It's been over 45 days after I started using the Ego Mega atomizers (cone type). I'm amazed at the amount of vapor and the very long time I get between cartridge refills. I ordered 4 of these babies, tested them all for DOA and all worked OK. Then I charged one with menthol and another with strawberry. These have been going everywhere with me. The paint on them is peeling off. That would be my only con. But I couldn't care less. I haven't lighted up one single cigarette in ages and it's all thanks to these Mega Atties.
At this time I have enough e-juice to go on vaping for around 8 more months before re-order liquid. Lets see how well the atties stand up to the test.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
The Vaping Equipment - Part 2
Following up on the The Ego Mega Atomizer & Cartridge (Type B - Cylinder)...
I've been using these mega attys for a few days now and I could not me more pleased. There is still the question of longevity. Back when I was testing the Ego Tank I was also happy, then it broke after five days of use. But the Ego was something new. These Mega Attys have been around for months and have already been tested by many.
I've read all complains I've found on the internet about the Mega Attys. It seems the most common one is leaking. But only some people have complained about leaks while the vast majority have reported no problems at all. It might be the case that some people received bad units. But assuming everybody had perfectly working units, then the leak problems had to be cause by something else that changes between users... it must be the juice.
I bought 4 Mega Attys. So far I've use 3 of them with the following juices:
* Dekang Strawberry 100% VG (very thick juice)
* Dekang Menthol 50% PG / 50% VG
* Dekang RY4 100% PG (very thin juice)
The menthol mix worked right away. It has been my main vape for the last week and I'm very happy with the flavor, the vapor production and the throat hit. The 100% VG strawberry gave me some trouble. I had to fill up the cartridge and let it wick for a few minutes before I could get it going. It makes an insane fog, but throat hit is really weak. I'm keeping that atty as my back up, and use it for short periods of time when I just get tired of the menthol.
Finally, the 100% PG RY4. This juice worked well on the standard 510 atty, where it gives me the most intense throat hit I ever gotten from a personal vaporizer. But on the Mega Atty it just leaks all over the place, floods the atty and it doesn't work. I've tried multiple times on that atty, cleaning it, drying it, and repeating everything all over. But the juice is just too thin.
On my next juice order I'm going to get some 100% VG RY4 and try to mix it with the PG one, trying to get a thicker mix. If the menthol worked well at 50% 50% I suspect the RY4 will as well. If the test works, that would confirm that the Mega Attys have limitations on the juice thickness they can handle. It would not be the first atty than can't handle juices that are too thick or too thin (looks at the Ego Tank). But the increased capacity of the cartridge is so much of an improvement that I would rather fool around with the PG/VG ratio in the juices, rather than going back to the standard 510 attys.
Moving on to the battery, I'm still vaping out my Ego 650mAh passthrough battery. This battery is a work horse. And with the built in usb port, I can charge it everywhere and still vape from it while it's charging. But as much as I love it, it still doesn't get me through the day. There is a bigger version of this passthrough battery that has 35% more capacity @ 1000mAh. But if the 650mAh one usually dies during my work shift, I suspect the 1000mAh will die on my commute back home. I'm looking for something bigger.
Some big battery mods have called my attention. Specially, the Silver Bullet with its 2600mAh battery. The Silver Bullet uses standard 18650 rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries which are very cheap and can be bought from a variety of vendors. One fully charged 18650 battery on a Silver Bullet should last me around 2 days and I could always have spare batteries, fully charged and ready to go.
Another runner up is the Provari mod. It costs double as much as the Silver Bullet but it gives you the option to adjust the voltage on the go. It also had some very nice features thanks to a microchip that enables all kinds of wonders.
Spending $100-$200 bucks on a mod that's essentially a big battery holder is not really the priority at this time. I would rather spend the money in more liquid, trying to stock up before the government tax the hell out of it. But I have to keep in mind that I only have ONE working battery right now and like all batteries, it WILL DIE. I don't wanna be caught without a backup when that happens.
I've been using these mega attys for a few days now and I could not me more pleased. There is still the question of longevity. Back when I was testing the Ego Tank I was also happy, then it broke after five days of use. But the Ego was something new. These Mega Attys have been around for months and have already been tested by many.
