The next series of articles is going to be quite a bit more extensive than anything I’ve written for you up to this point. This is simply because unregulated devices require the most experience to use in a safe and satisfying manner.

I’d like to point out, from the outset, that I’ve used them in the past but no longer do so. While they are satisfying in their own right, it’s my firm belief that in 2017, they performance gap between a regulated device outfitted with a sub-ohm tank and an unregulated device outfitted with a rebuildable dripping atomizer or rebuildable tank atomizer is no longer sufficiently wide that the latter is worth the time or effort involved.

However, with that said, it remains that unregulated devices remain popular with those for whom vaping has transcended a tobacco harm reduction strategy and become a hobby. It also remains that there are serious physical risks involved for vapers who approach this hobby without a proper prior understanding of those risks and how to mitigate them.

If vaping is about tobacco harm reduction, consider the following articles to be about risk mitigation.

What Is Unregulated Vaping?

It’s simply the use of an unregulated mod — meaning, a mod which has no power control board or chipset regulating the flow of electricity from the battery to the atomizer. An unregulated mod is as bare-bones as a vape gets: typically as simple as a metal tube into which the user inserts an 18650 or 26650 battery, the tube features a 510 connection at one end and a firing button at the other — the button is pressed, which causes the battery to make connection with contacts at both ends, closing the circuit and sending electricity from the battery to the connected atomizer.

Why It’s Attractive

Unregulated vaping appeals to vapers because it’s not only the ultimate expression of choice — when you create your own atomizer coils, you exercise the ultimate level of control over your vaping experience — but also a kind of art. A coil built by your own hand can be as simple as a single strand of wire or as complex as some of the most intricate jewelry produced. Indeed, there are some truly mind-blowingly advanced coils which a non-vaper would assume are high-end art pieces.

For a significant portion of the vaping community, producing these artisanal builds is equally as important, perhaps in some ways more so, than simply vaping for flavor and nicotine. For some, it’s about “cloud chasing” — pairing the most refined hand-built coil with the right unregulated mod and eliquid to produce the biggest, thickest, densest clouds of vapor possible. For others, it’s about the art. For still others, it’s simply about pride in having achieved the state of this art.

Disclaimer

While I’m able to provide you with basic principles about unregulated vaping, my articles on the subject will for the most part be precautionary. As with vaping itself, I urge you to start simple and be safe.

Your best guides as you step into this new, vast part of vaping are people you will, and ought to, meet in person, preferably a veteran of unregulated vaping, and more preferably still, more than just one.

But I can tell you what to look for, and what to avoid. In the next post, we’ll get started.

Introduction

This is what everything has been leading up to. Adjustable airflow to allow the satisfying mouth-to-lung hits you’ve been used to for years or deep, deep lung hits. Temperature control to allow you to get your vape as hard hitting as you could possibly wish for, to unlock nuances of flavor you never knew were hiding in your favorite liquids. Nicotine and flavor satisfaction unlike anything smoking could ever have given you. Here it is.

The Kanger Cupti is the ultimate in portability for an advanced mod; read on and you’ll discover why it’s your perfect first advanced device.

Specs & Features

The Kanger Cupti is a 75 watt all-in-one device powered by a removable 18650 battery (sold separately) and sporting an integrated sub-ohm tank with 5ml of eliquid capacity. The Cupti features adjustable power and temperature control, from 7 to 75 watts in variable power mode and 200 to 600 degrees Fahrenheit in temperature control mode.

Starting at the top of the device, you have your choice of either the pre-installed wide-bore mouthpiece or an included mouthpiece with a slightly more restricted channel. Immediately under that, you have an airflow control system in the form of a rotating ring with inner and outer air channels — simply rotate the ring to open those channels as wide, or close them down as tightly, as you desire.

In front of the mouthpiece and airflow control assembly are two buttons, marked plus and minus, for adjusting either the power output or the temperature at the coil of the device. In front of those is a small but easily readable OLED display.

