Contest!

Hello there, dear readers!

It's contest time!! Break out your creativity, put on your thinking cock-rings and get your motors revved!

The objective: Babeland, which is the spectacular sex toy site that I do most of my reviews for, had a distinct lack of trans-related banners! I requested one, and was asked "Well, what sort of thing would you suggest putting on the banner?". I am at a GREAT lack of ideas, so I'm bringing this to all of you.

What's needed: What I need from you for your entry is...
- An idea of a graphic for the banner. It needs to be a photograph-- you don't have to take one, you don't have to really do anything other than say "This would be a good representation of the transgender community! I think that it should be a transman, with a binder on, back to the camera and dildo in hand." Or something along those lines. If you'd like to sketch it out, or take a picture for a clearer presentation of the concept... that would rock hard! :D
- What should the banner say? Just "Babeland"? Their logo? "Toys for the boys"? All suggestions are welcome!

The Rules:
- No "bad" language. That means no swearing and nothing explicit.
- No nudity. I'm sure that the top of a butt wouldn't be turned down, but I haven't seen any banners for them that have any sort of genitalia showing.
- Be creative!
- Be polite.
- Have fun!

The prize: That's right, guys, there's a PRIZE. It's the Soft Pack that the site offers-- I think it's a wonderful packer. And it could be YOURS!

Deadline: Jan. 31, 2011 at Midnight California-time (I'm derping on what our timezone is actually called.) Please send your entries to: VD_VC@ymail.com with the subject line "Banner Contest"

I will be picking the winner based on what *I* find creative. I can't promise that Babeland will use the entry that I present to them, but the main point of this contest is that I want all of you to be creative, show your ingenuity and help to spread awareness of the transgender community. It's worth noting that while I am a member of the FtM side of the community, this is open to -everyone-. Do you have a friend who's MtF? An ally? Send them this way. Anyone and everyone is welcome to enter.

And if you'd like, click on some of the links up there! I'd be very pleased if you did.


Good luck!!

- Loki

Bad Dragon's Sea Dragon

This is another review of a product from Bad Dragon, a site known for their unique fantasy toys. They’ve always provided wonderful customer service, and their ever-expanding line has always been unique, fun and well made. All their toys are made from platinum cured silicone, which means that not only are they non-porous, but they can be sanitized in the top rack of your dishwasher! I have to admit, when I moved into the new apartment and it had a dishwasher… that was my first thought.

This is, by far, one of the best non-vibrating toys that I've had the pleasure of owning. I picked it up at Califur 2010, a furry convention in Southern California that if you're in the area, I recommend you visit! The Sea Dragon that I own is the small model, and believe me—it’s still a lot of toy. The knot has a circumference of 6 inches, with the circumference of the shaft being 5 inches. It's 8 inches of very usable length.

I recommend that you use a very good, long-lasting lube with this-- you can use Bad Dragon Cum Lube, a product that I've reviewed -- or by the time that you get it all the way in, you'll be wishing that your lube had lasted. It's a good toy for vaginal play, and a VAST majority of the customers use it for anal play. I swear by this lube now; I’ve almost exclusively switched over to it, since it keeps its viscosity better than silicone lube, but serves the same purpose. The science behind it is essentially the same science that makes silicone lubricant work so well; not being water-based, the body isn’t able to absorb it, so it leaves more of the lube to do what it’s supposed to: lubribate!

I've tested this for front-hole penetration during solo play, and both vaginal and anal play with partners receiving. I love this toy an amazing amount; I usually need quite a bit of vibration—or my husband – to achieve orgasm. Naturally, when I tried this toy out for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised when it easily brought me to climax! Having talked with a few members of the Bad Dragon team, it seems that the Sea Dragon is a favorite among their female clients; the ridges on it hit just the right spots, the head of the toy is shaped just right and the knot isn’t too huge or scary. Overall, it’s a highly recommended toy for female-bodied, open-minded people. I personally think that as long as you’re a fan of penetration (anywhere), you’ll enjoy this toy.

