The crop came in very discreet packaging, but in a very large box. After a few minutes of obligatory Harry Potter play, me and the Boyfriend decided to put it to use. I don't have much experience with riding crops outside of being whacked with them at parties. But this one seemed much less flexible and had less "whip" than those. Certainly not a bad thing, it whooshes through the air and lands a firm smack. The sounds are really gratifying, but if you have guests in the next room, they will know exactly what's happening. The handle is a selling point as well, since it lends a very firm and comfortable grip.

Another feature that I enjoyed is how pretty it is. I love the red accents and it seems to be very well made. Even the inside of the leather tip is finished with felt. When I do a follow-up review, I will certainly mention how it stood the test of time, but I'm sure it will do just fine.

Maybe I just have a high pain tolerance, but I did not find this toy particularly excruciating. At all. I expected much worse. The Boyfriend woke me up with it this morning, and I just rolled over and went back to sleep. I think it is more of a theatrical toy than a really painful one, but if you dislike pain, you might disagree. This is more for bratty subs that need to be put into line, than begging masochists. Once again, not a bad thing, but one should not expect anything other than a little pink on your butt from this toy.

It is also, as stated in its stats, 25 inches long. I think that's inevitable for a toy of this type, but I have yet to figure out how to store it.