One of the coolest things about being a sex toy blogger is that I get to try toys from so many different studios and manufacturers. It gives me firsthand insight that makes my reviews more useful, and allows me to draw comparisons or make recommendations. Being familiar with the myriad of options out there is part of my job β and with each new opportunity offered to me by great retailers like SheVibe, Iβm getting better at it.
BS Atelier was a company I had not yet tried a toy from. Based out of Spain, the small studio makes sex toys, dilators, and harnesses; SheVibe carries a number of their dildos and plugs. The staff is small but passionate about feminism, queer identity, and body safe pleasure products, and it shows in their work. Their pleasure products are designed to effectively stimulate the body, and some of their latest offerings on SheVibe are dildos in pride colors.
Look at how lovely!a petite dildo dressed in trans pride
The Alex Trans Silicone Dildo is listed as being a little over 6 inches tall with a max insertable width of 1.3 inches. It has a uniquely shaped head with a prominent crown, and a curve to the upper half of its shaft for more purposeful g/p-spot stimulation. It is labeled as both harness compatible and anal safe β but weβll deconstruct that assertion later.
This is not my first dildo in trans pride flag colors (that honor went to the Avant True Blue), and I canβt get over how delightful it is that there are choices. Sex toys can be affirming to those of us with pleasure-related bottom dysphoria, and having them decked out in the colors of our community banners is rad as fuck.Itβs also a clear statement of consideration and inclusion. Functionally, anyone can use this toy β but its color scheme is clearly for us.
before anyone asks βcan I use this if iβm cisβ
I donβt have the authority (or desire) to give blanket permission to cis folks to partake in sex toys aimed at transgender consumers. This is just my opinion β and there are definitely trans people who disagree with me β but I donβt think thereβs anything inherently wrong or appropriative about it.
In fact, I think itβs helpful.
If a product doesnβt sell often enough, a store will stop stocking it; and if stores stop stocking something, a manufacturer will stop making it. Buying this toy helps extend its shelf life, increasing the odds that a trans person who will want one has time to discover it.
But if youβd prefer, BS Atelier offers the Alex (albeit larger) in other patterns, like the Alex Noise or the Alex Rainbow Blue.
back to the dildo! letβs talk silicone
The Alex Trans Dildo was a smidge firmer than I was expecting, being so accustomed to Blush Noveltiesβ Avant line. Itβs not a substantial density difference, besides being slightly harder to bend in half and not having as much squish when squeezed.
What I really love about the Alex is its finish. Iβve never before encountered silicone with such a sleek, textureless surface. Itβs wonderful when paired with lube because the lube stays buoyed on the surface and keeps the dildo slicker for longer. This made the Alex Trans Dildo particularly good for anal β but weβll get to that later.The clean lines of the pride flag colors are marred only by a slight scuff (unique to my specific toy.) In my opinion this is permissible despite the pricetag, as so few dildosmiths can produce such crisp, intricate designs. And many certainly try! The lack of color bleed between the stripes is amazing.
if at first you donβt succeed, reconsider
The first few times my partner tried the Alex vaginally, they found its snout-like head uncomfortably pokey. The curved shaft makes it inescapable. It wasnβt until we tried angling the dildo downward with every thrust that it became bearable. The head still drags, but itβs a consistent pressure rather than poke. For some, the smooth, rounded head will be ideal for consistently stimulating the top wall of their vagina β for others, like Buster, itβs too narrow and proddy.My experience with the Alex Trans Dildo was different, in part because penetration is inherently painful for me and my vagina canβt really discern stimulation beyond βsomething is in me, and it hurtsβ. The slightly firmer but flexible silicone of the Alex was actually pretty satisfying in use, and I loved how easily my body accepted its untextured matte finish when properly lubed.
