Tenga Flip Hole and 3-D Sculpted Ecstasy: Sex Toys for Men

By Joan Price | January 31, 2013 |

Tenga Flip Hole and 3-D Sculpted Ecstasy: Sex Toys for Men

Guest post by David Pittle, Ph.D.

 
Tenga, a Japanese company that makes sex toys for men, recently sent me the Flip Hole and 3-D Sculpted Ecstasy for review, two different types of male masturbation devices. I heartily recommend these to men for solo use, for couples who enjoy mutual or simultaneous masturbation, and for anyone who wants to pleasure a male partner.
Flip Hole

tenga flip holeWhile most of the male masturbation market has churned out artificial vaginas, Tenga’s Flip Hole is a real improvement.

The Flip Hole is designed to open up completely. This allows you to lay your penis down on one side, then close it up for use. Or you can close it with the clip and enter the hole.

tenga flip holeThe vacuum pump formed by the material is controlled by the buttons to create a squeezing pleasure. The wing gate has big ribs midway in to grip and hold you. The side ribs add side stimulation for maximum feel. The lip flat provides a good grip upon insertion, while the shield flap helps to keep lubricants inside.
The innovative opening makes for cleanliness not often possible with male masturbation devices. The entire unit flips open for easy cleaning. Then hang it on the clip for drying.
I received two of the four versions of the Flip Hole. Aside from the coloring of the case — Black, White, Silver and Red — the pattern of the soft elastomer material inside varies, giving each version a significantly different feeling. The two I tried both felt great. I understand that the Black Flip Hole has a firmer inner material for a more intense experience, but I didn’t have that one to test.
My one criticism is that the weight and bulk of the Flip Hole make it a bit awkward and tiring to use. I’m sure that the choice of the stimulating material must be the reason, as the shell can’t weigh much. Was it worth the effort? Absolutely. I just hope that Tenga will find a way to make it lighter without giving up the advantages of this fine masturbation device.
3-D Sculpted Ecstasy
Built with the same foam material as the Tenga Egg, which I previously reviewed, the Tenga 3-D Sculpted Ecstasy comes in five textures. The photo shows (left to right) the Pile, Module, Spiral,  Polygon, and Zen (an interesting undulating series of shallow spirals).

Each comes in a package with the texture side out and on a mounting stand. For use, we take it off the stand, a dowel that goes up the middle, and turn it inside-out. (Actually it comes inside-out, so we turn it “inside-in.” See the photo where the Module texture is partially turned.With the exception of the Zen, I found all the textures pleasant and virtually indistinguishable. The Zen had a softer and gentler effect—but the difference was not extreme. Of course, you might have a different preference.

The 3D Sculpted Ecstasy comes with a packet of lubricant for the first use. Squeeze the lubricant liberally around the hole and inside. And go to town.
Clean-up is easy. Just reverse the inside-out process and wash with your favorite soap and water or toy cleaner.
I really like this product. For personal use, I will return often to the Tenga 3D Sculpted Ecstasy. Between these two products, the Flip Hole and the Sculpted Ecstasy, competitors will have to struggle to keep up. These are far ahead of other  devices I have used.

David M. Pittle, Ph.D., is a therapist in San Rafael, CA, who has been helping people with sexual issues for over thirty years. Many of his clients are age 50-80, when good sex is important, and dissatisfaction may lead to loss of shared intimacy that can threaten the total relationship. David specializes in helping women who are not experiencing sexual satisfaction and men with non-medical and medically-related erectile dysfunction or other issues. Visit his website here.

 
(I am sad to tell you that my friend, sex therapist David Pittle died December 2017. We value his sex toy reviews. Read his other reviews here.)
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Crave Duet: a most unusual vibrator

By Joan Price | December 7, 2012 |
The Crave Duet completely surprised me! I had seen photos of this unusual clitoral vibrator and read reviews, so I thought I’d like it — but I had no idea I’d love it.I originally planned to include it in my holiday gift guide 2012, but after testing it, I knew the Crave Duet deserved a complete review.The two-prong shape is the most unique quality of this delightful little vibrator. The dual motor makes each prong vibrate independently, and when the prongs surround your clitoris, it’s a wild sensation indeed!

If you like strong, pinpoint pressure on your clitoris, you can pinch your clit with the prongs — they open and close a little bit (do not force it to open more than pinky-width) — if that’s what you like.

Or, to stimulate a larger area and not pinch anything, you can nest it horizontally between your labia so that the prongs surround your clitoris and hug much of the vulva. This worked for me! This would also work during partner penetration when your clit needs an extra assist.

