Lovense. The name itself is a promise at this point.
Introduced in 2013, their internet-enabled toys with high-quality Bluetooth and strong interactive features are if not a household name, certainly a popular one.
Adult entertainment got a huge jolt after the development of the Kickstarter-fueled Lovense Lush in 2016, and the company has seriously taken off from there.
Lovense’s newest toy is in their line of anal toys for all genders, the Ridge anal beads, and it’s a serious effort, as all of their toys tend to be.
Is it worth your money if you’re anal-curious? Of course, it is, it’s a Lovense toy.
But what’s it about? That’s the real question.
Rotating the Beads
The bead design for the Ridge is one of the most intriguing bead designs in recent memory.
Unlike most anal beads, which are a string of individual beads normally linked by a silicone “string.”
The Lovense Ridge is in many ways an expanded version of Lovense’s popular “Edge” prostate massager butt plug and has many of the same features.
It rotates and vibrates, with its deeper penetration versus Edge and lack of perineum vibration resulting in a quieter, more discreet experience that finally lives up to that which women have been getting for years with the Lovense Lush toy.
Something you will notice at first when you pick this toy up: It occupies a LOT of real estate.
It is not recommended for a beginner with anal toys because it’s very long – the insertable part is 147mm long (5.8 inches) with an overall length of 6.8 inches, and a maximum diameter of 1.34 inches.
It’s a challenging toy to get all the way in, but rewarding if you can.
If you’re not used to playing with longer anal toys, the first two beads are a rewarding experience in and of themselves, but don’t expect to be able to do discreet public play sessions this way.
It just doesn’t work like that.
Ridge comes with the usual Lovense equipment: A magnetic charging cable that plugs into any USB wall charger, a storage bag, the toy, and a user manual covering the basic functions of the toy.
Like most Lovense toys (and we’ll get to this in a moment), the Ridge is mostly functional with the world-famous Lovense app, connected by a Bluetooth connection.
The toy does include one external status light, an indicator that can tell you of the battery status. This light, according to Lovense, cannot be turned off.
If you’re squeamish about that (it should be blocked out by standard pants material, and probably by your legs as well) it might not be the best idea to wear the thing out.
Public Play
One of the most popular features of Lovense toys is the ability to do something naughty while you’re out for groceries or another errand, and it’s been a consistent disappointment for their anal toys that they’re not as good about this part of things as the vaginally-inserted Lovense Lush, inhibiting the ability to use them in public as they’ve been designed for – the buzzing, particularly of the Edge prostate/perineum toy, which has problems because of its externally-worn arm, can be heard even through reasonably thick clothes.
For this reason, it’s a joy to say that at least in my experience, the Lovense Ridge is a spectacular performer, with whisper-quiet functionality on most vibration levels.
It might not be perfectly hidden at maximum level, but as long as you or your long-distance lover knows that there are some volume limits to the vibrator and keep yourselves within those limits, you can finally use a Lovense anal toy in the ways that God or the company intended, and buzz away in the grocery store.
Just make sure you keep your cries of pleasure under control, ok? You’re not going to get us all a bad name for disorderly conduct, please.
The Lovense App
The main feature of every Lovense sex toy is the app that they connect to. This is Lovense’s signature feature and works well regardless of the toy it’s connected to.
The app has a familiar, well-understood interface that involves sliders to control intensity, and the connectivity features help you both get other people into your play session, and perhaps more importantly, let you control the toy without having to fumble at slick buttons located between your legs in an even more inconvenient place than usual to change the pattern that you’re getting vibrated at.
Since you’re going to be using this thing with maximum lubrication, you really should keep a hand towel nearby your play station, because otherwise you’ll be fumbling with your phone with wet and sticky fingers, and it might slip out of your hands and fall.
You’re just best off overall assuming that this is a two-towel toy: One for under you and one to dry your hands so you can actually play with the thing the way it’s supposed to be used, with the app.
Love Shouldn’t Hurt
Before you start inserting this toy, you need to understand: You’re going to use a LOT of lube on it. There’s just no other way around it.
It should be good and wet from tip to base before you even think about putting this thing in your butt, because it’s big and it’s long and if it’s dry, it WILL start to hurt before you get it all the way in.
Lovense doesn’t mess around with these things. You’re going to be pooping lubricant after you use this. Just get used to that fact and move on.
With that understanding, the flexible and posable base should make this toy easy enough to insert with a little practice.
And once it’s in, the flexible shaft and the versatile top will take center stage, as they absolutely should.
Because the motions are more exciting and more varied than your standard prostate massager toy, and demonstrate the real possibilities of a vibrating, powered set of anal beads.
Like many Lovense anal toys, there are multiple stimulator modes, setting it apart from both standard anal beads and any other anal massager, which this toy more closely resembles in both formfactor and function.
