Category: E-Cigarettes

Vaping Diaries #327: Fumi Vapor LJ4A Interview (ECC 2015)

Earlier in the summer, Fumi Vapor made a big splash with its Gang Mod. With an aggressive and controversial design that resembles brass knuckles, the original Gang Mod was an attention-grabber. Unfortunately, the design also made it illegal in more than two dozen American states. To solve that problem, Fumi Vapor released the LJ4A (Liberty and Justice For All) mod at ECC 2015. The mod uses a very similar design and the same internals, but is legal for sale in all 50 American states. At ECC 2015, Fumi Vapor vice president Joseph Brown gave me an update on the Gang Mod and told me about the LJ4A.

Fumi Vapor’s ECC 2015 booth was one of the most raucous places at the show. The company had several well-know DJs, breakdancers, models, and a Fumi Vapor-branded Rolls Royce. Fumi Vapor’s giveaways were distinct from its competitors, with more of a party atmosphere, rather than someone simply throwing juice and prizes into a crowd. Whenever I stopped by the booth during giveaway time, you could tell that Fumi Vapor’s fans were having a good time and lots of attendees were struck by the unique style of the LJ4A.

While some Internet vaping reviewers have been giving the company a hard time about its products, I appreciate what Fumi Vapor is doing as a company. Certainly its products aren’t for everyone, but I like how the company is trying to reach a different crowd and expand the business by incorporating the street art and hip-hop into its products. In the interview below, Joseph mentioned a few collaborations with various hip-hop artists, so don’t be surprised to see some celebrities wielding Gang Mods or LJ4A mods.

Personally, I think you guys and gals should pester the company so that it makes an LJ4A mod with the RPadTV logo and my face on it…but that’s just an idea. Ha!

Vaping Diaries #326: Craft Vapery Certifiably Vapable Liquids

In my opinion, Craft Vapery is the best e-liquid subscription service in the vaping business. When the company unveiled its Certifiably Vapable Liquids line of juices at ECC 2015, I was intrigued. After all, Craft Vapery deals with dozens of e-liquid companies and hundreds of flavors every month. Putting the Craft Vapery brand on Certifiably Vapable Liquids means that the company strongly believes in these flavors. At the show, Craft Vapery president Joshua Krane told me about the three launch flavors in the Certifiably Vapable Liquids lineup and how they’re made with vapers’ safety in mind.

First up is Sticky Rice, a milky-sweet dessert vape based on the popular Southeast Asian dessert of mango and sticky rice. This Certifiably Vapable Liquids flavor blends sweet fruit and savory coconut milk with a pleasant rice texture. As someone that lived in Thailand, I love that the company released this flavor.

Next is It’s Toast. This juice is based on Josh’s quintessential peanut butter and jelly sandwich. When I first tried this Certifiably Vapable juice, I had no idea that it was PB&J. The bread note really helps this flavor stand out from other PB&J e-liquids on the market. It’s Toast is quite tasty and surprisingly different.

Rounding out the Certifiably Vapable line is Cornbread, which several of my friends were raving about all show. First off, cornbread is frickin’ awesome. Secondly, it’s a flavor that I haven’t seen in the vaping world. Craft Vapery did a fantastic job of replicating the flavor, with a rich and textured cornbread slathered with honey butter. While I only vaped a bit of each juice at the show, Cornbread was my early favorite.

Lastly, Josh spoke about the future of the Certifiably Vapable line. These three flavors went through extensive focus testing with several Craft Vapery subscribers. Josh said that additional flavors that subscribers loved would be released in the future, as well as seasonal selections. Out of the dozens of juices I tried at ECC 2015, Cornbread was one of the most memorable. I highly recommend it and suggest that you check out the entire line of Certifiably Vapable Liquids.

Vaping Diaries #325: CloudWerks Atomizer Interview (ECC 2015)

I’ve been trying to get CloudWerks on camera for years, but due to scheduling conflicts (a little) and camera shyness (a lot), I was unable to do so until ECC 2015. At the show, I pretty much forced CloudWerks partner Louie Siason into an interview. He spoke to me about the CloudWerks Atomizer, which uses a single-post design that offers a nice combination of ease-of-use and versatility. The CloudWerks Atomizer is available in four finishes (stainless steel, black, white, and Tiffany Blue). With a name like CloudWerks, you can expect this atomizer to chuck ample clouds, but Louie believes that vapers will be surprised by the flavor it offers.

