Fans of the 50 Shades series will probably be interested in these, but at such a heavy weight, I would not recommend these to beginners. The box says "suitable for experienced users" and I think that is true. The maker's website lists them as weighing a whopping 221g! For reference, my luna beads noir are 37g each, or 74g for the pair, which makes the weight of two luna beads only about 1/3 the weight of these. After removing the nylon cord and metal tag, my set weighed just over 200g. I have no interest in the 50 Shades series, but I was looking for a set of ben wa balls that had substantial weight and less added girth, and these fit the bill more than any other set I could find. Because they are so heavy, I would be careful about inserting these and would not plan on doing other activities around the house (or outside, for that matter) until you know you can wear them for a while without slipping. They're about 9" long from tag to end, but as these get inserted and the cord folded up, I don't think length is much of an issue. I've included my Mia, a quarter, and a pen in the below picture for comparison's sake.

These are solid metal balls connected by a nylon string. The kind of metal was not specified but they are listed as phthalate-free and waterproof, so that's something at least. I wish they said what kind of metal(s) were used, though, since I like to know what I put into my body. I washed these before use, but did not detect any smell or taste. They are about 3.75" in circumference and just over an inch in diameter. The nylon is rough and feels cheap. The balls are tied together and the end of the nylon at the top of the first ball is edged with glue, which is not at all comfortable and made initial insertion more difficult. The thread is also porous and upon removal did not clean easily at all.

The design of these is fairly standard for corded ben wa balls. My muscles have a tendency to seize and I wanted something that was heavy but still easily removable. They felt a little bigger than my luna beads but should still work for the average woman (especially those who aren't afraid of even larger exercisers, like the smartballs). For people who are familiar with ben wa balls, they probably are not very discreet. That said, they certainly don't scream obvious sex toy unless you see that the metal tag at the end that reads 50 Shades of Gray, and put two and two together. While I think this is fairly travel-friendly, I'd be reluctant to carry such dense pieces of metal in my carry-on past TSA, just in case. They are big enough to pass as baoding balls, though, so that could always be your excuse. "No, really, they're just for stress-relief on the plane!"

I have just tried them as baoding balls and they will work for that, too, provided you cut the nylon string.

I expected these to be very difficult to keep in, but they stayed almost as well as my luna beads. I could not keep them in as long, however. With my luna beads, I can wear them as long as I'd like, but these start to slip after an hour or so. Unlike the luna beads, there is no internal "rattle" to remind you to do your kegels--these are solid and their weight reflects that. Squeezing them tightly is pleasurable, but they won't purr like duotone ben wa balls will. This will be either a pro or a con depending on what you are looking for in a product like this.

The strange giant metal tag was less uncomfortable than I thought it would be, although it was definitely noticeable.

I only used this once with the nylon string. Upon removal, I found the cord to be very difficult to clean thoroughly, and the inability for me to properly rinse the hollowed areas of the balls concerned me. The knots simply don't allow for proper cleaning and fluid seemed to cling to the cord. I have a jade egg I use with unwaxed/unflavored dental floss, and I do the same with the balls now for hygienic purposes. I wanted this item for the weight and ability to be corded, so altering it like this still makes this worth it, in my opinion.

I was pleased to see that this was well-packaged. The outer box gives way to a relatively sturdy inner box, and the ben wa balls are held in place by a plastic insert. Removing the insert reveals a silver storage pouch and small instruction booklet. The outer and inner boxes, as well as the storage pouch and instruction booklet, are all emblazoned with "Fifty Shades of Grey." While the box is perfectly nice for storing if you don't mind the 50 Shades label everywhere, I personally keep mine in a small, unmarked drawstring bag, as it is more discreet that way.