Whats the attraction ?

[Stranger]

Why ? as a collective are we so fascinated with the new gear that comes along ? Are we really that deep into the consumerism around vaping or are we just not happy with what we got ?

What is it that the new mod or tank does for you that you just have to have it and try it ?

My personal take on this is that we have taken on the responsibility to keep the SA economy going by buying as much shit as we can. Vapers do that.

Conversely what puts you off when that new dinges comes on the market?

 

[Dela Rey Steyn]

Why ? as a collective are we so fascinated with the new gear that comes along ? Are we really that deep into the consumerism around vaping or are we just not happy with what we got ?

What is it that the new mod or tank does for you that you just have to have it and try it ?

My personal take on this is that we have taken on the responsibility to keep the SA economy going by buying as much shit as we can. Vapers do that.

Conversely what puts you off when that new dinges comes on the market?

In the pursuit of the perfect vape, many purchases will occur. The only problem is, I don't think we'll ever reach that perfect vape. We come close, but I think it's impossible to reach. Every new product promises improvement, and so we keep on searching.

I know uncle @Rob Fisher has his preferred setup (Dwvarv + (insert Nice Mod)) but even he is constantly trying new atties and comparing them to the Dwvarv (I'm guessing to see if he finds something that beats it in the flavour department, correct me if i'm wrong here Uncle Rob)

I don't think it's as much consumerism (ok, there is a lot of Hype Train riding.....) as it is an internal search for "The best vape experience".

 

[Dela Rey Steyn]

Ok, and then sometimes there is just some very pretty things....

 

[Grand Guru]

I was spending about 1.5 to 2k on stinkies before I switch to vaping.
I spend maybe R300-400 on juice every month, I don’t mind spending the balance on gear for the following reasons:
1. I’m enjoying less and less the pit stop part of vaping so the more gear I enjoy in rotation, the merrier.
2. To be honest, out of the last 10 RTAs I bought, none has blown me away so I’m coming to the conclusion that innovation has reached a plateau as the performance is very comparable. You basically get 3 types of RTAs nowadays: strict MTL, MTL to RDL and RDL to DL. I buy the first 2 options with 90% certainty that I’m not going to be disappointed no matter what. What I don’t like is sold or PIFed
4. Mods deliver the same performance for my vaping style no matter what chip you throw in them. I buy them to make full setups with priority to the small form factor and matchy matchiness in mind.
5. Finally, I think I passed the stage of nicotine addiction and got rid of it. I’m only doing as a hobby and I don’t mind spending the balance of my old smoking habit budget on it.

My R2k

 

[zadiac]

I think it's mostly FOMO. When I got the fomo out of me, the buying stopped. I've been using the same tank for a long time now and really don't need a new one. I will now only buy if something breaks or wears out so much that I can't use it anymore. I've been cured of FOMO. I now look at new devices and think "that looks nice" and then move on. No FOMO.

 

[DarthBranMuffin]

I tried not to respond with an essay, but failed dismally..

I have two takes on this from two vaper's perspective:

Mrs Chuck Norris Lungs has a specific need in vaping where it keeps her of the stinkies (and have done so for over 6 years now). It has to have enough power to pack a punch, it needs to be able to handle her liquid and it needs to have flavor. Sounds easy enough, but its NOT! She has progressed from Twisp Clearo's to Voopoo PnP's and has a specific flavor profile that she sticks too (if it is not available, all hell breaks loose). So for her I am always checking what is available in the market that can work for her, should she progress again to something that needs a bit more kick. Right now she is in a happy place thanks too Voopoo's plethora of devices they have launched in the last couple of months.

That brings me to my side of the coin: I have spent a lot of time in 2020 testing (tanks specific) various options out there. Even though I did buy the occasional "new and improved", I tried to stick to what has been tried and tested before with a good wrap sheet and that which is still being used over a couple of months/years since it was launched. Case and point, the Digiflavor Drop RDA. Although I bought it new, it was not new on the market. And after trying RTA's, RDA's, RDTA's, Squonkers, Dual Battery Mods, Single Battery Mods, Tripple Battery Mods, Single Coils, Dual Coils, different wires, various cottons and even tool kits... I have come to a point where I am more than content with what I have and can now spend my spare time looking for something that I would like to try (if it is in the scope of what I like to vape). That does not mean it needs to be fresh of the press, it can be sealed (if older) or a decent second hand item.

