The Wave

October 8th, 2009

Wave Purple

Wave Purple
N/A from

This is an archived review of a discontinued product.

The Wave is a dual stimulator that is a little different than either your typical rabbit (or even the slimmed-down styles like the Silicone Intimate Diver, which I’ve tried) or C-shaped vibes (Rock Chick, anyone?), but that is exactly why it drew my attention. The longer handle which extends up toward the body, instead of away, drew me by its maneuverability.

It also made for a good size reference, in my opinion. Sometimes those C-shaped dual stimulators are totally off base when it comes to size. Upon opening the package (a colorfully decorated plastic box), I noticed how long the toy was. From tip to tail, it’s got some length – 10″ – and there’s the cord (which is a comfortable 27″ or so) and control/battery pack on top of it, but that was to be expected.

What I wasn’t expecting was just how rigid the jelly material would be. I mean, jelly toys tend to be softer as a given. That’s precisely why some people prefer them but The Wave is definitely an exception. It’s not rock hard but it’s as firm or possibly firmer than some silicone toys I’ve tried. This really perplexes me because both the G-spot and clit stimulators have nubs on them, resulting in a potentially painful combination, especially if you like to grind like me. Furthermore, some people might find the nubs a hindrance to insertion so I’d recommend a water or silicone based lube. Otherwise, the firmness is something a lot of folks look for when it comes to G-spot stimulation. It just seems like a bad idea when paired with equally firm nubs.

The curve opening on this toy is also a bit wider (4″ from point to point), which contributes to the overall length. This will probably be good if your G-spot is deeper or if your clit is further from your vagina but I found that the nubby G-spot end slid right past my G-spot when the clitoral end was on my clit and vice versa. Although the firmness meant I was still able to use the shaft for G-spot stimulation, I was never able to use it exactly how it’s supposed to be used, nor would I want to. I tried to press the clitoral nubs against my body but quickly stopped because I’m not a big fan of (that type of) pain.

In terms of vibrations, the Wave runs on 2AA batteries. The control pack has two buttons – up and down – and a light to denote each setting of vibration. It’s a velvety, rubber-cote-style controller which is easy to hold but nothing special. The 4 settings are all steady, and the higher frequency vibration is centered at the clitoral nubs. Intensity definitely decreases toward the G-spot stimulator. The Wave has a decent amount of vibration and my G-spot responded well. However, it’s worth noting that my G-spot is much more sensitive to vibes than my clit. Within a matter of moments, I was able to squirt despite the shortcomings of the Wave.

As its name suggests, the Wave is waterproof. The battery cap screws on tightly and there is also a rubber O-ring. The cord seems fairly secure where it attaches to the controller but not quite as secure where it attaches to the toy itself. Because of this, I probably wouldn’t submerge the wave. I’d stick to shower time.

The waterproofing makes washing with soap and water easy. I would recommend doing this before and after each use because of jelly’s porous nature. Swapping between partners or holes it something I can only suggest with condoms. While still tacky to the touch, the Wave seems less guilty of attracting lint as other jelly, probably because it’s so hard. Also, beware that skunky, jelly scent. The Wave is no exception in that department.

The Wave was quite successful at making me wet, although not at getting me off, and I expect at least one type of orgasm when it comes to dual-stimulation vibrators. I think I would have been able to wrangle the Wave into an effective orgasm machine had Doc Johnson decided to make it either firm or nubby. As is, the Wave is no treat, and I couldn’t even experiment with the handle because it hurt my clit. Still, I think Doc Johnson is on to something and, with a few modifications, this toy could make waves.

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Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

Berman Adonis G-Spot and Clitoral Stimulator

August 8th, 2009

Berman Adonis G-Spot and Clitoral Stimulator

Berman Adonis G-Spot and Clitoral Stimulator
N/A from

This is an archived review of a discontinued toy.

