This is one big ol' butt plug. The Ringo has a very classic butt plug shape, but with one big difference. It's super-sized! I showed this one to my partner. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped a little. This thing is just so big! I laughed when the package containing my Ringo arrived on the doorstep. The box was larger than any I have received from Eden Fantasys before. It did also contain the Lone Star and some DVDs in large collector sleeves, but the box was still huge!

Packaging

The Ringo itself comes in a clear plastic form molded to the shape of the toy. This in turn is inside a rectangular plastic box with the Tantus logo and some information printed on it. It's exactly like the box I received my Zing in, but much larger. Some may use the packaging as a storage container, but I find it neither alluring nor small enough for this. I keep my Ringo wrapped in cloth inside one of my own toy boxes.

Size & Use

My Ringo measures 6-1/4" from tip to tail, with 5-1/2" of that insertable. The starting tip of the toy is about 3/4" diameter, stretching out to a whopping 2-1/4" across at the widest point. The stem is 1-1/4" in diameter, and the base measures in at almost 2" x almost 3-7/8" wide.

All that puts the Ringo in the advanced category for anal play. Seriously, this toy is huge. If you're a beginner, do look elsewhere. If, however, you are an anal aficionado who feels the need to stretch wider than conventional toys will take you, the Ringo may be your man. The Ringo takes anal play a step beyond what most people would need to warm up for penile penetration. It could be a move down the track towards fisting, or a simple yet satisfying challenge in itself.

Material

Tantus uses high quality silicone for their hand-poured toys. They are an excellent manufacturer of body-safe toys. They also raise and donate money for social causes. The silicone of Ringo is soft and squishy, but not the softest I have ever felt. It feels a bit like squishing one of those stress balls. It's firm and offers resistance while still being able to compress under pressure. It's also structurally very sound due to the large volume of the toy.

The Ringo seems to be made of two layers of silicone. One layer is extremely thin, maybe 1/64" wide, and comprises the outer layer of the toy. It may be thicker at points, but I don't really feel like sawing my Ringo in half to find out. This layer covers the whole toy except for the bottom of the base. It is opaque matte black and has a velvety texture. Then it looks like the inner part of the toy was poured with a shiny black silicone. The texture of the inner core is less buttery and has more grab than the outer layer. I can only speculate and say perhaps the outer layer is a higher quality more expensive silicone. Maybe they wanted users to feel that against their skin, but not necessarily use it throughout the entire toy. The inner core looks to be made of the same silicone from which my Zing and Little Secret Whisper were, just differently coloured.

Okay, I'm a manufacturing geek so I'll stop with the shop talk and get onto my actual experience of the toy.

Performance and My Experience

Holy Mamma, this one's big! So I think in my ideal world, the Ringo would be a special treat thrown in somewhere during a week of playing with smaller toys and cock up the ass. I honestly look at this toy like a training tool, and as with any tool it must be used wisely. Sometimes I get overly enthusiastic and use this toy when I haven't been doing additional anal play in the days previous. These sessions are not my favourite and sometimes result in me pushing myself too far too fast. I think that stretching the anus is a lot like doing any kind of physical stretching. If you don't warm up, then push yourself too far, you can hurt yourself.

So basically, warm up! Use a smaller toy first! Or pull out some lube and maybe a glove and use your finger for a while. Just love your anus. Respect it, caress it. In that primed condition, the Ringo can best work its magic. I have had a lot of fun with this toy. The feeling of stretching my anus is so satisfying and thrilling at the same time. Plus afterwards I get such a relaxed feeling. My whole life feels more in order when I've been doing anal play, I swear.

The best way I've found to use it is to place the lubed toy on top of a small box or a thick book, and then squat down onto it. That way I can use the weight of my body to relax down onto the toy while still being able to easily lift myself off of it. Mind you, this is a technique coming from a healthy young lass. If you have trouble standing up from a squat unaided, I'd recommend finding some other technique. Also know that in this position it is pretty easy to go too far if you're not ready for it. It's a position meant to make it easier to relax down onto the toy. I like to use my Hitachi while I'm doing this. It's got a strength of vibration that equals the intensity of sensation I get from the Ringo. Also the vibrations are so deep and penetrating that they help me to relax my whole pelvic area.

I have not yet gotten to the widest part of this toy, and it's fun to have something in my collection that I know I can move forward with over time.

Care and Maintenance

Of course, use lube with this toy. Water-based is best. Avoid silicone lube as this may degrade the silicone of the toy. This toy collects dust and lint just like all silicone, so wipe it off before you use it. Keep it away from sharp objects, dogs, teething toddlers, etc. To sterilize, just boil the toy for a few minutes in a pot of water. You can also wipe it down with a 10% bleach solution or run it through the dishwasher. In a pinch or the heat of the moment, you could also cover it up with an unlubricated extra large condom. If sterilization is not a requirement for you, the Ringo can be washed after use with warm water and a mild soap. Silicone tends to pick up the scent of soap, so if you don't want yours smelling like geranium or lavender or what-have-you, use unscented.

Have fun and play safe!