One of the most pleasant surprises I had at ECC 2015 was meeting model Hanna Ferraez. She was working for CloudWerks at the show and…she pretty much ruined all the other models for me — just a beautiful and delightful young woman. And for the record, I had nothing to do with the b-roll of her chest. That was RPadholic N8R’s idea and filming. I was chatting with Louie while N8R was doing that. There are witnesses. I swear.

Anyway, in addition to talking about the CloudWerks Atomizer, Louie gave an update on the future of the company’s juice line. If you’re not familiar with CloudWerks e-liquid, it’s high VG (90 percent) for huge clouds and the flavors are very subtle. As someone that dislikes e-liquids with overwhelming flavor, I appreciate the CloudWerks’ style. As Louie said in the interview below, “You don’t get bored with our juice. You can vape it all day.”

Check out the ECC 2015 interview below to learn more about the CloudWerks Atomizer and the company’s juice line. You’ll also see lots more of Hanna Ferraez, which (if you’re a heterosexual male or a homosexual female) is a pretty wonderful thing.

Cloudwerks Atomizer ECC 2015

Vaping Diaries #324: Cloud Chasers Inc Phalanx & Centurion Interview

Cloud Chasers Inc owner Kurt Loeblich had a crazy busy booth at ECC 2015. Naturally, a lot of vapers wanted a chance to talk to Kurt because he’s a cool guy that does a lot for the vaping community and makes awesome vaping products. As far as new CCI gear goes, loads of attendees were dazzled by the Phalanx Box Mod and the Centurion RDA. In the interview below, Kurt talks all about the two latest additions to the Cloud Chasers Inc lineup.

First up is the Phalanx Box Mod, which is one of the most unique pieces of vaping hardware that I saw at ECC 2015. The Phalanx runs in parallel mode and houses three 18650 batteries, which is brilliant for people that hate constantly changing batteries on their single-battery or dual-battery boxes. This Cloud Chasers Inc mod will definitely run a long, long time. Even though the Phalanx uses three batteries, it’s very comfortable to hold. The triangular shape is quite ergonomic and I’d bet that most vapers will find the Phalanx more comfortable to hold than a typical box mod. The mod also has some very cool performance features that Kurt went over in the interview.

Next, Kurt spoke about the Centurion RDA, which is the big brother of Cloud Chaser Inc’s successful Archon RDA. This 30mm atomizer packs all the same features that made the Archon so popular, but comes in a larger size to accommodate series box mods and DNA 200 mods (any mod that cranks out extreme wattages). The Centurion comes with three different barrels that give it lots of versatility.

To learn about these two Cloud Chasers Inc products, check out my ECC 2015 chat with Kurt below. Special thanks to Cory Rigali for prepping me for this interview!

Vaping Diaries #323: Boilermaker Vapor Rivet Charity Interview

When I first met Boilermaker Vapor at ECC 2014, I immediately fell in love with the company’s e-liquids. Boilermaker Vapor crafts complex and layered juices that were uncommon for a SoCal e-liquid company in 2014 and still stand out today. At ECC 2015, the company unveiled a special edition bottle of its delicious Rivet e-liquid that will benefit breast cancer awareness charities and the Los Angeles Battered Women’s Shelter.

If you’re not familiar with Rivet, it’s a yummy strawberry malt blend. In the month of October, Boilermaker Vapor will have bottles of the juice that feature Rosie the Riveter and pink breast cancer awareness ribbons. Additionally, the company will be selling women’s t-shirts that feature Rosie the Riveter in a Boilermaker Vapor theme. A portion of the proceeds generated by both products will go to the two aforementioned charities.

In the interview below, Boilermaker Vapor co-owner Doug Hughes talks about the company’s charitable initiative and gives a nice history lesson for younger vapers that might not be familiar with Rosie the Riveter. I was already a huge fan of the company and learning about its altruistic efforts has made me an even bigger one. What Boilermaker Vapor is doing with its special edition Rivet bottles and apparel is very, very cool.

Vaping Diaries #322: Jason Mewes Juice Interview (ECC 2015)

The highlight of my ECC 2015 was getting to chat with Jason Mewes on camera. I’m a huge fan of Kevin Smith’s movies and Jay is a big reason why. Naturally, I wanted to learn how he started vaping and what lead him to start the Mewes Juice line of vaping e-liquids. We talked about that — and a whole lot more — in the (NSFW) video interview below.

