Review: Mr. Hankey’s Toys Captain’s Hook dildo

When I put the Captain’s Hook from Mr. Hankey’s Toys inside me for the first time, I said out loud, “Oh, this is gonna be my new favorite silicone dildo.” I think I was right. Let’s talk about why.

 

What is the Captain’s Hook, and how can it be customized?

The lovely folks at Mr. Hankey’s told me I could choose any 3 toys from their site to review (the other 2 reviews will be published in July and August, respectively, so keep an eye out for that!). Their catalogue of products is extensive, so it took me a while to pick some out – but the Captain’s Hook was a “fuck yes” as soon as I saw it.

It’s a realistic (i.e. dick-like) dildo, but with a strong upward curve not often found in human dicks. I am a fan of penises, to say the least, and this is a pretty perfect one if you’re looking for more intense G-spot or prostate stimulation than most flesh-and-blood cocks can offer.

Mr. Hankey’s products are almost all customizable, and this one is no exception. You can choose between 4 different sizes (S–XL), 4 different firmness levels, and about a zillion different colors, plus you can tell them whether or not you want a Vac-U-Lock hole in the base so you can use the toy with Vac-U-Lock-compatible harnesses, fucking machines, etc. (although the brand points out that this particular toy isn’t recommended for fucking machines because it might rotate due to being too heavy).

For my Captain’s Hook, I went with the small size, medium firmness, red color, and no Vac-U-Lock hole. (If you want some help choosing your desired firmness, check out this video the brand made. I went with the medium because I knew I wanted it to feel impactful enough on my G-spot, but didn’t want its veiny texture to feel overwhelming, as super-firm textured dildos often do for me.)

Like many other fantasy dildo companies, Mr. Hankey’s toys tend to be on the larger side – so even though I chose the “small” Captain’s Hook, it’s still one of the girthiest dildos I own, with a diameter ranging from 2″ just under the head to 2.2″ near the base. Its insertable length is about 7″.

 

My experience with the Captain’s Hook + some tips

As with any large penetrative toy, I’d recommend getting really turned on before you attempt to get this bad boy inside you. I always warmed up with a lot of clitoral stimulation, fantasy/erotica/porn, etc. when testing it. It’s like stretching before you climb a mountain – simply the sensible thing to do! Fortunately, the tapered tip of this toy makes it easier to insert than it otherwise would be, especially when drizzled liberally with a good water-based lube.

Besides comfort and safety, the other reason to warm up beforehand is sensitivity. The G-spot and prostate both swell with arousal, making them easier to access and stimulate. And hoo boy, does this toy ever stimulate my G-spot. The substantial girth, deep curve, and defined coronal ridge all come together to form a G-spot homing device – a phrase I’ve previously only used to describe the stainless steel Njoy Pure Wand. Now, don’t get me wrong, the Captain’s Hook doesn’t feel like the Pure Wand, exactly – silicone doesn’t feel like steel! – but their effects on my G-spot are similarly prone to knocking the wind out of me and making me squirt.

However, maybe the most amazing thing to me about the Captain’s Hook is that it can also hit my A-spot!! It’s rare for a toy to be good at G-spot and A-spot stimulation, because usually the pronounced curve required for G-spot stim is incompatible with comfortably sliding deeply enough to hit the A-spot. But because I chose the medium firmness, this dildo has juuust enough flexibility that it straightens out somewhat when I push it deep, so that it can stroke my A-spot when that’s what I’m craving. When I pull it back out to a shallower position, it immediately re-forms into its strongly curved shape, like it’s transforming back into G-spot mode. Fucking brilliant dildo design, if you ask me!

Thrusting hard and fast with this dildo, when I’m super turned on, is so intense that I’ve sometimes thought I could have a penetrative orgasm from it. This is particularly amazing because, like the majority of people with vulvas, I require clitoral stimulation in order to get off – so, even though I’ve still never had an orgasm from penetration alone and might never, it definitely impresses me when a dildo makes that type of climax feel within reach. Also, notably, this dildo is so stimulating internally that I don’t tend to need as much clit stim in order to get off – in one testing session, for instance, I came while my Eroscillator was on its first speed, an event so rare that I can probably count on one hand how many times it’s happened in the 12 years I’ve owned an Eroscillator. WTF!

