Vaping Diaries Archives - Page 18 of 38

Vaping Diaries #202: Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 Clone Review

Angelcigs is a relatively new company that offers inexpensive vaping products from China that ship from local warehouses. It offers prices similar to the popular Fasttech, but with much faster shipping. The company recently sent me three atomizers to check out. The first one I’m reviewing is the Kayfun 3.1 clone. This $24.99 replica is a great deal. It offers a vaping experience similar to that of an authentic Kayfun 3.1, but for roughly 1/7th of the price. As long as they have reasonable expectations of build quality, many vapers will be happy with what Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone brings to the table.

What’s in the Kit: The Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone comes with the atomizer, one optional stainless steel tank, one optional 510 drip tip adapter, extra o-rings, extra screws, a juice bottle, one pre-made coil, extra silica wick, a keychain tool, and the instruction manual. It’s a complete kit that has everything novices need to get started. Experienced vapers will, of course, want to trash the keychain tool, coil, and wick.

Design: As you’d expect, this atomizer is pretty much a 1:1 replica of the Svoe Mesto original. For those of you not familiar with the Kayfun 3.1, it’s a bottom-coil silica atomizer that’s the most popular product in its category. The good news is that this copy looks and feels like a reasonable facsimile of the original. Unfortunately, that also includes the Svoe Mesto logo. I’m not a fan of clones that copy logos, markings, etc.

From afar, it would be fairly easy to mistake the Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone for the real McCoy. When you open up the atomizer, the differences become more apparent.

Build Quality: Obviously this product doesn’t match the build quality of an authentic Kayfun 3.1 or even The Russian atomizer. At a fraction of the price, it would be foolish to expect comparable workmanship. The threads aren’t machined as finely; you can hear and feel the friction whenever you unscrew the tank. The o-ring material is cheaper than that of the original’s too. The threads on the polycarbonate tank felt particularly flimsy (though I didn’t have any leaking issues). The stainless steel tank felt much more secure.

All that said, for a $25 product, the quality is pretty good. While it doesn’t compare to an authentic Kayfun, the Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone is as good or better than most other clones I’ve seen.

Performance: The Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone offers performance that’s comparable to the real deal. You get the great flavor production that many vapers love about the Kayfun, as well as excellent juice capacity. The airflow options aren’t as broad as the original’s, but it’s fairly close. Vapers that prefer a medium to stiff draw will be happy with what this atomizer offers.

Like the authentic model, the Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone is relatively easy to work with and to maintain. Building coils for the atomizer is slightly more involved than building coils for a dripper. Whether you use silica, cotton, kanthal wire, or kanthal ribbon, the atomizer is very accommodating. It’s also easy to maintain, though clumsy people (like me) should be careful when washing it over a sink, as it has several small parts and screws.

Verdict: Out of the three Angelcigs atomizers I’ve been using for the past few weeks, the Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 clone is the best of the bunch. While it’s not made as well as the original, it vapes similarly and is much easier to acquire. The price is excellent and the product is backed by generous service. It’s a solid deal for newcomers that want to experiment with this type of atomizer and for longtime vapers looking for a good “beater” atty. As long as you don’t have any issues with clones and companies that copy logos, the Angelcigs Kayfun 3.1 is definitely worth a look.

Vaping Diaries #201: Dr. Mike’s Rad Vapors Interview

It’s always fun catching up with the crew from Dr. Mike’s Rad Vapors. My previous chats with CEO Strek Gauthier, COO Dr. Mike Gauthier, and mixologist Ricky Medina are some of my favorite vaping interviews on RPadTV. Recently, I caught up with them at Viper Vapor LA to learn more about the new flavors in the Dr. Mike’s Rad Vapors lineup, how the company comes up with its e-liquid names, and juice flavors on the horizon. The three new flavors are:

Dragon: A delicious blend of mangosteen and dragon fruit. As a big fan of mangosteen, I…accidentally vaped an entire bottle of the juice before filming b-roll for this interview. Ha!
Fury: A banana-milk medley that will appeal to fans of creamy fruit blends.
Fortune: A natural lychee e-liquid geared towards vapors that prefer a fresh lychee taste over canned or candied versions of the fruit.

Check out the clip above to learn more about these e-liquids, as well as the nutty flavors Dr. Mike’s Rad Vapors is working on. Special thanks to Tiffany for letting us hang out at Viper Vapor LA!

Vaping Diaries #200: Vape Shops and Social Media Mistakes

As a vaping enthusiast, I try to visit as many vape shops as possible. As a nerd, I follow several vape shops on various social media services. There are also many vape shops that I check up on periodically, but don’t follow. When I look at what most vape shops do with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc., I see tons of mistakes and poor use of these services.

