Review: Strange Bedfellas Dragon Claw and Tentacle Vibe Sleeves

I’ve overlooked silicone vibe sleeves in the past—basically, these toys are smaller dildos that you can use either for external or vaginal stimulation. But I’m glad that changed recently, when Strange Bedfellas offered to send me two of their three vibe-holding prototypes along with my Tyv the chimera dildo.

Honestly, I wasn’t over the moon about the idea of the sleeves before I got them. I’ve had a rocky relationship with the vibe they’re meant to hold, the We-Vibe Tango. Without a doubt the best-known bullet vibrator on the US market, the Tango is a legend. Everyone will agree that it’s the bullet to buy if you like rumbly, penetrating vibes. But I am not a power queen, so 98% of the time, the Tango’s strength is too much for my clit to take directly—even on the lowest setting! And more than that, the Tango’s slick plastic exterior just isn’t my thing. I like a clit vibe with some drag, with some texture. (My favorite bullet has a raised diamond pattern all over it.)

Strange Bedfellas’ sleeves make all my complaints about the Tango disappear. Their softer silicone and texture are the opposite of the Tango’s hard slickness, plus they create a barrier so I can finally use the Tango on its higher settings comfortably. Yes!

Here are all my thoughts on the Tentacle and its friend the Dragon Claw. (Also note that Strange Bedfellas has a third vibe sleeve option too: a furry claw.)

The Tentacle Sleeve

I have a confession: I’ve been into fantasy dildos for several years now, and I’ve never owned a tentacle toy before. Dragons and “aliens,” sure. But tentacles were more of a “not really for me” kinda thing.

Then I encountered Strange Bedfellas’ Tentacle Sleeve, and my vulva loves this new sucker-covered friend.  The width¹ fits perfectly between my labia. It’s hard to me to describe how enthusiastic I am about the sleeve’s suckers as they rub back and forth between underneath my clit and the mouth of my vag.

I get the most out of the Tentacle’s top half. It starts with a scoop between the very tip and the top sucker. The shape isn’t too far off from the We-Vibe Touch’s (slightly broader) scoop, for folks who like having their clit cupped. But I’m using the toy farther down: I love how the scoop and the round sucker below it feel as they pass into my vag. Occasionally I’ll get bored with the back-and-forth motion and insert the Tentacle’s beak farther in, for a stronger dual-stimulating effect. Overall, though, I think it’s amazing as a purely external toy. What else can I say besides: I love the suckers!

The Dragon Claw Sleeve

And the Dragon Claw has even more texture! The sleeve’s bottom half is covered in horizontal lines that back a punch. I sometimes find them to be a lot on my clit, so I stick with the dotted ridge right under the “nail” section of the Dragon Claw—the pointed spike.

Because of the (soft) spike, I think this toy is best for people who prefer highly focused clitoral stimulation. Flip the Dragon Claw over to get the most precise stimulation. The silicone in my vibe sleeve set—a 10A shore—isn’t soft by fantasy toy standards, but it is a lot softer than most other silicone dildos on the market. In this semi-soft silicone, the dragon’s nail will bend. And it’s also totally possible to get slightly broader stim from the base of the nail, about a quarter inch across.

The Dragon Claw, like the Tentacle, has a max. diameter of 1.3″ and almost 5″ total length—enough to vibrate many G-spots. (Just not mine!)

The ridges down the Dragon Claw’s front are pretty intense: maybe even a bit much for me. Though I’m pleased with how hard my Tentacle is, I think I’d be happier with a softer shore, probably 5, for the Dragon Claw. Luckily Strange Bedfellas now makes these sleeves in various firmnesses.

But How Are the Vibes?

If you’re used to the Tango’s power by itself, know that any silicone sheath will have at least some dampening effect. But, the vibe hole goes almost all the way up in both toys: to the top of the highest sucker in the Tentacle and to the ridge right before the nail in the Dragon Claw. That means the vibrations carry better than they would in longer toy.

The Tango’s third steady speed (out of four)—which is usually too strong for my bits—is now great in these sleeves. It’s still fairly powerful, with a little bit of buzz.

Overall Thoughts

If you like using textured + vibrating things against your vulva, then you may very well find Strange Bedfellas’ vibe sleeves as addictive as I have! I strongly prefer the circular suckers on the Tentacle, but I’d recommend the Dragon Claw to peeps who are all over the pinpoint stimulation.

My sleeves are in glittery black + blue (plus some green in the Tentacle) color combo, but these toys are available in all different color schemes. They look so cool!!! (I have way too much fun sticking my fingers in the toys’ bullet holes, and waving around the Dragon Claw in particular.)

Check out Strange Bedfellas’ shop here if you want to pick up a good-looking monster friend of your own, including the vibe sleeves here. 

My thanks to Strange Bedfellas for sending me these sleeves in exchange for my honest review. I always tell my readers when something does not work for me or when I think it’s badly designed.

1. About 1.3″ at the top sucker, and a little over an inch at the narrow part in the middle.