Moving down again, we have a small but nicely clicky firing button which is also used to navigate the device’s advanced functions. On either of the device’s sides is a glass window which allows you to see the level of eliquid left inside the tank. Pay particular attention to the black line marked ‘MAX FILL’. That line is extremely important when using the device. There’s a cutout in the shape of the Kanger logo on the back of the device which allows you to see your 18650 battery.

Finally, at the bottom of the device, you have a micro-USB port for charging and (for users of Windows PCs) firmware updates. Additionally, you have a latched door for opening the battery compartment.

(NOTE: This device uses a separate 18650 size battery, available from Kidney Puncher — only use 18650 batteries specifically intended for use with mods like this; the kind you get for flashlights is NOT RECOMMENDED.)

Real World Experience

Because the Kanger Cupti is essentially a very powerful and very advanced all in one system, setting up and using this should be intuitive for you by now, with only one additional step: Inserting a high-drain 18650 battery. Your 18650 battery can be charged either inside the Cupti or in a separate charger made for lithin-ion batteries. (I personally recommend the Nitecore Intellicharger i2 or i4 if you decide to use a separate charger.)

Aside from that, setup is a breeze. Simply unscrew the top cap from the Cupti and pull out the “chimney” — the long metal rod that has the mouthpiece and airflow control system at the top and, at the other end, has the atomizer head at the bottom. Next, fill the integrated tank with your favorite eliquid, making sure not to fill past the marked ‘Max Fill’ line on the outside of the tank. Then, carefully prime the atomizer head by dripping your eliquid onto the cotton wick inside. Finally, slowly and carefully insert the “chimney” back into the tank, then tighten it gently but firmly back into place.

Navigating the menu system takes a little getting used to, at first, but you’ll get the hang of it in no time. Clicking the fire button five times turns the device on. Adjusting the power is as simple as pressing the plus or minus keys on the top of the device. To switch from variable wattage mode to temperature control mode, click the firing button three times to cycle through variable wattage, then to the temperature control mode appropriate to the atomizer head you have installed in the Cupti (the 0.15 ohm atomizer head is Nickel, while the 0.5 ohm atomizer head is 316 Stainless Steel, or SS316.)

As I myself prefer to take deep lung hits, I find that using the wider mouthpiece along with medium airflow provides me with a very satisfying vaping experience with the Cupti — surprisingly so; for such a small advanced mod, the Cupti is extremely competent.

Flavor strength and accuracy from Kanger’s CLOCC atomizer heads is excellent, as is vapor production. The 5ml eliquid capacity, coupled with the use of a high-capacity, high-drain 18650 battery (I recommend the Samsung INR18650-30Q) means that, depending on how heavily you vape, you can get hours of satisfaction between charges or refills.

Price & Availability

You can get the Kanger Cupti starter kit from Kidney Puncher in Black, White, Red, Champagne Gold, or Rose Gold, for $49.95 plus shipping.

Summary

I can think of no better first advanced mod today than the Kanger Cupti. It has the compact, hand- and pocket-friendly size and shape of an all in one device, the ease of setup, use, and maintenance of a pen style system, and the performance, functionality, and longevity of advanced mods at several times its size and asking price.

I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Introduction

Two terms you’re going to read or hear, if you haven’t already, are “mouth-to-lung hits” (sometimes abbreviated as MTL) and “lung hits”. These terms, the former sounding bizarre and the other sounding faintly violent, are just two different styles of inhaling vapor. Which one you’ll prefer is a personal choice, as is everything in vaping; on the other hand, which one you are comfortably able to do is a matter of the hardware you’re using.

So I’d like to take a few moments, this week, to explain the differences between the two, both in how they feel and in the hardware you’ll need in order to explore these two different styles.

Mouth To Lung Inhale

A mouth-to-lung hit is vaping in the same way you (most likely) used to smoke: Inhale to draw vapor into your mouth, and from their into your lungs. It’s the way I advised you to get acclimated to the difference between inhaling vapor and inhaling smoke, except no longer as gentle now that you’re used to it.

