I switched from smoking Pall Mall ultra lights (orange), to vaping, and I'm happy to report that it was a smooth transition, but I did learn a few things in the process, and while I've got more to learn, I thought I'd fill my pre-requisite 5 posts in this forum and share my experience.
My transition started innocently when I spotted a disposable electronic cigarette at the local gas station, where I used to pay $20 (US) for 3 packs of regular cigarettes. That day, I got two packs and a single disposable.
The disposable was an njoy, and I was really surprised at how effective it was, at replacing my regular cigarette, until... the battery died, about 8 hours after I bought it! It was supposed to be the equivalent to a whole pack of cigarettes! Did I really smoke a whole pack in a few hours? The warranty stated that I could return it, with a receipt, but who gets a receipt for a gas station purchase?
Out of curiosity, I looked up njoy, and after some research, found that there was another gas station in my area that also sold Njoy, so I went there, bought another Njoy (to make sure it wasn't possibly from the same bad batch) but that one died after 4 hours. I had a receipt that time. I started to wonder if I was puffing it wrong, but I don't think I was. For reference, I need a cigarette every two hours, before I get the jitters. It's a faulty product. Period. I was concerned about how much nicotine I might have just put myself through, but didn't feel any different.
I was still interested in making the transition to an electronic cigarette, but I was determined to find a better replacement. So after more searches, I came across several recommendations for Green Smokes ( www.greensmoke.com ), and even better, a step by step video on how to refill the cartridges myself (an appealing option if I wanted to extract some more savings).
So I ordered a Pro kit from Green Smokes, with a couple of Gold cartomizers, and an extra Red pack of cartomizer, just to make sure I could get a flavor choice, in case these tobacco flavors didn't work out. With cigarette prices here, the cost was the same, as if I had bought normal cigarettes. So far so good.
That was my second mistake. As much as the reviews made the product look promising, and really, it's not that bad, it turns out that a lot of reviews are biased. Many companies subsidize reviewers, and they get a benefit each time a sucker (like me) follows a link to a vendor, and makes a purchase. If you ever needed a reason to be a part of this forum, this is it.
The problem with Green Smoke is that there's only a few cartomizers that will fit on a Green Smoke battery. At $3 a piece, it was a fair deal for me, but not for my wife (who pays 3-4$ per pack), as she lives in another state (another story). I had to find something cheaper.
I also had another problem; I assumed that since I was smoking "ultra lights", that that's what I should order. Another mistake; they fell short on the nicotine, and I was getting the jitters. (e-cigarette nicotine absoption is 10 to 40% that of a normal cigarette). I had to find a fix, but I puffed a couple of my old cigarettes from that last pack, to hold me over. There was also another issue that would need to be solved; If I smoke through a cartomizer, I had no way of knowing just how many cigarettes I had just went through. So my advice, if you're making the switch, is to start with more nicotine, but be ready to switch back to your normal level.
A local tobacco shop I had seen had me curious; would they sell e-juice? I make a stop, and sure enough, they did! So I pick up a tobacco flavor, in 12 mg per mL (equivalent to a "light" cigarette), to fix my jitters. Pfew! Now I could refill my Green Smoke cartomizers with something that has enough nicotine to keep me steady. They also had a large assortment of glassware, some more than 3 feet tall; I have no idea why... other than medicinal mary-jane has recently been made legal here in Massachusetts.
After much more research, I came across V2 ( Electronic Cigarettes | V2 Cigs ). They sell adapters so that I can fit a standard cartomizer on my Green Smoke battery. In case you're curious, the Green Smoke threading is called KR808D-2 (a.k.a. an E9 e-cigarette style), while the (far) most popular threading is KR808D-1 (a.k.a. E8 style). They also sell pre-filled cartomizers at ~$2 each: a big saving over Green Smokes' $3 each. You should know what threading you're getting, when buying an e-cigarette!!!
So I bought the adapters from V2. While at it, knowing that I could refill these cartridges, and that Green Smoke cartomizers are hard to open for a refill, I added a bunch of blank cartomizers to my order. And yes, the rubber tip does make it a lot easier to refill. 20 drops to a refill, not more, even if it'll take it.
