Firstoff- what is silicone anyhow? Silicone is a chemically-inert mixed organic-inorganic polymer compound typically comprised of silicon, carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. For the science nerds out there (or those who just like to be technically correct), silicones are more precisely called polymerized siloxanes or polysiloxanes and have the backbone chemical composition of [R₂SiO]_n. Due to the variability  in the length of this backbone chain, it’s organic groups, and how they crosslink, silicone can take on a wide array of consistencies from fluids and gels, to rubbers or hard plastics.

What does that mean? It means it’s an awesome material that can come in a lot of textures which is non-toxic, is non-reactive and is not prone to microbial growth. In the sex utensil world there are generally two main forms of silicone which you’re likely to find: silicone oils (lube) and silicone rubber (utensils).

I won’t go super in-depth into silicone oils in the form of lube here, as that’s fodder a different post entirely, but there are a few things to mention. Silicone can be found in lubes, in pure-silicone and in hybrid water-silicone or oil-silicone blends. The important thing to remember here is to check your lube for ingredients that end in either -cone or -oxane as that will indicate the inclusion of silicone oils in the product. Silicone is totally safe and actually pretty awesome in lube but, because of the nature of silicone bonding only to itself, silicone in your lube can interact with the solid silicone causing the texture to change and the exterior of your beloved sex utensil to deteriorate. It’s the old “like dissolves like” rule. Yes- there are high-quality silicone lube companies out there (and silicone sex utensil companies) who tout their products as being cross compatible. These are usually companies who have higher standards as to the sourcing and chemical composition of the silicone oils they use, and thus a guaranteed consistency of product. I still don’t recommend silicone lube on softer silicones or dual-density silicones, but if you want to try it on a single-shore utensil, do a patch test on the base first. Most people say you’ll see/feel a reaction immediately but I actually prefer to leave it sit for a few minutes, give it a rub, clean it up, and then check back tomorrow. I’ve found some silicones have retained changes such as fingerprints following this type of patch-test, which never felt “sticky” or “gummy”.

Solid silicone used for sex utensils come in pretty much two camps: firm and soft. This is where you hear folk talk about “dual-density”, “single-density”, “VixSkin“, “O2“, “Super-Soft” and similar terms. Density in this case is a bit of a misnomer, the actual term here is shore strength or durometer. So-called “single density” utensils are the most common, where the item is comprised of the same shore silicone the whole way through. Think about filling your grandmother’s Jell-O mould with all one flavour. This is going to be the case for most dildos and butt plugs. The silicone exterior on vibrators is also in this category, though the process on those is a little different in the casting.

“Dual-density” is a little different. These are a core of firm silicone with a softer shore silicone on the outside. This gives them that nice squeezable and often more “realistic” feel, and is generally accomplished by formulating the silicone with a higher volume of silicone oils to solids. Think about the difference between making regular Jell-O vs. Jell-O Jigglers, the less water you use the firmer your dessert came out. That’s kinda how the difference between the two silicones works, and also how “super-soft” silicones work.

So that brings me to the question that sex-bloggers everywhere get constantly asked: how do they compare? The convenient thing about having a large sex-utensil collection, and friends with equally large collections, is that I can sit poke and prod the various textures to compare side-by-side. Consider this a Mohs Scale for dildos. Remember, these differences in sex utensil textures and how they feel when used in a vulva or anus will vary from human to human.

So, in orders of perceived shore strengths on silicones, hardest to softest:

• Tantus handled toys and paddles
• Early PleasureWorks realistics
• Jollies
• Fuze
• Tantus plugs/dildos
• Vamp RegularSkin
• FunFactory
• Vintage Vixen Creations (Circa 90’s/early 00’s)
• Doc Johnson Platinum
• PleasureWorks
• BS Atelier
• Tantus O2
• Vixen Creations
• Bad Dragon 8
• Tantus “Cowboy Line” (Circa 2014 and onward)
• Tantus SuperSoft
• Dils4Does
• Vamp SoftSkin
• Bad Dragon 5
• New York Toy Collective
• VixenVixSkin with core
• Bad Dragon 3
• Vixen VixSkin without core

