Anyone remember when a "starter kit" was actually for beginners?

[mattiem]

I think that the simple starter kit reached it's peak with the Ego/Ego twist and simple top fill clearos. Not optimum flavor, not cool, just easy to use and maintain. Unscrew the battery and charge it, unscrew the top cap and fill it.

Ironically, the people still smoking that have resisted vaping up to this point are the ones that need simplicity the most. Late adopters of technology are typically the least interested in the details and will only tolerate a short learning curve. They just want an easy option and will likely abandon setups that require much knowledge or fiddling to use them.

Seeing veteran vapers return to ECF recently and get overwhelmed makes it obvious that simple solutions for smokers are difficult to search out among all the interesting but unnecessary options. When those with quite a bit of experience can't sort out the current stuff, how does a smoker who is late in starting out going to succeed? They are just trying to replace smoking with a safer alternative. Compared to a patch or a pill, it's gotten much more complicated to get an appropriate first setup let alone keep it working well.

We've gotten so involved in our various preferences that we tend to forget when were were among those that want a small cigarette like experience and genuinely need it to make that big first step away from smoking. I think many of our recommendations to newbies scare them off. Most of us here on ECF started off with simple gear and many grew to wanting more as we learned more. We should encourage new vapers to walk before telling them to run so they can gradually get to where they are comfortable as they learn more. Every new vaper we overwhelm with powerful complex setups who returns to smoking is a sad loss IMO.

This is so 'zactly correct and so well stated.

 

[jfcooley]

May I give my 2¢ as a new vaper?

I spoke to a few people before starting to get an idea of what it was I wanted to get into. A friend sold me his iCare and I tried it for a few days. It was small and worked well enough for me to decide I wanted to stop smoking and vape. Wasn't a good starter for me though. I found I prefer DTL and it just didn't do much for me.

Armed with what little knowledge I had from that and reading I made my way to the Vape Shop. The iCare was there, but so we're a multitude of shiney cool looking gadgets the geek in me spazzed over.

I talked with the owner for a bit and she elected to recommend the Smoke qBox. Bought it and headed home.

That little box proved to be a huge pain. Just didn't work right. So I went back and swapped for a Revenger.

I know some may feel that's a bit much for a few days old vaper, but I found it works perfectly for my style. I ended up pairing it with a Big Baby Beast and haven't looked back. Since the BBB came with a rebuildable deck I've started looking at making my own coils. Searching for more info on the Revenger led me here. Here I've read about DIY juice, starting that in about a month.

I guess my point is that a kit depends on the person. Unlike your father I like all things I can fiddle with and learn from. My kit started me down the road to be fully immersed in vaping. From building coils, making juice, learning about batteries, & finding a forum with all the info I need, I think it did what it stated...started me vaping.

 

[dbrandt01]

May I give my 2¢ as a new vaper?

I spoke to a few people before starting to get an idea of what it was I wanted to get into. A friend sold me his iCare and I tried it for a few days. It was small and worked well enough for me to decide I wanted to stop smoking and vape. Wasn't a good starter for me though. I found I prefer DTL and it just didn't do much for me.

Armed with what little knowledge I had from that and reading I made my way to the Vape Shop. The iCare was there, but so we're a multitude of shiney cool looking gadgets the geek in me spazzed over.

I talked with the owner for a bit and she elected to recommend the Smoke qBox. Bought it and headed home.

That little box proved to be a huge pain. Just didn't work right. So I went back and swapped for a Revenger.

I know some may feel that's a bit much for a few days old vaper, but I found it works perfectly for my style. I ended up pairing it with a Big Baby Beast and haven't looked back. Since the BBB came with a rebuilds let deck I've started looking at making my own coils. Searching for more info on the Revenger led me here. Here I've read about DIY juice, starting that in about a month.

I guess my point is that a kit depends on the person. Unlike your father I like all things I can fiddle with and learn from. My kit started me down the road to be fully immersed in vaping. From building coils, making juice, learning about batteries, & finding a forum with all the info I need, I think it did what it stated...started me vaping.

That is the beauty of vaping, but I guess most of what I was basing my original post off of was my dads experience, also his friends that I've helped. My dad prefers a DTL vape also. The kit that really sparked the light was an eGrip. I believe I mentioned earlier, he then switched to an iStick 50w and Atlantis sub ohm tank. That started the fire to "i can do this, I can quit smoking" especially when it was paired with 18mg unflavored. He's now at 15mg and debating on making another drop or trying to.