I've read all complains I've found on the internet about the Mega Attys. It seems the most common one is leaking. But only some people have complained about leaks while the vast majority have reported no problems at all. It might be the case that some people received bad units. But assuming everybody had perfectly working units, then the leak problems had to be cause by something else that changes between users... it must be the juice.
I bought 4 Mega Attys. So far I've use 3 of them with the following juices:
* Dekang Strawberry 100% VG (very thick juice)
* Dekang Menthol 50% PG / 50% VG
* Dekang RY4 100% PG (very thin juice)
The menthol mix worked right away. It has been my main vape for the last week and I'm very happy with the flavor, the vapor production and the throat hit. The 100% VG strawberry gave me some trouble. I had to fill up the cartridge and let it wick for a few minutes before I could get it going. It makes an insane fog, but throat hit is really weak. I'm keeping that atty as my back up, and use it for short periods of time when I just get tired of the menthol.
Finally, the 100% PG RY4. This juice worked well on the standard 510 atty, where it gives me the most intense throat hit I ever gotten from a personal vaporizer. But on the Mega Atty it just leaks all over the place, floods the atty and it doesn't work. I've tried multiple times on that atty, cleaning it, drying it, and repeating everything all over. But the juice is just too thin.
On my next juice order I'm going to get some 100% VG RY4 and try to mix it with the PG one, trying to get a thicker mix. If the menthol worked well at 50% 50% I suspect the RY4 will as well. If the test works, that would confirm that the Mega Attys have limitations on the juice thickness they can handle. It would not be the first atty than can't handle juices that are too thick or too thin (looks at the Ego Tank). But the increased capacity of the cartridge is so much of an improvement that I would rather fool around with the PG/VG ratio in the juices, rather than going back to the standard 510 attys.
Moving on to the battery, I'm still vaping out my Ego 650mAh passthrough battery. This battery is a work horse. And with the built in usb port, I can charge it everywhere and still vape from it while it's charging. But as much as I love it, it still doesn't get me through the day. There is a bigger version of this passthrough battery that has 35% more capacity @ 1000mAh. But if the 650mAh one usually dies during my work shift, I suspect the 1000mAh will die on my commute back home. I'm looking for something bigger.
Some big battery mods have called my attention. Specially, the Silver Bullet with its 2600mAh battery. The Silver Bullet uses standard 18650 rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries which are very cheap and can be bought from a variety of vendors. One fully charged 18650 battery on a Silver Bullet should last me around 2 days and I could always have spare batteries, fully charged and ready to go.
Another runner up is the Provari mod. It costs double as much as the Silver Bullet but it gives you the option to adjust the voltage on the go. It also had some very nice features thanks to a microchip that enables all kinds of wonders.
Spending $100-$200 bucks on a mod that's essentially a big battery holder is not really the priority at this time. I would rather spend the money in more liquid, trying to stock up before the government tax the hell out of it. But I have to keep in mind that I only have ONE working battery right now and like all batteries, it WILL DIE. I don't wanna be caught without a backup when that happens.
Friday, March 4, 2011
The Ego Mega Atomizer & Cartridge (Type B - Cylinder)
There are 2 types of "Ego Mega" atomizers in the market. The cone, also known as type A, and the cylinder, also known as type b. The ones I got are the cylinder type. These use a bigger cartridge that can hold more liquid.
I was happy with the standard 510 atomizers. They produce good vapor and the flavor comes out very good. But they need to be refilled way too often. After 15 minutes of vaping out of a standard 510, you notice a decrease in flavor and vapor production. You top off the cartridge with 2 or 3 drops and it vapes good again. But if you are driving a 60 minute commute on the interstate, this constant refilling is gonna be a problem.
With the mega cartridges, it takes me over an hour of heavy chain vaping to notice any decrease in flavor or vapor. When it happens, topping off the cartridge takes like 10 drops. Quite an improvement.
I've only been using these mega cartridges for a day. I've learned that when it comes to vaping equipment, a day of use is not enough to judge. Some atomizers do great for a week and die suddenly. At $10 bucks a piece, I expect well over a month out of these. Time will tell.
