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Gonna try vaping, and it's all James' fault

I stupidly clicked on his thread and saw some of the pics, now I want to try it. I did some research a while back, but finally decided to take the plunge. I'm not going to buy anything until after Christmas, so I was hoping some of you fine gents could steer me in the right direction.

- One of the biggest requirements will be size. I don't want to carry a lightsaber :p
- I'm 99% sure I want to go with an RDA.
- I'm thinking 18650 for the power source, although I'm open to alternatives.

So this is what I think I want:

Telescoping Mec. Mod, or 18650 size, that would accept a kick ( if I choose to get one), with an RDA. I don't know that much about different brands and such, so in that sense I'm kind of lost.

I understand the inherent dangers associated with the set up , and will make sure I get it correct before I use it.

I'm looking for a best bang for the buck type set up. I don't want to spend more than $100 for now. I'm not saying I need to spend $100, because I would love to spend less and still get a decent piece.

I'm not opposed to clones, as long as they're made well, and I can't do chrome or any shiny coating because of the fingerprint thing. I see that some companies make wraps, so I could go that route and get a chrome or shiny option if I could wrap it.

I'm also not against the variable voltage/wattage thing if I can get it small enough, and having never tried vaping might be a better option?

I'm under the impression that I can control the volts/watts through a kick and or coils in the RDA, is that correct?

So, what say you? What would you choose for me?

Some additional info:

I would only vape occasionally, maybe a couple times a week or less. I'm not trying to quit smoking, it would just be a hobby.

Please excuse any terminology that I butchered, I'm new to all of this LOL!
 
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I'm kind of partial to box mods, myself. I'll chime in with box options if no one can help you on the mech front... since I'm out of the loop on that.
 
Maybe to get started might I recommend an eleaf istick 20 (I've heard good things about it, small box shape, packs a punch) paired with a Nautlius Aspire Mini BVC? All said and done, should be able to get under $100 with money left for the first couple bottles of juice.

I know you mentioned mech mods but this will get you going and let you figure out if you like vaping at all. If you find you do, you can always keep this around as a backup or travel setup as it is pretty plug and play. If not, easy enough to sell the parts and recoup some of the costs.
 
Maybe to get started might I recommend an eleaf istick 20 (I've heard good things about it, small box shape, packs a punch) paired with a Nautlius Aspire Mini BVC? All said and done, should be able to get under $100 with money left for the first couple bottles of juice.

I know you mentioned mech mods but this will get you going and let you figure out if you like vaping at all. If you find you do, you can always keep this around as a backup or travel setup as it is pretty plug and play. If not, easy enough to sell the parts and recoup some of the costs.

+1

If you haven't vaped before, and plan to inhale, hitting an RDA from the get go could turn you off to the whole thing. The sensation of vapor in the throat is different than cigarette smoke. It's "thicker" for lack of a better term. Going straight to an RDA could very well cause you to hate the whole thing entirely.

If you do decide that you want to go the mech/rda route, I would suggest an HCigar Nemesis like James got along with a Tugboat RDA clone.
 
If you do decide that you want to go the mech/rda route, I would suggest an HCigar Nemesis like James got along with a Tugboat RDA clone.


I was thinking that I could control the roughness with coil size and a kick. Am i correct in thinking that? I thought could make it tame a t first, and move towards more aggressive later.

I've been looking at this mod. Do you see anything I should be wary about? Also do you see any of the RDA's they offer that look promising. I'd like to go with a copper RDA but I've heard that copper might not be good for RDA's as far as reacting with the juice. I have no idea if that holds water or not.

http://www.vaperoyalty.com/oros-mod/
 
Another thing to note...

You don't have to inhale the vapor. The majority of nicotine absorption happens in the mouth and nose, so you don't have to inhale in order to get the nicotine hit. I basically treat it the same way I treat a cigar or pipe.
 
Another thing to note...

You don't have to inhale the vapor. The majority of nicotine absorption happens in the mouth and nose, so you don't have to inhale in order to get the nicotine hit. I basically treat it the same way I treat a cigar or pipe.


That sounds good!! I will probably spend some time doing just that.

Thanks for the reply :thumbup:
 
Maybe to get started might I recommend an eleaf istick 20 (I've heard good things about it, small box shape, packs a punch) paired with a Nautlius Aspire Mini BVC? All said and done, should be able to get under $100 with money left for the first couple bottles of juice.

