nipple clamps

Review: Velora Crest wearable vibrating nipple clamps

Kate Sloan

What is the Velora Crest?

Velora’s Place sent me a product they call the Crest wearable vibrating nipple massagers. This pair of soft silicone toys can be affixed to your nipples and then controlled via the included remote. It’s a rechargeable toy, with a cute double-pronged charger so you can charge both clamps at once.

Interestingly, the company markets the Crest as a product you can wear out on the town, under a bra, for surreptitious public play. The wireless remote helps with that – it’s certainly a lot subtler than if you had to reach down your front every time you wanted to change the vibration setting!

Things I like about the Velora Crest vibrating nipple clamps:

  • Pleasantly painful: While marketed as nipple “massagers” rather than nipple clamps, I find that the Crest’s little pincers cling onto my nipples in a wonderfully painful way. It’s a relatively low-level pain, not overwhelming by any means, but I’m always aware of it while these are on, which is fun for a masochist like me. As with other nipple clamps, these are easiest to put on when my nipples are hard, and are often most painful in the moments right after removal, as the blood flows back in. (Obligatory safety tip, though: you generally shouldn’t leave nipple clamps on for longer than about 30 minutes at a time, to prevent complications from cutting off circulation to your nips.)
  • Discreet enough for public play: True to its marketing copy, the Crest can indeed be concealed effectively when worn under a bra + shirt, so you can do surreptitious nipple play at a bar, restaurant, or wherever the night takes you. (Wouldn’t recommend wearing these out while braless, both because they could fall off more easily and because they’d be much more visible that way.) The Crest is even relatively quiet, although weirdly the sound gets higher-pitched and a decibel or two louder (I measured!) when I’m wearing clothes versus when I’m naked.
  • Decent variety of vibration modes: The Crest has 4 steady speeds followed by 6 vibration patterns. Normally I’m not a fan of vibration patterns, but I think they work well for nipple play; dunno about you, but my nipples prefer the sensation of motion (e.g. being licked/sucked) over vibration, and patterns can feel more dynamically motion-esque than steady vibration.
  • Remote control pre-paired & stable: I had zero issues with connectivity while testing the Crest. Its remote was already paired to the toy by default, and the toy responded quickly to each button-press, even when I wore it under clothes.
  • Relatively secure: This’ll vary based on your particular nipples, but I found that the Crest stayed affixed to mine without any trouble, even when I swung my tits around experimentally. (Sex toy reviewing is a tough gig but somebody’s gotta do it!) Naturally, they stay in place even more securely when you wear them under a bra.
  • Cool aesthetic: I’ve never seen nipple clamps that look anything like this before! The design is inspired by angel wings, but it reminds me moreso of Sailor Moon’s wand. Love that these clamps are red, too, since it’s one of my favorite colors.
  • Fully waterproof: Yay! Try ’em in the shower, the bath, or a rainy-day alleyway makeout – hey, why not?
  • Price: $33 is a decent price for nipple clamps of any kind, let alone vibrating nipple clamps that can be controlled remotely! (For reference, Lovense’s Gemini vibrating nipple clamps cost $79.)

Things I don’t like about the Velora Crest vibrating nipple clamps:

  • Extremely buzzy: The Crest’s vibrations are very buzzy, i.e. high-pitched and surface-level. Ultimately this doesn’t bother me as much for nipple stimulation as it does for clit stimulation, largely because I’m not trying to have orgasms via nipple play so it doesn’t bug me if my nipples get a little desensitized from the buzziness – but it’s still not my preference, to say the least.
  • Not very strong: In addition to being surface-level, these vibrations also just aren’t very powerful, even at their top speed. However, that may not be an issue if you’re just looking to use the Crest as a fun tease while you’re out in public.
  • Not adjustable: Nipple size can vary a lot from person to person, so while the Crest fits my nipples fine, I can’t guarantee it’ll fit yours. It is made of pretty bendy silicone, though, so it should fit most nipples, I think. The lack of adjustability also means you can’t easily lessen or increase the pinchiness/pain level if you want to, the way you can with (for example) my beloved Weal & Breech nipple clamps.
  • Short battery life: You get about 50 minutes of use from a 40-minute charge, which is fine but not great.
  • Easy to lose pieces: The Crest doesn’t come with a storage bag, so it would be all too easy to misplace one of the clamps (since they’re not attached to each other) or the remote.

