decided to get back into the e cig.  Finally got the wife on board to quit smoking so this time it should be successful.    I hated the little 510 kits and wanted a tank system and some kind of mod that would give me top performance all day. I don't want my batteries to run weak or the liquid to run dry.  



It appears that this is standard equipment now so anyone want to help me out on picking a setup?  Im not sure what works the best with so much out there.



Looking to spend  maybe 100-150 max on each kit.  


 

I've been happy w/ e-Go C Type A. 1000mAh batteries.

https://www.cignot.com/product_p/kit-egc-all.htm

Not in.

Smoke, or don't smoke.

Just stop being so modernly gay about it.

Provari,  probably a bit more than what you want to spend but it is the baddest motherfucker out there right now.

I have a quote for this type of thinking:

"A man damn well eats quiche, and whatever else he wants."


Meaning to worry about what other people do to relax when they're not bothering you, is immature. It's not gay for a man to smoke e-cigs. It's gay for a man to fuck other dudes.

Whatever you get, make sure it's an 18650



These batteries last a full day, I love em.



I'd suggest The Bolt. Check Madvapes.com or CrystalClearVaping

You have to make sure you get the extension ring for it.





Puresmoker.com has a nice couple mods to consider as well.





Actually, there are so many out there... just depends on your wallet.

The Silver Bullet is very popular, but the bolt is less than half the price.



Don't buy a Lavatube or any renamed version, problematic.

If you want variable voltage probably best to go with a Provari.



I'm happy with my Bolt and tanks.





 

2400mAh 18650 FTW.



And less than $10 each to replace or stock and rotate.



The fuck-in-the-ass with the eGo or any other proprietary setup is paying 5x what a battery should cost.
 

E-cig mods can be a bit intimidating to new users simply because you have to piece together your own kits and they don't know where to start.  They need to get the mod, then the right batteries, then the right charger, then all the accessories and liquids.  The cheapest/smallest e-cig I recommend is the eGo gear.  They're solid and reputable and they are continually coming out with more advanced stuff every few months.
The reason I recommend the eGo is because they're simple to use, the connector that your cartridge / cartomizer / atomizer / etc thread in to are 510 which is the most popular and it's the industry standard, and because they're low profile and look more appealing to those that don't want to carry around a dildo-sized e-cigarette.  The only real qualms anyone has with eGos is how long the battery lasts between charges, the 650mah being the worst.  Just order the 900mah or preferably the longer 1100mah and you'll get more vape time.  Then either stick with that or later on down the road start shopping for battery mods and batteries if you want something bigger and better.
For the ego gear I recommend www.litecigusa.net and get your liquids from www.freedomsmokeusa.com.  LCUSA is a great US-based retailer with some of the best prices and a wide-range of gear.  FSUSA is a great US-based liquid vendor that makes everything on site using FDA/US-lab certified ingredients.  I regularly order from both and they're widely known in the vape world so they're GTG.  More times than not, the liquids you can get from gear vendors = chinese shit.  This is why I strongly recommend you go with a liquid vendor.  There's freedomsmokeusa, backwoods brew, alien visions, all sorts of US-based places to choose from.
Now on to the gear...
Battery/device/mod - An eGo is an all-in-one unit meaning the battery + body + switch are one piece that can not be taken apart.  The smallest unit I'd recommend is the Joye eGo-C 900mAH battery found here.  It's got a better battery than the base model but it's not awkwardly long like the 1100mAH and costs a little less.  These batteries will last a few hours with heavy vaping and longer if you don't vape that much.  I recommend at least 2 battery units per user because you need something to use when the other is charging... being without your e-cig is the best way to fall right back in to smoking.  The eGo-C is pretty much just like the regular eGo except it has a battery meter and you can click the button 5 times to enable/disable the battery to avoid misfires in your pocket which can destroy the battery, your accessory, and even burn yourself.
If you're wanting to go a little more advanced on your gear and get
days worth of battery life between charges compared to hours, then
consider an e-cig mod.  An e-cig mod is sort of like the eGo except the
battery is removable/replaceable.  It takes a protected(protection
circuit) li-ion battery or non-protected IMR safe-chemistry battery.  If
you go this route I recommend the metal or anodized Bolt from here,  and
check the product description because I'm pretty sure the
metal/anodized bolts require an extension sleeve to fit the big 18650
batteries.  The 18650 battery can be found here, but
make sure you get protected li-ion or IMR.  This device will perform the same
exact duties as the eGo but the battery will last 1-3 days rather than a
few hours, and it is bigger than the ego.  They function the same and
accept the same accessories(510 thread).





