Previous experience with whips meant to be used as sex toys have left me jaded: they're usually poorly made, prone to falling apart, and can't make any more noise than a sad little "thwap". The best one lasted a little over a month of very gentle usage. This whip, known evermore in my mind as Spartacus, was a pleasant surprise.

From the end of the handle to the tip, Spartacus is just a little under 27 inches of fun. The flexible leather tip is three inches long and about an inch and a half wide. For another three inches below the tip, the body is securely wrapped with black wire before giving way to a corded handle over a bendy core. A silver connector joins the grip-able leather handle to the body and the very end is a silver cap with a spartan soldier stamped on the end. Spartacus is beautiful.

And functional! This toy will hold up to a lot of spanking, choking, and whatever else you can think of to do with it. Tough usage doesn't seem to phase it. No unraveling, loosening, or other degradation that I can see!

The best thing for me was the variety you can get out of it. Spartacus goes from gentle "snaps" to resounding "smacks" with just a little more effort and a flick of the wrist. The width of the tip means less marking if you're careful and a smoother sting. It's firm in your hand, but bends on contact for the best control and pleasure. The leather on the handle doesn't slide in your hand like cheaper synthetic materials and the body is extremely well balanced.

Obviously, Spartacus is nothing inconspicuous: this toy isn't going to pass itself as anything other than what it is in your luggage unless you ride horses. Who'd want to hide this beauty though?