I'm not one for jumping on bandwagons, but this is me leaping manfully on the back of the Fleshlight cart. There IS a reason why over a million of these male masturbators have been sold. All too often a sex toy will fall short of the hype, but not this. It works. It works really well. And it is about as flippin' realistic as it gets...enough to make you feel guilty if you've got regular access to the real thing, or she's sleeping in the next room as you sneak off to the bathroom for the purpose of, er, review research.

The Fleshlight line has grown to a few dozen models since it was introduced. This Tera Patrick model is one of the latest, from the Fleshlight Girls line endorsed by leading porn stars, who also offered up their labia for molds and casts for 'their' Fleshlight. The Girls products use a new sleeve texture called Lotus, which is thoroughly delightful...though there is another Tera Patrick model with a texture sleeve called Twista.

No batteries. No wires. Just some alone time (or a playful partner), a good water-based lube (and I'd recommend a little pre-use warm water rinse which helps warm the inner sleeve)...and you're off. Well, hopefully not exactly that quick. Fleshlight hints that it might be useful as a training device to help deal with pre-mature ejaculation, though I think the market is less therapeutic and more practical: shy North European farmers (read a number of testimonials online if you don't believe me), soldiers on deployment, those between or finished with relationships, or those who just feel compelled to bite at Tera's marketing come-on: "I’ve always fantasized about giving you a chance to feel what its like to be deep inside me".

The rugged outer case looks like an oversize Hallowe'en prop flashlight. A removable cover protects the entry point (in this case both Tera' tips and - strangely - her signature), while the smaller upper cap can be tightened or loosened to control suction within the sleeve. Applying water-based lube generously to the head and down the shaft of the penis, and then on the pouting inner lips and a knuckle or two inside will provide enough glide. The outer case is comfortable to grip with one hand, and there is a bit of weight to the Fleshlight, but not enough to cause wrist or arm injuries. Either up and down stroking or holding and thrusting into it works well; there are now recognized hands-free techniques that involve wedging the Fleshlight handle into a shoe, covering with a pillow and then humping away, or wedging the handle between the boxspring and mattress and getting busy. (The Liberator brand of bedroom furniture has a specially designed Fleshlight holder.)

There are just two components - in four parts - to a Fleshlight. The outer case, shaft top and base caps are made of a sturdy, thick plastic. The Fleshlight Girls series as sort of a pearly white case, though four other different colours are available separately (though not with the Girls series). I have to say this was thicker and stronger than I thought, and this was the first indication I had that this really was a top produst and not a novelty.

The franchise is pretty much with the sleeve, which is inserted, secured and supported by the outer case. The pinkish material is soft, unnaturally pink, and suprisingly realistic - in the best Hollywood effects sort of way. There was a faint smell that reminded me (and still does, after many repeated rinses) of a strange combination of Play-Doh and putty. (Thinking about it, I wonder if the Play-Doh smell might be due to corn-starch, which the makers says can be lightly dusted on the sleeve from time to time to help keep the texture soft and not gummy.)

The material is not rubber or silicone, but a proprietary offering called Superskin. "The Fleshlight material is a company secret covered by a series of US patents" states the company. It gets a 5 or middling on the EF material safety rating...which is less than I usually prefer, but on the other hand better than most of the female equivalent products out there - the various rabbits.

The castings of all the Fleshlight Girls are highly individual, and impressively realistic. Although she is touted as the Number One Pornstar in the World, I'll admit I didn't know who Tera was until an hilarious and disturbing review of another Tera Patrick sex toy appeared on EF. She has about two dozen endorsed toys on the market, and countless dvds. She even has other TP male masturbators out there, but they are extremely generic, and almost seem designed by vivisectionists. After a fair amount of research I will state the labia on the Fleshlight are convincingly hers, given the colouring limits. There is that unique swollen - almost pensive - upper inner lip stage right or audience left. Even the first inch or so within the inner lips is intrigingly realistic to an idle finger...though anyone tempted to flick around with a tongue I would suspect of being the kid we all remember who would eat the kindergaten modelling clay when the teacher wasn't looking.

