Review: RO-120mm Bullet Vibe

This review has been a long time coming. After receiving the toy in July, misplacing it in August, needing a battery recharge that fell to the back-burner in September, failing at photographing it beyond reasonable measure (so shiny!/when is my studio arriving?) I finally spent enough quality time testing, so here goes!

Babeland's RO-120mm Bullet Vibe gets four stars. With a smooth feel, metallic look and extended shaft (5"), the RO-120mm doubles as a dildo. While I prefer the traditional medium or high vibration settings, some might be intrigued as well as satisfied by one of its two vibration patterns: low to high or pulsating. Though I initially want to knock the toy for shortness of battery life (first dead after 10 uses), its life source is easily replenished with just two AAA batteries.

Easily the best feature of the RO-120mm is how quiet bullet remains--no matter what setting! Even when on high, the buzz stays at the whirr of a table fan and becomes undetectable hidden under your bedcovers.

The only truely troublesome feature of the RO-120mm that I've encountered is its on/off toggle. Instead of just pushing the top button until the vibe returns to an off setting, one must twist the top to misalign two small hash marks. I found this slightly annoying in the heat of action, but most alarming when relating with the longevity of the toy. On several occasions, I found matching up the etching ("power on") a failed activity, which worried me that the product might have broken! Even more, sometimes moving the top cap to power on makes disconcerting cracking noises, again contributing to a possible short lifespan for one RO-120mm.

E-Stim 101: the Gateway

When I first heard the term "electrostimulation," I instantly thought of Death #504 "Wel-dead" from Spike TV's 1,000 Ways To Die. In this particular episode, an adrenaline junkie/metal worker continually asks his girlfriend to administer intense electrical pulses via his welder to his person to experience a delicious rush. Of course, he needs more shock than his girlfriend will give, and ends up causing his own cardiac arrest through his ear piercings.

But of course, erotic eletrostimulation [e-stim] in the safe context of a mutual BDSM relationship rarely ends in such a tragic demise. The practice, igniting sexual encounters since (purportedly!) the 1740s, involves stimulation of genital and/or erogenous zones through electrical currents produced by TENS, EMS, Violet Wands, or other control pad devices that administer power through bodily nerves.

While some call it simply an expensive hobby--with beginner kits starting at about $300--many swear by the adrenaline rush ignited by using electricity in the bedroom and the deep throbbing waves that coarse through one's genitals. Through pads, tubes and other attachments that connect to one's body (only below the waist!), electrical currents stimulate nerves usually only slightly aroused during intercourse. When used properly, this results in high levels of pleasure, increased ejaculation (male and female), and heightened orgasm. Often compared to one's first encounter with a vibrator, e-stim brings a unique and incredibly pleasurable sensation to one's privates. And, though orgasm is not a given, many who venture into the world of e-stim find it more difficult to go back to vanilla, uncharged sex.

As implied by Savage Love's "Shocking Developments," e-stim can be considered a gateway to the world of S&M. E-stim seems less extreme from a physical standpoint than practices such as cutting, flagellation or needle torture; in addition, e-stim can be used for exclusively for pleasure--it need not include pain. For the inexperienced looking for something new, this might be the ticket! Just be sure to bulk up on all the safety procedures and different types of electrical currents/boxes available for use. My limited understanding of electrical wiring keeps me from going there, but if you decide to try e-stim, such reading should be required.

For more information, check out SexTek

Review: Kinklab Neoprene Cuffs

My first experience with handcuffs in brief: painful scraping, paranoia over keys and their whereabouts, the inky smell of metal. Mind you, these cuffs were real police cuffs. Steel, double-locking, and hinged, they demanded a tennis-arm bend of the wrist to insert the key, and one more expert move to release the cuffs from an arm. Kinky, right? Closer to stressful.

But Babeland's Kinklab Neoprene Cuffs take the stress away, and leave the kink where it should be. The cuffs themselves are lined in neoprene, a synthetic rubber used in everything from wet suits to hydroponic gardening systems. Soft and pliable, the neoprene feels good against the skin, and quite comfortable as a cuff, almost like a woven bangle. For their outer shell, the cuffs boast a "wraparound velcro design," an easy way to keep the cuffs both structured when idle and functional to take on and off. Finally, the neoprene-velcro discs are held together by (nickel-free!) keychain hardware. This allows for the cuffs to be easily removed by another person, but difficult-to-impossible to remove by oneself during play. In short, the Kinklab product is ideal: no keys, no worries, no discomfort. Just cuffs.

The one drawback to this product is that the keychain hardware does appear a bit garish to the un-kinked eye. For a newcomer to this basic and mild form of bondage, seeing such a metal component may distract from their fun attributes and call attention to the act at hand. They are a step beyond the scarf, the ribbon, the more organic household item. But if you're ready for that, the
Kinklab Neoprene Cuffs are just what you need.