I was happy with the standard 510 atomizers. They produce good vapor and the flavor comes out very good. But they need to be refilled way too often. After 15 minutes of vaping out of a standard 510, you notice a decrease in flavor and vapor production. You top off the cartridge with 2 or 3 drops and it vapes good again. But if you are driving a 60 minute commute on the interstate, this constant refilling is gonna be a problem.
With the mega cartridges, it takes me over an hour of heavy chain vaping to notice any decrease in flavor or vapor. When it happens, topping off the cartridge takes like 10 drops. Quite an improvement.
I've only been using these mega cartridges for a day. I've learned that when it comes to vaping equipment, a day of use is not enough to judge. Some atomizers do great for a week and die suddenly. At $10 bucks a piece, I expect well over a month out of these. Time will tell.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Another victory for the PV - Stranded on the road with no cigs
It was early in the morning, I just dropped the kids @ school and went to the store to buy something. I've gotten the habit of taking the PV with me, just like I used to do with cigarettes, in case something happens. I locked all my doors (kids leave them unlocked all the time) and went to the store. Silly me, it's 8:15am and the store doesn't open until 10:30AM. OK, back to the car... reached for the keys... OH NOES! Keys in the ignition.
Oh well... plan A, the backup key in my wallet. Reached for it, not there. I must have left it out last time I got a new wallet. OK, plan B... call road side assistance, fail... cellphone locked inside the car. This is not looking good. I have my PV, with 510 atty and recently topped cart, but the RY4 bottle is also locked inside the car.Quickly engaged plan C, find pay phone.
Some 20 minutes later, payphone found at gas station. RY4 flavor already decreasing. Entered gas station to buy something and get change for the payphone. You can guess what I bought right? A pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Called road assistance, they said 45 minutes, oh my. Walked back to the car, 25 minutes, spacing out the PV usage. Got there, waited, vaped away. The 510 cart already feeling dry, but still giving me some nic.
And finally, locksmith arrived! \0/ yay! The guy opened the door and I rushed to my bottle of juice, refilled cart, puffed away glorious cloud of vapor. I expected the locksmith to ask the usual "what the heck is that", but he didn't. Gave me some paper to sign, took some info, went to his car. I got inside my vehicle, turned on the AC (I'm in Florida, is already pretty hot down here) and looked to the right... lol, locksmith dude inside his car puffing away from what I believe was a Provary, humongous cloud of vapor inside his car.
I came back home, the pack of cigarettes was never opened. And to celebrate the PV's victory over the pack, I took this picture:
Oh well... plan A, the backup key in my wallet. Reached for it, not there. I must have left it out last time I got a new wallet. OK, plan B... call road side assistance, fail... cellphone locked inside the car. This is not looking good. I have my PV, with 510 atty and recently topped cart, but the RY4 bottle is also locked inside the car.Quickly engaged plan C, find pay phone.
Some 20 minutes later, payphone found at gas station. RY4 flavor already decreasing. Entered gas station to buy something and get change for the payphone. You can guess what I bought right? A pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Called road assistance, they said 45 minutes, oh my. Walked back to the car, 25 minutes, spacing out the PV usage. Got there, waited, vaped away. The 510 cart already feeling dry, but still giving me some nic.
And finally, locksmith arrived! \0/ yay! The guy opened the door and I rushed to my bottle of juice, refilled cart, puffed away glorious cloud of vapor. I expected the locksmith to ask the usual "what the heck is that", but he didn't. Gave me some paper to sign, took some info, went to his car. I got inside my vehicle, turned on the AC (I'm in Florida, is already pretty hot down here) and looked to the right... lol, locksmith dude inside his car puffing away from what I believe was a Provary, humongous cloud of vapor inside his car.
I came back home, the pack of cigarettes was never opened. And to celebrate the PV's victory over the pack, I took this picture:
Monday, February 28, 2011
The Vaping Equipment, so far
It's been quite busy over here, no time to blog. But I wanted to share my experience so far with the different equipments I've tried.
Njoy Npro (A 4081 type model)
This was my first PV. The main reason to buy it was the price, $20 bucks for the battery, charger and 2 cartridges. At $20 bucks, if it doesn't work it's not gonna hurt. I was told by a friend that cartridges could last a week. But I was a 2-packs-a-day smoker and that was not the case. A cartridge last like 10 cigarettes. At $4 bucks per cartridge, that means my habit would be $16 dollars a day in cartridges alone. More than actual cigarettes, not a good idea for my broke wallet.
