I Vape
Vaping 101: Part I - What to Expect When Starting
I was a long time tobacco user. It’s been a long time since I quit smoking, but I moved to smokeless (chew) tobacco use in order to quit. Eventually, I quit that too. However, sometime ca 2008, I started chew again. I started vaping early 2018, and have been tobacco free for 6 months (m/l).
First of all, if you think vaping is going to free you from the monetary shackles of exorbitant tobacco prices; think again. While vaping can certainly be cheaper in the long run depending on the direction you choose (the more you move towards rebuildable’s and liquid mixing the cheaper; think rolling your own), initial outlays can be expensive. In addition, the choices can be head spinning.
A decent kit (battery pack and tank) can be in the $75+ range, depending on the bells and whistles of the unit. More features, more $$. If you just want to add liquid and go, you can probably find something good in the $30-$50 range.
A vape shop is going to be more expensive than online, but I recommend finding a decent place when starting out with a friendly staff that is willing to spend time advising. Just keep in mind that a lot of the experienced vapers are 20-somethings. The first time I walked into a place, I noticed 3 things; 1) there’s a fog in the place since we have no restrictions on indoor vaping, and 2) they can be a hangout for younger vapers, and 3) I was the oldest person in the place.
I also recommend having a vape “buddy”. If you know someone with experience, they might even be willing to “donate” one of their old units to you. Believe me, an experienced vaper probably has a box full of old mods and tanks, especially if they’re into keeping up with the latest and greatest. I had one, but being the kind of person who likes learning by doing (and make my own mistakes), didn’t consult with him enough.
The following are some observations in starting out, your mileage may vary:
1. Vape shops want to sell you something. It may not be a good thing. It may not be something they’ve even tried. Think about it this way; stuff collecting dust on their shelves isn’t paying their rent. To protect yourself, don’t impulse buy, get a recommendation, note it, and then move to #4 before making a choice.
2. Many vape shops carry high-end only. They cater to experienced vapers. That equates to limited selections. Look for a place that has a decent selection from low-end pod-mods to high end rebuildable’s.
3. If they seem like they don’t know what they’re talking about, they don’t. I went to a local shop where a guy had his Mom working the store. A good tell is if the person working the place is vaping.
4. Watch some vape vids. There are many on Youtube. Just keep in mind a lot of those folks get their stuff for free, and most things are fine out of the box. That doesn’t mean it will last or have a bunch of issues. The person on the vid ultimately wants more free stuff, and bad reviews don’t invite more free stuff.
5. Dime store (gas station, drug store) vape pens and such are nice cheap entries when figuring out if you like vaping, but think of them as a bridge to bigger and better things especially if you're trying to kick tobacco.
6. Not everyone can handle the vape liquids. The 2 main liquids in vape are propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG). Some people have intolerance to these liquids. For instance, a common side-effect of PG is dehydration.
7. Expect an initial cost of $300+ to get started. Yes, you heard me right. In Part II, you’ll get a better idea as to why, but I’m hoping as I go through my experiences, you’ll save some money.
8. It’s going to take time to quit a tobacco habit, set expectations low.
Disclaimer: My posts should not be construed as promoting vaping. My posts are intended to help those looking to a (possibly) safer alternative to tobacco use which has been linked to critical health risks. Vaping can have side effects too. Also, I am not responsible for anything, proceed at your own risk, the safest choice is to avoid any and all habits like tobacco and vaping.
I was a long time tobacco user. It’s been a long time since I quit smoking, but I moved to smokeless (chew) tobacco use in order to quit. Eventually, I quit that too. However, sometime ca 2008, I started chew again. I started vaping early 2018, and have been tobacco free for 6 months (m/l).
First of all, if you think vaping is going to free you from the monetary shackles of exorbitant tobacco prices; think again. While vaping can certainly be cheaper in the long run depending on the direction you choose (the more you move towards rebuildable’s and liquid mixing the cheaper; think rolling your own), initial outlays can be expensive. In addition, the choices can be head spinning.
A decent kit (battery pack and tank) can be in the $75+ range, depending on the bells and whistles of the unit. More features, more $$. If you just want to add liquid and go, you can probably find something good in the $30-$50 range.
A vape shop is going to be more expensive than online, but I recommend finding a decent place when starting out with a friendly staff that is willing to spend time advising. Just keep in mind that a lot of the experienced vapers are 20-somethings. The first time I walked into a place, I noticed 3 things; 1) there’s a fog in the place since we have no restrictions on indoor vaping, and 2) they can be a hangout for younger vapers, and 3) I was the oldest person in the place.
I also recommend having a vape “buddy”. If you know someone with experience, they might even be willing to “donate” one of their old units to you. Believe me, an experienced vaper probably has a box full of old mods and tanks, especially if they’re into keeping up with the latest and greatest. I had one, but being the kind of person who likes learning by doing (and make my own mistakes), didn’t consult with him enough.
The following are some observations in starting out, your mileage may vary:
1. Vape shops want to sell you something. It may not be a good thing. It may not be something they’ve even tried. Think about it this way; stuff collecting dust on their shelves isn’t paying their rent. To protect yourself, don’t impulse buy, get a recommendation, note it, and then move to #4 before making a choice.
2. Many vape shops carry high-end only. They cater to experienced vapers. That equates to limited selections. Look for a place that has a decent selection from low-end pod-mods to high end rebuildable’s.
3. If they seem like they don’t know what they’re talking about, they don’t. I went to a local shop where a guy had his Mom working the store. A good tell is if the person working the place is vaping.
4. Watch some vape vids. There are many on Youtube. Just keep in mind a lot of those folks get their stuff for free, and most things are fine out of the box. That doesn’t mean it will last or have a bunch of issues. The person on the vid ultimately wants more free stuff, and bad reviews don’t invite more free stuff.
5. Dime store (gas station, drug store) vape pens and such are nice cheap entries when figuring out if you like vaping, but think of them as a bridge to bigger and better things especially if you're trying to kick tobacco.
6. Not everyone can handle the vape liquids. The 2 main liquids in vape are propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG). Some people have intolerance to these liquids. For instance, a common side-effect of PG is dehydration.
7. Expect an initial cost of $300+ to get started. Yes, you heard me right. In Part II, you’ll get a better idea as to why, but I’m hoping as I go through my experiences, you’ll save some money.
8. It’s going to take time to quit a tobacco habit, set expectations low.
Disclaimer: My posts should not be construed as promoting vaping. My posts are intended to help those looking to a (possibly) safer alternative to tobacco use which has been linked to critical health risks. Vaping can have side effects too. Also, I am not responsible for anything, proceed at your own risk, the safest choice is to avoid any and all habits like tobacco and vaping.
