Old Vaper trying to get back into it.

[Matt93]

So I used to be really into vaping back in 2012 — when every other week some shiny new gadget was dropping. Half the fun was just waiting to see what ridiculous contraption would come out next.


I dipped back in about four years ago and, for a while, it felt like the wild west again — the Stubby, Billet Box hype, all that good stuff. Every drop felt like a mini Christmas.


But now… things feel kinda flat. Like, where’s the fun? Is it just pods, disposables, and disappointment these days?


I’m even flirting with mixing juice again, which is risky because last time my kitchen looked like a dodgy Breaking Bad spin-off. But maybe that’s part of it too — the hunt for the next great flavor, that perfect all-day vape. Is that what still keeps people hooked now? The never-ending juice safari?


So yeah, what’s cool in 2025? Any gear, gadgets, or flavors worth chasing, or am I doomed to scroll juice sites at 2am like a flavor junkie?

 

[Stew]

@Matt93 Luckily for me I found my own level of contentment just after I started vaping and am very grateful financially for that. I do try something new once in a blue moon and 99% of the time I'm pretty disappointed. A lot of money wasted on stuff that doesn't do better than what I've got already and often under performs what I've got or is less ergonomically comfortable.
I also stocked up on the stuff I like and at my age they should see me through many years, probably to the end. LOL.

Very comfortable vaper here content with my vaping life. PS. Juice wise I'm also in my happy place.

 

[Quintusson]

Alas, you struck a sensitive nerve there. I, like yourself, am a old-school vaper who enjoys RTA's and chunky 18650 or 21700 mods, etc. etc. but these days it's all about pods and disposables. Disposables may offer decent flavour but I won't know as I don't, and won't, use them as they do not come in my standard 2 or 3mg nic (2% or 3% is actually 20/30mg) and anything over 4mg and I start coughing like a old smoker in the early mornings, if not worse, and also because they're disposables... Not going to tantrum about that right now, though I really, really want to.

At this moment I am sitting with a (approx.) 9 year old Reload RTA, and a 5 year old mod, just because new things aren't really being released for us anymore. There may be one or two here and there, but nothing like in the days when there were 20-odd new things per month, if not more. And to top it off, a lot of the new things being released aren't being brought into SA anymore as most shops focus on the detestable disposables and (lesser detestable) pods. I can (almost) understand from a shop point of view as they sell and the shops need to make money.

It's like vinyl records. Sure, they went out of style in favour of tapes, then CD's and eventually MP3's and streaming, but there are still people (I believe my brother refers to himself as an 'audiophile'?) who buy vinyl records and there are places that still make them. Maybe we should start referring to ourselves as 'vaperphiles' and demand they make stuff for us again as well...