Shaft. The catchy name describes a new lineup of dual-density silicone dildos by FemmeFunn: And it is a lineup, with 4 penis shapes × 3 sizes × 3 colors of Shaft “dual-layer” dildos.
Most important: Their silicone is so damn soft outside. By definition, a dual-density realistic dildo is soft silicone silicone outside, to mimick skin; then firmer silicone inside, to feel erect. And, unlike cheap “Real Feel” toys made of the material TPE, silicone is body-safe—healthy for many years of dildo-ing.
But, a multitude of lifelike dual-D dildos exist now: How does the Shaft “Flexiskin” silicone line compare? I tested Shaft Model A, Model N, and Model J to see…
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Very soft silicone feels fleshy.
- 3 realistic colors.
- Several phallic shapes × 3 sizes to choose from.
- Body-safe silicone doesn’t degrade or harbor bacteria, etc.
- Suction cup bases have decent strength.
Cons
- Lots of lil nicks & tiny specs of black debris embedded in several I received. (This may not affect all batches, and replacements are an option under warranty, but still.)
- Veins & skin textures quite prominent; you’ll need a thick lube.
- Mold line across the balls for the be-testicled shapes; not unsafe, but not a great look, either.
Or my favorite, Model A all 3 sizes, here.
Contents
My Shaft Dildo Testing
When I took the Shaft dildos out of their packages, I was as curious about the silicone’s feel as always!!! I was immediately pleased to recognize that they are really soft silicone outside, an 00-30 Shore durometer; similar to Vixen’s VixSkin premium silicone.
And, the Shaft silicone has a silkier feel in hand. It’s not sticky.
But then I noticed the debris, and the teeny cuts, and the mold marks. Now, these are warrantied for 1 year by FemmeFunn/ Vvole, so I could’ve gotten replacements, but. Now, dust and lint and fuzz on the surface is pretty normal with silicone dildos, since silicone attracts it. You can wash dust off. This is different: Two of my 3 Shaft dildos had black bits outside on the silicone, and in one, the debris was embedded inside the light silicone. So, right off, my opinion about Shaft dildo quality sunk.
I figure: if you’re gonna manufacture dual-density dildos & sell ’em for two times the price of a popular competitor line, you should be offering a quality upgrade, too. Still, I sanitized the dildos (by boiling) and forged on:
Shaft Model A Dildo
The Model A Shaft dildo is absolutely my favorite. Its ridge has some pop, then the bunched-foreskin folds half an inch below help massage my G-spot. I chose the 9.5 Inch size (6.8 inches usable length) here, because I love a filling feeling from dildos ≈ 2 inches max. diameter. So the Model A 9.5 Inch dildo is in my sweet spot. (But, if that’s not your cup of tea, here it is in the most average-penis size!)
The head is entirely made of super-soft silicone: the Model A’s core ends right below it. So the head is squishy. I sometimes wish the ridge stuck out a bit more, was more Steve-like, to compensate for the extra-softness. Still, the overall fullness of Model A in the large size, along with the “4 out of 5 stars” G-spot stimulation, make it satisfyingly orgasmic for me. Pair it with an air pulse vibe, or my favorite wand, and it is a very good orgasm.
The contrast between the “Flexiskin” squishy silicone and the firm core is a bit extreme, IMO, also decreasing the realism level slightly; I can feel a sharp contrast between the 00-30 silicone outside and the 30A Shore core.
Before using this large Shaft Model A, I needed to lubricate up the head and its bunched-up folds well; Sliquid Silk is a good pick. (No, hybrid lubes don’t damage silicone sex toys.) Though the Shaft Model A is slightly draggy, but does not have the more bulging lines of the Model N, next:
Shaft Model J Dildo
I call this one the “Ripply.” Cuz it’s got 4 repeating lines under its coronal ridge, randomly, that don’t really connect to the frenulum behind, like a foreskin would in real life.
The vein-kinda textures on the sides of Model J feel extreme, too. Unnatural. Like… what are all these bumps, whose dick has that?
But, if you’re seeking exaggerated textures, rather than absolute realism, then the Model J has benefits: It’s good for probing. I find this one a nice A-spotter: its squishy head + bold ridges go deep, easily; and bend forward to massage way back in my vagina.
I’m adding more hybrid lube to cover the bit of drag from the uber-ripples. All in all, it’s a nice squishy experience *if* I’ve got a favorite clit vibrator on hand.
Model N Dildo
The Model N Dildo is OK. It’s a tapered shape (the head is smaller than the max. shaft diameter) that curves slightly to one side, the left.
