Author: Kate Sloan

“Making Magic” is Nominated for an Award!!! (& You Can Help!)

Kate Sloan

For the year that I spent working on my podcast miniseries about the Magic Wand vibrator, Making Magic, I assumed that it would be meaningful to a small but passionate audience. I certainly never dreamed it would be nominated for awards.

And yet, that is exactly what has happened!! Can you believe?!

Making Magic is nominated for two different Signal Awards. It’s a top-3 finalist in the Limited Series – Health & Wellness category, and it’s also one of the nominees for the Signal People’s Choice award in the same category.

Here’s where you come in: it would mean a lot to me if you could click here and vote for Making Magic, which should take you 15 seconds or less.

Ever since being banned from Instagram and Facebook a couple months ago due to their sex-negative policies, it’s been harder than ever for me to promote my work and earn a living. So I’d really appreciate any help you can give in getting the word out to your networks, online and off, both about the podcast itself and about voting for it.

I want as many people to hear this show as possible, not just because I poured my whole soul into it for a year of my life, but because it conveys a message that our world sorely needs right now – about sexual freedom, equality, and the importance of pleasure. So I’d appreciate it to the depths of my soul if you could throw a vote my way, to help more people hear about this series!

Thanks, as ever, to the dream team who partnered with me on Making Magic, without whom this achievement would have been impossible: my editor extraordinaire, Jamie Pityinger; the folks at Vibratex, who believed in and funded this strange passion project of mine; and Addison Finch, who did the stunning album art. I am so lucky that I got to make this show, especially with such awesome people in my corner. 💖

Thanks, and keep on making magic! 🪄

Behind the Seams: Babely in Berlin

Kate Sloan

September 15th, 2024

What does one even wear for an international journey lasting 12+ hours?! I’m an overanalytical femme, so I thought about this question for way too long while gearing up for my recent trip to Berlin. Is it gauche to wear what basically amounts to pajamas in a public place like an airport or airplane? And if so, do I even care?

In this case, I decided that comfort mattered more than respectability. Travel makes my fibro symptoms flare up like nothing else – plus, I had just received these delightfully soft lounge pants in the mail, so why not wear ’em, decorum be damned?!

I was a very very lucky girl and had a business-class ticket for the longest leg of the trip (first time I’ve ever flown not-economy, wheee!), so my seat could recline fully flat when I wanted to sleep. With the hood of my cashmere hoodie pulled up over my head, my trusty Nidra Deep Rest mask over my eyes, and the airline-provided blanket and pillow swaddling me, I got a better night’s sleep than I ever dreamed possible on a plane. I have probably been ruined for all future flights… 😅

What I’m wearing:

• Black cashmere hoodie – a gift from my spouse’s parents
• Pink T-shirt with a dominatrix on it – the gift shop at the Leather Archive in Chicago
• Black/pink/blue heart-print lounge pants – MeUndies (I think you get 40% off if you buy through that link, btw!)
• Black leather Frye harness boots
• Yellow leather Kate Spade Perry satchel
• Apple Watch with navy leather Hermès band – both gifts from my spouse

September 17th, 2024 (day)

This was my first day attending the work event that I’d been flown to Berlin for, and I was really nervous to meet all these new people in a totally unfamiliar environment. Big “first day of school” vibes!! Accordingly, I intentionally chose an outfit that made me feel more confident, powerful, and outgoing – and it actually kinda worked! I made some cool new friends and felt more like myself than I normally do in anxiety-provoking situations. (The years of therapy probably helped, too…)

As with my recent trip to Portland, I’d decided to theme my entire Berlin wardrobe around a unified color scheme; this time, it was green, turquoisey-blue, and yellow. In these photos, you can see that I’m holding a yellow reporter’s notebook by Leuchtturm1917, a German brand, which I bought specifically for note-taking on this trip (nerd!), along with a limited-edition teal and yellow Lamy Safari pen. God, I love pretty-looking writing tools.

In the afternoon, we got to go on a walking tour of the history of sex in Berlin. Our tour guide, Jeff Mannes, is a wildly knowledgeable sex educator and social scientist; would highly recommend taking their tour if you’re ever in town! We learned so much, especially since Germany is largely considered the birthplace of sexology and has fascinating histories with regards to queerness and sex work.

