I love my purple dildo. Every time I pick it up, it seems that I find a different use for it. It's been endlessly helpful in my work as a phone sex operator. I don't even put it away when I'm finished with it. I take it right to the kitchen, boil it, let it dry, and sit it back on my bedside table. I use it so much that it's easier to leave it out so I don't have to go fishing through my drawers when I need it. And I need it almost every day. Now admittedly, I don't have a gigantic sex toy collection. I only started reviewing last month. Nonetheless, I can tell that the Echo and I are going to have a long and pleasurable relationship.

                         

Let me just say, thank goodness for lube. Sometimes my PTSD manifests in the form of vaginismus, which means that penetration can be intensely painful for me. Thankfully the pain subsides as my vaginal walls stretch, but that can take anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. It requires me to insert VERY slowly, use copious amounts of lube, and breathe deeply. I'll write more about grounding and mindfulness exercises some other time, but suffice to say, it's a valuable skill set for anyone who experiences painful penetration (for whatever reason, trauma or otherwise).*

The Sweet:

The Echo has ridges from the base all the way up to the head, which widens into the bulbous tip I mentioned earlier. As I insert it, the ridges provide a massaging sensation right along my vaginal opening. As the toy goes deeper into my vagina, I can feel the head pressing against my g-spot. I started experimentally thrusting it in and out and found that it was pleasant but not mind blowing. Then I let go of the toy and used my PC muscles to hold it in. Once I started doing Kegel exercises with it, my g-spot woke up! I felt like suddenly my g-spot jumped up and said, "Yes! Do that more!" For me, g-spot stimulation alone will not lead to orgasm. I need direct clitoral stimulation. Since I had both hands free, I used one to hold a clitoral vibe and the other to pull up my favorite erotica site on my tablet. About halfway through the first story, I felt my orgasm building. Although I can't climax from penetration alone, feeling something inside my vagina gives me a much more powerful orgasm. At that point I set my tablet aside and began putting constant pressure on the base of the toy to press it more firmly against my g-spot. It didn't take long for the orgasm to crest through my body like a tidal wave. I left the Echo inside of me as I relaxed my body and allowed my breathing and heart rate to slow. 

The Bitter:

This toy was designed as a vibrator and does come with a removable bullet vibe. Unfortunately, it runs on a watch battery and as you might expect, the vibration leaves a lot to be desired. I prefer to use this as a dildo and disregard the included bullet entirely. I’m told by some of my sex toy gurus that if a more powerful vibe is inserted, it can be quite pleasurable. I can't vouch for that though, since I don't have any vibes that will fit in the Echo. Yet. 

Overall experience:

I love the Echo. I wasn't exaggerating when I said that it's easier for me to leave it out than to have to dig through my toy box every time I want to use it. I also appreciate that it's reasonably priced. $67 is not cost-prohibitive for me, so if I'd had to buy it, I would consider it worthy of the price tag. I've only tried it on myself so far, but it's definitely going in my toy bag for the next play party I attend. Thank you to Jenna at Tantus for making my first toy reviewing experience a great one! Can't wait to see what comes in the mail next!

*Important disclaimer: This is an incredibly personal experience. I would never presume to speak for anyone who experiences vaginismus and/or dyspareunia. This is how I work through it, because I know my body well and I trust myself to go at a pace that is good for me. I've also had YEARS of therapy to help me work through the emotional turmoil surrounding my sexual assaults.