When I first began toying (pun intended) with the idea of buttplugs, I found the Bootie intriguing, but I kept passing it over for other things. Something cheaper, something glass, something a little bigger. Finally, last week, I decided to get the Bootie... and it is a dream. It may be on the small side, but its shape sure lets you know it's there! A nice way to warm up to bigger toys if you like, or to use with vaginal penetration, but you won't be jumping straight into anal sex with this one. It's stimulating without being obtrusive, and it's narrow T-shaped base makes it ideal for longer-term wear.

The Bootie is comprised of everyone's favorite, 100% body-safe silicone, so you should absolutely not use silicone lube with it. It is medium firm with a fair amount of give when you squeeze it, and the neck and t-shaped base are very flexible. It has slight drag to the surface, and holds lube well. I noticed no smell, and I didn't taste it - and I'm not going to now! The soap I washed it with after use was peach scented, and that is what it smells like now, so I anticipate that scents will cling to it, at least for a bit. As with most silicone toys, it attracts lint and pet hair like crazy, but a rinse before use will take care of that. It seems slightly translucent in its thinner areas, and the purple really is a lovely shade. Fine for a beginner, but still pleasing for intermediate users.

I really like the shape of the Bootie a lot. The bend creates a lovely amount of stimulation, and the base is exactly right: secure, yet like the rest of it, unobtrusive. So, really, you could use it in any context you can imagine, masturbation, in addition to intercourse, daily wear... it's very versatile. The size really is perfect for someone just looking to venture into plug usage. The neck is nice and narrow, the base rests between the cheeks so you can wear it long-term without irritation from an ill-fitting base. And it stays put! That bend ensured that it stayed right where it was supposed to, which was great to not have to worry about. Nothing about its design screams sex toy... though it doesn't scream much of anything. It's a little silicone hook! I'm really not sure what a random observer would think about it, but it is mostly innocuous.

I will say this: the flexibility of the neck made this slightly difficult to insert on my own. I had some trouble figuring out where to hold it so that I had enough leverage against that flex, while also dealing with the angle, but it didn't take long to sort it out. I used a small amount of Maximus lube with it, which stuck to it very well, and once I had the positioning sorted out, it made itself at home! It was easy going, even without much in the way of warm up. If it didn't feel so good, you'd hardly know it was there! I know how strange that sounds, but it is the case. It's as if it's just supposed to be there.

Silicone is one of the safest and easiest to care for materials in sex toy land. For general one-person use, a good washing with warm water and antibacterial soap will be sufficient, but you can also sterilize it by boiling it for three minutes, or using a 10% bleach solution on it. There are no crevices or seams, so keeping it clean is a cinch! A quick rinse before use will take care of any lint or pet hair that may find its way to the Bootie. Remember, if you are going to share, use a condom on your toy.

I absolutely love the packaging for the Bootie - just a simple cardboard box with a window on the front so you can see the toy. It's just the right size for the Bootie, and is discreet as can be while still showing you the product. The toy itself sits in a molded plastic tray, and inside the box you will find a sample of Fun Factory's Toy Fluid, and a small catalog. Nowhere on the package does it say exactly what it's for, so I would say that it is discreet. I think it will make fine storage, as I will be using it for that myself.

I really must insist that this is THE perfect beginner anal plug. Dreamy silicone with a smooth, seemless design, small enough to not frighten anyone, but just the right shape to deliver results. It is joining quite a collection in my toy bag, but I think even as an intermediate user, that this is going to become a favorite.