Vendor: Bad Dragon
Sometimes a review encourages more reader questions than I hope it would answered. This was the case almost a year ago when I published my review of three Bad Dragon toys. In the first months I was inundated with e-mails, DMs and messages on Recon and PlanetRomeo asking my opinion on different models, colors, etc. So I got in touch with the guys at Bad Dragon and asked if they would be kind enough to supply me with the three most often inquired about dildos in sizes my fist-savvy testee panel would be interested in. A few weeks later a parcel with an XL Nova, an XL Terra and an L Scorn arrived at my place.
Now, a few months later, they have been thoroughly tested. And since the review is so eagerly anticipated by many readers, I find it fitting to be the first one after my little summer break.
Material
In the past two years silicone has become my personal material of choice when it comes to anal toys. Sadly silicone is a bit difficult to handle so not many toy manufacturers use it to make anal toys. Bad Dragon has been making silicon Dildos since 2008 so they really know what they are doing especially when it comes to their elaborate color designs which getting them right is a challenge of its own. If you want to snatch a little bargain and can live with a little flaw, take a look at their “Flop” section where they sell not-perfect toys with a discount.
Every Bad Dragon anal toy is made out of Platinum silicone. It is called this way because platinum is the catalyst used in making the silicone. Unlike other catalysts like tin, platinum makes the silicone withstand acid and heat.
Silicone is an awesome material for anal toys. Its surface is perfectly smooth which makes taking the toy a bit easier than “rougher” materials. Even more important is the big advantage when it comes to cleaning. Since the silicone is non-porous on a microscopic level bacteria have a hard time to establish themselves. Being resistant to almost everything and heat Bad Dragon toys are best cleaned in hot water with dish-soap or vinegar-based cleaner and then sprayed with a sanitizer. If you want to be completely sure, you can even autoclave them. Since you really and thoroughly can get them clean and sterile they are perfect to be used on multiple partners without having to fear disease transmission – if cleaned properly between usages.
The smoothness comes with a bit of a price though: Especially highly viscose lubes tend run down so I would recommend slicker lubes like Elbow Grease H2O Thick Gel. Since the silicone oil in silicone or hybrid lubes will disintegrate the silicone of the toy, only use water or oil based lube with Bad Dragon toys!
Depending on your personal taste and experience choosing the right firmness is important. Platinum silicone will never be as firm as rubber or vinyl can be. So if you like to torment your ass with brutally forcing toys in (not that I would recommend this kind of play for health and safety reasons…) silicone toys might not be for you. For all the other people Bad Dragon offers three degrees of firmness: Soft, medium and firm, though their XL toys only come in soft and medium (which personally I find a bit of a shame). When ordering for the first time, I recommend ordering their firmness sample package in advance so you get a rough idea how the toy will feel. Though when choosing the firmness, keep in mind: The larger/ ticker a toy, the firmer it will feel. Also: The softer a toys, the easier it will collapse when riding it. I highly recommend the split firmness with a hard base. It gives the toy a firmer stand and makes it easier to grip so it improves the play alone and when a top shoves it up your ass.
A less practical but more aesthetical decision is choosing the right color of the toy. Silicone has the advantage of being easily colorized and usually doesn’t discolor over time. So Bad Dragon – in a time where most anal toys where solid black, red or blue – took toy coloring to an entire new level. Their new website features a configuration tool which lets you play around with almost infinite color and effect combinations. Furthermore each month and for special events like Pride or Halloween they introduce unique color patters which are available for a limited time. To stay informed follow their Twitter feed or subscribe to their newsletter.
Choosing the right Bad Dragon
Bad Dragon is famous for getting the inspiration for their toys from fantasy creatures, mostly dragons but also werewolves or chimeras for example. So they offer vide variety of shapes, textures, length and diameters (currently 61 different models).
When deciding which dildo to get keeping in mind which diameter you can currently take is a good starting point. Since the designs are proportionally scaled up from S to XL, you have to be also depth experienced to take the full maximum diameter which usually sits right above the base in form of a knot. When browsing through the different models keep in mind: The softer the material the easier it will be to take (see above). The more textured, the harder it will be to take (see below). But the texture is also the fun part: The sphincter is an area with a high concentration of nerve endings so the texture (more or less) gently teases them, making textured toys more interesting. The heavier the texture, the quicker the ass will be worn out so save heav
ily textured toys for the end of the scene. Putting them at the end has the advantage of the sphincter (hopefully) being relaxed and loose. Riding heavily textured toys too vigorously with a tight sphincter can lead to injuries!
Each dildo can be outfitted with two special features: The suction cup and the cum tube. Unlike suction cups on other toys where a separate cup is attached to the base of the toy, Bad Dragon’s suction cup is integrated into the toy’s base. This not only looks nicer but increases the size of the cup and thus the suction. Also the cup won’t come off when often and heavily used, like I had with other dildos. The suction is so strong that even the large and heavy toys stick to dry, smooth perpendicular surfaces and still stick when being ridden vigorously.
The cum tube is a tube in the middle of the toy attached to a syringe through which water-based (cum) lube (like the one from Bad Dragon) can be shot, simulation an ejaculation. Since the last review the spilt opinion of my testee panel has not changed: Some loved the feeling of a liquid splashing inside their colon. For some testees and me, it didn’t do much. And since the cum tube makes the toys more difficult to clean, I went without the cum tube.
Playing with the Toys
Terra the Amazon Wyvern XL Soft Shaft
When wanting to venture into the realm of more textured toys, the Terra is probably a good starting point. With the gently tapered glans the Terra is quite easy to take. Two gently risen scales allow for some sphincter stimulation until the diameter increases for the knot. The ridge at the back of the knot is a bit rugged but not too extreme. Since there is only one textures area at a specific height level (either both sides or the back) slow teasing play is interesting with this dildo because different areas of the sphincter get stimulated at different depth levels.
Nova the Breeder XL Medium Shaft
I would consider the Nova a toy for the more experienced ass players. The glans is a bit duller than the Terra’s and its rim is equipped with dull bumps so it is a bit more of a challenge. The shaft is textured with three deep ridges with a steep slope at the rim. They make the Nova an equally interesting and challenging toy for fucking: Taking it is somewhat easy because the ridges gently open the hole up. The steep slopes however really challenge the sphincter when pulling the Nova out. Running down from below the glans’ frenulum all down to the base is a ribbon is rather highly raised bumps. Three testees of mine had the perfect anatomy for these bumps running over their prostate, driving them insane when getting fucked with the toy.
The Scorn is unlike the two previous toys. The most noticeable difference is that the base is perpendicular to the head. Also, the dildos is short and thick. The glans takes up approximately a quarter of the entire length and steeply increases in diameter. Below the glans the diameter increase again quickly making this a toy for more experienced power player. Adding to this categorization is the texturing: From the frenulum down to the base run deep ridges, the rest of the shaft is textured with veins and bumps. Since the toy is curved almost a quarter of a circle, taking it takes some navigation and practice even for depth experienced fistees. Because the L is already rather large and you can get it in the firmest silicone, this toy will produce the most “stuffed” feeling and the texture is felt the most intense of all the Bad Dragon toys I own.