I had been in the market for a dildo suitable for harnesses and anal play for some time. When push came to shove I was stuck between Tantus’s Silk Small and Silk Medium. I chose the latter and, gosh darn it, I’m glad I did.

The criteria I had used reflected my interest in a dildo that would be versatile, easy to share, and attractive. I wanted something that could stimulate anally and vaginally and could be used as is or with a harness. Hygiene was important because I knew I’d be sharing.

I also wanted something pretty. I wasn’t looking for unnecessary swirls or textures. I just didn’t want to feel like I had this massive, realistic-looking unit hanging between my legs. I’ve gotten into pegging, but I still wanted to feel like a girl. Just a dominant girl.

The Silk Medium fit the bill and then some.

At 5.5 inches long, the Silk Medium is an excellent length for shallow anal penetration when used with a harness. Lean back a bit and thrust your torso forward, hold on to your partner’s hips for balance, and start rocking. If you don’t get too enthusiastic and stick to shallow thrusts, there’s really very little chance the dildo will slip out.

The thickness was also completely reasonable for an anal novice. I’ve got big fingers (which I’d like to thank my peasant ancestors for), but the Silk Medium was only about the width of one and a half of them. By starting off with inserting one finger inside my partner and working my way to two, the Silk Medium was not at all a challenge for penetration.

The flexibility and softness of the silicone adds to the ease of penetration and this is where the Silk Medium shines. Based on my experience with butt plugs, I had expected firmer to be better. Not necessarily in this case. The Silk Medium has some give to it. It is also flexible enough to accommodate different angles of penetration. If you’re wearing this, it’s just as easy to penetrate your partner from the top as it is from the side or behind.

Anyone who has used silicone toys before knows how well they do with lubricants. As long as you don’t use a silicone lubricants (danger Will Robinson, danger!), your preferred lubricant should adhere well and create a very slick surface. I used a over-the-counter water-based jelly lubricant and it worked great.

Using it anally alone was nice, but not as much fun as pegging. Because the Silk Medium’s base is so flexible, it was a challenge to get a firm hold on the dildo. Inserting it into myself was similar to inserting a butt plug – the flexibility made it just a bit of a challenge for using it on myself – but it is not something I could have left in unattended. My sphincter muscles kept on wanting to shoot it out and they did.

Vaginally, the Silk Medium was a nice, teasing little appetizer. It was a little tickle and very suggestive of things to come. What it didn’t do, and frankly had absolutely no chance of doing, was get me off.

On the other hand, I can definitely think of instances where the Silk Medium’s size would actually be a huge bonus when it comes to vaginal penetration. If vaginal penetration is something new for you and you prefer to start small, the Silk Medium is the way to go. If vaginal dryness or tenderness is a concern, the Silk Medium is also a great solution.

As mentioned, the Silk Medium should not be used with silicone-based lubricants. Think of them as being Kryptonite to the Silk Medium’s Superman-like awesomeness. The Silk Medium is also 100% silicone with no plastics or moving parts, so it can be cleaned in a variety of ways: antibacterial soap and hot water, toy cleaner, the dishwasher, or boiling.

Anal sex can be great and a little poo here and there doesn’t have to be a problem (have a bowel movement before play time and you should be good to go without an enema or any other big cleaning production). Because the bacteria in your anus can do nasty things if transmitted to other parts of your body, though, be sure to wash the Silk Medium thoroughly if switching from anal to vaginal or between partners.