Thickwall Cylinders Pumping Toys

Vendor: Thickwall Cylinders

Last fall I reviewed some basic cylinders and a beginner’s pump. This led to many reader questions about toys for different kinds of scenes. So I got in touch with Thickwall Cylinders which manufacture a wide range of different cylinders for the most discriminating pumping aficionado to answer most of these questions.

Heavy Duty Pump

The most often asked question was if there are more heavy duty pumps out there. While I like a small, plastic pump for traveling, it is a bit frail especially for group or messy scenes. I had people stepping on the pump twice accidently and nothing broke. Being made out of chromed brass it has a quality feel and rests securely even in somewhat lubey hands. It would even be better is the grip was textured for an even more secure grip. To release the vacuum there is a lever just below the intake.

Above the intake is a rotatable gauge is mounted which measures the vacuum in Torr (inches Hg). Especially for pump novices who cannot “feel” the vacuums intensity precisely yet, I highly recommend getting a pump with a gauge. In order to prevent injuries or lasting adverse effects, you should not pump above 6 inches Hg over extended periods of time. Short spikes of 10 inches Hg are ok but should not be the rule. The gauge helps you to keep track of the vacuum’s intensity. Compare to the more simple plastic pumps the travel of this pump’s piston is longer so it takes less strokes to reach the same vacuum level. At the same time the thicker, heavier handles help to control the travel more precisely so careful pumping is also possible.

However, the solid design comes with a drawback: Just the pump alone weights just under 840g which is quite heavy. And with measuring 31cm diagonally it is not compact either.

The pump comes with a 75cm long clear silicone hose and a replacement pump connector.

Cylinder Construction

All cylinders made by Thickwall are made out of a clear, high quality acrylic. Unlike the cylinders I review in November these ones even have a clear top so the dick or anus can be seen well from all angles. Into this top the connector is mounted through which the hose connects the cylinder with the pump.

All cylinders are hand-made and finished in the UK so they are flawlessly transparent. But even the best acrylic scratches quite easily even when you are careful. So to answer a reader’s question: No, I do not know a manufacturer who makes cylinders which maintain the nice out-of-the-box look even after many scenes. While on their website they offer a lot of standard sizes, Thickall Cylinders is open for custom measurements. This is quite important because for a pleasurable pumping experience, a having a correctly measured cylinder is important. I made the mistake of been too optimistic with my two-stage cylinder.

All cylinders come with a small leaflet which explain how to pump and into which problem one might run. Especially for people starting with pump these are great pieces of advice.

Playing with the different Cylinders

In my November review I talked about the basic technicalities of pumping which naturally also apply for these cylinders. So let’s take a look at the new cylinder types I am reviewing today.

Two-Stage Cylinder

A two-stage cylinder looks like a huge cock cylinder but with a bottom onto which a 2.5cm short neck with a flange is attached. Through this neck you insert your balls and penis. The internal diameter of the neck should be slightly larger then your metal cockring.

The effect of this cylinder is a bit more visual then tactile. There is still the draft on the penis but through the larger diameter the vacuum increases slower and this is felt less intensely. Since there are not that many nerve endings in the ball’s skin the tug is felt very gently. But you can still see the dick and especially the balls grow. After two or three sets of 15 minutes of vacuum the scrotum will swell to a degree of a small saline infusion. If you can manage to get the package out of the cylinder again (which can be a bit of a challenge depending on the volume growth), playing with massive nuts is quite fun. They will decrease in size quicker then a saline infusion. But the process can be slowed down when using TPR cockrings around the balls and the penis root.

Rosebud Cylinder

Thickwall’s Rosebud cylinder is quite different then the one I tested in November. First there are is the choice of different rod diameters. This is important for all the ass pigs. If your ass is well trained or you want to use the cylinder in the middle of a fisting scene when the sphincter is already smooth, soft and loose, a thin rod won’t seal the sphincter and thus there won’t be a vacuum seal. But the rod also must not be too thick. During the pumping process the cylinder “settles” and thus has some lever action inside the sphincter which can feel uncomfortable if the sphincter is stretched to the max already.

The second difference is the overall shorter cylinder. This leads to a quicker, more intense vacuum, so pump more carefully. More important for the most ass pumpers is the visual aspect. A well trained pumper’s anus can fill almost the entire cylinder which makes for a stunning visual effect.

The thicker rod leads to a large increase of weight. It is not uncommon that a loose, puffy hole can grip the rod anymore and the cylinder falls out. So when pumping for yourself, do not do it in the sling but in the bed or onto the floor where the ground provides some support.

Double Ended Cylinder

I call this cylinder the “buddy cylinder”. It has two open ends with flanges for secure and comfortable usage and the connector in the middle. Both play partners insert they dick and one (or a “neutral” top) starts pumping. Seeing both dicks swell and feeling them eventually meet is quite hot. A friend of mine is a docking fetishist (extending ones foreskin over the other ones glans) and this toy triggers his fantasy a bit.

Though one testing panel member top uses this kind of cylinder in D/s scenes with two subs where as soon as one sub says he is ready increases the vacuum, I am not really a fan of this kind of play. Too quick pumping can have too many adverse effects so I see this cylinder as a mutual pleasure toy. However if the top is experienced with pumping and knows where he can push, it might work well in a D/s setting.

Water Trap

This small accessory is there to protect the pump which can get damaged when you pump water into the piston. It is essential for pumping when soaking in the bath tub (the softening effect of water onto skin and tissue makes the dick and balls swell more easily) where there is always a chance of accidently sucking in some water.

Some people prefer to pump with water. They fill the cylinder with water, stick their dick inside and start pumping. Water distributes the draft more evenly and smoothly then air so it is a bit more gently pumping. Because of the large amount of water being sucked into the trap, I highly recommend emptying is after each stroke!

Conclusion: High quality, customizable cylinders and heavy duty pump.
Pro		Cons	Where to get	Price
Customizable sizes for a perfect fit		… but which is heavy and bulky	Heavy Duty Pump	£62.99
			Two-Stage Cylinder	£99.99-169.99
Well made out of high quality materials for a good and comfortable vacuum seal			Rosebud Cylinder	£43.99-124.99
			Double Ended Cylinder	£71.99-92.99
			Water Trap	£4.99
Sturdy and powerful pump which allows fine control over the pumping process…
	Disclaimer: These toys were sent to me by Thickwall Cylinders for an honest and unbiased review.