NEW TO VAPING - BEST VAPES FOR BEGINNERS
Choose a vaping style (MTL or DTL)
If you are among the millions of smokers that are trying to quit smoking, chances are, this is not your first attempt. You’ve probably tried some of the other options on the market and nothing has quite worked.
Maybe vaping is your ‘last attempt’ or maybe you have seen vaping work for your friends, family or even co-workers.
Perhaps you’ve tried vaping before, but it just wasn’t enjoyable, or you were still craving cigarettes. Whatever your reasons, here are some simple steps to help you navigate your way though the vaping world.
As a beginner, its important to understand the basics before diving in, as you may have already seen the vaping world can appear very intimidating and complicated, but like most things, once it’s broken down for you, it seems much simpler. So, we’re going to break it down and help you start your vaping journey with the knowledge you need to make the right choices for you.
What Are The Choices?
It’s easy to see what the marketplace has to offer, however, before you make any purchases, you should understand the two fundamental vaping styles.
If this is your second time trying vaping and the first time around wasn’t enjoyable, chances are that the device you purchased last time was not best for you.
Be aware, also, that vaping styles can change – what suits you as a beginner, may not be as satisfying after you’ve been vaping for a while. So, with that in mind, lets take a look at the different vaping styles, so you can start to figure out what might work for you.
Mouth-to-Lung or MTL Style Vaping
When using a Mouth to Lung or “MTL” device, you’ll notice that the style of inhalation is a familiar one. MTL forces you to suck the vapor into your mouth and let it linger for a moment before finally pulling it down into your lungs. This is the way most people smoke a cigarette, so it should be both easy and comfortable.
This style of vaping often suits those who are heavy smokers and / or those who have never vaped before. This is because the action and inhalation style of smoking a MTL device is remarkably close to smoking a cigarette.
The burning or tingling in your throat (called the “throat hit”) is subtle, creating a smooth sensation. Also MtL devices produce very little cloud (or vapor), so when out and about it will be less noticeable to other members of the public.
Direct to Lung or DTL Vaping
As the name implies, Direct to Lung or “DTL” vaping is a slightly different style of inhalation. Similar to drawing a big breath in and then letting it out, with DTL you inhale the vapor straight into your lungs.
The adjustment to direct to lung vaping can take some time to get used to. If you have tried vaping before and last time you gave it up because you just weren’t getting enough flavor or enough ‘throat hit’, then a direct to lung device may be a better option.
DTL devices produce a lot more vapor, giving you a bigger cloud, so it’s far from being discreet in public, if that is a concern for you.
Key Differences
MTL Vaping is lower wattage, so you’ll not only notice that it feels cooler in your mouth, there’s less flavour and less cloud. When you draw on it, there is resistance, just like with a cigarette, so the style of inhalation will be familiar and comfortable. The throat hit is smooth and subtle.
DTL Vaping is higher wattage, so it will feel warmer on your throat and you’ll have more of a throat hit. You’ll also notice more flavour and more cloud. It is a different style of inhalation that can take some adjusting to, which is why it’s not always recommended for new vapers.
So, if you’ve made up your mind, great! Read on for more information about your chosen style.
If you haven’t decided yet, keep reading for some more information that will hopefully help you make a decision.
Getting to Know MTL Devices
If the MTL vaping technique seems like it would appeal to you, or if you’re just not quite sure about MTL devices, here is some more information to help.
Price point
If saving money matters, MTL Vaporizers are generally cheaper than DTL vapes. This is because they are much smaller in size and in battery life.
Battery life can be an issue for some vapers, if you find that your MTL vape battery isn’t getting you through the day, we suggest that you run your device on a lower wattage (between 5-20 watts) and to use a coil that is 1.2 ohms or higher for the best MTL vaping experience.
The Right Juice for MTL
We’ll talk about finding the right flavour profile for you, a little later. Right now, lets look at what type of juice suits MTL devices.
Juices are typically made of Vegetable Glycerine (VG) and Propoleyne Gylcol (PG) plus flavours. Each juice company uses different ratios of PG/VG and this affects the flavour and the cloud. PG carries the flavour, VG creates the cloud.
If you’re using an MTL device, you want to get as much flavour as possible, so you want to look for juices with a higher PG content (eg 60PG/40VG) or there are juices that are called pod juices that are 50PG/50VG. These type of juices are preferred for MTL devices not only for the improved flavour, but because they provide a punchier throat hit.
Nicotine
MTL devices are great for higher nicotine strength – anything from 6mg and higher, which is great for those people that are heavy smokers. Remember that over the course of a day, you will usually have more nicotine via a vape, than you would if you were still smoking cigarettes, so start low – you can always add more nicotine, but you can’t take it back out. Over time, many vapers find that higher levels of nicotine are no longer necessary and have successfully lowered their nicotine consumption.
Getting to Know DTL Devices
The things you need for your proper Direct to Lung experience are as different from Mouth to Lung as the technique itself. A good set up doesn’t have to be the most expensive, it just needs to be personalized to you in order to get the best out of your device.
Price point
You need to look for a sub-ohm tank and a device that can put out a wide variety of Wattage. Ideally, you want something with a range of 40 watts to 220 watts. Prices will range from the $40 – 50 range, all the way up to a couple of hundred. How it feels in your hand, the weight and its durability are all factors to consider. Some devices may take up to 4 batteries so it’s a good idea to check the description to see what else you may need to buy with the mod.
A decent sub-ohm tank can range in price from $20 up to $60. Sizes also vary, however they will always be bigger than the MTL tanks, as you will burn more juice in a DTL tank. Coils are also bigger in size, so both your initial outlay and your ongoing expenses will be higher than with an MTL device.
The Right Juice for DTL
E-liquids for DTL devices are easier to find than for MTL devices. This is because most of the juices on the market are made for DTL. For DTL vaping, you’re looking for a higher VG ratio. VG is thicker, like oil, which is ideal as the coils are the bigger and need to be able to hold the liquid. Anything up to 70% VG is ideal.
Nicotine
For DTL vaping it’s not recommended to go over 6mg in nicotine. This is because the higher wattage vaping is hotter, so a higher concentration of nicotine can be painful on your throat. Also, you’re going to be inhaling a lot more vapor than you would with a cigarette.
As always, remember that you can always add more in, but you can’t take it out, so start low and add a little more if you find that you need to.
General Thoughts on Juices
Juices tend to be divided into 3 main categories – tobaccos, fruits and desserts.
You will never get a tobacco flavour that tastes exactly like a cigarette for the simple reason that a lot of what you taste in a cigarette is ash (you don’t realise that until you’ve been vaping for a while and then go back and try to smoke a cigarette), what you get instead is a pure tobacco flavour.
A lot of new vapers tend to go for tobacco flavours so the transition to vaping will be a little easier.
Then of course, there’s those who want to get as far away from the taste of a cigarette as possible. Fruits and desserts are your friend here.
It really comes down to personal preference. We suggest trying a couple of smaller bottles of different types of juice so that you can see which you prefer. There are literally thousands of juices on the market, ask you local vape store what’s selling well, ask other vapers what they like, but don’t vape a juice you hate, just because you don’t know what else to try.
Final Thoughts
Vaping is a purely subjective experience, what is perfect for one person may feel horrible for the next. Having the right set up for you can make or break your vaping experience, so don’t be afraid to ask questions and play around with different wattage’s, air intake, juices or nicotine levels. When you find that sweet spot, you’ll wonder why it took you so long to make the change.