Before I continue, I want to make it clear that I am not a social media expert. However, as someone that has covered consumer electronics and videogames for years, I’ve seen some outstanding marketing and superior use of social media. Some of the following critiques are mine, while a few of them came from conversations with longtime tech-nerd friends that are now vapers. Let’s do this!

Antisocial Media: The biggest problem I have with how vape shops use social media services is that most of them use social media in an antisocial way. Many only use it to advertise products or sales. That’s a missed opportunity. While driving people to buy stuff is the ultimate goal for stores, social media can be used for so much more than product-focused campaigns.

One antisocial mistake I often see is companies not showing off what their store looks like. Social media services are a fantastic opportunity to show the unique features of a vape shop. They can be used to give potential customers an idea of a store’s tasting bar, displays, build station, lounging area, lighting, and more. Great pictures can be used to help new customers think, “Hey, this shop looks cool! I want to hang out there.”

Another antisocial mistake is that most shops don’t post information about their staff. While I might go to a vape shop because of a new product or a good sale, I often return to shops because of the staff. Social media can be used to highlight the staff’s juice tastes, building skills, quirks, and more. It’s an opportunity for a potential customer to think, “Hey, I like the way Jim from Vape Store X thinks. I’m going to stop by the store to get some juice advice from him,” or, “Zoe from Vape Shop Y makes some sick builds! I want her to set up my RDA.”

Most vape shops are so product-focused that their social media feeds feel like a string of boring advertisements. The smarter vape shops mix up product posts with ones about the store and staff, or even quirky vape-related things that keep the feed fun.

Barrage Posting: There’s one vape shop I like that has a fantastic storefront and uses social media very well…except when it comes to post frequency. Blasting out five or more posts in two minutes is stupid. It’s annoying. It makes people want to hit the “unfollow” or “remove friend” button. I have no idea why the people at this shop think barrage posting is a good strategy. It’s just obnoxious.

Then there are the shops that only post once a day. That’s not enough. Social media services move fast and a single post will get lost in the shuffle.

One of the best vape shop feeds that I follow tries to post at least once every two hours, but no more than once an hour. That’s a great strategy. It’s frequent enough that it keeps the store’s brand on the minds of its followers a few times a day, but isn’t as obnoxious as putting up ten posts in a minute. Shops that post in this fashion will be heard and remembered, without being lost to other feeds.

Ignoring Google+: Google’s social media service gets a bad rap — some of it is absolutely deserved, but some of it stems from people not knowing enough about what it offers. The mistake vape shops (and people in general) make is dismissing Google+ as an inferior Facebook. While it doesn’t have Facebook’s massive user base, Google+ does several things that Facebook doesn’t, the most important of which is socialized search results on Google.com.

All vape shops — especially those that also sell online — want their search results to be on the first page of a Google search. Google+ can help make that happen. Say a vape shop posts a Google+ story about picking up Atomizer Z and I click “+1” on that story. If any of my Google+ friends search for Atomizer Z then that story will likely appear on the first page of their results. It doesn’t matter if a store has half the followers on Google+ than it does on Facebook. The benefits of socialized search results can have tremendous value.

Overvaluing Instagram: Relying too heavily on Instagram is a mistake I often see with Southern California shops. I suppose it makes sense. A lot of the storeowners are young and Instagram skews younger than Facebook or Twitter. Instagram is also flashy, quick, and easy, but…

…it’s probably the least practical social media service. Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ are easier to track. There are a lot of metrics tools that can show the “true” effectiveness of posts on the aforementioned services. Instagram doesn’t have as many tools (yet) and is very limited because it doesn’t allow for hyperlinks in posts or comments (yet). For whatever reason, a lot of shop owners I’ve met are fixated on the number of Instagram followers they have. In reality, it’s not indicative of anything and marketing on Instagram is inferior compared to what you can do (and measure) on other services.

Wrapping it Up: Out of the stores that I follow, only a handful use social media effectively. Planet Vape does a fantastic job of posting frequent updates that highlight products, the store, and the staff. Nosty also handles social media nicely. Vapeday is relatively new, but started off with a social media bang and has been doing a mostly good job.

All of this is, of course, just one person’s opinion. I’m sure that there are some people out there that just want straight-up product and sale information through social media services. However, I maintain that most vape shops aren’t getting the most out of social media. That doesn’t surprise me considering the relative newness and youth of the vaping business. It also wouldn’t surprise me if in two years, many vape shops handle social media as deftly as some of the consumer electronics and videogame marketers I’ve met.

Vaping Diaries #199: Rocka Mystic Owner Jan Uyl Interview

Rocka Mystic owner Jan Uyl was a pastry chef and baker for more than 30 years. He was also a cigarette smoker for more than 30 years. Thanks to vaping, he was finally able to quit smoking. However, he was never really satisfied with the juices he bought and never could find an all-day vape. He used his culinary expertise to create Rocka Mystic.

