Silicon: It's not just for breast implants any more.

For example, the V-Ring #7 cock ring is made entirely of medical-grade silicon, making it a soft, elastic product that's a breeze to clean, phthalate-free and totally non-porous.

V-Ring #7 is a cock-ring designed to firm and strengthen a man's erection, whilst also providing stimulation by means of a powerful little buzzing bullet attached to the top.

It's elegant in its simplicity. The bullet and ring are all made from the same molded silicon, with a raised 'bump' allowing you to switch the vibrating bullet on and off. There's no facility for changing the batteries of the bullet - although it's got a fairly substantial shelf-life, estimated at 40 minutes continuous buzzing.

The ring itself is fairly modest in size, but very stretchy. The included instructions recommend that men stretch it around the base of their erection - above the balls, but at the very bottom of the shaft. The ring is tight enough for well-endowed men (he says smugly) to help 'plump up' their penis by preventing the blood flowing out.

The stretchy nature of the material also makes is suitable for more modestly equipped guys. When I saw it, I first thought: "How on earth is THAT going to fit?" Fortunately, the silicon is surprisingly stretchy!

The ring itself is waterproof, which makes cleaning it easy. Silicon can also be sanitized in hot water - although I wasn't brave enough to put it in the dishwasher. It can be wiped with a 10 % bleach solution. The sterilizing options make it a perfect product for sharing between partners.

The vibrating bullet is fairly powerful. Wearing it on it's own, it's enough to stimulate and maintain a guy's erection. It's also ideally placed to press against a girl's clit in missionary position.

My wife and I gave this product a thorough test-run and came back pretty satisfied.

The first thing we learned is that the instructions are right - it's best placed on an already firm erection. Snapping the ring into place on my flaccid cock just made the veins along the shaft swell!

After some oral attentions from my wife, she snapped the ring in place at the base of my shaft (above the balls) and my cock soon looked plump, angry and very, very veiny. Entering her missionary style, she immediately noticed the difference - pointing out that the ring made my shaft feel thicker.

I wasn't entirely happy with the configuration and after a while, we adjusted the ring so it was at the very root of my cock, tightened around the shaft before the balls. That wasn't quite so effective, but it did make my experience easier and placed the vibrating bullet right up against my hips, meaning I could then penetrate my wife and grind my hips, pressing the vibrating bullet hard against her clit.

I felt the buzzing right through the tight, moist flesh of her pussy and it was very stimulating. Hooking my elbows under her knees, I literally folded her in half to get as deep inside her as a could. The combination of the vibrations and the depth of the penetration soon had her moaning. Adjusting my hips slightly, the head of my cock rubbed against her g-spot and the trio of sensations was enough to make her cum. I exploded into her shortly afterward.

Disentangling the sticky ring from my equally sticky cock and balls was slightly painful - I lost more than a few pubic hairs! However, it came off easily and I never felt like it would get 'stuck' - my #1 fear with cock rings!

We cleaned it under the hot tap, with plenty of soap and water. Silicon's great for the speed and convenience of cleaning.

A few notes - we didn't use lube when we fucked, but if you do, it MUST be water based, or it could destroy the silicon. Also, I'd recommend trimming your genital garden before using it. Otherwise you risk loosing a few 'shrubs!'