Vaping Glossary: Vaping Terms, Slang, and Terminology

18650 Battery: A type of rechargeable lithium-ion battery commonly used in box mods and other high-powered vape devices.

A.

Adapter Ring: A small accessory used to make different sized tanks fit properly on various vape mods, ensuring a secure and functional connection.
Adjustable Airflow: A feature on some vape devices that allows the user to control the amount of air drawn through the device, impacting flavor and vapor production.
Airflow Control: A feature on many vape devices that allows users to adjust the amount of air drawn in during inhalation, impacting vapor production and draw tightness.
Atomizer: The part of a vape device that heats the e-liquid to produce vapor. It typically contains a heating coil and wicking material.
Automatic Shutoff: A safety feature in vaping devices that powers down the unit after a predetermined period of inactivity to prevent accidental activation.

B.

Battery Venting: A critical safety feature where built-in holes in a battery case allow dangerous gases to escape, preventing pressure build-up that could lead to an explosion.
Box Mod: A type of vape device known for its box-like shape. It often has features like variable wattage and temperature control.
Build Deck: The area of a rebuildable atomizer where the user installs the coils and wicking material, designed for custom vaping setups.
Bypass Mode: A mode that allows a regulated vape to act like an unregulated mod, delivering direct battery power based on the atomizer’s resistance.

C.

Cart (Cartridge): A pre-filled container of vape juice or concentrates. Carts connect to a vape pen battery.
Ceramic Coil: A type of vaping coil that uses a ceramic material to heat the e-liquid, known for its purity of flavor and longevity.
Chiefing: Slang for using a vape excessively in one session, often resulting in large clouds of vapor.
Cloud Chasing: The activity of blowing large clouds of vapor, often associated with vape competitions and skilled vapers.
Cloud Production: Refers to the amount of vapor produced by a vaping device, often a key aspect for cloud chasers.
Coil Rebuilding: The process of making a vape coil by hand, which includes wrapping a specific type of wire into a coil shape and adding wicking material.
Coil: The wire within an atomizer that heats up to vaporize the e-liquid. Coils vary in resistance which affects vapor production.

D.

Direct Lung (DL): A vaping method where vapor is inhaled directly into the lungs, much like breathing air, typically producing more vapor.
DIY E-Liquid: The process of mixing one's own e-liquid ingredients, including bases (PG and VG), flavors, and optionally, nicotine, to create custom blends.
Draw-Activated: A feature in some vaping devices that initiates vapor production when the user inhales through the device, without the need for a firing button.
Drip Shield: An accessory placed over the atomizer to catch any excess e-liquid that might escape while dripping, reducing mess and waste.
Drip Tip Adapter: An accessory that allows the use of various drip tips on different vape devices to customize the vaping experience.
Drip Tip: The mouthpiece of a vape device, often removable and customizable.
Dry Hit: A harsh and unpleasant puff that occurs when the vape juice isn’t properly wicking to the coil, resulting in a burnt taste.

E.

E-Liquid (Vape Juice): The fluid used in vaporizers that, when heated, produces vapor. It generally contains propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, flavorings, and nicotine.
E-liquid Capacity: The maximum amount of e-liquid that can be held within a vape tank or pod.
E-Liquid Mixer: A tool or device used to thoroughly mix DIY e-liquids, ensuring consistent flavor and nicotine distribution.
Ego Style: A type of vape pen named for its manufacturer, eGo, known for its simplicity and moderate battery life, suitable for beginners.

F.

Feen Vape: Slang term for someone who intensely craves vaping, often used to describe high frequency usage or dependence.
Fill Port: The opening on a vape tank or pod where e-liquid is added; can be top-fill or bottom-fill depending on the design.
Flavor Chasing: The practice of optimizing vape setups to achieve the most intense and pure flavor from e-liquids.
Flush Mount: When a tank and the mod it attaches to have no overhang, and the diameters match perfectly, creating a seamless appearance.

G.

Glassomizer: A type of clearomizer that uses glass for the tank section, preferred for its resistance to acidic e-liquid flavors that can crack plastic.

H.

