So I was browsing around toy manufacturers sites one day, just checking out what was new and coming soon with different companies, and my eyes fell upon these things called The Couture Collection by California Exotics.

Vibrators, all of them, in 100% silicone.  California Exotics?  Silicone?  Quality, high end toys?  No way.

But it was true.  They’d created an entire line of silicone vibrators that were supposed to be quiet, waterproof, multi-function and strong.

It looked, to me, like direct competition for Fun Factory – and I’m a major Fun Factory fan – so, of course, I immediately wanted one.

The Couture Collection consists of 12 different vibrators, some rabbit style, some not, in four different shades; pink, purple, blue and white.  White!  I love white and you rarely see white toys.  I pretty much universally dislike rabbit style vibrators so my poor, wanting, needing brain (and pussy, I won’t deny it) focused in on the Sublime and the Organza, the two non rabbit, white choices.

I whined every time someone else got to review something from this collection.  I sulked and cried and Twittered about my need to have one and how no one loved me enough to give me one.

Well.  Folks love me, I guess, cuz I got two.  But, for now, we’re only going to talk about the one.

Sextoy.com (those folks with a dizzying variety of vibrators) offered to let me review one of the Couture Collection – probably to shut me up – and they initially sent me a link to one of the rabbit type.  I shook my head and said no, no, no, no, no, I’d much rather have one of the non rabbit, less expensive ones.  Like the Sublime!  And my wish was granted.

Lovely genies, those folks at sextoy.com are!

Anyhow…  It wasn’t long before the UPS man was ducking and cringing as I skidded out the door like an excited elephant to meet him and I was dancing around my house, crowing and hooting over my new Sublime.

The Sublime came in a large (very large) white cardboard package with a flip open “cover” that revealed the toy thru a window inside. (Yes, very Fun Factory-esque)  The outside of the box  featured a picture of the toy as well as a stream of water and some identifying text.  The inside of the front cover displayed another view of the toy, the stream of water, and the toy’s functions.  The toy itself was nestled inside.

All very elegant and refined as opposed to typical California Exotic packaging.  Nary a naked porn star in sight!

The toy itself is a soft, slightly squishy yet firm matte silicone.  It measures in at 7 insertable inches with a 1.5 inch diameter.  It’s waterproof, has a dedicated on/off button and seven vibrational functions.  It runs on two AA batteries.  The press button controls are luminous; they light up with a really nice blue backlight.

The tip of the toy has a slight crook to stimulate the g-spot and the shaft is also slightly curved.

The vibration patterns start out with a steady, low vibration and increase to medium, then high, with each push of the function button.  The fourth press gives you a medium escalating pattern, the fifth a low pulsation, the sixth a faster, higher pulsation.  The seventh press gives you the same pulsation as the sixth but it ends in a second or two of long, steady vibration.  Pressing the button again takes you back to the beginning.  The Sublime can be turned off at any time with it’s separate on/off button.

Now on to the good stuff.  The Sublime has an incredible velvety texture and is ridged with really nice bumpy bulges.  Because of the color, it totally reminds me of the Michelin Man; all bumpy and happy and fun.  It’s got that dense, firm quality silicone has, yet it’s not hard or rigid.  In fact, it’s slightly bendable and very easy to maneuver around to hit all the good bits.

Insertion with this toy is wonderful.  Thrusting is amazing.  It’s girthy yet not huge, filling but not uncomfortable and the bumps and bulges really stimulate the inner labia and vaginal entrance.

Vibrations are medium.  They’re deep and, while they travel the length of the silicone well, they’re not very poinpoint or earth shaking.  They do seem to focus in the tip which makes it really nice for clitoral stimulation but if you have a “clit of steel” (*waves to the CoS club*) and like a hitachi best, it’s probably not going to be enough for you.  It’s also not the greatest if you need a lot of pressure.

For me, it worked best to alternate between insertion and thrusting and clitoral stimulation; letting it rub along my labia and clit, back and forth and in circles before I inserted again.

The only issue I had with the toy was the damned battery compartment.  It’s difficult to remove the sliding cover – which is something I’d not have complained about since it’s waterproof and if it’s hard for me to remove it’s also going to be hard for water to get in.  However -and this irked the shit out of me – it also does not like my rechargeable batteries.  I have multiple sets, multiple brands and only one brand would fit in there.  In fact, I ruined a battery trying to get it out after I pushed it in because the fit was too tight and it wouldn’t slide out even if I banged it on stuff.  Nearly all my rechargeables are too thick for this toy.

Aggravating in the extreme.  This is not an inexpensive toy and, while I can live with it not being rechargeable, it really bothers me that I can’t use batteries that are at least rechargeable in it.  Because not only do they not fit well but the ones that do give it very little power; probably a third the power it gets from non-rechargeable batteries.

Meh.

All in all, the Sublime is a nice toy.  It feels good and it’s moderately strong.  It’s quality silicone and waterproof.  But I’m going to admit right now that, not only does the battery situation irk me enough to make me use it less often than I thought I would, but I prefer the rabbit type Couture piece I got.

Craziness, right?

Bottom line is I recommend the Sublime if you like gentler toys, if the ridges do it for you and you don’t mind using non-rechargeable batteries – but I recommend the Melody a thousand times more.