My dad loves tinkering with things, however... for him to handle kanthal to build his own coils. To teach him how to use an ohm meter. That's a path he doesn't want to even attempt. He has no desire to learn how to DIY. He's bought the nicotine I have so I can make it for him. Upwards of 3 240ml bottles at times.

One day he was curious of the Reo squonker. Let's say that didn't go over well. Tried to teach him to make unflavored right next to me as I was making one. He struggled with that. I wish he could do stuff like that. It would be something to keep him busy when he's bored.

 

[jfcooley]

I get what your saying.

Oddly my wife (never smoked) is interested in DIY juices. I see it as another bonding experience.

I do like we can be as involved or uninvolved in this experience as we feel we need. I have a co-worker who isn't interested in the slightest in anything beyond drop ins and purchasing juice. He likes his vape, but just wants to vape.

At least you got him going.

 

[CMD-Ky]

Precisely, my daughter buys coils (or gets me to make them for an "Erl"), pre-mixed juice and uses a regulated. I make my coils, DIY the juice and use a mechanical. We are both satisfied and neither of us smoke.

I get what your saying.

Oddly my wife (never smoked) is interested in DIY juices. I see it as another bonding experience.

I do like we can be as involved or uninvolved in this experience as we feel we need. I have a co-worker who isn't interested in the slightest in anything beyond drop ins and purchasing juice. He likes his vape, but just wants to vape.

At least you got him going.

 

[CMD-Ky]

I got off cigarettes with a "GreenSmoke" the simplest of the simple. Then I moved to pulling the plug out of the pre-filled cartridge and dropping juice in. Then I found ECF and moved on to other things but without the simple to start I'd still be a smoker.

I think that the simple starter kit reached it's peak with the Ego/Ego twist and simple top fill clearos. Not optimum flavor, not cool, just easy to use and maintain. Unscrew the battery and charge it, unscrew the top cap and fill it.

Ironically, the people still smoking that have resisted vaping up to this point are the ones that need simplicity the most. Late adopters of technology are typically the least interested in the details and will only tolerate a short learning curve. They just want an easy option and will likely abandon setups that require much knowledge or fiddling to use them.

Seeing veteran vapers return to ECF recently and get overwhelmed makes it obvious that simple solutions for smokers are difficult to search out among all the interesting but unnecessary options. When those with quite a bit of experience can't sort out the current stuff, how does a smoker who is late in starting out going to succeed? They are just trying to replace smoking with a safer alternative. Compared to a patch or a pill, it's gotten much more complicated to get an appropriate first setup let alone keep it working well.

We've gotten so involved in our various preferences that we tend to forget when were were among those that want a small cigarette like experience and genuinely need it to make that big first step away from smoking. I think many of our recommendations to newbies scare them off. Most of us here on ECF started off with simple gear and many grew to wanting more as we learned more. We should encourage new vapers to walk before telling them to run so they can gradually get to where they are comfortable as they learn more. Every new vaper we overwhelm with powerful complex setups who returns to smoking is a sad loss IMO.

 

[PJReid]

I wish they'd bring back the Innokin Coolfires for example. At least all sites I trust don't have them anymore

Which version of the Coolfire would you want for your Dad or was that a throw away comment? I have several in a box of things I will probably never use again. Two are Coolfire lV 100 with the built-in battery and two are the travel kit 75 watt that uses a single 18650 battery. I think I also have the 40 watt version with the built-in battery but if I recall correctly, it is pink. If you really are interested in one, let me know. I have been thinking of posting some of my extras in the classified section here but haven't gotten around to it.

I bought two of the travel kits for two guys who paint for me. Both were newbies to vaping at the time. Unfortunately, the last time I talked to the one I have known forever, he only uses it when he can't smoke ciggies. Disappointing, but I tried.

 

[TheCanuckVaper]

I'm going in the other direction.......from sub ohm to above ohm.I vape a lot and feel I use to much liquid with sub ohm.

 

[ToolmanTexas]

I'm going in the other direction.......from sub ohm to above ohm.I vape a lot and feel I use to much liquid with sub ohm.

Join us over at:
Tootle Puffers, Part Three! (The Sequel of the Redux)

Did the same, went away from MTL to DTL and back to MTL.

 

[Katya]

So this forum is the only place i have to vent haha

Vent away, dear. And I agree wholeheartedly--they are going nuts. This too shall pass, I hope.

