This is definitely a good product overall, with a few slight hitches in its design. I think it would work just fine for a beginner who is looking to add some bondage in the bedroom, but it could also serve its purpose for a more experienced individual. While it is my first foray into using such toys, I am sure that even a seasoned submissive could enjoy wearing this ball gag. It isn't too uncomfortable or unbearable to wear for a short while, but you will know for sure that you don't have anything more to add to the conversation as long as you're wearing it.

It can be worn alone, but by its nature it seems to lend itself best to couples' play. I found that when I tried it on, it was effective as far as preventing me from forming any coherent words, but not all sound was muffled by any means. Just like the packaging suggests, moans and groans are still perfectly audible coming from behind this gag.... Don't expect your partner to catch on quickly if you try to say anything important, though.

This ball gag features a great size silicone ball that measures about 1.75 inches across, mounted on a thin leather strap and connected to the adjustable buckling strap by two sturdy-looking metal O-rings. There are twelve holes reinforced with metal grommets to coincide with the buckle, so you can be sure of finding the best fit.

The leather straps have a bit of give to them, which may make them seem a little flimsy, but they can probably take a fair amount of stress. However, my biggest trouble with them was that the thin strap holding the ball tended to rub the corners of my mouth, and became a troublesome irritant before too long. It's my first ball gag, so perhaps this is simply an inescapable discomfort with such devices, but from my perspective, it makes extended wear of this gag look like a painful and disheartening ordeal.

On the other hand, the silicone ball itself seems to be a perfect choice for this purpose. It has no taste, no smell, and no discernible texture while in the mouth. There is a faint seam around it that I can see, and if I search for it, can feel with my tongue during wear. That has no real effect on the ball gag's effectiveness or comfort, so I don't have much of a problem with it.

I confess, I do love the color of the ball; the bright pink is, in my opinion, a little more sexy and a little less severe than the black and red ball gags you see more commonly in the media. The black leather straps go well with the pink, and all in all this toy offers a cute appearance, making it seem more fun than frightening, for a first time bondage toy.

This gag does just what the packaging promises, but not much more than that. For me, it sits just inside the teeth; it keeps the mouth open, and full, and it prevents any words from coming out. As I mentioned above, the silicone ball is great, because it's tasteless and odorless; there is no worry about this gag leaving you gagging from chemical smells or rubbery tastes.

You can bite down on it without hurting your teeth or - as long as you don't bite down too hard - hurting the ball, either. I didn't get too rough when I tried mine on, but it gave me the impression that it could withstand a lot. It isn't so big that it will leave you with an aching jaw for an hour after you take it out, either. I wore it for about twenty minutes when I first tried it, and experienced a few minutes of stiffness as I closed my mouth again after taking it out, but it was not bad.

It is big enough, though, that it's going to keep your mouth wide open. And there is a very good chance that it will also make you drool. I wore it, as I said, for no more than twenty minutes, and I was astounded at how much saliva my mouth produced.

However, while I have only good things to say about the ball, one real downside to this product was the leather straps that make up the rest of it. They are easy to fasten, and they do have some give - wearing it comfortably tight, I was able to push the ball out of my mouth with my tongue; with a little bit of work, I could wriggle it all the way out and down past my chin to be "rid" of it completely. This can be a good or a bad thing, considering the gag doesn't have a quick release and the ball is not removable from its straps.

My biggest complaint about this gag regards the strap that holds the ball in place. Wearing it, I immediately noticed the chafing and rubbing it was doing at the corners of my mouth. After twenty minutes, I can say that the discomfort seemed to come and go, easing up the most when I was careful about how I held my lips around the gag itself. Still, it was not a pleasant part of the whole experience, and could probably be avoided by lining the inside of the strap to keep the unfinished edges off the skin.

Caring for this gag is a little tricky, thanks to the design rendering that silicone ball impossible to remove from the leather straps. I tried to clean mine after trying it on, but I was wary of getting the leather wet, and especially of having water seep into the hole through which the leather strap passes. Still, in the end I found that a damp cloth to wipe it down worked just fine, and didn't seem to hurt the leather. For storage, I kept the plastic case it came in - a clear clamshell case. So far that seems to work fine as well, especially since you don't want the silicone ball to come in contact with other silicone toys stored alongside it.