Vape Like You Mean It
Just Clouding Around
Let’s face it. As human beings, we spend a lot of time failing at stuff. It’s nothing to get down about, that’s just the way it is. Failing is often a conduit to learning. We learn each time we fail. It’s rare that you hop on a bicycle for the very first time and take off doing wheelies. More likely, you spent a good deal of time kissing the pavement. And chances are, if you’re as old as I am, you probably did it without a helmet. Sometimes failing is more painful than other times!
When you have tried quitting smoking over and over, to no avail, that failure becomes acutely painful. Things seem hopeless, and sometimes you may have found yourself making excuses. Why bother even trying anymore? Don’t worry. I can’t speak for everyone, but I’ve certainly been there. More than once!
Vaping is not an FDA approved smoking cessation tool. But that doesn’t change my story, or any of the other anecdotal evidence or countless testimonials that are pointing to a simple fact: vaping is changing lives. People are finding in vaping the tools for success that they couldn’t find in any other available medium. The motivation and desire to switch from smoking to vaping, and actually be happy and satisfied instead of feeling stressed out and deprived.
But herein lies the rub. You must feel happy and satisfied. The tools that it takes to accomplish that feeling vary from person to person. How can you figure out what that means for you?
First, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Vape shops all over are full of exuberant, happy people who are more than willing to answer questions, whether it’s your first time through the door or you’re a seasoned regular. Chances are, if you go into a shop where they snub you or seem like they can’t be bothered, they’re just a lousy business. There’s rotten apples in every industry. With vape shops opening up literally every day, there’s more than likely another one within driving distance.
Next, be adventurous! Try new things! You might be happy with a regular clearomizer. They’re convenient, they don’t drain your batteries like crazy because they’re generally used at low wattages, and there are plenty of affordable options. Perhaps you like the sleek, smooth shine of a copper mech mod, with few parts and a single button, or the way a nice regulated box fits neatly into your hand, with just the right amount of heft to give it substance. Maybe you’d like to explore sub-ohm vaping. Maybe dripping is too much of a hassle, and just not the way you roll. Maybe you want pre-built coils that you can grab and go! Maybe you want to learn to build your own beautiful, unique, spiraling masterpieces. [bctt tweet=”Does your equipment fit your lifestyle? And just as importantly, does it fit your budget?”]
Regardless of what appeals to you in the end, be sure you know how to operate it. If you’re going to be building coils, make sure you know how to do so safely, and that you have the proper tools to do so, like an ohm reader. And always be safe about how you store, charge, and transport your batteries. Use the proper batteries for your device, and dispose of them properly when they reach the end of their life. Keep an eye on their wrappings, which can get tattered after heavy use. High quality batteries are money well spent. If you plan to customize your device with wraps, skins, or stickers, make certain you aren’t covering the vent holes or any buttons or screens.
Finding flavors that can be an ADV (shorthand for All Day Vape) is also part of the whole experience, and it’s something that can be a little daunting, given the vast amount of possibilities on the market today. The good news is, there are plenty of options. The bad news is, the only way to know for sure if you’re going to like something is to try it, and sometimes it can be a little upsetting to shell out for a bottle of something only to find out later that it’s really not your style. My best suggestion here is to do a little research before making your purchase.
In many states, you may be able to try before you buy, and there are a lot of shops who are happy to let you taste some of their available flavors before you commit. Reviews are also a great way to find something that piques your interest. I won’t lie, I’m completely biased towards Spinfuel reviews, which are in-depth and well rounded. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t also plenty of other sources of great information on the world wide web! Youtube is bursting with reviews of all types of flavors.
Pick something broad to start with, either a brand that appealed to you, or a specific type of flavor (fruity, creamy, or savory, for instance.) and then narrow it down. In the end you’re going to have to try something, and over time you’ll develop more of a sense of what flavors satisfy you the most, and which are fun once in a while. I like to keep a couple of tanks filled with a few of my favorites so I can just grab them and go, but if it’s a flavor that’s nice but not an ADV, I’ll usually enjoy it on a dripper so that it’s a quick thing to swap it out later on, and I’m not stuck with half a tank of something that I’m kind of sick of. Another thing to watch out for is particularly strong flavors. There’s a blue slushie out there, for instance, that I really quite enjoy. But if you pop it in a tank with a disposable coil head, you can kiss that goodbye for reuse.
Everything you put on it forever after is going to taste of blue slush. Keep that kind of thing in mind if you’re going to be using disposable coil heads. Used properly, these coil heads can last you a few weeks. So I generally time my blue slushie enjoyment to when one’s getting a bit towards the end of its life cycle. Just one more little way to save yourself a few bucks! If all else fails, and you still aren’t sure, you can generally buy something in a smaller bottle to give it a go. You might pay slightly more per ml than on a larger bottle, but if you don’t like it, you’ll have saved yourself some cash and you won’t have a giant bottle of some hideous liquid staring you down, day in and day out, reminding you of your poor choices in life..
I hope you’ve found some of these tips helpful, and I hope that, whoever you are and wherever you stand on your vaping journey, you find success. Vaping has become an attractive option to people in all walks of life, and we welcome you into our melting pot!
Renee
Renee is a painter of words, sharing the thoughts of an eliquid artist as she makes her way through the many paths life presents. As co-owner of Sarcastic Fringehead Vapery, Renee knows a thing or two about her art, her craft, and life. Renee is a regular contributor to Spinfuel eMagazine with her esoteric and eclectic column, Just Clouding Around™.
