An Introduction from Dannii with FREE BONUS QUESTION!

[Danniiqua]

Hello all from the beautiful, bronzed land downunder, I'm Dannii and I'm both very new to the forums here and just ever so slightly less new to vaping. I do have a question, but I'll leave that until last.

I started my vape journey by purchasing two Southbeach Starter Kits with 10 Prefilled Carts @ $20 each a couple weeks ago and haven't looked back. I stopped smoking the day they arrived in the mail - previously I had been smoking around 15-20 rollies per day. I had a couple of vapes where I felt that I could do with a proper smoke, but ignored it and here I am 2 weeks later feeling much fresher and healthier.

Since then I've learnt a bit...
I've learned that refills are so much better and cheaper and than prefilled.
I've learned that refills give you a HUGE variety of flavourings and options.
I learned that you can refill your prefilled, which isn't too bad if you get a decent one, because despite some being rubbish, not all prefills are created equally.
I learned that V2 is aptly name because it charges 2 arms and 2 legs to deliver to Australia from the US ($85 iirc), and once you add in a fee for their out of court settlement and a fee for getting an +18 signature, your $50 order skyrockets to $150 and you can forget about owning that sexy looking V2 cig-alike.
I also learned that vaporfi and Southbeach only charge about $15-20 for the same delivery.

I also learned that Australian laws suck regarding vaping and that the WORLD in general needs to wake up and decide whether they want millions to keep dying every year to smoking or actually begin regulating this industry properly and saving lives.

I'm telling my friends that smoke and any new ones I meet. In fact anyone that even looks at my e-cig funny or asks, "what that" - because want to help as many people as I can give up that smoking thing, because it's .....

And now I have a teensy tiny bit more I need to learn, and perhaps someone here might be able to help me. So here is my question...

FREE BONUS QUESTION! (limited 1 per reader)

Is VaporFi's KR810-D2 thread the same as...
...the Eversmoke/Southbeach's KR808-D2 thread?

Ie. Will VaporFi Clearomizers fit on Southbeach E-cig batteries?

I currently own some pretty decent batteries from my prefilled Southbeach cig-alikes, so now I want to buy some juice from VaporFi and was hoping to use their clearomizers on my Southbeach batteries...

Everything I've researched says my Southbeach batteries are KR808 D2 thread type which makes sense, because my USB charger has written on it "KR808-D2 type charger".

I read that Eversmoke also uses this thread type, however as Eversmoke is now VaporFi, these comments are obviously a little dated and change is fast in this industry.

To make matters more confusing, on the VaporFi website, their Clearomizers and batteries say they use an 810 D2 thread - I cannot find a reference to this ANYWHERE outside of in context with VaporFi.

Is this a renaming of the 808 thread? Are they the same thing? Perhaps some deliberate confusion to help try and lock unsuspecting newbies into their brand? One thing that makes me think this is the description of their E-cig express starter kit contents which lists 2 batteries with 810-D2 threading and 1 USB Charger Model KR808-D2.

However, my concern is perhaps this is similar to the differences between the KR8-D1 and D2 which are incompatible despite appearing to be, and perhaps the charger works because it only has to charge and doesn't care about Vaping.

A long post I'm very sorry but congratulations and thankyou if you made it all the way through

Dannii

TLDR version:
Hello I Dannii. Vape good - old smoke bad. Plaese Haelp I with bonus question giveaway!

 

[djsvapour]

Welcome @Danniiqua
I'm sorry to tell you that the products and brands you are talking about are little more than a vehicle to take your money. One of the brands you are asking about charged $119 for a $29 e-cig. It also charges $20 for replacement coils I buy for $4.
I'm on a mobile phone so can't go into further detail.
Please beware. The industry ( this part of it) is a shark infested pool of greed and selfishness generated marketing including paid/fake reviews.
I'll try for some WiFi. Good luck

 

[djsvapour]

PS. Today, I am vaping one of the world's top 20 liquids. Fact. (Voted by real vapers not fake marketing websites).
It costs me $8 for 100ml. (I mix it but even ready-made it's 60% cheaper than these brands)
Now, ask yourself - how much is e-liquid?
Cig-a-likes are cent items (costed in cents not dollars). If you want to use them, use them but find the original source (Chinese manufacturer).
I know the situation in Oz is very difficult but there are many many vapers achieving their aims without resorting to rip off brands. You have forums down under and a growing support network. Search them out. We were all slaves to big tobacco -don't enslave yourself to another form of legal money-printing.