I didn’t try the Captain’s Hook anally, because frankly my butt isn’t that accommodating or that brave, but I bet this would be a killer prostate dildo too, if the dimensions were manageable for you.

 

Chonky base alert!

Other cool things about the Captain’s Hook

I don’t tend to “ride” my dildos, but this one has a big, chunky base that would make it suitable for that type of play. It doesn’t have a suction cup, but its flat bottom and heavy base allow it to stay put relatively well during riding, at least if you’re on a flat, hard surface. The flared base also makes it harness-compatible. I imagine someone fucking me with this dildo in their harness would be a wild time.

I also gotta say, I love the red color. It’s very striking, and reminds me (fittingly) of the actual Captain Hook’s iconic red coat. I’ll show you, you cowardly crocodile!

 

Some potential drawbacks to consider

The possible “cons” of this toy are about what you’d expect: some users will find it uncomfortably large, and the veiny texture (while relatively subtle, as far as fantasy dildos go) might feel too intense for some people, especially in a hard firmness and/or with insufficient lube.

This toy is also somewhat heavy for a silicone dildo, owing in part to its hefty base. I have muscle strength issues from fibro and sometimes found that my arm would get tired when thrusting hard and fast with this dildo for a while. Switching arms helps, of course, and so does adding more lube, because the less friction there is, the less hard I have to push and pull the toy.

 

Final thoughts

I love the Captain’s Hook. There are a lot of girthy realistic dildos that I enjoy when I’m in the mood for them, but don’t think I’ve ever tried one that hits my G-spot and A-spot as relentlessly as this one. It leaves me breathless, and sometimes makes me forget my clit even exists (…for a few minutes, anyway… I’ll never actually forget about you, baby!).

While certainly this dildo wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea due to its substantial size and extreme curve, for me it’s the ideal toy when I really want to be filled up and pounded. No other realistic dildo in my collection is as deeply curved as this one; dick-like dildos tend to be enjoyable moreso for how they “fill up the hungry spot” inside me (to quote Nina Hartley), not for how they target specific spots. So to have a toy that can do both is just… *chef’s kiss*!

 

Thanks to Mr. Hankey’s Toys for sending me this product to review! This post was sponsored, meaning I was paid to write a fair and honest review of the product. As always, all writing and opinions are my own.

Review: Lovense Lush 3

Recently, sex toy company Lovense reached out to me and asked if I’d like to try their best-selling product, the Lush 3 vibrator, and write about it. I told them I already owned a Lush 3, so there was no need to send me another one, but that I’d happily review it – because it’s just an all-around solid toy, one that I’m glad to have in my collection. Let’s talk about it.

 

What is the Lovense Lush 3?

If the Lush looks familiar to you, it’s likely because you’ve seen it in porn clips or cam shows. It’s a favorite of many adult performers (and their fans) because of its interactivity features – like most other Lovense toys, you can connect it via Bluetooth to the Lovense app, and either control it yourself or invite someone else to control it.

I’m a frequent user of Lovense toys, because I’ve been in a long-distance relationship for over 6 years and we often use these toys during phone sex, to feel closer to one another when we’re apart. Some of my faves from the company’s lineup are the Exomoon (lipstick-shaped clitoral vibrator), Edge 2 (prostate/perineum massager), Max 2 (vibrating/squeezing stroker), and Gush (penis head/shaft vibrator).

The Lush 3 is meant to be inserted and “worn” vaginally, so that the vibrations stimulate your G-spot. It looks similar to a We-Vibe, but it’s not meant to be worn during penetrative sex like a We-Vibe is; it works better as a standalone vibe, although you can also pair it with a clitoral vibrator if you want, and I often do.

