1. The glove trick.
If you’re a fan of Hitachi’s famous “Magic Wand” vibrator (and hoo boy, is it magic), you may have encountered the problem of cleanliness. A Hitachi is way too big for a condom, but painstakingly washing its head between uses or partners doesn’t always create the mood you’re looking for. Well, what else is in your safer-sex toolkit? Gloves! Slap a glove on that Hitachi, tucking the floppy empty fingers to the side, and you’re ready to use any lubricant you like without fear of shorting out the thing out. When you’ve had your fill of good vibes, just strip the glove off and voila — you can pass out without fretting about a clean-up job the next morning, or you can slap on another glove and go to town on the next partner.
This trick works equally well on any vibrator with a shape that’s not too condom-friendly — or heck, if you’ve got a fetish for a typically non-sexual object, it’s a great way to keep everyday dirt on the object instead of inside of you.
2. Speaking of gloves...
It may be common knowledge now that non-latex gloves are available, but you may not have ventured into this area unless you have a latex allergy. But non-latex gloves are for everyone! Nitrile gloves have a completely different texture, scent, and taste, and often come in colors latex doesn’t — all things that can be entertaining regardless of whether latex makes you itchy. If you or a partner tend to think of hospitals and doctors when the gloves come out, the different scents and colors of nitrile may be just the ticket. Or, if you have a sensualist or someone with an oral fixation on your hands (so to speak), the change of pace can be grand.
As an added bonus, you may catch a mild latex allergy by playing with other gloves. I always thought my hands got a little itchy and red under gloves because I like a tight fit and my hands sweated, but that doesn’t happen with nitrile, so now I know I need to limit my latex exposure before it becomes a full-blown allergy (Considering that I have a major latex fetish, restricting my exposure to the times when it, ah, really counts means I’ll have many more years of fetish fun than I would have otherwise!).
3. Website bookmarking for privacy.
Whether you like to keep your porn sites well organized or need a private place to keep track of all the cool lingerie you’re planning to shower your sweetie with on an upcoming anniversary, Pinboard is a remarkable online bookmarking service that simplifies keeping your public items public and your private ones private. In Pinboard, you can make any bookmark you like set to “private.” You can even make tags private by starting the tag with a period. Any private link or tag shows up in lists with a dark grey highlight, so you can always tell if you’re doing it right. This means that you can use the same service to organize your massive collection of lolcat websites for your 12-year-old as well as your comparison-shopping for that black leather harness for Mommy — all without fear.
Pinboard has a low one-time fee, and an annual fee for some nifty features that go beyond your average bookmarking site. The one-time fee provides all the functionality you’ll need for privacy’s sake, though.
4. GoToobs.
No, it’s not some strange YouTube competitor; it’s a brand of travel bottle. The GoToob line is made of flexible silicone and features a valve opening that seals up tight when shut. Take these babies when you fly the friendly skies and never coat the insides of your luggage with exploded Astroglide ever again! Throw a small one in your bag while visiting your in-laws and no amount of snooping will reveal that you plan on doing the nasty. Heck, use them at home — soft silicone can be more mood-appropriate to fondle, and it’s definitely nicer to roll over onto in the throes of passion.
Though they’re a little on the expensive side, they’re worth it — especially the discounted three-packs. A tip: try to find these anywhere but sports/camping stores, where the markup can be intense. (I also use them for those times when I’m carrying sunscreen, hand sanitizer, a Kindle, and an iPhone in the same bag. Security is sexy!)
5. The nipple twist.
Apparently, this one is pretty common knowledge, but given that I didn’t know a damn thing about it until a couple of years ago, maybe it merits repeating! For female-bodied people, giving the nipple a firm twist and holding it just as orgasm begins can often increase the intensity of orgasmic contractions by...well, I’ve never measured, but it’s a hell of a lot. As with all sex tricks, your mileage may vary on this one; not everyone will like it. You’ll want to avoid it during any parts of the menstrual cycle that cause tenderness.
An interesting tidbit on this one: if you’re doing it right, the person coming won’t even feel the tweak — that is, until the orgasm is over and soreness kicks in. This is truly one of the coolest body hacks I’ve ever learned, and not just for the spectacular orgasms — our bodies are awesome with all their little hidden tricks!
6. Bed height.
Your bed’s height can open up new boinking potential. It’s important that your bed be one that’s comfortable to have sex in, of course, but you can get a lot out of having a bed that’s fun to have sex around. Consider your height and that of your partner(s) — if a higher or lower bedframe might allow for one person to stand while the other lies in bed during sex, that can be all kinds of fun. There are plenty of workarounds if you don’t feel like replacing your entire bedframe: if your bed’s a bit tall, wear boots or drag in the Wii step to stand on. If the bed’s a little low, use body pillows or heavy floor pillows to raise up the person on the bed. Of course, if you happen to have your mattress or futon directly on the floor, that allows for all kinds of other hands-and-knees or rolling-on-and-off options. Think outside the mattress!