Alpha is Dead. Long Live Beta.

Posted on February 13, 2014 by Jim

Alpha has been sold out for a few weeks now, and I’ve received numerous inquiries about when it will be back in stock, so I thought I’d provide an update as to where things currently stand.

First of all, thanks for the incredible response about Alpha. It has been very humbling and encouraging. But most of all, it has shown me that there is a huge demand out there for comfortable plugs for long-term wear.

Unfortunately, Alpha is a very time consuming product to make. From measuring, mixing, degassing, pouring, curing, and cleaning, each plug requires a lot of manual work which is then reflected in the cost. And frankly, I think you all deserve better than hand-made for the price.

So a little over a month ago, I completely remodeled Alpha on the computer. I now have a perfect representation of my original vision. I reached out to a number of American manufacturers and selected the one I believe to be the most well equipped to make my product a reality.

Without any further ado, I present a rendering of what’s to come:

The new plug will be called, rather unimaginatively, Beta, and it will be released by a new company that I am starting called Implicit Creations. A website will be launched soon, just a few finishing touches to put on it first.

Beta will be made of a more luxurious, silky smooth silicone compared to Alpha but is otherwise similar in terms of shape and size. I’ve gone to great lengths to ensure it will be made with only medical grade materials. It will also come in full retail packaging. Best of all, thanks to the economies of scale, I am fairly confident I can price it less than Alpha. Furthermore, I promise all customers who purchased Alpha will be able to upgrade to Beta for free.

Things are moving very fast and I’m very excited about how things are shaping up. I even have plans for small and large versions of Beta. I’m definitely letting this cat out of the bag a little earlier than I had originally intended, but I feel like I owe it to all my loyal readers to know what’s up with Alpha.

Beta should be available for purchase ~~in April 2014~~ on May 25, 2014. I am not taking pre-orders or anything like that, but it would mean a lot to me if you subscribed to this mailing list to receive updates as things progress.

Thanks again to all of you who supported Alpha. Beta wouldn’t be possible without you guys!

Introducing Alpha, The First Plug Designed for Long-Term Wear

Posted on December 1, 2013 by Jim

It began with a comment:

I wonder if Tantus hires consultants. Will work for plugs. 😉

I started thinking, if not seriously at first, about what my ideal plug would look like. I commonly criticize plugs for being too complicated and having bases that are irritating for long-term wear. And plugs which are comfortable for long-term use are usually smaller than I’d like. My ideal plug would need to have a simple, organic shape, a well-thought-out base, and enough mass to be satisfyingly filling without being distracting. A tall order, but I thought I could do it.

And so I started designing, and prototyping, and testing. What I came up with far exceeded my expectations. Today, I am very pleased to announce that you, too, can experience the best butt plug I have ever used.

Introducing Alpha, the first plug designed by a butt plug lover, for butt plug lovers, specifically for long-term wear.

Alpha was shaped by hand for easy insertion and retention. Its 2-inch bulb and 1-inch neck will fill you up and stretch you out for days without becoming uncomfortable. The premium silicone material is firm, but flexible, non-porous, and phthalate-free. With some care, it should last a lifetime.

But it’s the base that really sets Alpha apart as the top dog. The neck gradually transitions into the base, making it very comfortable to sit on for long periods of time. It is also the same width as the neck, which feels very natural between the cheeks. Absent are the sharp edges and right angles found on so many other plugs; only simple, gentle curves make Alpha THE plug for long-term wear.

Alpha is now available in translucent blue and translucent white in the new ~~Plug Love store~~ (Implicit Creations store). While you’re there, pick up some Maximus lube. The best plug deserves the best water-based lube to go with it.

Enjoy!

Tantus Severin Large

Posted on December 23, 2012 by Jim

“Wow.”

I’ve had this post sitting in draft status for a month now with only that word. Wow. It’s not that I don’t know how to write about this plug; I just think that one word sums it up so perfectly that I don’t know what else to add. But let me take a stab at it anyway.

This was the second plug I ever bought, before I realized what a big difference a small increase in diameter makes. All I knew was that it looked awesome and I had to have it in me. In retrospect, it may have been a little bit ambitious. At 2-3/8″ in diameter and 6″ long as I measure it now, this plug is definitely not for beginners. But I was determined, and with some patience, and a lot of lube, I got it in.