 

[djsvapour]

Sorry. I apologize for being so forthright. I started on a prefilled cartomizer system that would have been thousands of $ a year. Worst thing though was it wasn't good enough to help my roll your own habit. Then I tried refilling their refills but they don't last very long because the quality is so desperately poor. These prefilled cartomizers are very much lower quality than a Kanger or Boge cartomizer.
You can buy cig-a-likes hardware from many places but gradually the market is closing down (other than the rip off brands).
The way forward is a refillable tank set-up ( look at Joyetech AIO as an example or Innokin T18).
How you aquire e-liquid is going to take research and help from your fellow countrymen. Either way do not believe reviews and please don't let these vile brands take your money. Nicotine liquid importation is not totally illegal but the grey area is making an opportunity for very greedy people. These brands exist in other markets and the people using them are too lazy or gullible. We (the community) should warn people or they will spend $59.99 on a $14 tank or $1000 a year on $200 worth of e- liquid.

 

[Eskie]

Hi and welcome Dannii. Those shipping costs sound nuts. I'll have to pass on the bonus question as I have absolutely no idea, but I do think djsvapour has given you some excellent advice and guidance to other, more cost effective approaches to vaping.

 

[Danniiqua]

Hey thankyou @djsvapour for the advice and the welcome

Yes the greed is rife indeed. I opted into the e-cigs as a quick way to get access to vaping and relative to the price of what I was paying for tobacco products it's still a WHOLE lot cheaper.

Switching to juice now though and looking forward to the cheaper rate and better flavours. I will be honest I'm slightly wary of purchasing anything that goes into my body from China due to the lack of legislation, regulation or policing and high levels of corruption that make circumventing any regulation a real possibility.

^was writing that earlier before I saw your latest reply

No need to apologise, I welcome experienced opinions such as yours and advice - that's exactly why I'm here. I still maintain what I mentioned above about China but of course I'm very interested in what you have to say about that position. I would much rather be convinced I can buy quality vape juice that's safe and for a fraction of the price than rather pay premium prices.

So let me come forward with a few of my concerns and perhaps you can help. As I mentioned regarding quality of product, studies conducted at the University of California showed that dissection of cigarettes from various companies revealed the presence of foreign particles with measured toxicity levels to human cells. Some of these levels amongst certain brands were considered to be in the "high" range, although no company was completely free, however it certainly seems that not all brands are equal and some self regulation is clearly better than none.

Of course, this could all mean absolutely nothing and we may yet find that the nature of vaping prevents these toxic particulates finding their way into our bodies in a way that could cause damage. We may also find otherwise, and as such I feel that erring on the side of caution in as far as, I would rather put something in my body without known toxic substances, than just assume the risk that everything will be hunky dory because these aren't combustion cigarettes and everybody knows that e-cig 99% safer than smokes and anti-vape health claims are all bogus (just most).

Having said that, I was never a seriously heavy smoker. Approx. 10-25 smokes per day when I was smoking rollies. I have personally found using the 18mg prefilled carts to be sufficient to have completely ceased my old tobacco smokes. Nor do I intend to be a hard core vaper; so given my expected frequency of use, unless something medical comes along to say that despite being 99% safer in every other way, these particulates are actually somehow 99 times more deadly when vaped rather than smoked, I'd find it hard to imagine even choosing THE WORST juice from completely unregulated companies could possibly be on the same level of bad as combustion smoking. I think what I'm saying here is, I may be willing to take more risks than I had initially thought.

I do like the cig-alike type of smoke. I can tell you're obviously a proponent of the tank style - and while you're probably right that most cig-alikes are being phased out I don't think they ever will be altogether. When I say cig-alike, I mean very slim e-cigs that resemble cigarettes in size and shape rather than colouring. I have always disliked the look of the filter type brown / white of tailored cigarettes. Here my tastes lie with the EX Series, Vapor Couture, even VaporFi shiny sleek white, slim line e-cigs. It's how I like to smoke and look while I smoke. They're girly and can be fashionable. They can be curled provocatively at the fingertips like traditional smokes. I think they bring sexy back to what has been a socially devalued look for a long time. Vape tanks, even the relatively slim types with funky hippy colours really make me think of toking weed - which is perfectly fine for some, just not for me.

SO HAVING SAID ALL THAT -- where do you buy your stuff from? can you tell me where you buy these marvellously cheap e-liquids that are the best in the world. Recommended websites? Who do you trust when it comes to this stuff?

