Meet a Vendor: Mt. Baker Vapor Innokin Interview

Innokin is a company we respect immensely. They have consistently produced tank-like products and have been vigilant in their company-wide commitment to safe vaping.

What drives Innokin’s commitment to quality and innovation? We reached out to Innokin with our inquiries to shine a light on what makes this company stand out. Innokin’s Chief Marketing Officer, Paul Hare, was kind enough to go above-and-beyond to give us some illuminating insights.

The responses have been gathered below for your reading pleasure:

MBV: Counterfeits are a huge issue in this business. What are some of the more creative steps Innokin is taking to make sure that consumers know that the product they are buying is genuine?

PH: Great question. Innokin has had to deal with the issues of knockoffs and fakes with many of our bestselling devices. In order to protect our customers, and make sure that they are buying authentic Innokin products we introduced the Genuine ID# online Verification system about a year and a half ago. Customers can verify that their Innokin vaporizer is genuine by scratching a sticker to reveal an authorization code and visiting the official Innokin website to verify that the device or tank is authentic.

The iTaste SVD2.0 included a significant upgrade with the unique ID number integrated into the chipset and this feature has been included in the MVP3PRO, CoolFireIV and the new Disrupter 50W Vaporizer and InnokinCell Vape Power system. Innokin also has a huge Authorized Vendor network with many great stores to choose from and there is a convenient store locator on the front page of www.innokin.com.

MBV: You have some devices in your iTaste line that are pretty creative, in particular your 134 MX offerings that offer Zodiac and Chinese Virtue themes. As well, you always seem to offer a wide range of colors and styles with your mods. Why do you think this sort of creative styling is so important?

PH: Earlier devices like the 134, 134M and CoolFire2 were not only eye catching but they also had a unique feel; the CoolFire2 is a very comfortable shape to hold and is definitely unique.

Our founder James and the team wanted to demonstrate that a Chinese company could also be a creative force in the industry and would lead and not copy. Our vaporizers are not related to cigarettes or tobacco and part of the advantages of vaping is all of the different ranges of styles and shapes that can be created; we are not limited to one form factor.

Innokin was the first company to make the Box Mod and our designers and teams are working every day to make vaping better. The shape and color options of the CoolFire4 definitely had a big impact on its success and it has very quickly become a bestselling device around the world.

People want a device that is beautiful, smart, durable and comfortable to hold for all day vaping. Different styles and colors allow people to match a device to their style or mood and some vapers love collecting the different color variations. The new Disrupter and InnoCell have a total of 21 possible color combinations so vapers have a wide range of customization options to suit their style.

MBV: From your vantage point as leaders in the industry, how do you feel the battle over vaping regulation is going? What is the most important thing the average vaper can do to help influence public policy?

PH: This is a very important question. It is clear that corporate interests are very much involved in trying to shape the future of ecigs and vaporizers that will maximize their profits and secure their control of the markets. Many people misunderstand vaping and the constant headlines which misreport studies and foster fear have a powerful impact on public perception. Many government officials and decisions makers do not have the same experiences or levels of knowledge about vaping and have other considerations as well.

Vapers today need to be active in protecting and promoting vaping to ensure that vaping can help more people and families in the future. I believe the following three suggestions are simple and valuable:

1) Be considerate and patient when vaping in public. Represent vaping as a much better alternative, educate people in a polite way and be patient with haters. Share research studies, accurate news articles information with your friends and family on social media and answer any comments or questions with facts.

2) Join CASAA.org and help them out where you can – it is free to join and they are a wonderful community of people. The AVA shares important information as well. If you are a shop owner speak with groups like SFATA and Vista (www.vistatruth.org) about how vaping can be better represented in government and mainstream media.

3) Vape it Forward! If you have some new gear consider giving your old gear and some juice to a smoker you know and help them set it up and use it. Follow up with encouragement as well. People make their own choices about quitting cigarettes and by giving them a better option you might save someone’s life.

MBV: Innokin has been very good with built-in batteries, but the community seems to be demanding removables these days. Are you going to give in sometime soon?

PH: We’ve listened to the community and the new Innokin Cell Lipo Vape Power system has just been launched and the reviewers and customers’ comments and feedback have been fantastic. The InnokinCell is a 2000mAh LiPo Pack with integrated overdischarge and overheat protection for maximum safety. They can be charged up to 300 full charge cycles via a microUSB port and will continue to run at a 20amp continuous output. The InnokinCell can be used with our new 50W Disrupter Mod and larger and more powerful InnokinCells are in development and will be announced soon. The InnokinCell also has a unique ID# integrated in the chip for easy authentication and so you can guarantee you are buying authentic Innokin. To check the integrated unique ID# of your genuine Innokin Vaporizer: Power off the vaporizer and hold down the Power button and the ‘+’ & ‘-‘ buttons for 10 seconds and the ID# will be displayed on the OLED.