Heatsink: A component typically found on the top of vape mods or atomizers that dissipates heat, keeping the device cooler during use.
Hybrid Mod: A type of mechanical mod where the atomizer connects directly to the battery, enhancing conductivity but requiring caution due to increased risk.

I.

Ice Flavors: A category of e-liquid flavors characterized by a cooling effect, often mimicking the sensation of menthol without the actual flavor.
Inhale Technique: Refers to different methods of inhalation, such as mouth-to-lung (MTL) or direct-to-lung (DTL), which affect the vaping experience.

J.

Joule Mode: A temperature control setting that uses joules as the unit of measurement for the energy delivered to the coil.
Juice Well: A feature in some rebuildable atomizers that holds extra e-liquid around the wicking material to extend vaping time between re-drippings.

K.

Kanthal Wire: A popular type of resistance wire used for making coils, known for its durability and high resistance.
Kick Boost: A feature in some vaping devices that temporarily increases power output at the start of a puff to quickly heat the coil.
Kick: Refers to the throat hit or sensation one feels in the throat when vaping, especially prominent with higher nicotine strengths.

L.

Leak-Proof Design: Refers to vape tanks and devices engineered to minimize or prevent leakage of e-liquid through careful design and sealing techniques.
Leaking: When e-liquid escapes from the tank, usually through the airflow system or seals, often due to improper setup or faulty equipment.
Lithium-Ion Batteries: The most common type of rechargeable batteries used in vaping devices for their high energy density and long lifespan.

M.

mAh (Milliampere Hour): A measurement of the battery's energy storage capacity, indicating how long the battery can last before needing a recharge.
Mechanical Mod: A type of vape mod that contains no electronic components, offering direct battery output based on the resistance of the coil.
Mesh Coil: A type of vape coil made from a mesh sheet, known for its increased surface area that produces more vapor and better flavor.
Micro USB Charging: A method for charging vape devices using a micro USB cable, a common standard for electronic devices.
Mod: Short for modification, originally referred to any personalization to a vaping device, now generally means any regulated or unregulated vape device.
Mouth to Lung (MTL): A vaping technique similar to how one would smoke a cigarette, where vapor is first drawn into the mouth and then inhaled into the lungs.

N.

Nic Salt (Nicotine Salt): A form of nicotine that delivers higher nicotine concentrations with a smoother throat hit, used primarily in pod systems.
Nickel Wire (Ni200): A type of wire used in temperature control vaping because of its predictable resistance changes when heated.
Nickel-Free Coil: Coils made without nickel, often used by vapers who have allergies to nickel or prefer alternative materials like kanthal or stainless steel.
Nicotine Level: The concentration of nicotine in e-liquid, measured in milligrams per milliliter (mg/mL), ranging typically from 0 to over 50 mg/mL.
Nicotine: A stimulant and addictive substance found in tobacco and often used in e-liquids for vaping.

O.

Ohm: The measurement of electrical resistance within a vape coil, influencing vapor production and flavor.
Open System Vaping: A type of vaping device that allows for manual refilling of e-liquid and often the replacement or rebuilding of coils, offering more customization and cost efficiency.
Organic Cotton: Preferred type of wick material in vaping due to its ability to provide a clean flavor and effective absorption of e-liquid.

P.

Pass-through Vaping: The ability to vape using a device while it is charging, typically through a USB connection.
PG (Propylene Glycol): A thinner liquid used in e-liquid that carries flavor more effectively and provides a stronger throat hit.
Pod Refill: The action of adding e-liquid to a reusable pod cartridge, common in pod mod systems.
Pod System: A compact vape device that uses pre-filled or refillable pods, known for its simplicity and convenience.
Priming: The process of manually soaking the wick material of a new coil with e-liquid to prevent dry hits.
Puff Counter: A digital feature found on some vape devices that tracks the number of puffs taken, useful for monitoring usage.

Q.

Quad Coil: A vape coil configuration with four separate coils, known for its high vapor production and intense flavor output.
Quartz Coil: A vape coil that uses quartz as its heating element, known for its fast heat-up time and clean flavor delivery.

R.

