to 3 hours for charge depending upon your own personal vaping style. The Volt has a nice rubberized finish (except for the gold and silver finishes) and some nice, modest bling features in the way of different colors, different led tip colors, different "ash" tips, etc.
Their customer service is second to none other. They will treat you right, the first time.
The kit you would want is the
Pro Starter Kit, which includes a PCC (personal charging case), in addition to two batteries and a choice of cartomizers. You get a choice of style of the PCC, I personally chose the Mega v2 style, and I have not been disappointed with it. I would recommend, however, that when choosing the Pro Starter Kit, you also choose a usb charger and a wall adapter from the "extras" section just below the main choices, as these prices are a little better than going with separate accessories, and it gives you one more charging option than just the pcc. And yes, adding to your cart, I would also encourage getting one
additional battery as a "just in case" battery. Then you are set.
If you want to stick with around $45 and just a standard charging option, then go with the Standard Starter Kit, which is the very best value for your money, in my opinion.
For your choice of pack of cartomizers with your kit, maybe you want to try the Strong Sampler. This sampler includes SI's Ice Menthol, Menthol Burst, Mint, Cappuccino, and Classic Grape. I have no idea what the Newport menthol tastes like, so maybe one of SI's menthols will appeal to you. I couldn't resist adding the other two sample packs to my cart, as well, when I got my first kit. Those are the Smooth (tobacco flavors) and Sweet Samplers.
To help you along with your choices, this weekend you can use the coupon code
memorial2012 to receive a
21% discount off all the items you've added to your cart.
All that promo stuff aside, I happen to be a very big fan of the Volt batteries, including their new mid size battery, the X2. I have multiples of all the batteries, and the pcc's, and I carry a pcc and two Volt cases with 4 65mm Volt batteries and a usb charger each with me everywhere I go. This is because I have 8 different colors and 10 different flavors of carts and lots of variety for my day, and I don't usually run my batteries out during the day because I'm so into the variety! I do "top off" those which I use most during the day in the evening when I get home, even though I have not run the charge out. Have I ever run the batteries out of charge? Oh yeah, so I don't want you to think this won't happen, it will. So, one battery to vape while the other charges is always the rule. I.just.like.
more.
And yes, I do like the Volt.
By the way, did I mention their customer service is second to none? I am not lying.
Now, for playing with liquid choices, yes, Smokeless Image's liquids are great. I do like a couple of them quite well. However,
http://www.ecblendflavors.com/ lets you experiment with liquids to the nth degree! You can get 5ml samples starting at about $2.50, which gives you a lot of choice for not so much cash. You can create your own blends or try a few of their many. And they have an ongoing coupon code of
10020 for
20% off the liquids in your order.