I’m All About That Vape

Back in January, in my post “Not Exactly New Year’s Resolutions” one of the things I mentioned was my quest to quit smoking by using e-cigarettes. I am happy to report that as of six weeks, five days ago, I am cigarette free and now exclusively “vape” for my nicotine fix. In fact, I recently upgraded to glass tanks instead of the small plastic ones that came with the starter kit I bought back in November. I’ve also started dropping my nicotine levels, having started with 24mg and now down to 18mg in the e-liquids I use; and with the new glass tanks I foresee dropping that down again soon. My current collection of vaping supplies includes a Vision Spinner variable voltage battery with an EVOD as a backup, a KangerTech GeniTank Mega, an Aspire Nautilus Mini tank, and of course a few smaller tanks that resemble the KangerTech Mini ProTank. For liquids I rotate three different ones – Apollo Green Apple 18mg, eLic Java Wava Caramel Macchiato 18mg, and eLic Berry Yaya Blueberry Donut 18mg.

Switching to the glass tanks hasn’t been without its mishaps. A few night ago, I decided to take the Nautilus completely apart to clean it so I could change flavors, and I managed to chip the top of it. I quickly learned that trying to play that off and use it anyway results in a big old mess of leakage since it couldn’t form a solid seal and vacuum… oops. Thankfully, a replacement glass tube was only about $6 which is a good thing since replacing the entire thing would’ve been $30. I bought the Nautilus first – last weekend in fact. I liked it enough that I decided to go to my regular shop (because I kind of felt bad that I didn’t do my first tank upgrade there to begin with) to pick up the KangerTech GeniTank. Having a spare tank is always a good idea, plus it allowed me to 1) have more than one flavor pre-loaded and 2) try a couple of different styles. I’ve only had the GeniTank for about a day, versus the Nautilus Mini for a week, but I think I already like the GeniTank a little better. Both have a adjustable airflow, but the Nautilus basically has four predetermined settings while the GeniTank’s air valve is more like slider giving even more control. The GeniTank also hold more liquid than the Nautilus Mini so I don’t have to refill as often. Both have replaceable parts and can be disassembled for cleaning because there are no glued in place parts (it also means, if I really gave a shit, that I could get different colored glass or seals to customize the look). They both use a removable drip tip; unfortunately, they don’t fit each other so I can’t just trade those around (well, the GeniTank’s drip tip will fit in the Nautilus, but not the other way around which is weird since they’re both supposedly 510). The Nautilus came with a “beauty ring” for use with a battery that has a smaller diameter than the tank. It’s really just an aesthetic add-on, but it works well with both tanks with either of my batteries (not sure why the GeniTank didn’t come with one too).

You may be asking, “Why spend the money on the glass tanks in the first place?” and that is an excellent question. I could go into how it’s a better vaping experience because of the ability to control the airflow, or how they hold more liquid and don’t have to be refilled as often, and that they’re easier to clean since they come completely apart, and all of that would be true. Originally I was resistant to switching to glass because they were more expensive and I really didn’t see the value in investing in one since my small plastic ones worked just fine. What I quickly discovered, however, is that not all liquids are created equally. Some get hotter than others, like the Caramel Macchiato by eLic, and the plastic tanks just don’t do well with those because they can start to leak or their coils burn out faster due to the heat.

As for liquid, there’s debate about the PG vs VG percentages (PG= Propylene Glycol, VG=Vegetable Glycerin). I know that the eLic liquids I use are 50/50 and I prefer that. The Apollo, I think, is 60/40, which isn’t bad, but one other brand I tried had more PG to VG ratio, and I just didn’t care for it (too much of a throat hit for my liking). I’m still new to the vaping scene, so I can’t really comment on it more that this for now. I just know I like what I like, so I’m hoping Cigars Plus in Alpharetta, GA stays around for a while because they are the only ones around here that I’ve found that carry Apollo or eLic. There are dozens of vape shops popping up all over the Metro-Atlanta area, but they appear to all do their own brands of liquid. For more about PG and VG (and no, they are NOT toxic chemicals), check out the article, “What is E-Liquid? What You Need To Know”.

Speaking of Propylene Glycol and Vegetable Glycerin, let’s go ahead and address the 500lb. Gorilla in this blog. Vaping is NOT smoking. It is NOT just as dangerous as smoking, nor more dangerous than smoking, and there is NO second hand smoke risk. Anyone who believes that is a dumbass and hasn’t done their homework and just wants to believe what the mainstream media puts on television from unreliable sources or the government. Let’s face it; the CDC tries to lable vaping liquids as tobacco products, even though they are not, so the government can make the case to tax the hell out of it like it does for tobacco and alcohol. I’m not going to launch into a huge debate/rant about it here; I’ll just say do some research, like the article I linked to in the previous paragraph and know what you’re talking about before you criticize someone who vapes. For me and countless others, it’s helped kick the smoking habit.

~ JC