The Liberator Hipster

There are very few products which spice up my relationship more than when I get a new Liberator shape in the mail. This isn’t to say that my relationship doesn’t have spice already, I like to think it’s like a nice homemade curry powder with just the right amount of kick, but since each shape is unique they each require a lot of research. And by research I mean sex. And by sex I mean sex in as many positions and as many ways as possible that work with the new shape complete with lots of getting off. Unlike other products I review getting a new vibrator or dildo in the mail is not as exciting for Onyx as getting a new piece of sex furniture.

The Hipster shape from Liberator is quite similar to the Ramp (click to read my review for more info on the Ramp) which I already had when I received the Hipster in the mail. They are the same length and just slightly different in height (an inch or two) but the major difference between the two of them is their incline. The Ramp has a straight slope while Hipster has two very notable curves.

While these curves may not seem like much of a difference, they really are for a variety of reasons. The curves of Hipster are more comfortable for the body to conform to, or at least for my very curvy body to conform to. I find that my back is less strained while lying on the Hipster than on the Ramp, something I didn’t notice until I had both of them to compare against each other. While the Ramp is far more comfortable than shoving multiple pillows under you to get the same effect it also is less conforming than the Hipster. However, depending on your size this may or may not hold true for you, I could see the comparison being much different for smaller people.

I also generally think that the Hipster is easier to move and hold on to since it is slightly lighter and also generally easier to get a hold of. I’m not entirely sure why this is, perhaps because it is less stiff and rigid than the Ramp is, but in any case that’s what I’ve experienced.

It’s easier for me to lay on the Hipster on my back with my ass at the height of it and my head at the bottom as well. I feel less like I’m fighting gravity to keep me from sliding back toward my head like I do with the Ramp. I assume this is because my body is sinking comfortably into the curves of the Hipster while on the Ramp I’m just on the sharp incline that doesn’t have a whole lot of traction and doesn’t stop me from sliding down.

There’s also a magical position that can be achieved with the Hipster that is not nearly so easy with the Ramp. This is something you could do with a pillow or with the Whirl, and probably other shapes like the Cube though I can’t say for sure having not had the pleasure of experiencing either of these. This position is one that is shown on the Hipster page, basically the receptive partner has the high curve under hir⁰¹ hips, hir knees resting within the dip and hir legs are together (or very slightly parted) which, due to the curves of the Hipster, still gives the penetrative partner access. The penetrative partner essentially straddles the receptive partner and is able to thrust. While this isn’t really a super magical or new position to everyone (though it is to me) it is much easier to achieve with the Hipster than otherwise.

Of course, I’ve only mentioned a couple of the positions possible with the Hipster. There are many other options under the sun, but not having carnivalesq’s fantastic drawing skills I am going to leave those up to your imagination and the images on the Liberator page.

As much as I loved the Ramp I love the Hipster even more, something I didn’t think would be possible but Liberator just had to come out with something even better. While the Ramp has it’s own perks–interlocking with the Wedge for notable instance–the Hipster’s sexy curves really do make a big difference.

Big huge thanks to Liberator for sending me a Hipster to review!

Name: Hipster

Manufacturer: Liberator

Material: Champagne Foam inside, water-resistant nylon slip-cover, and washable Microfiber exterior cover.

Size: 24 inches wide x 33 inches long x 10 inches tall

Care: Unzip the microfiber cover, wash in cold water, tumble dry, zip back on. You can also wipe down the inner nylon cover if desired/needed.

Rating: 5 Lotus’ (out of 5) – Exceptional & A Must Have

1. This is not a spelling error I am purposefully using gender-neutral pronouns. [↩]

• Review: Liberator Whirl XT
• Review: Liberator Ramp
• Review: Super Strap Love Sling
• Review: Liberator Fascinator Throe – Microfiber
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When I first saw a picture of the Liberator Whirl I didn’t think much about it, I was distracted by my love for other of the many wonderful Liberator items like the Ramp, Throe, or Esse. After receiving the Ramp some time ago I began looking for something a little more maneuverable, something that would also be easy to leave on the bed at all times without worry of who might see it, and the Whirl was it.

Like all Liberator shapes it consists of three layers. The core is made of “champagne foam” which is extremely firm, as I mentioned, it is a “high caliber, high-density, polyurethane foam” according to the Liberator FAQs. The next layer is a zip slip cover of water-resistant nylon (not waterproof, mind you) which means you don’t have to worry about lube or ejaculate messing up the inner core. The top layer is a super soft microfiber which also unzips so that it can be washed and cleaned easily without worry. Liberator also mentions the outer layer is stain-resistant to water-based lubes and lotions.

