Frolicking feather stix - feather tickler by NMC Ltd - review by Melan!e

The Frolicking Feather Stix are presented by NMC Ltd, an Asian manufacturer. These feather ticklers are designed to deliver the softest touches and prove to be quite useful for sensory play.

Getting down to the "nitty-gritty" of sensation play, we're talking about bestowing certain physical sensations to a partner. These can be light touches involving soft, subtle textures, or rougher when paired with BDSM techniques. Delicate sensations can be used to prime a partner for more intense play. Likewise, alternating between the softer and harder touches can also elicit rapturous responses.

Many toys or objects can be used to create these soft sensual touches; namely fur, silk, ice, or the most common of all: feathers. Maybe a little overworked, they are beloved in the bedroom for good reason. They are not intimidating by any means and are thus perfect for beginners. One does not need to consider themselves a BDSMer to take part in these activities. All in all, these ticklers are not exclusive to beginners and make wonderful staples in anyones sex accessory arsenal.

The Feather Stix can be used along with other sexy accessories to boost the appointment. For example, blindfolding a partner, thus removing their sense of sight, not only heightens their other senses, but also adds an element of surprise.

Use the Feather Stix to tickle, tease and caress your partners, or your own, legs, arms, genitals, or face. Quite frankly, they'll feel good just about anywhere. The time spent using the Feather Stix is sure to greatly enhance arousal by awakening the senses and ultimately leading to a phenomenal sexual experience!

Given their gender neutral appearance, both men and women can feel at ease when using these ticklers with their partner.

Neither end of the Stix is meant for insertion. These Feather Stix are strictly reserved for external uses.

There are in fact 12 Feather Stix included in the set, all of which consist entirely of fluffy down feathers. They are all identical in design and differ only in color. Four of them have hot pink feathers, four have bright blue feathers, and the other four have purple feathers.

The feathers puff out in all directions and span between 3 to 4 inches wide. Being completely composed of down feathers, the plush under feathers of birds that are often used for stuffings blankets and coats, they are pliable and do not have any rigidity whatsoever. They melt over the skin when applied.

The entire length of each tickler is roughly 13.5". This length is good in use. The handle is an 11" long black plastic tube. It is a perfectly smooth shaft. This handle is hollow and open at the end opposite the feathers. It is sturdy and does not bend easily. The feathers themselves are well attached to the handle; even when tugged on, they don't budge. The feathers don't seem to shed after quite a bit of play either. I trust they will last a good long while.

For the most part, the ticklers are well constructed. Of the set I received, two of the ticklers had some stiffer, jagged feathers and two other ticklers had a bit of exposed glue or feathers glued down at the tip of the shaft. The other 8 ticklers were flawlessly assembled. See the photos below showing the slightly less than stellar quality of the few.



Another qualm I have with the Feather Stix is the misshapen feathers. Due to the way they are packaged and intended to be stored, the feathers have become lop-sided. This does not diminish their function, but rather their aesthetic appeal.


The feathers have a bit of an off-putting smell. This may be caused by the glue that was used. It could also be the result of the way in which the feathers were initially treated and stored. In order to keep insects out of the feathers, some companies will store them in naphthalene. The scent is only apparent when holding the feathers up to the nose. Should the smell be bothersome, the ticklers can be placed in sunlight with some fresh air for a few hours to eliminate it. Placing them in a clean pillowcase with a dryer sheet for a day will also remove the scent from the feathers. Do not, however, stick the ticklers in the dryer.

The wispy down feathers deliver subtle, tranquil textures to the skin. Each strokes transmits a smooth, delicate touch, not unlike a light, warm breeze. The very tips of the feathers can be used to administer a soft tickle, while the bulkier body will produce a most perceptible softness. By employing various brushing techniques, a new sensation can be created that's different from the last.

The couple of ticklers with the rougher feathers are actually useful for delivering further novel sensations. These ill-crafted feathers are more rigid and, though sharper than the soft down the others possess, are not bristly or uncomfortable in any way. Rather, they offer a slightly more distinct touch.

As a side note, after allowing my kitty to play with one of the ticklers quite roughly, one of the feathers came out. Rest assured that this should not happen during normal use of these ticklers and my cat was really pulling on it hard.


See what the down feather looks like.

Feathers aren't the easiest things to care for. This is further complicated when using them near lubricants, bodily fluids, or massage oils. It is best to take extra care to keep them away from such things that may damage the ticklers. Should they get dirty, gently wipe them down with a clean damp cloth or simply toss it in the trash; there are 11 more where that one came from.

If you must wash them, fill a bucket with warm soapy water and just swish the feathers around in it. Scrubbing the feathers will lead to imminent damage and is it not recommended to fully wash them; do so at your own risk. Also, do not blow dry them. Let the feathers dry naturally and shake them when dry to re-fluff them. Steaming the feathers can also re-fluff them. Do this by boiling a pot of water and, holding onto the ticklers handle away from the hot steam, place the feathers over the steam for a few seconds. This puts moisture back into the feathers, causing them to expand.

To keep their shape, the ticklers should be stored upright and free from touching one another. The packaging is a useful vase for convenient longterm storage.

This vase is a bit small to hold all 12 ticklers since they do touch each other. As a result, the feathers become misshapen and lop-sided. Should you decide to separate a few of the ticklers to allow for more room, a different vase could be used, or even the cylindrical packaging from a Vixen Creations dildo. The ticklers should also be kept away from dust and insects. Storing them in a cupboard may be a good idea. Death by kitty would be a sad day for these ticklers too. It would be best to keep them out of their reach as well.

The ticklers are stuffed into a 3 3/4" wide clear plastic cylinder. The top half slides off and is not secured in any way. Be careful not to just grab the top when pulling it out of the shipping box.

A loose paper lines the inside of the bottom portion of the cylinder. This paper can be removed if discretion is a concern. The paper is covered in colourful, feather-like images and has very little information on it. The product and manufacturer names are prominently listed. It also claims the cylinder to be a "display vase". The only indiscreet blurb is a line that writes "Turn on your partner with this sexy feather stix".

There are no care or use instructions included. Though their use is fairly straightforward, some cleaning and care information could have been appreciated.

Most of our experiences with these ticklers have been rather silly. They've instigated a few feather fights, and many laughs. My partner is not much for ticklers. He just doesn't seem to get anything from these. He has decided that the feathers are much too soft for him to feel. He can, however, feel them when I tickle his balls with them. He claims it's more of a funny tickle than a raunchy tease though.

My partner blindfolded me and proceeded to sweep the feathers across my body. The blindfold greatly increased my sensitivity. This proved to be a little overwhelming for me as I am already supremely sensitive and quite ticklish. I actually prefer stiffer contour feathers to the down feathers on these ticklers. When my partner uses the Stix on me they don't feel bad but they do remind me of my cat; they're just that soft. This is not ideal during our sexy playtime.

We were joking around and decided to use a bunch of Stix gripped together in one hand to get more diffuse stimulation. As it would be, the localized focus of the individual ticklers elicits greater sensuality. It was interesting to use two ticklers at once (one in each hand) and feel the two different strokes in different areas and directions. Goofing around again, I surprised my blindfolded partner by holding a third ticklers between my teeth.

Needless to say, the ticklers are fun. Even though this particular type of feather did nothing for us, we definitely enjoyed ourselves when testing these out.

With 12 in a set, I have no problem sharing them with my friend either!