If you want to jump right in to the neat stuff and don't mind spending a little more money then you can go right to an 18650 variable-voltage 'smart' mod like the Vamo($40+/-) or the Lavatube/Lambo/Wraith($50+/-).  They have a display screen, several buttons, many safety features built in, and allow you to adjust voltage, wattage(vamo only), read the resistance of your accessory, and read the remaining voltage of your battery.  It's a safe bet to use only IMR batteries in these because the boost circuit in these devices requires a higher amp draw that most protected li-ions can't deliver, and protected li-ions may be too long to fit in these devices due to the battery's built-in protection circuit which extends the length about 3-4mm over an IMR.
Charger - For the ego batteries I recommend the Joye eGo rapid charger found here.  It's powered by USB.  I don't quite remember if they make a wall wart that it can plug in to but if they do it'll be on  LCUSA's website somewhere.
For the IMR and li-ion batteries I recommend this charger.  It accepts all the popular sizes.
Cartridges - I recommend cartomizers over cartridges simply because they're an all-in-one piece(filler and coil are combined in one unit), easier to refill, and tend to work better than regular cartridges.  The Boge cartomizers are the most popular and most reputable.  You can get regular resistance(around 3.0ohm) or low resistance(around 2.0ohm).  The lower the resistance the hotter the coil burns the liquid which results in more vapor, throat hit, and the vapor will be warmer...several key things that help people quit smoking.  I'd recommend getting a box of each and there's 5 to a box.  You can find regulars here and the low res ones here.  These are disposable and have varying lifetimes...could last a day, could last a month, could fry the first time you puff off of it.
There's also tanks.  They can either be a tank with a replaceable cartomizer inside, or a tank with an atomizer-style coil and wicks.  The tank itself is just that, a tank, a reservoir to hold a much larger amount of liquid.  The most popular carto tanks are these and the refills for them can be found here.  The hole count is how many holes are punched in to the carto, this is how it draws in liquid from the tank.  I've had 2- and 3-hole flood on me more often than 1-hole so I'll have to recommend the latter.  On darker/thicker liquids you may find a 2-hole to wick better.  The most popular atty/wick style tank can be found here.  These are a bit more expensive than carto tanks but they're much more durable, the heads are rebuildable, and IMHO they offer a better vape.
Liquids - When placing your order with FreedomSmokeUSA or anyone else you'll find that you have to pick a few attributes when you want to add something to your cart...
-Nicotine level is how much nicotine you want in the liquid which is measured in milligrams per milliliter.  Generally noobs will want to start with 24-30, but only go above 24 if you're a nic-fiend and smoke more than a pack a day otherwise that much nicotine can make you jittery and keep you up at night.
-PG/VG ratio.  PG stands for Propylene Glycol and is what gives vapor it's throat-hit.  VG stands for Vegetable Glycerin and gives vapor its body(what you can see when you exhale) and sweetness, this one tends to bring out the flavor in your liquid.  You want to find a balance that's perfect for you so I can't help you there, though I can say that 70pg/30vg is the most popular.  If you find that ratio to be too harsh and/or not enough body to the vapor then adjust it for more VG.  If you find it not harsh enough, like you're just breathing in the air, then adjust it for more PG.  If you're using an accessory with wicks, like a clearmizer / map tank / vivi nova tank / etc, it's worth noting that darker and/or VG-heavy liquids can wick badly requiring you to tip your mod and top it off constantly.
-Liquid amount.  At FSUSA small bottles come with dripper tops but anything over 30ML has a screw on cap with no dripper.  If you order a bottle larger than 30ML then order a few small dripper bottles from them so you can transfer liquid before dripping in to the cartos.
-Menthol.  I don't know if they still do this, or if it's another vendor I'm thinking of, but this is just a shot of menthol.  This can actually make some juices pretty awesome.
-Extra flavor.  Exactly what it states.  They add an extra shot of flavoring to your liquid.  Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't.  Like everything else e-cig it's all an experiment until you find what you like.
The reason I have people piece
together kits over buying 'complete starter kits' is
because the starter kits usually come with cartridges which IMHO are garbage,
and you can usually save money by only getting what you need.
Also, there are TONS of youtube videos out there covering every little detail regarding e-cigs.  Need to learn how to fill and top-off a cartomizer?  Need to learn how to take proper puffs off your e-cig?  Need to learn how to rebuild the head on your vivi nova tank?  Need to learn how to check the voltage of a battery or resistance of an accessory?  There are video tutorials for all that stuff.  I'm also more than happy to answer any questions you might have, just ask me here in this thread or via pm/e-mail.
 