(Not safe for work warning: there is a photo of tits below!)

The Crest under a bra, under a bra + shirt, and sans clothes

Final thoughts

When I think of the Crest as a pair of nipple clamps that can be worn sneakily under clothing in public, I love ’em! They are elegantly designed, thrillingly painful (but not too painful), and are contoured in such a way that they lie relatively flat under a bra, so no strangers would suspect me of secret sexy shenanigans.

When I think of these toys as nipple vibrators, though, they fall short of my expectations: I wish the vibrations had a wider range of intensities and were much less high-pitched in timbre. It always sucks when the vibration is the worst part of a vibrator!

That being said, for $33, you could do a whole lot worse than the Crest clamps. Consider them for your sadomasochistic needs, especially if you think you’d prefer their silky-soft silicone over the hard plastics and metals that most other nipple clamps are made of. After all, when you’re craving nipple pain, why not have it administered by a pair of bright red angel wings?!

 

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.

4 Unique Sex Toys I’m Extremely Curious About

Kate Sloan

CalExotics Impulse Intimate E-Stimulator Remote Dual Kegel Exerciser

I’ve been curious about the pleasure possibilities of genital electrostimulation ever since the Jopen Intensity E-stim vibrator was introduced in 2012 or so. It was a rabbit vibe that purported to rhythmically zap your Kegel muscles so as to trigger muscle contractions, which would be, in theory, pleasurable. I’ve also heard many stories and rumors over the years about electrostim’s supposed ability to trigger actual orgasms, in much the same way as “ram ejaculators” are used to collect precious semen from prized livestock. I’ve heard that this method, known as “electroejaculation,” can be used to help paraplegic or quadriplegic men ejaculate so they can have biological children, for instance, which is fascinating.

This Kegel toy isn’t doing anything that sophisticated, but it works on a similar principle. Apparently it sends out electric pulses to your pelvic muscles, making them contract and relax rhythmically and thereby promoting increased muscle tone, which can lead to stronger, longer orgasms. I’m not sure if I’ll ever be brave enough to apply electricity to my genitals, no matter how mild it may be – but this toy certainly makes it seem easy, not to mention tempting.

 

Fantasy For Her Ultimate Pleasure

I’ve tried several times, in vain, to get sex toy shops to send me this toy to review – but they’ve always chosen to send me other toys from my list instead. I think the reason is that this one is pretty expensive ($159.99) and unconventional, so it’s a risky choice to send to a reviewer. But I’m just so curious about it!

It seems like every sex toy store on the internet now sells oral sex simulators. I’ve tried many, and they achieve their goal to varying degrees of success. But this one is unique in its mechanism: it pairs a motorized “tongue” with both suction and vibration. I think – but do not know for sure – that this toy would actually feel somewhat like the kind of oral sex I tend to prefer, unlike pressure-wave toys like the Womanizer and Satisfyer, which create suction in a less direct way than this toy does.

Would it be fantastic? Would it be disappointing? I have no idea, but I’d like to find out.

 

CalExotics “Nipplettes” vibrating nipple clamps

I had to write about these for a copywriting client of mine and couldn’t stop giggling over them being called “nipplettes.” How delightfully absurd.

Despite having worked at two different adult shops that carried them, I have never actually tried vibrating nipple clamps. The clamps themselves are typically enough for me – I am a masochist, after all. But I also know that I’ve occasionally enjoyed holding a small vibrator against my nipples while warming myself up for a masturbation sesh, so I wonder if these vibrating clamps would take that relatively mild pleasure to the next level.

I imagine they’d at least be a good solution for people who love nipple stim but don’t want to have to constantly provide it for themselves during sex. Sometimes you want to do other stuff with your hands, y’know?

 

Pipedream Extreme Fuck My Cock

Okay, this one is a bit silly. And yet somehow also fascinating.

There’s a whole range of “adult novelties” marketed at cis men that are based on fantastical premises. I mean “fantastical” in the sense of “having to do with one’s fantasies.” Almost no one probably wants to actually fuck a tiny disembodied human butt attached to a big disembodied human dick, but I can see how a lot of people might want to fuck something that feels good and looks like a butt, while simultaneously being able to ogle and stroke a dick other than their own. If butts and dicks are a huge focus of your fantasies, this stroker probably seems like a literal dream come true.