Now I was on the right track, but not quite there. I did come across several (legitimate) recommendations for Halo ( E-liquid | Electronic Cigarette | E Cig Liquid | Halo Cigs ), so I ordered a sampler (6 bottles of 7 mL) of their popular tobacco flavors. Shipping was quick, as I'm not that far from New Jersey. Tribeca turned out to be my favorite, and I didn't care much for the rest (none were bad, but nowhere near Tribeca).
And wouldn't you know it... they also sell a new system with a high capacity battery (I was charging my Green Smoke batteries twice per day), with an easy to fill tank with graduated measurements, holding up to 2.4 mL. Now I could have a measurement of what I'm smoking (errr... vaping). It's called Triton, and the threading is backwards compatible to 808D-1, so I could continue to use those cartomizers from V2, if I really wanted to (and I have).
I ordered a custom kit: 2 * 900 mAh batteries, 2 * tanks, and the USB charger, with a 30 mL bottle of that delicious Tribeca flavor. I skipped the regular kits, because I didn't need another wall adapter, or car adapter, and I didn't think I would miss the decorative cone (not really) and the carrying case had bad reviews. I would have ordered the larger battery, but it was out of stock. Something to note; the Triton system is *not* automatic, meaning that it will not turn on as you puff on it ("automatics" detect that you're sucking on them, and fire up the atomizer, then stop when you're done); you have to press a button, on Triton.
A side note; I'm sure lots of veterans would chime in at this point and say I should have gone the way of eGo threading systems, but my problem, you see, is that I spotted early on that a lot of these parts are metallic. Even the cartomizers!!! Throwing out a metal part hits me as a waste, and a big no-no. What got my attention with the Halo Triton system, is that the part that vaporizes the e-juice (or e-liquid), a.k.a the atomizer, is replaceable. Not only is it replaceable, but I have the option of using more or less powerful atomizers. It's a small metallic part. I'd also point out that while some veterans have become fans of "twin coil", the Triton system is a "single, top coil", which, compared to other models (i.e. Kangers, Nova, ...) that are bottom coils, is easier to refill, and doesn't leak. Tritons don't leak, except for when I fill them a little too much (I have to wipe the edge of the tip, as I screw it back on) and occasionally, a drop of liquid will find its way to the battery connector, but is easily cleaned between refills anyway.
Now, after having almost gone through that whole 30 mL bottle of Halo's Tribeca, my only complaints are:
1- I occasionally get a burnt taste, when I'm sucking hard on that Triton tank, and the liquid level is low. I expected that. I've also been neglecting the cleaning of the tank between refills (have yet to do it!)
2- because the battery voltage drops as it discharges, I don't get a consistent heat from my puffs. This would have been avoided if I had picked up the variable voltage battery, which would have allowed me to dial in the voltage that I want. It'll be a while before these batteries die, and need replacing. Oh well, it's really not a big deal.
3- I wish Halo would sell replacement tips; I tend to chew mine.
Otherwise, I usually charge one or both of the batteries, every day, which is a welcome relief from my (now retired) Green Smoke kit, which required 2 recharges, for each battery, every day. (As a backup, the Pro kit did come with a USB powered e-cig, for those odd moments when both batteries are out).
I don't have a lot of regrets about the Green smoke kit, because it gave me a real tobacco flavor to transition to, and I can now pass it on to someone else, but if I had known better, I would have started out with either a V2 kit, or a Halo G6 kit, refillable cartomizers, and maybe even a G6 tank. I wouldn't have minded the gourmet sampler, but definitely not a menthol sampler (I'm not a menthol fan).
The Triton system is much larger. The diameter is 14mm, instead of 8 or 9 mm (real cigarette size), as was my first kit, but those 8-9mm batteries are heavy, and it's hard to smoke them like a normal cigarette, because they're so heavy. The Triton system is even heavier, but is held differently, and is more instinctive. I'm sure that I would never have ordered a Triton as my first e-cig, because it looks so intimidating, but I'm on it now, with no desire to look back. I don't really miss the automatic feature either. The blue LED under the button was a welcome change from the goofy looking green LED at the end of the Green Smoke battery.