That feeling. You always remember that first time you get the big one in. Once you get it past the critical point, and it begins to slide in on its own, it hits you: a feeling of accomplishment, relief, pain, and pleasure all at once. That feeling was exaggerated by this plug’s design. It doesn’t have as gradual of a taper as most plugs; it goes from about 1-1/2″ in the middle to the full width very quickly, then back down to a long 1-1/2″ wide neck just as quick. Because it doesn’t taper, I would recommend using another plug to warm up with. That said, the design does keep it in place very well for long-term wear.

The neck, in particular, facilitates that goal. I find the length of it to be perfect for my anatomy. It pushes most of the mass of the plug deeper inside of me where it feels better, and its width gives me the most satisfying stretch of any plug I own. I may have some plugs with wider necks, but it’s the shape of it, the bulb-neck-base ratio, the length and gentle curve of it that makes all the difference. It’s just comfortable.

Likewise, the base of the Large Severin makes it a great long-term plug. Like the BOSS Silicone Stopper, it has an ideal hour-glass shape. Mine also arrived with its sharp edges from the molding process trimmed off, which significantly reduces irritation. All manufacturers should do this!

What don’t I like about this plug? Well, the two bulb design does nothing for me. Some people describe the area between the bulbs as a nice “resting” place to get acclimated to the plug before proceeding to the larger bulb. For me, it’s not really long enough to rest comfortably and you certainly can’t feel it once it’s inside you. Truthfully it just serves as a space to collect waste. I don’t want to be too gross, but this is my least favorite plug to clean off after a long session.

The plug can also be a little hard to get in. Like I said, you definitely have to warm up first. I’ve been using this plug several times a week for the past month or so, and I can report that it gets easier to put in the more you use it. I’m definitely to a point where I can go straight to it without any trouble. But I also know that if I didn’t practice putting it in at least once a week, my butt would revert to its “normal” state and I would have to start all over. That makes this plug something you kind of have to work on to use, but it is definitely worth it.

I will say that I have found that it is easier to put this plug in when you bear down and push out a bit as it, rather counter-intuitively, relaxes your anal muscles more. Experienced readers may think that’s old news, but it took me a while to figure that out.

I also own the medium version of this plug which, despite having the same shape, feels completely different. I couldn’t believe it when I first tried it. I will review that plug in another post.

This is a really great plug. It’s a good stretch with a nice full feeling, and, despite the size, very comfortable for long-term wear.

BOSS Silicone Stopper IV

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Jim

I mentioned in my review of the Tantus Ryder that, while being my go-to plug, it is not my favorite. That honor goes to this very special plug: BOSS Silicone Stopper IV by MODE-DESIGN (in all caps as is typical of Japanese usage of English).

While on vacation in Japan, I stopped into one of the many adult shops in the Akihabara district of Tokyo. As I browsed the shop’s five or six floors, I was amazed to come across this set of butt plugs. I would normally expect to see a few cheap, plasticky “novelties,” but these were made out of silicone, arguably the best material for anal toys due to its non-porous, sterilizable nature. And they were cheap too, around $25! Quality silicone toys like these often go for double that online. It was too good to pass up and my ass was hungry, so I bought the biggest model, a little bottle of Astroglide, and put it all into my backpack. I met up with my travel partner to hit up our next sightseeing destination, the Tokyo Government Building, which we planned to go to the top of before leaving for home that evening.

When we arrived, I noticed that they were doing bag inspections. I couldn’t let them or my friend see what I had just bought. So I turned back to dispose of the evidence. And what better way of doing that than hiding it in your butt? I found a bathroom, took the plug out of the box, and examined it.

First thought: It’s sooo smooth. It has a satiny matte finish like nothing I’ve ever felt before. The closest thing I can think of to compare it to is the “soft-touch” rubber backs appearing on some cell phones now. Now that I think about it, the finish on the Tantus A-Bomb comes close, but it’s still not nearly as nice as on this BOSS Stopper.

I put a little bit of lube on it and began to slide it in, conscious of the people just outside the stall door. My ass protested to its 2″ girth—it had been weeks since I had used a butt plug, and normally I’d need to warm up for one this big. With a little more lube, and a lot more pressure, I managed to get the plug in. It hurt, but it was in. I pulled up my pants and walked back out to the streets of Tokyo, my ass completely stuffed.