I know you mentioned mech mods but this will get you going and let you figure out if you like vaping at all. If you find you do, you can always keep this around as a backup or travel setup as it is pretty plug and play. If not, easy enough to sell the parts and recoup some of the costs.

I like Istick. My only reservation is how reliable and durable that model would be? My thinking was that the mech mod has less parts to go bad.
 
I'm not opposed to box mods either :thumbup:

If you're going to go with a tank or RTA and only need up to 20W? Eleaf iStick seems to be the prime candidate.

If you want to push to 50W+ on an RDA, you'll want one of the Chinese box mods, like an iPV 50w or the Sigelei 100W PLUS.

Those are probably the best you can do for under $100. I don't own either of them, but they seem to get good reviews.

My only concern is that Chinese stuff breaks and isn't totally reliable. I have an older Cloupor 30W device I basically use outside of the house with a Fogger V4, but it'll get much less usage once my Truck V2 gets delivered in a few weeks. I also have a Mast Mods Mini for use at home, but like the Truck V2... they're both out of your price range.
 
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I was thinking that I could control the roughness with coil size and a kick. Am i correct in thinking that? I thought could make it tame a t first, and move towards more aggressive later.

I've been looking at this mod. Do you see anything I should be wary about? Also do you see any of the RDA's they offer that look promising. I'd like to go with a copper RDA but I've heard that copper might not be good for RDA's as far as reacting with the juice. I have no idea if that holds water or not.

http://www.vaperoyalty.com/oros-mod/

I don't have any experience with that mod. This is the first time I've seen a clone of it, but I haven't looked at mechanicals in quite a while. A kick would allow you to control the vape. I can't remember if they have a minimum resistance or not. I don't think you'd be able to fit a kick and an 18650 into that mod. The nice thing about the Nemesis is that it includes a kick ring to give you the amount of space that you need to use one.

As for the RDAs on that site, Infinite's clones are generally good. Infinite Stillare might be a good way to go as it comes in copper, has adjustable air flow, and is simple to build.
 
As a follow up... don't get the iPV3. They're doing silent recalls on it due to a battery charging issue with the device that could be a bit dangerous.
 
I don't have any experience with that mod. This is the first time I've seen a clone of it, but I haven't looked at mechanicals in quite a while. A kick would allow you to control the vape. I can't remember if they have a minimum resistance or not. I don't think you'd be able to fit a kick and an 18650 into that mod. The nice thing about the Nemesis is that it includes a kick ring to give you the amount of space that you need to use one.

As for the RDAs on that site, Infinite's clones are generally good. Infinite Stillare might be a good way to go as it comes in copper, has adjustable air flow, and is simple to build.


From the small amount of research I've been able to come across, I think i can go one size down on the battery and kick it. Meaning I can go with a 18490/500 with a kick, in a 18650 tube, that doesn't have a ring.

Still haven't made up my mind so keep the suggestions coming everyone :thumbup:
 
From the small amount of research I've been able to come across, I think i can go one size down on the battery and kick it. Meaning I can go with a 18490/500 with a kick, in a 18650 tube, that doesn't have a ring.

Yes, that is true. I meant to add that in my previous post and completely forgot. An 18490/18500 plus a kick is the same size as an 18650.
 
Online reviews of the iStick have been positive, although there are rumors of a 2.0 being in the works (ETA unknown). As far as reliability, I've read more negative reviews about the Nautilus + Nautilus mini than I have the istick. I'm actually anxiously awaiting my local B&M to receive their shipment on replace glass tanks for my Nautilus mini and pick up an istick.
 
Ok, so here's where I'm at having done a little more research.

It looks like the kick is running $40. I can buy an Istick for that, so it doesn't make much sense going the mech mod route with a kick. I think you guys are swaying me towards a box mod.

I'm not opposed to the Istick, but it seems like there are better/more durable/more adjustable options out there. What are some of the better options? I know my budget might need to be upped a little, and I wouldn't have a problem with that if the quality was better as well.

EDIT:

Forgot to add that I'm handy with tools and I've seen some build your own box mods on YouTube. I might look into building my own.
 
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Ok, so here's where I'm at having done a little more research.