I don’t know much about Dr Laura Berman except that she’s been on Oprah a time or two (even her Wikipedia page is scant, which is shocking for “America’s leading expert in female sexual health”) . I think we all know that the Cult of Oprah readily accepts the people and products that are on her show, giving them attention and praise (not to mention revenue), whether or not they are worthy of said attention and praise. Needless to say, I was dubious about how well a Berman Center product would work, especially with the disappointments I’ve had with Sue Johanson’s line of toys. After using Adonis, a dual stimulator, I now feel that Dr Berman knows her shit; she just doesn’t know how (or care) to put it together in the perfect package.

Right from the package, I noticed some differences between Dr Berman’s toy and every other toy I’ve ever tried. First, the box is a cool rhombus s shape from the top or bottom and I’m pretty sure that’s the first time I’ve used that word since geometry. LOL The outside panels boast the name, type of toy with the Berman Center logo a woman/uterus and a tidbit of information about Dr Berman and the toy itself. The front is actually a doubled-over flap, which opens to provide more information and a list of other Berman Center products. Initially, I didn’t even notice this, it sat so flush with the box.

This is a shame because the instructions for use explain the location of the G-spot when on your back and even explain that you may feel the urge to urinate. Although it’s not a complete guide to the G-spot, it makes this toy a lot easier to use for beginners. There’s also a note to only use oil or water-based lube and not to submerge when washing. I really wish every company provided this much useful information.

Inside, the box was fairly impressive too. It was made very secure by a piece of thicker cardboard which lined it. The Adonis G-spot and Clitoral Stimulator was inside a sealed plastic bag and that bag, in turn, sat inside another clear plastic bag with the control/battery pack. For anyone who has opened a box to find their toy floating alone amongst packing material after coming out of a horribly secured package, this is a step up for sure. There is also a thin, purple, organza bag included. The bag is nothing amazing but is definitely better than nothing at all. I like it, even if it doesn’t match.

The Adonis is a narrow C-shaped toy with a G-spot hook on one end and some soft nubbies on the other. It’s made of a pliable TPR silicone, not pure silicone. I don’t think the package actually makes this differentiation. On the plus side, it doesn’t seem to pick up lint at all. There is a slight texture which provides a bit of friction. Even at its thickest, the Adonis is no more than average penis girth, if that. It filled decently. I found the G-spot end provided very adequate stimulation but the clitoral nubs sat a little looser against my vulva than I’d like, resulting in a very light touch. If you like only a light touch, I would recommend this. Unfortunately, the shape wasn’t conducive to pressing it against my pubic bone how I like, despite the so-called finger dents. My fingers fell nowhere near those indentations, and the round shape of the toy didn’t offer a good handhold.

The Adonis is detachable from the control pack via removable plug-in jacks. Normally, I am not a big fan of removable jacks like this, but the Adonis does it uniquely. There are two motors in the toy with independent controls and jacks. One features 3 functions of steady vibration, and the other has 7 functions (low, medium, high, roller coaster, fast pulsation, stair stepper, and super speed). You can choose which jack to use for each motor, so if you prefer pulsation on the inside and vibration on the outside or vice versa, you’re set. This made me feel like I had control over the toy.

There is a single On/Off/Function button for each motor, which is raised and easy to find. This isn’t rocket science and is okay for the motor, which only has 3 functions but becomes a little frustrating with the 7 function motor. You have to page through the rest to the right one or turn it off. There’s also no universal off button; although, I suppose you could just pull the wires from the jacks if you had to. Ideally, there’d be a universal off button and up/down buttons, too. Plus, the control lacks balance as the batteries sit in it kinda weird. They sit in 2 rows or 2 (like this: ==), rather than doubling up thickness so it’s pretty long. The wires between toy and battery pack are a whipping 32″ long and don’t hinder movement. I did find them to be strangely thick but it doesn’t detract from use.

Overall, the vibrations were okay. The pulsation was actually really strong, so strong that pulsation on the clit alone also easily provided G-spot stimulation. On the other hand, the steady vibrations seem to have less life than the pulsations and were a high-frequency type of vibration. I also felt that using both motors at once was perhaps a bit distracting.

