Lilith
12-17-2002, 11:45 AM
by Sarah Burgundy
When a year draws to an end, I write down a list of all the people I met in the past 12 months. Every year the list surprises me in both the length of it -- San Francisco is an easy place to meet people -- and the breadth of it. Some of these people I met, got to know in a few hours and never saw again. Others I bonded with right away, spent an intense time together before eventually distancing. And then there are a few who stuck around regularly -- the ones who make me wonder what life was like before I knew them.
Likewise, in compiling our picks for the top 10 toys of 2002, I wrote a remarkably long list of toys. Many came and went in 2002, but a few stood out as keepers. What's surprising about this list is the diversity of toys -- they represent a range of materials, functions, prices (from $1.50 to $115 retail) and, in some way or another, introduced something unique to a pretty saturated market.
Choosing just 10 toys was difficult, so I've added some honorable mentions at the end of this impressive list -- what a great year for sex toys! We hope you feel the same way, and, like us, look forward to what 2003 has to offer.
Make Your Own Dildo Kit
We live in a do-it-yourself culture, as evidenced by the popularity of home improvement stores and the recent surge of interest in skills such as knitting and cooking. So it's no surprise that the Make Your Own Dildo Kit was so popular this year. Thousands of crafty customers put down their glue guns and knitting needles and made themselves a dildo. No longer did consumers need to choose from a set selection of pre-made dildo shapes and sizes; they could create a unique toy, and the process of making the mold from an eager model certainly beats caulking the shower, refinishing the floor and, come to think of it, any other home improvement activity.
Feeldoe
Generally speaking, double dildos are one of those things that sound like fun, until you get home with an 12" long, ramrod straight two-headed dildo and your girlfriend. Within a few minutes of stretching and grunting, you fall back in love with your good old strap-on. Which isn't to say that there aren't excellent doubles out there. The popular Nexus and Nexus Jr. are perfectly shaped for dual penetration and particularly for one female partner to wear in a harness while she penetrates her partner.
And the Nexus and Nexus Jr. are so effective that it didn't even occur to us that a double dildo that could be worn without a harness would be possible -- until the Feeldoe came along. The wearer's end is bulb-shaped, and once she slips it in her vagina, well, that's it! It stays put -- no hands, no harness -- and she can penetrate her partner with the long end. Sound improbable? It did at first to the staffer who tested it out one weekend -- and, first thing the following Monday, emailed our toy buyer urging her to get the Feeldoe in stock right away. She did, and we've barely been able to keep it on our shelves.
Easy Rider Harness
It's almost a shame that the Feeldoe can be used without a harness -- because this year we designed the most functional and easy-to-use harness on the market! The Easy Rider combines soft, sexy leather with snug-fitting elastic for a two-strap harness that slips right on like a pair of panties, a prayer answered by the many of us strap-on aficionados who've had those magic moments ruined by the countless moments it takes to untangle, put on, buckle, tighten and adjust our traditional harness.
Alabama Slammer
When the longtime Alabama state law prohibiting the sale of sex toys was overturned, we commemorated the event by naming a toy for the state. Not only were we thrilled with the court's decision for the people of Alabama and their right to pleasure, we also were delighted for ourselves, as we didn't have to debate over what to call this marvelous toy, which had so many features we were playing with up to five-word-long monikers. This large, Smoothie-shaped Alabama Slammer works without batteries -- plug it into the included charger for 12 hours to get one hour of cord- and battery-free use. The tip warms with use and even has an infrared light -- and oh yeah, it's waterproof. A wonderful new toy, and a perfect way to practice and honor your right to pleasure.
