You know i’m partial to a bit of TENGA. Their simple, non-threatening non-descript orifice designs are usually hiding immense amounts of pleasure. I simply cannot get enough of them.
TENGA have continuously raised the bar, in my opinion. And over the past 12 months, their innovations have changed the way I masturbate. The FLIP ZERO was just a stroke of genius. Not only did the toy just ‘look’ so high-end, it felt pretty damn amazing too. And the Air-Tech TWISTS also switched things up again, and took self-pleasure to a whole other level.
So naturally, when TENGA emailed me to see if I would be interested in reviewing their newest product to their line-up (the FLEX), you know I was going to say yes. Sure enough, a week or so later, I received a package containing both FLEX models, so I could do a complete comparison of the two sleeves. So let’s not waste any more time, and just get right to it!
The TENGA Flex was sent to use free of charge in exchange for an honest review by TENGA Global
First Impressions
The TENGA Flex cups feature this funky spiral design, which if it was just left outside somewhere, I wouldn’t know what the hell it was. Once again, TENGA champion the ‘it doesn’t *look* like a sex toy…”. At least, until you take off the cap and then it’s like “OH….”. They are packaged in very simple plastic clamshell cases, and come in TWO varieties. Both come with a sachet of TENGA lube (which, in all honesty you can throw out, as I don’t rate the lube highly) and a little ‘instruction’ booklet.
The two varieties are simply referred to as SILKY WHITE and ROCKY BLACK. One thing I did notice on the packaging, that i’ve never really paid attention to on TENGA packaging before, is that it says ‘male pleasure device’. If I could ask that TENGA consider just changing this to ‘Pleasure Item’, you might gain a LOT more customers. This is a pleasure item for the PENIS. Anyone who has a penis, is welcome to enjoy this product.
The outer case of the TENGA Flex is made from a softer plastic, whilst the inner (removable) sleeve is made from TENGA’s standard TPE formulation. This allows you to squeeze the sleeve to vary up sensation in use. The spiral design isn’t just an aesthetic choice; it does serve a purpose. If you ‘twist’ the sleeve, this creates a unique ‘suction’ sensation. The sleeves are removable to allow for easy clean-up. So how did they perform? Well let’s find out..
In Use
When it came to testing these, naturally I had to get my husband involved, so with the pugs shut away downstairs, we retreated to the bedroom for some thorough testing! I took the Rocky Black sleeve, and he took the Silky White sleeve. With a good splash of Sliquid water-based lube, we were ready to go.
Silky White
The Silky White sleeve has a very gentle texture. The material is also softer, so the sensations are definitely on the, subtle side. The Mr was the first to try, and he noted that the sensation was mild, and he wasn’t really getting ‘much’ of the texture. When we swapped over, I agreed that the sensation wasn’t as strong as it is in some of the other TENGA products. It’s not exactly a horrible feeling, it’s still somewhat pleasant, but I wasn’t really feeling much of a difference than say, a well-lubricated hand, for example?
Things picked up a little when you give it a little twist. Giving the case a little twist as you slide it up and down does 2 things. Firstly, it constricts the sleeve, giving it a bit of tightness, and thereby enhancing the texture that, until then, had felt almost non-existent. Second, it creates a unique suction that drew me deeper into the sleeve.
The spiral design of the case also serves another purpose (at least, it did for me). It’s easy to get carried away, and slippery fingers can be a bit of an annoyance, when you get into good rhythm. Here, the spiral design meant I was able to properly keep a good secure grip on the Flex.
Rocky Black
For those of you who like a more intense ride, then the Rocky Black might be what you are looking for. Here, the textured sleeve is tighter and made from a slightly firmer material. In this sleeve, I definitely didn’t have any trouble feeling of the textures inside. The sleeve really gripped me tightly as I slid deeper inside. Giving the case a little twist was almost a little too much for me. For me, the sleeve was already tight enough, and in this case, I didn’t really feel that the sleeve needed any more intensity!
For my husband, the story was slightly different. Where the white sleeve had been fairly ‘meh’, the black sleeve was almost impossible for him to use. I found the sleeve quite tight, and I would say I had a fairly ‘average’ girth of around 5.75 inches. He sits just a smidge over 6 inches and he personally found it a little uncomfortable. If you removed the sleeve from it’s casing, then it’s a little different, as the sleeve can properly expand to accommodate everything, but that kind of defeats the point. It’s still fairly tight, so I think those who are more-endowed would not get on with this product.
Clean-up and Maintenance
Once you have finished, clean-up is extremely simple. The internal sleeve can be completely removed for cleaning. The stretchy and flexible material means you can easily flip it inside out to ensure every trace of fluid is removed from the intricate textures. The outer cases just need a rinse, but those ridges can trap lube quite easily, so you’ll need to be quite ‘thorough’.
When it comes to drying, these need to air dry, and TENGA have thought about this. The ‘cap’ (which features a rod which sits down into the sleeve when on) doubles up a drying station. Simply flip the cap to invert it, and it creates a stand, which you can slot the sleeve on to allow it to air-dry. Getting the sleeves back in can be a bit, erm.. fiddly. However, using the ‘rod’ to help push the sleeves back inside the cases, does make this slightly easier. The sleeves don’t need dusting, as once dry, they don’t really go sticky; they still feel somewhat silky.
Summary
Well, truth be told, these are not my favourite TENGA products, but they aren’t necessarily the worst either. Personally, the Silky White sleeve was my favourite. Despite the texture being more on the subtle side, this meant I was able to take my time with the sleeve, and the orgasms achieved were certainly more enjoyable. The Rocky Black sleeve is quite intense for what it is, which is great when I want a quick session, or i’m desperately craving a bit more texture. However, it is easy for that sleeve to quickly become ‘too much’, and for those with thicker girths, it can be almost unbearable. Pretty certain there is still a market for that, it’s just not something that I personally look for (or like).
Personally, I think the Air-Tech Twists are a better choice, if you are looking for a TENGA masturbator, but aren’t quite ready to drop the dollar for something like a Flip-Hole. I have a distinct feeling I will get bored of the Flex far too quickly. But that’s OK.
Where To Buy
You can pick up the TENGA Flex from the following awesome retailers:
SheVibe [Rocky Black / Silky White] (ships to US/UK/AU/CA)
I would like to thank TENGA Global for sending us the TENGA Flex free of charge in exchange for an honest review. This does not alter our opinions or our experiences with this or any other product we receive for review. Some affiliate links have been used in this post. Please consider supporting the blog and making your purchases through these links. Many thanks!
The Lowdown | TENGA Flex
Pros: Soft casing for easy grip, squeezable to enhance texture, discreet design, choice of textures.
Cons: Rocky Black might be too tight for those more endowed.
Bottom Line: The sensations are pleasant but not out of this world. A more budget-friendly TENGA product, ideal for those potentially exploring masturbators for the first time, but for a professional wanker like me, i’ve definitely had (and got) better.
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