From Tony

My path to get here…

At 63yrs old, after 40+yrs of smoking, and trying everything to quit, I had
continually failed. I was smoking 2 packs a day, and neither my health, nor my
wallet could afford it any longer. One day, sitting in the den, I’m hacking my lungs
up. Do I get any sympathy? No, my wife, who will gladly inform you that she is
“decades” younger than me, reminds me how much fun she will have as a young widow on
the life insurance money.

I decided all the hype on vaping had to have something behind it. I decided to give
it a try.

The first rule I learned was spend more for the good stuff, going cheap doesn’t work
for me. And costs more in the end.

The second rule is that vape shop owners may know their stuff, but the average clerk
they hire may not.

I went to a local vape shop in Boise named Vapoligy. Now, before I go on, let me
explain “local” for me, I live in the country, drive to the end of the world, then
go on 10 more miles. So a trip to the “local” vape shop is a 100 mile round trip.
It’s $15+ in gas, and 2 hours even if I just walk in and out.

I looked at their hardware, and decided since this was trying something that had
never worked for me before, I’d go with a “cheaper” setup. I picked a RIVA kit (eGo
clone), 2 batteries, charger, Stardust tank, and some drip atomizers. Almost $60.
Added 3 bottles of juice, so ended up spending about $90.

Mistake #1: I’m trying to replace cigarettes, so “naturally” I pick tobacco flavors.
Near as I can tell, no tobacco flavor tastes like real ciggs, and as a smoking
replacement they fail. Found out going to totally different flavors worked a lot
better. Chocolate Peppermint Patty, Pina Colada, French Vanilla all worked for me.
Of course this was a 2nd 100 mile trip to figure this out. Not to mention was 2 days
of more cigarettes because the original flavors were horrible!

Hardware Failure #1: One of the batteries will not charge. Road trip! Vapoligy
replaces it.

Hardware Failure #2: Stardust Clearomizers. the press fit plastic separates, leaks
all over the place. So another round trip, Vapoligy gracefully replace the Stardust
& and I buy 2 spares.

Hardware Failure #3-4-5: All 3 Stardusts are leaking, so 3 days. and 6 packs of
smokes later, ANOTHER road trip. This time the Vapoligy clerk convinces me what I
really need is a “better” clearomizer, and sells me 3 Kanger T3’s.

Hardware Failures #6-7-8: Kanger T3’s, leaking, gurgling, juice in mouth; 100%
worthless.

So at this point, I’ve wasted about $200, made 5 100 mile road trips, and put all
this vaping junk on the shelf, and am buying cartons of Marlboro’s.

Bottom line, now I’m pissed, and will be damned before I go near Vapoligy for any
hardware again, not even a drip tip. Now, that is probably unfair to the company,
they were nice folks, but I really felt I just wasn’t getting the advice I needed.
But I still knew I really need to kick the smoke habit, both for health & money.

Now, I’m a professional geek, I KNOW Google is my friend, and am kicking myself in
the butt for doing an impulse buy, and not researching before I wasted all the money
I did.

I hit Google, it leads me to YouTube, and a million reviews. I find Phil Busardo, I
find GrimmGreen, I find Rick at Vapor Alley.

After watching at least half of those million reviews, I decide I want a ZMax, And I
plan on buying one from Vapor Alley, they have the Sigelei Zmax V3 Stainless Steel
Telescopic Flat-Top (Tube Only) for about $85.

At the last minute, I find Electronicstix.com with the same unit, but a complete kit
with 2 18650 batteries, charger, and clearomizer for $75, plus an additional 5% off
coupon. Since I had been asking Rick at Vapor Alley a ton of questions that he gave
me great info on, I did give him the chance to price match. He honestly replied it
was a great deal he could not match, and told me to go for it. This guy deserves his
rep for helping people.

Electronic Stix is in Utah, but for the first time in this whole fiasco, I am lucky.
Timing couldn’t have been better. I was already scheduled to go to the Lagoon
Amusement Park that weekend for a family thing; niece in a “clogging” competition
(don’t ask). One of Electronic Stix’s store fronts was in the same town as my motel,
actually only a few blocks away. I scooted on over, bought the kit, and 2 additional
16350 batteries (which the sales person tells me I don’t need, and couldn’t
understand why I wanted). I did not waste my time explaining what “telescopic”
meant, and why I picked that model for it’s small form factor in the first place. I
also added a Vivi Nova tank.

This hardware setup worked! That trip to Utah was 1 month ago, and I can proudly say
I not touched a single “real” cigarette, and have no plans of ever doing so again.

In the month, the only changes to hardware is the new Smoktek Locking DCT tanks. I
really like the flavors better with DC 2.5ohm-2hole cartomizers at 7watts over the
Vivi Nova and locking tanks ends all the leaking, and slipping issues. I also got 2
more 16350’s and 4 port battery charger just for to make it more convenient.

So, thank you Phil, GG, Rick. I would still be smoking without your guidance. Words
like “You guys saved my life” sound melodramatic & over the top, but they are dang
close to the truth!

Tony