This paddle may look small and scream "novelty," but it delivers a decent wallop.

It's a cute toy and is therefore very accessible to recently-vanilla converts to the world of BDSM. Don't, however, exclude the hardened pain sluts. I'll readily admit to that title. I mean, I'll walk around with the imprint burning into my ass, tits, thighs and anywhere else my dominant feels the need to mark.

I figured a paddle in this price range would be a fun novelty to use and toss to the back of the toy chest. The scent of leather (mmm) wafted up to my very receptive olfactory system as soon as I opened the box. The fresh leather smell has stuck around after a few uses. While it isn't buttery soft, smooth, fashion-quality leather, it's not bad at all. The stitching seems durable. The black cloth loop for hanging it on a the wall, wrapping around a wrist, or strung ominously through a belt is a nice touch. The 5" loop is threaded through a sturdy, thick metal ring. Everything about this Sportsheets paddle feels quality.

This paddle feels neither wimpy/beginners only, nor so hefty that you can only beat the living daylights out of your partner's ass. The handle is about 7" long, while the business end measures approximately 5" long and just over 2" wide. The head of the paddle has three separated slices: smooth black leather, firmly attached bright red contrasting paper, and the embossed end with "SLUT" written backwards (so you don't have to look in the mirror to read what's on your ass!). The cutouts are smooth and won't cut into your skin or break it.

However, I was perplexed by the sheet of red paper at first glance. I quickly realized it's there to create a stark contrast between the black cut-out side and the black smooth side, making the word SLUT stand out even more. This appeals to my humiliation fetish, and I can't wait until my partner hangs it on the wall in the bedroom and has me go fetch it. Sadly, I'm not certain how long that red paper will stick around, as I play rough.

The thud of this paddle is stingy and painful, which is exactly what it should be. It's not too rough for beginners, but hardcore pain sluts might require a more intense impact toy. For my purposes, it worked very well. The humiliation was delightful for both of us.

In order to get a good, crisp imprint of "SLUT" on the skin, you really need a HARD slap. Several very rough whacks over the same area provide great results. I have fairly tanned skin, so the imprint showed up best on the area where my bikini normally sits. That's only a portion of my ass, so we didn't have a lot to work with, but it was still exhilarating.

I didn't expect to use the toy other than on my ass, but I enjoyed the sensations on the thighs, pussy, and even breasts.

Storage for leather can vary depending on the climate in which you live. It's never a bad idea to wrap it in a soft cloth, perhaps cotton or another natural fiber. You could also hang it in your closet as you would hang belts. To extend the life and quality of your paddle, keep it away from airtight containers or extremely humid conditions if possible.

After each use, wipe down with a soft cotton cloth (a T-shirt is fine). Every so often, clean with an alcohol-free cleanser, and once in awhile you'll want to condition it with a nice leather conditioning product. You can use the sort of conditioner that you'd use for leather clothing/accessories. Lexol is a good standard brand for both cleansing and conditioning.