PVC Lace Up Gloves

October 14th, 2010

Pvc Lace Up Gloves

Pvc Lace Up Gloves

This is an archived review of a discontinued product.

Ah, these gloves looked so interesting and vampy. The shiny PVC, the corset-styled lacing, the single finger hole that made a “V” shape down the top of the hand. All so nice and much more appropriately entitled an “arm warmer.” I didn’t really have any purpose for them but my inner-Goth cried out. And then I cried when I got them.

They look very nice on the model but they just didn’t fit me. Period. I have rather short arms, so the 19″ gloves reached far up my arm–to a point where my arm was far too wide for the gloves to fit. Granted, I don’t have tiny arms but, as I tried to adjust, it was clear that the included string–shoestring style–didn’t offer a lot of give. In fact, if you look at the model in the picture, you can see there really isn’t that much room to loosen the strings any more than they are, and it’s obvious she’s a thin one.

Let me put this into numbers for you. The widest part of the glove has an 8.5″ circumference and I’m pretty sure that most bracelets are about 7″ long so I have no idea why the designers figure a 1.5″ increase in size is enough to fit most women. It just seems pretty realistic.

The good side is that, like anything that laces up, you can invest in a longer string. You can even replace it with your own ribbon if you so choose. I personally think that would be more attractive. You’ll need one that is more than 5.75′ long; however. You’ll have to lace it up through all 27 eyelets, of course. That will be a nice afternoon’s work.

Aside from the fit, I am fairly impressed with the quality. I’ve never heard of this XoXo line of latex and leather gear, but it seems like the company, Allure, sells quite a bit. The gloves were packaged in an easy-to-open plastic case with a picture of a model wearing them. While folded, they haven’t retained any creases.

The gloves appear to have two layers but the inside of the PVC isn’t finished. To be honest, I don’t know if this is a common thing because I haven’t owned a lot of PVC but it really is only one layer (I think). The exterior is super shiny, and the inside is matte and softer. There is a hem around all the edges that is about 1/2″ wide so your skin will touch some of the shiny material on the edges. The eyelets for the lacing are sewn in through the hem so they’re secured to two layers of fabric and they’re quite flat and smooth. The sewing around all the edges and the placement of the eyelets are perfectly straight.

The hem continues around the single-finger hole. Depending on your arm, you’ll probably wear this around the middle finger. It’s not full length but measures a little over 1.5″. Again, quite long for my fingers but the 3″ circumference fits loosely around my middle finger. It’s a bit bulky with the hems and the straight seam where both sides of the material meet to form the finger loop. It’s also the same width through the entire length.

It seems like scratches and stabby things can leave my marks. I know because my cat decided this glove looked yummy. Be careful of sharp objects and fingernails as this can mar the overall appearance of the PVC lace up gloves.

If you are a thin-armed person who is taller and wants a just-above-the-shoulder arm warmer to complete a fetish outfit or costume, then the PVC Lace Up Gloves may be right up your alley. If you’re not so thin, not so tall or not patient enough to purchase alternative strings or ribbons, I’d pass. I know I’m extra lazy, however; so others may be more likely to be more patient and go the extra mile with these.

Comment

Categories: Non-Sex Toys, Reviews

Wet Look Gloves

September 23rd, 2010

Wet Look Lingerie Soft Sexy Gloves

Wet Look Lingerie Soft Sexy Gloves
N/A from

This is an archived review of a discontinued product. You can try these similar gloves or these (cheaper) gloves with whips

 

The Wet Look Gloves by  California Exotics are made of a rather shiny material that I would guess is some sort of nylon but is not as shiny as PVC. They are matte on the inside and have some stretch. I’d wipe them clean with a damp cloth if they were dirty. Maybe hand-wash them in the sink but I’m not sure about the machine. The package lists neither care nor material information.

From tip to tip, they measure just under 19.5″. They’re quite long and even the model on the package is wearing them well past her elbows. On this short legged and armed girl, they’re almost ridiculous. I’m must rather see the glove stop right before or after the elbow; it’s just an odd length.