Cosmo/Techno/Buzz
Last year the Itty Bitty Vibe made our top 10 list, and we're not surprised that this tiny capsule is managing to make a few more appearances in this year's list, teamed up with harness-compatible silicone dildos. Buzz, Cosmo and Techno all appear to be your garden-variety silicone dildos, until you turn them over. Within the inside of the base is a discreet cavity that fits an Itty Bitty, making it a cord-free and convenient vibrator to fit into most harnesses. Why didn't anyone think of it sooner? As a bonus, all three dildos sport delightful designs, from the Buzz's simple, vaguely realistic shape to the Techno's gracefully undulating bulges to the Cosmo's futuristic sci-fi design.
Spiral Plug Kit
Like dildos above, the Spiral Plug's base cavity also fits an Itty Bitty vibe within our exclusive staff-designed anal plug. The ridges along the probe are eager to please. Say you want to wear the plug and have it stay put? The ridges will keep it in place. Want to slowly pull it out? No problem -- the rings feel great when it's slowly removed. We had it made from nonporous silicone -- the best material on the market. Though silicone often drives up the price, we managed to offer it at a lower retail than most similar silicone products. You can even use it with a harness for partner play.
I Rub My Duckie
Finally, an answer to that age-old dilemma: "Do I buy a vibrator, or a rubber duck?" Wonder no more -- you can get both in the I Rub My Duckie waterproof floating vibrator. This charming waterfowl's big baby blues and grinning beak are irresistible -- "Squeeze me, c'mon, you know you want to!" it seems to tell you. Who are you to resist? Even though we spend our days writing about and evaluating sex toys, we certainly are guilty of taking ourselves a bit too seriously at times. Sure, sex toys need to be effective and safe -- but they also need to be fun, a point that the I Rub My Duckie delivers with aplomb.
GV Slicks
"A dental dam? What could be notable about a dam?" you may think upon reaching number eight on our list. "Aren't there enough real toys to list?"
And we wait patiently through your questions, and begin listing the many, many ways that the GV Slicks are the most wonderful new barriers available. Most latex dams are made from a fairly thick piece of latex. Slicks are made from a micro-thin sheath of latex for a super-sensitive feel. Most dams smell like latex. Slicks? Like strawberries. And unlike your typical dams, Slicks are packaged individually in foil packets (yes, like condoms) for easy transport. These seem like simple things to get in a safer-sex barrier, yes? Not so -- Slicks are the first dams of their kind, and are available only through Good Vibrations.
Ecsta-Sleeves
Between the Make Your Own Dildo Kit, the Spiral Plug Kit, the Easy Rider and GV Slicks, one would think our top 10 list had more than its share of Good Vibrations exclusive designs. Yes, we may be tooting our own horns a bit (hee hee, did I just come up with our next Masturbation Month slogan?), but the Ecsta-Sleeves have most definitely earned their place on the list. The best male masturbation toys to come out in years, the Ecsta-Sleeve's stretchy, lifelike softskin material and ridged interior tunnel feels great used with lube, a vibrator or simply on its own. So you'll forgive us if we toot our own horns about a product that, well, helps our male customers toot theirs!
Powerhouse Bullet
Rounding out the top 10 is something that should not be so rare, but unfortunately is: a strong battery vibrator. Sure, most vibes will provide some sensation, but for many of us, battery vibes fall short in the power department. The Powerhouse is different. Its nice egg-shaped bullet has a flat indentation designed for pressing against a woman's clit, and the 10 options for speeds and pulses can be selected with a push of a button. It's the perfect mix of simplicity and advanced technology, and has been one of our most asked-for vibrators this year.
And let's not forget the toys that earned honorable mentions in 2002: We'll do multiple reps with Betty's Barbell, hop and swim with Aqua Bunny, throb with the Throb, slip on a Wireless Cyber Ring, go home with the Gigolo, try O'My Lube, salute Private Private, say hello back to Hello Kitty, stay up for the Midnight Vibe, polish the Crystal Jelly Deluxe, touch the Aqua Touch and become queens and kings of the Jungle Bullet in the coming year and years to come.
And as for those new toys to appear in 2003 that we're just glimpsing now -- some may call them "strangers," but I like to think of them as friends I haven't met.
