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Review: Tantus Sam

Kate Sloan

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Last year, I had a fuckbuddy who would tease me about being a size queen. I’d show up at his house toting my Eleven or my Double Trouble, and he’d jibe, “You seem to like big toys.” This always made me blush and deny his assertion, because there’s a certain amount of stigma that comes with being a size queen… but the other reason I disagreed with him was that his comment wasn’t quite right. I don’t like big toys; I like toys that hit my internal erogenous zones really well. And while girth or length can help with that, they certainly don’t guarantee it.

I thought about this a lot while testing the Tantus Sam, a new addition to Tantus’ outstanding line of dual-density silicone toys. The Sam was marketed explicitly toward fans of large toys. At 1.8″ in diameter and 7.3″ long, it is indeed pretty huge. Not the biggest I’ve had, but still substantial. However, for all its enormity, it barely even does what I need a dildo to do: hit my favorite internal spots.

imageThe texture of the Sam’s shaft is ridged with veins. They’re highly realistic-looking, continuing Tantus’ pattern of producing gorgeously convincing realistic dildos over the past few years. While the veins drag across my G-spot with every thrust, they also drag across my whole vaginal wall, so the stimulation doesn’t feel targeted. If I don’t use enough lube (or don’t reapply often enough), this texture can even feel abrasive.

The significant length of the Sam means I can’t get it all the way into me – not even close. When shoved in as far as it’ll go, the toy’s tip nudges my A-spot, but it’s not tapered enough to really get up in there. Sometimes I bash into my cervix with it when I try.

The toy’s coronal ridge frequently irritates my vag, catching on skin – just for a second, but for long enough that I register pain and get pulled out of the moment.

Don’t get me wrong – I’ve had some fabulous orgasms with the Sam. But it’s made me realize something about the way my vagina operates. Girthy penetration intensifies my actual orgasm, giving me something to squeeze around when those involuntary muscle contractions hit – but for the build-up to orgasm to feel good and get fast-tracked, I need a toy that hits my spots. Girth alone isn’t enough to make my vagina sit up, shut up and pay attention.

imageI think you’d love the Tantus Sam if your orifices like feeling filled up with something thick, and you’re not too bothered about targeting specific areas inside you. But if you want something realistic that can multitask a little better, I’d recommend the Uncut #1, Adam, or Maverick. They’re all in the same size range as the Sam but have curves and better-shaped heads for stroking G-spots or prostates. And none of them share a name with my dad, unlike the Sam.

Thanks for sending me this toy to try, Tantus!

Review: Tantus Adam O2

Kate Sloan

The Adam O2 was my gift to myself for my 20th birthday. I had never owned a realistic dildo before, and having recently recovered from penis terror, I was, for the first time, interested in owning a genuinely dick-like toy. I had also discovered Tantus fairly recently, and basically wanted every dildo in their catalogue.

The Adam was a good choice and is still one of my favorite dildos in my whole collection. Its 1.5" girth was slightly uncomfortable to me back then, but I’d warm myself up eagerly each session because I knew it was worth the effort and preparation. Lots of lube and a smallish in-between dildo is enough to make Adam comfortable for me.

The main factor that made me click the “Add to Cart” button was that delicious curve. There are times when I wish Tantus’ dual-density O2 formula was softer and more flexible, like VixSkin, but the firmness is absolutely appropriate for Adam: without it, this dildo wouldn’t have the intense G-spot impact that makes it one of my favorites. The curve feels natural – less like a G-spot homing device and more like a flesh-and-blood penis that happens to have a curve – and it’s very, very good. If you enjoy feeling like you’re being fucked by the unrealistic and hunky well-hung hero of a romance novel, Adam fits the bill.

I have two other O2 dildos, the Mark and the Cush, and while they both get their fair share of usage, it’s the Adam I reach for when I want to feel fucked.

FYI, all O2 toys are 30% off throughout February with the code “IHEARTYOU”! If Adam isn’t up your alley, take a look at the ridgy Cush, enormous Max, average-sized Mark, or girthy Mikey. Gotta catch ‘em all!