What I’m wearing:

• Teal T-shirt – Torrid (it’s gonna become abundantly clear that I placed a big Torrid order right before this trip, haha!)
• Black/blue/green plaid leggings – Torrid (I love the way these look, and how comfy they are, but they ripped after a single wear, unfortunately)
• Black leather Frye harness boots
• Black leather jacket (on my arm) – Danier Leather
• Yellow leather Kate Spade Perry satchel
• Prescription sunglasses – Zenni
• Sex toy earrings – PleasurePunk (one of them is a Womanizer-style toy and the other is a rabbit vibe!)
• Apple Watch
• Name tag!
• …and a special shout-out to Paul Taylor for the fresh haircut

September 17th, 2024 (night)

I headed back to my hotel room to change, and caught up with my beautiful spouse mb, who was able to come spend the week in Berlin with me (yay!!). We got changed and went out for dinner with a big group at Knödelwirtschaft NORD, a place that specializes in traditional German dumplings called Knödel. They were delicious – pillowy, savory, comforting – and it was fun to share them with new pals while talking shop and gossiping about our lives.

Please observe, if you would, my new phone case (visible on the right side of the photo)! It’s by Bailey Hikawa and I am obsessed with it (thanks to May-Li Khoe for the recommendation!). I sometimes have issues with hand pain/weakness due to fibro, and have been known to get the dreaded “smartphone pinkie,” so I was intrigued by this phone case and how it helps you distribute the phone’s weight across multiple fingers more easily. It also functions as a stand, allowing the phone to be propped up at various different angles – perfect for watching videos in bed, setting the phone upright to face me while I’m working at my desk, etc. It’s also nearly the exact same shade of raspberry pink as the first gaming device I ever owned, a Game Boy Color my parents bought me when I was ~8, so this phone case feels sweetly nostalgic to me even though it’s new. (You can see mb’s new case from the same maker in these pictures as well – hers is the Nami and has a more flowy/rounded design.)

What I’m wearing:

• Red floral-print dress – H&M like 7 years ago
• White socks with rainbow hearts – gift from my mom I think?
• Black leather Chuck Taylor high-top sneakers
• Black leather satchel with rainbow panel – from the Zatchels Pride collection (this bag is really too small for my purposes, but damn is it ever cute!!)
• Rainbow earrings – 3Delightfulshop on Etsy
• Apple Watch

September 18th, 2024 (day)

Primary colors ahoy! Day 2 of the work event had me feeling slightly less nervous, and yet, more nauseous… My fibro was flaring up harrrrd from travel stress, and I didn’t have access to my usual medicine over there (if ya know, ya know), so I was raw-dogging all the full-body pain and malaise. I tried to pick an outfit that would make me feel better mentally, without making me feel worse physically – hence the bralessness (bras of any kind are a total no-go for me during flare-ups) and the bright colors to lift my mood! Clearly they hadn’t kicked in yet when I took these dour-faced pictures, however…

I wore this to take notes on some informative presentations, and then to a Shibari workshop taught by KOR Berlin. It was a lovely, meditative experience, complete with a gorgeous live demo. I love kinksters so much.

What I’m wearing:

• Red tri-blend T-shirt with Lickability logo – gift from my spouse (it’s merch for their company!)
• Blue pleated tennis skirt with built-in shorts underneath (!!) – Zhanchtong
• Black leather Frye harness boots
• Yellow leather Kate Spade satchel
• Hitachi Magic Wand earrings – FUELifestyle on Etsy

September 18th, 2024 (night)

I changed into something more formal for the evening, because we were going to Tim Raue, which is ranked the 30th-best restaurant in the world and has 2 Michelin stars, so obviously I had to bring my A-game. (Uhh, have I mentioned that my spouse is a foodie?)

First, a group of us went to a local brewery called BRLO, where an experienced brewer taught us how beer is made. I had a glass of their Berliner Weisse and, damn – I’m not normally much of a beer gal, but that was one delicious sour!

And then was our fancy-ass dinner at Tim Raue. OMG. The menu incorporated a mix of Thai, Chinese, and Japanese flavors/ingredients/techniques, and was wildly good, a cavalcade of savory deliciousness. “A triumph,” as Starrina would say!

