Some advice and help needed

[MiscoDatt]

Can I just add that aside from the potential size saving of a pod system there is little to no extra work involved with a decent mod and a stock coil tank. You’d be performing the same tasks of refitting coils and filling

 

[MHL]

This is pretty straightforward and not too much $$, comes with a tank: https://www.jacvapour.com/series-s22

As does this: https://originalecigscompany.co.uk/aspire-quest-mini-kit.html

For juices, you might want to try https://manabush.com/ - pow wow and chiricahua are both sweet and very moreish. They're quite complex "adult" flavours, not your run of the mill apple custards. The spiritwalker versions are my favourite ATM. I credit them with making me give up the fags - I found them so nice that I actually preferred them to a cigarette. Many on here would recommend them highly.

 

[Urocyon]

Thank you all for your answers!
It's good to know that the pod systems can use free base nicotine as well. I was thinking indeed something like 12 or 18 mg and 50/50 ratio. I am a bit scared to read that this ratio might often cause leaking en spiting due to the high PG, which makes the liquid thinner. If I like the minifit, I can buy two as these are the cheapest ones and then I will have the battery problem solved I heard the suggestion about the Nautilus AIO before, but hearing about changing coils and wkking and.... just makes me panic lol. For a total beginner I think may be I best start with something as easy as possible. I was thinking that if I buy a pod kit, then I can buy 2 pods and try both the nic salts and free base nicotine. I am curious as to what is the difference in vaping them. Like with the nic salts you take 3-4 puffs and you get the rush and everything and you are good for 1-2 hours? And with the free base nicotine you need to take much more puffs to get the same amount of satisfaction and it will stay for less time? I am especially interested in this with regard to being at work and have limited time to sneak and smoke (later vape ).

Trying both salts and freebase juices to see what you prefer sounds like a good plan. It's also possible to mix them, especially if you pick up the same flavours to try in both.

Everyone's experience is going to be different there, but I've personally found even 12mg freebase too harsh on the throat, including in higher VG liquids. As a former heavy smoker, that helped foil attempts to switch over in the past. I still get a throat hit with 20mg salt-based juices, but not to an unpleasant point of coughing fits. Suspecting the throat is unusually sensitive there, but there is a very noticeable difference.

Besides the smoothness, nic salts are supposed to give more immediate effect, but from some other discussions it may not last as long. Another reason that some people prefer mixing some of each, but I haven't tried it for long enough to tell if that does make a significant difference.

The 20mg TPD limit was one reason I decided to try a mod and MTL tank, making the switch recently. (An Innokin Kroma-A/Zenith kit.) The pod system I tried first wasn't quite doing the job with the nic concentrations available, and the mod/tank setup does put out enough more vapor to be satisfying. That may be something to consider.

Good luck finding a starter setup that works for you!

 

[Syl]

@MHL, I am not in the UK now but you got me interested with the juices. Do you know if they deliver outside UK as well? And also, forgive my incompetence , but what exactly is spiritwalker versions and how it's different?

@Urocyon, I am afraid as well that with 50/50 and 18mg it will be too harsh on my throat and I will cough a lot. i really don't want my first experience with vaping to be bad and that would be the reason to give up. Nic salts seem to be the solution but I read that they are more addictive and with the 20mg max in EU - not really working Can pods work with higher VG? I saw some videos suggesting that some pods can go up to 70 VG. Would be interested to hear your opinion on a liquid for a beginner. Something not sweet, more natural and light. Thanks

 

[MiscoDatt]

Some pods will work fine with a higher vg. There’s a lot of “stuff” written in the net about vaping and I have to say a lot of it is just there to fill space. I really wouldn’t worry about 50/50 leaking at all. For the devices you will be looking at it shouldn’t be a problem at all.

As for coughing. That depends entirely on you! I bet you coughed when you tried your first cigarette? It’s not uncommon to cough when you start vaping! You could just fall into it seamlessly and never cough or it could take a few days to get used to it. There’s a few hints online for how to help this.

Personally I’d try a few different shortfills 10ml. Try a 20mg salt and an 18mg normal and see how you get on. Trust me you’ll be buying more and more as you get into it. It can take a while to find the right juice for you.

I started on the jac vapour s22 kit and that got me off the smokes instantly. Jac are very good. I’d bo knowledge of vaping or coil changing or anything and I never had a problem. It really is very very simple.
The 1ohm mtl coils perform well with 50/50 up to 70/30.

If you can change a lightbulb then you can change a coil!

The jac vim uses the same coils

 

[Urocyon]

Some good points from @Discomatt.

I haven't used either device yet, but in the pod device department I understand that the Uwell Caliburn and Smok Nord are supposed to do well with up to 70/30 juice. They're both also supposed to produce a decent bit of vapor, with the types of coils they use. So, those might work better with the 20mg limit. The Nord also uses replaceable coils, which is a plus for cost.

The Caliburn is actually next up on my To Buy list, after payday. Just recently got back into vaping myself, and need to pace myself. A lot of people also seem happy with the Nord, but I'm a little wary with Smok's reputation for quality control. Maybe someone who has already used one or both will chime in.

As for juice recommendations, not sure how much help I can be there. I've been using mostly sweeter fruity juices, and it doesn't sound like that's what you're looking for. I would suggest looking into the Element NS/20 range. They have a good assortment of flavours at 60/40, and what I have tried are not as sweet as some other brands.

 

[MiscoDatt]

For mtl I wouldn’t recommend the nord. It’s a good device with the .6 coils but even with the mtl coils it is most definitely not mtl. It’s a very loose mtl at best

 

[MHL]

@Syl - whereabouts are you based? I have a stash of juices (various brands, many unopened) that I no longer need because I've started to make my own. I have no idea how much it would cost to post them, but presuming it's not too expensive I'd be happy to send them over. PM me your address if you want them.

 

[Syl]

Thank you guys once again! I continued my search through the net and youtube and got even more confused hehe. It helped a bit though as well. Time after time I read the somewhat old model Justfog q16 and how it helped many smokers to quit. It looks not that complicated and I had the chance to try it from a colleague, only couple of puffs though. She did not know what li1uid she had (ratio) but she had 12 mg nicotine. I thought that was fine, I got some throat hit and the fact that the airflow is adjustable is a plus, so the draw was nice as well.
Second one i read about a lot is the Aspire Nautilus Aio. Nice reviews, adjustable airflow and voltage as well and not that complicated. The one thing every review mentioned though as huge minus is the way the pod is filled. Somehow this seems to be horrible and even very experienced vapers have problems with. Has any of you used this pod system and is this really true?

I know I said at the beginning that I want a simple pod kit, but those two seem close enough. I guess I can learn fast enough not to be scared of the coils and stuff like that Would you advice starting by buying one of these?

@MHL I am in the Netherlands at the moment. Thank you for your kind offer. I have no idea how much a parcel may cost. Let me first start by deciding what device to buy and then the liquids journey can start

 

[nwhornet]

I'll throw the Jacvapour Vim into the pot. Simple device to use for a beginner, no settings, simple adjustable airflow, coils that last an age, tank easy to fill & can be used with their pods. I keep one in the works van for a quick fix/back up.
Coils range from DTL (0.42 or 0.5ohm) to MTL (1.0 & 1.5ohm) & last for ages. They also ship abroad.
More info here
https://www.jacvapour.com/vape-kits/aio-vim
@JAC Vapour can give you any more help you need.

As regards Spiritwalker from Manabush, it's a tobacco flavour free version of the Manabush flavours.