It’s also the way you’ll have had to continue vaping on pod based systems and even on many pen based systems, simply because that class of hardware doesn’t really allow for lung hits, for the most part.

Mouth to lung hits produce that now familiar ‘push’ at the back of the throat, which provides the user with a satisfying but smoother and gentler recreation of the same sensation smoking used to provide. They also produce a modest little cloud of vapor.

Lung Inhale

Lung hits, on the other hand, could almost be described as vaping on an entirely new level. Lung hits are performed by inhaling vapor directly into the lungs with no stops between, and produce a chest filling sensation along with that push at the back of the throat. As a result of being able to inhale a greater amount of vapor, this method produces much bigger clouds.

The kind of hardware necessary for this style of vaping is also significantly different. Generally, the lower the resistance of the atomizer in your device, the smoother and more comfortable a lung hit will be. Additionally, devices intended for this style of vaping also need either adjustable airflow or fairly open fixed airflow; after all, a deep inhalation into the lungs isn’t really a practical move when the vapor itself is difficult to inhale due to restricted airflow through the device.

One last note on hardware: as the power of your device increases and the resistance of your atomizer decreases, nicotine delivery from your eliquid becomes far more efficient. This means that you’ll want to decrease the nicotine strength in the eliquids you purchase. I like nicotine, but a lung hit of 24mg nic strength eliquid is just too much of a good thing.

Conclusion

Now that you have a better understanding of these two terms, it may be time to explore the next level of hardware intended to enable both styles of vaping for you. You might find that mouth to lung hits are still the way you want to go; then again, you might try taking deep, satisfyingly smooth lung hits and fall in love with vaping all over again. The next level of devices, featuring variable power, temperature control, and adjustable airflow will open that choice up for you to explore.

Introduction

The next step up in vaping hardware from pen based systems is into the realm of regulated mods. As before, each “next level” of capability brings with it another layer of complexity. But, also like before, the benefits of acquiring this new set of knowledge make it well worth your time to do so.

Regulated mods bring with them one or all of the following features: variable voltage, variable wattage (sometimes called variable power), and temperature control. I’d like to take a few moments of your time to give just a brief overview of these features, roughly how they work, and what they mean for your personal vaping experience.

Variable Voltage

This was the first advanced user-selectable feature introduced to vaping; it even pre-dates the mainstream rise of airflow control. Using variable voltage, the user can select how much voltage is delivered to the atomizer attached to the mod. This requires the user to perform some mathematics, specifically the application of Ohm’s Law. I’m going to revisit Ohm’s Law when I tell you about un-regulated mods, because for those, knowing that calculation is an absolute must. But when it comes to regulated mods, variable voltage has been succeeded by the next topic:

Variable Wattage

Variable wattage, or variable power, has one immediate and overwhelming advantage over variable voltage: the entire point of adjusting voltage in a mod was to hit a specific level of wattage, or power, delivered to the atomizer. When power control boards (the microprocessors that put the ‘regulated’ into ‘regulated mods’) advanced enough, it was no longer necessary or much desirable to most vapers to do the math to hit a specific wattage target; they could simply select the wattage they wished to vape at.

But even variable power wasn’t fully what the industry was aiming for; the purpose of selecting the level of power delivered to the atomizer coil was to select how hot the coil would get and how quickly it would get that way, in order to truly maximize the efficiency of the atomization process. So there was one more trick the industry had up its sleeve:

Temperature Control

The most recent streamlining of the customized vaping experience, temperature control uses the latest advancements in power control boards to allow the user to select the temperature the atomizer coil should reach, bypassing the math or guesswork of both variable voltage and variable wattage. One of the truly enjoyable things about vaping using temperature control is that you can customize the heat of your vapor to really do justice to different eliquids, or even to enhance different flavor characteristics in just one eliquid.