Rocka Mystic currently offers five e-liquids that cover a variety of tastes. Skidizzles, Sweet Tart, and Tiger’s Blood will satisfy vapers looking for candy flavors. With creaminess currently en vogue, the company’s Gingerbread Cream has been a hit since the end of 2013; this juice combines a sweet custard with the spicy flavors of a gingerbread cookie. Lastly, Amsterdam Slam blends tobacco, pastry notes, and spices for a really unique vape.

In the interview above, Jan talks about the formation of Rocka Mystic, expands on the company’s current flavor lineup, and talks about the upcoming Strawberry Cheesecake flavor (I’ve been vaping this one for the last few days and it’s delicious!). Jan’s unique background as a pastry chef helps give his juices layers and complexity. Be sure to hit up the Rocka Mystic web site to learn where you can pick up these unique blends.

Special thanks to The Vape Source for letting me film at the shop!

Vaping Diaries #198: Vape Shops and Mistruths About Cotton

For the last year or so, cotton has become the wicking material of choice for many vapers. There are several reasons why cotton makes excellent vaping wick, but there are also some misconceptions about what it offers and what it doesn’t. Recently, I was at a local vape shop and was shocked by what one of the clerks was telling a customer about cotton. Some of the things he said were inaccurate and some of them were flat-out false. With so many unknowns in vaping, I was appalled that a vape shop employee was spreading misinformation and mistruths about cotton. Let’s take a look at some of the things this vape store clerk said about cotton.

“Cotton is totally safe — much safer than silica.” — The first part of of what this clerk said is simply not true, while the second part is unknown. The employee’s reasoning was that cotton is safe because it’s a natural substance. What the employee didn’t tell the customer (either out or ignorance or out of laziness) is that the sterile CVS cotton balls used at his store are chemically treated (more on that in a sec). While its second-nature to vapers that have been using cotton wicks for a long time, newcomers have to be mindful about the wick drying up. Inhaling burning cotton is not safe, despite what the clerk said.

As for cotton being safer than silica, there are no longterm studies about the use of cotton or silica for vaping. Saying one is “much safer” than the other is misleading. The reality is that nobody knows at this time. Cotton balls, silica wick, ceramic wick, steel cable, etc. were not made with inhalation in mind. Just look at the product description for CVS sterile cotton balls: “To be used for application of antiseptics, medications and to cleanse scratches, cuts, or minor wounds.” While it’s entirely possible that cotton could be safer than silica for vaping, there aren’t any longterm studies that back up this opinion. At the very least, someone at a vape shop shouldn’t be stating a rudimentarily-researched opinion (at best) or foolish conjecture (at worst) as fact.

“Sterile cotton and organic cotton are the same.” — Saying something like this to a customer at a vape shop is just irresponsible. There are huge differences between sterile cotton and organic cotton. Again, there aren’t any longterm studies about one being safer than the other at this time, but saying that they’re the same is simply not true. In addition to being chemically treated for sterility and color, the sterile cotton balls that many vapers use were made from cotton staple that was grown with pesticides. Fear of pesticide inhalation is why some vapers choose organic cotton over the sterile version.

That isn’t to say that organic cotton is “completely safe,” but it’s certainly not “the same” as using sterile cotton. One issue with organic cotton is that it requires boiling prior to use. Ideally, this should be done with an immaculately clean pot and distilled water. Some vapers make the mistake of using tap water to boil their cotton. Almost all tap water contains minerals and some tap water supplies have been contaminated with antibiotics. Introducing these elements into something you inhale could be dangerous.

I love cotton, but… — Please don’t get me wrong. I’m not a cotton hater by any means. While it’s not my wicking material of choice, it’s certainly part of my rotation. There are many reasons why vapers love it — low cost, ease of use, clean flavor, etc. — and I totally understand why it’s so popular. That said, many vapers are under the impression that using cotton is completely safe and that’s just not true. For a vape shop employee to say this to a customer is…disturbing. There are a lot of unknowns about vaping and there’s a lot of misinformation being spread. I believe that vape shops have a responsibility to their customers and to the industry; they should be educating people about vaping, not lying to them or misleading them.

Vaping Diaries #197: True Leaf Vapor Interview

Last week, I went to Majestic Vapes in Beverly Hills to meet the owners of True Leaf Vapor. The company is working with the excellent Nirvana Vapor and has launched a line of naturally-extracted tobacco (NET) e-liquids. If you’re familiar with the Southern California vape scene then you know that the vast majority of local juice companies focus on fruit flavors, with savory dessert juices becoming popular in 2014. As a huge fan of NET e-liquids, I find it sad that most SoCal vape shops don’t carry NETs and many shop owners are ignorant when it comes to NET juices. That’s where True Leaf Vapor comes in; having a local NET e-liquid company will help educate store owners and vapers on what this style of juice offers and show people how satisfying a juice made with real tobacco can be (especially compared to juices made with artificial tobacco).

