Vaping Diaries Archives - Page 3 of 39

Vaping Diaries #365: Shado Vapor MGNT RDA Interview

One of the coolest atomizers I’ve seen all year, the Shado Vapor MGNT RDA has several unique features that make it stand out from the competition. At Vape Nights 2015, company cofounder Jeff Freeman walked me through the MGNT RDA. The atomizer’s magnetic top cap catches your eye immediately. It’s self-adjusting, which is convenient for two reasons. First, you don’t have to take the top cap completely off for dripping juice. Secondly, you don’t have to worry about losing airflow position. Since the MGNT RDA uses a top airflow design, it’s highly leak resistant. Under the hood, the MGNT RDA sports a three-post design, with a gold-plated brass center post that offers a combination of strong conductivity and corrosion resistance. The MGNT RDA has unique features, clean looks, and vapes great. Best of all, it’s relatively inexpensive at $60.

Jeff also told me about Shado Vapor’s e-liquids, made in conjunction with the excellent people at POET. Similar to POET’s excellent e-liquids, Shado Vapor has a pair of pleasantly atypical juices. First up is Rosy Lee, which is a sweet black tea latte. RPadholic N8R really enjoyed this juice at the show. While I also enjoyed Rosy Lee, I preferred Shado Vapor’s Liquid Courage. This flavor combines black sesame, vanilla, bourbon, and several other “secret” ingredients. As a huge fan of Asian desserts with black sesame, I’m loving Liquid Courage.

Closing things out, Jeff told me about some of the box mods he’s working on. He has single-battery and dual-battery boxes in the works. He plans on adding some security features to Shado Vapor’s box mods that have never been seen in vaping. While he wouldn’t give me exact details at this time, he said that he would be using Bluetooth connectivity and a companion app to enhance the functionality of his box mods. As a tech nerd, I can’t wait to see what he does with the Bluetooth features.

To learn more about the MGNT RDA, the Shado Vapor e-liquids by House of POET, and the upcoming Shado Vapor box mods, check out my Vape Nights chat with Jeff below.

This interview was brought to you by Revol Vapors.

Vaping Diaries #364: Fa-Q Vapes Interview (Vape Nights)

At Vape Nights 2015, Apollo Ecigs lounge operations manager and co-founder of Unstoppable Cyrus Malekzadeh told me about the company’s Fa-Q Vapes line of e-liquids. Aimed at RDA users, Fa-Q Vapes uses max VG formulations for maximum vapor production. While there are a number of juices out there geared towards “cloud bros,” Fa-Q Vapes also features some unique flavors that help it stand out from the competition. Cyrus told me about three flavors in the line.

Based on the popular Girl Scout cookie, Miss Samoa is Fa-Q Vapes’ best-seller. As you’ve probably figured out, it’s a blend of caramel, chocolate, coconut, and cookie. If you’ve never had a Samoa cookie then run out and grab a box. They’re awesome. Miss Samoa does a very good job at replicating the flavor. This is excellent on several levels. First, you get the joy of Samoa cookies without the calories. Secondly, Miss Samoa is available year-round, as opposed to not being able to find a Girl Scout when you need a Samoa cookie fix.

While I was disappointed to learn that Fa-Q Vapes’ Imperial Milk is not a milk-based e-liquid for Storm Troopers in the Star Wars universe, I was happy to learn that it’s an inventive flavor. Not wanting to mimic the numerous strawberries-and-cream flavors already on the market, the company put a unique twist on fruits and cream by mixing dragon fruit and cream. This juice was a very pleasant surprise for me.

Another Fa-Q Vapes pastry treat, Fauxstess Cupcakes replicates the flavor of Hostess Cupcakes. It’s a lovely mix of chocolate cake, chocolate icing, and cream filling. Similar to Miss Samoa, you get the pleasure of the baked goods without the calories. Cyrus was particularly proud of this flavor, since chocolate vapes can be very difficult to pull off.

To learn more about Fa-Q Vapes and these three flavors, check out my chat with Cyrus below.

This interview was brought to you by Flavaho.

Vaping Diaries #363: Trinity Glass Tanks Interview

Trinity Glass Tanks had several excellent products on display at Vape Nights 2015. Sales manager Fabian Turcutto was kind enough to walk me through the company’s lineup. First up is the Sub X for the Kanger Subtank Mini. Made primarily of pyrex glass, the Trinity Glass Tanks Sub X is a beautiful upgrade to the hugely popular Subtank Mini. The base of the product is made from 303 stainless steel and hugs the Subtank Mini base firmly. In addition to the obvious aesthetic upgrade, Trinity Glass Tanks claims that the Sub X helps provide better flavor, since the e-liquid is touching more glass than metal. The Sub X is available in an all-clear model, as well as one with a black tip. As a huge fan of glass vaping products (I greatly prefer the feel and look), I love what the Sub X brings to the table.