There is one major design flaw which is highlighted by the amount of noise this toy makes. The internal bullet typically operates as more than an acceptably low hum, but, strangely, its wire runs through the toy and sits right against the other bullet. This makes the external bullet much louder, almost painfully loud. It’s very distracting. In certain positions, this wire also rattles against the clit bullet even when only the G-spot bullet is on. Another strange construction decision is how the wires exit the toy. The wire from the clitoral bullet; they simply come out of a hole in the toy with no cover or cap. Care is a must when cleaning and I wouldn’t even try this toy in the shower.

In the end, I feel that the Berman Center Adonis G-Spot and Clitoral Stimulator has a strong foundation. It works well for my shape, and with some thought given to the wires and an easier handhold on the outside, I would use it frequently. With the current flaws, I think it should be price more reasonably.

Information, instructions and mini-catalog on inner flap of the Adonis box Berman Center Adonis toy and control/battery pack in organza bag Adonis battery pack and control Coil of cord Wire against the bullet in Adonis Wires exiting the Adonis

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Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

Tantus Silicone Delta Vibrator

July 29th, 2009

Tantus Delta

Tantus Delta

Tantus no longer makes this stimulator.

I’m going to take a reprieve from my normal review style with this one. I hope you enjoy.

The Description: The Delta by Tantus is a dual stimulator which can be used by either sex for anal and perineum stimulation or by women for vaginal and clitoral or vaginal and perineum stimulation. It’s flared based makes it perfect for harness use while the grooves on the base make wielding this dildo a cinch. A hole in the bottom can be used with Tantus’ suction cup or the included bullet.

The Specs: Delta is a gorgeous, shiny purple and is quite soft and flexible – unlike the other Tantus toy I tried.. It’s also rather small; the larger, insertable finger is only 3″ long and about the thickness of my thumb while the smaller thumb-like protrusion is 3/4″ long. The base is roughly a rounded triangle and measures about 3″ at the longest point and 2″ at the shortest. The included bullet runs on several watch batteries and has only a single speed.

The Good: Like all Tantus sex toys, Delta is pure, nonporous, sterilizable silicone which makes it healthy and body safe (this means only water-based lube). The small and tapered finger will make insertion possible, even easy, for the freshest of beginners. The grooves on the base work wonderfully for grasping and maneuvering the Delta.

The Bad: The flexible silicone does not provide the firm G-spot pressure many women desire nor does it give a filling feeling. The clitoral stimulator is extremely short and just missed mine. I find it difficult to believe this could be used for double penetration. I also suspect the size and softness mgiht make this a little difficult to control in a harness. The included bullet is rather weak and will be difficult to remove even if you lube it up before insertion.

The Suggestions: I don’t think Tantus’ usual dildo + a bullet formula works well for this style of toy, even if the silicone were larger and more firm in places. Perhaps this would be better as simply a dildo like the Little Su or a Jollies Dildo but I think that would involve redesigning the entire toy.

The Bottom Line I knew the small size and soft silicone of this toy would not be enough to get me off almost immediately after inserting it. I get the feeling it work would better as a first time anal toy because it’s not intimidating in the least. Even if I were a beginner, it wouldn’t suit my needs, however.

Delta seems like it would be much better as an anal toy than a vaginal one, however.

2 Comments

Categories: Dildos, Reviews

Silicone Intimate Diver

July 3rd, 2009

Silicone Intimate Diver

Silicone Intimate Diver
N/A from

This is an archived review of a discontinued product.

My experience with sea creatures as sex toys has proven unpleasant more than once now. For whatever reasons, dolphins and their cousins, the porpoises are perhaps a little too realistic for comfort. Such was the case with the Intimate Diver, a dual-stimulation vibrator.

A little information about this toy. Made of TPR silicone, the Intimate Diver is waterproof, of course. A note that this is not pure silicone, and while it’s generally more hygienic and less porous than jelly or cyberskin, for instance, it’s still porous, so anal use or sharing without a condom isn’t a good idea. You’re also limited to water-based lubes here.