It’s reminiscent to me of the Neo Elite 7″ except with that left curve, vs. a backwards curve.
I chose the wrong size for this Shaft model in my body, since the 1.25-inch diameter of the 7.5 Inch size’s upper shaft means my Model N is very flexible up top. So flexible, its bump of a ridge feels ineffective to me; softly bending backward from my G-spot with thrusting. The super-soft silicone head is a flicker, a tease; making Model N a “Pass Me the Clitoral Vibrator, this isn’t enough for my G-spot” toy.
Which is fine, not everyone is as big a fan of G-spotting as I am; so they won’t be so very focused on a dildo’s head shape.
The Model N lacks the bumpy-skin-folds and XL-veins texturing of the Shaft Models A and J, so that’s a positive for me now. The Model N’s glide is a bit better; Model N’s textures are more subtle. It does have a lot of small lines; they just don’t stick out so much like on the Model J.
Suction Cup Strength
The suction cup bases have decent, but not exceptional, strength. So, it depends on whether you want to ride your dildo against a door, shower wall, or smooth floor regularly. If that is your jam, and you are a hard rider, these probably aren’t the right dildo choice.
The suction is not super-strong because the Shaft toys’ softer silicone makes up the base; whereas, firmer silicone (20A Shore and up) generally creates more stability in a suction cup.
Can you use Shaft dildos in a harness? Yes, sure. The soft silicone bases again are quite flexible, but are fairly wide; so most harnesses will keep the base well within the O-ring. (An enclosed O-ring is the most stable solution, however, not something like this with an open and flimsy O-ring.) The soft silicone of the Model J’s base feels nicest in a harness, to me, since I like longer length and no balls in strap-ons.
Are the Painted Heads Safe?
TL;DR: I’m not super concerned about silicone dildos with silicone-painted heads (like Shaft), but I think the head coloring is unnecessary, and the very cautious buyer should avoid.
“Head painting” has always been characteristic of cheap, porous dildos, which are finished by spray-painting in Chinese factories. In contrast, when dual-density silicone toys arose (starting in 2006, with VixSkin), they did not have painted heads, because safety was the motivitating force: A layer of paint is a layer of material that can rub off inside your body.
Now, these Shaft toys must use silicone paint (which can bond to other layers of silicone). I’ve washed, washed again, soaked in 70% isopropyl alcohol, washed, and boiled these toys. I did not notice any un-coloration after that process. I find myself wary, though; examining my favorite Shaft’s head and wondering if it wasn’t pinker than this when I unboxed it.
How to Care for Shaft Toys
Silicone can be washed with soap and water, before and after each use. Be sure to scrub with soap extra-well with the Shaft line, since (1) they pick up a lot of lint and dust from the air, and (2) they have a ton of textured recesses for your fluids to sit in.
To sanitize (sometimes termed “sterilize”), they can be boiled; or see other deep-clean options here. You don’t need to sanitize under normal circumstances, i.e., if you’re the only person using the toy and you’re not switching between anal and vaginal play.
Silicone sex toys can be stored touching other silicone toys, but with super-soft silicone, it can make thin-silicone-coated vibrators swell temporarily. So, store Shaft dildos with other non-vibrating silicone, glass, and/or metal toys for convenience.
Recap & Rating
Shaft dual-layer silicone dildos do boast fleshy squish in their “Flexiskin” silicone.
It’s refreshing to see a lineup of different realistic dildo shapes, in multiple “lifelike” shades, made of dual-density silicone.
Yet, the little flaws in the Shaft toys make me hesitant to recommend them widely, especially since Neo Elite and Naked Addiction Duals are cheaper but didn’t arrive with debris and serious mold-marks in mine. The BMS Naked… toys have the most sturdy, well-made feel in my experience.
The Model A is the best shape in my experience for thickness with light G-spot stimulation; while Model J is a good deep-diver.
I’d love to see FemmeFunn / Vvole reassess the quality control at their factory (given the bits of debris in the Shafts I received) and reconsider the head colorings as well. In that case, I would suggest Shaft for folks who are into textured dildos, where the skin lines and veins are obvious during thrusting or riding!
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NOTE
You’ve accidentally switched the Models N and J in your review. The Model N is the one with the testicles. The one you describe second in your review – with no testicles – is the J. “The Model J dildo” link you have directs to a page that calls that toy (with testicles) the Model N.
Good call! Oooh, such generic names, and I wasn’t enough of a fan of the N and the J personally to get the distinction down!
Head and vein coloring can be really great for combating dysphoria if it’s done well. I wish more companies would consider it, especially on darker models.