There is nothing wrong with a bit of drooling when a new item hits the shelves, but I will not jump at everything that comes out every week with an "I WANT! I WANT! I WANT!" added to it. I do have a xmas list that I revise ever so often to the bare minimal, just to keep up to date with what is available and what ended up being good/bad after a couple of months.

I dont have a huge collection, but that is exactly what it is, a collection of items that works for me. But nobody is the same, even though there is a lot of similarities between vapers. Some people want that new car feeling when they vape, until the new model comes out and they are of the opinion that what is new will top what they have. I dont want to go the Drop/Drop Dead/Dead Rabbit (V1)/Dead Rabbit V2/Dead Rabbit SQ/Dead Rabbit SE route again just to stick to the Drop that I had in the first place, but some people do want to upgrade.

For example: Is there a better MTL RTA than the Expro V4? Possibly and as I love MTL RTA's I will try one here and there as I will always have a mod to stick another MTL RTA on and can only vape one at a time in any case. But now that I know what I like and what to compare it too, I can take my time in doing so.

 

[CJB85]

Why is the world of fashion so huge?
Why do women spend fortunes on shoes, handbags? They all fulfill the same purpose?
Why do some men (and women) have an enormous collection of watches, while they all tell the same time?
I think what @Dela Rey Steyn says is 100% true, for half the equation... We all have that little demon on our shoulder whispering "what if that vapes just a little bit better?"
I firmly believe that 99% of mod purchases are purely for cosmetic pleasure, because for most of us (the Wattage brigade) they all do pretty much exactly the same thing.
I used to buy atties based on their ease to build and how less likely they are to leak than others, but I have now learnt to build and wick, so my focus has shifted to the kind of airflow I like and flavour.
As far as the hype train is concerned, even if we completely ignore the "ooh shiny" factor, we often get caught in the trap of varied vape preferences. We chase a setup that is punted by a number of people and are often disappointed, not because the setup is bad, but because the people who love them prefer something different from ourselves. I keep coming back to the Dvarw as an example, which to me has been one of the biggest (repeated) let-downs of anything I have tried. The atty is obviously great, because there are more people who like it than hate it, but the vape you get from it simply doesn't suit what I like.
I have recently really tried to avoid buying anything new, as I can't see the vape quality being significantly better (for me) than anything I have at the moment (barring a fantastic single coil DL option), yet still the pull is strong. I have had so many sweaty finger moments in the classifieds the last few weeks that I feared being shocked by my mouse.
In the end what @Grand Guru says is all that matters, if you enjoy the hobby and have the means to feed it, why not? I love his approach of justifying any vape spend against his previous stinky spend, makes it feel like being rewarded for chucking them in the bin.
I am considering chucking a couple hundred bucks a month in a kitty, just in case that next great hype train stops at a station near me!

 

[vicTor]

I'm happy with what I have and 99.9% of my gear was all purchased secondhand, what a saving !

 

[Munro31]

Gadgets, who doesn't like gadgets?

 

[CJB85]

I tried not to respond with an essay, but failed dismally..

I have two takes on this from two vaper's perspective:

Mrs Chuck Norris Lungs has a specific need in vaping where it keeps her of the stinkies (and have done so for over 6 years now). It has to have enough power to pack a punch, it needs to be able to handle her liquid and it needs to have flavor. Sounds easy enough, but its NOT! She has progressed from Twisp Clearo's to Voopoo PnP's and has a specific flavor profile that she sticks too (if it is not available, all hell breaks loose). So for her I am always checking what is available in the market that can work for her, should she progress again to something that needs a bit more kick. Right now she is in a happy place thanks too Voopoo's plethora of devices they have launched in the last couple of months.