I find VixSkin to be softer/more malleable than Bad Dragon’s #3, but it depends on if you’re talking a through-and-through #3 or not, since VixSkin is generally cored. Tantus has a few different shore strengths that they work with, so that really depends on if you’re looking at a standard, an O2, or a SuperSoft model. Their (often but not always) matte silicone as used for things like Anaconda, paddles, G-Force, etc. tends to be a bit firmer, and the silicone used for the “Cowboy” line (Hoss, Cowboy, A-Bomb, etc.) has recently been reformulated to be slightly lower shore strength. Same thing with the Tantus O2 line- they’re cored a lot firmer than a standard single-shore but then have the softer skin, giving them a combined tactile feel of something in-between.

You’ll notice that I didn’t include vibrators up there. Silicone vibrators are a little different, and generally come in two styles: those that have a silicone skin over the mechanics, and those that are powered by a removable bullet. The latter fall into the above scale, where the former tend to take on the firm properties of the hard plastic which they encase (LELO is a great example of this). There are a few exceptions to this, and they are as follows (in no particular order at this time ((Check back in the next week or so, and these should be listed hierarchically too. I’m still doing a bit of research on these ones))):

• FunFactory
• JimmyJane
• Iroha
• Leaf
• WeVibe
• JeJoue
• Jopen Vanity
• Crave

Now the next big question, or piece of misinformation that is out there: can you store silicone sex utensils together? YES! I’m not entirely sure where this fallacy came from, but it’s been taught and re-taught since time immemorial. I’ve even seen it taught to folk in the so-called progressive sex-positive shops by progressive sex-positive educators. You most definitely CAN store your silicone sex utensils all together, in a jumble, if you like. A lot of folk still opt to bag their various dildos and plugs separately for ease of cleaning, to prevent lint and pet hair accumulation, and just to keep things a little more organised. That’s totally cool, you just don’t HAVE to. Vixen’s VixSkin products are best kept standing-up, so keeping those separately is a wise idea. They won’t melt or break down if stored with other silicone, but they may go a little lopsided if stored bent at all for a long period of time.

Ok, I lied. I have an idea of where this “don’t store silicone with silicone!” business came from- products that are labeled as silicone, “silicone quality”, “silicone like”, or have confusing terms such as “sil-a-gel” on the packaging but which aren’t actually silicone. The unfortunate fact of the matter is that the adult product industry is still by-and-large unregulated ((Condoms are FDA classified as a Class II Medical Device, mostly due to the disease-control aspect, however some companies are moving towards getting their sex utensils and/or lubes classified in this way as well.)). This means that no one is overseeing what goes into products or how companies label said products. There is no “10% rule” ((A fake rule of unknown origin purporting that a product may contain as little as 10% silicone in order to be labeled as such. No such regulation exists in this industry.)) that sometimes gets talked about. There is no oversight preventing phthalates, VOCs, heavy-metals, or other toxins (many of which are banned in other household products, items for children or pets, or which consumers actively avoid) from finding their way into sex utensils and thus into your body. Scrutinise the packaging- something that says it’s silicone may later say it’s non-descript elastomer or TPR ((Not to say that TPR or TPE are particularly “bad”. I have menstrual cups made from TPE. These materials are simply not silicone and thus shouldn’t be marketed as such. Methods of cleaning and product life change based on material)). Does it say it’s silicone, or “silicone-grade”? Is it optically crystal-clear (not just translucent)? I often hear folks say they don’t want something silicone because of the “silicone smell” or “silicone taste” which- after much discussion I determine that what they’re talking about is PVC that is labeled with the misleading ((Whether or not it is the intention of this term is irrelevant at this juncture)) “Sil-A-Gel” which technically isn’t a material at all but rather:

