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Sex Toys was kind enough to send along the Red Rose Crop for me to review. I’ve been anxious about this review because this is my first bondage / impact toy ever, and so I’m really new to the game. I wasn’t sure what to look for in terms of quality, sensation, etc. However, after doing a little bit of research, talking to other people, and playing with the crop a good deal, I have reached some conclusions.

First of all, I’ve been wanting this toy since I first saw it because it’s gorgeous, and I’ll readily admit that I have been hesitant to get crops or floggers or anything because a lot of them look quite mean and serious. I try not to be mean, and I’m rarely serious. This one is pretty and playful. The rose is lovely, and there are little green leaves, and the stem is braided green leather with a red leather braided handle and a green loopy thing to keep the crop from flying out of your hand when you go to swing it super hard. Maybe not. I have no idea.

Two defects I’ve noticed in mine which are also present in the same item reviewed by my friend Scarlet Lotus, are that the rose itself is not the same red as the handle. The flower is pale and almost pink, and the handle is bright, true red. I was recently at the Sex 2.0 Conference and saw several items by Ruff Doggie, the manufacturer, and my feeling is that there are three colors: purple, red and pink, and that Sex Toys lists this as “red” when it is in fact “pink.” The other thing I noticed is that a bit of the leather on the handle is loose or hanging long or something, and while this isn’t going to cause it to unravel, it’s still sad. I hope this isn’t a “feature,” like the color is. I’ll be able to glue it, surely, but I shouldn’t have to.

Since I have nothing to compare it to, I’ll give you a beginner’s thoughts on the usage. I didn’t find this to be a really hardcore crop. By that, I mean that a reasonably average strike didn’t sting too badly. In my opinion, it makes a good beginner’s crop both because it’s non-threatening looking and the bulk of the rose makes it strike a little more dully than I imagine a smaller, more concise crop end might.

Overall, I love the thing. The color difference doesn’t bother me too much, and it’s so pretty in person. I think it’s pretty and playful enough to be a good candidate for introducing some impact play into your relationship, or it would make a romantic gift for the partner who already loves impact play.