Our feelings towards the size of the Alex were, of course, opposite: Buster prefers much thicker toys and felt under-served, and I found myself struggling to accommodate its modest width. (I only managed 2/3rds at my most earnest.) If youβre not sure if the Alex is the right size for you, keep in mind that its sizing (1.33 inches) is generally considered βbeginnerβ and is slimmer than the average diameter of a penis (1.5 inches.)
If you need something smaller, SheVibe has many options under 1.25 inches from other brands. If you need something larger, the Alex has a heftier sibling, the Max.
sadly not suitable for strap-on sex
This dil lasted about as long in Busterβs harness as the Temptasia Reina did, which is to say: less than a minute. The thin, flexible base folded on itself during a few Sex Toy Tester Pre-Strap-On Sex Dace Moves, allowing the dildo to flop free of the harness ring.
I donβt think this will necessarily be the case for every Alex or every harness, though? A thick metal ring β as opposed to the stretchy silicone ring in our harness β will likely keep a better grip on the Alex. And the base of our dildo isnβt a perfect circle; I imagine if it had been trimmed with more care, it would have a fractionally more consistent lip for a harness to hold. But even with a different harness set-up and a less wobbly edge, the Alexβs base just seems way too small for a stable, satisfying strap-on experience. Itβs bound to come loose sooner rather than later.If your interest in the Alex is centered around harness use, I definitely donβt recommend it.
the best stuff is the butt stuff
βThis is probably one of my favorite toys weβve ever used for butt stuff,β Buster told me after our first time using the Alex on them anally. The head shape β a nuisance to them vaginally β made for easy, pleasurable insertion; itβs tapered but not boring, the smooth ridge providing a momentary tease thatβs satisfying to pass. The shaftβs pronounced curve serves Buster better as a butt toy, providing mildly firm pressure in all the right places. They were especially in love with how the Alex Trans Dildo felt being drawn back out and slowly thrusted back inside, providing βthe best feeling of pushing and petting. I think itβs honestly my go-to dildo for being fucked in the ass right now. I wish it worked in a harness, because it would be so good for anal sex.β
But the lackluster base causes more problems than just denying Buster a good fuck. Its tiny, flimsy presence means I have to babysit the Alex when Buster uses it anally. Busterβs usual butt toy has a width of 1.75 inches. Their ability to comfortably accommodate over half an inch more than the Alex Trans Dildoβs girth makes me worry that an overzealous clench of their ass muscles might be enough to fold the base inward and suck the toy too deep. Safe anal play means having an adequately flared base β and I just donβt think this one meets that standard.final thoughts and where to buy
The Alex Trans Silicone Dildo is a beautifully striped piece of fuckable art with a somewhat steep price point. It lacks a functional base (rendering its harness capabilities and anal use dubious at best) but its head shaping and curved shaft make it a pleasant, flexible fuck if you prefer an insistent point of pressure to manipulate against your internal walls. It wonβt please those looking for an especially firm dildo for aggressive g/p-spotting, nor will it appeal to those in need of super soft or girthy toys; it lands comfortably in the middle.I think it would best work for those wanting to transition from a butt plug to using a dildo anally, who either donβt have a prostate or who prefer to treat their prostate with less force. Itβs not as firm as a lot of butt toys, but itβs not too soft either. But if itβs going in someoneβs butt, you should hold onto it even when not actively thrusting.
Honestly, I would recommend the Alex more highly if its base wasnβt so wimpy. For $70 USD, regardless of artistic quality, Iβd like a dildo that I can use any way that I want. But if strap-on sex and unguarded butt stuff arenβt what youβre looking for in a dildo, and you want a mild, medium fuck from a petite-sized toy, the Alex Trans Dildo is a beautiful dil from a fantastic, queer-run studio. And who doesnβt want an artisanal dildo in trans pride colors?
You can find the Alex Trans Dildo on SheVibe for $70 USD at the time of this posting.
Thank you, SheVibe, for sending me the Alex Trans Silicone Dildo in exchange for an honest review. Affiliate links were used in this post.
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