I feel like I'm fairly happy (at this stage) with the way these things produce vape. What are your thoughts on my positions I've put forward? Sorry to give you so much to read Dannii

 

[Danniiqua]

Those shipping costs sound nuts.

too right thanks for the welcome. I'm hoping to engage with DJS a little more on this topic. I hope to pick their brains.... braiins...brrrraiiiiiinnnssss garrrrr

 

[Eskie]

OK, you covered a lot in that clarification post. I'll just skim over some highlights for you.

Testing the safety of vape gear is difficult at best owing to the wide variety of products on the market. Among the carefully conducted, peer reviewed studies, the benefits greatly outweigh the risks of continued cigarette use in comparison to vaping. Is vaping 100% safe? I am unaware of anything that is 100% safe, and that includes getting out of bed in the morning. Do we know what the long terms effects of using currently available vape stuff will be in 20 years? Check back 20 years from now. However, my money is coming out ahead on vaping and stopping cigarettes.

Affordable approach without getting hardcore about vaping. Take a look at the new pod mods hitting the market. They use little cartridges that to not look like cigarette filters and many are refillable. They're small, unobtrusive, and simple to maintain. Lots to choose from on the market and some popular ones are the iCare and MyJet. No idea on local availability there, but they can be found online for modest prices.There is a forum on here dedicated to Vape Pod Systems. Check it out.

Affordable juice? This gets tricky. Best deal is mix your own. It's actually quite easy to do and will cost you pennies (do you use pennies down there?) for every refill. If you don't want to go that route you'll have to explore what is available in your country. It will still be cheaper going that route than those 808 carto things.

Good luck!

 

[djsvapour]

Great post @Danniiqua
Lots of thought going on, awesome.
I am not anti cig-a-likes, I am anti greedy companies (including tobacco co's) using the internet to create an image (fake rep') about their products which is simply nowhere near the truth.
Again, you have mentioned brands which are simply way off target in terms of price, quality and efficacy. Earlier on, you posted about one brand costing 2 arms and 2 legs (lol) but somehow these other brands don't fit into that category. They do.
Slim, sleek, sexy is great but why pay $200 for $50 worth of products. Everything is made in China and exists unbranded for a fraction of the price. The second cig-a-like kit I bought was $27. It was the same (exactly) as one of the brands you mention charged $149.99 and had the 'nerve' to say included free liquid.
Nobody is talking about Chinese e-liquid by the way.
Make up your own mind.
I will step away from this thread. Four years hammering these so-called premium brands that sell basic hardware and very basic juice (by the way) annoys everyone, so I'll stop.
Swing by Aussie Vapers. I'll look out for you. You won't find me as I'm under a pseudonym after being threatened by lawyers of a junk cig-a-like company that price gouged Australians.
(Lol, resistance is probably futile)

 

[SteveS45]

Welcome @Danniiqua and I hope you enjoy your stay!

 

[Danniiqua]

Thankyou and you and you all.

I shall do my best to track down these models you mention for a looksie and have a look at what's going around China. Thanks for offering some healthy advice regarding the juice, various kits and the Chinese alternative.

@djsvapour I appreciate you taking the time good sir to hammer your shield of justice once more for me, I totally understand that this must have grown well long in the tooth after 4 years I may not have won all of your secrets but you've given me somewhere to start. (ps I joined Aussie Vapers as well and posted similarly there how cheeky!)

@Eskie I agree with you completely. Nothing is 100% safe and if you expect it to be you should probably lock yourself in a cupboard. I would be willing to pay a little extra for added safeguard though, but really the bottom line is that I mistakenly misconstrued djsvapour's intended point over what he was and wasn't sourcing from China.

Looks like I have a lot of research to do and fast. I want to save $$ I really do, or running out of vape will end up costing me a bunch if I don't order something soon, in addition to having to swap back to combustion smokes for a bit. Damned if I do and damned if I don't. Guess resistance really IS futile. Case in point - we had pennies here, and we got rid of them, but we couldn't manage to shake ol' Queenie though!

@SteveS45 thankyou for the welcome, I sure will!

 

[BrotherBob]

Hello all from the beautiful, bronzed land downunder, I'm Dannii and I'm both very new to the forums here and just ever so slightly less new to vaping. I do have a question, but I'll leave that until last.

Welcome and glad you joined. Please try to read the vapers table info, it is custom fit for your part of the world. Your doing just fine, no need to rush the learning process. The more you learn about vaping the more you will enjoy vaping.
Might like to read:
Australia - New Zealand Forum
http://www.thevaperstable.com/
Bonus answer:
Atomizer Comparison and Threading Chart

Might like to visit:
Tips for Beginners – DIY OR DIE
The Vape Book
Could read the stickies in this forum:
DIY E-Liquid