My husband, who I used this toy anally with, had a vastly difference experience. He enjoyed the feel of the toy-- but the girth of the knot was too much for him. He’s excited to try some of their larger toys and, as he says, “Work up to them”. He commented on the texture of the toy, and pointed out that the tapered shape of the head made it easier to work down to the knot. As with all anal play, be sure to sanitize your toy before using it again—even during the same session!

One of my long-time play partners was visiting, and we decided to try out the toy together. She’s a very patient lady, and we were able to gradually introduce the knot. She commented that the ridges were perfectly placed, and that the knot (while big) wasn’t as scary once she realized that her body could stretch and accommodate it. She enjoyed it enough to start looking through Bad Dragon’s listed toys to find something for herself! I haven’t heard if she’d bought one yet… but I’m sure the second she does, I’ll hear!

Another comment about it that's worth making is that the Bad Dragon toys all have a very unique texture. It almost feels velvety-- and it can give the toy a look like it's 'dusty', depending on the color of the toy. I think it's a good texture-- when I asked the people at BD, they explained that it was textured as such to help the lube cling better. I was dually impressed that their lube and toys were designed with the other in mind!

Overall, the Sea Dragon is a GREAT toy. It comes with consistently positive reviews, is great for someone who’s just getting into playing with larger toys and it’s well worth the cost. If you try it, let me know! And as always…


Happy fapping!

- Loki

Bad Dragon Cum Lube

Being open to trying new things, from all walks of life is a definite benefit. I'll be the first to admit that I'm a member of the furry fandom-- with all its misconceptions and bad rumors, I'm sure that some of you are thinking a few choice things, so I'll set some things clear about it before I start this review.

Most furries aren't the bestiality-loving, fursuit-wearing "weirdos" that shows like CSI has portrayed them to be. Yes, those things DO exist inside the fandom. There's actually quite a few people that I know personally who enjoy fursuiting-- it's the equivalent of dressing in costume for most of them. For others, it's got a deeper meaning. There are some members of the fandom who have done AMAZING things in fursuit-- from helping disabled and disadvantaged kids to running marathons. For still others (like myself) it puts a barrier between me and the outside world, and makes it over-all easier to interact with the strangers of conventions and gatherings. So please, to all of you out there who are reading this and wrinkling your nose, keep an open mind. Isn't that why you're here in the first place?

So, now that my little speech is over, onto the review!! This is some of the best lube that I've ever had the chance to use. It's based around a long-chain plastic polymer, so it hinders its absorption by the body-- this means longer-lasting, slick, great lube. I've used it with multiple partners, on multiple toys, with condoms, without condoms... it's never let me down. It stays slick when it's in use, is thick and viscous (sort of like real ejaculate-- though, er, I've never seen any QUITE as persistent about clinging to a person as this lube), and it's also just fun to play with!

I've only found two downsides to this lube; it tends to get sticky as it starts to dry, and it's panache for being messy puts everything else to shame. This stuff will still be there hours later on your sheets-- so it's best to put a towel down. I've gotten it on my briefs before, and in a fit of curiosity, I decided to let it dry to see how long it took. Now, it was a copious amount and had soaked the fabric in places... and it took a good six hours to dry.

Its downsides aren't always going to be downsides-- its ability to stay wet is GOOD in bed. And a lot of people like it when they're using a toy alone, and it's just as messy as a partner in bed. Also, Bad Dragon makes toys like The Sea Dragon, where the larger sizes come with a 'cum tube', specifically designed to let the toy ejaculate loads of this messy, sticky lube everywhere. In my book, that's not necessarily a bad thing.

All in all, I use this lube for everything. And being someone who needs lube nearly every time that I have penetrative intercourse? It works really well. And did I mention? It's not only safe to use with silicone toys-- but it's also only $5. It comes in two colors, too: male and female ejaculate. I personally think that they did a good job nailing down the slightly off-whitish color of male jizz. And the female style isn't all that off, either.


Happy fapping!

