Atomizer vs. Clearomizer vs. Cartomizer

Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the ultimate vaping showdown! This topic has been cause for arguments for a while now; what is the best way to vape? There's really no simple answer to that question because everyone has very specific needs and different preferences but I can give you insight on several different ways I have used these devices and my experiences with them.

Atomizers

I started off using a small standard 510 battery with an atomizer and a drip tip, dripping 3-5 drops at a time which lasted about 10 puffs. The good thing about using an atomizer is you can change the flavor the second it runs out without having a lot of residual flavor being left over. So if you have flavor ADD like I do, this is a great thing to have to at least change things up from time to time. Since I also purchase a lot of different flavors and I love getting new juice, I like to try them all the second I get vapemail. I usually keep a few of these around for trying new juices, changing things up a bit and experimenting with mixing flavors. The bad thing about atomizers is that if you don't calculate how much liquid is left you can get a lot of dry hits that taste awful and can damage your atomizer. It's always good practice to keep them wet but it can be a hassle when you're constantly getting dry hits or overfilling them. Atomizers last a long time and they're easy to clean which is good considering some can be $5-7. So if you prefer to change flavors and mix them frequently, an atomizer is a good choice for you.

Clearomizers

When I use the term clearomizer, I mean wick tanks because that's essentially what a clearomizer is but the category is slightly larger than that. In my experience I haven't had the best luck using any wick device. I'm not saying they're bad, just saying that I have my own preference however, I know a lot of people that love them and use them all the time and my opinion about them remains unbiased. From using these for a while I can say with confidence that they're a good option for someone who's trying to get a little more out of their PV. They work great on eGo devices and Vivi Nova tanks work and look great on lavatube PV's. I do own several clearos and a Nova tank so I gave them a fair and thorough testing as I do all my devices. Some pros are they're inexpensive (about $6), they last for a while, are easy to clean/use and they look nice on a lot of devices. Cons are they are prone to cracking, flavor seems slightly muted and have unpredictable variable resistance. If you're purchasing an eGo system and don't want to get a tank, consider a clearomizer as a slightly cheaper alternative and it will look damn good too.

Cartomizers

Finally, we have cartomizers; one of my favorite ways to vape with or without a tank. A cartomizer is essentially an atomizing coil wrapped in fiber fill to absorb liquid and keep the coil wet with your flavor of choice. They have several varieties including XL-5XL, shorty, mega, low resistance, dual coil, etc. Personally, I use them in my tanks and I usually cut my own holes via a dremel tool or a carto punch. You can use them with anything from a small standard 510 battery to a mod like the Silver Bullet or the ProVari (although it will look a little silly on the bigger mods.) They're relatively cheap ($1.50+) and they last for about 8 fills. Cleaning them can be a bit tricky because the fiber fill absorbs so much of the liquid but if you run some water through it and blow it out, it will work just fine. One drawback of using a carto is the fact that you can't change flavors on the fly. You really have to be set with one flavor for about 80-100 puffs, otherwise you're stuck cleaning it out and wasting juice. These are good for anyone using a tank, that wants to vape for a while without stopping to fill or just want to try something new. These are good for anyone, and seeing as they're so cheap, I recommend you order a couple just to try them.

That about wraps it up, if you have any questions, please feel free to comment below and I will answer them. I need your feedback to keep me motivated to post more often!

DISCLAIMER: I bought this device for my own use and for testing purposes. All opinions are my own and are for educational purposes.

Follow me on twitter and instagram: @photoagogo

Site Review- J-Vapes

I was recently given the chance to review several flavors from J-Vapes and of course I jumped at the opportunity. My instagram friend Max (aka @xxam_) recommended them to me and I contacted the owner, John, who offered to send me some juice for review. So in this blog I will rate all of those juices briefly and the site as a whole. I know you guys probably skip the whole first paragraph of all of my blogs anyways and jump straight into the review so, I'll shut up now and get to the good stuff!

Okay, so I've had plenty of time to let these juices steep and put them through their paces in a variety of devices so heres the scoop:

Bangberry Mist: ★★★★★ My personal favorite of the ones I received. A nice sweet berry flavor with a little touch of tart. This one was actually named by Max as a result of a contest the site ran. This one tastes very nice through pretty much any device, even my ce4's and Vivi Nova but my favorite is in my ProVari using a 2ohm carto at 4.5v.

Pineapple Express: ★★★★☆ Hmmm, I wonder what this one tastes like? Sweet pineapple with a heck of a kick! Maybe it's because I normally vape around 6mg of nic and these juices were 12mg but this one seems to roundhouse kick the back of my throat like Chuck Norris. Not saying that's a bad thing at all, just a mere observation. I've tried several pineapple flavors and this is by far the sweetest and strongest!

Guavatron: ★★★★☆ Not sure when the last time I had real guava but this juice tastes smooth and sweet just like it's supposed to. Every vape takes me away to a tropical paradise where ProVari's grow on trees and it rains Guavatron....ok maybe that was slightly embellished but this juice rocks! Bonus points for the cool name.

