I have come to quickly love Happy Valley, their silicone, and their not over-the-top prices. I did a little bit of experimenting with a bulbous design for an anal toy. I found that round circles were a bit much for me and that I required a harder material. I came across this one and wasn't too thrilled with the color choices. I decided to get it anyways since the dimensions seemed perfect, and it is made of silicone. I'm really glad I did because the experience was all pleasure and no pain, mess free, and easy to clean. While it does not do well as a plug during sex, it stayed in just fine while I played solo. It is an excellent beginner to intermediate transition toy or for someone who likes the feel of anal beads, but not the potential mess. I'd recommend it to pretty much anyone though, guys and gals. It even has the potential to work in a harness.

I really like Happy Valley silicone for three reasons. 1. It is firm. 2. Consequently, it does not collect as much hair and dust. 3. Their silicone colors have swirls in them that make each one unique. Unfortunately, I did not like the copper color or the purple. I hate those colors in general. I ended up getting the purple since it is so deep. If you look at the base the color is actually lighter and very pretty. I wish that the entire toy was this way. There is a matte feel to it that has dulled the swirls and sparkles in the silicone.

Silicone is the way to go for anal toys. It is non-porous, hypo-allergenic, free of latex and phthalates, has no odor, and can be boiled. It does not retain odors either. The firmness of Happy Valley silicone does not prevent it from being flexible. With a good amount of resistance, I can still bend this in half. It is the same density throughout and does not have a firmer core like some toys do.

The Encore has three bulbs. Two are more elongated, oval like, and the third is more of a sphere. The entire length, including the base, is almost 6" long. 5 1/4" of that is insertable. You do not have to insert this toy all the way. You can work up to the third bulb if you want. They are nicely graduated for that purpose.

Bulb 1: 1 1/4" long x 3" in circumference. The neck between the first and second bulb relaxes to a circumference of 2 1/4". This bulb isn't going to stay in if you don't go past it.

Bulb 2: 1 1/4" long x 3 3/8" in circumference. This bulb is obviously not that much larger than the first. The neck between the second and third bulb is short and relaxes to a circumference of 2 5/8".

Bulb 3: 1 1/4" long x 4" in circumference. Compared to my other anal toys, this circumference is moderate, but it still pleased me anyways. The neck at the base is 1" tall and almost 3" around. In my opinion, this is an excellent ration for relaxing around the toy.

The base is a rectangle with a "domed" top. It is 2 1/2" long by 1 1/4" wide. The base is mostly flat except for where the extra silicone from the mold has been cut off. This can sometimes cause the edges to feel sharp. You may want to inspect it before use. A razor blade can help cut down anything that feels abrasive. I would then follow that up with a file.

While there is no hole in the bottom for a vibrating bullet, you can make this vibrate by adding a snug vibrating cock ring at the base. It might be able to work in a harness. The issue is that you need an o-ring to go over the largest bulb but be snug enough around the neck.

While the color is dark and not flashy, it still is obvious that this is a sex toy. If you are modest, you may want to hide this one. It is suitable for travel though. It's not good for a purse, but the silicone material makes it airport safe and resistant to potentially hot or cold temperatures.

The design is not discreet. It is pretty obvious what it is. The baby blue color is very pretty though!

Inserting the Encore was super easy. I was able to insert it in any position I tried, laying down, sitting while leaning back, on all fours, and squatting. It needed a small amount of lubricant. On one occasion, spit was just fine too. There was absolutely no pain at any of the tiers.

I really enjoying slowly inserting each bulb a few times and then speeding it up while using another toy for clitoral pleasure. I especially liked to tease my clit while I lightly tugged or pressed on the base of the Encore. I could get up and get another toy or change positions without it falling out. The base felt comfortable enough for everything I used to the toy for, but I doubt it would be good for a long term plug. It was also pretty apparent that it would not stay in for sex. After inserting a vibrator, the plug pushed itself out. Oh well, you can't win them all! I prefer more traditional plugs for sex anyways.

I really loved using this toy and have already chosen a similar design, also silicone, for my next size up.

Removing this toy produced absolutely ZERO mess. This might be a subjective thing, but I thought it would be worth noting. I think that the more wavy design instead of actually sphere beads makes this toy cleaner for anal play.

Cleaning is very easy. I used an anti bacterial soap and hot water to rinse the toy and then followed up with a spray. It can also be boiled for 5-10 minutes or put through a cycle in your dish washer for sterilization. Let it dry and then store in a bag or with other 100% silicone toys.

Make sure that you do not use a silicone lubricant with this. Silicone lubricants will eat the lovely material.

All of my Happy Valley toys have come in the same packaging. They come in a clear plastic bag that is closed with staples and a cardboard piece at the top. It cannot be resealed, but you can keep it for storage I suppose. It won't keep dust out, though. It does not come with much information either.