Freestyle - traditional vibrator by OhMiBod - review by Lara

OhMiBod's Freestyle is a traditional vibrator that's anything but traditional. It can be used for vaginal, clitoral, and anal stimulation. Its size is modest enough for beginners, yet also suitable for advanced users. Because the vibrations are adjustable, it is also appropriate for a wide range of users.

The Freestyle is ideal for use alone, with a partner, or (ahem) even with a group!

The Freestyle is made from a phthalates free, hypo-allergenic, latex free plastic. Its texture is smooth and velvety and it is completely odorless.

Because of its smooth texture, the addition of lubricant allows it to glide like silk over the skin. That smoothness doesn't add any extra stimulation, but it does allow the vibrations to be very easily felt without having to penetrate a thicker, more cumbersome jelly shell.

There are no particular challenges to the material or the texture that would prevent both beginners, and advanced users alike, from enjoying the Freestyle.

The Freestyle is all about the vibrations and the unique set of sensations that come from tuning your body in to your music. The size, shape, and firmness of the shaft all seem geared towards maximizing vibrations. As a result, the Freestyle's design is simplicity at its finest. The vibrator is a firm, thin shaft with a base that users rotate to select the desired vibrating function.

The velvety texture and the ample length of the Freestyle allow a solid grip when using the vibrator for vaginal penetration. The absence of any sort of protrusions or other design bells and whistles also means that there is no concern about a learning curve. Users will not need to ask themselves if a different angle would be a better use of the toy (in particular, think of the curve that g-spot toys often have and how difficult it often is to keep them angled in the right direction). In the case of the Freestyle, there is no angle that doesn't work.

The size is a happy medium. The smooth texture means that those who prefer smaller dildos should have very little problem with insertion when used with lubricant. The firmness of the shaft means that those who prefer their dildos on the larger end of the spectrum will certainly have a sense of penetration.

Whether or not the Freestyle is easy to hide may depend on the size of your purse or the discretion of your toy box. It's design is subtle and the absence of any protruding parts means it is easy to toss inside a bag or pocket for use on the go. The Freestyle also comes with a sturdy plastic case and set of electric adapters so it is perfect for travel.

The absolute novelty of the Freestyle meant I had anticipated having to overcome some sort of dramatic learning curve when setting up the vibrator. Nothing could have been further from the truth. This is a complex toy that is remarkably easy to use.

Upon unpacking the Freestyle from its case, insert the charger in the socket at the base of the shaft to boost the vibrator's battery levels. The manufacturer recommends two hours for charging, but I found mine was fully powered in less than one hour. Remove the charger from the Freestyle's base and secure the plastic flap over the opening. Voila! You now have a wireless vibrator.

But it gets better.

The Freestyle has three vibrating functions: off, vibrate to music, or vibrate to one of seven programmed patterns. They are selected by rotating the base at the bottom of the shaft and each function is clearly marked. The off function is, I think, self-explanatory. The vibrate to one of seven programmed patters is equally clear. The patterns range from hums in increasing intensity to a series of pulsating patterns. Users select their pattern of choice by hitting the + and - buttons on the base of the shaft.

The controls are easy to use and very responsive. The base rotation is firm, but easy enough to turn to be able to adjust even during vaginal penetration.

Where things get really interesting is combining the Freestyle with an mp3 player.

The Freestyle comes with a wireless transmitter. The plug of the transmitter is inserted into the headphones socket of any mp3 player or computer. There is a socket on the other end of the transmitter that can receive a pair of headphones or be attached to the "aux in" plug on a stereo or speaker system (the cable for this is included).

Once you're all set up, turn on the wireless transmitter. Open up your mp3 player on your computer or begin playing your songs on your mp3 player. Rotate the vibrator base to the music function (clearly marked with a little musical note). Adjust the intensity of the vibrations on the wireless transmitter and with the + and - signs on the vibrator. That's it! After that you're ready to rock out.

The only difficulty I had with the set up was with the initial intensity. Even though I had set both the wireless transmitter and the vibrator to their highest settings, the vibrations I was getting were surprisingly mild. I had mistakenly had a low volume setting on my mp3 player. Increasing that volume solved the problem immediately.

If users have any problems getting the vibrator to actually vibrate, I'd suggest the following checklist: 1) is your mp3 player on, music playing, and volume loud; 2) is the wireless transmitter on (a little white light will shine if it is); and 3) is the Freestyle control set to the music function. If those three elements are in play, you've got a pretty awesome vibrator.

I have a second generation iPod shuffle that worked effortlessly with the Freestyle. I also used it with great success by hooking it with my computer.

The vibrations can be easily felt throughout the Freestyle, but they are focused more towards the top of the shaft. At its highest settings the vibrator is still relatively quiet and its vibrations are among the stronger of those that are available via battery-powered/re-chargeable toys.

The Freestyle can withstand a splash of water, but it is in no way waterproof. Do not immerse the toy in water or get any water into the charging socket when cleaning. Conveniently enough, the charging socket is protected by a thin plastic flap, so getting the Freestyle's inner workings wet should not be a major concern. It's rather something to be aware of.

OhMiBod recommends that the Freestyle be cleaned after every use with mild soap and water and then dried thoroughly. Given the material, it may also be possible to clean the Freestyle with toy cleaner.

To protect the vibrator and keep all of the component parts in one, easy-to-access location, the Freestyle should be stored in the hard, plastic case that it originally comes in.

Because it is made of plastic, the Freestyle is compatible with all lubricants.

As one would expect from such a luxurious, fun toy, the packaging is both elegant and practical. Upon opening the large, white box you'll see a set of travel adapters, a few cords for connections and charging, and a large hard plastic box that contains within it the vibrator and the wireless transmitter. The packaging serves well as both a gift and storage box.

An excellent instruction manual provides all necessary details on use and care in eight different languages. The instructions are clear and easy to follow.

The elegance of the packaging would make this toy a gorgeous gift.

The big question I had in my mind before using this toy was what music would work with it. The answer is that there's something fun to be found in almost every song. Mozart works as well as U2, but with very different rhythms. Mozart is more of a steady hum and U2 has a bit of a rhythmic pulse to it. Not very surprising!

The Beatles and Madonna and a whole host of others worked well, but the all time great artist to get off to is... (gasp!!!)... Britney Spears. I don't even particularly like her music, but there's not a single song that didn't fit the Freestyle's vibe perfectly.

The absolute coolness of the Freestyle isn't to be underestimated, and part of the great fun of it all is exploring what kind of music works best for you. I'll assure you that whatever soundtrack you ordinarily enjoy while masturbating or having sex will work perfectly with the Freestyle.