Toy Review: The Magic Banana
As a sex and kink awareness educator, one of the best perks of my job is that sex toy and sexual device manufacturing companies ask me to review their products. I was recently asked to check out the Magic Banana, which is being billed as both a kegel exerciser and a sex toy. Since much of my work with clients involves people coping with the effects of ageing, illness and/or disability(ies), I am always excited when I find a product that is meant for multi-tasking. Finances can be tough for anyone to manage so a device that can do double or triple duty is a great find. I am pleased to say that the Magic Banana did not fail on the promises it made. In fact, I think it performed far above my expectations.
Bike lock vs. the Magic Banana
I have to mention that there was a whole slew of jokes flying around our house before the Magic Banana ever made it here. Yup, I was going to be slipping on banana peels à la “Fusilli Jerry” and we were to be on guard for banana cream pies. The hilarity continued when the product arrived and I opened it. “Ummm, it looks like a bright yellow bicycle lock,” everyone mused. On that point, I have to wholeheartedly agree.
The Magic Banana arrives with an appealing guide mentioning a variety of suggestions for its use including: helping to decrease menstrual cramps, enhance muscle control, ameliorate sleep and improve orgasm quality. The guide is also visually interesting because it uses pictures of women of differing ages and ethnicities. This means a lot to me because I embrace diversity.
Eco-Friendly & Discreet
The Magic Banana is powered by you, making it an ecologically-friendly choice. It does not require batteries or electricity. The warranty is probably one of the longest on the market at 10 years, meaning that it won’t end up in landfill as do many cheaper toys.
For people who seek a non-phallic and/or discreet-looking toy, the Magic Banana delivers. It has the air of a bicycle lock or a sophisticated gourmet kitchen whisk. Since there are no vibrating parts, it’s not going to embarrass at the airport by accidentally turning on in your luggage or scan an embarrassing silhouette. Frankly, if it was left out, I doubt any visitors would guess its purpose. I generally also rate toys on the amount of noise they make. This device is absolutely silent…although you may not be while using it.
What Is It Made Out Of?
I tried to contact Janeson Rayne, the creator of the Magic Banana, to get more information on the materials with which it is manufactured. The webpage is a bit vague, only saying it is made of “100% body-safe, medical-grade components and materials.” I was not able to speak with her directly, which may be my fault because I didn’t give her a lot of time to reply before this had to go to press. Still, I hope she will reply to me here and I can update this post. I believe that all toy manufacturers have a responsibility to tell the public what their product is made out of because many customers are known to have environmental or chemical sensitivities. Also, because I did not get a reply from her, I cannot endorse this product for anal use as is suggested in the guide because I don’t know whether the exterior tubing can be boiled to disinfect it. Similarly, I don’t know whether it is made of a porous material that could retain bacteria. If you are absolutely determined to try it anally, I would suggest applying a condom on it until you know whether it can be disinfected properly and not with just soap and water, as recommended in the product guide. It’s also essential, in my mind, that the creator invents a flared base attachment if it is to be placed in the anus. (Unlike the vagina, toys that don’t have a flared base or ring to grip them can get “lost” in the anus. No one wants their sex toy session to end in a trip to emerg). Similarly, if you haven’t ever explored your anus with a toy, this might not be the easiest one to insert because it is so flexible.
As a kegel exerciser
Whenever I review a new product, I like to try it a few times because there are a number of different factors that can impact your experience including: fatigue, where one might be in their cycle (if you are a person with a vagina), your mood, etc. Since this product was billed as being multi-functional, I decided to try it first as a kegel exerciser. The creator of the product suggests a water-based lubricant be applied prior to insertion. Only the loop gets inserted. The black handle at the base has an ergonomically-designed spot to rest your thumb. The ends of the “loop” should be squeezed together before inserting. For people living with the effects of arthritis or other medical conditions who have difficulty with pinching motions, good news, as the tubing on this product is quite easily manipulated. The video and guide recommend the product be kept in the “smiling” orientation (see picture), as you may not be able to access some of its benefits if the device is not turned the
right way.