~ Loki

A Pirate's Vibe for Me~

Yo-ho, and shiver me timbers. <3 The Pirates Rocket Vibe is FANTASTIC. At first, I wasn't too sure of it-- the old-style tattoos made me arch an eyebrow. Burly old sailors, my uncle and popeye really aren't the things that hoist my mainsail. I was a bit put off about the rhinestones, too-- I'm not the most manly of guys, but even I tend to draw the lines at rhinestones on my sex toys.

However, when I turned it on? Different story. It has an array of vibration intensities and patterns (my favorites being the highest non-varied setting and the one that rises in intensities and pattern.). It's fantastic. The velvet coating of the toy is silky-smooth, and feels great.

It's a spectacular toy; it feels great when I want light stimulation, varied stimulation or a nice, strong orgasm. It's got a GREAT texture, it's a good size, and it's really fun to look at. I have to admit it, this toy is now a staple in my collection. The rhinestones and old-school tattoos grew on me, and the spread of choices really pleased me.

No pun intended.

May your sex be spectacular,
Loki

The Sex-A-Peel Vibrator!

First off, sorry for the delay in reviews, my dear readers. I've been a bit under the weather, and haven't really been feeling up to any sexiness. Between dealing with the new kitten (who is adorable, by the way) and dealing with my health problems, it's been a rough month.

But that aside, I've got a review for one of the only bananas that won't kill me-- the Sex-A-Peel Vibrator! As a handful of you know, I'm deathly allergic to two things: bananas and chili peppers. Which is lame, because I used to be able to eat both those things, and I still think that (while deadly) they're delicious.

So, imagine how excited I was to find out that I could review this! It's hot pink-- not my favorite color in the world-- but it's got a GREAT texture to it. The look is unique and fun, and it's just over-all a great thing to leave laying out on your coffee table. Which, incidentally, is what happened with us. I'd left it sitting on the table after taking it out of its package and fussing with the batteries because I'd wanted to show it to a friend before I used it.

Now, before this friend was able to visit, a different pair of friends-- we'll call them E and G -- came over. And hilarity ensued. E found it sitting on the table, and promptly investigated it, poking at the buttons and waving it around. G, on the other hand, took it from her and proceeded to chase her around my rather small apartment with the vibrating, pink banana.

It was so much fun! I hadn't even tried it, and I loved it.

However, that's about where my enjoyment of it stopped. This truly is a novelty toy, made more for it's incredible uniqueness than it is for actual use. It comes with a bullet vibrator that inserts into the banana itself-- which is incredibly difficult to get out. For someone like me, who has nerve damage in their hands, I couldn't wrestle with it myself. I had to have my husband do it, which was a tad embarrassing-- "Puppy, would you mind getting this bullet vibrator for me? It's stuck in the banana.".

The banana itself didn't translate the vibration well. Maybe it's because the bullet is small, but it just didn't seem to buzz enough to get me to where I needed to be. As I say with most things, I do need a LOT of 'power' to reach climax, especially when it comes to vibrators. This buzzing, hot pink banana just... didn't make my ice cream into a sunday, if you know what I mean.

I definitely think that this is a good toy for something that's more of a novelty or a conversation starter. It's fun to look at, it's great to put on the kitchen counter to get a laugh, and it's really tons of fun-- just not in bed. Or in the kitchen. Or on the couch. Or whereEVER you want to try it! But like with all toys-- your mileage may vary. You might absolutely love the sensations from this. For those of you out there who can climax with little vibration-- or who like food play! -- this might be the right toy for you.

My rating for it as a toy is, honestly, a little low-- I'm giving it a 4 out of 10. But as a centerpiece? This little buddy gets a 9.

Cheers!

- Loki

The Nubby G

This month's review is for the small-but-mighty, Nubby G. If you like G-spot stimulation, this this little fellow is a GREAT find! You can rock him, allll night long, pressing his oval-ish ring against your clit or your perineum, alternating the pressure and vibration strength.

