Nicotine or throat hit? - please discuss.

[chykensa]

Just spent my usual pleasurable 20 mins catching up with the forum after tea, and have read a few posts about nicotine strength in juices, and people cutting back/happy where they are/wanting to cut back in the future. Got me thinking . . .

Now of course these are my own experiences in the 14 months I've been vaping, and may not correspond to your own experiences. I was a 20-a-day rollie merchant, with a bit or Cherry and Vanilla pipe tobacco when gardening or out on the water on my mate's 20' day cruiser. I decided to start vaping to cut back on my daytime consumption but realised within the first 24 hours that this was a realistic way to cut out tobacco completely.

I started on 18mg as I felt I was an average smoker, and despite beginning with Vision CE4+ clearos and bog-standard 650mah eGo batteries, it did the job for me.

After about 3 months, shortly after finding this forum and avidly reading every post (well, it felt like it at the time!), I thought that I would try some 24mg juice in case I was missing something. I still have a few ml of that juice in my box even now - it was too strong, and not only made my head spin, but gave me palpitations too - not pleasant!

I got into mixing my own, and played around with strengths until I found that 12mg was an acceptable place to be, and I still vape mostly that strength up to the present. I have mixed lower (8mg), but I found that too weak.

Now, this gets me to the nub of my post; I cannot be sure if it's the lower nicotine level which I find lacking, or the lesser throat hit. I really enjoy that subtle sharp bite at the back of the throat when I inhale (which I still do exactly as I would have done on a cigarette). If the juice is too low, I find the experience is missing that bite, and therefore feels unfulfilling. Bang up the volts on my Spinner or Vamo, and I get the burnt taste; try using higher strength juice at a lower voltage, and it just doesn't hit the spot.

I would still like to lower my nic levels to around the 6mg mark in due course (there's a cop-out expression if ever there was one!), but I'm reluctant to do so if it means that I don't get the TH that I enjoy. I've tried BiteExtra (^TM) and various different types of juice - Ice, mentholated ones, and juices which have a fairly harsh taste, but they don't replace the throat hit.

I am quite happy to be recognised as a nicotine addict, but am equally pleased to be a non-smoker now. My health is greatly improved, I spend less (yes, really!), I don't smell all the time, and I have a wonderful collection of cyber-friends to talk to here, all thanks to vaping.

If I could crack the TH I would be an even happier bunny!

I'll go grab my coat . . .

[mybad]

Suppose its a case of fine tuning with the juice your using at any given time , upping the voltage to just below the burn taste , if that fails up the nic and repeat.

[Super-Shiny]

I myself now that i have upgraded my attys like the Kayfun/Sophia have had to reduce my nic levels quite a lot, with Davides and Protanks i can vape 24mg without too many problems, although they do taste a bit , now with the Kayfun/Sophia etc i now vape 16mg and they give me the same TH so me spending more money on a atty is a win win situation for me, less Nic base needed and the flavor is much better.

As with all things in life, you pay for what you get for......just wish i done this in the first place

[bazzer]

Why do you want to lower your nicotine ?, as you stated you are "quite happy to be recognised as a nicotine addict", so my advice (for what its worth) is " if it isn't broke don't fix it", you have done so well quitting ciggies, over 1 year now according to your banner so my concern would be lowering the nicotine might bring on a "I'll just have one to try" syndrome ............just a thought

[DiscoDes]

I tried lowering the nicotine and went down to 11mg, but found I chain vaped so have settled on 18mg. I've been vaping over 4 years now and I can't see me ever being able to give up nicotine

[jaysey]

I starting lowering juice from 24 and after 5 weeks was using 6 to 11mg , I felt some thing was lacking , I think it was more the throat hit so now I'm settled at 18 , I admit I'm addicted to the nic but it doesn't bother me now as long as I keep of the fags! Feel so my h better and love vaping

[Super-Shiny]

Forgot to add, flavor for me wins over throat hit, TH does not bother me that much anymore, i do have a little back-up with a mini Davide filled with 24mg Tobacco Haze, tried it the other day and the TH was a bit harsh.
I want to enjoy my vape with flavor, not something that hurts me, makes me wonder sometimes why people order hot curry's that give them pain

[poochops]

Similar experience to Rom, me and Mrs Poo have reduced our juice nic by 50% and managed without too much trouble but she uses Protanks mainly and I use various silica RBAs. If she has a blast on mine (pardon!) she finds the throat hit very strong, I do too, much stronger than her protank but I prefer it that way. Not sure what you use at present but there's a big difference with a rebuildable IMO

[nurseygirl]

I have heard there is something you can add to juice to give a better throat hit, I dont remember what it is called, maybe someone else on here will know

[gapy360]

It's a good question, I started on 12 but found I was chain vaping the whole time initially. Went up to 18 and was fine then mixed 18 and 12 to give me 15 for a few weeks and then went to 12. This was withing the first 6 months when I was a loner (no forums or vape mates) now about 1 year in I tried some of the alchemist test juices that only came in 18 and boy did it give me a head spin (but was quite nice )
Then when I ordered proper sizes I went back to 12 and there I have stayed now 20 months in. Saying that I have now found t-juices which come in 11, so here I am. I do like the TH but overall I'm with Super-Shiny in that I would take flavour over that any day. Tjuice is the best of both worlds, just ordered another 30mls of RA and 10mls of afro to try!

[Super-Shiny]

Nov 11, 2013 20:49:39 GMT gapy360 said:

just ordered another 30mls of RA and 10mls of afro to try!

Love this stuff, it's very yummy, try at 10% though and work your way up to fine that sweet spot.

I make mine at 15%

[Deleted]

I was 20/30 a day, but didn't like a strong throat hit with cigs, so smoked a 'smooth' B&H. It's the same with vaping, it's more the action & flavour for me. I tried 18mg, too strong, settled for 11/12mg for a while, but now I vape HM 6mg & sometimes 0mg. I do vape quite a bit though.

Not sure if it's nic addiction or what, but I do find that zero nic is a bit like decaf coffee or non alcoholic beer, you do know that something is missing & it's not as enjoyable. lol

[gapy360]

Nov 11, 2013 20:52:10 GMT Super-Shiny said:

Nov 11, 2013 20:49:39 GMT gapy360 said:

just ordered another 30mls of RA and 10mls of afro to try!

Love this stuff, it's very yummy, try at 10% though and work your way up to fine that sweet spot.

I make mine at 15%

Unfortunately I buy ready made, don't mix myown (yet!!) down to OOh not getting the the vape thing, but I've been through that before so won't bore you all!

[giles]

Nov 11, 2013 20:49:28 GMT nurseygirl said:

I have heard there is something you can add to juice to give a better throat hit, I dont remember what it is called, maybe someone else on here will know

www.flavourart.co.uk/bitextra-eliquid-62-p.asp probably. Haven't tried it. Has anyone?

[Bluefish]

The op has giles lol I have two or three juices all from the same supplier, that whilst they have fab taste don't do a lot for me on the hit front, i think this is mainly due to them having more vg than I'm used to usually, a 50/50 ratio doesn't give much hit at all imo.