Sil-A-Gel is an ingredient that we add to all of our PVC material during the manufacturing stage. It is not a material unto itself. It is anti-bacterial, cadmium and latex free and utilizes ingredients that are on the FDA Safe Ingredient List….that is where the SIL stands for. This was not meant to trick anybody into thinking that this was a silicone product. — Doc Johnson’s Director of Product Development and Licensing

I’d also like to briefly address the “flame test” ((Taking sex utensils to a flame or bunsen burner in the assumption that 100% silicone products will not ignite, burn, or otherwise be damaged by standard low-heat flame)) that has been the standard for many sex utensil testers and sex bloggers for some time now. When this test first began being used, the methods of silicone production were mostly open-ended one-piece moulds into which the silicone was poured. Think again about that Jell-O mould, or a popcicle mould. Like that. More recently, two-part moulds have come into use with injection moulding (LIM ((Liquid Injection Moulding))) which has necessitated a slightly different formulation to the silicones. These are still 100% silicone utensils (when from reputable companies) but when put to the “flame test” may appear to fail. There are a variety of reasons for this, which all come down to chemistry. The softer shore silicones may also smoke, ash, and/or go brittle in weak or thin areas due to the high volume of silicone oils used to create that texture. Does this mean that the “flame test” isn’t a good metric? Not exactly. Boiling and “flame testing” are still the most accessible means of investigating materials that most consumers have. Reverse engineering is still going to be the most accurate, but it’s prohibitively expensive even for professionals in the field.

So once you have your nice silicone sex utensil, how do you take care of it? I already mentioned avoiding silicone lubes (at least until after you do a patch test and determine if the lube you’re using is compatible). One of the reasons silicone is used for both sex and food applications is that it’s really easy to clean, and it doesn’t readily absorb things. People will say that silicone is non-porous and non-staining. These are true to a point- silicone, just like really everything in the world, is permeable by something. What we’re really talking about is the size of the pores in a material, the depth of that pore network, and the ability for those pores to create a dark and damp environment perfect for bacterium and fungi to grow combined with the ability to expose the material to a hostile environment. Generally the hostile environment of choice at home is boiling water. Because the surface of silicone is not very habitable to microbes, and it is a material that is easily cleansed to a safe degree using good old-fashioned hot soapy water, you don’t need to boil it every time you use it. I do recommend doing so if you’re using it both anally and vaginally, or if you’re sharing with someone else. Similarly, if you draw on your silicone with an indelible marker? You’re going to stain it. That’s how indelible inks work. I’ve also had the softer silicones stain from contact with more unstable non-silicone materials, so do be careful there. I personally don’t use toy-cleaner sprays because they are essentially room-temperature soapy water in a spritzer, but if you’re in a situation where you can’t readily wash up and you want to do a quick clean-up? Go for it. I’d still give it a go in the sink with some hot water later. Think of it like your cooking utensils (now do you see why I favour that term?).

A quick word terms of cleanliness– sanitising, disinfecting, and sterilising are not quite as interchangeable terms as they often are used to imply. All three of these are cleaning, but to increasing degrees of meticulousness. Sanitising is what you do when you wash something with soap and water. This removes surface debris and microbes. Don’t worry too much about so-called “antibacterial” soaps here, as all soaps are antibacterial in that when combined with hot water, they help remove bacteria from surfaces. Antibacterial soaps are not disinfectants, and I recommend against the use of soaps or cleansers that are abrasive as these could damage your item. Disinfecting means pretty much what it says – it removes most of the organisms present on the surface that can cause infection or disease. Sterilisation, on the other hand, is the killing or removal of all disease causing organisms. Boiling, using a bleach solution or a hospital-grade solution such as Cavicide are the big guns of cleaning, and each has their own varying effectiveness against various human-bourne pathogens. While this isn’t something that most average sex utensil users will ever have to deal with, it may be pertinent if you are engaging in high-risk activities such as blood-play or scat-play, or if you are using the same toys with a variety of people (often the case for sexworkers). Research the best method of disinfection and sterilisation for your given situation if this applies to you.

