I've always wanted a crop as part of a fantasy but since I'm not an avid BDSM-er or really into hard core bondage. I do love spankings though and so I wanted to find one that I visually liked and that would meet my softer needs without breaking the bank. The Impressions Crop from Spartacus left a great impression on me. It was an inexpensive choice, that was sturdy enough for mild play with my partner and I, but it probably won't excite the more experienced or advanced crop user. Anybody can use it though, it just depends on your preferences.

One of the reasons the price is low on this is that it is sadly not made of real leather. Instead this is made of a faux-leather and not the best faux-leather I'm seen either. It can kind of feel like plastic as times. Good thing about it not being real leather is that it is water resistant and doesn't take as much maintenance. The crop itself (the part that is making the contact) is 2" by 2 1.2". The folded over faux-leather has a cut out heart on one side. A piece of vibrant red material is in between showing the heart shape. I love this because it matches my heart paddle. The crop is riveted around the thin plastic handle. The quality is low here so it might break if you knelt on it or something. Then handle is 13" long. Towards the base is a faux-leather cover that helps you hold it comfortably. Below this is also a hand strap.

Before I gave my partner full rein, I tested this on myself. It was easy to make contact and gave a good sting without pain. I was confident that my partner wouldn't cause any unwanted pain. I loved the feel of the sting on my ass as my partner teased me. With each whack of the crop, I got more and more excited. I was a bit dissapointed that it doesn't make a noise when swung though! The amount of pain was perfect to remain as pleasure. I also loved this used on my vulva and clit as well as on my inner thighs. If you are up for it, the crop can be used to bat the breasts and nipples also. I liked using this on my partners inner thighs to mix soft touches with quick snaps.

I didn't like using the hand strap because it felt awkward and got in the way a bit. But, even when I let it dangle it seemed to get in the way too. Other than that, I really had no complaints. My partner found the handle a bit too thin for his small hands also. This can be fixed by adding electrical tape, or black medical tape to the handle.

Sadly, it takes alot of OOMPH to make a heart impression in the skin. Since this isn't the strongest in construction and thus better for lighter play, making really hard whacks isn't the easiest. We were lucky if we saw three hearts the entire time we played. An added bonus is that when not performing in sexcapades, the crop makes for an excellent out of reach spider killer!

The nice thing about this not being leather is that it has a lot less upkeep. If this gets messy for whatever reason, you can take a moist cloth and soap or a cleaning spray to wipe this puppy down. You also don;t have to treat the material or give it any sort of extra attention. it is long, so you might have to get creative when storing it.

I am rating the impressions crop fours stars. It was hard to make a heart impression and the wrist strap is annoying. it also probably won't please the experienced player. However, for our needs, it worked well, plus I love the super cute design. If you have never tried a crop before and are limited in other flogging experience, this is an excellent place to start.