Severin medium - butt plug discontinued by Tantus - review by Jimbo Jones

Just like in Goldilocks, bigger doesn't necessarily mean better. Sometimes medium is right where you want to be. For instance, have you ever wondered what might be the best way to work yourself up to taking insertion of larger items into your anus? The butt plug is a great solution for this, as they come in a variety of sizes and many of them allow for the sphincter to rest around the neck after being stretched around the head. But how does one bridge the gap between the smaller plugs and the larger ones? Enter the medium Severin.

The general Severin design probably represents one of the best currently available applications of the training butt plug idea. It starts small and increases in size across two gradually larger bulges before coming down to the neck. This allows for gradual stretching and insertion and really helps to open one up to the next larger thing. It doesn't have a curve that would help with prostate stimulation, but as a traditional butt plug it works very well. It can even be worn for long periods comfortably so that one can get used to having something hold the 'back door' open.

As with all Tantus toys (except the Alumina line) the medium Severin is made from 100% ultra-premium platinum silicone. This means you can feel safe sticking this up your ass, because it doesn't have any off-gassing chemicals, and it can be completely cleaned when you're done. This is really the only soft material that can make that claim. Since the silicone isn't hard like glass or metal it has give to it that can make the insertion process more comfortable than harder materials.

The medium Severin has a "glossy" finish, so it is slicker than silicone toys with a "matte" finish, but it is not as slick as glass or a "glossy" metal toy, so additional lube might be necessary. The texture is without flaw and feels really good to the touch, though.

The design of the medium Severin is very unique. The only other toys with exactly the same shape are the small and large versions of the same toy. This shape starts with a small tip that works its way up to two different size staging areas or bulges before reaching the neck of the toy. In the case of the medium Severin the staging areas are 1 1/2 inches and 1 7/8 inches before reaching the neck at 1 1/8 inches. In between the bulges the medium Severin drops down to 1 1/4 inches. This is a very effective design to allow for gradual anal insertion, and allows the user an area of respite between the two stretches. This design is very creative and impressive and provides a unique way to work up to larger anal toys.

The medium Severing performs like a champ. The tip is easy to get in and you can slowly work the first bulge in. Once past the first bulge you can let your sphincter relax around the narrower area before starting the final ascent to the larger bulge. After you conquer that one, it slides right down to the long, neck. The neck is what allows the medium Severin to stay in place very well.
The base of the medium Severin is improved over the original Severin that I have experience with. I think Tantus has changed all the Severins to the new, more comfortable base. It is still slightly larger than the Ryder, so it isn't quite as comfortable for long term wear, but it is much more comfortable than it used to be and doesn't make me want to reach for the Xacto knife to make alterations.

Silicone is one of the best materials for anal play because it is non-porous and can be sterilized by boiling for two minutes, wiping with a 10% bleach solution or running the toy through the dishwasher (top rack, no soap). This means that not only does a silicone toy have less of a chance of harboring bacteria it can also be cleaned really well. The medium Severin is no exception to these rules. The other silicone rule is not to use silicone lubricant with the toy. Silicone lubes can bond to silicone toys which can damage the exterior finish or destroy the entire toy. There might be some circumstances where some silicone lubes can be used with some silicone toys, but it's probably better just to play it safe and avoid using silicone lube with silicone toys. There are nice thick water based lubes that are great for anal play and if you want a water resistant lube for your silicone toys, try Boy Butter.

Having had mostly good experiences with the regular Severin, I was very excited to be receiving the Medium for review. I was unable to show much restraint after the package arrived, and I was testing it out the same day. I did a lube test on the base with the Pjur Back Door lube that I reviewed a while back and found that there was a reaction, so I washed the toy off and used some of my other lubes. I found that I was able to get the first bulge in pretty easily as expected since that is the size of most of my plugs. It was a good warm up, though, as I was able to move the medium Severin around and put additional pressure on my sphincter. After a little time to relax with the first bulge in, I slowly worked the second one in. I felt a stretch that was very satisfying as my ass opened over the second bulge, and then the medium Severin slid home and my sphincter relaxed on to the neck.

Now that I've been able to conquer the medium, I may have to set my sights on the large... someday.