It easily doubles as a round pillow, the major difference between it and a pillow is how firm it is. It’s not terribly comfortable to use strictly as a head pillow since it’s firm and rather tall at nine inches, but it works wonderful straight up on it’s round end as a back support or for it’s more naughty intended purpose: during sex.

The Whirl gives an extra lift exactly where you need it and has a tendency to open up the area lifted so that it is more accessible than it would be otherwise. It works wonderfully for doggy-style penetration used either parallel or perpendicular to the upper body as well as to lift the hips of someone who is on their back, though it doesn’t have to just be used under the hips either, which is the default position for most sex pillows I think. It can be used under the head, under the knees for extra thrusting support for the person laying down, to prop one leg up on for side-by-side sex, or anything else you could think of.

I frequently use it for back support while sitting up against the wall or under my chest while laying on my stomach in order to comfortably work on my laptop as I am doing right now. I also love to use it as a cuddling partner or to prop my leg up on while going to bed or snuggling as the little spoon. I recently sprained my ankle pretty badly and it was the perfect height to prop my leg up on in bed while recovering. It has easily become my preferred piece of sex furniture–or, simply, bedroom furniture–over the Ramp.

Due to it’s smaller size it is much easier to use than the Ramp, especially on a whim. It would be one thing if we had the space for the Ramp to be set up at all times, but even kept near the bed it is often too cumbersome to get out during spur of the moment activities. I much prefer the Whirl at these times because it can easily be maneuvered into the right position.

The big downside, however, is it compresses much more under my considerable weight than the Ramp does, probably because it’s smaller in size and lacks adequate support. This wouldn’t be the case for everyone, I believe, and lighter individuals would have an easier time using it without it squishing under them allowing use of the round shape of it to move around on or be moved around by a partner.

Is it really that much better than using a pillow to do the same thing? I think it definitely is. Even though it squishes a little it doesn’t squish nearly as much as a regular pillow would, the champagne foam is hard enough to give adequate resistance while soft enough to still be extremely comfortable.

While it doesn’t look like much I think the Whirl is more than meets the eye since it has so many wonderful functions and varieties of use, from everyday to sexual. I can’t imagine my bed without one in it anymore and I don’t want to try, it has definitely become a necessary item in my life.

Thank you to Liberator for sending me a Whirl XT to review!

Name: Whirl XT

Manufacturer: Liberator

Material: Champagne Foam inside, water-resistant nylon slip-cover, and washable Microfiber exterior cover.

Size: 9 inches in diameter, 24 inches wide. There is also a 10 x 36 inch model.

Care: Unzip the microfiber cover, wash in cold water, tumble dry, zip back on. You can also wipe down the nylon cover if desired.

Rating: 5 Lotus’ (out of 5) – Exceptional & A Must Have

• Review: Liberator Hipster
• Review: Liberator Ramp
• Review: Super Strap Love Sling
• Review: Liberator Fascinator Throe – Microfiber
• BDSM Toy Review: Kinklab Adjustable Spreader Bar
• Vibrator Review: Waterproof Wabbit Vibe
• Vibrator Review: Tuyo
• Vibrator Review: The Odyssey Tickler
• Vibrator Review: Tantus Deuce 2
• Vibrator Review: Silver Bullet

If you’ve ever had to sleep in the wet spot you already know the usefulness of having something like the Fascinator Throe.

The Throe is designed to be put down to catch any juices, lube, cream, food, wax, or anything else that you wouldn’t want getting on your sheets and creating a mess. It fits easily over a good portion of any bed (or the entirety of our futon) and can easily be pushed aside to get rid of the wet spot effectively turning a potentially uncomfortable afterglow into a very pleasant one.

Liberator has two different types of fabric the Throe can come in, microfiber or shag, and since I wanted the leopard print Throe as I adore leopard print I got the microfiber one. The other side of the throe is black satin, and between the two layers there is a third layer of nylon which serves as a moisture barrier between the two softer and luxurious fabrics.

While the fabric of the throe doesn’t soak up whatever liquids get on it the nylon barrier does not let any of the fluids get through to the bed, couch, floor, or other surface below. It really does work and keep the surface below it dry regardless of what gets on it, it’s lasted through quite a few vigorous fuck sessions with one to three participants.

