Beginner’s Guide to Vaping
If a smoker is checking out vaping products, odds are they have already tried traditional methods to quit smoking and have failed: cold turkey, nicotine gum, patches, maybe even Chantix.
The good news is, there are more vaping products on the market than ever before, and the new vaper has hundreds of options to choose from.
Most people who are curious about vaping have no idea where to start. They usually end up purchasing a disposable e-cig from a convenience store and are turned off to vaping.
E-cigarettes that look like a traditional cigarette (cig-a-likes) are usually manufactured by Big Tobacco companies. They are not satisfying, have very little battery life, and taste awful. In my opinion, Big Tobacco intentionally designs these products to be bad in order to turn smokers back to cigarettes. These products include:
- Blu eCigs (made by Lorillard)
- Mark Ten (made by Marlboro)
- Vuse (made by RJ Reynolds)
- Any brand that looks like a cigarette
It’s okay to give disposable e-cigs a shot, but just keep in mind that they do not even come close to the full potential of what vaping has to offer.
Intro to Vaping
Keep in mind that this is a lifestyle change, and there are going to be some growing pains. There is a bit of self-discovery to finding out which products are right for you.
Vaping is not cheap (Read: How to vape on cheap). Over time, it is often less expensive than smoking. However, you will eventually want to explore new e-liquid flavors and try new products, and a lot of people get into the hobby aspect of vaping, always looking to go bigger and better.
This is something you have to want to do. Most smoking cessation methods fail because a smoker simply does not really want to quit. This is what makes vaping so effective. You don’t have to give up all of the habits that surround smoking, and you still get what vapers refer to as a “throat hit”, that slight burning sensation at the back of your throat.
Parts of an APV (Advanced Personal Vaporizer)
The vaping community has broken away from electronic cigarettes with more advanced devices. These products take many different shapes, but they all have the same five basic elements, listed below:
Battery/Mod: Housing that contains a battery. This powers the heating coil contained in the atomizer that turns e-liquid into vapor. “Mod” comes from the earlier days of vaping when there were fewer products on the market. DIY-types would modify things like flashlights for more vaping power.
Battery Charger: Depending on the type, your APV device can contain an internal battery that is charged with a USB cord or power outlet, or use separate batteries that require their own special charger.
Atomizer: A holding tank for e-liquid. Also contains a small heating coil and a wick that carries e-liquid to the coil.
Drip Tip: Fancy name for mouthpiece. There are hundreds of styles and materials to choose from.
E-Liquid: Flavored liquid that is heated by the atomizer and turned into vapor. E-liquid (also called juice or e-juice) can contain varying levels of nicotine or be nicotine-free. The number of flavors is almost limitless.
Which battery/mod and atomizer combo you end up with will have the biggest impact on your vaping experience.
Because of the overwhelming variety of products available, I highly recommend that new vapers check out a local vape shop as opposed to shopping online. You are going to need some personal attention to help find a good fit based on your personal preferences and budget. Just make sure you go to a business dedicated to vaping, not a discount cigarette shop that has a small vaping display.
Vaping pod kits
Be prepared to spend $10-$20 on your first vaping setup. As a matter of perspective, this is less than what most smokers spend on one weeks worth of cigarettes.
Ecigator D14 Disposable Vape Pod
The Ecigator D14 is a 14mm diameter 400-500 puffs MESH COIL disposable vape pod which comes with 1.2Ω coil and 400mAh cobalt battery. There are many colors and stickers available for the tube which will make your brand different.
Ecigator D01 Disposable Vape Pod
The Ecigator D01 is a 2022 newested designed 2500 puffs MESH COIL disposable vape pod. Inspired by flask , designed as portable and fatty disposable vape system with a silicon robot monster Leaking Proof Cap.
The D01 comes with a silicon leaking proof cap, which will separate ejuice from coil before or after use.
The cap is designed as a robot monster helmet, which can also be used as a dus-proof cap and a cute accessory.
There are several different vape pods available from different companies at varying price points. It just depends on which brands your local vape store carries.
E-liquid
Once you have selected a device, it’s time to move on to e-liquids. Flavor is totally subjective, and the variety of flavors available is staggering. Any good vape shop has a tasting bar where you can sample e-liquid and choose flavors that you like. A couple of things you need to know:
Nicotine level: 0mg, 3mg, 6mg, 12mg, and 18mg are the most common offerings. If you are a full flavor pack-a-day or more smoker, you’re most likely going to start out at 12 or 18mg. Those who smoke menthols, lights, or “silvers”, will likely start out with 6 or 12mg.
PG/VG ratio: Most e-liquid is 50/50. PG=flavor, VG=vapor production. For example, a 20/80 ratio is going to have less flavor, but more vapor.
I won’t detail what PG and VG are, because it will just put you to sleep. However, it is important to note that a small percentage of people have PG allergy or sensitivity. (Read more – What is nic-salt)
New users will experience coughing when inhaling vapor at first, sometimes even up to a week. Vapor can also cause dry mouth, so be sure to keep fluids handy while vaping. If coughing persists, or if you experience too strong of a throat hit, you may need to switch to a lower nicotine level e-liquid.
Be sure to sample several different flavors. There are tobacco and menthol flavors, but that doesn’t mean you will like them. Personally, I was a menthol smoker, but never cared for menthol e-liquid. Spend some time and choose flavors that you really like. When you’re new, it’s especially important to choose something that squashes that craving for a cigarette.
Picking the right e-liquid is often more important than which device you use.
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