It’s made even odder by the fact that these gloves are intended for folks with thinner arms than myself. They’re snug but comfortable enough over my forearms but become a bit too sausagey, past the elbow. It’s not very attractive. If I slouch the gloves a bit, you do not notice as much, however. At the opening, the gloves have a width 3.75″ when lying flat and unstretched. You can add about another inch to the width if you stretch, but I guess my arm is just a bit too big for these.

Which is a shame because they’re the first gloves to actually fit my hands. You see, I have child hands with short little fingers. Let me explain that, this past winter, I actually wore my 7-year-old sister’s gloves to make a snowman. The hands fit perfectly on these. If you have real-people hands, you’ll probably find these a bit tight, and if you’re a man looking into some accessories, pass the Wet Look Gloves by if you’re not tiny-boned as well.

It’s weird because the fingers really do look pretty short. I’m not sure who these gloves would best fit. A teen girl maybe? I find it really perplexing.

Quality-wise, the seams are all sewn quite well. The tips of the fingers are a little bulky and boxy, however. You can easily see that in the product images where the model shows her fingers. Despite the overall boxyness of the fingers, the material is thin enough to participate in a wide range of activities without having the gloves become an obstacle. For example, I am typing this paragraph with a glove on. It’s a little weird to use my pinky to type, but all of my typos actually come from the other hand. LOL

These are not identical gloves, either. One is specifically for the left hand, while the other is specifically for the right, so they’re a bit more form-fitting than those cheaper types (I’m talking about you, crappy winter gloves that are too thin to keep me warm or dry!).

You could easily stroke a cock with these. And use a toy, if it’s not full of lube. You’ll still be able to feel someone if you’re smacking or spanking them. Need to cut something? These gloves aren’t going to get in the way of scissors or pens. I can easily click on my mouse but it does feel a little weird to hold it. I probably wouldn’t try any needle-and-thread sewing wearing them, but overall, they’re fairly practical.

They’d be a great addition to any cat woman costume, or you could top off a kink formal with the Wet Look Gloves. They’re not so wet-looking that you couldn’t use them in place of regular satin gloves for other costumes or events, either. They’re a great prop for photos, and if you’re playing with any metal objects, the contrast is great. Perfect for scening (mad scientist, anyone?), too.

But the sizing is still pretty weird. So while I can think of many situations in which you’d want to wear the Wet Look Gloves, I can’t think of quite as many that actually allow a person to comfortably do so.

 

13 Comments

Categories: Non-Sex Toys, Reviews

Make love to your long distance lover online

Lelo Mona

June 5th, 2010

Mona Red

Mona Red
N/A from

Lelo has since replaced this with the Mona 2.

In the past six months or so, I have increased my selection of Lelo toys fivefold. Previously, I’ve reviewed the Luna Beads and Lily, both of which left a little something to be desired, so while I was excited when Lelo released Ina and Mona, I wasn’t sure if the toys would work well for me personally. I actually wound up purchasing Ina a while back and have played with her to limited success. I was a little disappointed and thought perhaps Mona would have been a better fit for me and AdultSextoys was kind enough to provide me with Mona (and right before my birthday, too!).

Ina and Mona are very similar if you’re comparing them. Essentially, Ina has a small clitoral stimulator, while Mona is just an insertable shaft. Mona has an angled head for G-spot stimulation, and it’s slightly bulbous but unique from most other G-spot vibes. It’s not exactly spherical, nor is it ovular; at some angles, Mona almost looks like a golf club (but which one? I don’t know. I don’t play).

Mona’s handle is slick white plastic, while the insertable portion is rigid velvety silicone. Mine is a gorgeous red (orange-based, not purple), but you can also get Mona in grape purple. The shaft isn’t large and only has a diameter of 1.43″ but I find that it tapers a bit suddenly and might not be a great beginner’s toy because of this.

Mona offers about 5″ for insertion with another 3.5″ for the handle. The lines are sleek, making this vibrator look quite modern and attractive. The length was more than sufficient for finding my G-spot, and I think most people would be satisfied with Mona’s design.

Mona’s vibrations are fairly strong but a little buzzier than I like. Mona feels drastically weaker than Ina because it only vibrates in one place. I was actually a bit shocked at the difference in performance. I don’t think that Ina’s shaft is any stronger; it just seems that way when both motors are on. Regardless, Mona offers consistent pressure for G-spot stimulation and is easy to wield (she’s quite light!) if you’re into thrusting.