The pro's of the Nubby G are numerous, ranging from the ability to control vibration, to its waterproof design (which I love). It's got an interesting shape, and is honestly quite fun to look at! Here's a rundown of the pro's:

Vibration: The adjustable nature of this toy is the key. You can keep it super low, for a very 'deep' vibration, or you can adjust it up to sounding like a swarm of angry bees for something intense. For me, the high-end of the vibration wasn't enough, but I tend to like INCREDIBLY strong toys- you know the kind that make your teeth rattle before it's even touched you? But this was, admittedly, VERY nice for internal stimulation. Normally, there's only one thing that can get me off through penetrative stim', and it's... well. Organic. And attached to my husband. So, the sheer fact that this was enough to feel good, and get me close? That gives it major points in my book.

Design: The oval ring is a great idea! It lets you press it where you like the attention. Do you like clitoral stimulation? Then rock it 'up'. Do you prefer your lower areas to be touched and teased? Rock it 'down'. The ring itself is thick, and covered with small 'nubs', allowing for each one to direct vibration. The shaft itself is curved up to hit your G-spot-- and it's not too thick, or too thin. Though there is ONE con about the design, which I'll go into later.

Waterproofing: I love to play in the bath. Hell, I love water in general! So being able to close my eyes and drift off into a floating, happy, pleasure-filled place? That's a big perk, at least for me. In my testing, which I did both in a bath and in the shower, it held its seal really well. There wasn't any water leaking into the battery compartment (which I was worried about-- I've had that happen with toys before), or any weird behavior from it.

Now (and I regret to say), it DOES have its cons. There are some that are linked directly to my physicality, and some that are just.... over-all. The first being the ring. While it's a good thing when it's positioned just right, I have difficulty getting the shaft far enough in to let it touch both places AND have effective penetration. It seems that if I go deep enough to get it to the right spot for the back-and-forth rocking motion that the ring demands, that it hurts, or just isn't in a good place.

The second is the vibration while under water. Naturally, the water disperses the motion-- as opposed to letting it concentrate, as it would when there wasn't a mass around it. In the bath, the vibration was much less strong than in the shower. It wasn't enough to even come close to getting me off. That's not to say it wasn't enjoyable... but it just wasn't enough. In the shower, and on dry land, however-- it was optimum.

Overall? I liked this toy. The material felt nice, the design was pleasing, it was fun to use-- my husband walked in on me zooming it around in the tub and yelling "DIVE, DIVE! C'mon, boys, we're running on silent!". Alternatively, he also found me pretending to fence with it, while in the shower. It's got so many ways to enjoy it! I would recommend this to ever level of experience. It's not big enough to be scary, but it's not small enough to be inadequate. For people who have a lower threshold for vibration, this would be FANTASTIC. For those of us who need a more powerful vibe? It's still nice.

This toy gets 7 out of 10 stars!

Happy fapping!

- Loki

The Epic Trans-related Review Post! [Part 3!]

The last (but not least) part of the epic trans-friendly, super-special-awesome review set is right here, before your entrancing eyes. Yes, yes, I know. I'm awesome. I'm wonderful. I'm... getting to the review.



This is the Deluxe Packing Pouch from the illustrious Babeland.com. It's a wonderful asset to anyone who's packing. It's comfortable, easy to use and is pretty much compatible with anything you're wearing (as long as you're not going commando).

The first thing that comes to mind when I think about what to write for this is that the fabric it's made of is really, really soft. And silky. And smooth (like me~ badum-tsh!). I'm not sure what kind of fabric it's made of (I'm guessing a synthetic blend), but it's nice. It doesn't irritate the sensitive parts of a person's physique, and is flexible enough to mold to the body when it's doing its job.

I admit that the first time I used it, I fought with it for a good fifteen minutes to get the packer in. But that's what I get for not reading the instructions. If you follow the instructions that come with the pouch, you'll have little to no problem getting things set up properly. It holds the packer well, and I've never worried about it slipping out or anything like that.

As for the velcro, that's yet another perk to this awesome device-- you just press it against the band of your skivvies and like magic, it stays there! I've tested it throughly- jumping around, bouncing, rolling, doing martial arts and a slew of other things. It stays fantastically.

Honestly, the only downside I've found so far is that if you accidentally get the velcro caught on the fabric on the rest of the pouch, it pulls at it when you unstick it, and makes the fabric kinda... fuzzy? Like when your cat claws your couch, and those threads poof and stick out.

