It's time for another delve into my box of Tantus goodies, and this week I'm going to be looking at the Flame - a dildo that somehow always has me thinking of Cheap Trick whenever I say its name.
The Flame was originally a dildo that was only available as part of a harness set, with no option to purchase it by itself, and naturally that only made me more curious about it, then as luck would have it Tantus went ahead and made a limited edition standalone red version of it and I knew I had to have one. It's also quite handy from a review perspective, as while I'm not someone who uses harnesses, I know that a lot of people buy them specifically for pegging, so it's useful for me to be able to offer feedback on how the dildo itself performs for a man.
As always, head below for the review!
The Flame is a dildo which has a sort of immediate familiarity about it, and in a lot of ways it is just another version of the ever-popular Tantus Silk. This can be seen quite clearly in its basic design, with the long smooth shaft, the slightly bulbous head, the gentle curve to one side, and perhaps this explains why Tantus was reluctant to sell it by itself before. The real difference it has from the Silk though is the element from which it takes its name, and that would be the texture that appears embossed along the shaft like a pattern of dancing wisps of fire. It's certainly unique, and all the more reason that I like it.
In terms of size the Flame does differ slightly from the Silk Large that I've covered before. It's 6 1/2" in total length, and with 6" insertable. Around the widest point at the tip it has a circumference of 4 7/8", and at the narrowest point midway down the shaft it's only 4". On the whole it's a little bit shorter and a little bit thicker, which as it happens suits my preferences for a dildo. At the bottom it has a nice chunky 2" wide base which provides the dildo with plenty of stability when standing it upright somewhere, and which also allows it to be used in any standard O-ring harness if is desired.
Like all Tantus products the Flame is made from Tantus's special blend of 100% platinum silicone, and it's one of my favourite materials due to the fact that it's completely odourless, non-porous, and completely body-safe. As almost goes without saying the Flame is made to a very high standard and is free from any mould lines or other surface defects. The finish to the silicone is completely smooth, giving it a shiny and glossy surface, and the dildo itself is nice and flexible and has a good amount of give when squeezed.
The Flame is a nice easy dildo to use, and despite the lack of taper on its rounded tip it's pretty easy to insert if you have a degree of experience with anal toys, and shouldn't require a warm up. The smooth glossy surface to the shaft helps the whole thing to slide effortlessly into the body with no drag, though rather disappointingly the unique "flame" texture is wholly indistinguishable and cannot be felt along the way. Due to the proportions of the dildo it can be comfortably inserted all the way down to the base, and even sat on, which is always a welcome feature as it removes the likelihood of anything awkwardly poking you inside.
Due to the curve of the shaft you have a couple of options of how to orientate the dildo during use, whether you're choosing to thrust with it by hand or place it on a surface and ride it. Either you can have the curve of the dildo pointed forwards towards the stomach, or backwards towards the spine depending on what you find works best for you. The first time I used the Flame I must admit to actually feeling quite blasé about it, because after all it is very similar to the Silk which I never found to be an especially exciting toy. It slides in and out well enough as you thrust, but aside from that it doesn't give a whole lot of additional stimulation. It's not big enough to make you feel filled or stretched, and the shape has a minimal impact on the prostate, so it's all very tame, especially for anyone well-versed in anal play. I did eventually find a way to exploit its design though, and by thrusting with it to the point that it almost exits the body on the back stroke it actually began to feel quite good. This technique brings the widest point of the dildo to the place where it can have the most impact, and on each stroke the slightly bulbous end finds itself glancing against the prostrate, while at the same time providing a little stretch to the sphincter. Repeating this as I became more rapid with the thrusting I actually began to find it quite enjoyable and pleasurable, though by the very nature of the technique one will occasionally break the rhythm as the dildo accidentally slips out entirely with a pop. If you are thinking of using it with a partner then I'd definitely recommend long strokes to really get that tip to where it needs to be, possibly even withdrawing completely and re-inserting several times just to maximise the impact on the sphincter.
So, what to make of the Flame then? I have to say that I do like it more than the Silk; the slight change in proportions allowed me to find a technique that made the most of its potential for pleasure, but it is a shame that the texture had no impact beyond the visual. On the whole it's quite a tame toy, much like the Silk, and personally tame doesn't really do it for me. I can see it working for someone with a bit less experience though; back when I bought my first toy it was as plain as could be, yet I loved sliding that thing back in and out, so there's definitely a place for it. It's a quality made toy, so if you're looking for something not too big and not too intense, then it's one I'd happily recommend you try out.
Thanks to Tantus for sending me the Flame to review. Currently they're no longer producing this design, but you made be able to find it available at other retailers still.