As I type this, I’m vaping from a device set to heat the atomizer coil to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, because I’m vaping a tobacco flavor, and I like tobacco flavors to be delivered hot. If I were to vape a combination mint and cucumber flavor, I would dial it down to under 400 degrees, to enjoy a cooler vape with that more delicate flavor.

Conclusion

Regulated mods with advanced functionality such as variable voltage, variable wattage, and/or temperature control can seem pretty intimidating when you pick one up for the first time. But hopefully, now that you’ve read this, they’ll seem a lot less overwhelming and a lot more rewarding. As always, thank you for reading, and I’ll see you again soon.

Introduction

Pod-based systems like the Cync are a great place to start your vaping journey. But as time goes by and your experience level increases, you’ll discover a whole world of options. As we’ve covered, one of the first of these is in your choice of flavors.

While pod systems allow you to select from a few flavors, more advanced tank-based systems are wide open to the use of any eliquid flavor you can imagine. Let’s take a moment to look at one of the best and most intuitive of the eGo style systems available, the Ego AIO.

Kit Overview

The Ego AIO is an All-In-One system, meaning that the 1600mAh battery portion features an integrated 2ml capacity tank, rather than a connector for a separate tank. This keeps the device powerful yet simple to set up and operate.

The kit arrives with the battery, the tank, two 0.6 ohm Cubis SS316 (316 stainless steel) coil heads, two drip tips (one spiral, one glass) one micro-USB charging cable, and a user manual.

The tank portion of the AIO also features adjustable airflow, enabling you to adjust the tightness of the draw to your liking.

Specs & Features

Starting from the top of the device, you have a drip tip which is press-fit into the top cap. The device comes with two drip tips — the glass one is fully open, while the color-matching one is internally shaped to “sculpt” the path of the vapor passing through.

The top cap itself is the airflow adjustment system. A pair of dots will be aligned when the airflow is all the way open — twisting the top cap either clockwise or counterclockwise will allow you to constrict the airflow to your desired level. The top cap is also child-resistant, and requires you to press down before turning it to unscrew it and expose the interior of the tank itself. At the underside of the top cap, you’ll find the atomizer head. At the base of the inside of the tank resides an LED which illuminates the tank each time the firing button is pressed, both to indicate that the device is firing as well as for added style.

On the battery itself, below the tank portion, you’ll find a pleasantly clicky square button for functions such as powering the device on or off, firing the device, and adjusting the color of the LED. On the side of the battery opposite the firing button, you’ll find the micro-USB charging port as well as a line that intersects the glass of the tank. This line is extremely important, as it indicates the maximum level you should fill the tank to.

Setup, Use, Maintenance

After unboxing the AIO, setup is quick and easy. Simply plug the micro-USB cable into a power source such as your computer, then plug the opposite end into the AIO’s battery. Unscrew the top cap from the tank and drip a small amount of your favorite eliquid directly into the cotton wick inside the atomizer head; this is known as “priming” and should be done each time you install a new atomizer head into a tank, as it accelerates the time needed before your eliquid fully saturates the wick and your device becomes ready for use.

When filling the tank, pay special attention to the line which intersects the tank glass in the back. That line indicates the maximum level you can fill the tank to without causing it to overflow when you put the top cap back on.

Give the atomizer approximately five minutes for the wick to be completely saturated with your eliquid.

After this setup process has been completed (which takes approximately seven or eight minutes including the brief wait time for your atomizer to be fully saturated with eliquid) the Ego AIO is as easy to use as the pod-based system you’re already used to. Just click the fire button five times to turn it on or off, and press to fire.

Real World Performance

My time with the Ego AIO has been a genuine pleasure. For the vaper just moving beyond pod-based systems, the breakthrough change here will be the ability to use any eliquid you like rather than only those flavors which come in the system’s pre-filled pods. But one thing you’ll also discover is that the larger, more robust atomizers in sub-ohm tanks deliver stronger and more vivid flavor, bigger clouds, and stronger, more satisfying throat hit.