Other such fantasy-based strokers I’ve seen included a vagina placed uncomfortably close to a pair of boobs, a tube with a mouth at one end and a pussy at the other, and even a vagina embedded in what appears to be a football, presumably for the benefit of horny jocks (Google it if you dare). While these types of toys often feel objectifying in a vaguely misogynist way, they certainly do tap into some people’s fantasies… sometimes resulting in creations that would give Picasso and Escher a run for their money. If the uncanny valley were an orifice, it would be this stroker.

 

This post was sponsored by IntimateNeed.com, which carries over 3,000 different products! As always, all writing and opinions are my own.

Mini Reviews: We-Vibe Pivot, Icicles #69, & Weal & Breech Nipple Clamps

Kate Sloan

Oops, I let my toy review pile overflow again. Here’s a few mini ones squished together!

We-Vibe Pivot (available at SheVibe)

I am always looking for a vibrating cock ring that will actually get me off, which I realize is sort of a pipe dream. There are people more sensitive than I, so I’m led to believe, who are havin’ orgasms left and right with these things – but I’ve never gotten off that way. Not ever. Not even once, in my entire sexual career.

But the beautiful and rechargeable We-Vibe Pivot comes the closest of any I’ve tried, which sounds like faint praise but is actually pretty significant. We-Vibe is known for (among other things) their rumbly motors, and since the problem with most vibrating cock rings is their laughably buzzy vibrations, this one is a step in the right direction.

I also like that the motor is housed in a broad, slightly jutting, squarish shape at the top of the ring, allowing it to make contact with my clit more consistently during PIV sex. Like most toys of this sort, this one basically requires small, deep thrusts if you want to keep the vibrating part on the receptive partner’s clit, but fortunately for me, that’s how I like to be fucked anyway. My inability (so far) to reach orgasm with this toy is not the fault of the toy, but more related to my own anxieties about “taking too long” to come during PIV sex, and the relative rarity of PIV in my sex life compared to other acts which get me off much more reliably.

I’ve tried this ring with two different penis-wielding partners and both reported it was comfortable if perhaps a little tight (keeping in mind that restrictiveness is part of the point of cock rings). If you’re of above-average girth, you might need the assistance of lube to get this ring onto your junk. The silicone has some stretch but is firmer than I’d generally expect from a cock ring, so keep that in mind.

If you’ve always liked the idea of vibrating cock rings but hated them in practice, the We-Vibe Pivot is the one I’d recommend. It’s quite a bit pricier than your typical watch-battery, jelly-rubber cock ring, but it’ll also last you longer and quite possibly actually feel good instead of numbing your genitals.

Icicles No. 69 (available at Betty’s Toy Box)

I requested this because it looked like a potentially great A-spot toy – and at a decent price point, no less!

However, it sort of misses the mark on that front. The bigger end can sort of slide up into my A-spot if I angle it just right, but then the small amount of toy left for me to use as a “handle” is awkwardly short and curves away from me, so I can’t easily thrust hard and fast the way I prefer.

The smaller end, meanwhile, is too sharply curved to be a good A-spotter – though it does hit my G-spot with aplomb. I’m not into narrow, pinpointed G-spot stimulation – I prefer mine bigger and broader – but if you like the sensation of one or two fingers stroking your G-spot, you might like the roughly equivalent-sized small end of this dildo too.

The other reason this dildo won’t become a bedside staple of mine? All that texture on the shaft. I don’t mind the sensation of it, but it doesn’t really add to my experience, and it’s also a nightmare to clean.

If you want an A-spotty dildo for under $50, I think the Icicles No. 5, Ruse D Thang (used upside-down), and Blue Wave look like good contenders. I wanted to like the Icicles No. 69 but it’s just not quite what I wanted it to be.

Weal & Breech nipple clamps (available at Come As You Are)

I had my eye on these for a long time, and then when W&B came out with some in purpleheart wood, I knew I had to snap them up. They’re quite unlike any other nipple clamps I’ve ever seen: they’re made of two slats of wood which screw together with brass fittings. They open up pretty wide, so you can fit nipples big and small into them, as well as potentially a clit or even the head of a cock. (Be careful!)