 

 

Things I like about this toy

  • The shape of the Lush is really well-suited for passive G-spot stimulation. It has a gently curved bump that protrudes to hit the right spot. The design also offers some leeway, to account for some people’s G-spots being deeper or shallower than others’; the body of the toy is wide enough, and its neck is bendy enough, that you can probably position it on your G-spot no matter where it’s located on your vaginal wall.
  • The vibrations get decently powerful at the high end – not as strong as a typical wand vibe or anything, but stronger than I’d generally expect for a vibe of this size. The Lush is buzzier than some other Lovense toys I’ve tried (meaning that the vibrations are higher-pitched and feel more surface-level), but I’ve often found that my G-spot actually likes a little buzziness. The Lush’s vibrations always feel comfortable to me, and don’t make my G-spot feel overwhelmed, uncomfortable or “itchy” like some super-buzzy G-spot vibes can.
  • It’s quite comfortable shape-wise, too, even when I wear it for a few hours at a time. The neck is slim enough that it doesn’t start to bother my vaginal opening after a while, as some other vaginally-wearable toys like the Hole Punch Fluke sometimes do. I also find that it stays inside me very well – I even wore it on an hour-long walk once and I never worried about it falling out. (I’d recommend skipping lube, or just using less, if you’ll be standing up/walking around a lot with the Lush inside you.)
  • Lovense’s Bluetooth capabilities are still some of the best in the biz. The connectivity isn’t flawless, but it is markedly better than that of Bluetooth toys I’ve tried from other brands. The Lovense app is much better designed than a lot of its competitors (according to my spouse, who develops iPhone software for a living). It has some features I never/rarely use, like a built-in video call functionality and the ability to sync vibrations to music, but it also doesn’t feel overstuffed with superfluous gimmicks like a lot of sex toy apps do.
  • It’s kinda quiet, once it’s inserted. Like, I wouldn’t wear this vibe in any situation where it would actually be disastrous if someone found out I was wearing it, because it is audible, especially on higher speeds – but if you’re in a relatively noisy public environment, or even one of a moderate volume like a restaurant/bar, you should be fine.
  • It’s fully waterproof, which makes cleanup much easier and also means I don’t have to worry about ruining my toy with vag juice.
  • It has a long battery life: you’ll get up to 5 hours of use from each charge. I’ve gone weeks or months without using mine and had it still be charged enough to use afterward.

Things I don’t like about this toy

  • My main problem with this vibrator is that it provides almost zero clitoral stimulation. The vibrations emanate from the toy’s larger (G-spot) arm, and conduct only weakly into the external arm, which barely even makes contact with my clit anyway. So, for me and for most other people with my anatomy, this toy wouldn’t be stimulating enough to cause an orgasm (despite Lovense’s frequent promises of “intense orgasms”) – although it still feels great, if you like G-spot vibration. If I want to come with this toy, I have to use another vibe on my clit at the same time, which entails scooting the Lush’s tail out of the way to make room. (For a Lovense toy that’s similar to the Lush but offers a lot more clit stim, check out the We-Vibe-esque Dolce.)
  • I wish the vibrations were rumblier (as many of Lovense’s other vibrators are) and stronger, mainly because then I could use the Lush as a clitoral vibrator when I felt like it, which would make it more versatile. As is, I only ever pull it out when I specifically want to be teased via G-spot vibration from a distance – a fun way to use it, certainly, but not a frequent craving that comes up for me.
  • It’s a small thing, but I wish the toy’s button was located on the side that faces out, not the side that sits on my clit, as this would make it easier for me to surreptitiously hold down the button when I want to pair or re-pair the toy in public. I don’t want to always have to go to the bathroom to do this.