Baja Blast: ★★★★☆ I don't know about you all out there in cyberspace but sometimes I go to Taco Bell just for a Baja Blast. Citrusy sweet, fruity, refreshing vape all the way through. Personally, I'd love to see this one with a tiny hint of menthol in there to add a slight chill. I've seen many flavors based on the original citrus soda but never one for this flavor. Other juice vendors take note: get creative with your flavors and your patrons will notice!

High Voltage: ★★★☆☆ One of their newest flavors in the "mountain vapor" line, this one is raspberry flavored with a nice tart finish. This one is definitely better after a few weeks of letting it steep. I'd like to see this one with a touch of menthol as well but not too much. I find myself rationing the last few ml's in the bottom of the bottle before finishing it off. This one is on my re-order list for sure.

Cherry Limeade: ★★★☆☆ I have tried several versions of this notorious flavor and up until this point, no ones been able to satisfy my palette. This is the first cherry limeade I've tried that actually tasted sweet! Don't get me wrong, the sour/tart aftertaste you get will still pucker you up but that's the point isn't it? Even though it's the best I've, I think there's still a bit of fine tuning needed but I'm sure this flavor isn't easily duplicated in a vape so an A for effort.

The site itself is designed a little funky, instead of having individual pages for every flavor, they have a general description of a series of juices on a sub-page and the choices in a selector box at the top. One thing I do like is the option for 50/50 PG/VG with any juice. Personally, I like experimenting with different options so next time I order juices, I can try a different combo and possibly improve the flavor. I trusted John to mix me up a good batch of juices and he exceeded my expectations. Big shout out to him and Max for recommending them to me. If you know a company I should review, please comment below!

I look forward to trying a few more of J-Vapes' flavors, so check back soon for more

Customer Service: ★★★★☆

Website Navigation: ★★★☆☆

Product Selection/Quality: ★★★★☆

DISCLAIMER: I may have received some products free of charge for review purposes however all my opinions are completely unbiased and accurate based on my own interactions with said vendors and their products.

follow me on twitter and instagram! @photoagogo

Accessory Review- Vision CE4 Clearomizer

I was very reluctant to try these at first because I've always been a carto tank fan but after seeing my instagram feed fill up with pictures of them, I thought I'd give them a try so I picked up a couple from Madvapes. Now if you didn't know, a cartomizer has a heating coil surrounded by fiber fill inside a metal cylinder, when you hit the button on your PV, it heats up the coil and vaporizes the e-liquid that is contained in the fiber fill. With a clearomizer, the liquid goes from the outer tank which is then absorbed through a wick into the atomizer and vaporizes the liquid. Now that the science lesson is over with, let's get to my take on these little devices.

I try to keep an open mind about everything before I try it, to be honest, I'm just trying to find the best kit to make my vaping experience more enjoyable, this blog is just a way to share my experiences with all of you. That being said, I was still a bit skeptical when I first tried them. I filled up my first one and took a drag, I instantly got a burnt taste, I was very disappointed. After doing further reading, I learned you should wait at least 5 minutes after filling before you should vape in order for the liquid to saturate the wick. A quick solution to the burnt taste if you've done this is emptying the clearo and cleaning it thoroughly. That kind of put me off to clearomizers for a while but I recently picked them up again on a whim. These worked out slightly better for me but there's still some issues with them that I don't have with carto tanks.

• Leaking- A few drops out of the top or bottom is pretty common with the ones I've used. I've heard that you need to seal them within 30 seconds of filling in order to prevent this but it seems to be very sporadic.
• Breaking- Considering you can pick these up for about $6, they're very rugged, however, if you have it in your pocket and bend over the wrong way, they will shatter on you. I've had one crack and one break off at the bottom thread skirt which was probably my fault for over tightening.
• Burnt taste/lack of flavor- I'm not sure exactly what I'm doing wrong but I always seem to get a tiny bit of burnt taste even after letting it sit for hours before vaping. Also, I've noticed the flavor which tasted great in a carto, seems to be slightly diluted when used in a clearo, not quite sure why on this one but I know a few other people feel the same way.
• Resistance/voltage restriction- Others have told me I'm crazy but for some reason, on my eGo twist, I can't vape any higher than 4.0-4.2v. Personally, I love the amount of vapor that I get from a higher voltage but over 4.2v I seem to get a little burnt plastic taste. These are hard to get a good reading of resistance on too, the advertise 2.4-2.9ohm which actually makes quite the difference on a VV device.
• Capacity- This is more of an observation than an actual flaw with them but I feel it should be noted. These are not meant to be an all day vaping accessory if you are a heavy vaper. They will hold about 1.8ml of juice which will last a lot longer than an atomizer and some cartos but wouldn't get me through a full day of vaping.

In summary, these have a lot of positive qualities, they're cheap, they fit well with an eGo and they look great. However, if you asked me clearo vs. a carto tank, I'd say go with the tank and learn how to punch and fill a carto than spend $6 every 8 fills or so.

Value: ★★★★☆
Aesthetics: ★★★★★
Functionality: ★★☆☆☆

DISCLAIMER: I bought this device for my own use and for testing purposes. All opinions are my own and are for educational purposes.

Follow me on twitter and instagram: @photoagogo