 



 

Like I tell everyone else that gets started, this can get intimidating.  It was for me.  As long as you want to quit smoking and don't mind learning a few easy things about e-cigs you'll be up and vaping in no time.
I'm around if you ever have any questions or need any recommendations.  I've been doing this for well over a year now and most of that time has been spent building my own mods, building/selling kits to family and friends, trying out various products, etc.  I stopped my buying/selling/trading on my own gear 6+ months ago when I landed on the perfect mod and atomizer setup so there is some new stuff out there that I have no experience with, but I try to keep up on things via www.e-cigarette-forum.com which is an awesome place to ask questions, learn stuff, and buy/sell/trade stuff.
ETA:  Oh, to expand a bit on what some users were talking about earlier with mods/batteries...
Basically a mod is an e-cig that takes one of several sizes of rechargable li-ion battery.  The common sizes are 14500 and 18650.  The former is similar to what's in the eGo and the latter is substantially bigger but lasts much longer.  A mod + battery will replace your eGo battery unit and the perks to this is extended battery life and the freedom to choose from one of the million different types/styles/sizes of mods out on the market.  As long as you get a 510 mod it will accept those cartos I recommended earlier.  510 is the threaded connector in the e-cig that your carts thread in to.  There are other sizes out there but 510 is the most popular and has the best industry backing.
A side-button tube mod that takes an 18650 is a great mod to start with and you can either get Trustfire/Surefire batteries or with the more expensive and durable AW batteries.  You'll hear some people trash Trustfire/Surefire for being too cheap or unsafe but they actually have a great track record as long as you're buying them from a reputable vendor to ensure you're not getting re-branded fakes.  The AWs are worth the extra money though as they tend to have a longer overall lifetime before needing to be tossed in the trash.  So far my favorite charger, which handles all the popular sizes of batteries you'll see for e-cigs, would be the black smart multi-charger from madvapes.  You can not charge eGo-style batteries on these.





There's nothing wrong with getting yourselves each a nice 18650 mod and a pair of batteries for each one.  I just recommend the eGos so you can get started easily without spending too much.  There are mods out there that are moderately priced and just off the top of my head www.madvapes.com is a good place to find the 18650 tube mods which I believe run around 39.99-49.99 each.  These batteries can last 1-3 days depending on how much you vape but they are quite a bit bigger than an eGo and size tends to turn away noobs, mostly the women.
 

I say get yourself a carton of Camel non filters. Self denial is over rated.
 

The eGo kits require eGo batteries.





Mods use 510 cartomizers just the same.





The advantage to mod devices is quality batteries, for cheap, with 2-3x the runtime.





People buy eGos as starter kits, and they progress from there.





Then they realize they need to buy new batteries and charger to get into another model.





No sense in wasting the money on that step when dude is talking about $150 per setup budget.





Now if he was talking $40 per setup budget, he'd have little other option.
btw Vic, cartridges SUCK. eGo tanks SUCK. Dripping onto atomizers gets old quick.





Cartomizers in tanks is the only way to go. I've been down all these paths.





eta: There are other benefits to mods like the option of 3.7v or 6v vaping by simply switching out cells,

 but that'll probably just cause more confusion.

However another one of the benefits of mods is my >$10 chargers handle multiple battery types.

If I get a different device or want to change my voltage, no problem. For example...

 My Bolt came with an 18500, my charger will charge it, and I can remove the extension ring and use that.

Or I can toss in some 123 sized cells and go to 6v, my charger handles those too.
 

The other reasons I recommend eGos is because they're smaller which noobs like, cheaper to get in to, and they're more than enough for a user to figure out if vaping is for them or not because it is a true 3.7v 510 device.  If they get mods + batteries they'll generally spend more and if they don't like vaping they're stuck with something that's harder to sell to the average joe, it's gotta be sold somewhere like e-cigarette-forum or forgotten about in a box somewhere.  The eGo kit is easier to resell as it's an "e-cig kit" and not as hard to explain to a buyer.  I won't argue that the mod is better, but for a noob I don't feel it's the right option unless they've been able to try a friend's ego and/or mod or money isn't an issue.  If they want to upgrade to something with more battery duration they can easily resell the eGo kits either via normal means or on the e-cig forum and put that money towards the mods they want....or pass the eGos to a friend or family member which is what I did.
Also, everyone has their own perfect setup.  Some people love true tanks like the MAP, some like dripping, some like bottom-feeders, some actually like the basic cartridge + atty setup.  I always have people start with cartos because they're the most popular.
I'm currently on a Reo Mini running 1.5Ohm cisco atomizers.  For a time I ran the bigger of the two MAP tanks with newer-gen clearomizers installed but I got tired of having to do dry burns to clean the coil area of the wick.  Plus I ran this on an AltSmoke Omega and the whole setup was just too damn big to be carrying around.  The setup I run now is "perfect" for me but the last thing I'd recommend to anyone starting up.  Any noob that takes a hit off this bad boy hates it because it's like breathing in fire due to the 1.5ohms and 80/20 liquid ratio.
 

i was on the e cig for like 2 years smoked a real one and then said f that shit.

i was using the blu before they switched to the crummy cartomizers.

as long as you got enough batteries and atomizers and a system that you can just use a liquid in a dropper bottle they are all fairly decent

He's not inexperienced with the e-cig though, he's going back to it.