When a year draws to an end, I write down a list of all the people I met in the past 12 months. Every year the list surprises me in both the length of it -- San Francisco is an easy place to meet people -- and the breadth of it. Some of these people I met, got to know in a few hours and never saw again. Others I bonded with right away, spent an intense time together before eventually distancing. And then there are a few who stuck around regularly -- the ones who make me wonder what life was like before I knew them.
Likewise, in compiling our picks for the top 10 toys of 2002, I wrote a remarkably long list of toys. Many came and went in 2002, but a few stood out as keepers. What's surprising about this list is the diversity of toys -- they represent a range of materials, functions, prices (from $1.50 to $115 retail) and, in some way or another, introduced something unique to a pretty saturated market.
Choosing just 10 toys was difficult, so I've added some honorable mentions at the end of this impressive list -- what a great year for sex toys! We hope you feel the same way, and, like us, look forward to what 2003 has to offer.
Make Your Own Dildo Kit
We live in a do-it-yourself culture, as evidenced by the popularity of home improvement stores and the recent surge of interest in skills such as knitting and cooking. So it's no surprise that the Make Your Own Dildo Kit was so popular this year. Thousands of crafty customers put down their glue guns and knitting needles and made themselves a dildo. No longer did consumers need to choose from a set selection of pre-made dildo shapes and sizes; they could create a unique toy, and the process of making the mold from an eager model certainly beats caulking the shower, refinishing the floor and, come to think of it, any other home improvement activity.
Feeldoe
Generally speaking, double dildos are one of those things that sound like fun, until you get home with an 12" long, ramrod straight two-headed dildo and your girlfriend. Within a few minutes of stretching and grunting, you fall back in love with your good old strap-on. Which isn't to say that there aren't excellent doubles out there. The popular Nexus and Nexus Jr. are perfectly shaped for dual penetration and particularly for one female partner to wear in a harness while she penetrates her partner.
And the Nexus and Nexus Jr. are so effective that it didn't even occur to us that a double dildo that could be worn without a harness would be possible -- until the Feeldoe came along. The wearer's end is bulb-shaped, and once she slips it in her vagina, well, that's it! It stays put -- no hands, no harness -- and she can penetrate her partner with the long end. Sound improbable? It did at first to the staffer who tested it out one weekend -- and, first thing the following Monday, emailed our toy buyer urging her to get the Feeldoe in stock right away. She did, and we've barely been able to keep it on our shelves.
Easy Rider Harness
It's almost a shame that the Feeldoe can be used without a harness -- because this year we designed the most functional and easy-to-use harness on the market! The Easy Rider combines soft, sexy leather with snug-fitting elastic for a two-strap harness that slips right on like a pair of panties, a prayer answered by the many of us strap-on aficionados who've had those magic moments ruined by the countless moments it takes to untangle, put on, buckle, tighten and adjust our traditional harness.
Alabama Slammer
When the longtime Alabama state law prohibiting the sale of sex toys was overturned, we commemorated the event by naming a toy for the state. Not only were we thrilled with the court's decision for the people of Alabama and their right to pleasure, we also were delighted for ourselves, as we didn't have to debate over what to call this marvelous toy, which had so many features we were playing with up to five-word-long monikers. This large, Smoothie-shaped Alabama Slammer works without batteries -- plug it into the included charger for 12 hours to get one hour of cord- and battery-free use. The tip warms with use and even has an infrared light -- and oh yeah, it's waterproof. A wonderful new toy, and a perfect way to practice and honor your right to pleasure.