 

Final thoughts

Is the Lovense Lush 3 worth its asking price of $119? I’d say yes, if any of the following things are true for you:

  • You like G-spot vibration and don’t particularly care about clit stimulation
  • You like G-spot vibration and are willing to stimulate your clit some other way (fingers? a bullet vibe? oral sex from a partner?) while using the Lush if you want to get off
  • You like G-spot vibration and you want a vibrator you can use with a long-distance partner
  • You like G-spot vibration and you want a vibrator suitable for discreet public play
  • You don’t like G-spot vibration, but you want a partner to be able to consensually torture you with it, in a kinky way

It’s not a toy I reach for very often, because (as mentioned) it can’t bring me to orgasm on its own – but orgasm isn’t always the point of every sex/kink session, and it’s a highly effective toy when my partner wants to tease me, from near or far. I’ve tested a bunch of these wearable, Bluetooth-compatible toys over the years, and the Lush 3 is definitely the best G-spot-focused one I’ve tried. Lovense nailed the shape and nailed the connectivity, so I can definitely see why this is their best-selling toy, even if it’s not the one I’ll grab when I want to get off (that would be the Exomoon!). This little pink vibe is iconic in its own way, having starred in so many pornos and cam shows, and I’m glad to own one.

This post was sponsored, meaning I was paid to write a fair and honest review. As always, all words and opinions are my own.

5 Ways To Tap Into Your Dom Energy

Being sexually dominant was an acquired taste for me, like coffee or scotch: it took some time for me to understand what was so delicious about it.

While I’m certainly no expert, I’ve experimented with various forms of dominance over the past several years, from verbal humiliation to financial domination, and I’ve gained a lot of confidence since I started. I can’t always conjure up a confident, dominant mood from thin air, especially when I’m stressed out or having a chronic illness flare-up, but I have learned a few tricks that make it easier for me to get into that dommy mindset. Here are some of them…

 

1. Unpack your people-pleaser tendencies

Not everyone struggles with this, but for some of us, it’s all too easy to get stuck in old people-pleasing patterns. While it’s possible to dominate someone based entirely on what they want, ultimately it’ll likely be a more satisfying scene for both of you if you’re able to tune into what you want, too.

Therapy was the most helpful thing for me in this regard; it taught me about the origins of my people-pleasing tendencies, and gave me tools for working through the guilt and shame I sometimes feel when prioritizing my own desires/pleasure, so that I can be a better and more assertive dominant.

 

2. Pick a role model

Sometimes it’s easier to be a dom if you imagine you’re someone else, at least at first. How would Shane from The L Word boss someone around in bed? What about Captain America? Dana Scully? Dolly Parton?

When you haven’t yet discovered (or created) your own “dom persona,” the one that feels most authentic to you, it can be helpful to “try on” other people’s personas and see how they feel. It’s a way of training your body and mind to feel comfortable in that dominant mode. If you’re not sure who to embody, dominatrix websites and kinky porn are great places to look for inspiration.

 

3. Explore in fantasy

Sexual fantasy is the best low-stakes way to experiment with things you’re curious about sexually. You don’t have to prepare anything or tell anybody – you just have to get yourself turned on and then let your mind wander where it will.

When gearing up to be dominant, pay special attention in your fantasies to what makes you feel powerful – which sex acts, positions, names, clothes, roleplay dynamics, etc. help you access a feeling of power? Sleuth out the parts of dominance that turn you on, and keep notes on these, so you can refer to them when discussing your desires with a partner.

 

4. Clothing & makeup & shoes, oh my!

They say that “clothes make the man”… I’d say, instead, that “clothes make the dom”! Or they can, anyway. Your choice of outfit, footwear, makeup, and even fragrance can have a big effect on how you feel in your body, and how you come across to others.

When I’m struggling to get into a dominant headspace, I’ll often slip into some ultra-high heels, or put on some fancy jewelry, or spritz myself with a formidable perfume. Even just a swipe of red lipstick can radically change how I feel about myself and how I carry myself. Aesthetic trappings may seem surface-level, but they can create change on a much deeper level, including in how dominant you feel.

 

5. Power poses

Move your body into a dominant-seeming position, and you’ll tend to feel more dominant. Science has established that certain “power poses,” like standing with your legs apart and your hands on your hips, actually tangibly affect your self-confidence.

