Spartacus has always been very serious about sexual play, and their Whip Tip Crop carries on that tradition soundly. Soundly, as in the sinister “swoosh” you get twirling it, the thud and snap of the tip and cane meeting flesh, and, directly after, the whatever sound your Top allows.

My only possible criticism of this toy is that calling it a “crop” may give the wrong impression about its business end. It has the leather-wrapped barrel and handle of a traditional riding crop, and the lightness and flexibility. But unlike the leather rectangle on horse crops, or the range of cutesy to sexy designs on sex toy crops, this toy has a short length of cord frayed on one end. While less than a foot in length, this cord is more than long enough to produce a quick swarm of stings or a serious bite.

The Whip Tip handles in some ways like a cane. It is light, easy to direct, and flexible enough to use in many different ways. Because of the extreme flexibility, the frayed cord end can be used as a tickler, with length enough to reach anywhere on the body. When tickle-time is over, the whip becomes a sharp and easy to target stinger. It can be bounced extremely rapidly and accurately with only the tip of the whip making contact, allowing repeated hits in one area or a swarming attack along the length of the body. Used more as a cane, the barrel of the toy lands hard and deep across flesh, with pain that lingers after it is lifted, PLUS the sting of the knot tip inches away. This means you can lay a strong line across a shoulder, for example, knowing the tip will bite into the collar bone. The extra sting is particularly useful for practiced bottoms who easily settle into a high tolerance for one flavor of pain, so are braced for the impact of the cane only to meet its Mini-me.

My partner and I own a wide variety of crops and leather paddles, from re-purposed equestrian gear through re-purposed leather shoe bottoms to fun specialty toys such as the hand crop. The Spartacus Whip Tip Crop outshines them all because of its extreme versatility. It is a delight to handle, well-balanced, easy to grasp and hold while in use (thanks to the rubber coated handle), and designed to intimidate both visually and audibly. My Top has been particularly delighted having found she can make me jump even when I am trying very hard to do as I’m told and hold still. She also appreciates that the rubber handle can be much more easily cleaned than leather, for she likes to fuck me with toys as she finishes with them. The Whip Top has become THE crop for the traveling toy bag, because it can be used in so many ways and because it looks and sounds so sharp while in use.

This is still proving to be a great, versatile toy. My partner and I just had a chance to learn about single-tails from some great folks at the Play House in Baltimore, which made me more sure than ever that calling this a "crop" is not the best description. It really is a short single-tail on a rigid but flexible handle - a riding whip, not a crop. But, name aside, its well-designed, well-made toy, with a full range from small stings to serious bites.