There are times when we all love to hear the moans and groans of sexual pleasure emanating from our partner’s mouth. It’s not only satisfying but it also lets us know whether we’re doing a good job. At other times, however, some of us would prefer our lovers to remain silent as we take advantage of their minds and bodies. Either way you go, having the right equipment can either make or break your endeavors. For people who enjoy bondage, dominance, sadism and masochism (BDSM), the classic ball gag works wonders where a rolled up handkerchief failed.
As such, the wonderful world of sex toys and marital aids is now flooded with different gagging options that range greatly in size, shape and functionality. In fact, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all unit anymore. They’re either adjustable or made to fit a specific sized noggin. But no matter where the industry leads us or how difficult it can be to find the right product, there will always be a perfectly suited option just waiting for you to pick it up. One such option may very well be the Tantus Beginner Ball Gag. I recently had the opportunity to try one on and this is my opinion of it.
What Is the Tantus Beginner Ball Gag?
As evidenced by its name, the Tantus is a ball gag made specifically for beginners in the bondage arena. However, the fine construction gives this model the sturdiness and impressive craftsmanship of an expert object. It’s made to fit securely around the wearer’s head to provide non-stop oral restriction and it’s sized appropriately for people who aren’t yet familiar with how their body will react to an activated gag reflex. Designed with ego-friendly manufacturing, the TBG is also said to be hypoallergenic, boilable, bleachable and even dishwasher safe (not to mention perfect for people who are fixated on oral pleasure).
The Main Features
This thing is packed full of user-friendly features that are also good for the environment (both inside your bedroom and out). With a smart size and body-conscious shape, the Tantus is ideal for beginners, novices and pros alike. The head strap uses Velcro to secure the contraption in place, allowing for maximum adjustment options to fit nearly any size head. Plus, those straps are made from a buttery soft sustainable leather material and can snap on or off at your leisure. The ball gag itself is made out of 100% ultra-premium silicone which provides a stink-free, non-porous surface that’s perfect for long-term enjoyment and most water-based lube types.
Speaking of materials and manufacturing, the TBG is handmade and hand-poured into the mold, meaning your model won’t look anything like your next door neighbor’s. And since the device functions as a partial harness, you and/or your partner are free to explore the depths of your depravity without worrying about slippage or safety. The ball measures 1.6 inches in diameter and features a 2 inch total length, meaning it’s small enough for newbies but usually large enough for people who’ve been down this road before. It also has a contoured outer mouth piece for improved comfort and uses the original, whimsical shape of the world’s first ball gag (a baby pacifier).
What Comes in the Box?
The maker of this toy is obviously not one of those manufacturers that slips a bunch of freebies into the package with their product. You literally get the bare essentials only, but you don’t have to pay an exorbitant amount of money for the product either. Here’s what you’ll find nestled snugly inside the tiny and otherwise commercial-looking box that does not double as storage, by the way:
- The Tantus Beginner Ball Gag
- A snap-on/off leather strap
- An instruction manual (with care and maintenance tips)
You won’t find any samples of water-based lube or a packet of toy cleaner either. No slobber wipes, no coupons, no special offers. It’s literally the best example of my 8th grade science teacher’s favorite saying: “WYSIWYG,” which means “What you see is what you get.” I fucking hated that guy. Moral of the story: Come prepared with your own sexy-time supplies or you and/or your partner will be ill-equipped to enjoy the full potential of this toy.
The Experience
I’ve worn so many ball gags at this point that my interests have started to turn towards strapping them onto different partners if they’ll allow it. My appetites are much the same, it’s just that I always look for new and improved ways to enjoy sex and masturbation. I purchased the Tantus Beginner Ball Gag as a gracious way of inviting my latest lover into a bedroom full of BDSM and she seemed excited about until I told her that I would keep the gag in her mouth until she begged me for mercy. As a newbie, she wanted a little more control than that and I could understand why. I sort of have a reputation for being aggressive, but I digress. Neither one of us are into humiliation as much as we’re into restriction and oral play, so the TBG features are what really helped me convince her that everything would turn out okay.
My device landed on the doorsteps just a few days after I swiped my card online, and the box it came in was unmarked so that was nice. I brought it inside and let my curious partner unbox it. There wasn’t much inside the package but it had everything we needed to get started immediately. She fingered the soft silicone ball and played with the leather straps for a little while and then we agreed to wait until that evening to start experimenting with it. I think she just needed time to prepare herself for an experience where she didn’t know what to expect. But I could tell by the overall construction of the gag that it would be gentle yet substantial to a newcomer’s grill (mostly because of the size, shape and snap-on straps that allow the dom to remove the gag quickly).
All of those features added up to my partner being surprisingly anxious to get started once the lights finally went out. She opened her mouth, let me strap it onto her head and we worked together to adjust the straps until the perfect fit was found. Things were a little awkward at first but only because neither one of us knew what would happen next and everything was so new. I can say, however, that few people will experience the full potential of a ball gag unless they have other BDSM equipment to go with it – blindfolds, hand and feet restraints, sex furniture, etc. The gag itself kept my partner from telling me no when I was forcing an orgasm on her, but it was hard to keep her fingers out of my face because they weren’t restricted by a rope or chain. That’s the case no matter what ball gag you choose though. At the end of the day, the Tantus played a truly significant role in the training of my newest lover and for that I will be eternally grateful (and so will she).
The Ups and Downs
One thing I learned over the years is that there’s no such thing as a perfect pleasure product. We’re all so different that it would be virtually impossible for one single sex toy to have everything everybody wanted. You’ve got to learn to take the good with the bad, even when you’re looking at a high-end ball gag like this one. Often, flaws don’t show up until after you’ve used the item a time or two. So, here’s what I think you need to know about the Tantus Beginner Ball Gag before you buy it:
PROS
- Hand-made means innate unqiueness
- Adjustable, snap-off leather head straps for improved versatility and safety
- Attractive and inspiring colors available
- Ergonomic size and shape for a variety of users and purposes
- Made from odorless, skin-safe materials
- Created under eco-friendly manufacturing guidelines in the USA
CONS
- Velcro clasps can become weaker over time
- Ball material gathers debris easily
- May not be big enough for avid ball gag users
The Takeaway
There’s nothing quite like shoving a well-made ball gag through the lips of your lover with their permission. Trust and safety are always important when you engage in BDSM, but that’s not the only thing that matters. The quality of your equipment plays a big role in how much enjoyment you and/or your partner receive from using it. Nothing is perfect, but the Tantus Beginner Ball Gag is truly a modern-day work of bondage art with only a few minor flaws and a long list of advantages. It’s sleek, sexy, colorful and ready to hold a tongue steady even if it’s unfamiliar with how these things work. I’d say it doesn’t get any better than that, but then again I’m an enormous pervert who’s happy just to achieve an orgasm each day. Either way, it’s the small things that make the biggest impact sometimes.
