... this would be it. Packaging for lube rarely appeals to me, or really stands out at all. So when I first saw Ride, I had to have it. The name and the imagery on the bottle make it that much more fun to use. If they ever stop making it, I'll probably just start washing and refilling the empties.

What's inside is top notch. Sliquid makes great stuff (they're based in Dallas!) and this is no exception. It's water based, uses plant cellulose (from cotton), is free of parabens and glycerin (sugar derivative), and has great consistency, so it can be used with a wide variety of toys (silicone, elastomer, rubber, plastic, etc) and a wide variety of people (vegans, sensitive skin, cowboys, etc).

I wouldn't call it a gel (it won't hold it's own shape or anything) but it's thick and has staying power. It has no detectable flavor and is non-sticky. It washes off easily and won't stain fabric, so no clean up is necessary but it's not ideal for playing in the shower (like any of it's water based brethren).

Ride is 100% condom friendly and won't break down latex. I've seen it used to lube and shine latex garments as well, and while it worked, it wasn't quite as effective as silicone lube for that purpose. Ride does come in a silicone version, and apparently a body shave cream as well.

I must admit, while I loved the bottle, I wasn't crazy about the "Dude Lube" banner up top on the label. Easily solved with some sharpies and white out- now it reads "Dyke Lube". I might also add a pump top, the bottle neck seems like it would easily fit a different top.

Essentially it's one of the best and most versatile lubes I've used.

I didn't specify vaginal or anal use with Ride when I wrote this review. Why? Because I use silicone lube for anal, as it's generally thicker and longer lasting than water based, in general. So everything I wrote on Ride applies to vaginal penetration. But I got curious, so I decided to test out how Ride would perform through the backdoor. The results? Better than I expected. I still had to re-apply, which is usually the case with anal, even with silicone or oil-based lube. There is really no such thing as too much lube back there. I have noticed that dry skin will suck up Ride like a thirsty mermaid, so if your partner isn't keeping up with a full body moisturizing routine, your first coat might mysteriously disappear. But if you are using a silicone anal toy and you don't want to melt it, I would totally recommend Ride, because it is still longer lasting than the other water-based lubes I've tried for that purpose (the ones that inspired me to switch to something else altogether).