For a long time, the male masturbator market was starting to look a little tired and boring. Everything was just somehow… the same.
Once you’ve tried one stroker, you’ve pretty much damn well tried them all (with a few exceptions – Fleshlight have managed to keep me on my toes, along with TENGA). I longed for something to break the mould and bring something new to the table.
Then, last year – I read about the PULSE – marketed as the world’s first ‘guybrator’ – and whilst that term may have many of you cringing, it had the desired effect.
It got men talking about sex toys, and helped many people see that using sex toys is not ‘just for women’ nor is it anything to be ashamed of. The original PULSE went down a treat on our house – so when I found out they were working on a new model, I was incredibly intrigued – especially as I had pointed out a few minor flaws that had stopped me from awarding the toy full marks. There are 2 new models – the Pulse II Solo and the Pulse II Duo – I opted for the Duo model – but in terms of function, the Solo operates the same way with just one major difference. Read on to find out how we got on…
First Impressions
When we originally reviewed the PULSE last year, we gave it an 8 out of 10. There were a couple of issues that had stopped me from awarding it full marks – and admittedly they were very small – but in this day and age where people are prepared to pay a little more for their sex toys, you begin to start to expect certain things:
…my only complaints really are minor cosmetic issues – I kind of wish the packaging was just a little nicer, and it would be nice if the PULSE came with a little storage bag (which most premium toys do). If the PULSE was waterproof, I could quite easily see this become one of the absolute best male pleasure toys.
First things first – the packaging is pretty much exactly the same as the previous model – although in the Duo, you get yourself a nice shiny gold box. In retrospect, I really don’t know what my issue with the packaging was – really. I mean, it’s quite simple but effective, it’s not trashy – it does the job. And I have to admit, the gold actually does make it feel a little bit classier actually. I really am just a packaging snob.
Like the original PULSE, the Duo is USB rechargeable, so inside you get a nice little USB cable. You also get…. a storage bag! Hooray! I know a storage bag is the least I should be excited about – but trust me, when you share your home with a pug who sheds constantly, a storage bag is a necessity! Well we’re off to a good start.
The Duo is completely coated in silicone, whilst the Solo is exactly the same as the original (Silicone and ABS plastic). The all over silicone coating of the Duo feels great in the hand, and actually makes it look and feel more premium than the original PULSE. In terms of design though, it’s almost identical – the real difference is the mechanics on the inside. The Duo has 2 sets of vibrations – the original ‘Pulse Plate’ is still there, but now, on the underside – they have included secondary vibrations which are controlled via a small round remote control. This is where the Duo comes into play – more about that later.
The Pulse Plate now features 5 patterns, each with 9 speeds of intensity. This is a vast improvement over the original’s single pattern. The Solo and Duo now offers much more, allowing truly customisable play.
In Use
The Solo and Duo work exactly the same way as the original – it features 2 silicone wings which help grip on to the penis, 3 ridges to provide additional stimulation as well as the Pulse Plate which sits directly underneath the frenulum, providing intense pleasure. To operate, you simply press and hold the single button on the left hand side for a second or 2, and then the toy will buzz into life on it’s first pattern, and on it’s first lowest speed. Using the plus and minus buttons on the other side will increase/decrease the intensity. Pressing the power button again will change the pattern. They include a constant pattern as well as 4 different ‘pulsing’ patterns.
You can use the Solo & Duo either flaccid or erect – it’s so much fun using the Duo to take me from soft to hard – and it doesn’t take a massive amount of time either – which is why the PULSE has been a god send to men who suffer from Erectile Dysfunction. The silicone wings hold the toy in the place, allowing you to just lay there and enjoy the vibrations. The Duo never fails to get me up and erect in under 5 minutes, and it doesn’t take long for it to bring me to orgasm. You can also stroke with the toy as well – allowing you to move those vibrations to different places along your shaft, and the wings and the ribbing at the bottom all work together to make it a truly stimulating experience.
But where the Duo sets itself apart from the Solo is it’s secondary vibrations. There is a second vibratory motor on the underside of the Duo, meaning that a couple can enjoy this toy together. In a hetero couple, the man would place the Duo on his penis and then the woman can then straddle and then grind against the Duo – the vibrations are controlled by the remote control and have 3 constant speeds. For us, we tried things just a little differently. Only a little…
We thought we would still try the straddling, but obviously, our aim would be to provide perineal stimulation – and to that end, the Duo did succeed. The vibrations are not overly strong, and are perhaps a little on the ‘buzzy’ side, rather than the nice, deep rumbly side – however, when the other half straddled me, the combined feeling of the vibrations from the pulse plate, the additional pressure from him riding me, and then him slowly and carefully ‘grinding’ against it felt amazing. He said he felt a pleasant ‘tickle’ along his perineum, and the whole scenario had him thoroughly excited. When we switched around, I had to agree with him – although I did almost wish the vibrations on the underside where just ever so slightly stronger.
My second idea was to use the Duo as a hand-held massager. With a good coating of lube, I used the Duo to glide over my achy thighs and calves after a long day on my feet at work – and you know what, it really helped! OK, so it wasn’t an intense deep tissue massage, but it felt really nice – I know the toy isn’t designed to be used that way, but it worked for me and if I can find an additional use, then it just makes it all the better value for money.
Clean-up and Maintenance
The Solo and Duo are now WATERPROOF! Hooray! To be fair, clean-up on the original wasn’t exactly difficult, but because it wasn’t waterproof, you had to take a little bit of care when cleaning. Now, I can rinse the whole thing in the sink and it’s so much easier. Unfortunately, being completely coated in silicone, it means it’s a complete dust magnet (at least in my house it is) so I am very grateful to be able to pop it straight into the storage bag when it’s clean and dry, to ensure it stays completely clean, ready for next use.
Summary
Well I have to admit, they’ve done it – they improved on the original – and to be fair, there wasn’t a huge amount that needed improving anyway – but the changes they have made are indeed very welcome and definitely move it up into ‘Must Have’ toy territory. The new patterns provide a welcome change of pace, and allows you to customise your play – whether you want to just get off quickly, or perhaps treat yourself to a longer edge session – you can. The secondary motor allows for expanded couples play and it’s WATERPROOF! Meaning you can take it in the bath or in the shower for aquatic fun whenever, wherever. It’s discreet size and shape, combined with it’s USB recharge ability makes it a great travel toy too.
If you really enjoyed the original PULSE, then I definitely think it’s worth the upgrade. If you’ve never tried one before, then definitely start with the PULSE II Solo or Duo – We thoroughly enjoyed it, and we’re sure you will too.
Where to Buy
NOTE: This model has been discontinued.