Review: Tantus Cush O2

Kate Sloan

I have been eyeing the Cush O2 for a long time, but always feared it wouldn’t fit inside me. It seems to be a favorite of reviewers who proudly identify as size queens – which I most definitely do not.

However, one day the wonderful folks at Tantus offered me an item of my choosing, and I just couldn’t get my eye off the Cush.

It’s a beautiful dual-density silicone dildo that comes in your choice of pink, purple, or blue. Tantus sent me the blue, which is my favorite color (how did they know?!).

At 1 ¾" in diameter, Cush is a pretty girthy dude. The squishy outer layer of silicone helps a little, but O2 is significantly firmer than VixSkin, so you can really feel the entirety of that girth. Small-vagina’ed folks, don’t buy Cush thinking you’ll be able to wrassle it into your pussy more easily because of its squish, because it doesn’t have much.

One of my favorite features of the Cush is its tapered tip. Much like a well-designed butt plug, the Cush’s tip allows it to slide into me with minimal discomfort. (I do, however, still recommend warming up with a smaller dildo first if this is your first foray into toys of this girth.)

The Cush’s big, defined head presses up against my G-spot with little effort, and if I push it deep enough inside, it can nudge my A-spot as well. The squishiness of the tip means I don’t injure my cervix even if I attempt some fairly enthusiastic A-spot stimulation with this toy.

I find that I don’t thrust a lot with Cush. The silicone feels draggy, even with lube, and my vagina gets a little overwhelmed by that texture paired with the toy’s girth. Instead, I like to slide it in all the way and then rhythmically tap or slap the base with my hand. This feels really good, even though the toy is barely moving at all. The girth basically does all the work for me, stimulating my G-spot and my whole vagina without me really having to do anything.

One of the Cush’s claims to fame is the slightly sharp ridge toward the bottom of its shaft. Some reviewers love how this ridge rubs their G-spot or the front wall of their vagina. As for me, my vag is short, so even when I’m extremely aroused, that ridge still sits at my vaginal opening and won’t go in any further. If you find yourself lusting after Cush for the ridge, you might want to measure your vagina’s depth before you buy, so you don’t end up disappointed! (The ridge is about 4 ½" down the shaft.)

I love Cush’s base. It’s thick, firm, and sublimely easy to grab and thrust with. It would also make this toy work great in a harness (a claim which I unfortunately can’t prove for myself because I don’t have a willing strap-on sex partner!).

I was fearful when I first decided to take on the challenge of the Cush O2, but I’m glad I did. It gives my vagina something nice and thick to clench around, and it works magic on my A-spot in particular. I have to admit that I sometimes wish O2 was squishier, like VixSkin, but at the same time, it’s sort of nice to have differing dual-density options. If you like girth, I’m pretty sure you’ll love the Cush!

Thank you so much to Tantus for sending me this great toy!

Cyclical Cock Cravings

Kate Sloan

The female hormone cycle is a strange thing. I’m on hormonal birth control, so you’d think I wouldn’t have any of the odd, cyclical mood swings and changes in desire that accompany certain times of the month for many women, and yet, somehow, I do.

Every time I’m on my period, I develop a weeklong craving for realistic dildos.

My current favorite, by far, is the VixSkin Mustang. It’s easily the most realistic toy I own, in both appearance and sensation. And every time my Shark Week comes around, without fail, I end up laying a towel under my hips and going to town on myself with the Mustang. That poor little dildo has bloodstains on it more often than any other toy of mine.

The Tantus Mark O2 and Adam O2 fulfill similar cravings, though they are a fair bit firmer, so sometimes my sore menstrual cervix can’t quite handle ‘em when I’m bleeding.

Lately I’ve been trying to make up my mind about whether to buy myself a VixSkin Maverick – essentially a bigger, juicier version of the Mustang I love so much. Last night I finally went ahead and did it. It’s probably way too huge for my relatively small vag, but it’ll be something to work toward, I guess!

What kinds of sex toys do you sometimes crave? Does your hormonal cycle have anything to do with it?