I want to save him the frustration of the 401, the same frustration I had with those fuckin' things,

and steer him towards high performance, low aggravation vaping. Like I've found.



I liked to drip on the atty with the 401, but lets face it, 3 drags and drip blows goats.

Cartomizers weren't around back then, it was cartridge or drip.



I don't rate the eGo as much more than average in performance, at best.

Granted their new variable voltage batteries are pretty trick...

but I've had my share of fucking battery issues, as such, I've gone with big batts and won't look back.



I would say clearomizers suck, but I guess you've already figured that out.



Madvapes has single, double, and triple hole tank cartos which have proven good and reliable.

They're dual coil available in all resistances. Other than those, I like the CCV single coil Resurrectors.





 

Yeah, you were doing what I'm trying to tell Vic he doesn't need to do.





There is a MUCH better way.



 

The eGo is no different than an 18650 mod beyond the charger and how long the battery lasts between charges.  Hook a voltmeter up to either one and you'll get the same reading.  They'll both also take 510.  That combined with the fact they're a reputable product from a reputable company is why it's has been and will continue to be a top seller in the e-cig world.  Not only is it a stepping-stone towards something like a mod, but it's also enough to just stick with.  As much as I'd like to see everyone hitting off a silver bullet with a map tank or reo with an atty, I remember how intimidating and expensive things can get when you're new to the REAL e-cig world(not the mall e-cig world).  That combined with price, looks, and being easy to understand make it perfect for a novice...and there's even plenty of veterans that still use them.  Looks, while maybe not important to your or I, are very important to noobs.  In my experience of building/selling my own mod kits I've found that women tend to not like the big tube mods because they look like dildos.





If he has tried e-cigs before and they didn't quite last long enough, then I'd recommend going the mod route.  If he didn't feel he was getting enough vapor from his last setup, or there wasn't enough throat hit, or the vapor wasn't hot enough...and I knew what setup he was running...then I would probably recommend 80/20 or 70/30 liquid ratios and lower resistance cartos(2.0-2.5ohm).





I guess it'll just come down to what he thinks he needs/wants.  If he feels he is beyond the eGo then I'll be more than happy to provide links to some legit gear.





 

Well, since the OP mentions mods, I use one with an internal tank that feeds the atomizer from the bottom and uses a battery that can easily last me a day and a half.  



It's this one: http://www.reosmods.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=8&Itemid=3



I'm gonna go ahead and send you a PM because of the herpdy derp that is going to take over this thread.


 

I didn't realize he said he wanted mods or that he's even tried anything before because I didn't read the first post.  He PM'd me and asked for recommendations so I came here to post what I usually tell noobs.  Meh, at least other people can see what I typed and maybe quit their own smoking habits.
The Reo is an AMAZING mod and is has been my main piece for quite a while.  The problem with them, though, is the price.  Not everyone wants to fork out $140-150 dollars per mod.  If bottom-feeding is his thing then it's worth the price even if you have to pawn some shit to afford it because you won't find a better bottom-feeder.  If he goes this route then I definitely have to recommend the Cisco atomizers.  In my experience they have the best hit and last the longest.  My first one lasted just a hair over a year and went from a daily dripper to a liquid tester to this reo.  Second one is about 2 months in to service on the reo.



Altsmoke sells some of the most popular 14500 and 18650 tube mods, the silver bullet / the bb / the omega.  I ran an Omega and loved it but it was sometimes a PITA to disassemble/reassemble.



Madvapes is now stocking a variety of 18650 and 14500 tube mods but I have no experience with those.  They are an excellent retailer that I have ordered from almost weekly for over a year and they're not really in the business of selling garbage so consider this another mod recommendation.



For batteries you can either get trustfires or surefires from Madvapes, or AWs from lighthound.  The latter are more expensive, have a longer overall lifetime, and are safer...but that's not to say the trust/sure fires are unsafe.  Just make sure you're getting a protected li-ion battery from a reputable vendor.  Protected means there's a built-in circuit to prevent shorting and fast-drain which could cause the battery to explode.
 

yeah that sort of set up does look pretty decent

now i wasn't dripping right on the atomizer i would fill the cartridges with the wool or polyester crap in them and yeah i had plenty of batteries try and burn a whole in my leg while i was walking and quite a few atomizers had to be replaced...