Even for a long time vaper such as myself, the system’s small size and dead-simple usage — just one airflow control ring and one button — makes the Ego AIO the perfect pocket vape for those times when I don’t feel like carting around a full sized mod.

Price & Availability

The Ego AIO is actually available in two models, identical all except for colorways and price tags.

1.Standard AIO Kit: Available in Silver, Black, Black/Grey, Black/White, and Red/White for $19.95 plus shipping

1.Stylish AIO Kit: Available in Dazzling, Brushed Gunmetal, Chino, Black/White Crackle, Black/Bronze Crackle, White/Gold Crackle, Black/Gold Crackle, Brushed Bronze, Camo, and Woodgrain for $29.95 plus shipping

Conclusion

As your first step beyond pod based systems, there are few better than the Joyetech Ego AIO. It remains portable and powerful, but I want to reiterate that the real breakout feature here is that, unlike with pod based systems, the flavor and nicotine strength of the eliquid you use with it is entirely up to you. Freedom from smoking, plus the freedom to choose the flavor that suits you best? There’s no such thing as too much freedom!

Photo Credit: @wireguy

One of the first challenges you’ll face when moving beyond all-in-ones, cigarette-lookalikes, or pod-based systems is choosing which eliquid you want to use, because with sub-ohm tanks, the choice is now entirely up to you.

To Bacco, Or Not To Bacco, That Is The Question

Photo Credit: @wireguy

One of the biggest topics of debate about which kind of eliquid a vaper should choose while leaving smoking behind in favor of vaping is: Tobacco flavor or non-tobacco flavor? Because making this change in your life is a very personal choice, this is something only you can answer for yourself, but here was my answer, for myself:

When I switched, I wanted it to be comfortable. I wanted to fool my addiction to tobacco, and by continuing to taste a tobacco-like flavor when I vaped, I was able to do that more easily. But there’s one thing a tobacco flavored vape doesn’t taste like: tobacco smoke. It tastes the way a cigarette smells, that sweet, savory, slightly nutty scent. Tobacco flavored vapor actually tastes better while tricking your addiction into ignoring the difference.

A Place To Start

Whether you choose a tobacco flavor as your first eliquid or another flavor, there are some things you need to consider when it comes to nicotine strength and the “PG/VG content” in your eliquid. I’ll take a moment to explain that last one, very briefly:

• PG is Propylene Glycol. (Yes, it’s in some things you shouldn’t consume, but it isn’t the reason you shouldn’t consume them.) It strengthens the flavor and helps with the sensation at the back of your throat when you inhale that makes vaping feel like smoking.
• VG is Vegetable Glycerine. It’s primarily responsible for the visual body of the vapor.

A basic rule of thumb is this: The lower the resistance of your atomizer, especially sub-ohm atomizers, the higher you want the VG content of your eliquid to be. So if you have a sub-ohm tank, look for eliquid that’s described as “high VG” or “max VG”.

when it comes to nicotine strength, the same guideline applies: The lower the resistance, the more efficiently nicotine is delivered in the vapor, so the lower you want the nicotine strength to be. You want to satisfy that craving, but nobody I know of enjoys that light headed, almost queasy feeling from getting too much nicotine too quickly.

Here’s a sample recommendation, and you can start with it, then adjust to fit your tastes: If you were a pack a day smoker and now have a device with a sub-ohm tank, packing an atomizer with a resistance of 0.5 ohms or less, go with a max VG liquid in 6mg nicotine strength.

Sample, Sample, Sample

Photo Credit: @wireguy

Finding what vapers call your “All Day Vape” is a matter of trying liquids that sound like what you’ll enjoy, then sticking with the ones you consider winners. But that doesn’t have to break the bank. Most liquids come in all kinds of sizes, from 10 milliliters all the way up to 120ml. So try some sample packs, or individually the little 15ml sizes. You’ll pretty quickly discover a favorite flavor and/or a favorite brand. From there, let your tastebuds be your guide.