But with less cats and/or pain.

In case you were curious, this is what it looks like from the back:



All in all, it's well made. The spot where your packer pokes through is re-enforced and the entire thing is comfortable and inconspicuous. It gets two thumbs, and one packer way, WAY up.

- Loki

The Epic Trans-related Review Post! [Part 2!]

[EDIT] It came to my attention that I had mistaken this for the "Mr. Right" packer; I apologize for the error and have adjusted my review accordingly. Honestly, not much changed. This was just as awesome of a packer as the Mr. Right. I went and visited a friend this afternoon who owns one so that I could make sure my review was accurate- everything I'd said about it was true! There's really not much of a difference, in my opinion, between the two.

Here's part two of my epic, transgender-benefiting review set. In this one, we have the ever-popular 'Soft Pack'. From the texture to the way that it feels in your pants (and the way that it feels to people who might be interested in your pants. Or something.), it's simply great.



I got the 'vanilla' shade (I'm pretty sure that's what this one is), because lets face it... I'm a pale guy, at least in comparison to what the coloration for 'mocha' and 'chocolate' are. I might be a nice side-dish of Italian lovin', but... I'm just not dark enough to pull off the more pigmented shades. I blame my father for being French Canadian. The 'vanilla' doesn't perfectly match my skin tone, but I'm not really worried about how it will look outside my pants- as long as it's not something weird like lime green, or paisley (I shudder at the thought), it's not going to bother me TOO much.

[Edit] When it comes to the soft pack, which is what this review was actually about (sorry again), they only offer it in pink; the Mr. Right comes in vanilla, mocha and chocolate. Of which the mocha and chocolate are still too dark for my pasty self. As an extra note, the soft pack also comes in varying sizes, but unless you want to look like you're smugging an elephant in your pants (which I suppose some of you might, it really would have its benefits!), I would recommend sticking to the extra small or small versions..

The texture is also really great. It's soft to the touch and isn't too tacky. Though, being elastomer, it does tend to pick up things like lint and fuzz. With the packing pouch that I use with it, it tends to get a fine coating of black fuzz around the parts that are in contact with the inside of the pouch; which isn't all that annoying, since again, I don't see that part. It washes really well with a mild soap and water (which I recommend doing once a day for every day you wear it). Also, the tackiness can be helped with a bit of baby powder, or after-shower powder. Just sprinkle it on, make sure that it's evenly dusted onto all surfaces, and you'll be good to go.

Here's a comparison picture for what it looks like as opposed to the length of my hand (also, you get to see one of my tattoos, which in my opinion, is a win-win situation).


As you can tell, it's about the length of my hand. For me, being a small guy, this makes it look like I've got a bit of trouble controlling my... excitement. The downside of that, is that when you're hanging out with your lady friends (or your straight male friends or you're in math class or... anything, really), it can be a bit awkward. Jeans can help with this. Pants like slacks and other dress-pant type materials will show off your package a bit more-- it's all up to you, boys.

This packer also passes the squeeze-test really well. I tested this with several different people, and the feedback I got was all positive. Some of it was even incredulous. And one of two responses were even envious. It pleased me greatly.

All-in-all, this is a good buy and is well worth the $16-$22 you'll spend on it. It's durable, it's convincing and it'll make you feel more at ease. What more can you ask for? Though I do have this bit of (albeit strange) advice: if you decide not to wear it to bed, leave it in your nightstand in a fit of exhaustion and have a ferret... you might have to go penis-hunting in the morning.

Just sayin'.

-Loki

This review was made possible by the good folks at Babeland.

The Epic Trans-related Review Post!

Hi there, guys and dolls! I'm back with THREE new reviews, all focused on things that can benefit the FtM transgender community (or anyone who has a use for them, really!). As you, my lovely readers know, I'm a part of that community and like to do what I can to better the lives of everyone else who shares that identity with me.

So, with no further ado, I give you the reviews! The first one will be in this post, and the latter two in their own follow posts.





