“Is that an anal grenade?” my roommate half-joked when I unpacked Lovehoney’s 4.5 inch vibrating inflatable butt plug.

“Kinda,” I replied.

The moment I learned of an inflatable butt plug (IBP), I knew I had to try it. Not only am I constantly on the search for novel types of sex toys, I was also utterly shocked that a product like this existed. An IBP seems so bizarre and doesn’t sound pleasurable. I also couldn’t shake the image of it exploding inside of me… maybe because of my roommate's comment.



Lovehoney Vibrating Inflatable Butt Plug 4.5 Inch Lovehoney lovehoney.com $24.99 SHOP NOW

Once I'd browsed my options on Lovehoney, I decided to go with the most “standard” size, which was 4.5 inches. It had a 4.4 star rating and 366 reviews. It also had the most typical butt plug shape, unlike, say, the 8-inch “Cock Locker Ace of Spades Extra Large Inflatable Butt Plug." (If 4.5 inches also sounds too large, the site also has a 2-inch IBP for newbies.)

It didn’t take long to set up the IBP. All it requires are two AA batteries, then you put the “pump” on the tube itself. Really secure the pump to the tube; otherwise, it will fall off while in use, which is the last thing you want while pleasuring yourself.

I put down a towel on my bed, lubed up the toy with an obscene amount of toy-safe, water-based lube, and then slowly pushed it inside of me. It’s necessary to push the toy all the way in to the “stopper” (i.e., the flared base, which makes sure it doesn’t get lost up there). If not, you run into the issue of it falling out while pumping. Again, not something you want to deal with. Once it was securely inside of me, I used the knob to turn on the vibrations. I let the IBP sit in there for a few moments before inflating—I wanted to be at my most comfortable before pumping up this bad boy.

Cock Locker Ace of Spades Extra Large Inflatable Butt Plug 8 Inch Cock Locker lovehoney.com $54.99 SHOP NOW

Then I grabbed the pump and began inflating with some light squeezing. You undoubtedly feel it expand inside of you, even with the littlest of squeezes. It felt... strange? Definitely pleasurable, but it's such a foreign feeling to have something expand outward while pushing up against your inner walls. I kept doing a few more tiny squeezes until it felt too intense; then I deflated the IBP by pressing the release button on the side of the tube. Upon deflation, I realized how much it had actually expanded inside of me. I did a few more rounds of this, until I got to the point what I could squeeze the pump fully.

That is when things started to feel exceptional.

With each big pump I'd let out an "ohhh" accompanied by a big breath, until eventually, I ejaculated. I then deflated the pump, and let it sit inside me for a minute while I composed myself. After, I took it out.



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I have two recommendations for those wanting to give the IBP a good ol' college try. First, do it with a partner. The IBP is definitely easier with with two folks. That's not to say you can't do with one person. I sure as hell made it work, but between the vibrations, pumping, and then deflating, it would be a lot easier if someone else was controlling the inflation. It can also be a really big turn-on for them to have full control over your anal experience.

Second, clean out prior. I take daily fiber pills to make sure everything looks good down there, but the IBP gets up and in you. Especially if you're with a partner, you don't want have to deal with any mess, so take extra precaution prior to experimenting with the IBP.

Overall, the IBP was absolutely wild. The sensation of having the depth of your inner walls stretched is like no other, and can lead to intense orgasms. It can also prepare you for bigger and better things to come.

Zachary Zane Zachary Zane is a Brooklyn-based writer, speaker, and activist whose work focuses on lifestyle, sexuality, culture, and entertainment.

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