Review: Solar Bullet

Ecosexy. Here we find a term most easily realized by organic cotton lingerie,
all natural lube, or 365 whipped cream from Whole Foods. The $34 Solar Bullet, however, takes erotic eco to a new level. A bullet vibrator--powered by a solar panel. Energy efficient and (at times abrasively) intense, the Solar Bullet is a good idea with an unfortunate less-than-sexy execution. With a small black plastic egg attached via cord to a 3 1/4" x 2" solar panel, the Bullet gets in the middle of partner sex more than a 2" vibe should.

In addition, the Bullet takes a full eight hours of sunlight to translate one hour of use. After using a few times without leaving it out in the sun to "charge," the Bullet gave out mid-use. I suppose this issue could easily be avoided if one left the panel on the windowsill during the day, but for someone forgetful, busy or without a place to leave it, keeping this vibe powered may be too much of an ordeal.


Finally, the Bullet is a noisy little buckshot. Though it looks almost like an mp3 device or other electronic, its sound can be heard easily through quilts, comforters and the like. Between moans, buzzing, and voices perhaps emanating from your computer, masturbation suddenly becomes a bit of a concert, which for many, can distract from enjoyment. As a whole, the Bullet fails as a discrete toy. Keep this in mind before purchasing.

In (Drug)Stores Now: Vibrators

Though covered by every news source from the New York Times to KCRA Sacremento, the arrival of vibrators to the Family Planning aisle of various drugstores still finds me ecstatic. Thus—here I return, Blogland (and Babeland), to chronicle this important change happening amongst what feels like a war on reproductive policy.

A girl's first vibrator is like her first cell phone: socially liberating, battery-powered, and, of course, a bit private. To many young women unsure of how to masturbate—let's face it, our anatomy is a little confusing!--that vibrator opens up doors to a sexuality previously unknown. As female masturbation instruction pioneer Betty Dodson says while recounting her first vibrator experience in the '60s, “It used to take me 20-30 minutes to come...[but with the vibrator] it is like 'woah,' and of course, I have an orgasm, and another one and another one... Women say, 'oh well I could never use one of those i'd get addicted!' Yeah, do it get addicted. Its not fattening, it isnt illegal, it doesn’t cost much, and after you buy it its good for as long as the motor—well, these things last much longer than a relationship.”
In other words, a vibrator makes clitoral pleasure easy; for me and many other women, vibrators taught us how to orgasm and how to be comfortable orgasming in front of a partner.

But what to do when you are under eighteen, can't risk an internet order on mommy's credit card or even stoop, or are fearful to walk in the only sex shop downtown that's covered in fluorescent lights flashing “LIVE NUDES”? A vibrator box manhandled by post-glory-hole truck drivers just doesn't seem to sit well on a nightstand next to Their Eyes Were Watching God...

Enter Rite-Aid; Walgreens; CVS; even our local Duane Reade. Trusted contraception companies such as Trojan, Durex, and Lifestyles are now placing $20-$40 vibrators models on drugstore shelves, under product names like the “Allure,” “A:muse,” and “Tri-Phoria.” The development, endorsed by both doctors and influential entrepreneurs in the sex industry such as Babeland's own Rachel Venning, brings liberation as well as fear to everyday shoppers. Though spokeswoman Vivika Vergara refers to the products as “tasteful, responsible merchandising,” in a “comfortable setting,” sources like Newsweek dub drugstore-priced personal sex devices the “Red Light Special.” All in all, however, controversy surrounding this development has oddly been at a minimum. I guess even the men pouring their pockets into anti-Planned Parenthood bills respect the toys that keep their wives happy after a long day at work. Who could blame 'em? Marketed by Trojan (below) for masturbation as well as fun with a partner, Betty Dodson's words ring true: “yeah, do get addicted.”

Review: Jimmyjane Iconic Ring

Product Review:
Jimmyjane Iconic Ring

Although the cock ring originated (purportedly) in 1200 AD constructed of goat's eyelids, it's iconic 2011 status is finally of elastomer--soft, hypoallergenic, phthalate-free. The cock ring has further evolved from a simple ring of fabric to be set on the base of a penis to a miniature pliable vibrating machine. Simple in purpose but complex in design, cock rings like the Jimmyjane Iconic Ring combine clitoral stimulation with sexual intercourse without intrusion. These kiddos are the best couples toy I'd recommend for light experimentation. They are safe, easy to clean and enhance a sexual experience without breaking the comforting intimacy of vanilla sex. Hey, we all like vanilla at the end of the day, right? Maybe with some chocolate chip cookies, though..

The Product Review:
Jimmyjane Iconic Ring is especially fantastic not only because of its malleable material but touch-sensitive vibration mode that responds easily with vibrations as it contacts the body. Another option lets you leave the vibrations on continuously.
I've had this ring for about six months now and its battery is still working great. This cock ring cannot be compared with the average cock ring that lasts for one use; as a hetero-couple toy, the Jimmyjane ring is the ultimate.

However, as a toy to maintain an erection or stimulate the perineum, this cock ring is not rigid enough nor built for that kind of play. This should also not be used for medical purposes (ED).

Keeping Up with the Kardashians: How NOT to Buy Lube

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