Review: Tantus Flurry O2

Kate Sloan

When PinkCherry asked me to send them a list of toys I’d be interested in reviewing, I took my time with it. I combed through their site and noted down all sorts of items, from Pipedream to Lelo. But when I sat back and looked at the completed list, I noticed, to my surprise, an overwhelming amount of Tantus. It seemed strange to me because I already own the two Tantus toys I’d coveted the most, the Adam O2 and the Ryder – but I guess Tantus is just more covetable than a lot of other companies for me. Their toys are made of 100% platinum silicone (yay, sanitizability!), are always intelligently designed, come in a variety of colors, and are just overall fantastic.

So I was pretty excited when PinkCherry.ca sent me a Flurry O2 dildo. It’s from Tantus’s O2 line, which consists of all dual-density dildos – they have a core of firm silicone, and an outer layer of softer, squishier silicone, giving them a very real penis-like feeling. Oddly enough, my boyfriend and I both agreed that the Flurry is closer in feeling to his actual penis than the more realistic-looking Adam is – it feels a bit squishier, and the finish seems less sticky.

I was sent the Flurry in the color “twilight,” which is a beautiful pale lavender. The core layer is dark purple, while the soft outer layer is white; this gives the toy a lovely gradient throughout its body, an elegant touch I haven’t seen from anyone but Tantus.

I think of the Flurry as being like the cock of a vampire, or an alien. It’s not made to look realistic, with its two stacked heads and completely smooth shaft. It’s from the more martian-like branch of Tantus’s O2 line, so it doesn’t have veins, balls, a frenulum, or anything else that would make it similar to a penis – except for its obviously phallic shape and that doubled head.

This is the girthiest dildo I’ve ever used, at 1 ½” in circumference (though, admittedly, I am just starting out in the world of reviewing dildos – I’ve been more of a vibrator girl up til now). It takes plenty of warm-up and plenty of lube before I’m ready to let this thing impale me. But when I do, it is deliciously filling in the same way that my boyfriend’s dick is – comforting me with its width, rather than stretching me.

There are two major things to know about potential discomfort with the Flurry. The first is that it is silicone, so it eats lube, and has a bit of drag to it, more than something made of glass or steel would – and therefore, you may need more lube with it than you’d think.

The second thing is, of course, the bulbous ridges, designed to stimulate the G-spot. They do their job, but they are very intense. If you’re texture-sensitive, I wouldn’t recommend this one. Even drizzled in lube, I find these ridges somewhat uncomfortable on entry – though, that discomfort changes to pleasure pretty shortly.

The design of this dildo is a little odd in that it has no texture after the two ridges – so if you want that G-spot stimulation, you have to thrust the toy pretty shallowly. I’m okay with that, especially since I can’t even fit the toy’s whole 7″ inside me (I can get up to about 5 ½” before nudging my cervix), but it makes it a questionable choice for your partner to use on you during oral sex, since it might get in the way if thrusted that shallowly. Its girth does make it fabulous for clenching down on during orgasm, however.

Speaking of nudging my cervix… The Flurry is much softer and squishier at the tip than it is in the shaft, so if it does make contact with my cervix, it’s not a big deal, the way it is with glass. It doesn’t give me that “oh please god no” kind of pain that my cervix usually shoots out when clinked against pyrex. And that is definitely a blessing, especially with a toy as long as this one.

The wide, round base of the Flurry makes it harness-compatible and safe for anal (I didn’t tackle that challenge, because I am a total novice in the world of anal play). There’s a little raised “Tantus” logo at the base of the toy, parallel with the G-spot ridges, which I really appreciated because I have an issue with losing track of how dildos are oriented inside me.

I’d recommend this toy to someone who wants a stellar-quality, non-representational dildo with a bit of girth to it. You might not like it if you like intense G-spot stimulation and deep penetration at the same time, but if you like only one of those at once, the Flurry has got you covered.

Thanks so much, PinkCherry.ca, for bringing a bit of vampire dick into my life (and my vagina)! Check out their sex toy blog and enter their contest to win $100 in sex toys!