That brings me to my side of the coin: I have spent a lot of time in 2020 testing (tanks specific) various options out there. Even though I did buy the occasional "new and improved", I tried to stick to what has been tried and tested before with a good wrap sheet and that which is still being used over a couple of months/years since it was launched. Case and point, the Digiflavor Drop RDA. Although I bought it new, it was not new on the market. And after trying RTA's, RDA's, RDTA's, Squonkers, Dual Battery Mods, Single Battery Mods, Tripple Battery Mods, Single Coils, Dual Coils, different wires, various cottons and even tool kits... I have come to a point where I am more than content with what I have and can now spend my spare time looking for something that I would like to try (if it is in the scope of what I like to vape). That does not mean it needs to be fresh of the press, it can be sealed (if older) or a decent second hand item.

There is nothing wrong with a bit of drooling when a new item hits the shelves, but I will not jump at everything that comes out every week with an "I WANT! I WANT! I WANT!" added to it. I do have a xmas list that I revise ever so often to the bare minimal, just to keep up to date with what is available and what ended up being good/bad after a couple of months.

I dont have a huge collection, but that is exactly what it is, a collection of items that works for me. But nobody is the same, even though there is a lot of similarities between vapers. Some people want that new car feeling when they vape, until the new model comes out and they are of the opinion that what is new will top what they have. I dont want to go the Drop/Drop Dead/Dead Rabbit (V1)/Dead Rabbit V2/Dead Rabbit SQ/Dead Rabbit SE route again just to stick to the Drop that I had in the first place, but some people do want to upgrade.

For example: Is there a better MTL RTA than the Expro V4? Possibly and as I love MTL RTA's I will try one here and there as I will always have a mod to stick another MTL RTA on and can only vape one at a time in any case. But now that I know what I like and what to compare it too, I can take my time in doing so.

My wife is similar, she wants something that is "not ugly", has good flavour, won't leak in her handbag and comes with a husband that will re-build her small army every week. She has 3 Serpent Elevates, 2 Kylin Mini V2s and has hijacked my Gen to give her two of those. She has zero interest in anything else, doesn't even look... Except for the new Abyss.

 

[Rob Fisher]

I know uncle @Rob Fisher has his preferred setup (Dwvarv + (insert Nice Mod)) but even he is constantly trying new atties and comparing them to the Dwvarv (I'm guessing to see if he finds something that beats it in the flavour department, correct me if i'm wrong here Uncle Rob)

I don't think it's as much consumerism (ok, there is a lot of Hype Train riding.....) as it is an internal search for "The best vape experience".

The hype train certainly plays a part but it's the internal quest for the perfect setup which includes flavour, juice capacity, looks, ease of use, easy refill and the list goes on. And for mods it's comfort and looks!

And for tanks anything MTL is out... and tanks that won't take my Siam Tower tips are also out.

 

[DarthBranMuffin]

My wife is similar, she wants something that is "not ugly", has good flavour, won't leak in her handbag and comes with a husband that will re-build her small army every week. She has 3 Serpent Elevates, 2 Kylin Mini V2s and has hijacked my Gen to give her two of those. She has zero interest in anything else, doesn't even look... Except for the new Abyss.

LOL!!!

Mine took my Drag Max and my Argus GT, now has the Drag S, Drag X and Drag X Plus as well, no more rebuilding for her, but bi-daily cleaning and refilling is not an optional extra she got with it, it comes standard. Not to mention monitoring the battery levels and making sure the spare sets are charged. I dont even think she knows how to swop out the batteries in some of them. I have to travel for 3 days next week to PTA, so I better make sure the juice bottles are filled and the batteries are ready for while I am gone. But I try and not show her any new devices as well, will just surprise her with a new one once a year to not let her ask too many questions about my setups...

 

[ace_d_house_cat]

I'll be the first to admit that I want something because it's new, not necessarily because it's better. New is exciting.

It's the same story with cars; I've had 6 in the last 5 years because of the excitement of something new. I find ways to justify it to myself and others.

Something that I have realized I need to work on .

Having said that; I currently have the Carfind.co.za tab open and I just received a Drag 3 + Arbiter today

 

[Stranger]

The last 18 months for me has been a journey from pure MTL to finding a happy place. This being a restricted DL. Along with that was the acquiring of knowledge around mechs and batteries, wire and cotton, building and amps and a complete switch over to DIY juice.