My pink porpoise is posed so its forked tail – the clit stimulator – curls over its back toward its head – the internal/G-spot stimulator. The very tip of this toy is his nose, and he has a “fin” on each side as well as a vertical fin on his back. The body is this sea creature has a little give but is mostly firm. The fins, tail, and nose have more give because they’re thinner, but you won’t experience any rabbit ear floppiness with this tail (like on rabbit vibes with much thinner parts).

His head contains a bullet-style vibe, which is powered by 2AAA batteries that slip into an EZ load pack. As you can imagine, this doesn’t make it the most powerful toy. For me, the lowest and middle settings will do little more than tease; the highest likely won’t get me off but it’s decent. Unfortunately, the thicker TPR silicone isn’t great with vibrations, and it’s definitely more difficult to feel them in the tail. Furthermore, once inserted, vaginal muscles have a tendency to muffle some of the vibrations which even worsens the problem. Stronger vibes and a thinner tail might help with this but I just prefer toys with bullets at the clit, too, because of the pressure it gives. Unfortunately, the TPR silicone was soft enough that it wasn’t a good toy to grind with, either.

What ultimately turned me off from this sex toy is that its fins hurt upon insertion. I could plainly feel the side fins poking at me painfully because they were much denser than the tail or nose. I’m not really sure what purpose they’re supposed to serve; the back fin could possibly provide G-spot stimulation (although it didn’t, for me), but those side fines are pointless. It’s hard to feel aroused when you’re in pain. The moral of the story here: just because you want to model a vibrator after an animal does not mean it has to be completely anatomically correct. Fins serve a purpose in the water, not in my vagina.

It’s good to see California Exotic working with higher quality materials than jelly (even if they’re aren’t as quality as they’d have us believe) but it seems like a lot of corners were cut to make this toy.

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Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

Attention Catchers #4: Jollies Thrust

June 30th, 2009

Thrust

Jollies is a company which I haven’t had the opportunity to try but their uniquely crafted silicone toys make me want to try. From their original firm and soft dildos to the new Thrust, the shapes certainly make you wonder. And I just read a review of the super unique Mr Man, a dildo which not only simulates fellatio on a woman but stimluates the receiver with suction. (But I don’t think my husband would be up for that, yet? d=)

What I love about the Jollies Thrust and several other Jollies dildos is they really seem to be made for people like me who hump – providing dual stimulation by rocking the toy or rocking your body against this. This is how I always use my toys anyway but many of them are just not made to be used this way (and I’ve broken several toys in the process). I’m not happy enough to adjust my style to a toy; I think the toys should adjust to me. The Thrust will not only take it, but encourages it and with a looped handle which can be used for grasping or to spit a vibrating bullet inside, it seems like a win-win toy.

Really, I bet any one of Jollie’s toys would take me for a ride whether it was the Thrust, Mr Man, firm dildo or even a cock ring.

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Categories: Attention Catchers

Sensual Curve

June 5th, 2009

Sensual Curve

Sensual Curve
N/A from

This is an archived review of a discontinued product.

All in all, the Sensual Curve was wholly forgettable which probably explains why, every time I sat down to write this review, I just couldn’t think of anything to say. I couldn’t remember if it led me to orgasm or even made me feel good. I couldn’t remember if the insertable portion stimulated my G-spot. I couldn’t remember if the vibrations were easily felt on all parts or even how I felt about the material.

So I had to force myself to give it another go ’round, hoping it would spark some memories. It did but, really, I don’t feel like I have much to say about this toy. I mean, like so many other dual stimulators, it fails as doing either very well but, for some reason, I just don’t feel like it’s a big loss.

So here’s what you need to know:

This dual stimulation vibrator is made of pink rubber (the colour it sort of strange; it looks faded) and is not waterproof. It definitely has that skunky, rubber smell and is stronger than some toys I’ve had but isn’t the worst. The vibrations stem from the bottom of the toy, which also acts as a bit of a handle but I find that annoying because my hand absorbs most of the vibrations. The vibrations are better felt in the clitoral stimulator, which looks like two short tentacles (and even has sucker like bumps on the inside) and curves slightly toward the body, than the smooth insertable portion which tapers and ends in a bulb (which exists to stimulate the G-spot, I imagine). This makes insertion extremely easy and only a little water-based lube was needed. The whole thing is run on 2 AA batteries and operates by dial control. While I usually don’t like dial controls because they’re either too touchy or not touchy enough, this one actually worked really well and because the dial is grooved, it’s also less slippery to use than others.