First, we have the esteemed STP (stand to pee) device known as the 'Go Girl'. Don't let the name put you off; it's only termed that way so that our friends who are comfortable with their downstairs apartment are more likely to buy it. It's a great tool, though it takes some practice to use.

It's design is well thought out, and the medical-grade silicone really makes me feel more comfortable putting it near my bits. It wipes down easily, boils (or can go in a dishwasher on the top rack, though I haven't tried that) for disinfection and can literally be crumpled up and shoved into your pocket.

The 'receiving' part (because I don't know what else to call it), where it fits to your body, is well made. I prefer this over the medical-spoon style STP's, simply because it significantly lowers the risk of bacteria transfer-- the kind that can lead to uncomfortable, dangerous urinary tract infections. Being someone with a lower-than-usual immune system, it's important to me to be able to be safe when dealing with anything that can lead to infection. Honestly, though, everyone should be safe in everything they do.

This is what the receiving part looks like:


As I said, it's easy to use. You just snug it up to your personal area with the side that says 'up', well... up. I've tried it both directions-- I would recommend experimenting to find which works the best for you. The goal, in the end, is to get everything in the toilet, and not on the floor (or your pants), so as long as that's accomplished, you've won your battle with the toilet. And your pants.

It also comes in a fetching array of colors-- by which I mean 'khaki' and 'pink'. The khaki is, in my opinion, more of an olive green-- it doesn't match my khaki pants at ALL. But then again, what do I know? I'm just a humble artist.

I would recommend this to EVERYONE that has parts that's got the anatomy (even if it's tragically not the right anatomy) to use it. Transgender, cisgender, whatever-gender you are, if you want to stand up and pee, then I'd say "Go, my child. Use it well. With great power, comes great responsibility. Have my blessing, and don't pee on your foot."

- Loki

This review was made possible by the good folks at Babeland. Go visit!

Door Jam Cuffs

Hey all! Sorry about the delay between reviews; life threw something very unexpected at my partner and I, and it took us quite some time to recover from it.

This review is for the Door Jam Cuffs- a great addition for anyone's bedroom. The straps slip over the top, side or bottom of any door, and when it's closed, they're held in place by a sold plastic bar. The cuffs themselves are very soft, and the Velcro closures hold incredibly well. They’re black—which goes with everything.

I was honestly impressed by the holding power that they had. I’ve had experience with Velcro closures before, and they’ve never held very well. However, these are unlike all other Velcro cuffs that I’ve had. They held well, they didn’t itch, and there was nothing scratchy on the inside of the cuffs at all. I was incredibly pleased.

There are many, many plus sides to this great invention- versatility, the ability to add some spice to bedroom life, and they're incredibly easy to use. The cuffs hold well, and stay closed even when significant resistance is applied. They were great fun to use, and were very comfortable.

However, there is ONE downside-- though it's one that's specific from person-to-person, and house-to-house. Depending on the height of your doorways, and your own height, this might not be the right toy for you. Personally, at 5'3, I had to stand on my tiptoes during a test run with them. For my partner, however, they were a great height!

I'd recommend them, as long as you follow this warning: don't leave your partner in them for more than ten or fifteen minutes at a time, keep careful watch on the blood flow in their hands and arms, and never EVER suspend them from their wrists in them. Wrist suspension with no additional support, and without knowing what you're doing can- and likely will- result in damage to the tendons, ligaments and muscles of the shoulders and arms.

Overall, they were spectacular. As long as you're careful, and remember to play safely, I think that you'll find them very enjoyable, and a great addition to your toy collection!

- Loki

Sweet Beauty Chocolate Body Cream

The Sweet Beauty Chocolate Body Cream is a decadent, wonderful-smelling, nicely moisturizing body cream. It's true what they say in the description over at Babeland- it'll make you smell good enough to eat.

However, don't try eating it. It's not for noms. My first reflex after opening the package was to taste it- and while it had a lovely aftertaste of chocolate, the first taste was rather bitter. This is clearly a lavish cream to make you smell great, and feel great.