The only downfall of the Throe is that it has a tendency to move around and can move out of the wet spot danger zone easily during a great fucking session if you’re not paying attention to it. While it’s more tempting to lay on the soft microfiber side of the Throe because it’s so soft and smooth it is much better to have the satin side up and microfiber down.

With the microfiber down it is much less likely to move around that way, especially if you have satin sheets like we do, though it does still move around a little. We often have to move it around mid-coitus to make sure it will catch the right stuff, but the momentary shifting of the Throe doesn’t really take anything away from the experience, especially to people who have four cats and are used to being interrupted.

The microfiber is the same material that is on Liberator’s shapes including the Ramp and so putting it microfiber to microfiber down underneath the Ramp offers a little more protection and means the Ramp won’t slide around either (though it rarely does).

The biggest issue for us has been simply remembering to put it down beforehand and/or during, so the Throe has become a permanent part of our bed, but even so there has been many a time when the Throe just didn’t get in the right spot.

Thank you so very very much to Liberator for allowing me to review the Fascinator Throe!

Name: Fascinator Throe – Leopard

Manufacturer: Liberator

Material: Microfiber (leopard), satin (black), and a nylon “moisture barrier” in between.

Size: 5 feet x 6 feet

Rating: 4 Lotus’ (out of 5) – Very Good & Highly Recommended

• Review: Liberator Ramp
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• Vibrator Review: The Odyssey Tickler
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I have been lusting after Liberator products since the first moment I saw them. Sturdy foam shapes that enhance penetration and make sexual positions easier? Um, yes please! The Liberator Ramp has always been at the top of my list (well, after the Esse, but realistically I don’t expect to have the Esse for quite some time, she’s pricey).

When I opened my door to reveal the large box that the Ramp comes in I squealed with delight, quite literally, honestly, Onyx made fun of me for it (and tweeted about it). I wasn’t expecting anything from Liberator that day, in fact I hadn’t even been told that anything had actually been shipped to me from them, so it was a complete surprise! I didn’t even know what was in it, but I was really hoping it was a Ramp.

I ripped it open and could tell what it was from the shape even though there were still two layers between me and my new Ramp. I tore open the adorable white plastic bag with red writing all over it which proclaims “Liberator- Love all ways!” and fondled the black zippered case (which does have a handle for ease of transportation) only momentarily before unzipping it to reveal the lush texture of the Ramp to my fingertips. I believe I squealed again, though I can’t be sure because everything after that is a bliss-filled blur.

As you can see above, the Ramp is essentially a large wedge or, a portable incline plane, though also a large Wedge but that’s not what I meant. Also like the picture above, the Ramp I received and love beyond the telling of it is red and absolutely gorgeous.

The ramp itself is 24 inches wide by 34 inches long and 12 inches tall. Liberator actually has different sizes that you can get as well, which is fabulous since these things are rarely a “one size fits all.” The size that fits best has to do with your height as well as your width.

They have a plus-sized ramp which is 30 inches wide instead of 24, although the 24 inch one fits me fine, and I’m well into plus-sized land, about a size 24 (not to be confused with 24 inches). Basically if you are wider than 24 inches from side to side (not all around or including your sides) you will want to get the wider one, or if you prefer a wider base, but most people probably won’t need it.

The height is slightly more confusing and doesn’t just have to do with the the height of the ramp but also the length of the ramp. I won’t go into all of the details as they have a good explanation of it near the bottom of the Liberator Ramp page under the ‘sizing tips’ tab.

The Liberator Ramp is especially perfect for doggy-style sex (as you can see in the image above), and that’s the position that Onyx and I have used it the most in. We find the 12 inch lift is the perfect height for kneeling-on-the-bed doggy-style while the other person stands, which is our favorite doggy-style variation. What position the Ramp perfectly enhances will definitely depend on the height of the people involved.

It supports the penetratee making the position easier to hold for longer and reduces stress on wrists or elbows. There is no need to focus on keeping your ass in the air while succumbing to the pleasure of the position, instead you can relax and focus on the sensations being produced which can enhance orgasm. The incline also increases the likelihood of hitting the g-spot, as the pelvis is tilted up, this is why the byline of the Ramp is “g-spot ramplified”

Of course, doggy-style isn’t the only position which the Ramp enhances. Liberator has kindly made a page dedicated to the different positions possible with the Ramp: missionary, cowgirl, reverse cowgirl, oral, etc. Basically, all the usual position suspects are enhanced by such a simple and wildly functional shape. This is why the portable inclined plane is one of the six classical simple machines (okay, maybe not, but it sounded good!).