Here is a mod that says "222W device powered by five 18650 batteries (sold separately) "

Kanger FIVE6 5 Battery 6 Coil Starter Kit | Vape Kits

 

[Katya]

Every new vaper we overwhelm with powerful complex setups who returns to smoking is a sad loss IMO.

Amen.

 

[RainSong]

I'm going in the other direction.......from sub ohm to above ohm.I vape a lot and feel I use to much liquid with sub ohm.

That was my beginnings too. Now I'm completely comfy being a tootle puffer.

 

[Katya]

I got off cigarettes with a "GreenSmoke" the simplest of the simple. Then I moved to pulling the plug out of the pre-filled cartridge and dropping juice in. Then I found ECF and moved on to other things but without the simple to start I'd still be a smoker.

Yup. I'm glad that I discovered vaping in 2009, when all we had were those silly cigalikes, we all used the same stuff and were able to help each other out. Now, when I visit New Members forum, I feel completely lost.

I was able to gradually change my vaping style to the point where I was really happy with my gear--from GreenSmoke all the way to sub-ohm and back to my sweet spot: more airflow, fillerless tanks, rebuildable coils, better wicking, thicker wire, TC, moderate resistance and wattage. But all that happened slowly, over time, with a lot of help from my fellow vapers. Now I know exactly what I like and I'm happy with my gear.

If somebody handed me a 5-battery mod with a 6-coil atty when I first started, I'd still be smoking for sure.

 

[dbrandt01]

Which version of the Coolfire would you want for your Dad or was that a throw away comment? I have several in a box of things I will probably never use again. Two are Coolfire lV 100 with the built-in battery and two are the travel kit 75 watt that uses a single 18650 battery. I think I also have the 40 watt version with the built-in battery but if I recall correctly, it is pink. If you really are interested in one, let me know. I have been thinking of posting some of my extras in the classified section here but haven't gotten around to it.

I bought two of the travel kits for two guys who paint for me. Both were newbies to vaping at the time. Unfortunately, the last time I talked to the one I have known forever, he only uses it when he can't smoke ciggies. Disappointing, but I tried.

I finally managed to find the eleaf iStick my dad has that he loves at a local shop. The one mod he has is the Coolfire IV but I think at the moment he might be set for a while. This should at least last him through his Key West winter trip.

 

[leftyandsparky]

I finally managed to find the eleaf iStick my dad has that he loves at a local shop. The one mod he has is the Coolfire IV but I think at the moment he might be set for a while. This should at least last him through his Key West winter trip.

That's good to hear!

 

[gofishtx]

Who remembers the old Joye Ego batteries with separate atomizer and a mouthpiece like a cigar tip? You would have to stuff the polyfill into the atomizer and then saturate it with e liquid and then put the mouthpiece on. If you got too much you had a mouthful. This is the set-up I quit smoking with. After this came the Ego T which had a small tank that your atomizer would poke into the tank. I would still sometimes get a mouthful of juice. These weren't the best but they worked. Then the Ego battery with a clearomizer, these were the best. The vaping industry has come along way since I 1st started in 2011.

 

[stols001]

I bought something similar with the Husband many years ago! My husband still kept one of his, I keep meaning to steal it, recharge it, and vape it! At least, I think it's something similar, a dripper of some sort. I quit for two weeks on those, then returned to work and Game Over. Heh. I need to figure out how to charge it first.... I'm definitely going to add it to the vacopalypse closet/time capsule though, after I vape it! All tobacco "flavors" 36 mg juice, etc... I have no clue what happened to mine, but that's usually how it goes... I'm trying to be more organized this time and I WANT to set up my beautiful mod organizer while simultaneously NOT wanting the husband to know how many atomizers and mods I *have* already, LOL. With that said, it needs to be done soonish....

We have come so far. Here's hoping I don't much enjoy vaping it, but I'm guessing I won't. Though it was all "new exciting!" at the time...

Anna

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

Okay, so now I have to know.... Just who were you before the name change? Is it a secret identity? Are you Clark Kent? Peter Parker? Are you Elvis? Please be Elvis Come on and tell. Inquiring minds want to know

It's in my sig.

 

[beckdg]

Guns don't kill people, virgins do! -Jim Jeffries

 

[leftyandsparky]

Guns don't kill people, virgins do! -Jim Jeffries

It doesn't show up on tap talk