Obviously, I absolutely loved it. Being in a unique situation right now, where smells are much stronger than normal, I find this a real treat. It smells like the best chocolate bar out there. It really does make me want to eat it. As my side business involves making bath products, I can say that this is well crafted, with a high absorption rate- that means that when you spread it on your skin, it soaks in and provides it with moisture and nourishment. It's made with organic fair trade Theo chocolate, and while I'm not the biggest fan of organic farming, some things ARE better when left au natural.

I recommend this for anyone who likes rich, chocolaty smells, a good lotion and wants to pamper themselves. It doesn't really have the other things that I normally rate on, but still, I give this a 10 out of 10!!

The first of this month's review is the Babeland Pocket Rocket. It's a nifty little toy, though I have to say that for the first time in my experience with them, Babeland didn't meet my expectations. This is, possibly, because I'm the type of person that required a LOT of vibration to reach climax; but I digress. First, we'll go over the pros of this little fellow-

Size: I like that it's so nice and discreet- it's a little shorter than the length of my hand, has a small diameter (it's intended for external use only) and is easy to slip into a pocket or small bag.

Appearance: It's friendly looking. With little massage 'nubs' on the business end, a fetching shade of blue and just being over-all non-threatening, this seems like a good toy for beginners, or for people who are looking for something very simple.

However, there were also the cons-- one of which is personal and will DEFINITELY vary with the user. It's by no means the end-all to this little toy.

Vibration: This toy doesn't have a lot of get-up-and-go. Maybe it's because it's so small, maybe it's because it was just designed to be a simpler toy. Either way, there wasn't enough 'oomf' to get me to climax. I tried for a good long while (and it was still very enjoyable!), but it just wasn't enough. There's no variation in the speed, either, which I always find as a nice touch in toys.

Casing: The problem that I had with its casing was with the open/on/off area. I'd turn it from 'on' to 'off', and wind up having it click over to 'open', and then have it come apart in my hand. This happened a few times, and was rather disappointing. I'm not sure if it was just the individual toy that I had, or if this is a flaw with the model, but be careful!

Visuals: 5 out of 10. It's made for function, not for being pretty to look at. But it's not flat-out ugly, either.
Sensation: 3 out of 10. Again, this is my personal preference. It may be different for you.
Recommendation: Beginner.

Blue Bird Bullet Vibe

I came home yesterday to an inconspicuous cardboard box sitting on the living room table- it wasn't marked as being from Babeland- but LO! It was. I opened it up excitedly, and within was a very colorful, appealing box.

So naturally... onto the review!

I tested the Blue Bird Bullet solo-- it was AMAZING. Initially, I was a bit put off by the texture of the toy- it felt slightly tacky. However, in the long run, it didn't really matter. It has a lot of detail- a design of feathers, detailing on the wings, and even little eyes!

I put in the two AA batteries that it required, and tested the variable speed control before I put it- the low setting is a pleasant buzz and the high setting is definitely for someone who's had a bit of experience with intense vibration. This vibrator is great for both beginners and the experienced, in my opinion!

After the initial inspection, I got down to business. I tested it first with the low setting- for me, that wasn't strong enough (as a note, I prefer higher vibration). It took a little bit of experimenting with where to hold it (as it's an external bullet vibe) to figure out where to put the "beak" and where to settle the "tail". Once things were settled, the feeling was intense. I flipped the setting to high, and even THAT was a bit much to start out with. The vibration is so concentrated, focused on the "beak", that it delivers it flawlessly.

Overall, the experience was great. It was easy to work up from the lowest vibration to the highest, it was aesthetically pleasing and it was very easy to figure out. Here's a quick breakdown (in case you just want a summary):

Visuals: 8 out of 10. It's not the prettiest thing ever, but it's still great looking.
Sensation: 10 out of 10. It can be not too intense-- or VERY intense!
Recommendation: Beginner, Intermediate, Expert.

I'd definitely tell someone looking for a great toy that this is a good choice.

Cheers,

Loki

Lube Shooters

Lube Shooters

This handy little device has been a part of my toy kit since I found them. I've spent years working with messy lube that's just gotten all over the place- the bed, the floor, my hair... everywhere except where I WANTED the lube to be.

