Betrayal.
There is no other word to describe how I felt after trying the Laya II Black Line.
The shape was similar and the material was upgraded, but the motor was disappointing. Devastatingly so.
While the original Laya Spot wasn’t the most powerful, its medium vibrations were dependable. Deep enough to do the job consistently. The Laya II presented me with high-pitched vibrations that were ineffective.
So I was happy to hear that Fun Factory was doing something about it; although, I almost missed the announcement. I heard it first when Epiphora blogged about the new model and how they it was more acceptable than the last. I also emailed the company to ask about the changes and received the response that they were 30% stronger.
What’s the difference?
For a while, you could find both the Black Line and newer Laya IIs. You still may be able to, which could lead to confusion. The new ones are colorful (purple, pink, or blue) unlike the Black Line, which is black as the name suggests.
Both styles are rechargeable via Fun Factory’s magnetic chargers whereas the very first Laya Spot was powered by 2 AAAs. hard to believe I was such a fan, eh?
Regardless of color, the Laya IIs are the same size and shape, which is a bit difficult to measure. However, they’re not exactly the same as the original. It’s close, to be sure, but Fun Factory states they’ve “tweaked the shape to make it hug your body even better.” The newer Layas are a bit longer, for one. They’re heavier, too, because of the internal motor, and the valley on top where I would have rested my finger isn’t as defined. As you can see in my photo, the original Laya Spot (green and pink) is flatter along the bottom sides while the new ones are rounder.
These things aren’t necessarily bad. The differences aren’t that noticeable aside from the buttons. The three buttons on Laya II are closer to the end of the toy… exactly where I want to press down to achieve pressure. The original only needed space for two buttons so I could place my fingers there. Furthermore, the bubbly buttons of the Laya II are incredibly easy to find and press, perhaps too easy. I would prefer something between the recessed buttons of the original and Fun Factory’s current buttons.
Other than that, you might assume the toys are the same shape if you’re only viewing images online or not staring intently at them in person. Regardless, any Laya is much taller than similar clitoral stimulators — the Lilys and Siris of the world. And the “nose” of the toy is always what’s worked for me. It can penetrate thick labial folds with ease.
It’s firm enough for pressure (but less firm than the original, which was made mostly of hard plastic while the newer versions are coated in a softer silicone), and the bent shape of the Laya Spot sits more comfortably in my hand. It doesn’t leave my hand as cramped as smaller toys, something that’s increasingly become a concern as my pain progresses.
The shape was always my favorite aspect of this toy, and it still delivers. There were times when I’d used my original Laya to achieve pressure without any vibrations at all. I’ll get back to that.
But what about the new Laya II? Compared to the Black Line, the vibrations are noticeably stronger and deeper. It’s not the rumbliest or strongest clitoral vibrator. If you need Hitachi-level vibes, then you should pass on this. The Laya II is absolutely weaker and buzzier than FF’s full-size toys, too, so keep that in mind. Still, it’s an improvement. It’s workable. No, better.
Those vibrations can get me off; although, I usually just skip to the highest steady setting. The new Laya II isn’t as frustrating as the Black Line. Perhaps the biggest sign is that even when the vibrator died, I continued to use the shape to get off.
The Laya II has become a toy that I actually crave using, at least every once in a while. That doesn’t happen much anymore.
It gives me hope because I’ve gone through two original Laya Spots and don’t have one that still works. At least I have something to fall back on that I won’t hate. I call this a win.
I am not quite as much a proponent of the Laya II, partly because there are many more quality clitoral vibes out there, including the Mimi Soft with its deep vibrations. This wasn’t the case over a decade ago when the Laya Spot was one of few. So, while I am glad that Fun Factory has updated my favorite clitoral vibe so that I can use it for a few more years and another generation of users can discover it, I know it’s not for everyone. And that’s okay.
Update: Fun Factory has now released the Laya III.
There are a couple images that indicate the split between the arms is much wider than it is or, at the very least, that the two arms are longer than they are. There are only about 3.25 inches from the outer tip to tip of the arms when they sit naturally apart. And they’re only about 3.5 inches long from where they fork apart.
In one image, the toy is stimulating two genitals at the same time while the butts press close together. How you gunna do that with just over three inches of leeway? And anyway, the shaft beneath the split arms is about the sam length but a complete waste of space because you can’t do anything with it. LEt’s continue breaking down all the ways you can use this vibrator according to the lovely diagram above.
In the other, a person is holding the G-vibe under their jaw while giving a blowjob. The idea is interesting and might feel good for the receiver. But I suspect that your face or jaw will absorb many of the vibrations and didn’t test this at all my sticking fingers into my own mouth while awkwardly holding the vibrating under my jaw. No wait, I totally did. And felt nothing.
Finally, there’s an image of a woman holding the G-vibe to her chest with the tips of either arm stimulating each nipple. But her (imagined) anatomy is nothing at all like my own. If I hold the G-vibe against my chest — even perpendicular and forcing the arms as far apart as I can, the arms press into the inner swell of my breasts. Without spreading them, it just sits between them (one suggestion is placing the vibe between your breasts while someone titty fucks you, but it seems as though they forget about the fundamental law of gravity). Now, I realize that my ribcage forces my breasts outward (so annoying!), but what the hell person has nipples that are only 3.5 inches apart?!
The better option would be to cradle a single nipple between the arms. But having tried this, I can’t stay it does much to me. I felt more stimulation when I lightly held a single arm to the tip of one my nipples than when placed it toward the vertex. The freedom of the arms to vibrate freely is key here. But if you like vibration on your nipples, a bullet vibe might do it just as well.
Fun Toys offers a suggested use of holding the G-vibe lower than the testicles to stimulate from either side, which might work better.
If you’re a lover of clit stim, as you all know that I am, then you can hold it upside down above your clit with either the arms spread or pressed together with your hand. Again, neither of these are ideal. If I’m gripping the arms with one hand, I’ll need a second to press buttons, or I’ll need to pause stimulation to use that hand to do so. And I pretty much loathe when I have to break clit contact to switch settings on a toy.
So we’re left with several of the options suggested by Fun Toys being impossible and at least one more being possible but impractical. One is underwhelming. I can assume that not all of the options won’t appeal to every user, to begin with.
What if you find a position that you like? Perhaps there’s redemption to be found yet?
The vibrations of the Gvibe 2 are what I would call gentle and buzzy. I am sure some people would enjoy them and the handful of pulsating and escalating settings. I am not one of those people. If you do enjoy the vibrations, you can get 4 hours on one charge (the magnetic charger reminds me of Fun Factory’s charger system), according to Fun Toys. The Gvibe 2 I received is still going and I haven’t even charged it yet!
Of course, I haven’t been motivated to use it more than twice because it just does nothing for me. It’s not like one of those vibrators that will get me off with a lot of work. No amount of work will reward me with an orgasm with this toy. I do, however, enjoy the buttons. They’re are slightly raised with embossed symbols, so you can easily find them. They make an audible click when you press them, which I’ve always preferred. The three buttons are intuitive. If you were to insert one arm with the other against your clitoris, the buttons would face up, and you could comfortably hold this toy with a finger or two within the handle and your thumb on the buttons.
I also like the silky smoothness of the silicone of this vibrator. However, it does collect a lot of lint and fur. I cannot complain about the characteristics of the material, however. At least it’s body-safe.
GVibe 2 falls in line with a number of modern vibrators that mimic Lelo’s luxury aesthetic — especially those in the Insignia line. The build quality seems good, and it’s sleek. But where it counts, this toy just falls short.