For cloud chasers rocking a Kennedy RDA, Trinity Glass Tanks has a competition glass cap. It carries over the ample airflow that the Kennedy RDA is known for, but improves flavor because of its pyrex construction. Naturally, glass has a gorgeous look to it as well and it’s fun watching vapor settle in your atomizer (seriously, it never gets old for me). Fabian said that Trinity Glass Tanks is working on a drip tip for the Kennedy RDA for those that prefer the standard metal cap. The drip tip will be pyrex and you won’t see any o-rings or metal.

Closing things out, Trinity Glass Tanks had a number of new drip tips on display. They’re available in various finishes and materials. You can see the new drip tips in the video below. To learn more about the Trinity Glass Tanks Sub X for the Kanger Subtank Mini and the competition glass cap for the Kennedy RDA, check out my Vape Nights 2015 chat with Fabian.

This interview was brought to you by Revol Vapors.

Vaping Diaries #362: Joe Blow’s Incredible Juice Interview

It was nice catching up with Joe Blow’s Incredible Juice owner Joseph Upton at Vape Nights 2015. I met him last year at VapeCon USA 2014 and was impressed with his style of juice making. Joe Blow’s Incredible Juice offers some unique flavors and puts a novel twist on several familiar tastes. At Vape Nights 2015, Joseph told me about the three newest additions to the Joe Blow’s Incredible Juice lineup.

First is Famous Joe, which is based off of Joseph’s love of root beer barrel candies. As he was talking about the juice, I could see his face light up. It’s as if he was thinking about when he was a kid and could purchase several of these candies for a nickel. RPadholic N8R, being much more of a candy vaper than I am, was taken by this juice. It’s a faithful representation of the old-school candy.

Next up is Vanilla Blow, which should appeal to vapers that like savory e-liquids, as well as those that enjoy a candy twist. As you’ve probably figured out from the name, vanilla is the primary flavor in Vanilla Blow. It’s a rich and thick vanilla that’s topped off by a bit of candy cinnamon at the end. It’s unusual to find an e-liquid that should make savory guys and candy guys happy, but Joe Blow’s Incredible Juice’s Vanilla Blow should do the trick.

Last, but not least, is a fruit concoction called Dragon Blow. A fruit-forward vape, this juice mixes together dragonfruit, pomegranate, and melon. Joseph described this juice as having a “floral” quality to it. While I find most fruit vapes banal, I enjoyed the unique mix of dragonfruit and pomegranate in Dragon Blow.

While Joe Blow’s Incredible Juice has a wide variety of flavors, Joseph isn’t done creating just yet. He told me about plans to introduce a few new lines of juice in the future. To learn more about the three Joe Blow’s Incredible Juice flavors mentioned above and hear about Joseph’s future plans, check out the interview below.

This interview was brought to you by The Trifecta, available at The Vapor Spot.

Vaping Diaries #361: A Planetary Elixir (APE) Interview

A Planetary Elixir (APE) is a new line of vaping e-liquids made by Intergalactic Industries, creators of the Doomsday mechanical mod. At Vape Nights 2015, I caught up with owner John Dela Rosa to learn more about the company and its three launch flavors. Keeping with Intergalactic Industries’ space theme, A Planetary Elixir was inspired by Albert, the first monkey to go into outer space. To use John’s words, “He was amazing and we’re trying to make an amazing juice.”

A Planetary Elixir has launched with three flavors. Way Milky blends the flavors of Chocolate Rice Krispies, milk, and bananas. The hint of banana helps the juice stand out from the numerous cereal flavors on the market. Out of the three flavors, it’s John’s personal favorite. But First Coffee comes from John’s Starbucks habit. It’s a mix of espresso and toffee. It’s one of the more savory coffee vapes I’ve had. Last, but not least, is Tea Time. Aimed at fruit lovers, this juice is a melange of watermelon and white tea.