Mona has a lot of vibration variety, but they feel a little lame after experiencing Ina. There are 8 or so settings of steady vibration, slow pulsation, fast pulsation, escalation, up-and-down escalation, and a mode of mixed pulsation and escalation. Everything is controlled with four buttons. Arrows page backward or forward through the modes while you can adjust strength with plus and minus buttons. You can lock Mona when not in use by pressing the plus and minus buttons simultaneously. I cannot specifically remember if Mona’s instructions were unclear, but I know Ina’s manual did not properly describe how to do this.

I had to press buttons multiple times with Mona and Ina. I know others have complained of the same issue. My understanding is that some users could too easily press the buttons on older Lelo designs. It seems a bit like a Goldilocks thing. Too easy, too hard. Give us “just right.”

Initially, you must charge the vibrator with the included adapter until the blinking light remains solid for a full charge. Lelo also says charging takes about 2 hours. Lelo claims up to 4 hours of use for every charge, but I don’t buy that. Both Mona and Ina seem to die pretty quickly (about an hour, I’d say), especially when using the pulsation settings. There is a noticeable decrease in power when this happens. If you’ve used other Lelo toys or vibrators with digital motors, then you may be familiar with the high-pitched whine that sometimes occurs. I noticed this only on the last setting of Mona, however.

Mona comes with a satin bag, typical of Lelo toys. Ina was a bitch to get out of the package, but the glue was practically useless on Mona’s packaging, so it slid out effortlessly. Once you toss that, though, you’re left with Lelo’s traditional storage box.

Aside from storage, you’ll want to take care of Mona, so this sex toy will last you a lifetime. I recommend only water-based lube (Mona is not very comfortable for me without it) and taking care of the charging port when washing. Mona does have a little cover over hers, and it’s fairly secure, so this shouldn’t be too hard. Just ensure it’s not submerged or in the direct stream of water. Mona will pick up a little lint, so you may want to use a microfiber towel and toss it in the storage pouch as quickly as possible.

If I had to toss all my G-spot vibrators save for one, I’d probably keep Mona despite the whiny motor and buttons. Even though it hasn’t made me squirt like Ina, I will definitely keep practicing. Mona seems significantly stronger than other Lelo vibes (Lily or Elise, for example), which gives me high hopes for the direction they’re taking.

This sex toy review sponsored by Adult Sex Toys : over 8,000 sex toys and adult toys to choose from.

8 Comments

Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

Aurora Vibratror in Wine

May 8th, 2010

Rechargable Vibrator Aurora

Rechargable Vibrator Aurora
N/A from

This is an archived review of a discontinued toy.

I like attractive toys. I like rechargeable toys. I like high-tech toys, and the Aurora vibrator definitely seems to be all of those. I couldn’t help but notice this sex toy with its sleek lines and flashing lights.

Let’s get down to it, shall we?

Aurora is a straight-shafted vibrator with an interesting shape. It’s not cylindrical like many insertables. Rather, it has three edges running the shaft length, making it something like a prism. The edges tape to a very gentle point at the end, whereas the prismatic shape continues at the base as well. Aurora’s shaft is made of silicone. It feels velvety but is quite rigid for most of the shaft (except for the very tip). This, in combination with the three edges, simply makes Aurora painful.

Every time I insert Aurora, I have to turn it so it doesn’t feel like it’s cutting through my flesh. That’s not an exaggeration at all. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, either, cause the buttons are downward-facing in use. So, if I turn them, they’re more upward facing and thus more accessible. It’s still annoying to have a vibrator hurt, however.

The buttons themselves are also very interesting. Aurora has a total of 3 buttons–two opposite facing arrows and a square button in between. The middle button serves as the power button which first turns on continuous vibrations. You can control the intensity with the arrow buttons. Strangely enough, the power button also switches modes. I didn’t realize this as first because it’s just odd but when you want to turn off Aurora, you simply press and hold this button.

The vibrations themselves may not be satisfying to all. Some modes seem to be a lot deeper, while others are ticklingly, high-pitched. Like the order of the modes, there seems to be no rhyme nor reason for this but I do prefer my vibrations deeper.

