Trends are always changing and sometimes it is quite difficult to predict them in the future. For example, fashion, 10 years ago we considered flared pants or loose dresses as old-fashioned and outdated. But recently with the retro movement, those fashions have come back and the people wearing them are getting younger and younger.
Vaping is the same.
Remember when the high-discharge monster vape mods like Tesla invader 3 or Wismec RX were the dream of every vaper? At that time, no one wanted to use tiny vape pens with only 10-12W. We called those vape pens outdated, “low-tech” and not worth spending money on. But now that vape mods with full functions, chipsets, >200W are no longer strange, vapers are returning to the trend of using small “pod mods”.
With 3 months left until the end of a turbulent 2021, let's review with me the trend that has dominated the vape world in the past 3 years and will most likely still be the leading arrow in the long term to come.
Pod systems - but not what you know…
When the first pods were introduced to the market, it was probably in 2016-2017. They were simply improvements on the old vape pens and of course they were clearly different from vape mods (or "boxes" as they are commonly called).
(For those who don't have much time to learn about vaping. "Pods" are small vape devices, with a specially designed chamber that fits neatly inside the body, connected by magnets or notches. Unlike "Mods" or "Boxes", which are vape devices with a 510 connection standard, can use many different types of burners, they have more functions and higher power than pods)
However, nowadays the two concepts of “pod” and “mod” are gradually merging into one and we have a new concept: AIO (all in one) device. There have been many debates about whether to define an AIO set as a “pod” or a “mod” and in the end, we vapers have called them pod mods.
Pod mods are becoming increasingly popular, and most beginners are advised to start with a pod mod. They are more than capable of meeting the needs of even the most advanced vapers. Some pod mods even come with a 510 adapter to accommodate conventional atomizers. With such versatility, it is no surprise that pod mods will dominate the vaping market for a long time to come.
Disposable pod
One of the recent emerging trends is disposable pods. Why are they so successful? Simply because of their low cost and the convenience they bring. With mods, you absolutely need to know how to change cotton, build coils, and handle oil leaks. Pod mods are a simpler version, but you still need to change the occ and add oil to use. Disposable pods cut out all of those steps, you just need to peel off the seal, put it in your mouth and enjoy it right away, without even having to turn the device on or off or charge the battery. The downside is that they cost a lot of money to maintain and don't have many diverse flavors for you to choose from.
More durable devices, better resistant to external factors
The days of dropping your vape and it instantly dying are probably over.
Everyone knows that vape is an electronic device, and most “electronics” are fragile to the outside environment. GeekVape is a pioneer in creating devices that are known as “indestructible”. Remember their commercial where the technician drops the Aegis Boost into a bucket of water, soaks it, stirs it, and then takes it out to smoke normally? I thought it was a gimmick until I actually spent money and experienced it.
The success of Geekvape ushered in a new era where many companies followed suit and started a race to create products with excellent water, dust and shock resistance. We will surely see more companies advertising by dropping their products in water or burying them in mud in the future.
Most people don't notice much of a difference, but devices like this are a huge boon for people who work outdoors, like construction workers, athletes, shippers, or just plain clumsy people like me.
Big power is no longer everything
For many years, people have been competing to see which vape mod has the highest wattage. However, no one has noticed that you don't actually need 200-300 watts to burn juice. For example, if you are a normal vaper with normal smoking needs, you want to play with smoke, you build an Alien coil and burn at 80-100w, I promise you that's enough to bring Sapa to the bedroom. So there's no reason to spend money on a 200 watt machine when you only use half of its power, right?
For me, a vape mod with a power range of 5-60w is more than enough to meet all my needs. In fact, most vapers are like that now. A device with a lower maximum power means the chip set, the frame and the battery will all be more compact. The size of the body as well as the weight will be significantly reduced, making it easier to hold and more aesthetically pleasing.
Battery technology is booming
The story of batteries suddenly exploding, charging for half a day but only being able to use for 30 minutes has long been forgotten. Nowadays, battery life is increasing while charging time is decreasing. You no longer see images of vapers having to carry 3-4 batteries on outings or keeping a spare charger with them. Even small devices like disposables are equipped with batteries up to 2000mAh. For people who mainly smoke MTL like me, just 2 batteries that take turns charging is enough to use because in reality, with small coils 0.8-1.5ohm burning at 18w, it takes 3-4 days to use up a 3000mAh battery.
Big juice brands will continue to dominate
If I remember correctly, in 2015-2016, every few weeks a new juice brand would appear out of nowhere and launch a completely new flavor. These “juice brands” would usually only produce one flavor and after they had sold enough, the “juice brand” would disappear as quickly as it appeared. However, times change. The days when an unknown brand could produce a successful juice are long gone.
Instead, we are seeing more and more established companies launching new flavors under their existing brand names. And with that comes loyal customers. Why do I say loyal customers? For example, if Company A and Company B both make an apple juice, even though the flavor is the same, there will be people who only trust one brand of juice.
Have you noticed that nowadays, a juice brand is rarely a small individual who stands up to mix and sell juice? Most of them are companies with deep pockets and always "launch" at least 3 flavors at a time. So what if a juice brand runs out of new flavors to launch? They will establish subsidiaries, create a new flavor platform and continue their expansion process. For example, Zap, Dinner Lady, Black note,... All have an extremely rich flavor list and subsidiaries that help them consolidate their position in the market.
Summary
The vaping trend is unpredictable and we really shouldn’t try to be “Zhuge Yi” at all. Just enjoy the vaping trend, consider it a stress-relieving hobby and vape on!
So what do you think about the trend of vapers in the coming year. Please share with us in the comment section.
Gia Bao