And this is due to its two main pleasure motors.
App Modes
In addition to app control and basic long-range play modes, the Lovense app adds two new modes to the party.
Its interactive play modes include two new specialized modes: Spotify/music mode, which is a pretty amazing experience itself (if you want to ride yourself stupid to the new Taylor Swift album, it’s an incredible experience).
Music is always pleasurable to begin with but with the addition of your new Lovense toy to the party, you’re getting a new dimension from your favorite albums.
Additionally, it has game mode, which can synchronize with adult games like the Projekt Melody series and Breeders of the Nephelym – the second of which is available free.
One of the most interesting adult games to interface with Lovense’s new Gaming app mode is Captain Hardcore, which is an intriguing option for fans of the idea of seeking out strange new worlds and breeding or being bred by them – if you’re using the Ridge with it, we’ll assume you’re more into the “being bred” options.
Interactive toys like the Lovense Ridge bring new pleasure to the genre of adult gaming entertainment, and we look forward to seeing what’s going on with this technology as it develops in the future.
The Vibrator and the Spindle
The first pleasure motor in this toy is a fairly standard vibrator.
Controlled by the Bluetooth receiver in the exterior knob of the toy, the vibrator can go through all the standard modes that you would expect from a Lovense app-powered toy.
The spindle is what we’re calling the rotating motor in the headmost bead of this set of oversized anal beads, and it lets you use an oscillating mode.
Frequently asked questions
What material is the toy made of?
Like all Lovense toys, the Ridge is made of phthalate-free silicone, and is fully body-safe.
Lovense’s silicone body construction is highly thought-of, and you should not have any problems with it.
How heavy is it?
This is one of Lovense’s heavier toys at 129 grams.
You shouldn’t have any problems with it, however, because the weight when inserted should be fully supported by the interior of the rectum.
Do I Have to Buy it from Lovense?
We strongly recommend using Lovense’s official website to purchase any Lovense toys.
Amazon, eBay and AliExpress are all sites known for counterfeit toys, and the ease and anonymity of the Lovense website makes it a perfect option for making sure that you get the pleasure you need without the risk of getting a counterfeit toy.
What does the Competition look like?
The competition for a toy like this is actually not as stiff as you’d expect.
A standard set of anal beads doesn’t really give you the same experience, so if you’re looking for a similar experience, what you’re really going to be looking for is something like a prostate massager – it’s going to be one of the best options for getting a similar type of anal stimulation, especially with the increasingly-popular “wagging finger” actuator, which is pretty cool and getting more popular to the point that it’s filtered down into the sub-$50 range.
If you’re looking for an alternative in this product and price area, Lelo’s Hugo and Bruno prostate massagers are equally compelling options at similar price points, and can absolutely scratch that internal itch, as can the Tantus P-Spot, which will do a lot of the same things as the Ridge, at a much lower price point.
Of course, prostate massagers are not precisely equivalent to what the Ridge does, and in particular, Ridge’s best suit is the rotating oscillator tip, which very few P-spot massagers are currently equipped to emulate, so if that’s a want of yours, the Lovense Ridge is really the only show in town for that particular itch.
Pros
- Unique rotating and vibrating pleasure modes make this a truly amazing toy for you.
- Quieter than most Lovense anal toys making public play a real possibility.
- App interactivity is a true edge for any Lovense sex toy and is also true with this toy.
- Game mode allows you some really amazing software to have fun with.
- Body-safe silicone gives you the best and safest sexual experience you can get out of a toy like this.
Cons
- Body is much larger than a normal set of anal beads, making it more like a long anal massager than anal beads as such.
- You will need a lot of lube to really effectively use this toy, as it’s very long and really needs it.
- Not one of the cheaper options on the market.
Verdict
So, what’s the verdict? As we said in the intro, it’s a Lovense toy.
If you’re into what Lovense offers, you’re really not going to find anything better out there than what Lovense has on offer.
Their interactivity and long-distance play options are second to none in the industry and every time another option shows up that seems to close the gap, Lovense raises the bar.
As long as this famous Singaporean sex toy manufacturer refuses to rest on its laurels, they’ll always have the advantage in terms of interactivity and long-distance connectivity.
Their interactive features are just that far ahead of the competition.
As for the Ridge itself, it’s a magnificently designed piece of hardware.
Its electronics work fantastically, it addresses one of the main criticisms of Lovense’s anal toys, that being insufficient subtlety for public play, and it has an amazing play mode that’s not yet imitated by all of its competitors.
The minor downsides for this toy just do not significantly impact how amazing it is to play with and although it’s not for the inexperienced, it’s also a very easy toy to fit once you have a bit of experience with long anal toys.