What I’m wearing:

• Green velvet dress – H&M
• Black leggings – Gap
• Black leather Frye harness boots
• Black leather satchel with rainbow panel – Zatchels
• Rainbow earrings – 3Delightfulshop
• Apple Watch

September 19th, 2024 (day)

One of the places I really wanted to visit in Berlin was the Jewish Museum. My dad’s side of the family is Jewish, so I consider myself culturally Jewish if not religiously (I never had a bat mitzvah or anything), and I appreciate opportunities to feel more linked to that lineage. Knowing it would be an emotional experience, I skipped makeup entirely (it would just get cried off!), and I wore a scarf that my late Bubbie knitted for me. It was almost like having her there with me, holding my hand as I walked down hallowed halls of our ancestors’ histories.

Amazingly enough, there happened to be a sex exhibit on, which was all about Jewish views on sexuality, from queerness to gender-fuckery to menstrual sex to abortions. It was an extremely moving exhibit that left me with a lot to think about. The museum’s permanent collection is more focused on general Jewish history, including (of course) a lot of stuff about the Holocaust. The photos above were taken in the Garden of Exile, a work of architectural art unto itself, in which the ground is slanted, creating a sense of scary unsteadiness as you stumble between columns. It’s meant to evoke the feeling of uncertainty and disorientation that European Jews faced when they were driven from their homes during World War II.

Speaking of people being unjustly driven from their homes: I don’t know the museum’s official stance on Zionism, if it has one (there was a strange “Are you a Zionist?” flow-chart on one wall, which seemed to evade the question altogether of whether one should be a Zionist or not), so there were definitely times when it felt weird to read all these accounts of how the Nazis persecuted Jews, given how the Israeli government and military are now persecuting Palestinians to similar effect. If we’ve vowed to “never again” let anything like the Holocaust happen, then we must oppose genocide, in every instance – and seek to help those being targeted – even when we happen to share a religious or cultural background with the perpetrators. I wish (to say the least) that more of my fellow Jews understood this.

What I’m wearing:

• Yellow T-shirt – Torrid
• Black skirt – ASOS
• Black leather Frye harness boots
• Green scarf – hand-knit by my late Bubbie
• Black leather satchel with rainbow panel – Zatchels
• Apple Watch

September 19th, 2024 (night)

What’s the best way to cheer yourself up after a day spent moping around the Jewish Museum? DESSERT FOR DINNER!!

…Okay, not exactly. On this night we went to Coda, a dessert-themed restaurant that has 2 Michelin stars and is currently ranked the 62nd best restaurant in the world. (Uhh, sorry for the many foodie brags in this post; I just think it’s amazing that my beloved takes me to so many ridiculously wonderful places, and I gotta yell about it sometimes!)

While they serve a full menu, including savory dinner options, Coda uses techniques and ingredients from the dessert world in all their dishes. Some of my favorites included a brioche donut stuffed with gouda and rutabaga, and a raclette-filled waffle dipped in kimchi powder and yogurt – but the real showstopper was an ice cream popsicle covered in caviar. I mean… what?! As a slut for all things salty-sweet, I was in heaven.

What I’m wearing:

• Navy skater dress – American Apparel
• Black cashmere cardigan – Gap
• Black leather satchel with rainbow panel – Zatchels
• Black leather Frye harness boots

September 20th, 2024

Living with fibromyalgia this past decade or so, I’ve come to value comfortable clothing more highly than ever before. So I was happy to find this dress at Torrid – it’s made of a super comfy cotton-spandex blend, has a 1950s-ish fit-and-flare silhouette without painfully constricting my midsection, and it even has pockets! I ended up wearing this same dress on my 8-hour return flight to Toronto a few days later, in fact, because it made me feel more presentable than the pajamas-esque flight outfit at the top of this post, but was every bit as comfortable.

I rocked this dress for many hours on this day as well. After a brief stop at the beautifully airy Concierge Coffee, we made our way over to the Schwules Museum – a.k.a. the Gay Museum. Yes, it’s a museum about gayness. Of COURSE we had to go!! Its current main exhibition is about sex work, and I loved it. We had already learned a bit about the history of sex work in Germany on our walking tour earlier in the week, but this exhibit was more focused on the present-day sex workers of Berlin, their struggles, and their joys. It was lovely to see.