I learned it's possible to refill those cartridges. But the battery on that kit is an automatic one. It has a sensor to detect when you draw and activate the PV. That sensor can/will brake if liquid gets to it. Refilled cartridges will leak. So I was going to refill the cartridges I would have to get a new, manual battery.
Battery life itself was very small. It would last me for 2 or 3 hours and then it was dead. When the battery died, I would have to wait 1 hour for it to charge again. That means I would end up lighting up a cigarette... not good.
So I decided to try something else.
Joye Ego (650MaH passthrough battery - Standard atomizer/cartridge & cartomizers)
The main reason to buy this kit was because of the battery. It is a 650MaH battery (compared to 180MaH on the Npro) and it has a pass-through built in. This means the battery can be connected to the cartridges on one side, and to a standard mini-usb cable on the other, allowing you to vape while it's charging. No wait, no running for a cigarette. And it last hours once charged.
I also got 2 type of cartridges. The standard atomizer, with cartridges. And sealed units that house both the atomizer and the cartridge. This I later learned to be called "cartomizer", or carto for short.
I used the cartomizers first, but didn't knew how to refill them once those dried out. Then switched to the standard atomizers and cartridges (I'll add some pics later). These worked fine. But after using them for the equivalent of 2 or 3 cigarettes, you need to open it and top off the cartridge with 2 or 3 drops of liquid. Otherwise it doesn't vape good enough, taste like it's burning and flavor doesn't come through.
I found this constant topping off to be annoying and wanted to try something else. So I ordered something else.
Fluxomizers (2.4 Ohms short - 2.8 ohms long)
This is another type of cartridge. It has no filler, it's clear, the atomizer coil is at the top. In concept it is great. You can see your liquid, it holds over 10 times more than a standard atomizer/cartridge or cartomizer. It works on the same Ego battery. They come in different ohms, the lower the ohms the hotter it runs. I got the small ones first at 2.4, they tasted burnt and it was too hot for my liking. I ordered the long ones, at 2.8, it wasn't as hot but still tasted burnt. I didn't liked it.
I learned how to refill the cartomizers I got with the Ego kit so I changed back to those and ordered something else.
510 Cartomizers, revisited.
While waiting for other cartridge options, I learned to refill the cartomizers and used that for a few days. They seem to hold like twice as much liquid as the regular cartridges, meaning you don't have to refill as often. But refilling them causes waste of liquid (few drops each time). I was burning through my liquid way too quick, and I was also getting liquid droplets in my mouth (not good, nauseous). So I went back to the standard 510 cartridges.
510 Low Resistance (LR) atomizer
Work the same way as the standard 510 atomizer, but hotter. It makes the battery last less, and I really liked the flavor on the standard ones a little more. I might give it another try later... but for now, back to the standard 510 atomizer.
Ego cartomizer
Holds more liquid than the 510 cartomizer, but vapor production was less than the standard 510 atomizer so, I put them in the vaping equipment drawer as backup and went back to the 510 atomizers.
Ego Tank
Yet another cartridge type. It uses an atomizer and a mini tank that goes into it. It worked better than anything I've tried before. But it broke in five days. It's also more expensive than anything I've tried before @ $15 bucks per atomizer. This things are new, people are finding ways to repair/adjust them. I might give it another try later. But for now, back to my standard 510 atomizers with cartridges.
Future purchases
Keep in mind that once I got the Ego kit, I've been using the same Ego battery for everything else. The 510 atomizers, both standard and low resistance, the fluxomizers, the cartomizers, The Ego cartomizer, the Ego tank... all use the same battery. This battery is a champ. If anything, I would replace it with another Ego pass-through battery, but in 100MaH instead of 650MaH, to last even more between charges.
While I'm happy with the standard 510 atomizers and their cartridges in terms of flavor and vapor production, I would love NOT to have to top them off as often. It is a problem, specially when driving long commutes. There is a 510 Mega Atomizer which is suppose to be the same thing but longer, holding more liquid. And there is an Ego specific atomizer, same thing but thicker, holds even more juice. I will try those, later. But I'm not in a rush, what I have works.
