The Beginner’s Guide to Vaping
The Beginner’s Guide to Vaping
So you want to start vaping. Congratulations! You have two ways you can kick off your vaping journey. One is to hunt and peck for information online, quickly becoming overwhelmed by the multitude of different articles, devices and e-liquid options. Or you can keep it simple with this beginner’s guide to vaping. Here you get a streamlined guide that comes with a handful of tips and the two main ingredients you need to start vaping. They are:
- A vaping device
- E-juice
The Vaping Device
While vaping devices come in a wide range of sizes, styles, prices, the easiest way to go as a beginner is to get a vape pen starter kit. Prices for such kits are very reasonable, which means you won’t feel horrible when you eventually upgrade for a larger, more complex device if desired.
Going for a starter kit takes the hassle out of trying to mix, match, combine or otherwise construct your own device out of an array of different parts. Going for a vape pen kit gives you one of the most popular and easy-to-operate styles of vaping devices.
Vape pen starter kits typically come with:
- A rechargeable battery
- A tank with built-in atomizer
- A battery charger
The tank holds the e-juice. The battery powers the tank’s built-in atomizer. The atomizer heats up the e-juice to create a vaper. The battery charger recharges the battery. That’s really all you need to know at this stage. Two of the most popular vaping device brands that have solid starter kits are Joyetech and Aspire.
Another simple option similar to the vape pen starter kit is the all-in-one (AIO) starter kit. Here the battery, tank and atomizer are all connected as a single unit. While it contains fewer parts, you can’t disconnect the battery for recharging and must instead set aside the entire unit as it charges.
As you get more into the game, you may want to test out different options. Instead of the standard vape pen, you may want to try out box mods, which contain one or more battery in the body of the device beneath the tank, or experiment with adjustable battery settings.
The E-Juice
While thousands of e-juice flavors pepper the market, tobacco e-liquid is a good place to start. Tobacco e-liquid made from real tobacco is even better. Real tobacco vaping liquid boasts an authentic tobacco flavor, which can more fully satiate cravings for those trying to put down cigarettes.
Even if you’re not trying to quit smoking, real tobacco from a quality vaping liquid gives you a flavorful taste without the additional colorings, flavorings, or preservatives you find with most artificially flavored e-juices.
E-liquids can contain anywhere from four to four dozen or more ingredients, depending on the flavor you choose. At the very least, ingredients typically include:
- VG, or vegetable glycerin, a colorless, slightly sweet liquid that helps generate big vape clouds
- PG, or propylene glycol, a colorless liquid with nearly no taste or odor; it provides the throat hit, carries flavor and contributes to vapor production
- Nicotine, which is often optional and available in different levels
- Some type of flavor
Real tobacco e-liquids use real tobacco as flavoring, period, which means the ingredient list stops there. Other e-juices may require a hodge-podge of additional chemicals to create super sweet, super spicy, or just plain super crazy ingredients. Some may sport even crazier colors, like neon green or blue, which you can bet didn’t come from a natural source.
Tips, Tricks and Suggestions
Once you get your vaping device, make sure you follow any specific instructions to get the best use out of it. Once you get your e-liquid, make sure you store it in a cool, dry place to retain the quality. A number of additional dos and don’ts can also help you get the most out of your vaping experience.
Do get in an extra battery, so one can be in use and one can be charging at any given time.
Don’t inhale a vape the same way you inhale cigarettes. Instead of a long inhale directly to the lungs, try shorter, sipping-like inhalations that let the vapor linger in your mouth before heading to your lungs.
Do be courteous of others. While vaping doesn’t produce the same smell and smoke as cigarettes, some people still may not appreciate a big cloud of vapor in their face.
Don’t buy a giant bottle of e-liquid right off the bat. E-juice does eventually expire, so you want to make sure you use it in a timely manner. You also want to make sure you select the nicotine level that suits you, with options typically ranging from 24 mg all the way down to zero. Pack-a-day smokers may want to start with at least 18 mg or above.
Do eventually decrease nicotine levels, if desired. One of the beauties of vaping is the ability to gradually wean your body off nicotine without severe side effects. Purchase smaller bottles of e-juice, decreasing nicotine levels each time you purchase a new one.
Do make the most of it! Vaping continues to increase in popularity for a reason. A Public Health England report notes vaping is about 95 percent safer than cigarettes. It’s less costly than smoking on your finances and the environment. You get to satiate the urge while enjoying real tobacco taste. Chances are, too, you might not even have to stand outside in the rain to enjoy your after-dinner vape.
SOURCES:
http://vaping360.com/vape-starter-kits/
https://www.blacknote.com/e-cigarette-brands/
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/e-cigarettes-around-95-less-harmful-than-tobacco-estimates-landmark-review