The “smiling” orientation
For my first exploration, I used a reclining position, with some pillows behind my back for further support. I watched the link below and pretty much followed their suggested use for the product:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfjTsY-axfI#t=13
If you are not familiar with kegel exercises or you feel that your pubococcygeus muscles (PC muscles) are not very toned, you might want to start slowly with the amount of times you use the device in a day and build up your repetitions. For the kegel “athletes” out there, you may be able to do more reps right from the beginning. I regularly perform my kegel exercises and I have used a number of devices that purport to be kegel exercisers. Some of them double as sex toys, but in my mind, none of them perform quite as well as the Magic Banana. Personally, after doing several reps, the “Magic” part of the product revealed itself to me. I noticed that I was starting to feel aroused by the sensation of fullness against my vaginal walls. This was similar to the sensation one gets when using a metal toy (such as those found in the nJoy line) or a glass dildo but without the feeling of weightiness. This makes this item very practical for people who fatigue easily or are not able to hold/move a heavier toy. Having felt that I had exercised enough, I decided to go on to the reward part….
As a device to allow self-exploration
A piece of homework I frequently recommend to clients is self-exploration and masturbation. We age. Some of us bear children. We get in accidents. Women’s bodies change cyclically during ovulation, menstruation, pregnancy and throughout peri- to post-menopause. (Men’s bodies change cyclically as well). Some of my clients claim that because they are in committed relationships, they feel that they should not masturbate or touch themselves outside of the intimacy they experience with their partner. If you want to be a more connected lover, never stop exploring your own sexual self. How can you convey to another individual what you want sexually if you don’t experiment with your own needs? The beauty of the Magic Banana is that this device allows you to explore all the nooks and crannies of your vagina or anus. The video states that it might feel particularly enjoyable in the outer third section of the vaginal canal. Personally, I was quite attracted by the sensations I felt near my cervix (toward the back of the vaginal canal) and around my g-spot. Everyone senses things differently. The Magic Banana allows you to explore which sensations feel right for you.
During my course of exploration, I tried varying the speed and depth at which I inserted the Magic Banana. I also tried it in a number of different positions. I found that a semi-reclining position, with pillows behind me was easiest, although a doggie style position allowed for more clitoral stimulation as the tubing was drawn in and out. The tubing is flexible. If you have trouble with mobility or grasping, you may want to insert it first in a semi-seated or reclining position before going on to other positions.Since this device has no wiring, it would also make for great fun in the bath or shower. Immersing it in warm or cool water would also provide some sensory variety.
As a sex toy
This is where we get to the fun part. In the course of exercising and becoming more knowledgeable regarding the state of my body on that day, I had definitely become extraordinarily aware that I was feeling absolutely aroused. My clitoris felt erect because the tubing has been rubbing against it as I inserted it. I arrived at my first small orgasm pretty quickly. (For any of you who have read my other articles about female anatomy, the clitoris is not just a wee nub of flesh. It has crura (legs or “claws”) that are buried beneath the skin on either side of the labia.)) I began to feel that as the Magic Banana was drawn in and out of me that my g-spot was being lassoed on each pass. This is not what I had expected. Previously for g-spot stimulation, I have sought out a rigid toy, having discovered that the flexible ones generally didn’t do much for me. This circumstance was very different. My g-spot felt as engorged as it does when much more time had been spent coaxing it. For people who do not have great endurance during self-stimulation, this would definitely be a benefit. The g-spot orgasm I experienced with the Magic Banana was pretty earth-shattering. It had a nice slow build but it definitely went out with a bang. I will say this next part with a proviso. Not everyone squirts. Female ejaculation is something that in recent years, porn flicks have promoted as something that every woman can do if she only tries hard enough. Frankly, this is bull but I’ll discuss that some other day. What I will tell you is that when I was using this product, I was able to achieve female ejaculation and it was spectacular. (Another proviso, once you have experienced female ejaculation, it doesn’t mean that you can do it every time you want to. It’s one of those fickle body things that I haven’t found a way to control and I’ve been working at it since long before porn popularized it. ) I suspect this was the kind of toe-curling, full-body experience they mention in the guide. I was ready to declare this product a winner after achieving both clitoral and g-spot orgasms but to be a really good reviewer you have to be ultra-thorough, right? So, my next step was researching…..