Njoy Npro (A 4081 type model)
This was my first PV. The main reason to buy it was the price, $20 bucks for the battery, charger and 2 cartridges. At $20 bucks, if it doesn't work it's not gonna hurt. I was told by a friend that cartridges could last a week. But I was a 2-packs-a-day smoker and that was not the case. A cartridge last like 10 cigarettes. At $4 bucks per cartridge, that means my habit would be $16 dollars a day in cartridges alone. More than actual cigarettes, not a good idea for my broke wallet.
I learned it's possible to refill those cartridges. But the battery on that kit is an automatic one. It has a sensor to detect when you draw and activate the PV. That sensor can/will brake if liquid gets to it. Refilled cartridges will leak. So I was going to refill the cartridges I would have to get a new, manual battery.
Battery life itself was very small. It would last me for 2 or 3 hours and then it was dead. When the battery died, I would have to wait 1 hour for it to charge again. That means I would end up lighting up a cigarette... not good.
So I decided to try something else.
Joye Ego (650MaH passthrough battery - Standard atomizer/cartridge & cartomizers)
The main reason to buy this kit was because of the battery. It is a 650MaH battery (compared to 180MaH on the Npro) and it has a pass-through built in. This means the battery can be connected to the cartridges on one side, and to a standard mini-usb cable on the other, allowing you to vape while it's charging. No wait, no running for a cigarette. And it last hours once charged.
I also got 2 type of cartridges. The standard atomizer, with cartridges. And sealed units that house both the atomizer and the cartridge. This I later learned to be called "cartomizer", or carto for short.
I used the cartomizers first, but didn't knew how to refill them once those dried out. Then switched to the standard atomizers and cartridges (I'll add some pics later). These worked fine. But after using them for the equivalent of 2 or 3 cigarettes, you need to open it and top off the cartridge with 2 or 3 drops of liquid. Otherwise it doesn't vape good enough, taste like it's burning and flavor doesn't come through.
I found this constant topping off to be annoying and wanted to try something else. So I ordered something else.
Fluxomizers (2.4 Ohms short - 2.8 ohms long)
This is another type of cartridge. It has no filler, it's clear, the atomizer coil is at the top. In concept it is great. You can see your liquid, it holds over 10 times more than a standard atomizer/cartridge or cartomizer. It works on the same Ego battery. They come in different ohms, the lower the ohms the hotter it runs. I got the small ones first at 2.4, they tasted burnt and it was too hot for my liking. I ordered the long ones, at 2.8, it wasn't as hot but still tasted burnt. I didn't liked it.
I learned how to refill the cartomizers I got with the Ego kit so I changed back to those and ordered something else.
510 Cartomizers, revisited.
While waiting for other cartridge options, I learned to refill the cartomizers and used that for a few days. They seem to hold like twice as much liquid as the regular cartridges, meaning you don't have to refill as often. But refilling them causes waste of liquid (few drops each time). I was burning through my liquid way too quick, and I was also getting liquid droplets in my mouth (not good, nauseous). So I went back to the standard 510 cartridges.
510 Low Resistance (LR) atomizer
Work the same way as the standard 510 atomizer, but hotter. It makes the battery last less, and I really liked the flavor on the standard ones a little more. I might give it another try later... but for now, back to the standard 510 atomizer.
Ego cartomizer
Holds more liquid than the 510 cartomizer, but vapor production was less than the standard 510 atomizer so, I put them in the vaping equipment drawer as backup and went back to the 510 atomizers.
Ego Tank
Yet another cartridge type. It uses an atomizer and a mini tank that goes into it. It worked better than anything I've tried before. But it broke in five days. It's also more expensive than anything I've tried before @ $15 bucks per atomizer. This things are new, people are finding ways to repair/adjust them. I might give it another try later. But for now, back to my standard 510 atomizers with cartridges.
Future purchases
Keep in mind that once I got the Ego kit, I've been using the same Ego battery for everything else. The 510 atomizers, both standard and low resistance, the fluxomizers, the cartomizers, The Ego cartomizer, the Ego tank... all use the same battery. This battery is a champ. If anything, I would replace it with another Ego pass-through battery, but in 100MaH instead of 650MaH, to last even more between charges.