EF will certainly provide a fine image of the internal chambers of this Lotus make of sleeve, so have a look. It narrows and widens at all the familiar, expected points, and even has a bit of an inner cup to create a decent impression of brushing against the cervix. For exceptionally lengthy men the upper chambers may come into play, but I suspect they are there to help with the ebb and flow of suction inside the sleeve. The sleeve design does resemble a lotus plant in Egyptian art [https://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e5/ghein/Lotuscolumn.jpg ] [ https://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e5/ghein/egyptlotus.jpg ]and so the name isn't due to the famed sports car maker.

I don't have any experience with the other Fleshlight sleeves, but this and the Twista are their latest models, and they do claim they put an awful lot of time into making the Lotus the most realistic texture they offer. I will say it was pretty damn realistic in pressue, touch and density. The shape and arrangement definitely had my full attention. With proper water-based lube (I've used both Maximus and Ultra Lube with equal pleasure), the wetness and slide was shockingly familiar, and the superskin sleeve will retain a lot of warmth from a warm-water soak or rinse just before use, so the temperature was again a remarkable simulation. It was tight without any discomfort or restriction, and varied in sensation. I was even surprised to be drawn in, rather than having to push my way inside; that is a neat design effect. There is enough give and constriction to fit pretty well all penis shapes and sizes, and even semi-erect it is easy to get this device in place. The thickish handle of the case was comfortable to hold, and with a bit of practise adjusting the cap to control suction is no problem.

It is very, very well designed and constructed sex toy. Period.

There is more maintenance required of a Fleshlight than let's say the traditional tissue or paper towel. Because everything ends up inside a device after business is concluded, there is always a nagging doubt about how completely the inside is cleaned.

DO NOT...
1) clean using soap!
2) clean using VERY hot water, or with high water pressure
3) use talcum powder to restore the surface and remove tackiness.
4) share with others. The Superskin is very porous

Running a lot of warm-to-hot tap water through the 'fleshy' part of the device is the only way to clean it. Too hot and there is the risk of tearing...too much pressure, and there's the risk of bursting the thinner chamber walls. A good, strong flow of warm water, and some patience (probably from the bathtub faucet) is the best method. If too strong a pressure, then you will see a water-balloon effect start - and that's your cue there's too much pressure.

If there is doubt about the effectiveness of a rinse, you can run isopropyl alcohol through the canal.

The important part of washing the pink 'fleshy' part is good, effective drying. It needs good, upright drainage, and good air-flow. In a family or crowded household, locating the right place for a good period of time will be hard...but it is a must to let the interior chamber dry properly, and not develop mold.

If necessary, some light powdering with cornstarch can help restore the original feeling and softer texture of the flesh insert. It will help keep the insert from developing a certain tackiness to the touch.

The hard plastic case is easy to clean and dry...and once dried serves well to hold the soft interior for drying, if both the base cap and the head cap are kept off.

Very plain brown corrugated cardboard box. The Fleshlight is in a plastic bag sleeve inside, along with a 'collectors card' of Tera Patrick, a useful, brief pamphlet about the care and use of a Fleshlight, and a very small sample of H2O Gun Oil lubricant.

The plain box could serve as an effective, unobtrusive storage container for the Fleshlight, placed among the other cases and boxes of a workbench, and not draw undue attention.

I honestly didn't know anything about Tera Patrick until recently...actually after reading a review of another Tera toy.

O.K., so I don't know who the 'number one' porn star in the world is. But in researching this, I now know of the before and after implant Tera, and some of the key peaks of her career. So I've tried to catch up. I also now feel confident I could pick her out if Judy Chicago ever did a Porn star dinner party series. There is an eerie feeling of seeing a realistic, personal vulvic cast, but I guess if you had a Tera Patrick disc in the DVD that would be more of a plus.

Out of the dozens of Tera Patrick toys out there for men (search Eden's listing...a lot are designed for women), this is definitely the most realistic looking. I have to admit some of the other TP toys are so generic looking (and in a few cases almost vivisectionist in design and very disturbing) so they really are only branded for a quick buck. This Fleshlight was a great surprise in the quality of design, detail, and pleasure-giving effectiveness. If you're a fan, and you're in the market for a masturbator, then you are going to be happy.