It's been a while since i vaped i don't even think the cartomizer tank system was even around then'

I know buying the filled cartomizers sucked compared to using the liquid of choice and were much more expensive

okay so here is the prospective lineup





2 bolt mods





4 2200 mah 18650 baterries





2 chargers





1.5 ohm dual coil tank cartomizers with 6ml tanks  got three tanks and 15 cartomizers in case I fuck one up somehow.





2 30 ml bottles of 50/50  
This sound about right?  I want these bitches to be set it and forget it.    





coming in at 247 dollars total from myvaporstore.com  (only place that seems to have all this in stock)




 

You, sir, are not modernly gay.

If you are a dude who kisses dudes, then fine.
You're gay.

At least you are a gay MAN!

Don't worry about having to order it all from one place.  I tried that and got shitty liquids and shitty batteries.  Once you get in to this stuff you'll find that you need to order from multiple places but that's just how it goes.  You'll probably also save a lot of money by splitting it up as I'm sure that retailer(whom I've never heard of) probably doesn't have the best prices on those items.





I would get your batteries, chargers, and carto tanks from madvapes.  I would get cartos(if you go with the boges) from litecigusa.  I would get liquids from FSUSA or any other reputable US vendor that makes them onsite.  Have-all retailers usually just sell you the crappy chinese liquids.





 

I agree with the price issue. The Bolt is $40

Cartos last about a week, but they're $2.00 or less, depending on quantity purchased.

What do you pay for your Ciscos? About $23? If you're getting a year out of em, that's pretty amazing.



The Bolt uses the same battery as the Rio Grand. Tanks hold 3ml or 5ml depending which size you buy.



Choices ain't easy with this shit, the options available now are endless.





If I was going to spend the coin, I'd probably go with the Provari.





 

I honestly couldn't tell you how or why my atomizers last so long.  The real 1.5 ciscos, and the 1.5 cisco look-alikes from madvapes, both last forever for me.  All I do is de-bridge and de-wick them, and occasionally clean them if I want to switch liquids or the coil gets any gunk on it.  A majority of my vaping is clear to clear-ish liquids in 80/20 or 70/30 which is definitely a factor in the atty life.  Darker/thicker liquids gunk shit up faster which can burn them out.



 

Boge has been having QC issues lately





I would suggest pricing the Bolt and cartos at CCV, he ships free.


http://www.crystalclearvaping.com/THE-BOLT-PV-1600-maH_p_87.html


And check his battery pricing. IMRs are good cells.





Tanks from Madvapes, NOT the colored ones! Good batteries there too. And they also sell the extension rings. You need that for 18650 cells.





Liquid, you need Strawnana at Elitevaporworks.com. Buy 3 get 1 free, shipping is free.






btw Vic, I suggest 1.5ohm resistance cartos for single coil, and 1.7ohm for dual. Though I don't have trouble with 1.5ohm dual either.
 

Vic, here's a few places to check out...
Batteries - Since it appears you want to get in to an 18650 mod then here's some batteries to check out.  Madvapes.com for Surefire 2400mAH, Surefire 3000mAH, Trustfire 2400mAH, Trustfire 3000mAH, Trustfire 2400mAH flat-top if the mod you want requires this.  Lighthound.com for AW 2200mAH, 2600mAH, 2900mAH, and 3100mAH.  When ordering from lighthound make sure that you're getting the protected versions and not the unprotected.  This is EXTREMELY important.  Unprotected batteries can explode in e-cigs when drained too fast or shorted out.  I've used all of the above and recommend trustfires over surefires, and AWs over both if cost isn't an issue.
Mods - Madvapes.com has a wide variety of 18650 tube mods these days so just pick whatever you like I suppose.  They have acrylic 18650 tube mods for $49.99, plastic bolt 18650 tube mods for $19.99, and metal bolt 18650 tube mods for $29.95(sale price). Altsmoke.com carries the silver bullet(side button) and omega(top firing) mods which both take an 18650 battery.  These mods are pretty sweet and while a bit more expensive than madvapes tube mods you definitely get to experience what you're paying extra for.  Make sure whatever you get is VENTED meaning it has vent holes in it somewhere in case the battery pops.  That pressure needs somewhere to go otherwise you're entire e-cig becomes an explosive device.  Yes, battery explosions can happen, but they're one in a billion if you're buying the right stuff and using it all properly.
Carto tanks - Gonna go with madvapes.com again for this one but there are other places to get them from which I believe Gonzo has pointed out already.  The ones from madvapes work fine.  Out of all the tanks and replacement cartos I've purchased for family, only one tank had an issue with cracking and that was from me trying to force the top off due to being stuck on.  The carto replacements are also sold here, obviously.
Chargers - Madvapes.com again.  This charger is my all-time favorite.  It takes all the popular e-cig protected li-ion batteries and the green/red LED setup gradually switches over as the battery is charged so you know exactly when it's ready to pop off.  Constant green with a red flicker every so often = good to go.  Mine has lasted almost two years and I've yet to hear any complaints from friends/family that use it.  The only thing I would worry about with this charger is the lower contacts being spring-loaded.  They can pop back up with a lot of force when you pull off a big battery like the 18650 which will snap your finger and may even cause the spring to dislodge.  This pretty much applies to most multi-chargers but it seems snappier on this one in particular.
 