Sometimes I’ll combine a power pose with a visualization when I’m trying to get into a dommy mood – like I’ll imagine I’m a queen looking out at a sea of her subjects, or a CEO addressing a boardroom full of subordinates. You can do this as a warm-up for a scene, or you can even incorporate power poses into a scene. Playing make-believe as an adult is underrated, if you ask me!

 

What are your favorite ways to tap into your dominant energy?

 

This post contains sponsored links. As always, all writing and opinions are my own.

Announcing the Secret Project I’ve Been Working On For a YEAR…!

Art by Addison Finch

About a year and a half ago, I met via Zoom with some folks at Vibratex, the current distributor of the famed Magic Wand (sometimes known more colloquially as “the Hitachi Magic Wand” or just “the Hitachi,” although Hitachi’s name is no longer on the toy). The company had seen my tattoo of their product, and the many GQ articles in which I declare my love for the Wand, and they wanted to chat about how we could collaborate. Needless to say, I was intrigued!

See, back when I was in journalism school in 2015, I spent a whole semester researching and writing a longform feature article on the Magic Wand. I had been reviewing sex toys on this blog for about three years at that point – not long, but long enough to know that the Magic Wand was probably the best-known vibrator in the world, and was certainly the vibrator with the longest and richest history, having been around since 1968.

I don’t recall what grade I got on that article, but I do recall that at one point, one of my interviewees said to me, “There could be a whole book about this – and you should be the person to write it!” At that time, I hadn’t seriously considered writing a book on anything, but the Magic Wand seemed as good a subject as any. I filed away that idea for the future, hoping it’d come to fruition someday.

When I connected with Vibratex eight years later, that’s what I pitched them as our potential collaboration: a book about the history and impact of the Wand. And while I definitely still think there’s a book’s worth of stories to tell about it, we tweaked the idea during our discussions, and landed on doing it as a podcast miniseries instead. That way, I could incorporate the voices of many different experts and laypeople, telling their Wand stories in their own words.

Sipping a Magic Wand-themed cocktail at last night’s Magic Wand-themed event at the Museum of Sex

So, for about a year now, I’ve been interviewing people about the Magic Wand, researching its history, thinking deeply about it, combing through interview transcripts, and piecing them together into episodes. The result is my new podcast miniseries, Making Magic: How the Magic Wand Became the World’s Most Famous Vibrator, which is launching wherever you get your podcasts on May 30th, 2024. There’s a trailer available now, if you’d like a little taste of what’s to come!

I’m so, so excited for people to hear this series. There’s an episode about the legendary sex educator who made the Magic Wand famous in her all-nude masturbation workshops; there’s an episode about the trailblazers who started the first feminist sex shops and kicked off a movement of women reclaiming their own bodies and pleasure; there are episodes about why the Wand is so important to so many queer people, trans people, and people with disabilities or mental illness; there are episodes about its ubiquity in porn, kink, and art.

I interviewed sex-positive superheroes like Carol Queen and Tristan Taormino, porn dynamos like Stoya and Ava LaPrima, sex history buffs like Hallie Lieberman and Lynn Comella, industry icons like Shay Martin and Andy Duran, kink geniuses like Danarama and Billy Lore, pervy intellectuals like Tina Horn and Sinclair Sexsmith, and badass academics like Laurie Mintz and Debby Herbenick, just to name a few. It’s been a hell of a process, and I’ve been so lucky to get to have so many fascinating conversations with such clever and wise folks.

Making Magic is edited and co-produced by Jamie Pityinger, and made possible by the generous support of Vibratex, with art by Addison Finch. I really hope you’ll tune in when the first episode launches on May 30th. If we’re not available in your podcast app of choice just yet, you can paste this RSS feed into your app and subscribe that way:

https://feeds.captivate.fm/making-magic/

It’s an honor to have gotten to work on this project, and I can’t wait for y’all to hear it!

Review: reMarkable 2

I usually review sex toys, but today I’m gonna review a piece of technology that doesn’t go inside me…!

Last month, for my birthday, my partner gave me a reMarkable Essentials Bundle, which contains the reMarkable 2 paper tablet, a black leather folio-style cover for it, and the Marker Plus stylus. I have adored using these products in the ~month that I’ve had them, so I wanted to review ’em here.