It looks like the kick is running $40. I can buy an Istick for that, so it doesn't make much sense going the mech mod route with a kick. I think you guys are swaying me towards a box mod.

I'm not opposed to the Istick, but it seems like there are better/more durable/more adjustable options out there. What are some of the better options? I know my budget might need to be upped a little, and I wouldn't have a problem with that if the quality was better as well.

EDIT:

Forgot to add that I'm handy with tools and I've seen some build your own box mods on YouTube. I might look into building my own.

I know that Luke has one of the boxes from NurzBox (on Facebook) that he seems to be happy with. The guy releases batches of different types of mods, and you have to sign up for it when he releases the list. First come first serve type of deal. So if he's releasing 20 Ogres (just as an example), the first 20 to sign up get one. If you miss it, you have to wait for him to do his next batch release. I'm sure Luke can give you more info.

I just ordered a Cursed Mods Truck V2 off of Reddit. It's made by /u/amdcursed and his subreddit is /r/cursedmods. With him, you fill out a form and choose the options you want. You then send him money via PayPal or Google Wallet, and he'll confirm your order. You then just have to wait for him to build it for you. Turnaround time varies depending on your base model and what options you choose. My V2 apparently has a turnaround time of 1-2 weeks, for example.

If you want to build your own, get acquainted with /r/OpenPV on Reddit. It's pretty much the place for open sharing info on building PVs. It was founded by Goss, who made The Duke (the variable voltage PV that basically kick started the entire craze). It also has mastblast as a moderator, who builds the Mast Mods Mini (a variable voltage PV that forgoes batteries and plugs into your outlet).

For actual businesses that sell US made devices similar to the ones mentioned above...

Craving Vapor: It's where I bought my Mast Mods Mini (although it's currently sold out). They also sell their own box mod called the HexOhm, which gets pretty decent reviews but doesn't have some of the bells and whistles of other mods.

DB Liquids: They also have the Mast Mods Mini (sold out), as well as The Duke (likewise sold out).

And then there's The Ranger sold on /r/TheRangerOKR. This is widely accepted as one of the best box mods you can buy. There's some issues with that though. The wait time is loooooooooooong, the price can run high (but it's due to being fully loaded), and the guy (/u/r6raff) is nigh impossible to get a hold of. That said, I think he's selling a few boxes from orders that went unfulfilled (i.e. the buyer backed out at the last minute). If any are left you can find them here: http://instagram.com/p/waKl5GihJC/
 
Ok, so here's where I'm at having done a little more research.

It looks like the kick is running $40. I can buy an Istick for that, so it doesn't make much sense going the mech mod route with a kick. I think you guys are swaying me towards a box mod.

I'm not opposed to the Istick, but it seems like there are better/more durable/more adjustable options out there. What are some of the better options? I know my budget might need to be upped a little, and I wouldn't have a problem with that if the quality was better as well.

I'm sure there are better more durable/etc options out there... but not at that price point. Most of the other regulated mods start at higher prices. There is the MVP V2.0 which is a solid little regulated box BUT V3.0 is supposed to be release shortly so it might be worth waiting for that bad boy.

If I was in your shoes, I'd go grab an istick and a Nautilus BVC (mini or regular, just make sure it has the BVC). Go pick some flavors and start vaping. Enjoy! Now, while you are sitting there enjoying your vitamin N, start deciding if you want to go mech mod, or if you want to put yourself on a waiting list for one of the aforementioned mods.
 
I'm all for box mods. As Jason said, I've got a Nurz Box, a Troll, and love it. But, you have to wait for a batch to go up for sale. And depending on whether he's doing the sale before or after he builds, you might have to wait some more. Here's a link to the group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/394274394048266/

Being able to put an order in for a Truck and then have it within a couple weeks is a better route if you don't want to wait.

That being said... I would seriously consider an iStick and Nautilus Mini. The amount you would spend for everything you need to get started would probably be less than half of what you would spend on something like a Truck or Nurz Box for just the mod. Plus, a high watt box mod really isn't meant for a new vapor. Some of the builders may not even want to take your business if they find out you're knew to vaping. I'm not saying that it can't be done, but you need to have a solid understanding of Ohm's law and battery safety, as well as an ohm meter, to do it safely.

To put the iStick into another light, there are a lot of people that use high watt boxes who have bought iSticks to use while out and about, or as a backup device. It's that good.
 
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