This is a guest blog post by Kevin Cass. When I started vaping, my goal was to find something so similar to cigarettes that my habit would transfer easily from analogs to e-cigs. I wanted a cigarette that wasn't a cigarette. So my first e-cigs were the same size and shape as analogs and even lit up at the end when I inhaled. While there is something to be said for this novelty, I quickly found I was missing out. What I really wanted was not the look and feel of a cigarette, but the look and feel of smoking. That meant huge clouds of vape I could blow smoke rings with, the feel of smoke hitting my throat and then rolling out my nostrils, enough nicotine that I could feel it when I wanted, and, maybe most importantly, instant gratification. Smoking was as easy as packing, unwrapping and lighting up. All the constant attention to charging batts and filling carts was detracting from the experience. This craving for a more authentic and pleasurable vaping experience led to a steady progression in the products I used.   It went something like this:
  1. Small batteries and prefilled carts Pros:  Easy. Pull a batt off a charger. Screw on a cart. Vape. Looked like a cigarette. Cons:  Small batteries died quickly, pre-filled carts dried quickly, and I only got big hits from the first 25-30 pulls with many brands.
  2. Extra long manual batteries and filling my own carts Pros:  Batteries lasted longer, freshly filled carts tasted better and could be reused. Big hits for the first hour. Cons: Still needed several bats charging in rotation to make it through a day of constant vaping, carts had to be filled several times a day, carts got hot after a few hits in a row.
  3. Extra long manual soft touch stealth batteries with tanks and drip tip Pros:  The soft touch felt better in my hand and I could vape more discreetly in dark places (e.g. movie theaters) with the stealth. Tanks needed a filling maybe once a day--usually less, rarely burned out (that terrible burnt plastic flavor when they run out of juice) and gave constant fresh hits. Cons:  My stick was now huge. I had to get used to that. Tanks, with a constant flow of juice, can easily ruin batteries (juice leaks down into them over time and they stop working--this happens more slowly with manual batts).
  4. Dial-A-Volt or Vapor Zeus with tanks or Smileomizers (my current setup) Pros:  Batteries last for at least a day--often two or three. Hits, with more volts, are as big as my lungs will allow. With the DAV's, I can tailor how hard they hit (easily getting the right throat hit). Tanks on Zeus and DAV's, with proper care, are much less likely to ruin bats. Smileomizers: beautiful, smooth, tasty hits and they last almost as long as tanks. Cons:  Other than being conspicuous, I can't think of anything I don't like about this vaping experience.
Takeaway:  Just skip to the good stuff!