When I think of anything with the word "Mini" in the name, I am generally not expecting very much out of it. "Mini" so often means reduced size, reduced cost, and reduced convenience. I am happy to report however that the Mini Crop Top from Sportsheets does not live up to its dubious namesake but rather is a full sized, high quality item that would be a fine addition to a power player's toy box.

When I first unwrapped the packaging I was surprised at the weight of the item. Here was something claiming to be a "mini" crop and therefore should be small and light in my mind. Instead, here was a nearly full length riding crop with a solid and impressive heft to it. After cutting the zip-ties that held the crop to the backing, I got a good feel for it for the first time. The shaft is a strong steel rod wrapped in a thin woven nylon sheath. This is inserted into a thick handle wrapped in a Faux Leather so realistic that my partner and I had to look up the details online before we believed it was fake. The handle terminates in a solid, wide-edged cap with the Sportsheets logo printed across it. Unfortunately, there is no hanging loop though the wide cap allows you to loop something around the handle and not worry about it coming off.

On the other end of the shaft, there is a small lip near the head. If you tug on the head, it pops off with a comical "plonk" sound. This allows you to switch the packaged crop head for one of the other available styles that include:

-A Wide Slapper
-A Thin Slapper
-A Wide Loop
-A Thin Loop
-A Cluster of Feathers
-A Hand
-A Foot
-A Heart (aww)

I think people generally don't have unreasonable expectations when it comes to riding crops. Does it smack things? Good! Does it leave a big red mark? Great! Does it hurt like the dickens? Fantastic!

A crop either works or it doesn't. No batteries to change, lubes to use, or whatnot else. That said, I was very impressed by the quality of this crop. I slapped my partner lightly and got a little jump. I swung harder and got a loud 'crack' and a gasp. I swung with all my might and was rewarded with a shout and a great red welt slowly forming across a pale thigh. Admittedly, you should never swing a crop with all your might but this was in the interest of science and I'm sure you'll forgive me.

The crop performed admirably. The good steel core gives immense strength and excellent flex so you can precisely control the power of your hit. I intentionally abraded the handle with the palm of a leather glove to see how the wrapping held up and found no problems. The wrapping stayed firmly in place and did not break down or peel away. I bent the rod as far over as I felt comfortable with and was pleased to see it snap back to shape. The included head was fine for my testing purposes though I would have liked to try some of the other shapes to see how they hold up under duress.

At first glance I thought for sure this crop was made of Leather. Leather means work. Leather means care. Leather means worrying about what gets on it, how to wash it, how to use it. Leather looks great but is work intensive. When I realized this very leather-looking material was actually a faux leather, I was happily surprised. Faux Leather is not nearly as fragile as actual leather and while it may not be quite as durable or attractive, in an item as small as this crop the texture of the material isn't all that apparent. The decision to use faux leather makes this item very affordable and easy to care for. If the item gets soiled, just wipe it down. That's it. No oils or creams necessary to keep it looking good. If leather is more your style, invest in an authentic leather riding crop. The texture and appearance difference is significant if you have an eye for that sort of thing.

The packaging for the Mini Crop Top was large and attractive. The color scheme is red-white with subtle designs lightly covering the white sections. The crop itself is featured prominently in the clear window and is fastened by 4 small zip ties. The ties are cinched so tight you may find it easier to use nail clippers or small wire cutters since it is difficult to get scissors into the gap between zip-tie and box.

Once free, the crop can live anywhere you please. I find that the box is just a little too big to keep around even though it does look nice. There were no instructions included though I don't really blame them. The back of the box has pictures of all the available crop heads for your viewing pleasure.

Contributor Madiera made an excellent point, that if you want a good quality crop or whip, you should probably get one from an equestrian tack store rather than an adult toy store. A toy crop will usually be of poor quality and construction and likely will not last long. This crop certainly does not fit that bill, as Sportsheets tends to make excellent quality products.