Thankfully, due to the plug’s slim neck, I adjusted relatively quickly. At 7/8″ wide, the neck is no bigger than a thumb. The base is pretty small for a plug of this size, measuring 3.25″ long and 1.25-1.5″ wide. The base has an hourglass shape which helps it to fit well between the cheeks, and feels very comfortable standing, walking, or even sitting for long periods of time. The bottom of the base does exhibit some hard right angles, but being 1/2″ thick, it sticks far enough outside the cheeks not to cause any pinching or irritation. Here it is next to a soda can for comparison:

The BOSS Stopper ended up feeling so comfortable, and the large 2″ bulb sitting just inside felt so good against the lower part of my prostate, that I decided to keep it in for the rest of the trip and the 16 hour plane ride home. The only thing I made sure to do was to take out the small metal ring that came on the bottom, so as to not set off any metal detectors when going through security at the airport. The small metal loop which the ring attaches to is not removable, so I was still a little worried about setting off the detectors. Needless to say, going through airport security was nerve-racking and exhilarating.

I made it through security (twice) without a hitch, though I would not attempt that again now that we’re in the era of backscatter X-ray machines.

Since that trip, I managed to wear it on a 12 hour car ride, and on another occasion, I kept it in for five days straight, taking it out only to use the bathroom. The Stopper’s relatively slim neck and small, well-shaped base make this one of the most comfortable plugs I’ve had the pleasure of using, and the thickness of the bulb means it’s still a very intense experience for the duration. I’ve even come up with some creative uses for the ring on the bottom involving small chains and locks 😉 Couple all of that with the one of the nicest, most luxurious materials I’ve ever felt, and you’ve got the complete package: my favorite butt plug.

If you can find the BOSS Silicone Stopper IV in your area or online, buy it!

Tantus Ryder

Posted on July 8, 2011 by Jim

As my first review, I think it is fitting to take on my go-to butt plug, the one I use more than any other. It’s not that it’s my favorite, but it’s easy to insert, relatively comfortable, and it feels pretty good.

Ryder by Tantus is a small silicone plug free of gimmicks. It has a glossy smooth finish that takes well to water and oil based lubricants. Contrary to what Tantus has said about their toys being able to use silicone lube, I’ve had trouble with even the high quality stuff, such as Pjur, sort of drying on to the surface. Fortunately it came off with soap and water.

My copy is a neat pearlescent blue, though it comes in purple, black, and neon colors. It measures exactly 1.5″ in diameter at its widest point and tapers down to a 7/8″ diameter neck. Here it is beside a can for scale:

Because of it’s relatively small size, I don’t need to warm up before putting this plug in. And because it doesn’t flare like most plugs, all it takes is one gentle push and the rest of it slides in satisfyingly.

Once in, this plug delivers a surprising feeling of fullness given its size. It’s enough so you can’t forget it’s there, but not enough to be distracting. That feeling of fullness, I’ve noticed, intensifies the longer I wear it, perhaps as I become more aroused, perhaps as pressure increases inside. After a night’s sleep with it in, I wake up with a wonderful, constant but subtle feeling of pleasure in my lower abdomen as it pushes against my prostate.

As someone who puts a plug in and leaves it there for several hours or days, I can’t say enough how much I appreciate this plug for its simplicity. Extra bumps and ripples can’t be felt once inside and only serve to collect waste and cause discomfort. Sadly, the market seems to be flooded with gimmicky plugs offering weird shapes not conducive to long-term wear.

What makes Ryder one of the most comfortable plugs I’ve worn is its base. Its base is the smallest on any plug I’ve seen. Some people consider that a bad thing, as if it will get sucked in. Let me assure you that will absolutely not happen with normal use. The base measures 1″ by 2.5″ and is only 1/4″ thick. It sits very comfortably between the cheeks and can barely be felt while sitting. While standing, the base is small enough so that the cheeks close around it, making it completely unnoticeable.

In my opinion, the base is the most important thing to get right in a butt plug. It is usually the thing that is felt most, and for long-term wear, even the smallest flaw will cause serious discomfort. In the case of the Ryder, the base does have a small flaw, and that makes it the plug’s biggest flaw.

It’s hard to capture on camera, but the bottom of the base has sharp right edges from the molding process. It feels fine initially, but due to how deep inside the cheeks the base sits, after a few hours it begins to feel like it’s cutting into my skin. I find myself having to half push it out and reposition it every so often from that point. Relubing does not seem to help. Sometimes I get used to it, though usually that’s my cue to switch to a different plug.

The Ryder is the plug I put in when I just want to relax or go to sleep without stretching myself out beforehand. It’s simple and comfortable to a point. It’s my go-to plug. As I write this, I have it firmly inside my butt, and I suspect it will stay there for at least the next twelve hours.