After that, we set out to walk to Other Nature, a queer/feminist sex shop. Along the way, we happened to pass by the BRLO brewery again, and mb hadn’t been able to come with me on my previous visit there, so we stopped at their beer garden to have a drink in the sunshine – absolutely perfect. We also used their photobooth machine while we were there, because of course we did.

Then, at Other Nature, I was able to buy a German copy of my own book, 101 Kinky Things Even You Can Do (a.k.a. Kinky Things, Prickelnde Spiele für 101 Nacht), which was surprisingly emotional for me! I knew that my publisher had printed the book in German, but had never really had a reason to own a German copy, but of course I wanted to buy one while I was in Germany – and it was cool to get it from the exact kind of shop that I most enjoy seeing my work carried at. 🥰 In the evening, we went to Rutz, the only restaurant in Berlin that has 3 Michelin stars, for a dinner that was – as you might imagine – transcendent.

What I’m wearing:

• Green A-line dress – Torrid
• Yellow leather Kate Spade satchel
• Black leather Frye harness boots
• Apple Watch

September 21st, 2024

By our last full day in Berlin, I was feeling pretty worn down by all my fibro symptoms, and just wanted to dress for comfort… hence this braless-tee-tucked-into-jeans ensemble. After a great breakfast at Frühstück 3000 (I’m still thinking about their potato terrine), we went shopping for fetishwear at a store called Schwarzer Reiter, which translates directly to “Black Rider.” It very much reminded me of stateside fetish shops I’ve loved, like the Leather Man in New York and Northbound Leather in Toronto.

After that, we went to a museum called the Topography of Terror for their audiovisual guided tour, which told the story of Hitler’s rise to power, the horrors of the Holocaust, and its grim aftermath. Sounds bleak – and it was – but it was also thoughtfully curated and sensitively presented, and felt cleansing and cathartic for me to attend. And of course, I had my love there, holding my hand, during all the hardest parts.

What I’m wearing:

• Bright yellow Beatles T-shirt – Torrid
• Black high-waisted jeans – Madewell (a gift from mb a few years ago)
• Black leather Frye harness boots
• Yellow leather Kate Spade satchel
• Black leather jacket – Danier Leather (featuring several enamel pins, including one with the German and Canadian flags intertwined, because someone back home had told me that Germans might treat me less warmly if they mistook me for an American, lol!)

 

Have you ever been to Berlin? What places/activities would you recommend there? And what did you WEAR?!

Review: Romulus Shop Olympia 10-Speed Wand

Kate Sloan

Oh god. I’m the wand girl now, aren’t I.

This was a fear I professed to my spouse while I was working on my miniseries about the Magic Wand, Making Magic. Some actors worry about getting typecast after a well-reviewed turn as a nerd or a cad; similarly, I was worried about becoming known forever as that gal who loves wand vibes.

But now, having reflected on it more, I kinda think: it’s fine. There are worse legacies I could have.

And I’m not just saying that because the wand girl gets sent a lot of wands, I swear.

 

What is the Romulus Shop Olympia 10-Speed Wand?

Like many sex toy stores I love, Romulus Shop carries a mix of classic, well-known shapes, and wild, out-there designs. Ever wanted to have your G-spot tapped while your clit is getting sucked? They’ve got a toy for that. How about a hairjob from Medusa? They’ve got a toy for that. Glass anal beads? Yep, they’ve got those, too. (I haven’t tried them and can’t personally attest to whether they’re good, but… whoa. Glass anal beads?!?)

However, in this case, I’m reviewing a tamer product: a humble wand. You know ’em, you love ’em; they’re the original muscle-massager-turned-orgasm-implement, and they tend to offer some of the strongest vibrations around. The Olympia is the most classic wand that Romulus Shop carries.

