This is a toy that I had my eye on for some time before finally purchasing it, and I researched it extensively using other reviews before it ever arrived in my hands. However, even though the Ryder has to be one of the most extensively reviewed toys on Eden, there were a few aspects of the toy that surprised me when I used it.

But first: the Ryder is a butt plug designed for long-term wear, and it excels at this function. Lube it up, slide it into your ass, and it will snuggle between your cheeks for as long as you wish to keep it there.

While an unusual shape for a butt plug, the toy can be used in any way a traditional plug can. It is great for men to wear while masturbating or having sex (particularly if it rubs against the P-spot!). This is a great plug for women to use for DP masturbation, or during sex, and for both genders it can be a great way to get your anus relaxed before anal sex.

Due to the "torpedo" shape, I would not recommend this toy to a beginner. For beginners interested in a plug, you might want to consider one that has a more traditional conical shape, as the taper will aid in insertion and allow your sphincter to stretch more slowly. The Ryder does have a very slight taper, and I found it easy to insert as an intermediate user, but I would not use this as a first butt plug.

The Ryder is made out of the best of the best: medical-grade silicone. Silicone scores a perfect 10 on Eden's material safety scale, and is nonporous, hypoallergenic, phthalates-free, and latex free. It has no taste or smell. It is very smooth, with low drag, and becomes very slippery and easy to insert with lube.

I have to admit that I was definitely surprised by the texture/material of the Ryder. I assumed that since I have owned other silicone Tantus toys, the feel would be similar. I was wrong, but in a very good way. The silicone was much more plush than my other Tantus toys, and reminded me more of a soft rubber than the other silicone toys I own. It was also much more flexible than my other Tantus toys. Yet while the neck is flexible enough to make long-term wear very comfortable, it is not so floppy as to make insertion an issue. The plushness of the silicone made the Ryder a joy to insert, and the flexible neck made long-term wear a dream.

Silicone retains temperature very well, making termperature play possible, and will warm up with body heat.

The design of the Ryder is quite unlike any other butt plug I have seen. The typical butt-plug shape is a cone, with a significant taper from a thicker base to a relatively pointy tip that is supposed to aid in insertion. The Ryder, however, is almost pill-shaped. It does have a slight taper, however, which although it is hardly perceptible in the images, is more noticeable in your hand. You can also sense this taper during insertion and removal.

With a width of 1 1/2 inches, the Ryder will not be too imposing for most users, and I appreciated the fact that it was a shorter plug at 3 3/4 inches long. With some other plugs I have tried, the length was a bit uncomfortable, especially if they were relatively inflexible. However, beginners might wish to look at more traditional shapes, since a more significant taper might be a better way to start. The neck of the toy is just less than an inch wide, and about an inch long. This gives your ass plenty of space to relax and grab onto the toy.

Since this toy is very different from the traditional butt plug shape, I had no idea what the experience might be like. In terms of insertion, it is comparable to inserting a very smooth dildo, rather than the typical butt-plug insertion experience of a gradually-increasing stretch. However, insertion is by no means difficult. The fact that the material is so plush certainly aids in this.

Once inserted, the toy definitely wants to stay there. The neck of the plug is just under an inch wide, which is enough of a difference to help with retention of the toy. Although it is smaller than some of my other plugs, I was surprised by the nice, full feeling I got from the Ryder. I also appreciated the well-rounded tip. While some of my other plugs can feel a bit 'pointy' if you move the wrong way with it inserted, the Ryder puts wonderful pressure on all the right places. This toy also stays put, no matter what. While I have had other plugs pop out during an orgasm or while having sex, this toy always makes it through like a champ.

For long-term wear, the Ryder is an excellent option, especially with its flexible neck and comfortable base. As indicated above, the flexibility of the neck allows the toy to bend with your body movements. The base is substantial enough so you will not have to worry about the toy getting lost inside of you, but is thin enough to nestle gently between your cheeks. Since the base is very thin and has rounded corners, it will not chafe or poke you. I had no trouble using this as a long-term wear plug; both moving around as well as sitting for long periods were very comfortable. Just remember to reapply lube every so often if you do intend to use it for long-term wear.

Unlike conical butt plugs, removal is a very similar sensation to insertion, and just as easy. This is exactly what you want in a butt plug, especially if you intend to use it for long-term wear.

Silicone is a very easy material to care for, and one of the major benefits of the material is the fact that it can be sterilized by boiling it in water for about 4 minutes, or cleaned in a 10% bleach solution. It can even be put in the dishwasher, if you like that option. Hot water and soap as well as toy cleaner are also options for cleaning.

Storage is not quite as easy as cleaning, however, as the Ryder is a dust and hair magnet. You will want to clean the Ryder or at least rinse it off before use. While you will probably not want to store it in the clear plastic box the Ryder came in, you will probably want to find another storage option for this toy, since dust seems to love the toy as much as I do.

Silicone lubes are often incompatible with silicone toys. If you really want to use silicone lubes, spot test on a small part of the toy before use, to make sure the toy will not be damaged. However, I would completely avoid silicone lubes, and use water-based instead.