Introduction to vaping
Welcome to the world of vaping! If you are looking to freshly board the vaping train, or leap across from the smoking train, this is the right blog for you.
Before we get started, a little background might help. Vaping is an established safe and tasty method of fulfilling your nicotine desires as opposed to others, including smoking. With enough scientific data to back up the claim ‘vaping is much less harmful than smoking’, you have rerouted yourself perfectly to gently distance yourself from your smoking habit.
Now, it is easy for a newcomer to get lost in this new world with vast jungles of terminology and different devices. But worry not, Vapor Shop Direct humbles itself as your tour guide to the land of puffy clouds and fruity flavoured starter kits.
Vaping terminology
A good place to begin your vaping rail journey would be to understand the common terms every vaping passenger should know. We only plan on providing you with a list of essentials which you will undoubtedly come across in the vaping community. However, if you are looking for a complete guide to the language of vaping, this video might come in handy.
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Atomiser
This is perhaps the most significant component of your vape device. The atomiser an electrical component that turns the e-liquid into vapour.
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Coil
The coil is the main heating element of the atomiser. It is mostly wire coiled up in a spiral.
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E-liquid
Another term for vape juice (the liquid that gets used up as you vape). Contains flavour and nicotine.
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Airflow
Airflow is the volume of air that passes through your atomiser as you inhale. A tighter airflow delivers a stronger flavour.
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Throat hit
A term thrown around the vaping community a lot. It is a measure of how ‘soft’ or ‘hard’ the inhaled vapour feels on your throat.
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VG/PG Blend
Not all e-liquids are the same. Different e-liquids consist of different VG to PG ratios. This is what determines most other aspects of your vaping experience.
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Ohms
A unit of resistance. The ohmage of your atomiser is what determines how much current is flowing through it.
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MTL (mouth to lung)
A vaping style where you draw the vapour into your mouth first. Works best with 50VG/50PG e-liquids and high resistance coils.
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DTL (Direct to lung)
A vaping style where you draw the vapour directly to your lungs. Works best with 70VG/30PG e-liquids and low resistance coils.
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Nic Salt
The quantity and level of nicotine content in the e-liquid is commonly dubbed nic salt or nicotine salt.
Vaping basics and types of vape devices
Now that you are better verbally equipped to describe what you’re looking for, let’s have a look at the typical products you may encounter on a Sunday stroll through your local vape store.
Vape mods
Beginner-friendly? Nope
A powerhouse you may want to steer clear of if you are new to vaping. Vape mods are the preference of elite vapers anticipating a high wattage DTL experience.
While they may look rather large and uncomfortable, vape mods are the only truly customizable option for experienced vapers who know exactly what kind of atomiser coil, tank, resistance and battery they are looking for. If you are several months or perhaps even years down the route of vaping (you probably aren’t, which is why you are reading this blog), you best spend your time browsing vape mods.
Vape pens
Beginner-friendly? Maybe
An average-sized companion to any mid-term vaper. Vape pens are suitable for both MTL and DTL vapers, with DTL vape pens being quite larger than their MTL counterparts. Regardless of size, all vape pens are long and cylindrical in shape with replaceable atomiser coils.
While not all vape pens are beginner-friendly, certain devices are made especially for ex-smokers. High-powered vape pens provide an expansive nicotine intake, simulating the appeasing nature of smoking cigarettes. Similar to vape mods, you have to refill the tank once you run out.
Vape pods
Beginner-friendly? Certainly
Vape pods have seated themselves on the throne of ‘ultimate starter kits’ in the world of vaping. But don’t let this deceive you; there are so many vape pod options available that there is something for just about everyone. In more recent times, an extra convenient kind of vape pod has taken the market by storm; disposable vape pods.
Vape pods are small, smaller than the other two vape devices on this list. They make for a perfect hassle-free vaping experience with their discardable e-liquid cartridges.
Fully disposable vape pods such as the Elf Bar Lost Mary brings standard convenience up a notch by implementing a ‘toss away when finished and purchase a new pod’ system. All you really need to do is rip the product out of the casing and start inhaling to get started (most vape pods are draw-activated).
Starter kits
No two starter kits are the same. But if you really want a quick start, grab a disposable vape right here and start puffing. However, if your story is a little more complicated and involves cigarettes, you best look for a vape device that seems custom-tailored to your needs.
Trying to kick your smoking habits?
When vapes were originally introduced to the market, we had cigalikes. cigalikes had nicotine strength and airflow representing that of a cigarette. Hell, the device even looked like a cigarette!
Decades have passed and cigalikes are now out of fashion. What replaced their spot in the market are vape starter kits. Most starter kits contain a vape pen/vape pod that has similar vaping qualities to a cigalike, but is much more stylish. You may want to look for a starter kit that has a higher quantity of nicotine to make the transition from smoking a lot smoother. If you were a heavy smoker, choose an e-liquid that has a nicotine level of about 20mg (and advisably work your way down).
Conclusion
If you are looking for the correct terminal to board the vaping train, you best line up with your backstory. If you are an overall freshman, a disposable vape is your fitting companion. If you are an ex-smoker, a high-nicotine option would be your best bet.
So many options, eh? However, you are highly unlikely to find all of these in your local vape shop. You’ll first have to find a store that has a luxury of options for beginners. If you’re reading this blog, you’ve already found such a store! There is no better place to look for the perfect starter kit than at vaporshopdirect.com. We have a phenomenal range of vape pods and pens that will gladly hold the door open for any newcomer to vaping.