My next step is to order another 30 mL of Tribeca, in 12 mg/mL and a 30 mL @ 6 mg/mL; I'm having that "heart racing" symptom, if I puff the Tribeca too hard, so I know I can (and should) back down on the nicotine. Thankfully, I have two Triton tanks, so I can switch between the different nicotine levels, as needed. There's also a "no nicotine" e-liquid available; will I ever get there? Maybe I could dilute my 12 mg/mL with it...?
I'm also exploring different sources of e-juice; that local shop's "tobacco flavor" (VaporBlunt) tasted like chocolate the first time I bought it, and burnt popcorn the second time, so I'm done with them. It was tolerable the first time, but not this time around. Taste is very subjective, and it's really hard to find a good alternative, but inconsistent flavors is a dead end. Being able to buy small samplers is great, when it's available.
I'm also finding that my nose will drip, if I exhale through it, sometimes, and I'm not sure what that's about, but exhaling otherwise takes away the taste of the e-liquid (which is great for avoiding a bad tasting juice).
I considered another battery system: given that the cells are pretty much standard, when one buys a battery from a manufacturer (any manufacturer), it is a common element, and it would be nice if I could just replace those, instead of ordering a completely new "battery", which is actually a bunch of standard cells, a metal enclosure, and a control circuit, but I've grown fond of this threading system, which is called vGo (a combination of eGo threading and 808D-1 threading), so until I see one out on the market, I'll stick with Halo's; the price is right, and it's reliable. Heck, maybe someone will have found a way to replace the cells in the Halo Triton batteries, by the time these ones die. I'm definitely not getting those palm size battery packs / regulators.
Right now, I go through 2 or 2.5 mL of juice per day. I believe this is about the same as 2 cartomizers (with a 20 drop refill). Either way, I never looked back on the expense; Even having bought two kits, I'm still saving money, and I've done away with the tar, burnt smell, carcinogens (except the nicotine), and most of all, the cigarette smell, which not only took out my sense of smell, but made me smell like an ashtray.
I'm a happy vaper!
My transition started innocently when I spotted a disposable electronic cigarette at the local gas station, where I used to pay $20 (US) for 3 packs of regular cigarettes. That day, I got two packs and a single disposable.
The disposable was an njoy, and I was really surprised at how effective it was, at replacing my regular cigarette, until... the battery died, about 8 hours after I bought it! It was supposed to be the equivalent to a whole pack of cigarettes! Did I really smoke a whole pack in a few hours? The warranty stated that I could return it, with a receipt, but who gets a receipt for a gas station purchase?
Out of curiosity, I looked up njoy, and after some research, found that there was another gas station in my area that also sold Njoy, so I went there, bought another Njoy (to make sure it wasn't possibly from the same bad batch) but that one died after 4 hours. I had a receipt that time. I started to wonder if I was puffing it wrong, but I don't think I was. For reference, I need a cigarette every two hours, before I get the jitters. It's a faulty product. Period. I was concerned about how much nicotine I might have just put myself through, but didn't feel any different.
I was still interested in making the transition to an electronic cigarette, but I was determined to find a better replacement. So after more searches, I came across several recommendations for Green Smokes ( www.greensmoke.com ), and even better, a step by step video on how to refill the cartridges myself (an appealing option if I wanted to extract some more savings).
So I ordered a Pro kit from Green Smokes, with a couple of Gold cartomizers, and an extra Red pack of cartomizer, just to make sure I could get a flavor choice, in case these tobacco flavors didn't work out. With cigarette prices here, the cost was the same, as if I had bought normal cigarettes. So far so good.
That was my second mistake. As much as the reviews made the product look promising, and really, it's not that bad, it turns out that a lot of reviews are biased. Many companies subsidize reviewers, and they get a benefit each time a sucker (like me) follows a link to a vendor, and makes a purchase. If you ever needed a reason to be a part of this forum, this is it.
The problem with Green Smoke is that there's only a few cartomizers that will fit on a Green Smoke battery. At $3 a piece, it was a fair deal for me, but not for my wife (who pays 3-4$ per pack), as she lives in another state (another story). I had to find something cheaper.
