There are many, many Fleshlight masturbation sleeves on the market today with the Fleshlight Stamina Training Unit (STU) being one of the originals. It was designed for men who would like some help ("training") to last longer. The theory is that this highly stimulating inner sleeve will give you the opportunity to bring yourself close to orgasm and then back off. Knowing your limits will give you the "stamina" (or strength) to test your limits and push them with each session. If you learn what and how to arouse yourself you will become familiar with the "clues" when you are close, when you can pull back and when you are going to blow and won't be able to hold back. I prefer this as a solo toy but many men have their partner use sleeves as an alternative to a regular hand job.

One of the nicest features about the hard plastic case that holds the softer inner sleeve is that it is quite easy to jerryrig something and in addition to using this as a hand held device it can be used handsfree, further simulating partner sex. You can wedge this between your mattress and box spring for good satilization. Liberator, a company that specializes in "sex furniture, has designed a position pillow with a nicely angled spot for your STU (and other Fleshlight models). Place your favorite Fleshlight in the hole, lube up, close your eyes and imagine yourself banging the woman (or man) of your dreams.

It is similar, yet worlds apart, from other masturbation sleeves. It can feel heavy and awkward to the uninitiated but soon you will get the hang of it. It has a pretty girthy exterior and for anyone with smaller hands/fingers this can be problematic, requiring the use of both hands. It isn't difficult and the motions are not very different from other masturbation techniques. One of my favorite features is that the soft semi-realistic sleeve is enclosed in a hard plastic shell so it acts as a barrier between my hand and my dick. Of course, to get something you must give up something and the ability to tighten or loosen my grasp is gone.

All Fleshlight products have some sort of hard plastic shell with an interior sleeve made of their secret, patented latex and phthalates free Superskin material. Edenfantasys rates this material a 5 on a scale of 10 (where 10 is the most safe). It is pourous and as such, should not be shared without everyone using condums. But, I think it is better if everyone has their own intimate toys. Only water based lubes can be used because the use of other lubes will cause damage to the Superskin.

Superskin has received much hype about being very, very close to the feel of real skin and having the density/texture of a woman's vagina. It is soft and you can warm it up by breifly soaking the inner sleeve in hot water. Frankly, if you close your eyes and use your imagination you will imagine that you are using an artificial device, so don't think too much about it. It is still one of the best textures/materials I have tried and that is probably the number 1 reason that Fleshlights are so very popular.

The canal in this sleeve is the same girth throughout it's 8" interior. Starting about an inch into the sleeve, you will find that it is lined with semi-ball shaped nubs to simulate a woman's vagina. It is a nice imitation, but an imitation and not the real deal. The sensations are simply amazing. I really enjoy the feeling on insertion, which is also my favorite moment in vaginal intercourse. Once you are at least semi-hard this is a very easy sleeve to penetrate because it has a pretty wide opening compared to other Fleshlight sleeves.

I did not notice any obnoxious odor, just a light smell that while in use does not interfere. I did not taste it. I am just not into tasting artificial vaginas--it's the real thing or no oral for this guy.

Most Fleshlights have the basic same design. Inside a metal cylander is a rather large, hard plastic flashlight looking case with a soft inner sleeve. They differ in the inner texture and the opening. Some of the sleeves are slightly larger than others. The inner sleeve is named simply the STU for its highly stimulating texture throughout the entire sleeve.

The soft inner core is an open sleeve with an 8" useable depth. The tip of the can has a screw on/off cap that is used to adjust suction--if it is closed more, the suction is stronger but the noise will also be louder--this should be taken into account if you have people nearby that you would not want to know what you are doing.

The opening looks pretty much like a woman's vagina except that the color is a bright pink and other than the lips, the opening is very smooth. Penetration is easy (you will need some water based lube to make the gliding smoother and easier). Once you are pretty hard it is the time to enter and begin you usual "routine". You can change things up with speed, twisting and the amount of opening of the end cap. If you open the cap all the way you will decrease suction. Closing it increases the suction and may be too intense for some men. A nice touch is that a sample of water based lube comes with this so you can use it right away. Better yet, order your favorite water based lube along with this so you'll be ready for plenty of action.

You can travel with this--just be sure to pack some cornstarch in a small zip lock plastic bag for protection of your sleeve. The case will protect your sleeve from damage.

There is no bullet/vibrator with this Fleshlight. I do not like the feeling of a vibrator's buzzing but if you are into good vibrations Fleshlight makes models that will accomodate you.

This STU has a cap that can be used to control the suction. If you do open it, there is a significant amount of noise which some men may find distracting. It is waterproof but it would be difficult to use in the bath or shower because the water based lube, which I find very needed, would just wash away. Too bad because I think relaxing in the tub with this toy would be great fun.

The inner sleeve of the STU is made of Superskin, a pourous compound developed by Fleshlight. Water based lube is required and because it is a pourous material, you should not share the sleeve with another. If you must share, each of the users should wear a condum.

The Fleshlight can seem like a high maintanence toy, and it does take a certain amount of care, but cleaning is not difficult. I remove the inside sleeve from the case and wash with some warm water only--I use the sink faucet to flush out the sleeve. If you do not clean the sleeve immediately after use, and there is some material that is resistent to coming off, the company suggests using isopropyl alcohol for these stubborn particles. Soap should not be used as it will degrade the Superskin. After cleansing, lay the sleeve on a dry towel and allow to dry completely, carefully turning it inside out. Once dry, sprinkle heavily with some corn starch down the inner sleeve. The company specifically mentions that talcum or baby powder should NOT be used under any circumstances. A 1 pound box of corn starch can be purchased in the baking section of your local supermarket for under $2. It is well worth the small investment.

This routine needs to be followed each time the Fleshlight is used. Meticulous care of your sleeve is like regular maintanence of your car--it will help extend the life of your sleeve.

I saw another masturbation device in Edenfantasy's inventory with a hard shell similar to the Fleshlight. It is called a "Spider" and it looks like something Fleshlight fans would enjoy. It has a strong suction cup and can be attatched to any hard surface. It has a pivoting hinge at the tip which give you a really hands free experience. I will be trying that very soon.

Using this sleeve is a very different experience from other sleeves with a soft exterior. You do not get the feel of your own hand, which is nice but you also can not control the tightness/looseness at all. The inside is soft and stretchy enough that it will accomodate men on the small side of "average" (say 5") and those way up on the larger range (say 8" or more). The sleeve will not feel loose or tight because of its softness it accomodates just about all girths.

Superskin is designed to warm up to body temp fairly quickly but I find it always helps to soak the inner sleeve in hot (never boiling) water for a few minutes to get ready. This simple step will up the pleasure factor by quite a bit.