A huge thank-you to everyone who helped me by sending me things or letting me squeeze their cocks. A special thank-you to SheVibe for my first BS Atelier, Fuze for contributing a Tango (which will make another appearance in a future Epic Guide), and ArchVixen for access to the newer softer PleasureWorks.

The Anthro Dragon has a few features which I found particularly attractive- most notably that it’s one of the few toys I’ve seen that not only has a foreskin, but has a foreskin that is not fully retracted. I like this. Not that I have anything against circumcised cocks, one of my favourite penises of all time happens to be circumcised, I just have an appreciation for toys which offer up a bit of variety. I also liked how the base design provided a nice flat plane to blend up against the body, but that the balls still had some dimensionality to them. Not huge dangly balls, but not weird partial balls either. Nice balls ((For reasons I cannot explain, I can’t read “nice balls” and have it not be in the voice of Worf a la “Good tea. Nice house”)).

Anthro Dragon is also probably the best introductory toy to anthro toys, for someone who is curious but not sure they’re ready to go full-on animal lifecast or fantasy gryffin dick. It’s firmly in the more humanoid realm, with a slight bit of anthropromorphication by way of shallow horizontal ribbing, which makes me think a bit of the tummy of the dragon in Pete’s Dragon.

I got my Anthro Dragon in Bad Dragon’s #3 or “soft” silicone. Side by side with my VIP Supersoft, the Anthro Dragon is just slightly squishier. Not by much though. Unfortunately, the soft silicone is still too firm to really work for an everyday wear packer. It definitely gives you the look of a poorly concealed erection. Not quite trouser snake, since I got the small size this time ’round, but still a bit of a chub. For a pack-n-play at a sex-positive event or play party though? This might work.

As a non-packing dildo though? I really rather like it. It’s a demure cock, with about 6″ of usable length if you really bottom-out on it, and just over 1.5″ diameter through the shaft (Bad Dragon says 1.75″ but my measure has it lesser, which I’m rather OK with really). The swell of the head gives me a bit of a stretch on insertion/removal, and creates a gliding sensation of fullness with thrusting. It’s a great toy for a laid-back jerk-off session where I don’t wanna assault my cunt. Kinda like the difference between “making love” and “fucking” or “banging”. My cunt can’t quite take the size or vigor my ass tends to enjoy, at least not with toys.

The texture on this is so subtle that you don’t really notice it at all, at least I don’t. It really does feel very similar to my Tantus Supersoft VIP, and that’s not a bad thing. When I want the sensation of something in my cunt and nothing to distract from the feeling of thrusting? I reach for the VIP. Anthro Dragon is easier to grip though, with a more substantial base and those nice balls.

Antrho Dragon is also one of the few Bad Dragon toys that will be easily harness-able. Where a lot of their toys have very large bulky bases, or long un-flanged bases, this one is almost ideal for those who want a harness toy with balls. Even the largest size should still clock in at a shaft diameter which can be accommodated by most harnesses.

Overall, I’m rather pleased with my Anthro Dragon, even if it doesn’t bring my anthro-packer tentabulge dreams to life. I enjoy it’s modest size and demure texture more than I initially expected I would. It’s the lazy-river of dildos.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is what arrived. Medium. I’ll just let that sink in for a moment…

One of the really cool things about Bad Dragon is how customisable their products are- you can get practically any colourway you want, though fancy custom colours do come at a premium. I opted for glow-in-the-dark because… well, just because. I asked for a black highlight, hoping to get something akin to one I’d seen on the forums. The highlight (or would it be a lowlight in this case?) on mine is less pronounced, and hard to capture in photographs, but it’s there and it’s rather pretty. They’re not kidding around with their glow-in-the-dark silicone either. This thing GLOWS. I thought that the Cosmic Bear lube was bright, but this- this I could see glowing even on a bright sunny day when I set it’s box in the footwell of the passenger seat in my car!

