Introduction:
This is the second butt plug my partner and I tried. You can read more about our first experience and what we were looking for here. In summary, this time we were looking for a plug with a more defined neck that would stay in place better than the Bootie. We're still beginners at anal, so we also wanted something versatile that we could grow with, but were slightly concerned about the Ryder being on the border of too large. We were also interested in staying with silicone material.

The Ryder succeeded at staying in place better during use, while not being completely too large for a beginner. But we had other unexpected problems with the size, as described below.

Material (silicone):
The Ryder, by Tantus, is made from 100% medical-grade platinum-cured silicone, like all Tantus toys. It is phthalate-free, easy to clean, and easy to sterilize. It can be cleaned with soap, toy cleaner, alcohol, or any other reasonable method you can think of. It can be sanitized with 10% bleach solution, by boiling, or on the top rack of the dishwasher. You should certainly sanitize it if you're going to swap between anal and vaginal use, or between partners. It can also be warmed or cooled for temperature play.

The main concern with silicone is keeping it away from other silicone to avoid damage. Therefore, the Ryder should not be used with silicone-based lube--only water-based or oil-based. The Ryder should also be kept away from other silicone toys, because they could bond together, damaging both toys. It's best to keep the Ryder in a lint-free cloth or plastic bag, which also keeps lint and dust off of the sticky material--the Ryder is a lint-magnet, but anything stuck to the toy rinses off easily before use.

Design:
The Ryder is much bigger than "beginner" toys, both in maximum girth and overall volume, and is very filling. The overall length of the Ryder is about 4-3/4", with about 4" insertable, including the "neck" portion. Other than the neck, the insertable "bulb" portion is about 3" long and 1-1/2" wide at its widest point. The bulb has a rounded bullet shape--the nose is quite rounded instead of pointed, and rapidly increases in diameter from about a minimum of 1" to about 1-1/2" along the first 1/2" of the bulb's length. The middle 2" of the bulb's length is almost equally 1-1/2" wide. Then the bulb tapers over the last 1/2" in length back down to about 1" in diameter. The neck is 1" long and about 3/4" in diameter, which makes up the last portion of the 4" insertable length. The base has an elongated oval shape, about 1" by 2-1/4" around, and a little over 1/2" thick. Other than the orientation of the base (holding it either the long way or across), the Ryder is completely symmetrical, and the direction of insertion should make no difference.

The Ryder has a glossy surface, which doesn't hold on to lube as well as textured surfaces, but also doesn't require much lube. The silicone has some give, and the bulb can be squeezed between the fingers about 1/4" on each side. The base gives a little more, since it is not as thick as the plug. The dark purple with swirls of metallic light purple is a nice color.

I could not find a seam on the Ryder. The base has an engraved Tantus logo in it, but otherwise the toy is smooth. It is also generally odorless and has no taste.

Packaging:
The Ryder comes in Tantus' standard, clear, folded-plastic box. The package is awkward and flimsy, so it is not convenient for long-term storage, but is durable enough to protect and support the toy during shipping. The box has large red text on it, but is otherwise clear. There is no nudity on the box, but there is an unobstructed view of the toy, so it is not discreet at all. You'll want to store the Ryder in your own box or bag.

Similar alternatives:
I don't know of any other plugs with the exact shape of the Ryder, but the closest alternatives to the shape and size in the same material are the Infinity Plug Royal and the B-Bomb, both also by Tantus. The Infinity Plug Royal is a little longer and has a "wavy" shape instead of a single bulb shape. The B-Bomb is more pointed and vibrates. Both have bases that are slightly different from Ryder's base. The Tantus Tulip is less similar but related--it is larger and has a more pronounced "head" instead of a bulb shape. There may be some glass plugs that are similarly sized and shaped, but glass is very different.

The Ryder is a little challenging to insert at first, or at least it was for us as beginners. Not only is the bulb quite large, at 1-1/2" in diameter and 3" long, but the rounded tip and rapid increase of the diameter from 1" to 1-1/2" does not allow for much gradual insertion. However, with some warm-up, plenty of water-based lube, and going slowly, it was not a problem to insert this on our first try.

Once in, it certainly felt very filling! It also wasn't going anywhere, in or out! So we succeeded in finding the qualities we were looking for in a plug. However, we soon realized that we had succeeded too well. My female partner is petite and, although the Ryder fit her anally, there was little room left inside of her for vaginal penetration. Therefore, we were not able to use the Ryder for double-penetration as we had planned. We have not tried the Ryder vaginally--its design does not look like it would be very pleasing for that.

Otherwise, I can see why the Ryder is so popular--it is well-designed, neither too big nor too small, and is made of Tantus' great material. The base is also comfortable, although we haven't tried it for extended wear. We will continue to experiment with these plugs, and perhaps others. But for now, we have not found the ideal design and size that will work exactly for what we originally had in mind.