I've been sucking on a cheap 7-11 X-Hale o2 (Second gen) that I picked up at the start of the year for an impromptu car trip with non-smokers with my normal Camels in between when the o2 doesn't seem to cut it. While it works, its not that great and the stock flavor kinda tastes bad. I sadly ran out of my wonderful vanilla flavor a few weeks ago and have had to suffice with the stock flavor. (Thank you US Customs for "losing" my imports 5 times in a row now.)
So I ripped open the package to see what my prize was and I was greeted with a thank you letter from the V9 guys, even signed in pen! That's rather personalized, I like it. Not to mention a 20% off coupon to boot. So far so good.
Now the packaging on the product itself is, lets say sturdy. It took me a good 5 minutes to open the thing without possibly damaging my new toy with a pocket knife assisting. It came with 2 filters (16mg/each), a 280 mAh li-ion (4.2V) battery and USB plugin charger, pretty standard stuff. Sadly the charger isn't branded meaning it may get lost or mixed up with the glut of other e-cig chargers I have lying around which may not be an issue with anyone else. The 4.2V battery is a refreshing change from the normal 2.2V or 3.3V you normally get with a $20 kit. The filters also have a very nice feel to them, very soft. Compared to other low-costed E-Cigs this felt like a premium bonus.
So I plugged it in and let it charge (it only took about 5 mins to charge after being shipped, must of been fully charged when they packaged it). Hooked up the tip and took a deep breath while looking at the blue LED...
Wow. First thing that hit me was how smooth it was. Wasn't harsh like other cheaper flavors, and for me this is a huge plus as I inhale deeply while smoking. The flavor of the Carolina was extremely nice and soothing, sort of a cross between mint and regular tobacco with a sweet aftertaste. The quaility of the flavor is something I haven't tasted with a sub $20 e-cig kit before and frankly its a nice change of pace. I'll be picking up some more later on for sure.
Now some nitpicks, the battery has a 'paper' feel to it. It seems like it would chip or discolor easily making the appearance of the e-cig less nice. I'm also not a fan of blue LEDs. Seriously hate the things and I may have to open it up and replace it with a nice green or purple. Also the packaging is pretty tight and a pain to open, I appreciate protecting the product.
Overall I'm impressed.
Check em out, you won't be disappointed!
http://www.vapornine.com/