In the interview above, True Leaf Vapor owners Christopher Hildreth and Joran Nicolette talk about why they started a NET e-liquid company, the tobacco extraction method they use, the company’s four launch flavors, ideas for future juices, and more. Stay tuned for a full review of three True Leaf Vapor juices in a future edition of RPadTV Vaping Diaries.

Vaping Diaries #196: Nirvana Vapor Jay O’Brien Interview

Posted above is a chat I had with Nirvana Vapor CEO Jay O’Brien filmed at Majestic Vapes in Beverly Hills. If you’re not familiar with the company, Nirvana Vapor makes some really unique e-liquids inspired by East Asian and Indian flavors. A few of the company’s juices have wonderfully atypical flavors that left me thinking, “Wow! I’ve never had anything like this.” Additionally, Nirvana Vapor makes several traditional flavors that stand out with their complexity and multiple layers.

During our conversation, Jay spoke about using East Asian and Indian flavors in his juices, some of his unique blends like Kali’s Coconut Burfi and Rama’s Ras Malai, and some of the company’s upcoming e-liquids. As a huge fan of the Indian dessert gulab jamun, I was thrilled to learn that Nirvana Vapor is working on a gulab jamun juice — that sounds like a delicious vape!

Check out the interview above to learn more about Nirvana Vapor and it’s unique juices.

Vaping Diaries #195: Royal Vapour and ModTrades.com Interview

Earlier this week, I caught up with Royal Vapour co-owners TJ Stephens and Ali Mumin at Vape Star Los Angeles. The two told me about their backgrounds, the Royal Vapour approach to making juices, their favorite juices, upcoming flavors, and the ModTrades.com web site. The company started last year, officially kicking things off at ECC 2013. Since then, the company has become very popular in Southern California, with burgeoning national exposure.

Two of the hottest Royal Vapour e-liquids at the moment are The King’s Chew and Queen’s Custard. Stephens made the former as an homage to his childhood, when he’d chow down on Big League Chew bubbgle gum during little league baseball games. Mumin is big on custard juices, so Stephens made Queen’s Custard to satisfy his tastes.

Another project the two have launched is ModTrades.com. Designed by Mumin, the web site is an online marketplace for vapers. The buying and selling of vaping products is done between users, without the heavy moderation found on some forums and Facebook groups.

Check out the video clip above to hear the Royal Vapour story and learn about the company’s juices, as well as ModTrades.com.

Vaping Diaries #194: Ragtime Vapor Interview

It was an absolute pleasure catching up with Ragtime Vapor owners David and Ellen Farentino. Their company makes some wonderfully complex e-liquid, they’re awesome people to hang out with, and they are extremely candid on camera. While the interview above is much longer than my typical vaping interview, it’s also one of my favorite vaping pieces I’ve put together. The amount of detail David and Ellen provided was fantastic. I’m confident that any vaper that watches my Ragtime Vapor interview will walk away knowing (at least) a little bit more about the juice-making process and what goes into starting an e-liquid company.

Speaking of which, David and Ellen talk about how they started Ragtime Vapor, the whole “ragtime” concept behind the company, the four launch flavors, the extensive testing process their juices go through before going into production, and a pair of upcoming flavors (can’t wait for the lychee/ginger!).

Ragtime Vapor is going after mature vapers. The company’s juices are complex and layered, with a minimum amount of sweetness. While many “hot” juice companies are assaulting younger vapers with smack-you-in-the-face sweetness, Ragtime Vapor is taking a refined approach — one that’s especially appealing to vapers that appreciate complexity.

Check out the interview above when you have a chance. Yes, it’s long, but I’m really, really happy with all the information that the Ragtime Vapor crew served up.

Special thanks to Vape Star Los Angeles for letting us hang out and film there. Extra special thanks to Vape Star Matt for blowing wicked clouds in the b-roll shots!

Vaping Diaries #193: Cyber Liquids Anthony Garcia Interview

After meeting the Cyber Liquids crew at Vapetoberfest, it was great catching up with the company’s managing partner, Anthony Garcia at Vapers Exhibit. He told me about the company’s two new flavors — Elysian Fields and Vader. Going after the crowd that’s going gaga over Suicide Bunny’s hugely popular Mother’s Milk e-liquid, Elysian Fields is a milky blueberry blend. Vader is a sweet concoction that gives you the rich flavor of cookie dough, but without all the calories. (It may or may not be true that vaping Vader causes you to speak like James Earl Jones.)

Anthony also talks about Cyber Liquids’ new retail store in Tustin, California. He graciously tolerated my suggestion that Cyber Liquids’ theme song should be “Straight Outta Tustin.”