 

What is the reMarkable 2?

The reMarkable is a tablet, meant to be used primarily for writing (although you can read stuff on it, too). With the included stylus/pen, you can write directly on the surface of the tablet, and it looks and feels like you’re actually writing on paper. (You can also get a keyboard case for it, if you prefer to type, but I like writing by hand when I can.)

The reMarkable uses E-Ink (electronic ink) technology, like most e-readers, including my beloved Kindle – which means that it consumes much less power than something like an iPad, and causes significantly less eye strain. Looking at an E-Ink screen is basically like looking at the page of a book (or, in this case, a notebook).

A peek at my computer screen when I was working on my Arosum strap-on review – I had the reMarkable app open and was referring to the notes I’d taken during my testing sessions

What do I use the reMarkable for?

In the past, I’ve considered buying myself a portable typing machine, like the Freewrite Traveler, because I liked the idea of distraction-free writing. Although it’s convenient to write blog posts/articles/newsletters directly on my laptop or phone, I get sidetracked by notifications all too often. Even disconnecting my internet and setting my devices to “do not disturb” doesn’t always work, because temptation is high and my willpower is low.

As intriguing as the Freewrite devices are, the author Meg Elison said that it somehow lost a 4,000-word draft of hers, which is just… deeply not okay. There’s no way you can relax into the flow of creativity if you’re constantly panicked about the possibility of your work disappearing into the ether. So, while the limited-edition lemon-yellow Freewrite is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen, I’d be hesitant to buy one.

The reMarkable is based on similar principles but is mostly about longhand writing, not typing. Although I do a lot of typing in my day-to-day life, I love writing by hand, and often find that it helps me think more clearly and remember things better (a finding which is backed up by science).

A sampling of things I’ve used the reMarkable for, since getting it:

  • Drafting essays for my newsletter
  • Drafting fanfic chapters
  • Taking notes for reviews while testing sex toys
  • Making packing lists and shopping lists
  • Brainstorming plot points and character details for a novel
  • Taking notes on books and articles I read
  • Doing morning pages
  • Writing lyrics and chord progressions for songs
  • Taking notes during conversations/meetings/interviews

 