That journey did cost a bob or two, but with some help from some forumites, that cost could be justified. I can admire for example the Jellybox but there really is nothing to kick start the urge to buy one, unlike when I saw the Kennedy Roundhouse and Trickster that really got me excited, as did the Furyan. The latest chip does very little for me as I am confident in building for a mech or semi mech that does not even have wattage control. As we speak I have my Dvarw clone sitting on my Ehpro Armor and this works better than my Puma's that have all the bells and whistles.. Maybe Timwiss has a point, we are the yuppies of the vape world where art and design compete against function and practicality for our attention. Where the engineers debate with graphic designers as to what is more important.

One thing is patently clear, the data analytics experts are invited to the design meetings for their input.

CJB85 said he believes that 99% of mod purchases are purely for cosmetic pleasure, he could be onto something there. Equally I would say the purchasing of pure mechs is for the challenge of the build, the OCD of getting that build just right. Matching the battery to the mech to the build/wire/coil/wicking and even down to what juice. (Try my ADV in a mech and that ws23 content will leave your throat sore)

The FOMO point is real, I just had to try a squonk ( but I liked it) I just had to try a dual coil attie, I had to try Kanthal, SS, Nichrome, singles, duals parallels and claptons. CCW, VW, VV and temp control. Would you believe that 18 months ago I did not know even half of this stuff. I had to study the batteries (Mooch you be da man) and still there is more to learn.

I have a mod with an attachment as a power bank (the Pico Dual) now all I need is one with a built in compressor for my overlanding trips. The MVP 5 came close but no cigar

 

[Stranger]

 

[Stranger]

 

[Timwis]

Why ? as a collective are we so fascinated with the new gear that comes along ? Are we really that deep into the consumerism around vaping or are we just not happy with what we got ?

What is it that the new mod or tank does for you that you just have to have it and try it ?

My personal take on this is that we have taken on the responsibility to keep the SA economy going by buying as much shit as we can. Vapers do that.

Conversely what puts you off when that new dinges comes on the market?

Big boobs and thick thighs!!!

 

[Timwis]

Why ? as a collective are we so fascinated with the new gear that comes along ? Are we really that deep into the consumerism around vaping or are we just not happy with what we got ?

What is it that the new mod or tank does for you that you just have to have it and try it ?

My personal take on this is that we have taken on the responsibility to keep the SA economy going by buying as much shit as we can. Vapers do that.

Conversely what puts you off when that new dinges comes on the market?

I think most people like to have something they collect, a hobby and vaping keeps people off the stinkies and keeps us more healthy! So vaping combines all these things that many crave!

 

[Stranger]

Big boobs and thick thighs!!!

I crave these but I don't collect them !!!!

 

[Timwis]

I crave these but I don't collect them !!!!

But a lot of people do! some may be able to keep the collection to a certain number and others don't but many do collect devices. And if for example someone has just 20 mods but say they don't collect them then sorry they are just in denial about that fact else they would just have two or three!

 

[Timwis]

I crave these but I don't collect them !!!!

Sorry, you had quoted the more serious post lol!

 

[Timwis]

I crave these but I don't collect them !!!!

Only because it would get you in trouble, lol!

 

[Timwis]

LOL!!!

Mine took my Drag Max and my Argus GT, now has the Drag S, Drag X and Drag X Plus as well, no more rebuilding for her, but bi-daily cleaning and refilling is not an optional extra she got with it, it comes standard. Not to mention monitoring the battery levels and making sure the spare sets are charged. I dont even think she knows how to swop out the batteries in some of them. I have to travel for 3 days next week to PTA, so I better make sure the juice bottles are filled and the batteries are ready for while I am gone. But I try and not show her any new devices as well, will just surprise her with a new one once a year to not let her ask too many questions about my setups...

Same here, i might as well vape for her as well because i have to do everything else!

 

[Intuthu Kagesi]

Big boobs and thick thighs!!!

You're half right ... you can keep them thick thighs

 

[DarthBranMuffin]

You're half right ... you can keep them thick thighs

you need thin wood to get the fire started, but the thick ones to keep it going all night... dont be so judgerig... hahaha