What About The Hardware?
Let’s face it, not all hand-crafted natural vape juice is created equally and neither are the hardware components that we rely upon for our tailored vaping experience. The critical partnership between vape juice and the right hardware is as important as which fuel is compatible with certain vehicle classes. The two form a sort of symbiotic relationship highlighting the best aspects of each. For many e liquid brands which use a high PG ratio, any piece of hardware will for the most part function at a basic level. Although, for brands such as Kind Juice which uses max VG and organic ingredients, the viscosity requires a high performance tank with enough power for optimal vaping experience.
What is the Best Hardware for Vape Juice?
Before we begin to unpack this answer as best we can, it will behoove us to establish some kind of budget. If you are new to vaping and don’t know where to turn, just ask any seasonal vaporist out there about how much money they’ve spent on hardware before finding “the one”.
We’ve all been there and had our experiences in one form or another of ending up with mods
or tanks that leaked, weren’t powerful enough, ended up being defective, or simply underperformed. The bad user experiences are abound, from walking into an over priced vape shop and walking out with empty pockets to purchasing something that you still don’t know how to use and didn’t want to keep asking the arrogantly apathetic salesperson.
Companies should be compassionate to the amount of technical information needed to get started correctly therefore, staff should be patient and very informative when helping people. Keep in mind of how many of our elder’s want to start vaping and generally shy away from anything technical. Helping someone start vaping successfully is what it’s all about and those who care within the industry make it a point to do so.
So whether you purchase online or at a brick and mortar, make sure your being educated and having your questions answered. Although, there are many makes and models in circulation, expect an average price range of $50.00 to $100.00 for a decent to high quality piece of hardware.
Match the Hardware to Your Lifestyle!
To better understand this, you need to ask yourself “what kind of smoker or vaporist am I”? In other words, if you are wanting to transition from smoking to vaping and are currently smoking one to three packs a day then you wouldn’t be in the same hardware class
as someone who has been vaping for some time whom no longer smokes and enjoys cloud chasing (maximum vapor cloud production).
The two experiences are completely different and as a result unfortunately, too many newcomers end up with a unit that exceeds or overlooks their immediate needs. Mimicry is one of the best techniques to help create a seamless and successful transition into vaping. In simple terms just give the body what it’s already used to. The process of addiction roots itself into different areas of human interaction. For example, someone might have an oral fixation and enjoy the feeling of smoke circulating in their mouth for a bit before inhaling deeper into the lungs, while another user experience might enjoy the resistance of the drag while inhaling. For the first user vapor production is the focus because without the proper volume of vapor then the user cannot duplicate their prior experience with smoking. As for the second user, resistance force is the focus and finding hardware that has a small tip and adjustable air vents will be a great factor in mimicking their former patterns. These addiction behaviors are not limited to these two examples. There are also those who enjoy a mouth the lung experience in which case having a super large drip tip would be overkill. Then there are those who enjoy modifying the temperature of the vapor etc, etc.
Below are some points to think of when deciding what kind of hardware to get:
Airflow Blase and Connector
Sub Ohm Coil
Glass Tank
Top Airflow and Chimney
Mouthpiece (customizable)
Image Credit: Ecigclick
Glass Tank
If you took the time to look up the ingredients in your vape juice then your probably the type that wouldn’t drink wine out of a plastic cup and care about what goes into your body. Glass tanks maintain the integrity of the liquids, won’t seep harmful chemicals, and won’t discolor or fog up. Just don’t drop it!
Sub Ohm Tank
A sub ohm tank has a coil that heats up much faster and hotter than conventional tanks. If your vape juice is a thick max VG like Kind Juice then this is a must because it will allow for proper adequate vapor production as well as the full spectrum flavor profile of the vape juice being released.
Tip Size and Material
Size does matter in this case and too much of a good thing can be off putting so chose accordingly. The bigger the circumference the less resistance feeling. Some people realize they don’t like the taste or feeling of a hard cold piece of metal in their mouth and prefer either glass, wood, plastic, or molded resin.
Vents/Air Gauge
If you end up getting a tank with too big of vents holes then you risk not getting the resistance, mouth feel, and vapor that might be ideal for you. Make sure the model has several vent slots from big to small that you can adjust to find your perfect air flow.
Image above:
The Zenith By Innokin designed by
Phil Busardo and Dimitry The Vaping Greek.
Coils
If you want to really be up on your vapor game then it will come with a bit maintenance especially if your not using cartridges (if your still using cartridges, your missing out on a personal vaping experience whilst adding more needless waste). Make sure the you find out what type of coil’s your tank takes and keep plenty on hand. DIY rebuildable tanks can save you a lot of money as you won’t need to purchase pre made coils instead you will build them yourself.
Wick
You have options here and picking the right wick depends on preference. Organic cotton, hemp, and bamboo are great natural options that when changed and maintained perform well with absorption and high heat.
The Vape Mod Itself
Digital Screen
– Thankfully today most mods come with digital screens with modifying options and multifunctional settings which are all customizable. Things like coil type, wattage, temperature, and auto off safety function are all visible on the screen.
Mod Size
– If your a someone who doesn’t like to carry anything bulky around, are a discreet person, or a woman who’s hand size and finger diameter is much smaller than that of the average male, then you wouldn’t want a mod the size of laptop charger in your hand. Therefore, look for smaller ergonomic models that can easily slip into blazer pocket or be concealed within the closed hand.
Batteries
– If you you already know that you’ll be vaping frequently throughout the day and won’t get home till late, then you’ll need something way more powerful for a battery than the pencil looking vape pens. Also worth noting that those models are typically not sub ohm and therefore cannot produce the amount of vapor or heat required for the best vaping experience.
Make sure you choose brand name batteries, like the ones with QR codes to verify authenticity. These will last much longer and charge much better than the cheap knockoffs.
Reviews
The proof is in the pudding! After you’ve done your research and have a few models or brands picked out, read official reviews, watch some video reviews, read the forums, and go to vape shops and ask the staff what they think. There’s nothing like getting raw feedback about how your product adds up and the cream always rises to the top!
Ready, Set, Vape!
At this point, you should go with your gut and commit to it. The initial investment will pay for itself very quickly and quite easily if you picked the right mod based on your needs.
The feeling of effortless vaping the most amazing naturally extracted tobacco or the best wild forrest blueberry is one of those simple pleasures that only modern civilization of the 20th century could bring. Stay Kind!
