The act of vaping closely mimics that of smoking, but without many of the harmful side effects. Those who are looking to give up on smoking have taken up on vaping, but its popularity has also far exceeded its intended audience.
Vaping has since become widely popular, especially amongst the younger audience who tend to opt for disposable vapes in uk with free delivery. However, this new-fangled phenomenon can be confusing to the uninitiated — but not to fear, we will delve into what a vape is and how to use it.
What Is A Vape?
Vaping devices are in essence handheld vaporizers that contain oil, or what is known as e-liquid. Made to emulate the usage of cigarettes, the e-liquids used often have varying levels of nicotine in them. When heated, it produces a vapor-like fog which when inhaled creates a throat hit akin to that of cigarettes.
Nowadays, vaping devices come in all sorts of designs with different mods and adjustable settings, to fit the user’s preferences. A wide array of e-liquid flavors, nicotine levels, and vapor strengths are also widely available.
How Does A Vape Work?
Vaping devices can be broken down into three basic components — the battery, atomizer, and e-liquid. The battery pack is what powers the entire device. It sends a voltage to a coil within the atomizer, which then heats the e-liquid. The liquid then vaporizes in the atomizer and the user can draw it out through a mouthpiece.
Devices usually come in complete sets for the general user, but more experienced users may get individual parts and assemble them to suit their vaping needs.
The Power Source
The power source of the vape device, also known as battery mods is what controls the power of your device hand-in-hand with the coil in the atomizer. Battery mods can come in all sorts of forms, depending on the device it is used in.
The most basic battery mods come with no adjustability or form of control for the user. More advanced mods are adjustable and come in varied wattage, which in turn control the temperature of the vapor that comes out of the device.
Power limits also determine the experience you get with your device. Low power devices generally consist of vape pens and e-cigarettes. These devices are meant to be low-profile and hence require smaller batteries with lower power outputs.
Medium power mods are where the adjustability begins. High power battery mods are also available, usually utilized in what is known as box mods. They are often used by more experienced users who prefer heavier vapor outputs and don’t mind the bulkier frame of their devices.
The Vapor Source
The atomizer is where the magic happens. It is where the e-liquid gets heated up and transforms into an inhalable vapor. Often known as a tank, the atomizer also contains a coil that acts as the heating element directly connected to the battery.
Since e-liquids are composed of volatile substances, they easily vaporize when heated. Varying liquids may be made up of varying substances which affect their volatility, altering the amount of vapor produced in a single draw.
Just like battery mods, atomizers also come in all sorts of shapes and forms, each with different functions.
The most simple of them all would be the prefilled ones. These tanks are single-use, disposable, and are widely known as pods. Often you would see vape pens and other smaller devices equipped with such pods as they have a small form factor and are easy to use.
Refillable pods also exist, perfect for multiple uses before they have to be disposed of. These pods, however, contain non-replaceable coils, so they are good for a couple of uses, but no more than that.
If you are looking for one that has replaceable coils, then you may want a sub-ohm tank. These tanks are not only refillable but also contain interchangeable coils. Do take note that these coils do have to be proprietary and compatible with the rest of your device and the tank as well.
More experienced users may be more interested in what is known as rebuildable atomizers. These atomizers have to be manually installed with wicks and coils of the user’s choice, before being filled with an e-liquid.
When it comes to atomizers, there are two main types of connections. Older models are fitted with a type 510 threaded connector, which may be a hassle to use, but highly compatible. Nowadays, proprietary connections unique to each brand or sets of brands are utilized instead. They are much more user-friendly, but at the cost of compatibility. It is important to check that the atomizers you use are compatible with the connections on your device.
The coils in the atomizers also come in various resistances. Low resistance coils produce much more vapor but work better with larger power outputs. On the other hand, higher resistance coils make much less vapor and require less power.
Nevertheless, coils do not have an indefinite lifespan and will eventually wear out. Signs of worn-out coils include lack of flavor or a burning taste and smell when vapor is produced.
How To Vape ?
Vaping is easy to start but has a steep learning curve. As such we recommend that you begin with simpler devices that are easy to use. Vaping pens and pod vapes are examples of such devices, and they come at a much cheaper price too.
These devices usually come with replaceable tanks or pods, hence, the following step would be to choose an e-liquid of your choice.
The two main things to take note of when it comes to e-liquids would be the flavor and nicotine contents. Flavorings are entirely dependent on what you like and dislike, and there is a plethora to choose from.
The right nicotine content for you would depend on what type of experience you are looking for. People who used to be heavier smokers may prefer a higher nicotine content, whilst more recreational users may be content with lower, or even zero nicotine content.
There are two main types of inhalation techniques. Mouth-to-lung draw, and direct lung draw.
Mouth-To-Lung
A Mouth-to-lung draw closely emulates the experience you get with smoking, mostly because of the throat hit you get with devices that use this technique. This draw requires you to hold the vapor in your mouth for a second or two before inhaling it.
Devices with higher resistance coils and higher nicotine levels work well with this type of draw.
Direct Lung
On the other hand, devices with lower resistance coils and lower nicotine levels typically utilize this technique. The vapor is inhaled directly into the lungs when drawn, creating a much smoother hit.
Conclusion
Vaping is an activity suited to all sorts of people, be it if you are looking to quit smoking, or simply want to do it for recreational purposes. Vaping does have its pros and cons, but ultimately, the final decision is up to you.
