Is it too early to declare my favourite toy of 2019? Does it even count if technically it came out at the end of last year?

Is it too early to declare my favourite toy of 2019? Does it even count if technically it came out at the end of last year?
To me the whole design seems to be a result of too many compromises. I love the smaller size, and the whole idea of a compact Pulse, but that seems to have come at the cost of its effectiveness as a vibrating toy. It’s simply not enough to then say that the solution is to make it a thrusting toy too, especially if you’re going to use the same design element from a toy that was never built with thrusting in mind. There’s absolutely no reason why a two-in-one thrusting and vibrating toy couldn’t work, but I think this proves that it’s not such a simple matter.
The one type of person for whom I think the Pocket Pulse could work well is anyone who enjoyed the Rocks Off Hand Solo, because that incorporates a similar combination of multi-directional vibrations with an open-faced firm silicone sleeve. From my perspective though, I feel that the central channel could benefit significantly from a rethink, incorporating softer flesh-like materials which you’d actually want to thrust with, as well as trying to make those vibrations more targetted.
The Pocket Pulse is by no means a terrible product, it’s just kind of mediocre, and mediocre with a £70 price tag, which makes it hard to justify to anyone. I got some enjoyment out of it in the process of multiple rounds of testing, but the crux of the matter is that I honestly can’t see myself ever reaching to use it again.
Sticking to what seems to be their two-year development cycle, the guys at Hot Octopuss have just launched the third iteration of their much acclaimed Pulse, and they’ve kindly sent over a Pulse III Solo for me to test out. So, without any further ado…
The Pulse III builds directly on the advancements of its immediate predecessor, the Pulse II, and represents a straight evolution of the original concept, though this time the change is far less of a leap than from the Pulse to the Pulse II.
The biggest shake up in the previous generation was that it introduced separate “Solo” and “Duo” models aimed at slightly different markets, and the Pulse III maintains this distinction. The original Pulse offered multifunctionality aimed at couples play, while still primarily being a toy for the man, and it did this by offering a secondary point of vibration which could stimulate a female partner during use. The Duo models represent the point of continuity with this concept and are most consistent with the original design, while the Solo units have dispensed with this aspect altogether, instead moving towards a focus solely on individual pleasure.
So what exactly is the Pulse III Solo? I’ve been speaking so far with the assumption that everyone has read one of my earlier reviews and has a general understanding of the nature of these products, but for the benefit of those coming to this afresh. The Pulse is a vibrating male masturbatory aid, or a ‘Guybrator’ to use the term they’ve coined, and it’s one of the very very few vibrators aimed specifically at men. It differs from nearly all other male masturbators on the market, such as your Fleshjacks and Tengas, because it takes the conventional thinking about how men get off and turns it on its head. Most male sex toys aim to replicate the natural sexual experience as closely as possible, that is they involve the penis being thrust inside something in order to stimulate it to the point of orgasm. The Pulse on the other hand requires absolutely no motion on the part of the user, and brings him to climax via the use of powerful vibrations targeted directly at the most sensitive part of the penis. For any man who’s experienced the joys of vibrator use before then it probably doesn’t seem that revolutionary, but within the realm of male sex toys it really is.
One thing I did notice though is that the “wings” are flexible mainly at the top half, and not towards the bottom, so while the top section can become almost infinitely wider the bottom of the channel always retains the same semi-circular shape. Where this could cause an issue is that most penises don’t have a completely circular cross-section and are wider from left to right than from top to bottom, so depending on the size and shape of the penis you may find that once inserted to the fullest extent the shaft may hover above the Pulse Plate without actually making direct contact. This probably won’t be an issue for most people, but if your penis is very wide in one direction, and not so much in the other, then it’s worth bearing in mind.
To turn the Pulse III on you hold down the button on the left hand side and it jumps into a constant vibration mode at its lowest intensity. It’s a very powerful deep rumbly vibration, and from here you can either adjust the strength of the intensity using the + and – buttons on the right hand side of the Pulse, or as with the Pulse II you can cycle through 5 different vibration patterns by pressing the power button. There’s also a brand new “Turbo Function” whereby you can skip directly to the most powerful vibration setting. The strength of the vibrations is truly impressive; they penetrate deep into the shaft and can be felt all the way down to the pubic bone, and they even have the effect of making the penis appear blurry at times because the whole organ itself begins to vibrate. This “total vibration” is one of the most unique features of the Pulse III, because although the vibrations are being applied directly at the frenulum, they don’t simply feel localised here, but can be felt all over. Feeling every inch of your penis vibrating is fascinating, and entirely new, not to mention intensely pleasurable. It’s miles away from conventional masturbation, and it’s this whole new world of sensation which makes it all the more interesting. What really makes it special though is the patterns; the ability to experience a good rhythm of vibrations takes the experience to another level, and you have a choice of slow or faster, as well as a couple of more elaborate patterns. Because the vibrations from the Pulse are so strong it does run the risk of overwhelming you at times – especially as the Pulse III is now 25% more powerful – so if you want a long drawn out session of pleasure, then you have to be careful that it doesn’t push you over the edge too soon. If you do manage to get it just right, and have an extended period of foreplay with the toy, then the orgasm that it rewards you with is quite explosive at the end, and definitely worth it.
