The Elite-7x vibrating penis ring from Cal Exotics was the first toy of its kind for my partner and I. We've owned non-vibrating rings in the past, which did very little to satisfy either of us. However, throw in a little vibration to a basic toy and I was able to climax without him having to remove his cock from my pussy. Any couple can benefit from owning this versatile, fun little toy.

MATERIAL
In this section, I'm only going to focus on the ring itself, since that is the portion that comes in direct contact with the genitalia. It's constructed of TPR Silicone, a silicone based rubber compound with an average safety rating. The texture reminded me of a soft, warm, gummy worm and has quite a bit of grab to it. It is a bit on the sticky side, so it can pull a little at long pubic hair.

Out of the package, there was a slight odor, and I didn't stick this in my mouth, nor do I find any reason to, so I can't comment on taste.

DESIGN
The toy is actually three separate pieces: a control/battery box, a removable wire/mini bullet attachment, and the TPR silicone ring. Having the option to remove the ring is nice, in the event the batteries die, or if you discover you prefer to use the toy independently of the power pack.

The battery box is encased in a transparent red plastic case, which makes the electrical panel, wires, and batteries visible. An opaque case would have been a bit more stylish than looking at the "guts" of the toy.

At one end of a roughly 25-inch-long black wire is a plug which can be removed from the control unit. On the other end is the mini-bullet motor, otherwise referred to by my partner and I as the "brain" of the bull, because it slides through the center of its head.

As for the ring itself, it's actually a two-in-one design. The smaller, tickler-covered ring, which accommodates up to 2" in diameter, goes over the penis, while the larger, stretchier, smooth ring wraps under the scrotum, giving the toy more stability during use. At the top of the smaller ring is the bull's head with two longs horns to tease the clitoris. The backside of the head and inner ring is covered with small nubby bumps to rub against the base of his cock, although my partner said he couldn't feel them and one even came off, presumably from the friction.

FUNCTIONS AND PERFORMANCE
The Elite-7x offers 7 unique patterns and an impressive amount of power supplied by three-AAA batteries. A small, slightly-recessed power button is located on the top side of the controller. Just above that is a small light that flashes in conjunction with the patterns. I'm not quite sure what the light's purpose is, since it's pretty obvious if the toy is working or not.

The seven patterns are clearly labeled on the controller. Each push of the button cycles through: low, medium, and high, steady vibrations; surging; pulsating; escalating; super speed, then off. I didn't find "super speed" to be much different than "high". For such a small motor, it is very powerful and I had no problem sensing the vibrations. Sometimes though, it would skip over "super speed" and just go straight to "off".

CARE
Because this is a slightly delicate material, it should not come in contact with other silicone toys, and just to be safe, I keep it away from all toys and heat! The ring portion should be removed from the rest of the toy before cleaning, as the entire toy is not waterproof. Washing the latter in warm water and antibacterial soap before and after play is recommended, as well as only using a water-based lubricant. Its small size makes it ideal to tote along, but make sure it is enclosed in a separate plastic or cloth bag. A little cornstarch can be sprinkled on the TPR so that it doesn't stick to the bag.

Overall, the design of this toy is pretty standard in comparison to other similar toys, but the addition of the TPR-Silicone and multiple patterns make this toy very form-fitting, comfortable, and exciting for everyone involved. It receives four-stars from this reviewer and loses a 0.5 points for looks and 0.5 because "super speed" appeared to just be a repeat of "high" and didn't work half the time.

My partner described this toy as "snug without feeling too tight" and he was able to wear it and stay hard long enough for me to get off. We tried multiple positions, and it performed best for me when I was on top, grinding on him in a reverse missionary position. Any other position wasn't as effective when he was in control, as he just wants to thrust away and not grind the toy up on me.

It's still a fun toy; however, it's been sitting in a drawer unused because we usually forget to pull it out when we are having sex, so it's only something we pull out for special occasions. Besides, I can tell that my man isn't really a fan of cock rings, so I'm just going to avoid them in the future. It's holding up well though while it collects dust! LOL!