I bought this a couple of years ago and it's still a sentimental favorite of mine. In fact, it was mine and my husband's very first experience in using a paddle. While it's definitely not for more advanced players, this paddle is great for beginners who are just starting out. Sometimes when starting out with this kind of play, one or more partners can be afraid of how to wield the paddle or how much pressure to apply in spanking, etc. With this paddle, that is certainly not an issue! My husband was a bit nervous at first, but once he discovered it was near impossible to hurt me with this, his nerves were just fine. The blows from this paddle come down much softer than a heavier paddle and to my initial dismay, I was never able to get the XOXO to come off on my skin. We had a perfect first experience with this product and I would buy it all over again!

Even when my husband swings his hardest, it doesn't hurt much and it always leaves me begging for more. I think that's what makes this a great warm up toy as well. I now like my paddles and toys to pack a bit more punch and while I can't handle the level of pain a cane would give, I always find this one at the lowest pain level.

The handle could be longer, but other than that, I find the length to be a good compromise from other paddles. The paddle itself could also be heavier to pack some more punch, but if it did, then it may not be good for beginners anymore. All in all, I would definitely recommed this paddle for beginners and even for advanced players who like a softer warm up.

I've decided to go ahead and write my follow-up since I've had this for a while and I still use it. It's still a beloved warm up toy and I'll probably hang on to it for quite some time! I still don't recommend it for advanced users as it will be too light but perfect for beginners or intermediates.