Vaping Diaries #283: Best Atomizers and Accessories of 2014

Best Vaping Mods of 2014RPadTV’s “Best of 2014” vaping coverage continues with a list of excellent atomizers and accessories. Similar to my list of favorite 2014 mods, there’s no such thing as a “best atomizer,” but for SEO purposes this article is titled that way (blame Google). Unlike most of the Southern California vapers I see regularly, I’m more of a flavor guy and not much of a cloud chaser. My top atomizer pick reflects that. Also keep in mind that I only included atomizers that I’ve used extensively. There are a number of great 2014 atties that I tried briefly, but since I didn’t spend significant time with them, I wasn’t comfortable putting them on my list.

As for the accessories, they’re more universal — products that every vaper should consider. Now let’s to this!

Neovapetek Venturi — There were dozens of “cloud chaser” atomizers released in 2014, but not many “flavor fiend” atties. The Neovapetek Venturi was one of the few atomizers made expressly for vapers looking for rich flavor. Its unique design produces a warm, highly-concentrated vape. As an added bonus, the design also makes it highly leak resistant. The Venturi is expertly made from top-notch materials and backed by outstanding customer service. While my cloud chaser friends sometimes make fun of my love for this atomizer, I simply don’t care. For the kind of vape that I enjoy, the Venturi was easily my favorite atomizer of 2014.

NeoVapeTek Venturi Atomizer Jack Dallas Interview

Ivation Ultrasonic Cleaner — Every hardcore vaper should have an ultrasonic cleaner. It’s a tremendously useful tool that’s great for steeping e-liquids and cleaning vape gear. I find ultrasonic cleaners especially useful for washing atomizers and mods; they’re just brilliant at removing gunk from crevices and threads. While there are a number of inexpensive models on the market, I went with the Ivation IVU96S. I like that the unit’s tub is removable, making it easy to wash. Btw, if you’re a vaper that wears glasses then you really need an ultrasonic cleaner. It’s a fantastic way to gently and thoroughly clean your specs.

The Convict — Yeah, I know that The Convict by Convict Vapors is already on my “Best Mods of 2014” list, but one of the reasons I enjoy vaping on it is its atomizer. The genesis-style atty on The Convict features a large 5ml tank, a reduced chamber, and easy-to-work-with posts. For me, it produces a stellar combination of flavor and vapor. When I want a vaping setup with capacity, The Convict is usually my first choice. The excellent genny on this hybrid mod is a big reason why.

Xuron LX Micro — Vapers that build their own coils should invest in a good set of wire cutters. My cutter of choice is the Xuron LX Micro. It’s rated to cut wire as thick as 18-gauge, which is overkill for many vapers, but could come in handy. This is a sharp and sturdy tool that will last a long time.

Cotton LABO Organic Cotton — It pains me when vapers buy organic Japanese cotton at vape shops. They usually pick up five pads for $5, which is ridiculous. For $7, you can get 200 pads of Cotton LABO Organic Cotton. It’s a much, much better deal. While some vapers claim to be able to taste the difference between various brands of organic Japanese cotton, I am not one of them. Cotton LABO pads are as good or better than any of Japanese organic cotton I’ve tried at vape shops.

Aqua v2 by Footoon — Last year, the Aqua by Footoon was one of my favorite atomizers. However, they’re hard to get serviced if something goes wrong, so I swore off UVO Systems products in general. Then the Aqua v2 came along. It’s a great improvement over the original. I love that it’s 22mm, easier to build, and easier to refill. For me, it offers an optimal blend of flavor, vapor, and convenience. The Aqua v2 is easier to work with, holds more juice, and looks better than the original. Footoon knocked it out of the park with this atomizer.

The Vape Kit — If you’re just getting into rebuildable atomizers, The Vape Kit is a great starter toolset. It has everything a new builder needs to get going and comes in a convenient case. Many advanced builders I know have The Vape Kit toolset and swap out some of the tools for ones that they prefer. (Here’s a shot of my kit with some personal additions.) It’s just a smart product that works well for many vapers.

Tobh Atomizer — While it’s not quite as popular as it was during the first half of 2014, the Tobh Atomizer by Tobh Mods was the most influential atty of the year. So many companies mimicked its features (heat fins, negative posts and base cut from one piece of metal, slam caps, etc.). I wish more companies would use techniques like the press-fitted brass and copper caps that Tobh Mods offers; they’re brass or copper on the outside, with stainless steel on the inside for safer vaping. The Tobh Atomizer is a great American vaping product that truly changed the atomizer game in 2014.