Conclusion

The world of eliquids is incredibly vast, filled with flavors you could spend years exploring and enjoying. I hope this short read has given you some useful advice on how to get started.

There usually comes a point, for most vapers, where curiosity takes hold. You may find yourself looking at more advanced systems and wondering what it would be like to hold one in your hand, to use it, to see what it offers that the pod based system doesn’t.

You may be ready to satisfy that curiosity; if you are, here are a few things you should know that will prepare you.

Pen Style Systems

In function, pen style vaporizers aren’t that different from pod based systems. In form, they’re almost identical except for the size of the parts. While pod based systems use batteries that almost disappear in your hand, pen style systems use a long, cylindrical battery, which powers a sub-ohm tank. The battery itself features a firing button, a micr-USB charging port, and a connection for the tank.

This tank consists most commonly of a mouthpiece (sometimes called a drip tip) a top cap, a glass wall, an airflow adjustment system, an atomizer coil head, and a base that screws onto your battery or mod.

Changing The Atomizer Head

Because an atomizer coil head essentially acts the same way the filament in an incandescent lightbulb does (electricity is pumped through a coil of wire surrounding eliquid-soaked cotton wick, causing the wire to heat up until it turns eliquid into vapor) these heads have to periodically be thrown away and replaced.

In modern sub-ohm tanks, this is generally as simple as emptying the tank, removing the base from the glass wall, then unscrewing the old head from the base and screwing the new one in. Reassemble and refill the tank, give it about five minutes for the eliquid to fully saturate the wick, and you’re good to go.

Sub-Ohm: What It Means

Electrical resistance in a wire is measured in Ohms; when electrical resistance is measure in less than 1 Ohm, these measurements are said to be “sub-ohm”. Typically, the lower the resistance of an atomizer head, the more quickly it reaches the optimum temperature to atomizer eliquid and the “harder hitting” the resulting vapor is; meaning that nicotine is delivered more efficiently, the vapor is warmer, flavor is more full and vivid, and the clouds of vapor are bigger and more full looking.

The Benefits

Pen style vaporizers, as mentioned above, have a more regular upkeep routine than pod based vaporizers. You need to keep the tank from being empty, unless you mean to change the atomizer head, which you’ll also want to do regularly — depending on the atomizer heads your tank uses, this could be anywhere from once every week or so to once every month or so — different brands have different lifespans.

What you gain, however, is not a small thing: pen style vaporizers have longer battery life, can carry more liquid inside their tanks, the tanks can be filled with eliquid in the flavor and nicotine strength of your choice, and that all adds up to a vaping experienced that’s more powerful, longer lasting, and chosen by you to suit your exact tastes.

Conclusion

If you’re ready to try the more powerful pen style vaporizer, I hope this has helped you with the knowledge you need to know to make your choice the best one for you. Take a look at the link at the top of the page to see what Kidney Puncher has to offer you for your next great vape.

Introduction

When I first switched from smoking to vaping, there were a few things that took some getting used to. Some were a little tough to get past — for a couple days, at least — but most really amazed me, and it takes a lot to amaze me.

I’d like to lay out what most vapers encounter in the early days, so that you’ll hopefully know what to expect, what to conquer, and what you can look forward to celebrating.

The Tough Part

One of the things that you’ll notice almost immediately about vaping is that it feels a little different, and I mean that some of the physical sensations are actually different. The feeling of moist, warm vapor is quite a change from inhaling hot, dry smoke. The first half dozen hits I took from a Halo G6, which was the first vape that actually worked well for me, gave me coughing fits — but because it’s moist instead of dry. You might have that same reaction to it.

Let me reassure you that that’s normal. Your body is reacting to it that way simply because it’s not used to the sensation of inhaling vapor yet. The way I overcame that, and this might work for you as well, is to take the hit, then hold it and inhale slowly. Let your body get used to the new sensation. It takes time, but if you stick with it, you’ll eventually discover that it’s actually less harsh than the burning sensation cigarette smoke produces.

