A new kid on the block…or are they? Romp Shine & Free clit stimulators are made by the same company as Womanizer—the original air pulsation toymaker. But Romp toys are discount-priced compared to Womanizer Premium or Womanizer Classic. Really, Romp Shine vs. Satisfyer Pro 2 Next Gen. is the closest comparison, at just under $50 each (and shapes that aren’t too distant).
So should you consider the Romp Free or Romp Shine over Satisfyer? And how do Womanizers and We-Vibe Melt fit into the picture? Oooh the choices, all with an air-pulsing “clit suction” effect.1 My Romp Shine review (with notes on Romp Free!) will guide you through the power levels and advantages/disadvantages of each toy. I’ll also tell you a story about safety concerns!
Contents
Romp Intensity
The Romp Shine and Romp Free have 10 intensity levels (10 different air-pulse speeds), which sounds impressive. That’s a lot of speeds. Most of the intensities are tightly-packed, though—they don’t feel too different one from another. I gotta go up 3 whole speeds to notice much change!
So the Satisfyer Pro 2 Next Generation is the most popular “affordable” clit pulsator: currently $39.99 at Peepshow Toys (pricing checked October 2022). Satisfyer was the first Womanizer imitator, and has established a name for itself because Satisfyer toys have good power for cheaper.
See a comparison chart of how each toy’s speeds line up, with the Romp rechargeable models next-to-last:
This means:
- Most power: Womanizer Premium (or Duo!) and We-Vibe Melt
- Best speed range, for cheaper: Satisfyer rechargeables
If you don’t know how strong you need it, then more range is a good thing!
Sheer speed/power isn’t everything, of course. For example, I find Satisfyer pulsations to feel more “flappy” (the pulsation equivalent of “buzzy” vibes) than thuddy Womanizer ones, found in Womanizer Liberty ($99) and especially Womanizer Premium ($199)—and therefore I never use my Satisfyer Pro 2. So sensitivity level varies a lot here, as does the fit of the “clit-blower”‘s mouth. More on that in the experience section…
My Romp Experience
Note that I have very high standards for clit toys, and I am not the “average” user here. I need my air pulsation stimulators to be really super-special, or else I’ll just go back to my trusty Melt + Sassy (singly, or together).
Air pulsation stimulation is really different if you’ve only had a vibrator before (or have never had any toy!). And a world away from vibration. (Though a few newer Satisfyer toys include both pulsation and vibration, independently controllable.)
No human lover will be able to replicate these toy’s constant steady thudding, which is not like oral sex—and that does not mean less good. For me at first, the feeling was kind of confusing…but became magical? It’s magical if you get the right one for you clit, that is. It took me almost a month to get used to the wild clit-tap-suck-pulsing of We-Vibe Melt, figure out how to use it without getting overstimulated.
Which leads me back to Romp…I wouldn’t say they’re so overstimulating, as the pulsation is lighter. I really need to go to speeds 9 and 10 to orgasm on Romp Shine, and I’m less likely to bother sticking around for multiple orgasms. (Though it is possible, if I back down the a little and then increase to top speed again.) It’s definitely great that there are up and down control buttons, always essential in an air pulsation toy. The buttons are fairly responsive, but again, feel cheaper than Womanizer ones.
Since I’m so in love with the We-Vibe Melt, I compare all air pulsators to it, all the time. Melt’s fourth speed is the one that really starts turning me ON. And that’s almost the top speed of Romp Shine and Free, since I’m not feeling much difference between Romp’s ninth and tenth (= final) intensity levels. We-Vibe Melt’s speed #5 (of 10 total) is when “dripping happens” and “I start praying I’ve…put a towel down”—but I’m not getting that feeling from either Romp, even on high. Maybe it’s me, Romp, I don’t know; or it could be you.
Also, I mentioned fit earlier. Clit fit, to be exact. The Romp toys’ mouths are a classically firmer silicone, like Womanizers and Satisfyer Pro 2. It’s not bending.
Give me a flexible Melt mouth any day, because Melt’s opening is silky and has some give. Why WOULDN’T I want the most comfortable feeling in my so-called “oral sex vibrator”?
As for mouth size, I happen to need a smaller one. Melt is a little thinner vs. Romp Shine’s opening. Shine’s wider oval mouth is not too far off from the Satisfyer Pro 2’s, actually—such a small width difference, it’s hard to measure. The noticeable part is Romp Shine’s “lip”/silicone mouth rim being less thick—which I prefer because it’s easier to press down, to attempt to create more feeling from these toys’ hard openings. Satisfyer Pro 2’s silicone rim thickness has always felt clunky to me (again, why I’m all in for Melt, I like the soft fleshy things).
Keeping in mind that my clit’s head is about a quarter of the width of my little finger, see this size comparison:
Overall: I mean, the Romp Shine and Free are pretty good. I’m not dripping, crying, or feeling my uterus shake. I can come on them once or twice. Especially if I haven’t used any other clit toys first. They’re not weak! They’re also not the best—if you want real clit power.
Romp Shine vs. Free vs. Switch
OK, so there is a third Romp pulsator besides the Shine and Free I’m covering in the rest of this review. The Romp Switch (seen in orange, below; but now in lilac at Lovehoney) is like the Romp Shine except battery-powered, not waterproof submersible, and with 6 speeds instead of 10. Also, Switch’s 6 speeds feel slightly less impactful than Shine’s, which are already less thuddy than Womanizer Liberty.
That’s a lot of downgrades for the $20 less you pay for Switch ($29.99) vs. Shine ($49.99, rechargeable). All so you can continue buying batteries with Switch. Also, if you’re like me, so that you can nearly break your fingernails off when trying to insert said batteries.