Potential for Fusion (or Blended Orgasms)
After a couple of minutes of deep breathing and centering myself, I was ready to go back in and try it in combination with some other toys in my tickle trunk. As I mentioned previously, the Magic Banana doesn’t have any vibrating parts to it. It is self-propelled. As a woman in peri-menopause, it is not always possible for me to arrive at orgasm without the help of something that buzzes, so I had prepared a number of gadgets, in varying strengths (more specifically a simple bullet vibe, a Wahl coil and a Hitachi Magic Wand), just in case I couldn’t arrive at orgasm without a little help. I inserted the Magic Banana again, did a few squeezes and felt my g-spot warming again. As the tubing was drawn in and out, it glanced the sides of my clitoris each time. This sensation was quite lovely. I added a dollop of water-based lube to a small bullet vibrator which I stroked along my labia, clitoris and vaginal opening. With my other hand, I gently pulled on the Magic Banana’s ergonomically-designed thumb rest. The Magic Banana provides a fantastic sensation of fullness. I did not have to complete many strokes before I unexpectedly arrived at orgasm again. I rested for another couple of minutes and decided to pair it with the strength of the Wahl coil, an electric vibrator. This time I aimed for a faster penetrative motion using the Magic Banana. I didn’t make it up to “warp speed” (the second speed on the Wahl) before I had another cataclysmic orgasm. I had planned on trying the Hitachi Magic Wand but I was just about done energy-wise. The Magic Banana allowed me multiple orgasms in one session and I can see how it allows for truly sublime fusion (or blended) orgasm in several body areas.
While I have not tried these combinations yet, I think this would pair nicely with a flared-base butt plug, nipple clamps (vibrating or not) and/or your favourite clitoral stimulation toy.
Partnered Use
Me: “Honey! Oh, Honey! I need your help with a work thing. The guide the Magic Banana came with says <<it can be a great tool to enhance partner sex – especially when used with oral stimulation>>”. This was a fun product to try together. We faced one another while the product was being inserted, with my partner kneeling as I reclined with legs apart (and pillows behind me). There was a little bit of trouble with the initial insertion until my partner realized that the tips of the loop needed to be pinched together. Once the product was inside of me, my partner began oral stimulation. We added in gentle tugging of the Magic Banana in short, fast bursts while I undulated my hips. As I became more aroused, we used slower, deeper penetration with the device, to allow more g-spot stimulation. We found that placing a pillow underneath my buttocks allowed my partner’s hand more range of motion and easier access for oral sex. If it takes you longer to warm up to oral stimulation, rolling a towel up and placing it under your partner’s chin may help them to not cramp up. Occasionally changing positions prevents fatigue for both too.
Many women cannot arrive at orgasm via penetration alone. That is a pretty normal thing to have happen. You could also add in a vibrating sex toy applied clitorally if you felt you needed more power. My partner enjoyed using the toy on me too. Some people have commented that their partners feel intimidated by monstrous phallic-looking toys. The shape of the magic Banana should not cause any undue anxiety.
Overall, I would definitely give the Magic Banana a very high rating for personal satisfaction. For me, it delivered on every promise it made. I will have no problems recommending this device to clients to use as a multi-purpose, economical and eco-friendly toy. Nice work, Janeson Rayne. Ten bananas out of ten!
Bike lock vs. the Magic Banana
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