WWV Part I – The Wonderful World

• For convenience, clarity and at least an attempt at brevity (you should have seen my first draft), much of the following is stated in absolutes, using sweeping generalizations. However, if there is an absolute in the world of vaping, it is that everyone’s experience, preferences and style are different. I have yet to encounter two vapers who feel the same way about a device and e-liquid, at the same nicotine level, and use it in the same way and in the same circumstances.

• For the same reasons, I make certain assumptions, which may very well not be applicable to you. For example, I assume that someone new to vaping would initially prefer a device and flavor as close as possible to a regular tobacco cigarette. However, after exploring this wonderful world, you may be attracted to an e-cig twice the length of a regular cigarette (and/or 3 times the width and a completely different shape) and tasting like cotton candy or kung pao chicken (and, yes, there is a kung pao chicken flavor).

• For similar reasons (and due, in part, to my personality), the tone here is the voice of authority. However, although I have more experience with this stuff than some, I have much less than many. All “facts” are to the best of my knowledge. [I encourage others to correct them.]

• I have chosen to provide advice and recommendations, based on my experience, point of view, and those assumptions. Take them with many grains of salt. Their primary value is to stimulate your own thinking and to cause you to explore further. And I have included links to many suppliers. These are examples only based on: that experience and assumptions … my research as of this posting date … and the fact that I am cheap, i.e., I hunt for the lowest prices (without compromising quality or service). Virtually all suppliers who participate in forums like ECF provide a reliable product at reasonable prices and with personalized customer service far superior to what one normally experiences as a consumer.

• I am a Yank. Some of my comments and recommendations are influenced by that, e.g., I assume that metric measurements require explanation and I give preference to U.S. suppliers – simply because I unconsciously prepared this with fellow Yanks in mind. I’m just not that knowledgeable of the best sources outside the US of A (other than China, of course).

Jargon

Like any subculture, “vaping” has its own acronyms and lingo. We’ll clarify the acronyms as we use each one for the first time. Here’s some of the jargon to get started:

• People who use e-cigs are vapers who vape the vapor of personal vaporizers (PVs – another name for e-cigs) … just as smokers smoke the burning tobacco of traditional cigarettes, cigars, and pipes. So vaping is analogous to (but so much better than) smoking.