As for future products, John said that the next juice from A Planetary Elixir will feature tea. On the hardware side, he said that Intergalactic Industries is working on a Doomsday II mod. While the original Doomsday was a mechanical tube mod, the next Doomsday will be a variable-wattage box mod. John said that he’s working with engineers on the chip and hopes to introduce the Doomsday II in the future. Like the original tube mod, the upcoming box mod with be manufactured in the USA.

To learn more about A Planetary Elixir and the upcoming Doomsday II from Intergalactic Industries, check out my Vape Nights 2015 with John below. If you dig what the company is doing, John asked that you follow the company on Instagram.

This interview was brought to you by Tiki Juice.

Vaping Diaries #360: Mr. and Mrs. Sweet Interview

Mr. and Mrs. Sweet is a new line of vaping e-liquids made by Drip of Choice Labs. If you’re a fan of candy-flavored juices then you’ll definitely want to check out this line. At Vape Nights 2015, Mr. and Mrs. Sweet mad mixer Britten Allen told me about the line, its launch flavor, and the next flavor he’s working on.

As some of you have probably guessed, this juice line gets it name from the movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Instead of competing secret agents, Britten and his girlfriend at making vaping e-liquids. Which is good, because there’s a lot less gunfire involved. The first juice in the Mr. and Mrs. Sweet lineup is called Roxx. This flavor is a strawberry-watermelon concoction based on the Pop Rocks candy. Coming sometime around January 2016 is the next Mr. and Mrs. Sweet flavor, which is based on the blue gummi shark candies. Britten is currently working out the balance of blue raspberry sweetness and marshmallow savoriness for this juice.

While candy e-liquids aren’t usually my thing, I dig what Britten is doing with Mr. and Mrs. Sweet. The line is distinct from his Drip of Choice line and fills a niche. In Southern California, candy vapes are very, very popular and it’s no surprise that Mr. and Mrs. Sweet has been met with great fanfare. Many SoCal vapers dig Britten’s work from his previous companies and they love candy juices. Ergo they love his latest e-liquids.

To learn more about Mr. and Mrs. Sweet, check out my Vape Nights 2015 chat with Britten Allen below.

The interview was brought to you by The Big Levapeski.

Vaping Diaries #359: Aria Built Phenotype-L Atomizer Interview

Aria Built’s Phenotype-L rebuildable dripping atomizer has been getting a lot of attention from vapers that like to create exotic builds. With its two-post design and ample deck space, the Phenotype-L is a fantastic canvas for those that like to create “coil art.” On the more practical side, it also offers vapers plenty of flexibility when it comes to flavor production and vapor production. At Vape Nights 2015, I caught up with Aria Built product development specialist Edison Tan to learn more about the Phenotype-L atomizer.

Edison explained that the Phenotype-L is a collaboration between Aria Built and Anarchist. Each atomizer post has a 3mm hole, allowing it to accommodate a wide variety of wire gauges. The juice well is 4mm deep and holds plenty of e-liquid. The airflow features four escalating slots on each side and is controlled by the top cap. The atomizer’s positive post is gold-plated for better conductivity and corrosion resistance. Edison was quick to point out that the Phenotype-L uses real PEEK insulators; some vaping companies purport to use PEEK, but in reality use a cheaper material.

On the aesthetic side, the Phenotype-L is available in black and stainless steel finishes. Each has a “stealth” cap that accommodates standard 510 drip tips, as well as an 11mm wide-bore competition drip tip. One of my favorite features is its inset screws. There are so many 2015 atomizers that require the use of allen keys. I appreciate that Aria Built went with inset flathead screws on the Phenotype-L.

As you can see, there’s a lot going on with the Aria Built Phenotype-L. The atomizer is being touted as one that was made “for builders, by builders.” To get more details and to see the atomizer (in both finishes), check out my chat with Edison Tan below.

This interview was brought to you by The Vapor Spot.

Vaping Diaries #358: Drip of Choice Interview

Drip of Choice (D.O.C.) is a relatively new vaping e-liquid company that was started by Britten “Red” Allen. After gaining notoriety at a pair of previous juice companies, Red has struck out on his own (like Nomad) with Drip of Choice. The company offers some tasty juice that’s available at a low retail price. At Vape Nights 2015, Drip of Choice’s Checkmate e-liquid won the award for “Best Cream, Custard, & Vanilla Flavor.” In the interview below, Red talks about the philosophy behind the company and three of its flavors.