Bendy neck

Things I like about the Olympia Wand

  • To me, the most impressive thing about this wand – especially for its low price point – is that each of its 10 vibration modes has 5 different intensity settings. Usually, on cheap vibrators, you’re lucky if you get 3 different steady vibration intensities plus a handful of patterns – but this wand gives you a steady vibration mode + 9 pattern modes, all of which have 5 different intensity levels to choose from. This gives each pattern way more versatility and makes it likelier for me to actually use patterns, because (for example) I can start with a low, rumbling pulse and work my way up to a high-powered pulse, without needing to interrupt the flow by cycling through other patterns.
  • The lowest intensity has a nice vibration quality; I’d say it’s buzzy but leaning rumbly, and I find that it works well for building arousal. However, as I’ll describe later, I’m less thrilled with the buzziness of the higher intensities. But in terms of sheer power (i.e. vibration strength, rather than vibration quality/pitch), I’d say this one is pretty middle-of-the-road for a wand – decently strong but not wildly so.
  • The wand’s neck is very bendable in all directions, and the vibrations don’t weaken or cut out when the neck gets bent in this way, in my experience (although I’m sure, as with all wands, there is an amount of pressure that would eventually break it).
  • It’s pretty light, compared to other wands of its size. It feels like it’s maybe half the weight of the Magic Wand Rechargeable, if not lighter. There was a time when I would’ve considered this a drawback, since lighter toys can feel insubstantial and low-quality – but now that I live with chronic pain and strength issues in my hands/arms (among other places), it’s actually helpful for me when a toy doesn’t weigh much, because it means I can hold it for longer without getting tired, and can easily maneuver it to different spots around my vulva.
  • At first, I was concerned to see that the toy didn’t come with instructions – but its controls are actually fairly simple. You hold down the power button to turn the toy on or off, and then short-press that same button to cycle through vibration modes. The plus and minus buttons control the vibration intensity.
  • It’s waterproof! Yay! That’s unusual for a full-size wand like this one. Always nice to be able to use a toy in the shower or bath, or even just to be able to wash it in the sink without worrying you’ll ruin it.
  • At the time that I’m writing this, it’s on sale for $31.90 USD (or $46 CAD), which is pretty damn good for a full-size, rechargeable wand vibrator made of non-porous, body-safe materials.
Pictured with some wands you may have heard of

Things I don’t like about the Olympia Wand

  • The biggest problem with this toy is the vibration quality. I genuinely like the lowest of the 5 intensity levels, as I mentioned above, but levels 2 through 5 get progressively buzzier, resulting (for me) in the temporary clitoral desensitization that happens with high-pitched vibrations like these. I can’t get off with buzzy vibes like this unless I either physically move the toy in circles against me the whole time, or rush through the process so I come before most of the desensitization sets in.
  • It’s loud, even for a wand. My Apple Watch measured it at 71 decibels, while the Magic Wand Rechargeable tops out at about 50. With the Olympia, someone standing outside my bedroom door would likely be able to tell I was using a vibrator… although I will say that it gets a bit quieter when it’s pressed against my body and/or used under blankets.
  • Personal pet peeve: when you first turn it on, it always starts at the 3rd intensity level out of 5 – so if, like me, you prefer to work your way up from the lowest speed, you’ll have to manually turn it down every time you turn it on.

Final thoughts

The buzziness and loudness of this wand make it less than ideal for me, so the main reason I’d recommend it to someone is if price was a major factor for them. (It’s a very valid factor!)

So, here are some questions to ask yourself. Are you looking for a super budget-friendly wand? Do you enjoy, or just not particularly mind, buzzy/high-pitched vibrations? Are you okay with your toy being somewhat loud? If you said yes to all three, then I think the Romulus Shop Olympia Wand is worth considering. A wand vibe can be a versatile addition to just about anyone’s toy collection, because of all the many ways it can be used solo or with a partner, and I love that there are body-safe options available under $40, like the Olympia, so that strong vibrations are financially accessible to more people. This wand also has the benefits of being waterproof and very light and easy to wield.

I guess I am the wand girl, because I want everyone to be able to afford a wand if they want one. And to that end, I’m glad the Olympia exists.

 

This post was sponsored, meaning I was paid to write an honest and fair review of this product. As always, all writing and opinions are my own.

What’s in My Bag (For a Long, Long Flight)?

Kate Sloan

Remember when I used to do these “what’s in my bag” posts?! I haven’t done one in ages, but this week, I laid out all the stuff I’m packing in my carry-on for an upcoming 9-hour journey to Germany, and thought it’d be a good time to bring back this format.

