Vaping is more than just a habit—it’s a lifestyle. And with a lifestyle comes fashion, best practices and accessories. For all-day vapors, Smoking Vapor’s line of vapes provides everything you need: a sleek design, unique patterns and even a neck chain to turn your vape into a fashion statement. Now that you’ve got the gear, it’s time to learn the basic skills of vaping like how to get a throat hit and which e-liquid flavors are the best.

What Is a Throat Hit?

In the vaping community, you’ll hear the phrase “throat hit” thrown around often. If you’ve ever used an e-cig before, you can probably figure out that this phrase refers to that feeling you get in the back of your throat after inhaling nicotine. Although this sensation is actually caused by a slight irritation in your throat, many vapers enjoy the feeling, but you want to find the right balance between a pleasant throat hit and a too-harsh one.

Best Practices for Getting a Great Throat Hit

When switching the type of e-liquids you’re using, you may notice that you need to adjust your length of inhalation to create that same feeling. Here are some of our top tips on how to get the perfect throat hit:

Drag Time

For traditional cigarette smokers, getting a throat hit is easy and, sometimes, even way too harsh. But, when using an e-cig, there are a lot of different factors that can cause your throat hit to be more or less intense.

When taking a drag of a cigarette, you’re pretty much guaranteed to get that tingle in your throat, even off of a short hit, but, with vapes, you’ll want to make your inhale time a little longer. Most vapers suggest taking a drag for somewhere between three and six seconds. The vapor created by e-cigs is noticeably less harsh than cigarette smoke, which is great for users, but it means you need to spend a little more time inhaling to get that same feeling.

Use the Right E-Liquids

The type of e-liquids that you opt to use in your vape will make a huge difference in how your throat hit feels. The best vape juice for a medium-to-strong throat hit usually contains a higher level of propylene glycol, while those that produce a smoother, more gentle throat hit tend to have more vegetable glycerin.

Depending on the flavor of your e-liquids, you’ll notice a difference in the way the vapor hits your throat. Mint- or menthol-flavored vape juice tends to create a stronger effect, much like menthol cigarettes, while sweeter flavors feel smoother.

Test Out Different Nicotine Levels

Everyone prefers their throat hit to feel slightly different. Some vapers enjoy a very slight, smooth feeling while others like an intense hit. To create the perfect sensation for your tastes, you can use e-liquids with different levels of nicotine. If you’re finding that the current vape juice you’re using creates too strong of a hit, try replacing your e-liquid with another that has lower nicotine content. If you’re seeking a stronger throat hit, test out e-liquids with a higher PG level or nicotine strength to create a more intense feeling. Nic salt vape juices reduce the amount of throat hit that traditional freebase nicotine e-Juice gives the user. This is what allows nic salt juices to use significantly higher nicotine strengths.

Refill Your MiPod

If you’re using a MiPod, sometimes all you need to do to get that throat hit that you’re looking for is to replace or refill your device. Your vape requires plenty of juice to create a hit big enough to jumpstart that sensation, so, if you’re not getting the throat hit you’re looking for, try refilling your pod with fresh e-liquid.

Which E-Liquid Flavor Is Best for You?

With so many flavors of e-liquids on the market now, it can be tough to choose which is right for you. Some vapers prefer to find one flavor and stick to it, while others like to rotate through several. If you’re looking to perfect your throat hit, you might want to stick to just one or two flavors that work well as you learn how flavor and nicotine content can affect this feeling.

Fruity

Along with minty flavors, fruity e-liquids are some of the best vape juices for strong throat hits. Citrus-flavored and grape vape juice tend to produce a sharper feeling in the back of the throat. If you opt for a tropical fruit flavor instead, like mango, you’ll still get a satisfying throat hit, though it may be slightly milder.

Creamy

E-liquids that are described as “creamy” usually refer to more dessert-like options, which can range from ice cream to pie flavors. Though many users find these to taste delicious, they are known to create a light throat-hit effect.

Minty

Mint or menthol flavor is by far the best vape juice to create an intense throat hit. If you’re new to vaping, you may want to test out a different flavor first, as some beginners find menthol too harsh. For those seeking a stronger throat hit, try a mint e-liquid with a high level of nicotine.

Give It Time

Getting a great throat hit is easy once you’ve learned which types of e-liquids you prefer. It might take some time, but you can test out different flavors and nicotine levels until you’ve found a combination that works for you and your vape.