found some tube mods built by mad vapes for the 18650 and 510 setup.  GOt everything else except the juice lined up for 150.  Not bad.  Will order tonight and get some juice from freedom smoke.    Is 50/50 a good start?  I dont care much about my throat burning.  Do NOT want to feel like I am smoking air.  Hated that about the last cheap setup I had
 

+1 on Cignot. My wife has been using them for 2 years now and their service has been great all that time. Good people to deal with!

 

See my last post for more info.
As for liquid ratio it's really hard for one person to recommend something to the other because taste is very subjective.  I'd say that 70/30 and 50/50 are the most popular and 50/50 wouldn't be a bad option because worst-case scenario you don't like it but you at least have a good platform to work with if you need to figure out which way to go on the ratio. At first your our throat will burn a bit regardless because vapor is a lot different than smoke(which I'm sure you know already being a previous vaper), but throat hit may still be a factor for you and/or your wife.  Harshness and throat hit aren't the same thing, throat hit is basically that feeling of inhaling the vapor(or smoke) compared to inhaling just air.  If you get 50/50 and need more throat hit then adjust the ratio for more pg.  If that ends up being the case then try out 60/40 or 70/30 next.  The first number is always PG.
ETA:  Which bolts did you add to your cart?  Since they come in plastic and metal then I'll have to recommend the metal ones msimply because they'll be more durable(you'll drop and/or knock your mod down a lot), but that's entirely up to you.  It seems the metal ones are on sale for only $29 so that may help in the decision.
 

I'll put my experience here.

couple years ago I was trying to find a way to quit smoking. Friend showed me vapor4life pen style ecig. I liked it, bought the starter kit.

a week after having it, It was not cutting it for me. still smoked a pack a week. (i orginally smoked a pack a day)found out about ECF http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com found tons of information about refilling my cartomizers. So  i started doing that. Still not good enough for me. So I quit and went back to analogs.

couple months ago, I decided I needed to try again, checked vapor4life website, saw the OEM EGO kit. bought the kit, huge improvement! But still smoked a cig or 2 a day. Decided to try different E-liquid vendors, found Freedomsmokeusa.com to be my pick for my pomergrante daily vape. Yum!

Did research, tried different tanks, cartomizers, clearomizers, spent bunch of money. Still smoking a cig or 2 a day. Found Vivi nova 2.5 tank, That is the best investment in tank! (tip for vivi nova 2.5 is to cut the wick just so that it touches the side of the walls)

Started to experiment PG/VG ratios, found 70%PG 30%VG to be my choice, great taste, great vapor, good throat hit. Still... smoking a cig or 2 a day....

August arrived, was getting a bit frustrated and noticed that I am starting to get anexity because I was not get the sastification I wanted like i get from regular analogs. So i decided to do more research on VV (variable voltage) APV's (Advanced Personal Vaporizer) after long reading, asking questions on ECF, everyone says to get the Provari. But the pricetag for the Provari was too hard for me to belive i should get it. I was just about to get a Bolt or Vmax. But people urged me to just wait and get the Provari. Still unsure if the Provari will sastify me, i was afraid it would not and then i would have 250 bucks down the toilet.

One day I was cleaning my office, noticed my change jar was full. Decided to put it in a larger glass jar, found other jars that had change in it. Filled it all in the big jar that I posted on ARFcom for you all to guess (for those who saw that thread) Results came and it was 295 bucks! I decided that I would use that to get the Provari. So i ordered the Provari starter kit.

Kit arrived Aug 17th. Opened the box, got battery in, read some info online first, like user manual etc.. Screwed my Vivi Nova 2.5 with 2.4 ohm head and my 70/30 mix pomergrante juice in. Set voltage to 4.3v First draw, WOW! MAJOR improvment!!!! I was so pleased with the results, huge VAPOR, excellent throat hit, the flavor production improved greatly too!!

Ever since I got the Provari on Aug 17th 2012, I have not had a single cigarette!!!

