The General is one of Tantus's larger dildos, clearly designed for the more experienced user, and is quite impressive to behold in person. It's a very solid, weighty toy, which like all Tantus products is made to the highest standard from their 100% platinum silicone, and is completely free from mould lines. The material is firm enough to hold its shape well, but has enough flex to to allow you to bend it, and a nice amount of give when you squeeze it. The surface of the dildo has a matte finish, which feels wonderfully soft and velvety, and which holds onto lube well.

The shape of the General has a very strong curve, which is especially noticeable if you stand it upright on its base. The outside of the curve is 8 7/8" long and is completely smooth, while the inside measures only 7 1/4" and has a subtle wavy pattern. These waves divide the dildo into three distinct bulges; the first bulge at the tip has a circumference of 6 1/4", the second widens slightly to 6 3/8", and the final bulge near the base is the largest at 6 3/4".

When it comes to using the dildo it's not the easiest to insert due to its size. The bulge of the head is rather large and without a taper, so prior preparation with a smaller toy will be required for most, in order to warm up to the General. Once you have it inside the dildo is very comfortable; the silicone feels gentle if you squeeze against it, and the velvety finish slides in with ease. It's a great toy to thrust with, as with only a little lube it glides in and out effortlessly, without friction. Aside from the "pop" coming from the first bulge, I can't say I really noticed the other two, as the change in size is quite gradual. When using the toy anally the shaft gives you a choice of which way to insert it, in order to utilise the curve to its full potential. With the shaft curved upwards it targets the prostate to great effect. The big bulbous tip cannot fail to make contact with the prostate with every rhythmic thrust, delivering pleasurable sensations each time it presses firmly against it. The dildo holds its shape well inside the body, allowing you to angle it to further isolate the exact spot you're looking to apply pressure to. The other way to use the dildo is with the curve pointed downwards, which allows you to get it deeper inside the body. This provides that incredibly full feeling that only a dildo of this size can, and feels great with long slow thrusts. Perhaps the only downside of the dildo, is that shape means it's not one that you can place on a flat surface and lower yourself onto. The curve leans too far over to get the right angle for insertion, unless you manually hold it with your hands. Consequently it's not a toy that you can really ride up and down on, if you enjoy using dildos in this way.

The General is intended to be harness compatible if this is desired, and when you hold it horizontally it retains its beautiful upward curve, without drooping under its own weight. It has a nice, broad, thick base for an O-ring to sit around, and which isn't going to bend or buckle during use, meaning things will stay securely in place.

Like all silicone toys the General does have that ever present downside of being a dust magnet, so it needs to be either stored with this in mind, or quickly rinsed prior to use. The upsides of silicone though are that it's completely odourless and tasteless, and that cleaning it couldn't be simpler. As with the majority of toys it can safely be washed with anti-bacterial soap and hot water, and sprayed with your chosen toy cleaner, but as silicone is non-porous it can also be sterilised, so you can share the toy with partners. This can be done by submerging in boiling water for a couple of minutes, by wiping down with a 10% bleach solution, and it's even safe to pop in the dishwasher if you're so inclined.

The packaging for the General is very simple and compact. It comes held between a clamshell-style plastic insert, inside a clear plastic box. The box is very tasteful and contains all the important information you might want to know about the toy, but if you choose to discard it then the insert inside can be useful to keep to store the toy in, well away from dust.

The General is a magnificent dildo and it's absolutely my favourite large toy. Despite the hefty price tag it's definitely one purchase I'll never regret.