In addition to having low retail prices, Drip of Choice e-liquids are available in 1.5mg of nicotine. While a few companies offers this now, Drip of Choice was the first one I was aware of that offered the option. A few of you are probably thinking, “What the hell is the practical difference between 3mg and 1.5mg?!?” For vapers that like to chuck massive clouds or constantly perform tricks, 1.5mg of nicotine gives them the option to indulge in their particular style of vaping while still getting a tiny bit of nicotine. In the clip below, Red explains how the 1.5mg nicotine option was whipped up for more personal reasons.

As for the flavors, the award-winning Checkmate is a mix of Filipino mango and New York cheesecake. Personally, I think that Drip of Choice should have named the juice after me, since I’m a cheesy Filipino-American that’s original from New York. The Hustle is a twist on one of Red’s flavors from a previous company; it’s a blend of strawberry, kiwi, and mango. For cloud chasers, Drip of Choice has The Struggle. This 95/5 VG/PG juice is a mix of peach and strawberry.

To learn more about the e-liquids mentioned above and about the future of Drip of Choice, check out my chat with Red below.

This interview was brought to you by Revol Vapors.

Vaping Diaries #357: The Vape Barrel Interview

I hang out at Monster Vape Lounge frequently and have seen The Vape Barrel’s Plutonium e-liquid flying off the store’s shelves. With that in mind, I was keen to interview someone from the company at Vape Nights 2015. I spent some time with The Vape Barrel’s Rob Harrington to learn more about the company’s origins, hear some flavor descriptions, and learn about what’s coming next.

The Vape Barrel was started by three friends that have been smoking cigarettes together since high school. Tired of their corporate jobs and thrilled that vaping got them off of tobacco cigarettes, the three friends started an e-liquid company. The Vape Barrel’s flavors are layered, combining a number of different ingredients to offer a unique flavor. So far, three friends are off to a fantastic start.

As I mentioned in the intro, Plutonium is wildly popular at Monster Vape Lounge. This juice combines strawberry, mango, lemonade, and peach. As a fan of dessert e-liquids, I was drawn to Neptunium. This juice features toffee, vanilla, and Bavarian cream. The Vape Barrel has put an interesting twist on tobacco with Californium. Aimed at vapers just coming off of cigarettes, Californium is a blend of tobacco, peaches, and cream.

On a loosely related note, I want to compliment The Vape Barrel on its choice of swag. Most vaping company’s sell or give away snapback caps for promotional purposes. As a baseball fan that prefers fitted or flex-fit hats, I’m not a fan of snapback caps. (I also associate snapbacks with obnoxious younglings that use Snapchat as their primary form of communication.) Instead of the usual black snapback that most vape companies offer, The Vape Barrel has a classy grey flex-fit hat.

Thank you for indulging me on that hat tangent. To learn more about The Vape Barrel, check out my Vape Nights 2015 chat with Rob below.

Special thanks to Flavaho for sponsoring this interview.

Vaping Diaries #356: 528 Custom Vapes Interview

528 Custom Vapes has been serving up sub-ohm tanks before sub-ohm tanks were cool. While these kinds of tanks are hugely popular in the 2015 vaping world, 528 Custom Vapes has been serving them up for years. Many vapers consider the company a trailblazer and cite it as a big influence on today’s rebuildable tank atomizers. At Vape Nights 2015, I caught up with 528 Custom Vapes owner Tom Starkey to learn more about the company, hear about the Monster v3 tank, and learn about future products.

Tom told me a great story about the company’s origins. 528 Custom Vapes was initially funded by a check Tom received after wrecking his car. The company’s name was derived from the apartment he was living in at the time. Local vapers used to say, “Hey, we have to go to 528 to get out tanks customized!” 528 Custom Vapes became popular for its modified Kayfun atomizers. While the Kayfun was known for its great flavor, the vapor production left something to be desired for vapers accustomed to rebuildable dripping atomizers. Tom’s modifications drastically increased the airflow, allowing for one of the first — if not the first — tanks suitable for cloud chasers.

The modified Kayfuns went onto be known as the 528 Custom Vapes Monster. The company is currently on version three of the product. In the clip below, Tom goes over some of the features of the Monster v3. He also spoke about future products. 528 Custom Vapes is currently working on a dripper. I’m excited to see Tom’s take on a dripping atomizer.

Lastly, Tom spoke about the 528 Custom Vapes logo. It reminds many older vapers of the Thundercats cartoon from the ’80s. The symbol was actually influenced by Tom’s friends in the tattoo business, rather than the cartoon.

To learn more about 528 Custom Vapes, check out my chat with Tom Starkey below.

Special thanks to Revol Vapors for sponsoring this interview.