I have spent about I would estimate 400-500 dollars in search for the best equimpent for myself to quit cigarette completely! When I first started back on E-Cig few months ago, i did hear about Provari, but avoided that due to that it was a big battery and 510 thread, plus the price tag. I just wished I bought the Provari in the first place and I could have saved like 200-300 dollars.

So I suggest you to look into a VV device, a Vmax, Bolt, Lavatube, or Vapor4life's OMG VV which is 99.99 for the starter kit that includes some goodies too. Or just get the Provari and be done with it, also Vivi Nova 2.5 kit too.

My Provari lasts me 1 and half day. The pen style batteries would last me 3-4 hours. The EGO would last me 6-8 hours. Alsoe other thing is that those are not regulated, VV kits are regulated so that means the voltage will stay at the specific set voltage until the battery runs out of juice. That was one major issue with me, because with the EGO, once I take it off the charger, it is the best for about 3-5 draws then it just get weaker afer that, that frustrated me. but with VV its no longer a issue.

Here is picture of my Viv Nova 2.5 on my Provari. The black one is the EGO with no cartomizer or anything attached to it.

Very nice.  Glad you found the perfect vape and quit analogs.  It took me a long while and a lot of dollars to get to my reo / cisco setup but it was worth it.
Unfortunately, more times than not, that's what it takes...a long while and a lot of dollars.  There's just so much stuff out there, so many options, all those configurations, and individual needs/tastes that it can take days/week/months/a year or more to finally land on a setup that truly replaces your smoking habit.  Hanging out on the EC forum and having people to answer your questions definitely helps, though.





From what I'm seeing it seems the prices on mods have come down while the options have gone up.  I am just now finding out about madvapes selling all those tube mods and I've ordered from them almost every week for over a year now.  Last I remember they had the roughstacks, the blue lightning, and the gold rush, but now you can get the plastic bolts for like 20 bucks or the metal bolts for $10 more.
 

Yes your correct, it takes time to find the right one, everyone has different liking so one certain setup would work for that person but not the other. Research, money, time, helps find the right one unfortuanely! Wish there was just one magic one that works for everyone! lol

There are so many options out now than it was 2 years ago. Just amazed on the selections, I am seeing more new tanks/clearomizers coming out constanly!

I buy most of my stuff from gotvapes.com, sometimes from madvapes.com they both are good sites.

Do you have picture of your setup? I'd like to see everyone's setup if possible.

Also other thing I would like to add for OP and everyone is that youtube has a lot of reviews on E-Cig setup, but beware a lot of them are paid by vendors.

A couple things...



I agree with you here. If you're going to take the plunge, fuckin' do it.



On the other hand, he's buying two complete setups.





Now on the subject of VV devices, if you're not buying a Provari, don't bother.

The Lavatube especially, which many vendors are selling on clearance to get out of the headaches...

They don't perform as advertised and have plenty of QC issues.

Just look for youtube reviews, GrimGreen did one with a voltmeter, as did many others. It's a fucked up unit.

They're sold under all sorts of names but the device is identical and from the same MFR.



The Bolt is not Variable. You can use different cells... but it's not variable.

It's cheap, solid, and the two I have in daily use have been reliable.

A Provari would be a luxury, but a simple device that works is the necessity, and the Bolt is that.



If you want variable voltage, then you also need to buy appropriate resistance cartos to go with it.

You can't run low resistance cartos on high voltage.



Madvapes has cheap variable box mods, if you want to play with one before making a serious commitment.

Before buying anything other than a Provari, I'd search the shit out of the e-cig forum for issues.





 

a lot cheaper than smoking.  Im sure .gov will tax the living fuck out of it sooner or later though.



 

Plastic bolts wouldn't be bad if they're 18650, although I wouldn't want to drop one.


Other than the fragility issue, if I'm going to have most of the bulk of a big batt mod, I want the largest mAh rating I can get.
Also, I own a Roughstack Maxi v2. It's a good unit, but the top button doesn't allow for tank use.


Those spacer adapters suck. Even though you hear it'll work just fine.... trust me it fucking doesn't





I do like the roughstack though! I just rarely use it because I'm into tanks. It's more easily pocketed.
 

Thanks fellas the deed is done for now  
Also someone should make a mod out of a .50 bmg case.   I would buy that shit.


 

This is slick shit...



http://www.madvapes.com/the-vented-telescope-adjustable-tube-mod-chrome.html





But I'd hate to be another early adopter like I was with the 401 Pilot



It would be one to research though.



I might end up with one, since it's much like the Puresmoker version I want, but WAY cheaper.


 

I stopped by a smoke shoppe here in MN, saw they had V4L E-Liquids, asked them how much for the 30ml 47 dollars!!!! I asked why so much, yup its taxed. Can't imagine what would happen if .gov starts controlling E-cig.

gonzo_beyondo, you say that with VV you need apporiate resistance carto, I have tried different resistance on my Provari, they work just fine? I read on ECF that most will work fine as that most VV devices can go as low as 3.3v.