Things I love about the reMarkable

  • Writing on this thing actually feels like writing on paper. There’s a subtle scratchiness to the texture, some tactile feedback that you just don’t get when you’re writing on, say, an iPad screen with a stylus or your fingertip.
  • Likewise, the E-Ink display means that it looks like paper, so I don’t get eye strain the way I would if I was hunched over a draft on my laptop for hours. There’s almost no glare from sunlight/lamps/etc.
  • The distraction-free nature of the reMarkable makes a significant impact on how quickly and easily I’m able to get into flow state when writing on it, which ultimately makes my writing better and more enjoyable. The device has internet access, but only uses it for syncing documents. Hallelujah.
  • There’s a feature which allows you to convert handwritten text into typed text, and then export it in various ways, so that you can paste it into whatever you’re using it for (like, say, a blog post reviewing the reMarkable!). My handwriting isn’t super messy but also isn’t always the most clear, and I still find that the reMarkable does a pretty good job of transcribing it, with the exception of sex-related words (see the “things I don’t love” section below for more on that). I usually only have to do minimal editing and formatting before publishing.
  • The pen/stylus is comfortable to hold, attaches magnetically to the side of the device, and is sensitive to pressure and angle, which makes it just as suitable for drawing or calligraphy as it is for writing. There are several different writing implement options you can select on the device; I usually stick with a simple black ballpoint, but you can use different ink shades, and there’s fineliners, pencils, a paintbrush, a calligraphy pen, etc. There’s also an “eraser” on the back of the pen; you can swipe it over segments of writing to delete them.
  • There’s a fantastic selection of page templates you can use, including blank, lined, dotted, grids, checklists, day/week planner spreads, sheet music, etc., each with several variations to choose from. I tend to use blank pages for creative tasks that require loose, expansive thinking, like brainstorming and songwriting, and then I’ll switch to a lined template for essays and articles. Each page of each document can use its own template, too, which is great for bigger projects where I might want to swap back and forth between brainstorming and writing, all within the same document.
  • You can use the select tool to grab text and move it around on the page. I love this feature because I tend to do a lot of editing and reordering while I’m writing, which makes it difficult for me to draft longhand – unless I can manipulate the text like I can on the reMarkable.
  • The reMarkable has a “layers” functionality, like Photoshop. At first, I wasn’t sure what I would use this for, but I’ve found it helpful when making packing lists or other checklists. The list itself goes on the bottommost layer, and then I create another layer on which I check things off. That way, if I need to re-use the list again later (like when packing for my return trip), I can delete the top layer and the checklist will be blanked out, ready to be used again.
  • The organizational system of the reMarkable is simple but effective. It’s easy to use, easy to understand, and easy to find things. Each document is called a “notebook.” Notebooks can be organized into folders, and you can also assign tags to your notebooks to organize them even more. I have a folder for my blog, a folder for newsletters, a folder for songs, etc. On that note, the overall interface of the reMarkable is really simple and pared-down – it’s got the features you need, and very little else, which (again) helps me stay focused on writing.
  • By default, there’s a catch-all notebook called “Quick Sheets,” which is indeed fantastic for when you just need to take a quick note and don’t want to spend the ~20 seconds it takes to create a new notebook, name it, and pick its template. Just tap the Quick Sheets button at the top of the screen and you’ll be taken to a fresh page in the Quick Sheets document. I find this especially useful for creative tasks, because artistic ideas can be very fleeting and so it’s crucial to have tools that can record them quickly.
  • Much like an iPad, the reMarkable allows for swiping and pinching gestures. You can swipe to turn the page, for example, and pinch to zoom out. The device doesn’t respond as smoothly or predictably to these gestures as an iPad or iPhone does, but I wouldn’t really expect it to; that’s the nature of E-Ink.
  • The device has 8 GB of internal storage, which is a lot, for the type of documents it creates. You also get a free year-long subscription to reMarkable’s Connect service when you buy the tablet, which gives you unlimited cloud storage, so you can keep all your documents, not just the ones that fit on the device.
  • Speaking of Connect, it’s a well-implemented cloud service that (in my experience) syncs effortlessly across devices. I love being able to open the reMarkable app on my phone, iPad, or computer and see all the notes I’ve made; it’s super convenient and means that I don’t have to bring the tablet with me everywhere to refer to what’s on it. That being said, if you don’t want to pay reMarkable the (very reasonable) $2.99/month subscription fee after your first year runs out, you can sync via Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive instead.
  • As someone with chronic pain in my arms and hands (not to mention every other part of my body), I often find that writing on the reMarkable is more comfortable/less painful than writing in a real notebook, largely because the stylus requires less pressure so I don’t have to grip it as firmly or press it against the page as hard.
  • The reMarkable is less conspicuous in public than something like the Freewrite, which can garner a lot of stares and questions from strangers, according to Meg Elison. The reMarkable mostly just looks to a casual observer like you’re writing on paper.
  • The battery life is wonderful, as is common for E-Ink devices. I generally need to charge it every 1-2 weeks, depending on how much I’ve been using it. I’ve never had it die while I was out somewhere using it; the battery indicator gives you plenty of warning. I also love that it charges via USB-C, because that’s the same type of cable I use to charge my computer, Kindle, and Switch, so I’ve always got one nearby.