Cosmo/Techno/Buzz
Last year the Itty Bitty Vibe made our top 10 list, and we're not surprised that this tiny capsule is managing to make a few more appearances in this year's list, teamed up with harness-compatible silicone dildos. Buzz, Cosmo and Techno all appear to be your garden-variety silicone dildos, until you turn them over. Within the inside of the base is a discreet cavity that fits an Itty Bitty, making it a cord-free and convenient vibrator to fit into most harnesses. Why didn't anyone think of it sooner? As a bonus, all three dildos sport delightful designs, from the Buzz's simple, vaguely realistic shape to the Techno's gracefully undulating bulges to the Cosmo's futuristic sci-fi design.
Spiral Plug Kit
Like dildos above, the Spiral Plug's base cavity also fits an Itty Bitty vibe within our exclusive staff-designed anal plug. The ridges along the probe are eager to please. Say you want to wear the plug and have it stay put? The ridges will keep it in place. Want to slowly pull it out? No problem -- the rings feel great when it's slowly removed. We had it made from nonporous silicone -- the best material on the market. Though silicone often drives up the price, we managed to offer it at a lower retail than most similar silicone products. You can even use it with a harness for partner play.
I Rub My Duckie
Finally, an answer to that age-old dilemma: "Do I buy a vibrator, or a rubber duck?" Wonder no more -- you can get both in the I Rub My Duckie waterproof floating vibrator. This charming waterfowl's big baby blues and grinning beak are irresistible -- "Squeeze me, c'mon, you know you want to!" it seems to tell you. Who are you to resist? Even though we spend our days writing about and evaluating sex toys, we certainly are guilty of taking ourselves a bit too seriously at times. Sure, sex toys need to be effective and safe -- but they also need to be fun, a point that the I Rub My Duckie delivers with aplomb.
GV Slicks
"A dental dam? What could be notable about a dam?" you may think upon reaching number eight on our list. "Aren't there enough real toys to list?"
And we wait patiently through your questions, and begin listing the many, many ways that the GV Slicks are the most wonderful new barriers available. Most latex dams are made from a fairly thick piece of latex. Slicks are made from a micro-thin sheath of latex for a super-sensitive feel. Most dams smell like latex. Slicks? Like strawberries. And unlike your typical dams, Slicks are packaged individually in foil packets (yes, like condoms) for easy transport. These seem like simple things to get in a safer-sex barrier, yes? Not so -- Slicks are the first dams of their kind, and are available only through Good Vibrations.
Ecsta-Sleeves
Between the Make Your Own Dildo Kit, the Spiral Plug Kit, the Easy Rider and GV Slicks, one would think our top 10 list had more than its share of Good Vibrations exclusive designs. Yes, we may be tooting our own horns a bit (hee hee, did I just come up with our next Masturbation Month slogan?), but the Ecsta-Sleeves have most definitely earned their place on the list. The best male masturbation toys to come out in years, the Ecsta-Sleeve's stretchy, lifelike softskin material and ridged interior tunnel feels great used with lube, a vibrator or simply on its own. So you'll forgive us if we toot our own horns about a product that, well, helps our male customers toot theirs!
Powerhouse Bullet
Rounding out the top 10 is something that should not be so rare, but unfortunately is: a strong battery vibrator. Sure, most vibes will provide some sensation, but for many of us, battery vibes fall short in the power department. The Powerhouse is different. Its nice egg-shaped bullet has a flat indentation designed for pressing against a woman's clit, and the 10 options for speeds and pulses can be selected with a push of a button. It's the perfect mix of simplicity and advanced technology, and has been one of our most asked-for vibrators this year.
And let's not forget the toys that earned honorable mentions in 2002: We'll do multiple reps with Betty's Barbell, hop and swim with Aqua Bunny, throb with the Throb, slip on a Wireless Cyber Ring, go home with the Gigolo, try O'My Lube, salute Private Private, say hello back to Hello Kitty, stay up for the Midnight Vibe, polish the Crystal Jelly Deluxe, touch the Aqua Touch and become queens and kings of the Jungle Bullet in the coming year and years to come.
And as for those new toys to appear in 2003 that we're just glimpsing now -- some may call them "strangers," but I like to think of them as friends I haven't met.