Kuro Concepts Coil Winder — I’m convinced that this product is fueled by wizardry. As a merely average builder, I really appreciate how quickly and conveniently the Kuro Concepts Coil Winder works. You can make clean coils in seconds with this product. They’re has to be a small sorcerer inside each one, right?

VLS VulcanThe Vulcan is an inexpensive atomizer with great features and strong build quality. While I try to stay away from clones, I totally understand that some vapers feel that original products are overpriced. Vapour Lifestyle’s mission is to offer original products that are well made and easily attainable. The company did just that with the Vulcan. It also listened to customers that wanted more airflow out of the original by releasing a sleeve made for cloud chasers. While I like the product itself, I love that VLS is serving up original quality vaping products with relatively low prices.

Vaping Diaries #224: NeoVapeTek E-Liquid Interview (Chris Chapman)

Following up on my chat on the unique NeoVapeTek Venturi RDA, here’s an interview on the company’s upcoming vaping e-liquids. At E-Cig City 4 in Riverside, I hung out with NeoVapeTek head of e-liquid research Christopher Chapman. He told me about his background as a vaper and how he got into juice making, as well as three of the company’s launch flavors and what’s coming next.

I’ve tried two NeoVapeTek e-liquids and been pleasantly surprised by the flavors. As a former clove cigarette smoker, I was curious about  NeoVapeTek’s Dejarum blend. There aren’t too many clove juices out there and most of the ones I’ve tried were a little bit off (or more). Dejarum is on point. In the interview, Chris talks about exploring the culinary uses of clove and adding complementary ingredients in order to achieve an accurate approximation of clove cigarettes. The other NeoVapeTek juice I’ve been enjoying is Are Why’s Mallow. This is a unique twist on the RY4 formula — arguably the most duplicated and imitated flavor in vaping. Wanting to stand out from the crowd, Chris experimented with numerous complementary flavors until finding toasted marshmallow. As a huge RY4 fan, I’ve found this unique take on the flavor quite compelling. Lastly, Chris talks about Orango Tango, which is his partner’s favorite e-liquid in the NeoVapeTek launch lineup.

In addition to talking about the company’s six launch flavors, Chris discusses what he’s working on and what flavors you can expect next from NeoVapeTek. I’ll be giving his juices a full review in the near future. For now, kindly check out the interview above to learn more about the company’s efforts in the e-liquid space. If you have a chance, please let me know which of the company’s launch flavors you’re most interested in (leave your pick in the comments section…please!).

NeoVapeTek Vaping E-Liquid Juice

Special thanks to Handsome Vapers Club for introducing me to the NeoVapeTek crew!

Vaping Diaries #223: NeoVapeTek Venturi Atomizer Interview

At a recent LA Vapers Club meeting, I met NeoVapeTek’s head of hardware production & design, Jack Dallas. He told me all about the Venturi atomizer, one of the most unique vaping products I’ve seen in 2014. While there are loads of rebuildable dripping atomizers (RDAs) geared towards cloud chasers, there aren’t many that are made with flavor fiends in mind. As someone that’s way more concerned about flavor than vapor, I was excited about the Venturi atomizer. After using it for a week, I’ve been extremely impressed by this novel RDA. A full review is in the works, but before I get to that, let’s learn more about the Venturi atomizer from its creator.

With its atypical design, I naturally wanted to learn more about how this unique vaping product came to be, so I met up with Jack at E-Cig City 4 in Riverside. He told me a great story of how the design for the Venturi atomizer randomly came to him while he was taking a shower. He also spoke about the number of revisions the product went through, his unusually great customer service, and what’s next for NeoVapeTek. The company has a number of additional caps for the Venturi atomizer, including brass and copper models, as well as the C-Cap that’s made for cloud chasers. Jack’s next product will most likely be a Genesis-style atomizer, with a box mod likely to follow. If his future products stand out and perform the way the Venturi atomizer does, then you’ll definitely want to keep you eyes out for NeoVapeTek’s future wares.

As I said earlier, a Venturi atomizer review is currently being worked on, so stay tuned for that (please). Later in the week, I’ll post a video with Chris Chapman, the gentleman that handles the e-liquid side of NeoVapeTek. Former clover cigarette smokers will definitely want to check out that video. (*tease*)

NeoVapeTek Venturi Atomizer Jack Dallas Interview

Special thanks to Handsome Vape Club for introducing me to the NeoVapeTek crew!