Smokers who are beginning the long, slow transition to vaping will face many obstacles, including unfamiliarity with the basics of vaping. This makes their first weeks with this new form of nicotine consumption particularly challenging and may put them off transitioning altogether. That said, on balance, vaping is still a lot less dangerous than smoking to the bodies of smokers and those around them. Hence, we want to encourage smokers who are trying to change their habits by including a list of common errors to avoid when trying out vaping.
Trying a wrong vaping model
Amateur vapers tend to purchase a model and try vaping first and worry about research or choosing the right model second, if at all. This could be because many vape stores now operate online, like these geek bar shops with free delivery. If you intend to purchase your vape online, is important to do adequate research about your vape before adding it to your cart.
Firstly, a device that doesn’t suit your needs doesn’t necessarily mean you will not end up spending more. In fact, if you use it inappropriately you may end up having higher costs in the long term.
Secondly, purchasing an unnecessarily complicated device is a good way to ensure that you’ll use it infrequently, if at all. We encourage users to find their sweet spot and have the courage to reject the bells and whistles in favor of something simple. For this reason, we recommend the use of starter kits to provide an appropriate platform for amateur vaping enthusiasts. Their use of pods makes the process of vaping convenient and easily portable. More importantly, they do not need excessive levels of maintenance to upkeep.
Hence, we recommend you start with these first and then go to more advanced equipment: for instance, pod tank kits are an intermediate-level device serving the needs of people who are confident enough to begin experimenting with their vaping methods. They allow for experimentation on the creation of pods with your own e-liquid variations while retaining a degree of simplicity in how to use the pods in your vape. Eventually, users can move on to full tank mod kits which allow for full customization of your e-liquids.
Identifying a good mix: E-liquid selection
Users looking for the right mix will need time and effort to find their sweet spot. E-Liquid is dependent on the specific preferences that users have, and on the model of device that vapers are using. For example, people with relatively limited-use devices may want to use nicotine salt e-liquids. These mixtures help transitioning smokers who may struggle with cravings for their old addiction. Nicotine salts also serve the same purpose but have a higher kick. We recommend these specifically for users who are struggling with their initial shift to vaping from smoking.
However, if you want to experiment with the rings and clouds of smoke that veteran vapers pride themselves on forming, a more VG-heavy variant of e-liquid is necessary. These variants adhere to the 70/30 ratio of VG to PG and tend to require more high-powered models to function. These are usually also nicotine-free — users wishing to get that kick can simply add nicotine, but users are also encouraged to use the e-liquid without nicotine if they can avoid it.
The reason we don’t encourage deliberate nicotine use is simple: it is an addictive substance and in the long run, can affect your health and finances. If possible, we encourage selective users to gradually limit and perhaps even eliminate their use of nicotine in vaping — that way, you’ll be able to lead a healthier and happier life.
Limiting Nicotine Consumption
With that said, nicotine can also be an unfortunate necessity for those who are just coming off smoking and have to sate their cravings. This makes initial nicotine consumption a delicate balancing act between the management of your pangs and the physical impacts on your health. Too little nicotine could encourage users to use cigarettes to make themselves feel better, meaning the entire point of transitioning is lost. Too much and the vape becomes a replacement addiction rather than a fix. Hence, we recommend experimenting with 20 mg worth of nicotine salts per milliliter to prevent excessive dosage.
Using the right type of nicotine is also a critical but often-missed step. Higher-strength e-liquids can often hurt the throat through their usage and make inexperienced users cough with their intensity. We recommend using non-freebase nicotine from custom producers, which have less intense reactions to your throat lining but with the same concentration of nicotine.
Of course, this depends on your individual preference and your comfort level with freebase nicotine as well. A variety of concentrations can help you find your sweet spot between Nicotine Salt strengths and normal non-nicotine-based e-liquids. If you were not a frequent smoker, of course, you can use lower strengths from the get-go.
Coil maintenance: Keeping your device in shape
Coil priming is a little-known part of maintenance for vape users, but it is critical if you want to ensure your entire apparatus can be used in the long term. Coil replacement and maintenance will help you keep your vape flavors fresh and prevents hygiene issues from arising as well. Hence, coil priming is absolutely important for any user to learn, no matter how frequently they vape.
The steps are simple: put a little bit of e-liquid onto exposed cotton when replenishing your tank. Let the liquid settle a little before reinstalling the coil — make sure the liquid in the tank settles for at least 10 minutes before starting your vape.
Finally, take a deep breath
For mouth-to-lung vapes, always make sure to do slow intake of breath when doing vapor. Make sure to breathe without swallowing the vapor in your mouth. Finally, breathe this vapor out to get that kick through the windpipe and nasal passages. However, some devices require users to breathe slowly and directly through the lungs but require advanced users and equipment to make it easier to blow clouds.
Conclusion
We hope this article has helped you on your vape journey and has taught you some basics on how to vape. The learning curve may be a little steep, but be patient with yourself and your device and the payoff will be worth it!
