He Says:
Firstly, I have a couple of things to get off my chest. Everytime I hear the name of this dildo, I cannot help but think of the phrase "trouser snake". I don't know whether this was deliberate on the part of the otherwise lovely people at Tantus, but I wish they hadn't named their dildo this, as it is a horrible phrase. The other thing this name makes me think of in rather gruesome detail is the fact that an Anaconda is a constrictor snake, killing its prey by crushing it in massive, powerful muscular coils. Of course the exact opposite process takes place in the use of this dildo.
At least this dildo is massive and powerful. Although the concept of a dildo with a handle is not new, I have never before seen it implemented in silicone. It is an intriguing proposition, so I was very pleased that Lovehoney generously sent us this to review.
As a prelude to what is about to come, I would like to declare that I am a massive Tantus fanboy. I think that it is pretty clear from the long section of our toy list that is dominated by the name Tantus. But although no disaster, this dildo falls short of the usual exceptional standards of this brand.
The problems start with the material. Rather than the typical smooth, glossy finish I would associate with a Tantus product (and which is present on the head of this dildo), the company has elected to go for an extremely matte, almost rough, finish for the shaft of the Anaconda. This causes high friction to the touch nevermind in use. The surface also doesn't seem to grip lube very well, with a couple of different brands I normally find really good for anal play virtually rolling off.
Being silicone, this dildo has the advantage it can be thoroughly sterilised by boiling for a few minutes, but it is a little tricky to clean the grooves under the glans of the Anaconda.
In use this dildo is brutal. Sometimes this is a good thing. The handle allowed Lucy to savage me with this on one particular occasion, and I hugely enjoyed that. However, most of the time I find this a bit much. This is a big dildo, x cm around the head puts this firmly in the girthy camp, and it reduces only slightly from the point. but this is not really my problem. I could probably take the larger Tantus General from a standing start on even an average day if I put my mind to it. But the comparative bluntness of the head of this toy, and above all the roughness and firmness, mean I don't enjoy this most of the time. This is a shame, as the handle makes thrusting considerably less effort in several positions.
As I've already said, the handle is great fun. I would bet money that every single review of this has mentioned the desire to use this as a weapon. Just the feel of waving this wildly about in your hand, like a bizarre truncheon or cosh. I will happily admit to giving Lucy countless whacks on the head with the Anaconda during the course of our testing. Sadly, I think this might be the most fun I have had with this toy. I really don't understand the rationale behind the choice of finish to this (and it clearly was a concious choice, as the head shows), but it has pretty much ruined this for me. However, I think the main feature of the Anaconda, the handle, is actually a success, and I would certainly be interested in other models with handles in the future if they decided to change the texture.
She Says:
I have to say, my thoughts on this dildo largely echo those of Alex's. Tantus is one of my favourite sex toy brands, but this one just doesn't tick all the boxes.
I'll start with the size and shape. The Anaconda is pretty girthy and definitely wouldn't be classed as a beginner's dildo; it is too large for me to use anally at the moment. Strangely it tapers from a large head down to a smaller base, the opposite to what you would usually expect; meaning that it is the initial insertion that is the most difficult. As Alex has already explained, it has a strange matte finish which adds a lot of texture and increases friction whilst in use. Personally I prefer a smoother glossy finish for use vaginally, especially when using a larger toy. Even with copious amounts of lube I found this particular finish a bit uncomfortable after being in use for just a short amount of time.
Now onto what makes this one different: the handle. I actually think that this a fantastic ergonomic development. For years now I have often chosen to use a double-ended dildo for a bit of self-loving, purely for the fact that the other end works as a great handle and can make light work of a good thrusting action. This handle works even better than that, as the narrow diameter means that it is easier to grip and causes less hand cramping than a double-ender or normal dildo would. I have also thoroughly enjoyed using this dildo on Alex, it certainly allows me to give him a good pounding! Another potential market that I see for a handle like this would be for people suffering from arthritis or weakness in their hands; maybe it should become part of the occupational therapists tool kit!?
So in summary, I love the handle but don't really rate the dildo itself; and I'd love to see this design incorporated into a more conventional dildo.
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