This, my dears, it what is called a riding crop. And a big one at that. Real, real long. It's 22 inches, which is actually four inches shorter than advertised. But that really doesn't matter, because it is quite long enough. How do you use it? Don't fret; it's rather easy. It's an impact toy, which means, basically, that you whack people with it. How fun!

But how to use it? This was a problem I was faced with: when I held this long, sexy black beauty in my hands, I had no idea how to use it. I asked the internet, but it had no answer for me. And now, for your benefit, I will relate what I found from trial and error, and from being on both sides of the crop.

First, the obvious: hold the crop by the handle. Test it on your palm to gauge how hard you want to hit your bottom/sub/slave/whathaveyou. Then, thwack!

Second, some do's and don'ts of crop usage:
DO tease with the leather fold at the end. Tickle and tap, especially on sensitive areas like the nipples.
DON'T hit on the kidneys, the sides of the hips, the neck, or head.
DO build up your hits. I found that repeated hard hits quickly became unbearable. This thing packs serious heat.
DO take the time to aim. Sloppy hitting with the crop can cause unnecessary discomfort, especially impact with the shaft.
DON'T stop!!! When used right, this feels damn good.

This was my first crop, and I think that it is perfectly good to learn with. Therefore, I would definitely recommend this to a beginner. However, it has proven very powerful, and it is quite aesthetic, so I think an advanced cropper would be happy with this as well.

This is one big crop. However, due to the texture of the grip and its relative lightness, it is quite easy to wield. I myself am a relatively small person and I have no trouble. The body of the crop is very hard--the details say neoprene but I suspect this might even be metal. It is 12 inches long. At the base is a plastic grip with a lattice design--very elegant. This part is 7 inches. At the top is a loop of lovely soft black leather, 3 inches. My only complaint with the design is that there is a gap between the grip and the shaft, which makes it slightly less streamlined and elegant, and a bit cheaper than it has to look. However, there is no practical problem with this design flaw, so I'm really just nitpicking.

I think this toy with probably last for years. The shaft seems virtually bulletproof; I would be extremely surprised if I could break it if I tried. The leather is probably what will go first, and I don't anticipate that happening for a long while.

The toy doesn't smell like anything in particular, other than the faintest hint of leather. Anyway, this isn't a toy you keep near your face too much so no scent is noticeable to me ever. It has a nice feel in your hands-present but not at all heavy. Further, the three different materials have different sensual qualities--the soft leather, the cool hard shaft, and the velvety handle.

This crop has been an excellent addition to my growing kinky toybox. It makes you feel powerful when you hold it in your hands and snap it against you palms, and looks intimidating in the hands of a top. The leather loop can be used to tease and tickle, or whip and snap. The shaft can be used somewhat like a cane.

Though I have not yet been able to leave marks with this toy, it carries a real bite. I have played pretty hard with this thing and have not sustained bruises. Perhaps this would make it useful for those who don't want marks, or those who want to wear a bathing suit the next day.

I think this toy is quite high quality and has served me very well so far. Its obvious durability, along with its high functionality make for a very satisfying product.

The materials--it says leather and neoprene, but I suspect the shaft may be made of something else--are non-sterilizable. They can be washed with soap and water. Use very mild soap on the leather portion, and make sure you let it dry right away. Leaving leather moist is a bad idea, because it makes it stiffen.

I personally just store it in a drawer. The leather needs a relatively cool, dry environment. As long as you don't leave it on an open windowsill or outside, I think it will be fine. It is a relatively low-maintenance toy.

This toy was simply in a crinkly plastic sheath, with a little tag attached to it (as you can see in the picture). There were no instructions for play or care. I would not recommend the toy in the bag, because if you put plastic on leather it dries it out. In fact, this is a hard toy to tote around because it is so long. i recommend either a poster tube or a yoga mat bag, if you want to carry this somewhere.