Advanced Toys for Great Sex

by Shelly Lomax

Summary

This explicit guide is like going to a really good sex toy party. If you haven’t had the occasion to attend one or you feel shy or uncomfortable doing so, Advanced Toys for Great Sex is an awesome and informative way to introduce you to sex toys. This video alternates between a panel of specialists discussing a series of toys and attractive real life couples demonstrating their intended use.

You do get something with this show that you wouldn’t with a sex toy party; you actually get to see the products being used. Considering what I’ve seen happen at toy parties, the ladies are so hyped up about the goodies they bought, but go home without all of the confidence or knowledge necessary to successfully integrate them into their solo or partner play. It is a huge advantage to see a toy demonstrated for its intended use; the more you know how to utilize it correctly, the more it adds value to your experience!

The first topic that the panel considers is ‘Vibrators’. They then delve into ‘Dildos’ and follow with ‘Anal Toys’. The conversation turns to ‘Orgasms & Toys’ and proceeds to ‘Lubes’. ‘Sex Furniture’ is explored and afterwards attention is turned to ‘Great Toys for Great Sex’. The last bit of footage includes a few more sexual scenes featuring toy play and concludes with a trip to the ‘Sex Toy Expo’ with Ian and Alicia (the owners of the sex toy store, Freddy and Eddy).

Presentation (7.5/10)
The overall presentation of this production was fairly good; this video is a much better production than the last one that I saw by the Alexander Institute. Here we had a set that looked professionally staged, clear introductions from each panel member, good scene transitions and a host who, on the whole, directed the flow of the show.

I appreciated the diversity of the panel; here we had a sex therapist, who appeared to be the host of the show, the owners of a toy store and an editor from XBIZ magazine (an adult industry news and information source). For, the most part I enjoyed this team of experts, but I felt that they had a peculiar chemistry.

Now, they’re all authorities in their respective fields, yet they were explaining how the devices worked and illustrated concepts to one another in a way that a teacher would to someone with little knowledge of a subject. It seemed like the addressee would get a bit impatient and jump in with what they knew about the topic. I think they really ought to have talked to the camera. This dynamic really detracted from my overall impression of the panel. If this method of discussion really appeals to the directing team, then at least get a host who doesn’t really know anything about these topics so that information gets disseminated genuinely. This is done on live news and talk shows and it is much more effective.

One aspect that I really liked came at the end of the production when you get to come along with Ian and Alicia to the Sex Expo. Leading up to this, the group had a great discussion about what’s emerging in the industry and how much new stuff is coming out every day! This segment really gave me the sense of the action and momentum that the industry is taking.

The video does have re-play potential, but more so as a means of titillation via the sex scenes rather than as an actual reference. On this note, you will need to refer back to it if there were any toys that you’d like to get more information on. They referred to about 5% of the products by name so you’ll have a bit of work cut out for you!

Content Quality (7.5/10)
The show did provide a decent sex toy overview. I liked that they thoroughly discussed and demonstrated a wide variety of materials such as silicone, metal, glass, wood and granite. There was an interesting range of styles, some notables including: disguised vibes, harnesses and sex furniture. My favorite one was the vibrating egg that is triggered by someone answering a cell phone within 12 meters of you!

The panel drew awareness to the design features in a toy that affect successful g-spot stimulation, such as the stiffness of the device, curve of shaft, length of wand and the size of the bulbous head. They also focused on useful items for anal masturbation such as prostate stimulators, anal plugs and beads.

Sex Appeal (7/10)
The demonstrations in the video will definitely stir up excitement. The couples, which the Alexander Institute claims are real matchups, were attractive; they seemed like they were genuinely enjoying their toys and each other.

There were a few money shots that are worth watching. Not only were they arousing, they portrayed some interesting scenarios that demonstrated the variety and the scope that you could achieve with sex toys.

One that I’ve never seen before in an educational video was a man getting penetrated by his lady, who had donned a harness with a dildo on the end. It was great to see this particular situation being played out because male penetration is something that many women are curious about trying, but not sure how to approach it with their men. What I thought was interesting was that she seemed like she was enjoying the experience more than him. In my opinion, she could have reached around and given him a hand job to take his mind off his behind.

One of my favorite scenes was when all of the female’s ‘Big 3’ (clitoris, vagina and anus) were being ‘toyed’ with at the same. I think anal beads would have been useful to demonstrate rather than large anal balls. Part of the hot thing about anal play is the feeling of the anus being stimulated, particularly when you’re coming; it would have been really cool to show him pulling them out one by one while she was coming, rather than popping them out post-orgasm.

My other choice scene was of the man getting a hand job by his girlfriend with a masturbation sleeve. I think those sleeves are underrated for couples’ use and I’m glad they showed it; those sleeves just make hand jobs so easy, especially if he needs extra stimulation.

What took the cake for me were the 2 sex machine demos! With both the Sybian and the Monkey Rocker, the female started off solo and was then joined by her partner for play. I think that there is a great opportunity to experience the sensation of dual penetration with these items, which is an advantage for couples who don’t want a 3rd party in the mix.

Video Quality (7/10)
On the whole the video quality was reasonably good. The scenes transitioned well and I liked that they incorporated quick visuals of a few of the toys in action as the panel discussed them. They made use of different camera angles during the sex toy chats, but the quality of filming could have been better. There were also a couple of sections that were staged in a different location from the original set and you’ll see that the quality in those segments did suffer. The sex demonstrations were professionally done and staged well, but there were 1 or 2 whose impact was poorer than the rest.

