Riding crop review

While we were away on vacation I went online and ordered the Riding Crop by Spartacus, so that we would have something to look forward to when leaving the sun and returning to the icy climate we make our home. What a pleasant treat to arrive home and find it waiting on my doorstep, waiting to play with it was tough, but since we had just finished 18 hours of travel it was a hardship we endure. 

As newbies investigating BDSM, this was our first dedicated flogging toy.  We have experimented with spanking, using a bare hand or a leather leash, but my partner finds it hard to control and judge the strength of his blows with these methods. 

He loves this toy!  It is attractively styled, has a comfortable grip, and is well constructed.  The flat rubber tip allows him to be very precise in where and how hard he strikes.  As the receiver I love the noise it makes: a splendid whistle as it flies through the air, followed by a loud slap when it makes contact.  Even though the smack is loud the strike is not necessarily hard--more noise does not always equal more pain. 

You can get satisfying loud smacks without the level of sting one normally anticipates with a bare hand blow.  Light tingling taps on the back, inner thighs, and buttocks can be changed into stinging blows quite easily, and as a beginner my partner feels in control with this toy. He can enjoy my reactions and get further into the fantasy of the play, without his usual worries that he is doing things too hard or not hard enough. Less stress for him means more fun for the both of us.

For me, half the fun is in the wait. I hear the whoosh and anticipate the blow; the surprise is whether it will be hard or soft.  For people experimenting with BDSM I think this crop is an ideal toy for beginners and a worthy addition to any pleasure chest.

The tip of this crop is actually leather, I was wrong when I said rubber. We are still enjoying this and it gets pulled out almost every time we have sex.  It may be for just a few quick smacks, but often it stays out to play longer.  My partner is pretty confident now in how hard he can hit me with this, without crossing the line into "bad" pain, and I think this will be around a long time.