Throb - dildo discontinued by Tantus - review by Hazel

I personally use this dildo only in three situations: When I'm craving a lot of extra texture, if all my other dildos need cleaning, and to give oral (to the dildo). For me, its veins are so stiffly prominent that I don't enjoy it as much for penetration - but then again, I prefer the feeling of ultra-smooth dildos (and smooth glass toys' silky goodness is my ultimate feeling, to give you some idea of my preferences). For others who prefer ridges and texture, this toy could provide some wonderful sensations. Throb's head is well-defined and its veins are larger-than-life, which gives it a deliciously raunchy air. This makes it great for oral, since the textures are fun for my mouth and it's a little kinkier (especially the black ones - very leather) than sucking on a smooth pastel toy. Another consideration is its base, 2 7/8" diameter, which may slip out of some harnesses with wider O-rings.

This dildo is pure silicone, from Tantus, which has a slight gripping texture (without lube) but is overall a smooth texture. Silicone, by the way, is one of the most hygienic and safe materials you can put inside your body (see Tantus' Silicone Facts). The veins are flexible, but fairly rigid (read: I can definitely feel them inside me, but they're not so stiff as to bruise or be too painful). There is a small amount of pain, for me, if I'm not using enough lube or if my muscles aren't relaxed - but this can be fun, too, depending on what you're going for. The shaft itself is firm, but quite flexible with a little force. I would recommend this dildo to more advanced users, possibly those into heavier sensation or kink. The veiny texture may be overwhelming for beginners or those who like softer, smoother sensation.

Throb has a nice upward curve to it, which stimulates the g-spot / the internal clitoris (whatever you want to call it). I measured its head is about 5 3/8" in circumference at its widest point, and the shaft's insertable length is 6 5/8", with a 5" circumference at veins' widest point. It's realistic in a sort of sculpturally-exaggerated way - it's unmistakably representing a penis, but a real one would have to be straining pretty darn hard to look that extreme. It's not particularly discreet, but if you don't mind letting TSA agents in on your sex toy collection, it's fine for travel.

I haven't tried this dildo with a harness yet, but another dildo of mine with a similar-sized base kept slipping out of the O-ring. I've also heard round bases can rotate in the harness, but I've never experienced it. It'd be something I'd test before using in the heat of the moment.
This toy is fine - it's not one of my favorites, but in the right situation it could definitely be a hot addition. Since I prefer smoother penetration, it's only right for a certain sexual mood - if I want to feel raunchy or play with heavier sensation. In those special cases - great performance!

One annoyance with this dildo is that fluids are fairly difficult to clean from the various crevices and valleys between the veins. Despite boiling and scrubbing, I still find little flakes of dried fluids in the hard-to-reach spots. A more vigorous approach is definitely necessary with this one. Otherwise, I just store it upright on a shelf and it dries clean.

This is a silicone dildo, so do not use it with silicone-based lubricants. Silicone tends to bond with itself, so the lube can actually bond to the dildo and make it disintegrate. Not a pretty picture. So use water-based lubes (like Sliquids Organic Gel) with this one, unless you've already done a lube test-square on the bottom of the base and it's safe.