Mewes Juice has launched with five flavors with names inspired by Jay — 15 Bucks, Sugar Tits, Mewes Aid, Mewes-a-Latte, and Doobie Snacks. One of the things we talked about was the names that didn’t make that cut. He really wanted to use more aggressive names that feature gags that he’s known for like Clit Commander (Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back), Piss and Flies (Clerks II), Dutch Rudder (Zack and Miri Make a Porno), etc., but he wasn’t sure about the boundaries. He didn’t want to offend Smith or Miramax. In addition to talking about the current flavors, Jay spoke about e-liquids he’d like to see in the future from Mewes Juice.

Since Jay has a love for geeky things and RPadTV is pretty much a nerd site, I had to talk to him about comics and games. As far as comic books go, he pretty much reads everything. The first time I met Jay was on the set of Noobz, so I had to ask him about the videogames he’s been digging lately. He’s been playing Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare for Xbox One, LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham for PlayStation Vita, Injustice: Gods Among Us for iOS, and Marvel Future Fight for iOS.

Lastly, Jay spoke about his daughter Logan and how having a child has changed his life.

Yes, my ECC 2015 chat with Jason Mewes was all over the place, but it was so much fun. Check out the clip below to learn about Mewes Juice and hear about the videogames he’s been playing. Snootchie bootchies!

Vaping Diaries #321: BHBM Two Face RDA Interview (ECC 2015)

My buddy Steve from Smiley E-Liquid said that I had to check out the Two Face RDA at ECC 2015. He introduced me to the creators of the Two Face RDA — Alex Martirosov and John Burris from Brick House Box Modz. After getting a demo of the product, I was very impressed. The Two Face RDA offers a nice blend of versatility and durability for a relatively low price. RPadholic N8R was also impressed and bought one seconds after we stopped filming.

There are a few things that make the Two Face RDA different. Going on the versatility side, the atomizer comes with two caps — one aimed towards flavor fiends and another geared towards cloud chasers. In the video below, Alex claimed that the atomizer offers more than 30 different airflow combinations. On the durability side, the Two Face RDA uses a square post design that won’t spin and a hefty insulator that will protect against extreme sub-ohm builds. Since the world is an imperfect place, anything is breakable and parts do wear down; Brick House Box Modz includes a full set of replacement parts to make your Two Face RDA as good as new, just in case you beat the hell out of it. On paper, the Two Face RDA offers versatility for all kinds of vaping styles and juices consistencies, as well as idiot-proof usability.

Alex also spoke about future BHBM products he’s working on. He’s currently prototyping a 30mm version of the Two Face RDA for large box mods and 26650 tube mods. Version 3.0 of the BHBM Box Mod is also in the works; the idea is to make something more unique and get away from the Hammond boxes that so many box mods are made from.

Lastly, the video contains some gratuitous b-roll. All I can say is that I hope you enjoy it…and that it wasn’t my idea. Ha!

Vaping Diaries #320: Cheesecake Vape Co Interview (ECC 2015)

If you’ve met me in real life or have seen me on camera then you know that I’ve consumed a lot of cheesecake in my time. With that in mind, I was keen on learning about Cheesecake Vape Co. My friends from Rocka Mystic told me about the company and knew that its vaping e-liquids would be right in my wheelhouse. At ECC 2015, I had the chance to talk to Cheesecake Vape Co owner Travis Anthony and hear all about his line of cheesecake-based juices.

While there are several companies that offer cheesecake e-liquids, Cheesecake Vape Co has six flavors on tap. There’s a plain cheesecake, of course, while the other flavors complement the rich cheesecake with fruit notes or additional savory toppings. Travis’ said that his personal favorite is White Chocolate Caramel Cheesesake, which is a terrible idea calorically but delightful to vape. RPadholic N8R was wild about Martian’s Crust Cheesecake, which emphasizes the graham crust. My personal favorite was Sour Blueberry Cheesecake, which has a delicious blend of rich cheesecake and tart fruit. No matter your taste in cheesecake, Cheesecake Vape Co has a flavor (or flavors) for you.