The inner surfaces of the wood are cross-hatched, which helps them stay in place once they’re on. I’ve had slippage issues with lots of other clamps, but not with these.

It takes a while to get them on and off, because you have to unscrew the fittings, position your nipple between the wood slats, and then screw the fittings closed again. I love this element of anticipation when doing sadomasochistic scenes, but if you like your nipple pain quick ‘n’ dirty, you’d probably prefer regular ol’ alligator-style nipple clamps.

When using these, I have to be careful not to pinch my skin between the brass and the wood, because that hurts, and not in the fun way. That’s usually as easy as gently prying my flesh away from the brass screw while I’m putting the clamps on.

One thing I miss from other clamps, that these lack, is a string or chain connecting the two. It can be fun to tug on the connector between two clamps during a scene, for a random jolt of pain. However, if you wanted, you could attach your own string or chain to these; they just don’t come with one.

I notice that I have to re-tighten these clamps every few minutes to maintain the high levels of pain I want from them, and I’m not sure if that’s because the clamps are slowly loosening or my pain tolerance is just increasing over time. Either way, it’s not a huge deal. I tell partners about this issue before letting them use these clamps on me for the first time, and they usually remember to readjust every few minutes – especially if they’re sadistic and like seeing my grimace of pain when they do this!

Overall, I love these clamps. They’re unusual, beautiful, and extremely painful. All the best qualities for nipple clamps to have!

Thanks to SheVibe and Betty’s Toy Box for sending me the first two toys. I bought the clamps myself.

Ask Girly Juice: Implements of Kink!

Kate Sloan

Anonymous asked: Do you have any recommendations for whips/cuffs/other kinky stuff?

I know you sent me this question a while ago, dear anon, and I’ve been mulling it over. After seeing Tristan Taormino’s new film about kink for couples (review coming soon!), I feel newly inspired to answer this question.

The first place you should look is Tantus’ sensation section. While known more for their dildos than their sensation-play toys, Tantus recently came out with a line of paddles that deserve your attention.

I have the Wham Bam and it is divine. It flops around a little bit, but not too much, and it delivers a hell of a thwack. If you want something smaller and more concentrated, I’d recommend the Pelt. Best of all, each Tantus paddle is made out of 100% body-safe silicone, so it can be boiled to sterilize, meaning you can share it between multiple partners without fear or risk.

If you want something less intense (and less pricey), a bamboo paddle could be pretty good, though I think that’s more for beginners than the Tantus ones.

I only have one pair of nipple clamps, these Spartacus ones, and they are very painful. I am too much of a wimp to even fully affix them to my nipples, in fact. But if you have tougher nipples than mine and/or are experienced with clamps, you might enjoy ‘em.

Lelo makes a beautiful Sensua flogger with a substantial, grippy handle and a suede business end. It’s small, so it’s probably best for beginner masochists (or for tucking into your purse in case you suddenly crave a good whipping while out in public somewhere!). If you want a whip that’s longer and more functional, Pipedream makes one that doubles as a glass dildo. Amazing.

For cuffs, I generally recommend leather ones because I find they’re the most comfortable (and the sexiest!). There are some nice ones by Allure. Also check out anything and everything by Aslan Leather – some of their products are even vegan (faux leather)!

If you want to restrain someone without spending a lot, it’s hard to go wrong with bondage tape.

A Wartenburg wheel is a cool way to ease into pain play if it’s something you haven’t tried much before. My friend used one of these things on my arm today and I just thought it felt prickly and strange, but I know lots of folks are into ’em. They have a kind of a medical fetish vibe.

Finally, if you’re looking for a ball gag, I gotta recommend Tantus again. Many ball gags are made of rubber, the smell and taste of which I find disgusting; I can only imagine this effect would be compounded if I was being gagged by a big rubber ball. For that reason, I think silicone ball gags are the way to go. Tantus has a non-representational gag in a few different colors, or you can get a gag shaped like the head of a penis.

This isn’t advanced kinkster stuff, for the most part, but I think it’s a pretty good starter kit for anyone who wants to explore BDSM! (Don’t get the Fifty Shades collection, please, for heaven’s sake.)

Got a question you want me to answer on my blog? Get in touch!