While I'm happy with the standard 510 atomizers and their cartridges in terms of flavor and vapor production, I would love NOT to have to top them off as often. It is a problem, specially when driving long commutes. There is a 510 Mega Atomizer which is suppose to be the same thing but longer, holding more liquid. And there is an Ego specific atomizer, same thing but thicker, holds even more juice. I will try those, later. But I'm not in a rush, what I have works.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
I'm no longer a smoker!
After 17+ years of trying everything out there, I finally found a way to quit smoking. What I'm using is new, controversial and many don't even consider it "quit". But there is NO SMOKE in my life and it feels great.
From the blog's title, some might guess what this is about. I'm a "vaper" now. I'm still getting the nicotine, but not from a cigarette. Just like some people stop smoking by using patches, gum or pills, I use a device that "vaporizes" a liquid that contains nicotine and I inhale that. The media calls it an "electronic cigarette". I disagree with the name because it is NOT a cigarette. I would be like using "cigarette patch" for nicotine patches or "chewable cigarette" for the nicotine gum. I prefer to call it "Personal Vaporizer", or PV for short.
It wasn't a silver bullet. There are many different models out there and it took some time to find out something that could really work for me. Is just like cigarette brands. What is somebody's favorite brand, is un-smokable for others. It took some of experimentation and a lot of research to find something that worked for me. I almost gave up a few times along the way. I'm glad I kept trying.
It all started last year. I wasn't even thinking about quitting. I just wanted to find some way to get the nicotine fix without smoking. I've tried patches, gum, snus, pills, everything... nothing worked. Sometimes I have to stay at the office for long periods of time with no break, or overnight with my kids @ the hospital. I needed something to get those nicotine cravings under control.
I looked at all these adds for PVs and I got interested. Most of them had a big price tag of around $100 bucks. That is not the amount of money I could spend of something when I don't know if is gonna work or not. I searched on the internet to no avail. Everywhere I looked I was bombarded with adds saying "our model is the best". I could not found one single real review from an actual PV user, not "sponsored" by any re-seller. So I waited.
Months went by and last January a friend showed me his new PV. I tried it out, it kinda worked. When he told me it was on sale at 7-Eleven for just $20 bucks, I ran there to get me one. It was an Npro from Njoy. It is similar in size to a regular cigarette. The kit came with a battery, a charger and 2 cartridges. A pack of 5 extra cartridges was also being sold for another $20 bucks. My friend said that one cartridge could last for days (beware, that is false... more on that later) so it looked like something I could afford. I came back home with the unit (battery + charger) and a total of 7 cartridges, for around $40 bucks.
That day I tried the PV, using the unit instead of cigarettes. I found I could substitute every other cigarette for the PV. But anything more than that would give me cravings. Also, the cartridges that should have worked for days were more than 10 cigarettes worth. After that they would still give some vapor, but I wasn't getting any nicotine fix out of them.
I went back to my research. I searched on the internet, this time using the brand/model of what I was using. Finally, I found a few forums made by actual users, talking about their experiences with different types of PVs, including mine. It was there where I learned about nicotine content. I found out that the cartridges I got were filled with a nicotine solution comparable to an ultra light cigarette. I was a full flavor smoker, using strong stuff so, of course, this small nicotine content was not going to do it. My cartridges were 1.6% nicotine content and what I really needed was something with around 2.6% nicotine content.
Since I wasn't able to get cartridges on the correct strength from neither the local stores or the Njoy website, I decided to move forward to something else. I made a list of everything I wish my PV could had:
1. Longer battery life (Njoy would only last me about 2-3 smoke breaks worth).
2. Refillable cartridges (a lot cheaper that way).
3. Standard (able to get replacement parts from different manufacturers).
From what I found, the battery on the Npro had a capacity of 180MaH. A popular battery on the PV arena, the standard Joye Ego battery, was 650MaH. I read a little bit more and found that these Ego batteries also come in "pass-through" models. This means they have a mini USB connector and can be charged with a USB cable, no charger needed. Also, you can still use it while charging. I kept reading and these batteries accept all 510 cartridges. The 510 is a widely used standard and many manufactures make their products 510 compatible. So I pulled the trigger and order an Ego unit and some liquid.