MBV: China is a huge manufacturer of vaping hardware but its citizens haven’t taken to vaping as quickly as their counterparts in Europe and North America. Why do you think that is?

PH: China has a culture that has considered cigarette smoking traditional for generations and people often share cigarettes with friends for business and for fun. There are many different kinds of brands and the prices range from 50 cents a pack to hundreds of dollars or more for ‘luxury’ brands; cigarettes are a big part of the culture.

Vaping products that are manufactured here were designated for export and until very recently there haven’t been any vape shops and only a small vaping community and very little education. This is changing and the vaping community is growing however there is still a long way to go. China is a very smart country that is very forward thinking and we are hopeful that as more research is completed vaping will continue to grow here as well.

MBV: Even though you are a Chinese company, a lot of your business comes from the U.S. Do you have any thoughts on the pending FDA deeming rules?

PH: Innokin submitted our comments about the FDA Deeming regulations and encouraged our online community of vapers and friends to do the same through a ‘Call to Comments’ giveaway. We continue to share important new information and research daily on our Facebook page and we are actively supporting research and advocacy in the United States of America and around the World.

Corporate interests are working to control vaping for maximum profit and likely force it to run under a traditional business model. This will stifle innovation and be damaging to many businesses across America; regulation and control of vaping by large companies will change the industry. There needs to be regulation and control to ensure that products are safe and reach health standards.

It will be fantastic if more smokers can be reached and that vaping be recognized as a viable harm-reduction alternative to smoking. With more research and properly enforced health standards vaping can become even better.

It will be a travesty if vaping is overly restricted and decisions are made based on personal self-interest rather than based on real scientific research which benefits helps people and their families.

Vaping organizations and vaping manufacturers all need to be more involved in the process whenever possible and we need to find ways to better reach government decision makers and traditional media. There are going to be regulations and we sincerely hope that they allow for vaping technology to be the most effective that it can possibly be.

We need more research about the effects of vaping and thanks to great scientists and medical practitioners from all over the world we are learning more all the time and it’s good.

Innokin is a proud supporter of vaping research and we believe all manufacturers should play their part and invest in research and the future of vaping.

MBV: In the fight against oppressive regulations, what do you think is the vaping community’s greatest strength?

PH: I think the greatest strength is the passion that Vapers share in having kicked a deadly addiction.

Vapers who share their stories and experiences about Quitting Tobacco can lead by example and be big influences in their communities and online. Communities like ECR and ECF and many many more are all essential in helping new and potential vapers and in sharing new research and calls to action and vapers love to help each other.

America is built by the people and the peoples’ experiences and hopes should have an impact on the decisions that the government makes. It is not about only voting every 4 years for one guy or the other; it is about being an active part of your community and in understanding the system. America has a democracy which means you can stand up and question and educate! Most other countries in the world don’t have this opportunity and for lack of a better expression ‘Use it or lose it.’ Please!

MBV: What current Innokin product are you most excited about?

PH: I love the CoolFire4 design and color options that are available and we had a lot of fun with the Green or Gold CoolFireIV giveaway that we ran last month on our Facebook page. That being said, the new compact 50W Disrupter with the removable InnokinCell Lipo battery are a step in the right direction for vaping. The color combinations are fantastic and the Slide & Lock system is ingenious. The InnokinCell has been designed for safety and power and it is the culmination of years of vaping engineering experience combined with all of the important and useful feedback we receive from the international vaping community every day.

MBV: What future Innokin product are you most excited about?

PH: Innokin Temperature Control (ITC) is a game changer and will allow even more control and we will be able to make higher wattage devices to meet the expectations of every kind of vaper.

From the ITC Press Release: Innokin Temperature Control technology is the first to deliver real and accurate temperature control to vaping thereby eliminating burning and dry hits, maximizing battery efficiency and ushering in a new era in harm reduction.

Innokin Temperature Control is accurate to 5C and our innovative new technology can use all standard coil wires (including Kanthal, Nichrome, Titanium and Nickel) to accurately sense, set and maintain the perfect temperature for your vape.

With Innokin temperature control there is total accuracy with no guessing, cuts or caps – you set the temperature and the device accurately sets and maintains it perfectly.

ITC is a totally new technology, it’s awesome and it’s going to be premiering at ECC2015 and available at Authorized Innokin Vendors soon after!

Something to think about:

Mt. Baker Vapor would like to thank Paul Hare and Innokin for their insights into the vaping industry. Do you have a favorite Innokin product? If so, what do you like about it?