Anal play lovers will probably understand what I mean when I say that recently I had a sort of bad butt week. It sounds weird, and yet I'm sure you understand. Sometimes you get a little sore from a previous session or some other kind of trouble. In my case I just had to take a long train ride in some uncomfortable panties. Whatever the cause, we've all experienced it. I found myself in a slight conundrum when I began craving some anal play in spite of my sensitivity. I started rifling through my toy chest looking for something that would safely satisfy my itch without irritating, and ultimately settled on the Silk Small.

Originally, I bought the Silk Small as a reintroduction into anal after a bad (and painful) mishap had put me decidedly out of the game and on the bench for a while. After slowly working my way back to an intermediate level, this awesome toy has sadly been out of use for the most part. And yet I'm so glad I keep it around, for times like this when I'm feeling a little sensitive or want a nice, slow and safe warm up to something more challenging. It's not especially thrilling for G/P spot stimulation, nor does it have any real texture that provides any notable stimulation to the anal entry or rectal walls. All in all, many might describe this as an uneventful dildo.

From my view though, this is much, much more. To me, the Silk line from Tantus (which also includes a medium and a large size) is easily the most comprehensive "kit" or initiation into anal play out there - and the Silk Small? Well, I think it's the best there is when it comes to taking that first and sometimes scary step into anal. At a slight 4.5" in length (with less than 4" of that being insertable) it minimizes the discomfort associated with that first "inward bound v. outward bound" sensation. By not being particularly long you don't get the sense of being probed or prodded beyond your comfort level. And at only .5" in diameter, the Small is about as big as my petite index finger. So with a little water or oil based lube (silicone lubes are not compatible with silicone toys!) the insertion of this tiny toy should be comfortable to even the most nervous and wary of users.

Silk Small is made from 100% medical grade silicone that is non-porous and cannot absorb bacteria. Microbes can collect on the surface but can be easily removed by washing with antibacterial soap and hot water, boiling for 3-4 minutes or wiping down with a 10% bleach solution. The silicone is relatively firm to the touch; when squeezing the shaft between thumb and forefinger it will yield slightly. However, in spite of its density it's quite flexible - due mostly to how thin the shaft itself is. I am easily able to fold this little guy right in half to touch the base, which can make it a bit of a nuisance to insert at times.

While lube is important to safe and comfortable anal play, too much can make this one very slippery and between the slickness and its flexibility it can be quite stubborn. It is necessary for me to sometimes hold under the head or tip in order to insert initially. The surface of this toy is rather glossy and slick to begin with - this is not a matte, textured silicone that "grabs" lube and creates friction. On one hand this makes it great for beginning anal players and for warm up because it creates little resistance going in. Just keep in mind that it can work the other way and become very wayward because of this!

Once inside, the Small is wonderfully comfortable. Unless you have sphincter muscles of record-breaking strength this will probably not stay in your butt on its own. A good plug typically has a wider part near the top or middle of its body, then narrows into a thinner neck. The wider topmost or middle area makes it harder for the plug to slip out during extended wear. The Silk Small is sadly the same width throughout, so it really only works as a probe, dildo or a plug that you wear while sitting. If you are not sitting with it in then you will need to help it stay in with your hand. For me though, I like to use this for gentle thrusting to get me warmed up. Thrusting lightly with a good thick, silicone compatible lube helps to relax the sphincter muscles and prepare you for larger objects to be used in the same session, or ease you into the notion of accepting inward bound stimulation.

I have read that some users found the base of this toy not exactly harness ready. The base shown in the promo shots on Edenfantasys seems to corroborate this story, but at the time that I ordered my Silk Small my base was significantly thicker than shown. Mine was a good half inch in diameter - almost as thick as the shaft of the dildo itself. The base of mine measures 1.5" across in length, so I've found that a smaller O-ring will make this effectively harness compatible. My only issue with this in harness is the general rule that about an inch of length is generally "lost" between the driver's body and the person on the receiving end. With less than 4" in length to begin with, I was typically only able to insert about 3" when I strapped this in. If you are a looking for a 101 pegging dildo, this could be a good warm up but for actually harness play you may want to look for something just a bit longer.

Overall, I love this little probe. Its slight curve provides the tiniest hint of what is to come with longer, more challenging anal toys that can really apply good firm G/P spot pressure. It's easy to clean, safe to share (as long as you clean between uses) and the least intimidating little thing on the market. It's like a perfectly smooth, easy to care for finger to slowly introduce you to anal play or warm you up for a more intense session. So while it may not get tons of use from me anymore, it still has such a crucial function in my toy chest! Let Silk Small be your first - gentle and ever so kind, you won't regret your choice!

Okay, it's not that I don't like this, but it's kind of been replaced. The Tantus Compact is what I go to when I want a finger-like toy to begin my anal warm-up with. The Compact is more for days that are not so hot for anal and I need to take it slow or just go easy. I used to love the Small Silk for this, but the Compact is just a bit better for me. I still recommend this highly, but I'm afraid it's been outdone!