 

Things I don’t love about the reMarkable

  • My most common annoyance with the reMarkable is the way its convert-to-text function handles sex-related words. Much like the autocorrect feature on my iPhone, reMarkable’s text conversion feature gets most words right, but struggles with words like “sex,” “dick,” “fuck,” etc. Just today I imported a newsletter on sex toys and the reMarkable had exclusively transcribed the term as “sec toys,” “see toys,” or “set toys.” This type of verbal filtering would probably be helpful for most users – on the iPhone, I’m sure it’s prevented millions of people from accidentally texting a lewd autocorrected message they didn’t intend – but for people like me, who write sexy stuff, these corrections feel like puritanical censorship, and can make the editing process much more cumbersome.
  • It’s pretty damn expensive, especially if you consider that the iPad isn’t that much pricier but can do a lot more. The Starter Bundle, which comes with just the tablet, the stylus, and a 1-year subscription to the reMarkable’s cloud service, is $449, whereas the fancier Essentials Bundle (which comes with the same stuff + the folio case) is $599. If you want the keyboard case, that’s another $199. You’ll need to replace the stylus’s tip every so often (the company suggests replacing it every 3 to 7 weeks if you use the device every day, which I don’t), but it comes with 9 spare tips; after that, you can order a 25-pack for $39. In addition to all that, reMarkable’s cloud service, Connect, costs $2.99 per month, but you get a free year with your tablet purchase. Needless to say, this all adds up, and I probably never would’ve bought this device for myself unless I had a sudden, unexpected financial windfall, even though I think it’s an excellent invention that justifies its steep price tag.
  • I wish that the device would wake from sleep automatically when you open the folio cover, the way my Kindle does. It’s minorly irritating to have to press the power button every time.
  • It’s a bit odd that the reMarkable offers different ink colors, like blue and red, despite the fact that it doesn’t actually display these colors (it only displays shades of black and grey). You’ll see the colors rendered properly if you view your documents in the reMarkable app on your phone/iPad/computer, but not on the device itself, which is sort of confusing.
  • There’s no backlight. This is mostly a pro, not a con, because this device is supposed to be more paper-like than tablet-like, and the lack o’ backlight dramatically improves the device’s battery life and cuts down on eye strain – but, of course, it means that you can’t easily use this device in low lighting.
  • As an iPad mini user with petite hands, I sometimes wish the reMarkable was smaller, or at least that there was a smaller version available. Currently it’s 9.7″ by 7.4″, which sometimes feels awkwardly large to me when I’m writing on it (especially in bed/on my lap), and doesn’t fit in my small-to-medium-sized purses. But I’m sure most people would love this size, and there are many times when I’m grateful it’s this big because it gives me so much room to write and draw.
  • I wish there was a more secure way of storing the stylus. The magnet on the side of the device is pretty strong, but I’ve had the stylus get knocked off of it a couple times just from me rifling around in my purse, and I’d hate to misplace it, since a replacement would cost $139 (!!). Some kind of pocket or pen loop would be awesome.
  • The “eraser” on the back end of the stylus is a super useful touch, but I often find it’s less precise than I’d prefer. I usually end up erasing some surrounding stuff that I wasn’t intending to erase.
  • The reMarkable is not waterproof – which, I mean, I wouldn’t really expect it to be, but the Kindle is, and it would be nice to someday have a device that allows me to write in the bath without risking ruining a notebook or expensive gadget.

 

Final thoughts

The reMarkable 2 is expensive and excessive, but I am obsessed with it. It makes writing feel more joyful, more absorbing, and more comfortable. It gives me most of the benefits of writing by hand, and most of the benefits of writing digitally, with almost none of the drawbacks usually found in both of those options.

If you love writing by hand, but you find it impractical because you always need to type up what you’ve written afterward, or because you like to do the kind of heavy editing that pen and paper don’t allow for, you’d probably love the reMarkable. If you want to spend more time writing and less time checking your social media and getting distracted by your texts, you’d probably love the reMarkable. If you want a device that can take notes anywhere, and sync them everywhere, you’d probably love the reMarkable.

I’ve taken it to the park to draft smutty fanfic scenes in the sunshine. I’ve scribbled sex toy missives on it at the airport. I’ve kept it beside me in bed, ready to be grabbed at a moment’s notice when I have a sudden idea I need to get down. I love this thing. It has made writing feel fun and easy again, and that’s pretty damn remarkable.

 

This post wasn’t sponsored, I’m just a dork who loves good writing tools.