Unfortunately, the level of vibrations provided by this toy just weren’t mind blowing and I felt it best in my hand. Even on high, I thought this toy works better for teasing or warm up and I don’t do much of either so it might be better in the collection of something who likes lighter vibrations than I do. The rubber is stiffer than some other materials I’ve tried (silicone, jelly, TPR, TPE) and the clitoral stimulator doesn’t really vibrate loosely like a lot of clitoral attachments do on softer toys. The stiffness also felt a little uncomfortable or painful at times. Combine this with the fact that the prongs seemed to have a tendency to curve back toward my vag, and away from my clit during use (and since they’re stiff, I can’t really adjust them much), and the external part wasn’t that great.

Occasionally, the vibrations did hit a sweet spot internally but this wasn’t consistent, either. Sometimes the sex toy seemed to brush my G-spot but it wasn’t moving any mountains and it was difficult to maneuver, given the stiffness of the material, and have both places adequately stimulated. I also felt that the cord was unusually short at just under 22″ – even my crappy Venus Penus has a 3-” cord – and while it works okay for masturbation, partner use make find this problematic.

One of the things I really like to do with dual sitmulation toys is to grind against it and push it tightly against my pubic bone. Grinding was out because of the clitoral attachment but even when I tried, it jsut felt uncomfortable and too hard. I also couldn’t get enough pressure on my clit which is something I get from rabbit-style vibe with larger bullets. The shape of the little prongs just didn’t allow for pressure at all.

While the Sensual Curve may seem a steal at arond $20, it doesn’t do anything really well. The pourous, foul smelling rubber was too stiff. The vibrations were weak and misplaced. The toy didn’t find my G-spot consistently and the cord was freakishly short. Yet, you can bet I’m not done trying similar toys!

3 Comments

Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

SEXTOY.com Vibrating Rabbit

April 4th, 2009

SEXTOY.com Vibrating Rabbit
N/A from

This is an archived review of a discontinued product.

If you weren’t aware that Sextoy.com has a few items in its ‘signature’ line, then you’re probably not alone. I didn’t know. However, I expect that this sex toy superstore probably knows a thing or two about sex toys. A domain name like sextoy.com is pretty damned difficult and expensive to get, so the fact that they’ve had it – and for years – is impressive. But was I as impressed with their sex toys?

Of the two toys I received, I opted to try the Sextoy.com vibrating rabbit first. (The other, which I will review later, is a basic silver bullet). This rabbit is a little different from previous rabbits I have tried. For one, it doesn’t rotate. This is actually a good thing in my book; I’ve never been much of a fan of rotation. What this rabbit does instead is pretty cool. There are several rows of connected ball bearings that move up and down along the shaft, imitating thrusting/stroking. Aside from the typical vibrating rabbit clit stimulator, the tip of the shaft also vibrates. Each of these functions has a separate control.

It’s a bright pink vibrator (perhaps too bright?) with a contoured head. Beneath the head are a couple of ridges. The base/control pack are silver plastic with those digital type buttons. The same plastic extends about halfway up the vibrator, beneath the soft, outer material so the shaft doesn’t have any give or bend. The rabbit features a pointy nose along with his ears. The ears actually look harder than they are. It seems like this is a pretty soft material.

The material is listed a “ultra gel” which doesn’t tell me much. The back of the box warns to keep this “latex toy away from sunlight and heat.” Good advice but why not use a little higher quality material like silicone? Or even TPR Silicone would be an upgrade. I don’t have a latex allergy but I did experience a little burning-ish discomfort after use which is not something I’ve run into before.