The Duet is also unusual because it charges via your UBS port. Pull apart the silver part from the silicone, plug the USB in, press the center
button, and Duet recharges in an hour or two. No cords or batteries needed ever.You
can buy a version of the Duet that acts as a real flash drive, too, but why
bother? Do you really need to carry your work files in your vibrator?

Before I tried the Duet myself, I read some early reviews. Some reviewers said they wanted to love the Duet, but they didn’t because it either wasn’t strong enough or, because the prong tips were practically touching,  they pinched their clits uncomfortably in the normal position.

Crave listened to reviewers and customers and resolved these problems admirably in the second generation Duet. Now there’s an extra-strong “turbo” setting — which is strong enough even for me! The shape has been redesigned with a wider gap, so it hugs instead of pinches, unless you intentionally close the gap.  (Anyone who bought the first generation may receive a free replacement — now that’s customer service.)

One con: The controls at the end of the shiny part are impossible to distinguish unless you’re peering at them up close with your reading glasses on. The middle one is obvious: press for off, on, or to change patterns. But the “+” and “-” are easily confused, and you don’t want to turn it down when you intend to turn it up.

My suggestion: Start with it on the highest “+” setting you might want, and leave it there, adjusting sensation by pressure. Either that or memorize which side the “+” button is on before you get started.

I don’t usually discuss packaging in my sex toy reviews — it’s usually a “who cares?” aspect of a product. But the Crave packaging is laudable: instead of a big box with lots of plastic around the product, the Duet arrives in a tiny cardboard box, with a “quick start guide” printed right on the box.

A more detailed user’s guide is online, and the URL is engraved on a tiny charm. The charm idea is cute but silly, because you can’t attach the charm to the zipper pull of the case (I tried). So you’ll probably just lose it unless you wear it on a chain as statement jewelry or put it on a key ring.

The Crave Duet comes with a slim, discreet storage case that you can fit in a purse, pocket, or laptop carrier, making the Duet easy to carry with you should the need arise before you get home (nothing’s that urgent for me these days, but your urges may vary!) or in case you anticipate an interesting date. I’ll definitely carry the Duet on my next trip!

The business end of the Duet is silicone, so be sure to use water-based lubricant with it — not silicone lube. The whole thing is waterproof — just be careful that it’s all the way closed so the seam is sealed before taking it into the tub with you or washing it. It’s also very quiet!

I hope you’ll try the Crave Duet and let me know if you enjoy it as much as I do. Happy buzzing!

 

 

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LELO’s GIGI: slim, smooth, sensual

By Joan Price | November 14, 2012 |
This review was originally written in 2009. I updated it November
2012. GIGI has become a favorite sex buddy, one I reach for
regularly even though I have many dozen to choose from after reviewing
sex toys from a senior perspective for four years!  Sex-toy designers are catching on to the notion that sexual enhancement products (okay, vibrators) that work best for women’s anatomy might not be in the shape of a penis (or dolphin, rabbit, and so on) but rather a design that actually fits the way we’re shaped and makes contact with our hot spots most effectively. As we age, our bed buddy also needs to be pleasant to hold for an extended time without inflaming arthritic wrists or burning out before we do.

I’ve had the pleasure of testing the lovely GIGI “sensual pleasure object” from LELO. The rechargeable GIGI specializes in G-spot stimulation, and indeed the flared shape at the tip easily locates, stimulates, and hugs my G-spot. Great design!

It’s also dandy for clitoral stimulation. If you like both, just alternate placement, or use a clitoral vibrator while the GIGI is vaginally inserted — which is what I do. The curved shape makes it easy to keep GIGI inserted and out of the way when you’re using another vibrator on your clitoris.

I love the shape and size — not girthy (so helpful for post-menopausal vaginas), shaped for easy insertion, flared for the best sensation. The velvety silicone surface “tugs” a little when you move it in and out, a most pleasurable sensation.

Choose from five intensities/modes, or vary as your arousal
increases. I would have liked just one more, extremely intense setting,
but for the size, it’s amazing.

It’s also quiet, in case the grandkids are in the next room. The part that
does its magic is available in rose (pictured, though it’s not as
shocking a color as my point-and-shoot camera thinks), turquoise, or
“petal pink” to match the decor or your lingerie, or make it easy to find in the toy box. A lovely product!

Use a water-based lubricant. Don’t use a silicone-based lubricant with silicone toys — it can degrade the toy and make it tacky.

As you’ll see from other recent sex-toy reviews, we now have a swell selection to choose from or alternate, if you like variety. Thank you, designers, and enjoy, dear readers!