There are 10 total vibration modes; at least, the product description says that, but it’s really hard to tell. Even though each mode is represented by a different colour LED light at the base, I can’t tell what the order is. I have to press the square button a random amount of times (it has taken more than two dozen clicks to do this) to finally get back to the steady setting, which is a real bummer if you accidentally change settings. It’s ridiculous that it’s easier and quicker to turn off the toy to get back to the setting you want.

Assuming you find the mode you want, you can increase the intensity which I do like. There seem to be about 4 or 5 intensities for both continuous vibration and the pulsation modes. Because there are 9 pulsation modes, I’m not going to name them all. Suffice it to say that they all blend together after a while. The light indicators would be more useful if I could figure out the order of the modes and, also, if the toy curved upward. I just don’t use toys in a way that typically allows me to see the lights and, because of the painful edges, I usually have them turned away from me, anyway.

The lights are more helpful during charging, however. They indicate charging status. I believe the lights change color when charging, but the Aurora glows a steady blue when fully charged. The manual instructs that about 2.5 hours are needed to fully charge to provide an equivalent amount of use. It’s quite neat to look at against the black or dark red (wine) plastic of the base (this plastic also has tiny sparkles you can see) but I feel as though this feature is almost gratuitous, wasteful.

The base itself is pretty but gratuitous. The shape is all contemporary but does not allow Aurora to sit on a flat surface like a table which is something I like to see. Of course, it does stand upright in its base/charging dock. The dock itself is light and cheap feeling. Maybe that’s just par for the course with charging docks, though. There is no other storage option included with Aurora. It seems as though the height of the vibrator and charger might make it a bit more.. wobbly.

The vibrator itself is already quite tall at 9″, 6.5″ of which are insertable. It feels like much more to me. The awkward shape of the shaft negates my typical view of girth, too. Aurora is “only” 1.47″ in diameter at its widest, but the angles are still (painfully) felt. Definitely wouldn’t recommend this one to newcomers (if I were recommending it at all!). Plus, it doesn’t taper very much.

Either way, the shape is a bit boring. Carnivalesque reviewed Aurora and suggested a G-spot curve would be more pleasurable. I have to agree. This vibrator just doesn’t hit the right spots for me.

On an ending note, Aurora has two seams running up the shaft. One follows one of the edges while the other is in the middle of a flat part. They’re easy to see and feel with a finger. I didn’t especially notice them during use but it’s annoying.

And when it comes to noise, Aurora is fairly quiet. Not silent but quiet enough to use with the door closed and perhaps some white noise.

I would recommend soap and water for washing, but the manual doesn’t specify any care instructions except to “let dry in a shady area.” I certainly wouldn’t submerge this vibrator, either.

Aurora is another one of those toys that seems to be created by a graphic designer with no idea what makes a toy functional. It’s definitely frustrating for the user.

This sex toy review sponsored by Adult Sex Toys : over 8,000 sex toys and adult toys to choose from.

3 Comments

Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

Lussuria Rechargeable Vibrator

April 29th, 2010

Rechargeable Vibrator Lussuria 7inch

Rechargeable Vibrator Lussuria 7inch
N/A from

This is an archived review of a discontinued toy.

By now, most of you have heard of the Vida vibrators, a new line of silicone+metal sex toys with fancy designs and an impressive site to boot. They’re working hard at PR, too, with a mysterious Twitter account and appearances with celebrities. They really want you to believe that these vibrators–Lussuria, Vanta, Zara, and Urja–are the new “it” thing, and I admit, I was drawn in, and in case you are too, here’s the low down.

Vida vibrators are made of silicone and anodized aluminum. The metal part does have a sort of plastic-y look, even in person, but a tap with a fingernail proves otherwise. It looks particularly rigid up close. In addition to this, my Vida Lussuria is quite the hefty piece, but I wouldn’t call it unwieldy because the weight is compacted into a 7″ frame, which isn’t bulky in the least.

Lussuria’s design is one that curves gently outward from a thin (.79″ diameter), straight shaft in the center to produce two bulbous ends. While the ends are thicker than the center point of the shaft, they are flat-ish. The side on which the control is positioned is significantly wider (just over 2″) than the other side, the head (which is about 1.5″ wide). The head itself is somewhat spoon or scoop-shaped; one side is convex while the other has a little “dimple.” The head angles slightly upward from the thinner part of the shaft while the base curves slightly downward for an extremely loose “S” shape.