Located at the bottom is the battery pack, and I’ll start with the bad here. The cover for the battery pack pulls off. There are 2 heart-shaped buttons, 1 on each side of the toy, and squeezing them allows this toy to come off. Overall, I like this, and it’s definitely unique. However, I have to squeeze those buttons pretty hard and pull the cover off with my other hand. This whole thing makes me really wish I had 3 hands (or someone to help), and as I am neither an alien nor my husband around, it’s a bit frustrating. However, once the cover is off, the batteries (4AA) are easy to insert.

I tested all the functions separately and together prior to insertion, which I would recommend as multifunction vibes can be a little complicated sometimes. As you go through these modes, the lights on the control pack light up, it actually looks pretty cool and futurotic. First, another light adds on (1 light for each mode) and on the highest setting, it cycles through all the lights. For the 4 mode functions, there are blue and red lights, and for the 6 mode functions (the stroking motion), there are red, green, and blue lights.

The bullet for clit stimulation and the bullet in the head of the shaft have 4 modes each, 2 of which pulse and high and low steady vibration. For whatever reason, the pulsation modes are before the steady vibration, and this seems a little backward to me. I expect steady vibration first and then whatever “extra” modes to come after. The different modes for the stroking motion are all an increase in speed. You can definitely tell because the toy becomes whinier but not all of these modes are really differentiable from the others. I’d say that this function might be a little better off with fewer modes, perhaps 4, like the other functions, which are more greatly varied. On the note of sound, this toy is pretty loud, louder than I’d like, in fact. However, upon insertion or pressing against my body, it quieted down significantly.

One thing I would change is to make the buttons protrude a little further. They’re not quite flush with the rest of the control pack, making them a bit difficult to push. I have noticed that the middle buttons, which control the thrusting, are sometimes less responsive. In fact, in my video, you can see that I have to push the buttons several times before it kicks into motion.

But I know you all want to know, how does the stroking feel? After inserting this pretty pink animal into my pussy (I’ve used both System Jo H2O and ToyFluid lube, but this isn’t a super thick toy), I was pleasantly surprised. I could easily feel the stroking up and down and although not meant to be a G-spot toy, it did stimulate it. If the SEXTOY.com Vibrating Rabbit were a little thicker, I think it might even help me achieve G-spot orgasm.

Unfortunately, the stroking does not stand up to clenching at all. As soon as I really got into it and would clench down, it would stop. This is a shame because if it held up to my muscles, I know my orgasm would have been that much more phenomenal.

I found that the bullet in the tip of the shaft became lost with the other functions on. It was just too deep to stimulate anything specific. The other issue I had was that the shaft was very straight and rigid. I would have liked it to have a little more give and/or be a little shorter. I wound up rocking/sliding this toy in a way that stimulated my G-spot, but my cervix was banged up quite a bit. So I wanted to get the orgasm out of the way.

I had a similar issue with the clitoral stimulator. Alone, it felt good, and that was how I eventually got off while using just the shaft – functions off (it seems like I usually resort to this) – to stimulate internally. The vibrations definitely paled in comparison when the stroking function was on. I occasionally couldn’t tell it was vibrating at all. Because it’s such a demanding function, I think a stronger clitoral bullet is called for. The position also wasn’t as good a fit as some other toys I’ve used but it still did the job. The Ultra Gel material is quite soft so the bunny didn’t hug my pubic bone with as much pressure as I prefer.

In the end, I think SexToy.com tried to do a lot with this toy. They went about things in a unique way, and I could really tell. However, not everything succeeded. While the stroking was super stimulating and got me all hot, it wasn’t enough to get me off alone. When used with the clitoral stimulator, I would clench my muscles as I got nearer to orgasm, which brought the stroking to a halt. The shaft vibrator really did nothing for me at all, and the rigid shaft was sometimes uncomfortable. I really wish I could have loved this toy because it seemed unique, but there are a few kinks to work out. Who knows, maybe we’ll see a Sextoy.com Vibrating Rabbit 3.0.

16 Comments

Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

Image © MisterUnlucky; used with permission.