Another difference is that, unlike cigarettes, the kind of hardware that’s going to really work for you isn’t disposable. What this means is that you’ll have to get into the habit of charging batteries and changing pods or atomizer coil heads. These habits aren’t really that hard to acquire, though — you already charge your phone and have to remember to change lightbulbs; this isn’t really all that different.

The Easy Part

Let me share an example to illustrate this part: When I smoked, I actually had a computer go belly-up because of it. The cooling fan sucked up so much cigarette smoke that the tar residue had visibly discolored the inside of the case and coated the logic board, killing the computer. That doesn’t happen anymore.

When I still smoked, I would light a cigarette but be satisfied after a puff or two. The choices were then either smoke more than I wanted to right then, or put it out and either waste it or smoke a stale, disgusting tasting butt later. Now, I take a hit or two from my vape and put it down until I want another. No vaping until I’m sick, no waste, no stale, gross taste.

Third, I no longer have to choose between either walking around with a crushed-out butt in my hand or pocket until I find an ashtray (and those are becoming vanishingly rare as more and more places crack down on smoking) or just drop it and contribute to making a mess.

Whatever else may be a matter of debate right now, vaping is just more convenient, in practically every way, than the habit you’ve chosen to walk away from.

Conclusion

The journey you’ve started has its hurdles; but the benefits so massively outshine them that, if you stand by it, you can conquer those hurdles and reap those benefits. And I’ll be here to give you advice and encouragement to do just that.

Photo Credit: @wireguy

Vaping is a lot of things to different people. For some of us, it’s a hobby. For others, a community. But it’s important to remember what vaping was about when each of us first started.

Why I Switched

When I first started, I didn’t want to. I was more or less coerced into quitting cigarettes, but I had no intention of quitting nicotine. The apartment complex I lived in banned smoking inside the premises, allowing them only on the sidewalk outside the front gate.

This meant that I had one of three choices: walk down three flights of stairs, out of the gate, smoke a cigarette, then re-enter my gate code and walk back up three flights of steps. That was about 10 minutes worth of smoking-related activity, every 45 minutes or so.

My second option was to continue to smoke in the apartment and just pray that I never needed to call maintenance, that I was never visited by the on-site property manager, or that I would never be inspected. Fat chance of any of those things going my way.

My third option was to find a way to consume nicotine that didn’t involve smoking. I had already tried Swedish snus at that point, but it didn’t quite do the trick for me. It lacked the full smoking “ritual”, the habituated series of actions: lift the cigarette to the mouth, inhale, exhale, hold the cigarette.

Then I remembered something I’d tried about three years before, just as a novelty: An electronic device that looked and acted like a cigarette. I won’t name names, but the cigarette-lookalike had arrived with one battery with dismal performance and one cartomizer that died after I’d inhaled from it a measly three times.

The point was, there was something out there that felt a lot like smoking — without being smoking. And since the technology had to have improved in the intervening years — and with no choice — it was time to give it another try.

Where I Am Now

Photo Credit: @wireguy

As I write this, I’m occasionally hitting an extremely stylish 220-watt variable-power and temperature-control mod with a sub-ohm tank. I haven’t touched a cigarette since 2012, and you couldn’t pay me to take a drag from one now.

I’ve written a book focused on helping smokers to get started with vaping; I write for an internationally-distributed print magazine all about vaping, and I’ve made more friends in this industry and in the community which has emerged because of it than I ever expected. In short, this choice that was thrust upon me is a choice which I’ve embraced, one which has almost certainly saved my life and enabled me to lend a hand in saving the lives of others.

Why I’m Here

Today, I’m grateful to begin to share with you. I’ll be sharing vaping-related stories with you, from basic information to help new vapers to make the most of their journey, to offer some commentary on the industry and the community, politically nonpartisan commentary on regulation and advocacy, and discussion of product trends and how to make the most of them.