Audio Quality (8/10)
The audio quality of this production was reasonably professionally done. They made use of appropriate instrumental-only music during the sex demonstrations but the buzzing sound of some of the vibrators competed heavily with the background music! On the other hand, the volume of the toy was honestly represented.

Extra Features (6/10)
The extra features were the standard ones that are included in the Loving Sex productions; tips from a sex coach, general sexuality information and web links. There were previews available for all of the Loving Sex productions as well as a bonus scene. The bonus scene seemed rather amateur and the plot and dialogue weren’t cohesive, but it is an extra love scene nonetheless.

Overall Score (7.2/10)
With the vast range of sex toys emerging in the industry, a person might feel overwhelmed and inundated when choosing one that’s right for them. This video guides you through the vast array of options and helps you discover how to incorporate them into your lovemaking. ‘Advanced Toys for Great Sex’ is a tasteful and pleasurable resource that is definitely worth checking out!

To Order
If you would like more information on Advanced Toys for Great Sex, or would like to order, call me at (503)962-4856.

Ideal (Personal Massager)

by Shelly Lomax
Sex Counselor for Trimet

The Ideal has the very discreet signature shape of the Natural Contours product line; however, the noise level totally gives it away...

Description and Materials
The Ideal is comprised of an ABS plastic body and a soft silicone spring head. Latex free as well as phthalates free, the safety of this product’s material is definitely an encouraging feature. The dimensions are 8 inches long with an approximate diameter of 2.5 inch wide; it feels a tad heavy but its wand can be gripped with the whole hand. The Ideal Massager has two very powerful speed settings, but with only the one vibe setting - continuous with no pulsation. The head of the massager is spring loaded and bends from side to side very easily.

The unique design of the handle threw me off at first, but I soon discovered its true purpose; it’s a very ergonomic and comfortable way to hold the vibrator when there is an attachment on it. Although I’m left-handed, I found that the handle was comfortable to hold in either hand; moreover, the vibe speed switch was easy to access.

Packaging
I wasn’t swept away by the packaging, but I did appreciate that it was tasteful as well as simple. It didn’t come with a storage bag but I did like that the wand fit easily into its molded container in the box. There weren’t a lot of instructions included but, then again, the wand is really easy to pick up and start using. Be sure that you charge it for the minimum amount of time before using it.

How it Works

The Ideal can be used to massage all parts of the body as well as stimulate the erogenous zones. I found that I loved how the Ideal felt when I used it to massage my erogenous zones as well as my arms, legs and buttocks; however, it produced an extremely uncomfortable sensation when it came too close to my spine, shoulders and back muscles. Even when set to low, the vibration was so strong that it felt like it rattled my eyeballs and jangled my skeleton. If you want to give someone a sensual massage with this device, make sure you use a gentle hand and stick to the extremities and soft parts, unless that person happens to enjoy a much more vigorous touch (as a man might).

Who it’s For
The Ideal would be an excellent choice for a person who wants to be discreet about the sex toys that they own; even if the Ideal was discovered among someone’s things, it wouldn’t necessarily sound the alarm bells as to its potential sexual purpose. Further to that, the Ideal’s incredibly intensive stimulation would be excellent for a person who doesn’t get enough stimuli from an average vibrator: its vibe is very powerful and for some, this is exactly what some people need to experience orgasm.

My first impression was that the Ideal would be a perfect item for someone whose taste was more ‘vanilla’. It has no baubles, no tricks and no flashy lights. Although it is incredibly unintimidating and highly intuitive, I would be concerned that the sheer strength of the buzz would scare a novice off sex toys completely.

Critique
My evaluation of this item is somewhat mixed… There were a few features that I absolutely loved about the Ideal. Firstly, it doesn’t run on batteries and can be plugged into the wall to be recharged. Secondly, its sleek and inconspicuous shape will delight those who want to keep their play to themselves or, alternatively, those who merely don’t dig the ‘bunnies’ or the pearls of other vibrators.

I was very disappointed that the head rattled loudly when it wasn’t held upright; I found this really frustrating, particularly since the Ideal was already quite loud. This was my first experience with a spring-head personal massager and I found it to be less than satisfactory. It was unfortunate because there was so much potential for this product to be a standard part of a person’s pleasure chest. This is definitely one I would warn a friend about before buying.

Back on the positive side, the G-Plus attachment significantly made up for the Ideal’s drawbacks. I found myself totally drawn to using it once I had gotten the add-on; in fact I actually picked this one over some of my usual favorites on a number of occasions. I think that it would useful for the Ideal to come with at least one attachment included with the wand. Lucky for me, I had received the two of them together anyway but an average person may not have bothered buying a complementary item if they didn’t enjoy their experience with the underlying product. As they’re currently sold separately, I highly recommend that if you purchase the Ideal get it together with the G-Plus attachment.

Final Thoughts
I hate to give a product with such potential such a low score, but I have to rate it a 4.5/10 on its own and 7.5/10 when used with an attachment. Despite the fact that it has an excellent design, it is heavy, noisy and isn’t set with a better range of vibration strength. You’ll get more of a return on your money when you add an optional add-on.