The Picobong Tano by Lelo (Picobong is a part of Lelo in case you didn’t know)
The Lelo Picobong Tano
The Picobong Tano is a vibrating butt plug. I was excited about this one because from the pictures I could see that it solved the main problem with vibrating butt plugs. Most vibrating plugs use a bullet vibe in the base to provide the vibrations. The problem is that this means their needs to be enough hollow space in the neck of the toy to fit the aforementioned vibrator, the result is a neck too thick to allow for a proper tapper needed for good retention. The Tano solves this problem by putting the vibrator in the head of the toy allowing the neck to taper unobstructed by the internal vibrator, however in doing so it creates a completely new set of problems.
Materials: Clean and safety concerns.
This toy is made out of silicone and plastic. Both materials are free of phthalates and latex, hypoallergenic, and can be cleaned with soap and water. The silicone used by Lelo is probably the firmest silicone I’ve seen; it feels more like plastic then silicone. It not just that it is silicone coating plastic either my pure silicone toys from Leo (i.e the Lelo Bob) have also been extremely firm. Note: The toy has the word Picobong engraved on it which makes for a bunch of little hard to clean areas, you need to make extra sure are clean.
Only use water based lubes with this toy as silicone based lubes might damage the silicone on the toy.
Design and Dimensions
The toy is about 4.25 inches long, with about 3.75 inches being insertable. The head of the toy (about the first 2.5 inch), is made of silicone the rest of the toys neck and base is made out plastic. There is a seam created where the silicone and plastic meat.
The seam on the picobong Tano
The base of the toy measures about 3.5 inches across at is widest. One end of the toy is wider then then the other with the wider end (little under 1.25 inches at it widest) having an oval shaped hole (about 2/3” of an inch along the short axis and 9/10 on the long axis). This base is also asymmetrical with the side with the ring hole sticking out much more than the other side from the center of the toy. The overall look is very cute like a surfer of some sort.
The Picobong Tano's Base
The toy is powered by a single aaa battery (not included) Yaa!, for normal batteries and not some weird size like so many other bullets. To insert the battery you twist off the top portion were the silicone and plastic meet, you insert the body and then simply screw the cap back on. The toy will give off a little buzz to let you know you have inserted the battery properly, which is a nice touch.
The Tano comes apart in the middle to insert the battery.
The toy has the words Picobong engraved on one, on the outside of the toy. It is here that you will find the toy’s controls. The hole in the letter “P” actually a minus sign and the hole in the letter “b” has a plus sign in it, this is how you control the toy. This is cute but a little counter intuitive I had to read the manual before I realized they were the controls. Lastly, as mentioned above it also makes the toy harder to clean.
The controls for the Picobong, are hidden in the "Picobong" lettering on the outside of the the toy. The minus button is in the "P" and the minus button is in the "b"
To operate the toy hold down the plus sign and it will turn on the toy; keep holding it down to increase the intensity. Once it on it highest setting hit the plus again again to cycle between the plugs other 11 settings different settings (the steady vibrations add up to the advertised twelve settings). The eleven setting are as follows:
- Slow pulsation
- Medium speed pulsation
- Fast pulsation
- Very fast pulsation
- Slow escalation
- Medium speed escalation
- Roller-coaster
- Faster roller-coaster
- Escalation followed by two pluses
- Fast escalation followed by four pulses
- Erratic pulses
To turn the toy off push the button to return it to steady vibration mode, then hold it down till the toy turns off. The vibrations are pretty quite about 2/5 on the noise scale.
The toy is available in three colors, black, pink, and purple. The Tano is part Lelo’s Picobong line, which in addition to their toy includes the: Kiki, Koa, Ipo, Honi, and Mahana.
The Mystery of the Dice
One final thing I should note is that it comes with a die. It is black with little pictures of each of the Picobong toys done in pink. What is it for? Some short of kinky sex game? Some short of marketing games? A relic from some sex-shop/casino hybrid? Hell if I know! And apparently Lelo doesn’t know either. The answer on the official site is: “We hoped you could tell us.” Between this and the Insignia line’s random brooch I’m left wondering: “If you’re going to keep throwing random shit in Lelo, what’s next? Diadems? Zocchihedrons?”
It comes with a free die....no one knows why.
