Out of the Toy Box

by Kyra Saunders

Radiance Vibrator Review

The last several toys I’ve reviewed have been fairly expensive and, with the economy being what it is, I really wanted to review a few more of the toys that look promising and are a bit easier on the budget. When I saw the Radiance Vibrator from Doc Johnson, I was intrigued and asked if I could review it. At only thirty-five dollars, it definitely fit into my criteria of being inexpensive and the shape begged for experimentation.

When I unpacked the vibrator, I was surprised by how light it was. Then again, I’d recently reviewed a very heavy toy so I thought it could just be me. The vibrator is about seven inches long and tapers from about the diameter of my partner’s thumb at the base to a more slender finger size near the marble-sized bulb at the tip. I examined it closely and didn’t find any burrs or edges that might hurt. It also seemed nicely clean and without nasty plastic or mold release smells.

The usual first bath in toy cleaner was in order, then I tried to open the end to insert the two AAA batteries. The base unscrews to allow the batteries to be inserted and, because it’s a waterproof vibrator, there is a seal around this compartment. Apparently whoever screwed the base on when it was packaged was very diligent or had a great deal more hand-strength than I have. I struggled to get the battery cover off between the tightness and the small, rounded shape of the cover that made it hard to grip. It finally took my partner’s stronger fingers and a rubber jar opener to get it off. To be fair, this didn’t happen after this one time so it is probably an anomaly. But I do now have a rubber jar opener in the toy stash, just in case.

Batteries inserted, my partner declared that since he had saved the day, I needed to try it out on him first. A challenge? I love a challenge!

The Radiance Vibe is controlled by two simple buttons on the base, a plus and a minus. This makes it easy to turn up or down but, in order to turn it off, you have to press multiple times on the down button until it cycles through the speeds and finally turns off. This can make it a tad slow to power off if you need to do so in a hurry. It’s a four-speed vibrator so that can mean four successive button pushes. I was disappointed that push-and-hold didn’t work, I must admit.

I powered on the vibrator to see what my partner would think of it and was surprised at how loud it was. I’d say it’s louder than any other vibrator its size that I own. Since it was late at night and our children sleep like the dead, we shrugged it off and started playing. After a bit, we did switch places and I got a chance to be “it”.

The Radiance Vibrator is a toy that can be used on either sex but I’d consider it more useful for women, or at least on women. I did find myself wishing for a more severe bend so that I could reach my own g-spot without the need for yoga poses. At least part of that may be due to quirks of my own anatomy, however. When used on me by my partner, the g-spot stimulation was very nice and the ball end of the vibe worked well to concentrate on the g-spot. If you are using the vibrator solo, this may not be the best choice for g-spot stimulation, especially if you don’t want to flip over to a doggy-style pose.

The ball end worked well for anal play and I kept it mostly external because the lightness of the Radiance Vibrator made me a bit nervous about how well it would hold out for vigorous play. I quite liked the vibration and the way it was targeted, though. If you are new to anal play or prefer non-penetrative stimulation, this could be a great choice for you.

When I used the vibrator on my clit, I was disappointed that the strength of vibration was only about a medium strength. I tend to like strong vibrators and this isn’t one. The bend in the shaft let me manipulate the ball end in various ways and it slipped nicely around. I did discover the vibrations were much more concentrated at the ball end and the shaft itself didn’t have enough vibration to make it very useful over a broader area.

If you want a vibrator that is really strong, this is not the toy for you but if you want a medium-strength vibrator that you can explore your body with, the Radiance Vibrator may be the toy for you.

The Radiance Vibrator is not a toy I would use for penetration and thrusting but for those women who don’t enjoy larger dildos or vibrators or young women looking for a first toy, this might be an excellent toy for you. The slim diameter, the medium vibrations and the low price would make a good overall combination. (And, yes, there are quite a few women who don’t think bigger is better. Really.) Since it’s waterproof, it can be used in the bath or shower as well.

The bottom line is that if you’d like an inexpensive toy that offers some variety and prefer more slender toys without too much power, this may be a great toy for you. If you want strong vibrations or prefer thicker toys, this may not be the best toy for you. I liked Radiance Vibrator and will keep it but I don’t think it will be a personal mainstay just because of my own preferences.

Radiance Vibrator

Material:  ABS Plastic
Powered by: 2 AAA batteries (not included)
Waterproof: Yes
Recommended Cleaning:  Anti-bacterial soap or toy cleaner. Do not boil.
Recommended Lube: Any
Care: Clean thoroughly after each use
Buy Link: Radiance Vibrator at Babeland

Kyra Saunders
August 2009

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© 2009 Kyra Saunders. All rights reserved.

About the Reviewer:  Kyra Saunders is a published author who loves to play with an explore new toys and found a way to do both while giving people her opinion at the same time! She and her partner (and their Toy Box) live in the Pacific Northwest and new plain brown boxes on the porch make every day seem like Christmas, at least to the person whose name is on the label. Suggestions, comments and requests can be made through the Editor in Chief of the Erotica Readers & Writers Association, Adrienne.

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