The bag itself

…is a Perry medium satchel by Kate Spade, in a bright yellow shade called daffodil. I’ve chosen a turquoise/green/yellow color scheme for this trip’s wardrobe, and had been wanting a yellow bag anyway, so I bought this for this trip specifically and am sure I’ll carry it a lot when I’m back, too.

It has two open compartments and one zippered compartment in the middle, and is roomy enough for all of this stuff, except the travel pillow which needs to be tied onto the strap. I wish it had an outer pocket for my passport, but other than that, it’s pretty much a perfect carry-on bag for my needs.

Sleep/comfort

I’m taking a red-eye, and hoping to get some sleep during it, although sleeping on a plane is always trickier than it should be… To make it as easy as possible, I have a memory foam travel pillow that supports my head and neck, and has an angled back that lets it sit flush against the seatback for more comfortable spinal alignment. It came with some earplugs, plus a little bag that you can stuff the pillow into when you’re not using it.

Next to that is my trusty Nidra Deep Rest eye mask, the only one I’ve ever found that truly blocks out all light and doesn’t cause any eye discomfort. Here’s hoping I’ll be able to get some much-needed rest on the flight with the help of these accessories!

Meds, etc.

I probably won’t feel sick on the plane, but you never really know, so I’ve packed chewable motion sickness pills and Pepto Bismol tablets. I also always bring a pain pill or two on flights, because air travel makes my fibro pain flare up a ton.

Then there’s the obligatory minty gum, for freshening up, giving myself a burst of wakefulness in the morning, and/or chewing to prevent ear-popping issues during takeoff and landing. I’ve also got lip balm (the air is dry AF up there), a charger for my iPhone/iPad/Apple Watch, and a couple of disinfecting wipes, which I use to clean my phone and other much-touched objects after traveling.

Entertainment

Keeping yourself occupied on a long flight can be a challenge, but I’ve packed the best tools for the job: my Kindle, loaded up with a zillion ebooks; my noise-canceling AirPods Pro (in a cute floral case) for all my audio needs; and my iPad mini, well-stocked with TV shows, podcasts, and a few games. Normally I bring my laptop when I travel, but for this trip, I wanted to unplug as much as possible.

After taking these photos, I also decided to add in my reMarkable 2; it’s slim enough to easily fit amongst the other stuff, and will enable me to get some writing done, if inspiration strikes, which I will later be able to auto-transcribe and export to other devices if I need to.

The yellow iPhone-shaped thing is a portable battery pack which can recharge any and all of my devices on-the-go. I was delighted to be able to get a yellow one to match the bag, haha! This’ll give me a lot of peace of mind when I’m traveling; no more hunting down unoccupied power outlets in airport terminals!

Glasses & wallet

Nothing too exciting here, but I’ve got my glasses, my prescription sunglasses, and a microfiber cloth to clean their lenses.

The Kate Spade heart wallet is surely one of the cutest-looking objects I own, and was a gift from my spouse. It’s got my payment cards, ID, etc. and also a printed copy of my COVID vaccination record, which no one really asks to see anymore (womp womp) but I’m glad I have it anyway, just incase.

Miscellany

Can’t forget my passport! I’ve also got a travel-sized pack of Kleenex and a black KN95 mask (there are extras in my checked luggage).

My house keys have a couple of different keychains on them: a heart-eyes emoji one from Aerie and an internal clitoris one from the sex toy brand Womanizer. My journal, in which I’ve written my packing list, is (as ever) a large ruled hardcover Moleskine, paired here with a pink Retro 51 Tornado pen.

And that’s about it! What do you bring on long-haul flights (or what would you bring)?

Review: Solina Mega L ultra-realistic dildo

Kate Sloan

Have you ever eaten a piece of fruit so juicy, so ripe, and so delicious, it made you feel grateful that fruits exist at all, and that you’re alive to experience them?

Yeah, that’s how the Solina Mega L dildo makes me feel about dicks. Let’s discuss.

 

Dual-density silicone, ultra-realism, & size

For at least as long as I’ve been in this biz, dual-density silicone has been the gold standard for realism in dildos. For those unfamiliar, “dual-density” refers to the two different hardnesses of silicone used in these toys: their core is made of firm silicone, while the outer layer is made of squishier silicone. As a result, dual-density silicone dildos feel much more like actual human penises than single-density ones do – and you get the pounding power of a firmer silicone, sheathed in some comfortable cushioning, for an all-around satisfying sensation.