Check out my chat with Travis below to learn about Cheesecake Vape Co, its current lineup of vaping e-liquids, how they’re made with safety in mind, and what’s next for the company.

Vaping Diaries #319: Harlequinn Wood Works Interview (ECC 2015)

It was excellent catching up with The Jester from Harlequinn Wood Works at ECC 2015. I’ve long been a fan of the beautiful pipe mods he made for his previous company. With Harlequinn Wood Works, he’s still making gorgeous vaping pipes, but he’s also making box mods and using exotic materials. At ECC 2015 The Jester showed me his latest wares, including a DNA 200 box mod and a prototype “peace pipe” that he made as a request from his Native American customers. He also told me how his new company differs from his old one (crafting materials in house, more creative freedom, etc.). Check out the interview below for all the details and to see several exquisite Harlequinn Wood Works pieces.

In case you’re wondering about the intro and outro music, it’s a track called “Fire Breather.” The heavy guitar doesn’t match up with the Harlequinn Wood Works theme, but it’s appropriate for The Jester. When he’s not making sweet vaping mods, you can catch The Jester perform fire breathing tricks at different festivals. Rumor has it that he had an impromptu fire-breathing session at an ECC party. In another aside, my joke paraphrasing Queen’s “Fat Bottomed Girls” totally bombed. This is what happens when you refuse to use a script. Ha!

Anyway, if you’re looking for unique and beautiful vaping mods that are handcrafted in America then you should definitely check out Harlequinn Wood Works. The Jester makes some truly fantastic pieces of vaping art that offer a great combination of looks, performance, and functionality. To top it all off, the products are backed by a — to use The Jester’s own words — “as long as I’m alive” lifetime guarantee.

Vaping Diaries #318: Hyon USA Cease and Desist Controversy

The Hyon USA cease and desist controversy is the latest vaping “scandal.” For those of you not familiar with the situation, is involves the Hyon USA Pi2 atomizer by Haus of Zombi and the Ivogo Evil Monk atomizer. When I chatted with company president Fernando Solis at Vape Summit III, he positioned the Pi2 as the industry’s first postless atomizer. The Ivogo Evil Monk is positioned as a non-post RDA. The implication is that Ivogo “borrowed” some of Hyon USA’s designs and incorporated them into the Evil Monk. Ivogo is known primarily for its clone products. Earlier in July, several vape reviewers received Hyon USA cease and desist emails, or more precisely pre-cease-and-desist letters. Some of the reviewers interpreted the legal email as a threat and many of their readers/viewers attacked Hyon USA. Yesterday, I chatted with Fernando at Monster Vape Lounge to get his explanation on the Hyon USA cease and desist controversy.

In the interview below, Fernando explains his side of the Hyon USA cease and desist matter. He said that the letters were meant to start a dialogue with reviewers and were not meant to threaten them. In his mind, these actions are relatively banal and not the big deal that some are making them out to be. While I understand what he was trying to do from business and legal standpoints, I believe that company should have used a lighter touch. I mentioned my experiences reviewing products in the consumer electronics and videogame businesses to Fernando; in some cases legal inquiries were sent to my publisher and in other cases the situation was gently handled by PR reps. Of course those two businesses are much larger and more established than vaping; most popular vape reviewers don’t have publishers to answer to and proper vaping PR is mostly nonexistent.

Going after Internet reviewers is always a tricky thing. Many of them have thousands of fans that are influenced by their works. It’s easy for an established reviewer to get people to think highly of a company and it’s easier for reviewers to generate hate (it’s the Internet, after all). While I respect many vaping reviewers, for the most part they lack the professionalism of reviewers that I’ve worked with in gaming and electronics. Add it all up — relatively young business + unprofessional reviewers + a Hyon USA cease and desist letter — and you have a difficult PR situation. Again, I understand what Hyon USA was trying to do from a business standpoint, but I believe that the company could have handled the situation better.

My take is that there was no malice intended with the Hyon USA cease and desist action, but I definitely understand why people would disagree. I like Hyon USA’s products, I like how the company does business, and I like Fernando. Personally, I think he created more work for himself, but he also created an opportunity. The Hyon USA brand is getting lots of exposure and the company has a chance to turn some of the haters into new customers. See of yourself in the interview below. If you have a chance, please let me know what you think of the Hyon USA cease and desist situation after you’ve watched the video.