Ripple grip - masturbator by Cal Exotics - review by Checkmate

When I first opened the Ripple Grip package, my first thought was that this was going to be a great masturbator and might even give my beloved Fleshlights a run for the money. I'll admit that the first thing I did was to slip my finger inside to find a very tight opening with a texture that felt like I was in for a great adventure. As with other masturbators, I applied what I thought was an adequate amount of lube, both to the inner channel of the Gripper as well as to my penis. From this point on, my great adventure went downhill. The opening was much tighter than I originally thought and almost made it impossible to guide my cock inside. I applied additional lube with few positive results. No matter what I tried, I was not able to get more than 2 inches of my cock inside this toy. It was just too tight. I was able to stimulate the head of my penis enough to orgasm, yet it was not a comfortable stimulation but rather one of "hurry up and get it done!"

The Ripple Grip is constructed of Pure Skin, which has a soft, flesh-like feeling. We did detect a very slight odor, but it's nothing that detracts from the use of this toy. The interior has a ribbed texture, which is quite noticeable when putting your finger in it, but I could not feel the texture when using it.

The material used on the main exterior portion of the masturbator is made from somewhat firmer material than the head and interior. This helps with maintaining the shape of the toy as well as giving a comfortable handhold on it while using.

Since Pure Skin is somewhat porous, it would be advised that a condom should be used if sharing this toy.

My first impression was that California Exotic was going to have a big hit with this toy. A great deal of thought seemed to have been put into the design of this toy. The interior texture, with its soft-feel material, led me to believe that this would become one of my favorites. The pink-colored head and interior is a softer material while the outside is a firmer, gray-colored material. The entrance is molded into a generic-appearing labia, which looks somewhat realistic if I have my glasses off.

It is an open-end masturbator with a 3/16" hole in the end. When putting my finger inside it, this design, with its small opening, seemed to create a slight vacuum. The open end also makes cleanup a little easier.

The information listed on the product page states an exterior length of 7 1/4" with an exterior circumference of 10 1/4". The listed weight is shown at 20 ounces. All of this appears to be correct. It lists the vaginal depth at 6". Because of the tightness, I was unable to penetrate it more than 2-3". We inserted one of my wife's slimmer vibes in it and came up with a depth of 5".

The width of the interior is where we ran into a brick wall. The information stated that it fits up to 2 1/2". I consider myself to be average size, but to my dismay, I have only been able to somewhat painfully penetrate the Ripple no more than two inches. I had never actually measured my erection before, but when it just did not fit inside, I grabbed a cloth tape measure to check things out. I measured the circumference of my cock at 5 3/4". Since I must have missed school the day we discussed cock measurements, I'm not sure if my math is correct or not, but I come up with a width of just under 2". Either way, this toy is too small, or I am too large. Hopefully, it will stretch out to a more comfortable size, or it will soon make its way to the recycle bin.

Its overall size makes it easy to hide or travel with; however, its appearance is in no way discreet.

The only instructions included with the Ripple Grip state to wash before and after use. Although the information given on EFs' information page states that Pure Skin can be cleaned with toy cleaners or antibacterial soap, having used Fleshlights in the past, I just use water when cleaning. Since it is an open-end masturbator, it is quite easy to flush out by putting the faucet in the opening and running water through. Drying the interior does take a long time, as in a day or two. I hang it in an upright position between a towel bar and the wall. I tried using a hair dryer on low temperature to dry inside, but it was hard to keep the opening from closing, so I just let gravity do its thing.

Silicone lubes are not advised with this toy as it is made from Pure Skin, and use of lubes other than water based may cause damage to the material.

Because of the material the Ripple Grip is made of, it does have a tendency to attract lint and dirt. A simple dusting with cornstarch will solve this problem as well as keep it nice and soft.

The Ripple Grip arrived in a retail box with graphics showing both an exterior view and cut-away illustration of the interior texture. The masturbator itself was enclosed in a cellophane wrapper. I was disappointed that there were no instructions included other than those printed on the box, which stated, "Wash before and after each use. Always use a water based lubricant with this product for maximum pleasure." Having used toys of this nature before, I am aware that any lubes other than water based may damage the product. However, the wording on the box only states that a water-based lube will provide "maximum pleasure," not that a silicone lube might damage it.

It would have also been nice if it stated how it should be washed and which cleaning products, if any, are safe.

The box is not really sturdy enough to be used for long-term storage if the toy is used frequently.