Plenty of companies make dual-density silicone toys these days, like Tantus, Vixen Creations, and Uberrime. By comparison, Solina is a relatively new arrival to the scene, and they’re knocking it out of the park, as you’ll see below.

On the topic of size: I requested the large, which (contrary to its name) is actually the smallest Solina. It has 6.75″ of insertable length and a max diameter of 1.5″. For me personally, this is a great size to use on an average day, as I don’t need to warm up much to take it, but it feels filling enough and can even hit my A-spot (more on that below). The XL size is 7.6″ x 1.8″, while the XXL size is 8.25″ x 2″.

Things I like about the Solina Mega L

  • Here’s the headline: this is one of the most realistic-looking and realistic-feeling dildos I’ve ever tried. It features ridges, veins, and a subtly beautiful color ombré that remind me of some of my favorite cocks, and it’s just dreamy. Its verisimilitude lends it well to pairing with various fantasies (I jerked off to the thought of this dildo being an advanced humanoid sex robot’s dick just this morning, in fact!), and it could also be a gender-affirming pick for some transmasculine people to strap on.
  • Unlike some other dual-density toys I’ve tried, this toy’s silicone is hardly draggy at all, but instead is smooth and matte. This allows it to glide comfortably in and out when properly lubed (with water-based lube), and I’ve found that I can even skip lube with this dildo if I’m already wet enough, which is rare with silicone.
  • Truly one of the best things about the Solina Mega L is that it only costs FORTY DOLLARS! For a hyper-realistic, body-safe, dual-density silicone dildo! If you’re not clued into typical sex toy pricing, just trust me: those exclamation points are warranted. I’d generally expect a dildo of this quality to run you $80 to $130, so seeing it priced at $40 makes my heart happy, as someone who wants good sex toys to be accessible to anyone who wants them. The XL and XXL are pricier, at $60 and $70 respectively, but that’s still less than I would expect for toys of this caliber.
  • This toy has a flared base that makes it anal-safe – yay! Additionally, it’s compatible with strap-ons and (some) fucking machines, and it has a suction cup, so you can attach it to a hard, flat surface, like a floor or a shower wall, for hands-free usage. I love how versatile this dildo was designed to be.
  • This is a FANTASTIC blowjob dildo, if you’re into that – 10/10, no notes. The smoothness and squishiness of the silicone make it orally pleasing, and the dimensions don’t hurt my jaw. Maybe I should practice my deepthroating skills with this thing, come to think of it…

Things I don’t like about the Solina Mega L

  • My main struggle when using this toy is that, like some people I’ve dated, it’s a bit too straight for me (*rimshot*). It can definitely reach and stroke my G-spot and A-spot, as mentioned above, but would do so better if it had a slight curve. As is, I have to manually angle it pretty intensely to get it to hit those spots (by tilting the base of the toy downward, toward my butt), and sometimes that’s hard for my hands/arms to sustain.
  • As of yet, it doesn’t seem to be available in any other skin tones beyond the light-ish one seen here. I hope that that changes in the future, especially since realistic dildos can be gender-affirming for many folks when worn in a strap-on or similar, and in situations like that, it’s (obviously) preferable if your dildo matches the rest of your body. (Edited to add: My friends at Peepshow Toys told me that Solina dildos should be available in darker skin tones by early 2025, yayyy!)
Close-up on veiny texture

Final thoughts

I wish the Solina Mega L had been around when I first started giving sex advice, because people were always asking for budget-friendly dildo recommendations, and back then it was rare to see a decently-designed, body-safe dildo for under $50. But there are a lot more financially accessible options available now, like the Solina toys, and I’m thrilled about that.

With the Solina Mega L, for just $40, you get a mega-realistic dildo that looks gorgeous and works well in a broad variety of situations, from solo sex to strap-on sex to hands-free shower shenanigans. I think that’s a pretty fucking good deal!

 

This post was not sponsored. Thanks to my pals at Peepshow Toys for sending me this toy to try! As always, all writing and opinions are my own.