Cisco - dildo discontinued by Tantus - review by ScottA

When dealing with a dildo such as Cisco, it's probably best to get straight to the heart of the issue for most people. Yes, Cisco is a big dildo. Scratch that – it's a huge dildo. As far as numbers go it's a bit under a foot long and a bit over two inches in diameter, but mere numbers, 10-3/4x 2-1/8, don't really tell the story. To really get a feel for how big Cisco is you need to compare it to something. For most of you, Cisco's circumference (distance around the dildo) will be about the same as your wrist, and chances are that Cisco is as long or longer than your forearm (not counting your hand). That's big – but than again that's the reason for Cisco. It's a reasonably-priced large high-quality body-safe dildo.

In common with all of Tantus' toys Cisco is cast entirely from 100% platinum cured silicone. For Cisco, Tantus chose to use one of their softer silicone formulations so the dildo is comfortable during use and doesn't jab, but the soft silicone makes Cisco a little floppy, and most people will probably need two hands for insertion. Once inside, the size of Cisco prevents it from bending enough to cause a problem with thrusting.

Cisco is only available in a matte-finished black that does a good job of holding lube. The shaft has some texture from what Tantus calls the “rings of pleasure” - five graduated rings with an almost square profile. The first ridge protrudes one-sixteenth of an inch, and each successive ring increases by one-thirty-second of an inch, so the last ring stands out at a pretty substantial three-sixteenths of an inch on each side, so the net effect is an increase in over a quarter inch of diameter. This, combined with the square profiles, means that you really need to warm up and relax before inserting Cisco very far.

Apart from the rings Cisco is a very accommodating dildo. While it gets big fast, the tip is well rounded for easy insertion as well as making sure that the toy tracks your vagina or rectum instead of poking you, causing discomfort at best or serious damage at worst. Even though Cisco is soft and the point well rounded, it's still vital to be very careful while playing with it so you don't cause any punctures or tears. The base is easy to grasp, and if you prefer a side grip the lower, larger rings help to ensure that Cisco can be securely held even when coated in lube. Note that the side grip is better for playing with a partner than for solo use, especially when used anally, and it also allows you to use your hand to limit penetration. Once you're ready for Cisco (and as long as you don't push yourself too much) you'll find Cisco to be very stimulating and comfortable. The large size and ridges combine to produce a toy that is impossible to ignore.

For those of you who would like to try Cisco in a harness the good news is that it works. Because of the narrow base you want to choose an O-ring that fits snugly, but when mounted on a harness with a 2-inch rubber O-ring Cisco was more than secure enough for a round of strap-on sex, though a bit floppy. Note that you need to exercise more care when using Cisco in a harness because it is easier to injure your partner.

With care Cisco can be used either vaginally or anally. The difference in diameter between the base and largest part of the shaft is a bit over a half inch (10/16”), which is a bit small for a dildo. When this is considered in combination with the length of Cisco it is highly unlikely that you could inadvertently “lose” Cisco anally unless you were very extreme in your playing, as the size and texture of Cisco favor slower, more deliberate play.

Cisco's silicone construction makes life easy. During use you can use either water or oil-based lubricants (even some silicone lubes work with Tantus toys – but test first!), and after use you can clean it up easily in the sink. If desired you can sanitize Cisco using a 10% solution of bleach or by boiling it (in a large stockpot). After use Cisco doesn't require any special storage accommodations – just keep it away from sharp edges.

I have yet to get the whole of my Cisco inside me, unfortunately that last inch keeps eluding me. During many trials I have found Cisco easy to use and insert with one exception: if I don't spend a lot of time in warm-up the larger ridges are the difficult part on Cisco. Even after warming up I find occasionally that my anus will get sore after a while, and I think it has to do with the nearly square ridges on Cisco. While there's a bit of a radius on the top and bottom to make cleaning easier, I find myself wishing that Tantus had made them rounded, as it would make things much easier. Other than that I like my Cisco.

I tried my best to like Cisco. After all, the beginning held so much progress, but I finally gave up and retired Cisco. There were three things that did Cisco in for me (though maybe not for you):

(1) The Ridges.

The smaller ones felt great, but as they grew in size they were just too much. Too abrupt, to much of a difference, too square. I tried different lubes, relaxation exercises, whatever - they still irritated my anus during play.


(2) The stiffness. Cisco is quite a bit softer than I initially expected, but for me it was just a little stiff to negotiate my twists and turns, and I was never able to get that last inch in

(3) Though not a feature of Cisco, the arrival of my Tantus Cowboy was definitely an issue in the retirement of Cisco. The Cowboy was more flexible, smoother, and the bulges felt (and feel) wonderful - very stimulating, but not as abrupt as the Cisco's ridges.

Note that Cisco is not a bad dildo, it's simply a very advanced dildo, and one that doesn't work well with me.