On a trip to San Francisco, I stopped by Mr. S Leather, a wonderful bdsm/leather/kink (or however else you want to term it) store. Being in a lifestyle relationship, I thought it that it would be a wonderful idea to swing by there and see what they had to offer! Their store was wonderful. It was well laid out, the employees were all friendly and they had a few demonstrations going on- which may have been partly due to the Folsom Street Fair that was going on outside. But it was wonderful and informative, nevertheless.

After giving the store a general look-over, I asked one of the very nice employees about the lube shooters that I'd found. He explained them to me: you cover the tip (which has a small hole) with your finger, pour lube into it, insert the plunger and you're ready to go! One point that he put particular emphasis on was that you need to pour the lube into the shooter. This is especially important if you have multiple partners, as you can't boil them to sterilize them-- and without that kind of cleaning, you really can't get all the germs off. I recommend having a specific shooter for each partner that you have, or buying multiples and making them single-use items.

In testing, they worked AMAZINGLY. They handle silicone and water-based lubricants equally well, and are excellent in getting the lube in all those tight spots that you wouldn't have been able to get it otherwise. They're easy to use, easy to clean (I use a one part rubbing alcohol, one part water solution and run that through them), and make sex less messy-- which, while it's fun to be messy, it's never fun to try and get silicone lube out of your sheets.

All in all, I would recommend these for anyone who uses any kind of lubricant. They can be used to apply it to toys, to people, for anything. They get five out of five stars for being easy to use, easy to clean and so very helpful.

Cheers,

Loki

A note: Please, please think about getting a good stock of shooters if you have multiple partners, or in the very least, investing in a small brush to clean them out with. Brushes used to clean trumpet mouthpieces work very well (er... just don't use them on your trumpet after that.). Remember that rubbing alcohol, anti-bacterial soap and/or specialized toy cleaners are all your friends.

Also, I've never tried the Shaft Lube that's in the picture. I intend to in the near future, and will review it ASAP.

The Share

The Share
From the moment that it came out of the box, I've loved the Share. The silicone that it's made out of is spectacularly soft, and warms up to your body quickly. It's got a good weight to it, which startled me at first, but it's not overly weighted. It's rather realistically proportioned; the shaft isn't insanely huge around, nor is it ridiculously long; it's crafted with use, rather than show, in mind.

But that's not to say it isn't wonderful to look at! My partner (who is genetically male, as he likes to put it), said that it "Looks great, it's not big enough to scare me, but it's not small enough that I'm wondering if it'll get the job done.".

One of the problems that I ran into with the Share was the insertion of the 'bulb' end. I'm a small guy- 5'2, 125lbs, tiny all around. I have no qualms about vaginal insertion, so that's where I tried to make it work. It didn't want to go in right off the bat, but with lube (water based- fun fact: silicone lube will degrade silicone toys, making them unsafe!), a bit of warming-up and patience, I was able to get it sitting in there just right.

And I do mean just right. In use, the bulb and the curve of what I call the 'front piece', hit all the perfect spots. The bulb put pressure against my g-spot, and the curve nestled against the rest of the downstairs business. It was a little difficult to keep the Share in while using it (I need to work on my kegals!), but that was easily remedied by the use of a harness- I used one of the older ones that I had, and sadly, I've forgotten what toy I got it with.

All in all, I'd give the Share four out of five stars. It works well, feels good and there was very little trouble using it.

Cheers,

Loki

Welcome to Toys With a Twist!

Toys With a Twist (which, if you'd like, you can abbreviate to the wonderfully catchy 'twat'. Lets make that word AWESOME!). It's written and moderated by Loki, a young, married ftm-identified individual from Orange County- we're here to bring ou lots of great reviews of adult toys, from the ftm perspective.

We've found another great ftm blogger, who reviews toys as well-- we can't help but link to him (he was our inspiration, after all!): Give Toys for XX Boys a good looking at a soon as you can; there are some great things over there.

We hope that you'll find lots of new, fun things to play with here- as well as learn a bit about safer sex in the meantime. We hope to see you again soon!

Please visit Babeland! They're of our favorite- and one of the best- places to buy toys!