Vaping Diaries #337: The Vape Kit Coil and Cloud Interview

In late 2014, The Vape Kit made a big splash with its complete and convenient tool kit. Expanding on that product’s success, the company released the Coil and Cloud (stylized Coil/Cloud) line of vaping e-liquids at ECC 2015. I caught up with The Vape Kit co-owners Aleks Blagojevich and Rush Hall to learn more about the juice line and to get a tease of version two of the tool kit.

The Coil and Cloud line has launched with two flavors. First up is Spectrum, which is aimed towards vapers that enjoy fruity vapes. It’s a rainbow sherbet, with a touch of yogurt-like creaminess to round out the flavor. The second Coil and Cloud launch flavor is Moonstruck (rumor has it that Rush is a big fan of the Cher movie). Aimed towards vapers that enjoy savory flavors, Moonstruck is a rich blend of butterscotch, caramel, and banana. As a huge fan of bananas Foster, I’m looking forward to vaping more of this e-liquid. The Vape Kit crew said to expect additional Coil and Cloud flavors before the end of the year.

As a special treat to ECC 2015 attendees, The Vape Kit enlisted master builder Vaping Drew to build Clapton coils for its customers. This was a nice way for the crew to let customers appreciate the full flavor of the Coil and Cloud juices. I am not ashamed to say that I took advantage of this service, since Claptons are beyond my skill (and I also refuse to make my own because I believe that they should be called Hendrix coils).

Of course, vapers want to know when The Vape Kit v2 will be out and what improvements will be made. Aleks and Rush gave a few hints on what people can expect from the new tool kit and when they can expect it.

To learn more about the Coil and Cloud juice line and what The Vape Kit is up to, check out my ECC 2015 chat with Aleks and Rush below.

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 #271: The Vape Kit Interview (Vapecon USA)

The Vape Kit is one of the smartest companies in the vaping business. The company originally started with a question-and-answer site, similar to a Quora or a Yahoo! Answers for vapers. Considering that there’s a lot to learn in the (relatively) new and (relatively) wacky world of vaping, a crowd-sourced and community-driven solution that answers questions many vapers have was a fantastic idea.

For its second act, The Vape Kit has released a compact and complete toolkit made just for vapers. Again, this was a really smart idea that solves a problem that many vapers encounter. Since there isn’t a vaping section at Ace Hardware or Home Depot, many beginning vapers start out with the wrong tools that end up being a waste of money and space. The Vape Kit toolset packs all the essentials in an easy-to-carry package. You get an ohm reader, tweezers, needle-nose pliers, a wire cutter, precision screwdrivers, and more.

Learn all about The Vape Kit — both the company and the toolset — from founders Aleks Blagojevich and Aaron Silva in the Vapecon USA interview above.

Vape Kit interview