I also had another problem; I assumed that since I was smoking "ultra lights", that that's what I should order. Another mistake; they fell short on the nicotine, and I was getting the jitters. (e-cigarette nicotine absoption is 10 to 40% that of a normal cigarette). I had to find a fix, but I puffed a couple of my old cigarettes from that last pack, to hold me over. There was also another issue that would need to be solved; If I smoke through a cartomizer, I had no way of knowing just how many cigarettes I had just went through. So my advice, if you're making the switch, is to start with more nicotine, but be ready to switch back to your normal level.
A local tobacco shop I had seen had me curious; would they sell e-juice? I make a stop, and sure enough, they did! So I pick up a tobacco flavor, in 12 mg per mL (equivalent to a "light" cigarette), to fix my jitters. Pfew! Now I could refill my Green Smoke cartomizers with something that has enough nicotine to keep me steady. They also had a large assortment of glassware, some more than 3 feet tall; I have no idea why... other than medicinal mary-jane has recently been made legal here in Massachusetts.
After much more research, I came across V2 ( Electronic Cigarettes | V2 Cigs ). They sell adapters so that I can fit a standard cartomizer on my Green Smoke battery. In case you're curious, the Green Smoke threading is called KR808D-2 (a.k.a. an E9 e-cigarette style), while the (far) most popular threading is KR808D-1 (a.k.a. E8 style). They also sell pre-filled cartomizers at ~$2 each: a big saving over Green Smokes' $3 each. You should know what threading you're getting, when buying an e-cigarette!!!
So I bought the adapters from V2. While at it, knowing that I could refill these cartridges, and that Green Smoke cartomizers are hard to open for a refill, I added a bunch of blank cartomizers to my order. And yes, the rubber tip does make it a lot easier to refill. 20 drops to a refill, not more, even if it'll take it.
Now I was on the right track, but not quite there. I did come across several (legitimate) recommendations for Halo ( E-liquid | Electronic Cigarette | E Cig Liquid | Halo Cigs ), so I ordered a sampler (6 bottles of 7 mL) of their popular tobacco flavors. Shipping was quick, as I'm not that far from New Jersey. Tribeca turned out to be my favorite, and I didn't care much for the rest (none were bad, but nowhere near Tribeca).
And wouldn't you know it... they also sell a new system with a high capacity battery (I was charging my Green Smoke batteries twice per day), with an easy to fill tank with graduated measurements, holding up to 2.4 mL. Now I could have a measurement of what I'm smoking (errr... vaping). It's called Triton, and the threading is backwards compatible to 808D-1, so I could continue to use those cartomizers from V2, if I really wanted to (and I have).
I ordered a custom kit: 2 * 900 mAh batteries, 2 * tanks, and the USB charger, with a 30 mL bottle of that delicious Tribeca flavor. I skipped the regular kits, because I didn't need another wall adapter, or car adapter, and I didn't think I would miss the decorative cone (not really) and the carrying case had bad reviews. I would have ordered the larger battery, but it was out of stock. Something to note; the Triton system is *not* automatic, meaning that it will not turn on as you puff on it ("automatics" detect that you're sucking on them, and fire up the atomizer, then stop when you're done); you have to press a button, on Triton.
A side note; I'm sure lots of veterans would chime in at this point and say I should have gone the way of eGo threading systems, but my problem, you see, is that I spotted early on that a lot of these parts are metallic. Even the cartomizers!!! Throwing out a metal part hits me as a waste, and a big no-no. What got my attention with the Halo Triton system, is that the part that vaporizes the e-juice (or e-liquid), a.k.a the atomizer, is replaceable. Not only is it replaceable, but I have the option of using more or less powerful atomizers. It's a small metallic part. I'd also point out that while some veterans have become fans of "twin coil", the Triton system is a "single, top coil", which, compared to other models (i.e. Kangers, Nova, ...) that are bottom coils, is easier to refill, and doesn't leak. Tritons don't leak, except for when I fill them a little too much (I have to wipe the edge of the tip, as I screw it back on) and occasionally, a drop of liquid will find its way to the battery connector, but is easily cleaned between refills anyway.