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Vacuum Erection Devices

By Joan Price | October 30, 2012 |
Guest post by David Pittle, PhD
For a man with erectile dysfunction, there are many options. Most ED in men below the age of 45 or so is psychologically based. The drug companies would like to sell these men Viagra, Cialis or Levitra, but the real solution is psychological counseling and/or sex therapy. 
But as men age, physical reasons cause more ED. Drugs for blood pressure, or type II diabetes, psychotropic medications like Zoloft, Prozac, Sertraline all carry the risk of reduced libido and also affect erections. So what are men in this situation to do? One great option is the vacuum device. 
Vacuum erection devices are designed to lengthen and strengthen the penis so that blood will flow into it. The best vacuum devices can create an erection hard enough for penetration for many men whose erections are no longer automatic. You can enjoy them as part of couple foreplay to heighten your mutual pleasure. 
I tested two vacuum devices: the Rapport Classic and the Encore Revive. 

 

The Rapport Classic is a 2-½ inch clear plastic tube of good quality. The whole length is just over 8 inches. At one end is a manual pump to take the air out of the tube. At the other end is a part that fits snugly to the tube and for insertion of the penis. Surround the penis with a large amount of gel lubricant
for a good vacuum seal.  (Both the Revive and the Rapport come with a tube of surgical gel lubricant, which works very well.)
Before inserting your penis, you use a supplied cone to load a cock ring onto the Rapport. Then insert your penis and use the manual pump to exhaust the air. This draws your penis up into the tube. At the same time, the extension of the penis creates an internal vacuum that forces blood into the penis, making it firm enough for vaginal penetration. 
When the penis is long and stiff enough—and before it begins to be painful and even damaging—you push the cock ring off the tube and down to the base of the penis. The cock ring is now holds the blood in the penis, keeping it hard. Press a button on the pump to release the vacuum, and take away the device. You are left with a good erection. 
This is all much more difficult to describe in words than it is to accomplish. The Rapport comes with a DVD video that makes the whole thing clear, obvious, and simple. The Rapport was provided to me by Uand Me Time. 
The Encore Revive is similar to the Rapport and works much the same way, with two main differences: The Encore Revive comes with both a manual pump which you us e either one-handed like the Rapport or two-handed for more leverage, and with a battery powered pump. It also has a cock ring release that makes the final step almost automatic and releases the vacuum pressure at the same time. It also has a release valve if you decide not to complete the process.
Both the Rapport and the Revive are available online at a a wide variety of prices. (Links here to Amazon seem to have the best prices.) Both come with a large assortment of cock rings in sizes from very tiny to very large. A little experimentation will find your best size.
After trying both the Rapport and the Revive, my vote goes to the Encore Revive. But that is a very personal preference. I like the battery powered pump. Using the manual pump required more mental attention and I could not focus as much on the sensations in my genitals because of the manual effort to achieve a high level of vacuum. But, as they say, “That’s just me.” Another person may have a different reaction. Either one of these devices could really improve the sex life of a man who has tried simpler solutions and not been satisfied.
I’ve talked about these vacuum devices as though they are only to be used to lead to intercourse, but actually they also work very well for masturbation. The erections are strong and allow for a lot of pleasure. Both of these are very different from the “fireplug” type of vacuum gadgets often sold in sex toy stores. The quality of construction and performance of these two devices is much better than the fireplugs, and not much more expensive. These items are, as the manufacturers like to remind us, “Medical Grade.” That means they are well constructed and will last much longer. Also don’t be afraid of the word “medical.” You don’t need a prescription to buy one.
There are several other brands of similar devices which I haven’t yet tested. The advertisements suggest that they all work essentially the same way but the pricing on the others was also quite a bit higher. None of these other manufacturers responded to my inquiries.
Vacuum erection devices are not the same as men’s sex toys that stimulate the penis by emulating the feel of a vagina, such as the Fleshlight or the Tenga Egg (which I reviewed here).
DavidM. Pittle, Ph.D., is a therapist in San Rafael, CA, who has been helping people with sexual issues for over thirty years. Many of his clients are age 50-80, when good sex is important, and dissatisfaction may lead to loss of shared intimacy that can threaten the total relationship. David specializes in helping women who are not experiencing sexual satisfaction and men with non-medical and medically-related erectile dysfunction or other issues. Visit his website here. Please see Dr. Pittle’s review of the Hitachi Magic Wand and the Tenga Egg.

(Note from Joan: I am sad to tell you that my friend, sex therapist David Pittle died December 2017. We value his sex toy reviews. Read his other reviews here.)
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