On the convex side of the head, there are four silicone ridges. The ridges are mostly firm but not quite as rigid as the metal parts of the vibrator. These work well for G-spot stimulation, while the spoon side can cradle the clitoris. I don’t think I’ve seen any pictures yet that depict the dimple on the head, so I was pleasantly surprised when I opened Lussuria and wondered whether it would work well for clitoral stimulation.

It does. Lussuria has a functional design, which I really like. The ridges easily caused me to squirt, and I was surprised at the orgasms produced via the clit dimple. The overall design is easy to manipulate comfortably and with precision, too.

The shaft, head and last inch or so of the base are coated in silicone (the shinier, kinda “grabby” style) while the anodized aluminum surrounds the single button. There is also a pink stripe/lighted area, which follows the contours of the metal. This area has a lot of edges and seams, which are not very smooth or neat. I can see it collecting debris and the imperfections reduce the impression of quality IMO. There are especially some imperfections in the pink border which detract from an otherwise awesome colour scheme. At the very end, a small flap is cut out of the silicone; this flap plugs the charging port when Lussuria is not charging. While Lussuria is purportedly waterproof, this flap is not seamless, and I would not submerge it.

To turn on the vibrator, simply press the button once. A pale pink light around the button and the pink “border” part both light up. Pressing the button pages through 5 settings of steady vibrations and then back to the lowest. These vibrations are fairly strong but become much too buzzy as you increase strength. The button must be pressed and held to turn off Lussuria, but this will also turn it up 1 level higher, which is kind of annoying. If, for some reason, I needed to turn it off quickly, it would get louder before turning off.

Even if the vibrations didn’t become buzzier as they increased, I would never use this beyond the second or third setting because Lussuria is damned loud. I guess it’s because of the metal, but I think Vida should have come up with some noise solution before releasing these vibrators, and calling it “quiet” is simply a lie. The sound does not aid in discretion at all, and I am not fond of toys that hurt my ears.

I was a bit disappointed that Lussuria did not come with more information. More pages of the manual are dedicated to advertising other products than anything else. The instructions do say that the first full charge will take 3 hours, and subsequent charges will take 1 hour. I haven’t had to recharge my Lussuria yet, which is awesome, but I have no idea how long it will last, and I guess Vida doesn’t want customers to know, either.

Lussuria does come with a few interesting accessories. First and foremost, it has its own storage case, which Vida describes as a “faux leather vanity tote.” It looks a bit like a small train case with a handle on the top and a zipper around the front and sides. Vida sides into a foam cutout inside, and there is room to toss in the charger beneath the foam. If you remove the cutout, you could use the case to store a few more toys, too; it measures 4.5″ x 8.” x 3.” The Vida logo is embossed in black and red on the front, but I have to warn you, this “faux leather” stinks! I mean, the smell of it gives me a headache, and I don’t want that on my toy.

Luckily, Vida also provides a cushy, storage envelope made from microfiber. The design is unique: a rectangular cloth that folds in thirds and ties with a ribbon. Inside is an opening to tuck your Vida vibrator, but it’s not actually deep enough to hold Lussuria; it will stick out at  the end of the envelope. I suspect Vida made a one-size-fits-all storage pouch and failed. You don’t have to place the vibrator in the pouch, of course. You can simply fold it into the cloth and tie it up; it just fits.

The whole thing comes with a black gift-style bag, but mine was just folded and empty with the Vida box. I suspect that would work much better for in-person purchases. d=

Lussuria actually worked pretty well for me, but Vida needs to work out more kinks before they can call these toys “luxurious” and charge as much as they are for them. The idea of aluminum + silicone is neat, but a pure silicone vibrator wouldn’t be any worse. It also would have reduced the number of seams in the toy and, hopefully, the volume level. The train case and storage pouch are cute but do not offer the perfect storage option. I say skip the frills and lower the price; then we’ll talk.

This sex toy review sponsored by Adult Sex Toys : over 8,000 sex toys and adult toys to choose from.

5 Comments

Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

Image © MisterUnlucky; used with permission.