Now, after having almost gone through that whole 30 mL bottle of Halo's Tribeca, my only complaints are:
1- I occasionally get a burnt taste, when I'm sucking hard on that Triton tank, and the liquid level is low. I expected that. I've also been neglecting the cleaning of the tank between refills (have yet to do it!)
2- because the battery voltage drops as it discharges, I don't get a consistent heat from my puffs. This would have been avoided if I had picked up the variable voltage battery, which would have allowed me to dial in the voltage that I want. It'll be a while before these batteries die, and need replacing. Oh well, it's really not a big deal.
3- I wish Halo would sell replacement tips; I tend to chew mine.
Otherwise, I usually charge one or both of the batteries, every day, which is a welcome relief from my (now retired) Green Smoke kit, which required 2 recharges, for each battery, every day. (As a backup, the Pro kit did come with a USB powered e-cig, for those odd moments when both batteries are out).
I don't have a lot of regrets about the Green smoke kit, because it gave me a real tobacco flavor to transition to, and I can now pass it on to someone else, but if I had known better, I would have started out with either a V2 kit, or a Halo G6 kit, refillable cartomizers, and maybe even a G6 tank. I wouldn't have minded the gourmet sampler, but definitely not a menthol sampler (I'm not a menthol fan).
The Triton system is much larger. The diameter is 14mm, instead of 8 or 9 mm (real cigarette size), as was my first kit, but those 8-9mm batteries are heavy, and it's hard to smoke them like a normal cigarette, because they're so heavy. The Triton system is even heavier, but is held differently, and is more instinctive. I'm sure that I would never have ordered a Triton as my first e-cig, because it looks so intimidating, but I'm on it now, with no desire to look back. I don't really miss the automatic feature either. The blue LED under the button was a welcome change from the goofy looking green LED at the end of the Green Smoke battery.
My next step is to order another 30 mL of Tribeca, in 12 mg/mL and a 30 mL @ 6 mg/mL; I'm having that "heart racing" symptom, if I puff the Tribeca too hard, so I know I can (and should) back down on the nicotine. Thankfully, I have two Triton tanks, so I can switch between the different nicotine levels, as needed. There's also a "no nicotine" e-liquid available; will I ever get there? Maybe I could dilute my 12 mg/mL with it...?
I'm also exploring different sources of e-juice; that local shop's "tobacco flavor" (VaporBlunt) tasted like chocolate the first time I bought it, and burnt popcorn the second time, so I'm done with them. It was tolerable the first time, but not this time around. Taste is very subjective, and it's really hard to find a good alternative, but inconsistent flavors is a dead end. Being able to buy small samplers is great, when it's available.
I'm also finding that my nose will drip, if I exhale through it, sometimes, and I'm not sure what that's about, but exhaling otherwise takes away the taste of the e-liquid (which is great for avoiding a bad tasting juice).
I considered another battery system: given that the cells are pretty much standard, when one buys a battery from a manufacturer (any manufacturer), it is a common element, and it would be nice if I could just replace those, instead of ordering a completely new "battery", which is actually a bunch of standard cells, a metal enclosure, and a control circuit, but I've grown fond of this threading system, which is called vGo (a combination of eGo threading and 808D-1 threading), so until I see one out on the market, I'll stick with Halo's; the price is right, and it's reliable. Heck, maybe someone will have found a way to replace the cells in the Halo Triton batteries, by the time these ones die. I'm definitely not getting those palm size battery packs / regulators.
Right now, I go through 2 or 2.5 mL of juice per day. I believe this is about the same as 2 cartomizers (with a 20 drop refill). Either way, I never looked back on the expense; Even having bought two kits, I'm still saving money, and I've done away with the tar, burnt smell, carcinogens (except the nicotine), and most of all, the cigarette smell, which not only took out my sense of smell, but made me smell like an ashtray.
I'm a happy vaper!
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I have never tried the products you referenced. I am an eGo girl and very satisfied with the products I have purchased. I should say, I am a Kanger girl. My evod battery is my favorite and it doesn't hurt that it was available in purple to match my clearomizers. I have never tried dripping but, after reading Ocelot's blog, I may be adding that to my arsenal in the future if only for juice tasting. I do hope your prediction about 510 connections is inaccurate, or at least a very long time in coming!
