I had been curious about cock rings but neither my partner nor I had ever seen one before, so we wanted to start with something effective but non-threatening. The Tantus Beginner Cock Ring|Beginner cock ring fit the bill--it's made out of silicone (so, somewhat flexible and may be sterilized by boiling, etc.). The packaging was unexciting, and the directions for use seemed a little vague, but that didn't interfere with our enjoyment of the toy itself.

The ring is black and almost entirely smooth, and the seam on the one side of the ring didn't interfere in any way with our fun. Although I originally looked at my partner and wondered how this one was supposed to fit, much less the smaller, non-beginner rings, my partner had no trouble getting the two inch ring to fit.

What my partner and I first noticed was how sexy he looked. I'd expected the ring to look silly, potentially, but we both agreed that it displayed things quite nicely. It also, thankfully, did not grab sensitive skin or hair on its way on. We used a drop of water-based lube--no silicone lube for silicone toys!

When it came to playtime, my partner noticed that his balls were extremely sensitive (in a good way). He felt particularly hard and thick, and seemed to be enjoying himself quite a bit. I enjoyed the feeling of the way he was hitting my body and the feeling of rubbing against the ring at times. Our play did not last much longer than usual, but that was partially because I challenged him not to hold himself back--I think, had he done so, he could have gone on quite longer.

When we were done, my partner found that he had no trouble taking the ring back off, once his erection had begun to subside. He also greatly enjoyed playing with himself with the ring on; it's both aesthetically pleasing and pleasurable.

In short, I recommend this ring to beginners who think this might become a favored toy. It may be pricier than some of the other options, but it is a flexible beginning cock ring that can be sterilized and doesn't feel cheap. I'm giving it a five because it met my hopes and was greatly enjoyed by both me and my partner, and because I don't feel that we will be replacing it or upgrading in the future. And because I look forward to more play!