RBA (Rebuildable Atomizer): An atomizer that allows the user to build their own coils. It comes in various styles like RDAs and RTAs.
RDA (Rebuildable Dripping Atomizer): A type of RBA that requires the user to manually drip e-liquid onto the coil and wick.
Resistance Wire: The wire used in vape coils that heats up when electricity is applied, commonly made from kanthal, nickel, or stainless steel.
RTA (Rebuildable Tank Atomizer): Combines the tank system with a rebuildable feature, allowing custom coil installations with the convenience of a tank.
RTA Tank: Stands for Rebuildable Tank Atomizer, a type of tank that allows users to build their own coils while still utilizing a reservoir for e-liquid.

S.

Safety Cut-off: A feature in vaping devices that stops the atomizer from heating after a certain period of continuous activation to prevent overheating.
Squonking: Vaping with a squonk mod, which has a built-in e-liquid bottle used to feed juice directly to the atomizer.
Starter Kit: A package that includes all the basic equipment needed for a new vaper to start vaping, typically containing a mod, tank, coils, and charging equipment.
Stealth Mode: A feature on some vape devices that allows vaping without the LED screens or lights displaying, making it less conspicuous.
Steeping: The process of aging e-liquid to enhance its flavor, often done by letting it sit with the cap off to allow some ingredients to oxidize.
Sub-Ohm Vaping: Using a vape device set up with a coil resistance below 1 ohm, providing large clouds and more intense flavors.

T.

Tank: The part of the vape device that holds the e-liquid. It is typically clear and attaches to the atomizer.
Temperature Control (TC): A vaping mode that allows the user to set a maximum temperature for the coil, which helps prevent dry hits and provides a consistent vape.
Top-Fill Tank: A design feature in some vape tanks that allows users to refill e-liquid from the top without needing to unscrew the tank from the device.
TPD (Tobacco Products Directive): Regulations aimed at standardizing the safety and quality of vape products across the European Union.

U.

Unregulated Mod: A type of vape mod that does not have electronic regulating circuitry, meaning it provides raw battery power depending on the resistance of the coil.
Unregulated Mod: A type of vape mod that does not have electronic regulating circuitry, meaning it provides raw battery power depending on the resistance of the coil.

V.

Vape Band: A silicone ring placed around glass tanks to help protect them from breaking upon impact.
Vape Expo: Large gatherings and conventions where vendors and enthusiasts come together to showcase new products, share information, and celebrate vaping culture.
Vape Pen: A pen-shaped vape device, known for its simple design and ease of use. Ideal for beginners.
Vaping Lingo: The variety of terms and slang used within the vaping community to describe devices, actions, and experiences related to vaping.
Vent Holes: Small openings in a battery or device that allow for safe discharge of gases in the event of battery failure.
VG (Vegetable Glycerin): A thick, sweet liquid used in e-liquid to produce denser vapor and a smoother throat hit.
VG/PG Ratio: The balance of vegetable glycerin (VG) and propylene glycol (PG) in e-liquid, affecting vapor production and flavor intensity.
Voltage Regulation: A feature in regulated mods that allows users to set the voltage output, affecting the heat of the vapor and overall vaping experience.

W.

Wattage Mode: A setting on regulated mods that lets users control the power output in watts, directly influencing vapor production and flavor intensity.
Wattage: The amount of power consumed by the coil in a vape device, affecting the temperature and intensity of the vapor.
Wick: Material that absorbs e-liquid and transports it to the coil to be heated and vaporized, commonly made from cotton, silica, or ceramic.

X.

X-Coil: A term used to describe a specific type of coil design that crosses over in an 'X' shape, often used for enhanced flavor and vapor production.

Y.

Yield (E-Liquid): The amount of vapor produced by a given amount of e-liquid, indicating the efficiency of the vape juice in producing vapor.
Yihi Chip: A sophisticated chipset used in high-end vape mods for precise power output and temperature control.

Z.

Zero-Nic: E-liquid that contains no nicotine, often used by vapers who enjoy the act of vaping but do not want nicotine exposure.
Zinc Alloy: A common material used for constructing vape device chassis, known for its durability and light weight.
Zinc-Coated Coils: Coils that have been coated with zinc to prevent oxidation and enhance the longevity and performance of the coil.