Ringo - butt plug discontinued by Tantus - review by ScottA

The Tantus Ringo is the large specimen of Tantus' new classic buttplug line, and it's a good plug for those wanting a large plug that's both 100% silicone and easy to use. The shape of the Ringo is excellent, with a narrow tip that slides in easily and a slightly curved taper that reduces the rate of expansion as the plug gets larger. The net result is a large plug that can still be used as a first toy of the evening if you want.

Combine the Ringo's nice taper with the soft silicone that Tantus uses, and the result is a top-notch warm-up plug. It slides in easily for its size, but once inside the bulge works to slowly massage and relax the internal sphincter. In a way it's similar to the pop-up turkey thermometers - when the Ringo pops out, your ass is ready for fun. As a test I followed up the Ringo with my A-Bomb. I love the feeling of the A-Bomb inside, but its large size and stiff silicone meant that it took 20-30 minutes to insert and often resulted in some discomfort as the bulge worked past my internal sphincters. After warming up with Ringo, the Bomb went in smoothly and easily with little discomfort - a testament to Ringo's ability to relax the sphincters. While I didn't try it, Ringo should be equally effective if you're warming up for fisting.

I'm always interested in how well plugs work for longer-term wear, and I was especially curious about the Ringo because of its large size. While the Tantus catalog lists the Ringo as "perfect for holding", my results were a bit more mixed. I never had problems with the weight of the plug pulling Ringo out, but several times Ringo did trigger my "gotta go" reflex, leading to some interesting facial expressions as I tried to keep it in without using my hands. It is possible, and when used this way Ringo would make a useful addition to a BDSM toybox (or an anal toybox) because you really have to concentrate on your butt if you just slide it in. A few days later I discovered that sitting down and using a chair to hold Ringo in for a few minutes while doing some focused relaxation and letting my ass get used to Ringo made retention much easier and more comfortable. I was able to keep Ringo in with little effort for about half an hour, even while walking around the house, but I still wouldn't wear Ringo in public without a harness. Unfortunately the large, square base on the Ringo is a sad departure from the excellent base that Tantus uses in the A-bomb. While it isn't uncomfortable, the base of Ringo is noticeable during use rubbing where the leg and buttock meet, and it might cause bulges in clothing- making the base a stroke against Ringo for long-term wear.

Ringo feels pretty good while inserted. The sheer size of the plug means that there's a noticeable amount of prostate stimulation, but the low positioning of the bulge, wide neck, and rapid taper of Ringo combine to make the prostate effects less noticeable than they could be. The stimulation is still there, it's just not as much as you'd get with a plug having a higher bulge, such as the A-Bomb or Cody. While I was using Ringo I noticed that the sheer size meant that there wasn't as much interior movement as there is with smaller plugs, so if you like the internal wiggle you might want to look somewhere else. The main feeling that you get when using Ringo is one of being filled up and held open, and it's a pretty good feeling (especially when you add a bit of wiggle using your hand).

I like Ringo. It's definitely more special-purpose than Tantus' Bronco or Ryder plugs, but it does a great job as a warm-up plug and is pretty good as a general-purpose large plug. It would be nice if the base were a bit rounder and the plug was a wee bit easier to hold in, but Ringo combines the safety of silicone with an excellent shape for warm-up use and, with a little effort, it is possible to use Ringo for short to medium term wear.

It's been eight months, and I still regularly call upon Ringo as a warm-up plug. The soft material, gradual taper, and good design of this plug are still shining through, and it is still a fantastic choice for either a warm-up toy or for anal training to take larger objects.

My use of Ringo has changed a bit over the months, though. I started out thinking that Ringo would make a good large plug for longer-term wear, but I find holding Ringo in takes too much effort. I'll grab Ringo to warm up with or if I'll be sitting down, but once I'm relaxed Ringo starts to pop out unless I hold it in. This plug would be great for long-term wear if you had a harness to hold it in or if you were playing a game, but generally I'll switch plugs and pop in my A-bomb or Tristan II once Ringo starts popping out.

If you do wear Ringo long-term there's no need to worry about the base. It looks big and clunky, but it's soft silicone and doesn't poke or chafe.