My biggest endorsement of the Liberator Ramp has to come from the fact that it helped to rejuvenate our sex life. Specifically, because of it we had daytime sex for the first time in quite some time! Most everyone experiences lulls in their sex life, especially with a long-term partner, and mainly because of all the stress in our life at the time we had gotten into a bit of a sexual rut. However, with the Ramp showing up one day and then the LELO Bo [review coming soon] showing up the next our frequency shot quickly upward! Great couples toys have a tendency to do that.

Liberator also sells the Wedge/Ramp Combo (in the image above) which comes with a free love artist kit and is cheaper than buying the two separately. From what I’ve seen of the Wedge it looks like the perfect addition to the Ramp and is definitely next on my list of Liberator products. It’s basically the same as the Ramp, only smaller, so it can fit together with the Ramp as shown above.

Also, through the first week of April (ending 4/03/09) Liberator is offering 15% off site wide on top of all other promotions making it the perfect time to get your first or next Liberator product. With 15% off you can getupwards of a 45% off discount in some cases! At check out, simply enter the promo code: SPRING

Thank you so very very much to Liberator for allowing me to review the Ramp! I love it, Onyx loves it, even our kitties love it!

Name: Ramp

Manufacturer: Liberator

Material: Champagne Foam inside, nylon exterior, and washable Microfiber slip-cover

Size: 24 inches wide by 34 inches long and 12 inches tall

Rating: 5 Lotus’ (out of 5) – Exceptional & A Must Have

• Review: Liberator Fascinator Throe – Microfiber
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I’ve had the Super Strap Love Sling for quite some time, which has enabled me to play around with it quite a bit. It’s really simple, basically two nylon circles on the end of an adjustable nylon strap which also has a fur rectangle in the center of it. It’s made for a modified missionary position, mostly, to assist the legs in staying up in the air while being fucked.

The first time we tried the strap out it didn’t seem to work well, it was slightly uncomfortable and I just didn’t really like it, but I wasn’t going to give up on it after just one use. The second time was better, probably because I played around a lot with the length of the straps before Onyx and I were actually penetrating so that my legs were at the right length and I was actually getting support from it instead of just having it strain my neck and not do much.

The second and subsequent times were all wonderful. It was easy to use and super comfortable now that I had found the right length. I found it was best to have my legs straight up in the air, rather than bent, though I could bend them if I choose. The strap should be slightly too short so that your legs don’t have to lock into position in order to maintain the tension, but not so short that it’s uncomfortable.

I discovered the strap also enabled me to lift my head up to meet Onyx’s kisses, which is often difficult in a missionary position as he can only bend down so far and I can only lift up so far (we also both have back problems) and that was a wonderful added bonus!

It definitely gives the sensation of being restrained without actually having to do much work. Nothing unhooks or unbuckles, it just slips behind the head and slips onto the bottoms of the feet, then lift the feet up in the air and voila! It’s definitely not quite the same sensation as a heavy pair of cuffs or rope, but there is an immobilization factor.

I really like grabbing the straps with my hands or wrapping the strap around my wrists while my feet are up in the air as well, which tugs slightly on the straps, enables me to shift my position, and gives the impression that I cannot get out.

In addition to simply aiding the ability to keep legs up in the air the Super Strap Love Sling also assists in g-spot positioning. It can assist in tilting the pelvis up at just the right angle, so the penetrating object (be it flesh or silicone) can get at that sweet spot even easier.

And this is not just for use on females. Personally I prefer taking Onyx’s ass when he is in a doggy style or similar position, since it’s just easier to get at his ass that way, but the strap helps in gaining a comparable level of access when he is on his back, which I definitely like (and he does too).

The Super Strap Love Sling also can be used as a doggy-style strap by tightening each side of the strap (on either side of the fur-lined neck brace rectangle) completely. This makes the strap very short, the length of the rectangle and the feet handles, which can be easily slipped under the receptive partner and used to lift their ass for some penetration from behind. The loops on the end make for excellent handles and also aids in getting the right angle for g-spot or p-spot stimulation.

There are probably other ways this strap could work as well. If you’re small you may be able to slip the handles on the end up and around your knees rather than your feet, so you could have a sort of sling position instead of the legs up in the air. It can, of course, be used in conjunction with other types of bondage to enhance the sensations.

I love that there are multiple possibilities for this affordable and easy-to-use strap, and I know it’s something I have and will use over and over again. Thank you very much to Pink Cherry for letting me review the Super Strap Love Sling!

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