Another point I do want to raise about the Pulse III is regarding the buttons. They’re smaller than on the original Pulse, and much stiffer too, which can make them awkward to push. The upside is that they’re less likely to go off in your luggage, but they can be a struggle to operate while your penis is in the device, and this goes doubly if your penis doesn’t quite fit in it properly and you’re already using one hand to secure it in the right position. I mostly raise this with the thought of people with dexterity issues, however, because for everything the Pulse does to aid those who struggle sexually the buttons could trip them up.
The Pulse III is once again a more polished device, and I love the strong vibrations and exciting patterns it offers. I definitely think that every guy should try one. My only caveat would still be to guys with a thicker (wider) penis, because if the original Pulse or Pulse II felt too snug for you then the Pulse III will only maintain that frustration.
Update: The Doxy Skittle was rebranded as the Don by Doxy in 2016, following a trademark dispute with Wrigley over the name, but it remains the same product. I took this opportunity to revisit the Don and have included some subsequent thoughts.
As well as the constant vibration mode which comes on by default, there’s also a variable escalating pulse setting – if you know how to find it. For me it’s not the most intuitive design, so you are liable to miss it if you’ve never used a Doxy product before, or you like to dive in straight away with a new toy, rather than reading instructions. It’s activated by holding down the power button for a count of three whilst the device is turned off. Once the button is released the Skittle powers on into the pulsing mode, and the speed of the pulses can then be adjusted again by using the (+) and (-) buttons.
The strength of the vibrations from the Skittle is impressive, and they have that deep penetrating quality that I require from my prostate toys. You can feel the rumbling waves going deep into the tissue and stimulating the core of the organ. One of the best ways I found to use it was with a shallow thrusting motion, pulling the Skittle deep inside me, and then letting off slightly, to create a manual massage of the prostate alongside the vibrations. This also had the added benefit of pressing the external portion of the Skittle firmly up against the perineum, which provided another pleasant sensation on top of what was happening internally. On constant mode I still found myself craving a little more power, as so often I do with anything used on my prostate, but it was on the pulsing mode that the Skittle really came into its own. There’s no adjusting the strength in pulse mode, only the speed of the pulses, so the power of the vibrations will gradually ramp up from zero to max as quickly or slowly as you desire, and for me the slowest settings proved to be mind-blowing. With the Skittle firmly pulled into my prostate I could feel the power building, edging ever higher, feeling more and more intense by the second, and it was like nothing I’d felt from any other toy. It finally reaches its glorious peak and then it drops off, pausing for a split second, before starting again from the bottom. It’s one of those moments where you sit there and think to yourself “wow…” and something that everyone needs to experience for themselves. It’s probably the closest I’ve felt I’ve come to achieving a prostate orgasm, and something tells me that with a little more practice it could be doable with the Skittle.
There are of course other ways to experiment with using the Skittle, including standing it on its flat base and squatting over it, but these are somewhat limited by the issue with the size of the nub. Having experienced the satisfaction of shallow thrusting with the Skittle, I’d really like to be able to try riding it like I would a dildo, but unfortunately you do tend to slip off the end entirely.
Like many mains powered devices it is that little bit more noisy than the majority of battery powered toys, but it’s not too wild so I wouldn’t worry about it being heard through a closed door. The sound does seem to amplify though if it makes contact with a mattress, so it’s quieter in hand.
The Don by Doxy is available now from the following retailers: SexToys.co.uk, Simply Pleasure, and SheVibe.
Note: this product has since been replaced by an updated version, the Pulse III Solo
One thing I did notice though is that the “wings” are flexible mainly at the top half, and not towards the bottom, so while the top section can become almost infinitely wider the bottom of the channel always retains the same semi-circular shape. Where this could cause an issue is that most penises don’t have a completely circular cross-section and are wider from left to right than from top to bottom, so depending on the size and shape of the penis you may find that once inserted to the fullest extent the shaft may hover above the Pulse Plate without actually making direct contact. This probably won’t be an issue for most people, but if your penis is very wide in one direction, and not so much in the other, then it’s worth bearing in mind.