I look forward to being a source of entertainment and information for you, and I hope to hear from you in turn with your questions and comments.

-John C.

There are a plethora of mods to choose from when selecting your next device, and a lot of questions can come to mind. The best question to ask yourself when you are shopping for a new device is “What do you want your new device to do for you?”

Do you want it to have a long-lasting battery? Is replacing and removing batteries a concern for you? Or would you rather just plug in a micro USB? Do you want a smaller device that fits well in the pocket or do you mind a large device that is bulky? Are you interested in the potential of growing into a mod or do you want a basic push and go? It is no different than going into your local cell phone retailer and picking between an iPhone and an Android. The iPhone is an easy to operate device with a sleek look. The android is bigger and sometimes more complicated but has a lot of options for customization.

If you are fairly new to vaping, your biggest concern will most likely be quick to learn and easy to maintain devices such as the Joyetech AIO or any Kangertech full set up such as the Subox Nano Kit, Cupti, and the Topbox Nano or Mini. The goal for most people here is to not break the bank on a setup to try and see if you like it. And the transition can sometimes be easier if you get a device that more closely mimics your previous habits. My favorite is the Kangertech Cupti because it is an upgrade from the Nebox with an internal tank, the battery life is about a solid day, and the mod is small enough to fit even in the smallest of pockets. Some companies are even offering the colored replacement glass which is a fun way to customize any device to truly make it yours. Both companies are known for easy to understand and durable devices.

The intermediate vaper will probably be more interested in battery life and the best options for their style of vaping depend on whether they are vaping more for clouds or flavor. Someone who is considered a cloud chaser is someone who primarily looks for cloud production whereas someone who is considered a flavor chaser wants to taste all the different concentrates that their e-juice is composed of.

Another concern for any vaper is the cost. If you have a large budget then you have more options and can upgrade into a DNA or SXJ chip set and could go with something like the Reuleaux DNA 200 from Wismec. However, if you are looking for something a bit cheaper and has great battery life due to the exchange of two batteries to three the Wismec RX2/3 is almost like getting two mods in one and thanks to the upgraded chip from the Wismec RX200S, the battery life even with two batteries lasts longer than the previous three battery model. Battery life depends on the batteries but also the chip because it regulates the drainage and the upgraded chip is more efficient in battery drainage. If color schemes are important, then you are in luck, because the Wismec RX2/3 comes in 6 different colors.

Personally, this writer just purchased his first new device in about a year and a half to try the new products on the market and let me tell you, I wish these devices were available when I first started. I purchased the Smok G-Priv kit which comes with a protective silicon case, TFV8 Big Baby Beast, and of course the 220W G-Priv device. I am incredibly impressed with the performance of the touchscreen on the device and the TFV8 Big Baby Beast. I run my tank at 100 Watts and my device lasts over 24 hours with my amount of usage. My flavor and cloud production on the device are just where my preference is and I was able to pick up a red replacement glass to finish my look. My advice when shopping for a new device is to not follow the popular trends unless you are planning on buying a new device every other week. It is constantly changing and new ideas are being developed. I would do your research and feel the device in your hand because it comes down to what works for you, not what everyone else is buying.

By now you are asking yourself what truly is the best device for me? The answer, as with most things in vaping, is it depends on the person. Figure out which features are the most important to you, be it battery life, size, or the draw on the device. By figuring out which problems you are looking for a new device to solve, you can figure out which features are most important to you, and make your selection based on that. There are a ridiculous amount of options in the vape game these days, just figure out what is most important to you, and select the best device for you!

New Vapers usually look for:

• Ease of use
• Portable
• Availability of spare parts / coil heads
• Tighter on the draw (optional but can mimic similar habits and make the transition easier)

Great options include: Joyetech AIO and the Kangertech Cupti

Experienced Vapers usually look for:

• Battery Life
• Functionality
• Looks

Recommended: Depends on what you’re looking for but something like a Wismec 2/3 or a Smok G-Priv Kit