I got the Romp Switch, spent 5 minutes trying to figure out how to insert the batteries, and finally pried open the two halves of the toy with tweezers and a lot of force. Stress points actually started appearing in the ABS plastic. Upon further investigation, I learned you can only open Switch up by prying with nails or similar thin something at a one-eighth-of-an-inch-wide crevice right at the very bottom, in a very specific spot. (Insert “Men can’t find the clitoris” joke here.) This is not included in the product instructions, and I think it’s very user-unfriendly how precise one needs to be while opening Switch.
If you are on a very tight budget, the Romp Free is still only $10 more than Romp Switch and feels nicer—and you’ll make up the $10 in the end (assuming you use regularly!) by not having to buy batteries. OR, my rec: Get yourself a Satisfyer for $33.95, it comes with a 15-YEAR WARRANTY, the Curvy 3 also vibrates (and pulses air, it’s got 2 different motors!) and is rechargeable.
Romp Free is a more “palm” shaped toy than Romp Shine/Switch. It’s shorter, and the stimulation mouth doesn’t stick out as much. Since I do like to press in hard with these clit toys with firmer silicone mouths, I like the extra raised “lip” feel that Romp Shine provides over Romp Free. Ooh, and Romp Free has a little plastic storage cover, if you’re wanting to travel with it! Both toys have the same features and intensity otherwise.
How to Clean & Charge Romp by Womanizer
Both rechargeable Romps are fully waterproof submersible, like rechargeable Satisfyers and all Womanizers. (Also like We-Vibe Melt and Lelo Sonas.) So you can take them in the shower and/or clean them easily.
Like Womanizer products, Romp Shine and Free have removable “stimulation heads” (which I like to call “mouths,” it’s sexier). Here’s how that works…
How to Clean a Romp Womanizer
Total Time: 2 minutes
Remove silicone mouth.
Wash with soap and water.
Run your finger around the mouth’s inside.
Rinse the toy body too.
To get down inside the “throat” of the toy, why not.
Let the mouth air-dry separately.
Only reapply when dry.
Shake out the toy body.
Get all the moisture out, so it doesn’t sit while you’re thinking it’s air-drying.
These toys are most comfortable when you use lube, so go wild! (With a body-safe lubricant, please; some lubes are not pH-balanced for the vulva!)
And as for charging: it’s a little trickier than I’d hoped. Romp toys have about an hour battery life per USB charge, and the toy’s control buttons flash when charging. That’s good, because you may have to work to get correct charger alignment. The cord comes folded over and wrapped with a twist-tie, so it’s not straight at all. It’s difficult to get the magnetic USB end to sit flat on the charging nodes (two metal dots under the (–) control button). Like, this was more work than charging 99% of the other sex toys I own. More difficult than getting a We-Vibe Tango (known for being picky) charger to lock on and stay there, and also 5x more difficult than charging a Womanizer.
Which is a shame, and speaks to the cheaper quality: also seen in how Romp stimulation heads are a little more ragged-looking at the bottom where they fit into the ABS plastic body.
And finally, here’s a story for you: Some clueless individual in WOW Tech graphic design/marketing threw into the Romp Amazon graphic ⬆️⬆️⬆️ that it included “body-safe” TPE (a POROUS material that no body-safe advocate will recommend for extended clit contact). In case you’re wondering why the SheVibe and Spectrum Boutique listings, etc., include “TPE,” that’s why.
Peepshow Toys inquired of their WOW Tech (Womanizer/We-Vibe/Romp) sales rep about this, and temporarily pulled the Romp listings until the issue was resolved. Turns out, these Romp pulsators are only non-porous ABS plastic (body) and silicone (stimulation head, buttons), no TPE involved. 👍👍👍 for this thorough research, and also why I do recommend you purchase Romp (and most everything non-fantasy-dildo) from Peepshow Toys—and definitely not from Amazon, because who knows when the counterfeits might start popping up on that platform.
Final Thoughts / Recap
Bottom line: If you want to try a first air pulsation toy, then Satisfyer rechargeable clit pulsators have a wider intensity range than Romp. That means, if you don’t know how much strength you need, Satisfyer is, well, more likely to satisfy.
This may sound strange coming from me, as the Satisfyer Pro 2 is not my personal favorite. But…Satisfyer Pro 2 Next Gen., Pro Penguin, Curvy models & more continue to please so many clits.
As for me, my clit is picky AF and the We-Vibe Melt was the only (non-vibrating)2 air pulsation toy I use for fun. Melt is simply superior for me. If you’re choosy about sensation, or you want a clit toy that fits best into sex with a partner or dildo, then We-Vibe Melt’s price jump may very well be worth it. These days (late 2022), I do use the Melt most, but also can squirt & thoroughly enjoy the Satisfyer Curvy 3!!!
And if you come more easily from focused clit stimulation…then the Romp toys are cute, lower-priced, and could be your “love blossom”‘s new best friend.3
Find the Romp clit pulsators here.
Save 10% by entering code FELICITY at checkout ⬆️
NOTES
- Also called “pressure wave,” these pulse air out rather than suck inward—they are not oral sex machines, but they’re intense in a different way. I mean, I’ve never had an oral partner who was so consistent. Or who went longer than 3 minutes, to be honest. I almost want to criticize my taste in men here, but I’m pretty sure it’s their fault, not mine.
- I also use the Womanizer Duo for squirting-level fun! 😛 And here I was thinking I couldn’t do dual-stimulation toys because they never line up right for me!
- Name your favorite cheesy term for “clitoris” in three…two…one…go! Lovebud, pleasure button, sweet spot, …. OK I’ll stop!