Six Types of Vapers. Which One are You?

Everyone knows the unflattering stereotype often associated with vapers: obnoxious, inconsiderate, and blissfully unaware of others' boredom and disinterest while they blab on about squonk mods and PG/VG ratios. However, as actual vapers are always eager to point out, vapers are part of a wide-reaching community that is much more diverse than most people imagine. E-cigarette users include adults of all ages, all types, and who come from all sorts of different walks of life. In the beginning, the e-cigarette industry was built primarily around cig-a-like vapes and hopeful smokers who dreamed of a tobacco-free future. Now, the vaping industry has grown far beyond its roots, and has branched into a variety of new subcultures and possibilities. In this post, we're going to look at the six main sub-types of vapers, what they do, and what they stand for. Which group do you best fit in to? The Pragmatists The pragmatists are the former smokers, the health-conscious, and the casual, low-profile vapers. These people are often short-term e-cigarette users who see vaping as a more of a tool than a hobby. Pragmatist vapers often start vaping as a substitute for smoking, and tend to use the simpler, cheaper, and disposable cig-a-like vaping devices. Many are former smokers with the ultimate objective of using vaping to improve their lives and shake off bad habits. Often, their ultimate goal is to eventually quit vaping, too. These pragmatists are, in some ways, the "ideal" vapers; they represent the gold standard of what e-cigarettes were originally designed to do-be a smokeless alternative to cigarettes. Pragmatists are the proof that vaping has real value for society and form the basis of the case for e-cigarettes as a harm reduction tool. The Cloud Chasers The cloud chasers are after one thing, and one thing only: big, thick, fat vapor clouds. They are sometimes amateurs, sometimes competitive, but always looking for ways to beef up their puffs. Many cloud chasers started using e-cigarettes as former smokers trying to quit, but get drawn further in by the appeal of the community, aesthetic, and competitive aspects of vaping. Many of them are also builders and have an advanced level of technical knowledge regarding e-cigarettes and coil design. Because higher heats tend to produce bigger vapor clouds, cloud chasers often dabble in sub-ohm vaping and coil-building as a way to get the temperature just right. Cloud chasers also prefer thicker, high-VG e-liquids that won't overheat quickly and yield thick, full-bodied clouds of vapor. The Flavor Chasers Flavor chasers are vapers who care more about the taste of their vapor than the girth of their clouds. To them, vaping is all about getting the purest, smoothest, most flavorful vapor possible from their e-cigarette. Many of the flavor chasers are e-liquid connoisseurs, always looking for the next best flavor and sampling new e-liquids from both the large and indie brands. Others prefer to vape just a few staple e-liquid flavors and focus on modding their e-cigarette to deliver the best flavor possible. Flavor chasers tend to prefer drippers, glass tanks, and high-quality wicks and coils; e-cigarette components that deliver the pure flavor of e-liquids without adulterating the taste. They also prefer thinner, high-PG e-liquid varieties, which usually have the richest flavor. The Tinkerers The tinkerers are vapers who focus on building and wrapping their own coils. They just so happen to overlap with the cloud chasers, flavor chasers, and tricksters quite often, since mastering any of those styles requires an e-cig designed and fine-tuned for a specific task. Tinkerers live for the opportunity to test out the latest new e-cigarette components and experiment with various builds. They collect and work with a variety of e-cigarette parts, including batteries, tanks, atomizers, and coils. Some tinkerers amass huge collections of e-cigarettes and parts and set up a dedicated workspace for building. As many vapers can attest, the hobby can be addicting, and many tinkerers find themselves quickly buried in spare batteries, cotton wicks, and spools of wires in every gauge imaginable. The Tricksters The tricksters are vapers that love to practice vape tricks and show off their vapor-blowing skills. They are the ones at the party impressing guests with the jellyfish and teaching amateurs how to blow O's. Tricksters are often tinkerers who, like cloud chasers, seek bigger and thicker clouds. Thicker, more voluminous vapor is the key to impressive vape tricks, and tricksters are always eager to impress. Some tricksters are casual hobbyists who enjoy practicing on their own or with friends, while others are "professionals" who compete in trick tournaments. There are also plenty of skilled tricksters on Instagram and other social media platforms who use their skills to elevate their influence as vape brand ambassadors and promoters. The Lifestylers For the lifestylers, e-cigarettes aren't just a part of life. They are life. Vaping lifestylers live, talk, build, and literally breathe everything that is vaping. Lifestylers don't necessarily vape an excessive amount or puff all day-although some do. Being a lifestyler is more about going all in and embracing everything vaping. Many lifestylers enjoy spending their days immersed in the social, cultural, and technological aspects of vaping. They might spend their days tinkering with e-cigarettes, chatting with other vapers online, practicing tricks, trying out new builds, or even taking part in vaping political activism. Many lifestylers are professionals or amateur gurus in the vaping world who dedicate a large portion of their lives to the vaping community. Some make their own e-juices, own their own vaping businesses, or even work as vape brand ambassadors on social media. Which Type of Vaper Are You? Now that we've introduced you to the main sub-types of vapers, you can decide where you best fit. No matter which category you fall in, or if you're somewhere in-between, you can rest assured that you're not alone. There are at least nine million vapers in the United States, and millions more worldwide. They consist of conservatives and liberals, athletes and artists, city folk and country folk, the old and the young; basically, every type of person you can think of. Hopefully, vapers will soon be able to shed the negative image impressed upon them by non-vapers and show the world the many different faces that make up the vaping community. If others are able to see the worth and diversity of e-cigarette users, then they'll be more likely to support the cause and support policies that protect it.