The other manner in which Bad Dragon toys can be tailor-made which is of interest to me is that they offer four different shore strengths (what is often slightly inaccurately referred to as “densities”) on their silicone: #1 “extra soft” or “female firmness”, #3 “soft”, #5 “medium” or “normal”, and #8 “firm”. I seem to recall from days of yore that they may have offered more in the early days, which might explain the weird number system. I’m not 100% sure on that one. You can order samples of their silicones if you’re not sure what firmness you want for your toy, and they are known to include one of random selection as gratis in with shipments. I requested all three (they don’t seem to offer their #1 firmness even in samples, which is unfortunate), and here’s my assessment of where Bad Dragon silicone falls amongst other silicones you may be familiar with:

• Tantus standard
• Tantus O2 (overall)
• Bad Dragon #8
• Vixen standard silicone
• Tantus supersoft silicone
• Bad Dragon #5
• Vixen VixSkin (overall)
• Bad Dragon #3
• Vixen VixSkin (exterior only)

Some toys are available in what they call a “split”, where the shaft and the base of the toy are two different firmnesses. While they do not advertise doing toys with a firmer core and softer exterior, it is something you can custom request, though not all toys work with this. I did request that mine be cored, and I now understand why it’s not something they normally do. You really can’t tell that the toy is two different firmnesses. I even emailed them after I got my toy, to make sure that it had indeed been made to the specs I’d requested. With how soft their silicones are across the board, even a cored toy is pretty flexible. Not at all the range of difference that you find in things like Tantus’ O2 line or Vixen’s VixSkin.

The low shore strength of the Bad Dragon silicone combined with the design of the toy make Crackers less useful that I’d been hoping. Something I’ve noticed with a lot of Bad Dragon designs is that they seem very much created with the “apply self to toy” method of use rather than the “apply toy to self” method. Very large, weighty bases (often with suction cup features ((The Bad Dragon suction cups are seriously strong, don’t be fooled. I accidentally pulled the entire top piece of glass off a retail display case with mine, when showing it off to some friends. These things are doozies.))) which are impossible to harness and incredibly difficult to grip for solo-use. I’m not one to park my toys on a surface to use them- I like to lie back and stuff things into me that way. Unfortunately for me, the combination of the oversized Bad Dragon base and the taper near the end of the shaft on Crackers makes getting it into me cumbersome and tricky. Feels a little bit like trying to have anal sex with a semi-flaccid penis- you try to get it in but it just skitters away from the target.

I do find that using a condom over Crackers helps a bit once I manage to wrangle it in, reduces the friction I get from the 3D printing texture which Bad Dragon toys have these days ((I’m under the impression that older models didn’t have these, from the days before they started using this technology, and it seems some current models are being re-worked to smooth this out.)) which makes thrusting attempts less of a chore. Still, it’s tricky. I do like the sensation, and it’s definitely the step up from the Randy that I’d picked it out to be, I just seem doomed to have a hard time getting both the size and manoeuvrability I desire in an anal toy. Once it’s in the sensation of fullness is great, and the insertion process has just the right amount of pushing-the-envelope stretch, I just really wish it had an even more solid core so that I could thrust with it. As it stands though, with the firmest that Bad Dragon offers as the core, it’s just too weak at the bottom of the shaft to really do that. Pity.

No- I haven’t tried this one vaginally, and I’m not about to do so any time soon. That is one place where I can still hold to my “I’m not a size queen!” statement. Crackers is destined to be an anal toy only for me, and likely one that requires a second individual to be able to get a good angle of entry for effective use. I do plan on trying more Bad Dragon toys, in fact I already have one more on-deck right now. I certainly think that they have promise, and if they were to ever start making their phallic toys in an extra- (or even extra extra-) soft texture I think there’s a market for fantasy packers out there. For the time being, I’ve got Crackers acting as a runway beacon so that I don’t walk into things in my living-room on the way to the toilet in the middle of the night. I knew there was a good reason I got glow-in-the-dark!

Oh, and yes- those are itty bitty versions of Bad Dragon toys, on my car dashboard, in the cover photo up there. The one on the far left though has a new home though, as a piece of garden art. Because my friends are awesome.