Pleasure and Use
This toy was so full of potential it is sad to say it feel very short, but let go over the good things first. Frist of all the basics, the plug does stay in very well, it stayed in during movement, orgasm, intercourse, everything. This is a major plus as the downfall of most vibrating plugs as I mentioned above is that they fall out. The base is comfortable during use and sitting which is nice. You might want try it with both the large end with the loop pointing towards and away from your genitals to see which works best for you. I couldn’t feel a difference in overall comfort with the base however if the loop end is pointing to your genitals it can block access to the perineum region and maybe even the vagina if you or your partner have one that is very close to the anus. Speaking of the loop I find it didn’t really help much with removal however it was good for using it to manually wiggle around the toy for stimulation. I also like that the toy has a variety of setting I could use depending on how much simulation I want. The vibrations are on the weak side but I find them acceptable for what I want out of a vibrating plug. Lastly, that toy uses a normal battery size is also a plus.
So sounds good so far will unfortunately, there are two big flawed which absolutely ruin this toy. The first, is remember the “Design and Dimensions and Operation” section above? Remember how I said the controls are on the outside of the insertable portion. Think about that. See the problem? If you want to switch settings, you have to take the toy out, change settings, relube, put it back in. Want to change it again? Repeat the whole process. Unless you are satisfied with picking just one setting and sticking with it, this will be annoying. Although that being said, I can think of one scenario that could kind of erotize this flaw. Put it in in a public bathroom and then go back out and continue your day for a while, part of the thrill coming from the fact you can’ turn it off till you get back to a place you can take it out (or the battery dies). I haven’t gotten the courage to actual attempt this but it’s an idea, if I ever get the guts I’ll included it in the follow up review. However, that not what really hurts this toy, what really causes it to fail is….
THE SEAM OF DOOM!!!
Now normally I don’t feel seams or don’t feel them enough for them to really bother me; so that I feel this seam deserves a not just its own heading but one that that is bolded, underlined and has both excessive capitalization and excessive exclamation should tell you something. This toy has by far the worse seam I’ve ever experienced and it not the normal seam that you find on most toys either. The seam I’m talking about is the seam that is runs horizontal across the toy where the plastic and silicone meet. Observe:
I hate you.
This seam is very, very noticeable both on insertion and removable but that just the beginning. The toys two main problems have a lovely, evil synergy with each other. Remember how you have to remove the toy just to change settings each time? Remember how I just said that you would feel it going in and out each time? Yah. Now remember how I said that it had twelve different setting? Imagine how I felt after I had to test each one of them, removing a reinserting he toy each time? (insert Sideshow Bob rake noise) Because it bears repeating…
...I hate you.
However, it gets even worse, now almost any plug no matter how well it stays in is going to wiggle a little if you move a lot. Now for most plugs this is not a problem, on this one I could actually feel that accursed seam if the plug slid down. Never before have a felt a seam while the toy is inside me. O bloody hell…
...I really hate you!
However, there is one tiny slimier of hope. As I was testing vibration partner #5 or so I was despite for a way to make the process easier and tried putting a condom on the toy, this does help smooth out the seam a bit making the it much more comfortable to insert and remove. This trick pretty much saved the toy from the trash bin, but it still annoying to have to use a condom, (or something similar) each time and it negates part of the reason for getting a (partially) silicone toy in the first place.
... I hate you slightly less now.
Packaging
The Tano comes in cardboard and plastic box (approximately: 6 ½ x 3 5/8 x 1 ½) the packaging is simple and classy, the front has a view of the toy with some icons listing the toys function the back has a blurb about the toy in four different languages. Inside will be the Tano and a Picobong dice attached to a plastic holder. I had a small problem with the dice there was too much glue holder it to the card board holder, so much it took some of the cardboard with it took some soap and water to get the cardboard and glue off. The packaging is a bit excessive as I said above the dice seems throw in for no apparent reason.
The Tano's packaging
Closing Thoughts
I’m giving this a two starts mainly because of the seam. I will admit the toy will probably see more play time then it truly deserve but that only due to the lack of good vibrating plug options and even then I have to wrap it in something to smooth out the seam. I hope that someone can fix these problems and because the idea had promise.
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I can be assured members of my gender will be seen reaching climax in most any porn.
). Anymore you can add to the list, what your list would look like?