One month later, I'm still vaping out of that Ego unit. I've tried a few other things and I'm planning on getting something even better. But the Joye Ego is a solid unit. It works. I have not had a cigarette in days and I don't want to. I am now smoke free, puffing away glorious clouds of vapor.
From the blog's title, some might guess what this is about. I'm a "vaper" now. I'm still getting the nicotine, but not from a cigarette. Just like some people stop smoking by using patches, gum or pills, I use a device that "vaporizes" a liquid that contains nicotine and I inhale that. The media calls it an "electronic cigarette". I disagree with the name because it is NOT a cigarette. I would be like using "cigarette patch" for nicotine patches or "chewable cigarette" for the nicotine gum. I prefer to call it "Personal Vaporizer", or PV for short.
It wasn't a silver bullet. There are many different models out there and it took some time to find out something that could really work for me. Is just like cigarette brands. What is somebody's favorite brand, is un-smokable for others. It took some of experimentation and a lot of research to find something that worked for me. I almost gave up a few times along the way. I'm glad I kept trying.
It all started last year. I wasn't even thinking about quitting. I just wanted to find some way to get the nicotine fix without smoking. I've tried patches, gum, snus, pills, everything... nothing worked. Sometimes I have to stay at the office for long periods of time with no break, or overnight with my kids @ the hospital. I needed something to get those nicotine cravings under control.
I looked at all these adds for PVs and I got interested. Most of them had a big price tag of around $100 bucks. That is not the amount of money I could spend of something when I don't know if is gonna work or not. I searched on the internet to no avail. Everywhere I looked I was bombarded with adds saying "our model is the best". I could not found one single real review from an actual PV user, not "sponsored" by any re-seller. So I waited.
Months went by and last January a friend showed me his new PV. I tried it out, it kinda worked. When he told me it was on sale at 7-Eleven for just $20 bucks, I ran there to get me one. It was an Npro from Njoy. It is similar in size to a regular cigarette. The kit came with a battery, a charger and 2 cartridges. A pack of 5 extra cartridges was also being sold for another $20 bucks. My friend said that one cartridge could last for days (beware, that is false... more on that later) so it looked like something I could afford. I came back home with the unit (battery + charger) and a total of 7 cartridges, for around $40 bucks.
That day I tried the PV, using the unit instead of cigarettes. I found I could substitute every other cigarette for the PV. But anything more than that would give me cravings. Also, the cartridges that should have worked for days were more than 10 cigarettes worth. After that they would still give some vapor, but I wasn't getting any nicotine fix out of them.
I went back to my research. I searched on the internet, this time using the brand/model of what I was using. Finally, I found a few forums made by actual users, talking about their experiences with different types of PVs, including mine. It was there where I learned about nicotine content. I found out that the cartridges I got were filled with a nicotine solution comparable to an ultra light cigarette. I was a full flavor smoker, using strong stuff so, of course, this small nicotine content was not going to do it. My cartridges were 1.6% nicotine content and what I really needed was something with around 2.6% nicotine content.
Since I wasn't able to get cartridges on the correct strength from neither the local stores or the Njoy website, I decided to move forward to something else. I made a list of everything I wish my PV could had:
1. Longer battery life (Njoy would only last me about 2-3 smoke breaks worth).
2. Refillable cartridges (a lot cheaper that way).
3. Standard (able to get replacement parts from different manufacturers).
From what I found, the battery on the Npro had a capacity of 180MaH. A popular battery on the PV arena, the standard Joye Ego battery, was 650MaH. I read a little bit more and found that these Ego batteries also come in "pass-through" models. This means they have a mini USB connector and can be charged with a USB cable, no charger needed. Also, you can still use it while charging. I kept reading and these batteries accept all 510 cartridges. The 510 is a widely used standard and many manufactures make their products 510 compatible. So I pulled the trigger and order an Ego unit and some liquid.
One month later, I'm still vaping out of that Ego unit. I've tried a few other things and I'm planning on getting something even better. But the Joye Ego is a solid unit. It works. I have not had a cigarette in days and I don't want to. I am now smoke free, puffing away glorious clouds of vapor.
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