By now, it’s no secret that I adore hurting people. And, if the conditions are right, I adore being hurt, too!
What else do I love? Vegan kink items. 100% body-safe materials. Toys that are as easy to clean as they are to dirty. Toys that are versatile, but can hurt more than you may initially expect.
I can’t even remember when I bought Tantus’ Wham Bam, but it immediately made me want the rest in their collection (last year for #BrithdayBruises, I put all of the collection on my official wishlist!). There are currently five paddles for sale – the Wham Bam, Snap Strap, Thwack, Plunge, and Pelt – and they range from long, thin straps of silicone to a thick, traditionally shaped paddle, to a round, almost-a-ping-pong-paddle-but-not-quite shape.
Using Silicone Impact Toys
Silicone impact toys can be a bit unwieldy if you don’t know what you’re doing, as there is a greater flexibility to both the handle and the paddle, but don’t let that deter you from testing these out! The thicker, shorter handle of the Thwack (as compared to the Wham Bam) means that there is slightly less flexibility there, and same with the paddle itself, making the Thwack a bit more “beginner friendly” than the Wham Bam; but with any paddle or impact toy, you can practice on a pillow, your bed, or the couch until you get a feel for how to use and control your toy.
Another thing to note is that silicone toys are more prone to wrap than many other materials. What does “wrap” mean? Wrapping is the term used for when you hit someone and part of the toy goes somewhere you didn’t intend – ie the toy wraps around the bottom’s body. This can result in a sharp, possibly even dangerous blow (most commonly on ribs, hipbones, and organs). The longer and/or more flexible a toy is, the more skill is required from the top in order to safely hit the bottom.
Plunge vs Thwack
First off, I’m going to start by saying that I didn’t realize these are exactly the same paddle except for the handle when I asked for them. I knew they were similar, but I didn’t think they were 100% the same.
Compared to the Wham Bam, the paddle part of these two is shorter and thicker. They have more of a thud to them than the Wham Bam, but they still have a decent amount of sting (note – a silicone or rubber impact toy will likely have some sting no matter how it’s shaped).
They will leave you with an identical mix of thud with a decent amount of sting – thanks, silicone! – and they can both be gentle or mean as hell.
Had I realized they were the same paddle, I probably would have asked for the Thwack and ignored the Plunge almost entirely. I had some serious doubts about if I would like the Plunge as a dildo and figured that, if only used as a paddle, the one made just as a paddle would be best.
As it turns out, I would be very, very wrong.
Why?
The handle design on the Plunge is way more ergonomic than that of the Thwack, meaning it fits my hand better and more comfortably, and when I swing the paddle I have a better grip and control. Now, I have small hands, but I made my lover and boyfriend (who have larger hands) both compare the grips and they both found the handle of the Plunge to be easier to hold as well.
It honestly never occurred to me that ergonomic paddle handles were a thing that I was missing in my life. BUT APPARENTLY IT WAS!
Plunge, as a dildo
If you have read literally any review ever written about the dildo on this toy, you’ll know my feelings on it as well.
This toy makes such a good paddle and such a poor, poor dildo. Why is that?
There is a big, giant hole in the handle so that you can put a string through it and hang it up with your other impact toys. But if you’re also using it as a dildo, you have to take that string out. And then you’re left with this large hole that lube, fluids, and more are going to get stuck. It’s also not a big enough hole to easily clean with soap and water, so you have to boil it between every use or use a condom.
So you decide to wrap it up and put it inside you or a partner. The next flaw is finding a good grip on the toy. You can hold the dildo portion, but then you end up only having about 2 inches of usable dick. Or you can awkwardly attempt to hold onto the paddle portion? It really, really does not make for a good dildo handle.
The shape of the dildo is excellent for g- or p-spot targeting, despite the annoying hole in the end (note on use from my lover – “even with the condom on it, I was very uncomfortable with the idea that I was getting anally fucked by something with a big hole in it….”). But between cleanliness issues and difficulty holding the toy, I can’t recommend the Plunge as a good g- or p-spot toy.
One final note: if you decide you want this toy as both a paddle and a dildo, make sure to do you impact play first – once the handle/dildo has been covered in lube and fluid, it will not make a good paddle handle!
The Verdict?
As paddles, I love them. I like the Plunge more than the Thwack for the ergonomics of the handle, but you can’t go wrong with either. The Plunge is a bit more beginner-friendly due to the firmness of the handle, but both are easy to get the hang of.
The intensity is, as mentioned, identical in the two toys. The only difference is how comfortable they feel in your hand and while using. And for me, the Plunge is much more comfortable and easier to control for that reason.
And you can buy them both from Tantus directly (Plunge and Thwack), Stockroom (Plunge and Thwack).