On side note Just wanted to show some of my setup.

My very first setup from the time I first discovered E-Cig. Its just a box full of cartos! lol



This is my current setup, half of those stuff will either sit in a box or be tossed out once i find time to sort them all out.

Someone actually does.



But, it sucks.





Actually there have been many "mods" made,



http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/modding-forum/98057-vaping-50-caliber-bullet.html



but I only know of one in production:







 

Saw that too, I wonder how it will hold on after use and abuse as that its 2 body design that telescopes. I would imagine it would start to wear and flop around too much.

I think they're lying about it being taxed. I haven't heard of anything like that.



Though I haven't looked...





As to cartos, it's not so cut and dry, some variables have protection, and throttle back to meet the proper resistance.

I don't know, but I suspect the Provari will. The Lavatube throttles when it shouldn't, part of why buyers are pissed.

You have to be certain of your device's specs.



Vaping at 6v should have a single coil resistance of 3.2 to 4.5 ohms or a dual coil at 2.5ohms

7.4v vaping, 4 to 5 ohms or 3 ohm dual coil.
 

I don't know what to think... eta: It looks to be threaded, not a slider.





The Puresmoker bottom button units are fixed length.


I like how this one adjusts, but I'd be happy with straight 18650 to be honest.





Guess we need to wait and see. 3mos down the road, people will gripe like hell, if there's anything to gripe about.
 

I did not see that, what did you end up buying? the tube mod from madvapes? hope they turn out to work great for both of you!

Post pic of it when you get it!

PSA:



You guys using e-cigs, and especially you Vic...





Run down to Home Depot and pick up some of this



http://www.idealindustries.com/prodDetail.do?prodId=noalox



Noalox, a little goes a long way, and it'll protect your threads.

I use it on e-cigs and all my flashlights. It works amazingly well.



Also, always be careful that you don't cross thread your e-cigs.




 

yep. will do.  got 2 day shipping so it wont be long.





 

I am completely confused.  I had the smoke anywhere set and honestly it sucked.

I am ready to try it again.

Provari plus Vivi Nova?

Is that what would be recommended?

Please someone clue me in.

That's the deluxe variable voltage unit, yes. I'm happy with 3.7v vaping.





 I hear you that your experience sucked.


Back when I started, I bought the best shit available, and I wasn't real pleased...


If I started with something like Blu, I probably would have sworn it off for good.





At least you got your feet wet and kinda know what to expect.


Enough so that you'd give it another shot.





e-cigarette forum, or ECF for short, is a great place to research devices.


There are a shitload of options for any budget.
 

Provari is a luxury device, well made, tons of postive reviews, voltage is what it says on the display, maybe there was some variance, not sure but best of all other VV devices.

I swear on Provari and Vivi Nova 2.5 The Vivi Nova is a rebuiltable tank that holds 2.8ml and comes with 1.8, 2.4 and 2.8 ohm heads in the kit. i think it is 14 dollars. The provari is 211.95 for the kit. I paid extra for the blue led, i think it is 15 bucks extra http://www.provape.com. for liquid, freedomsmokeusa.com 50/50 ratio is a good place to start at get 10ml bottle to start off and if you like it get bigger bottle, or adjust the pg/vg ratio next order. beware 100%vg from them is very thick!

Gonzo, Husky,
Thx for the info.  

Where do I order the Vivi Nova 2.5's?
How many should I order.

Is 50/50 the best ratio?  whats the difference when you change the ratios?

"or adjust the pg/vg ratio next order"

PG is thinner, VG is thicker.





VG makes more vapor "smoke" than PG, but PG wicks better, so it's a compromise.


I get my juice from elitevaporworks so I use whatever it is they sell, I don't even pay attention.


Got a sample awhile back and I've been hooked on it since. Strawnana and Joosy Fruit. mmm, good.
I'll leave the Vivi Nova stuff to Husky, I haven't used one.





 

Vivi Nova can be got at http://www.gotvapes.com

You just need one to start with. Mine is about a month old I think, easy to clean too, I clean my out every other week. ETA if you end up getting that, and need to know how to clean it, let me know

PG/VG ratio, PG is Propelyne Gylcol (SP) VG is Vegetable Gylcol

higher PG ratio you get more flavor, vapor, and throat hit. VG is the opposite, reason some buy 100% VG is that PG gives them headache or chest tensions. None here for me.

I like 70/30 will be trying 80/20 sometime soon.

50/50 is the middle of all, most vendors sell them at 50/50 as default.