Lovehoney Premium Faux Leather Paddle Review

Personal Experience

First Impressions

In action

Design

They've done a fantastic job with this design! A stated in the product description this is a beautifully sexy paddle. It looks and feels very luxurious and they've done great work with the vegan leather. My play partner is vegan, and very into spanking! She has always struggled to find a good non-leather paddle, but this item has got her very excited, we've finally found a product that is just perfect for her! I'm a big fan of everything about this design. My only negative comment is the wrist loop is too small. The advertisement states you can keep it on your wrist for easy access but I can't imagine anyone has a wrist small enough. If you need a paddle that can stay on the wrist you'll need some cuffs or something to clip it onto, or fashion a bigger loop.

Ease of Use

To be honest are there paddles out there that are difficult to use? If so this isn't one of them. The woven handle gives you a nice firm grip. The paddle itself is firm but flexible, where the paddle and handle meet it has a certain amount of flexibility on impact. This means you get a better slap and no jarring of the wrist which you might get with cheaper products. If you work in the sex industry or just want to spank all night long this products durability and flexibility make it a great choice.

Quality

This is high quality premium vegan leather. Embossed rose gold hardware. A wooden handle covered by woven faux leather. Great quality stitching. All the fittings are snug, it's neat, it's tidy. I cannot find fault with the quality of this product.

Price

This is an expensive paddle. Within the Lovehoney range the only paddle pricier is the electrostim paddle. However, it is good quality, has a fantastic feel to it, spanks very well and is vegan. Does this warrant the price? To be honest it's hard to say. I'm no expert on the cost of making spanking paddles and there's no doubt the quality of this product deserves a high end price tag. But am I left wondering what makes the price of this paddle so much higher than the rest? A little bit yes.

Performance

I'd say this product exceeded my expectations. The quality and overall design have impressed me. I especially like its firm yet flexible paddle, it distributes the impact really well. As previously stated, the advert promises a 'wrist loop' which this product does not deliver. However this isn't an issue for me, the loop is perfect for hanging the paddle in a cupboard, or on the wall of your sex dungeon, whatever suits ;)

Packaging

This paddle comes with a long storage sleeve made out of thin black card which the paddle fits into perfectly. The look really works in line with the product, simple, elegant and sexy. It's very discreet besides the Lovehoney heart logo on the front, it could almost be a valentines gift or something. Whether card is a long lasting packaging material or not is something to consider, but in my opinion it's certainly better than cheap environmentally damaging plastic. There was also a small "Paddle Operating Manual" which is basically instructions around restraint, boundaries and the use of safe words. I thought this was a thoughtful addition that could be included in any and all products, especially those within the BDSM/bondage product lines.

Materials and care

This paddle is made from polyurethane (PU), wood, paperboard, zinc alloy and steel. It is lightweight but high quality. This product does not appear to inform the consumer on how it should be cleaned or whether it is waterproof. Personally I would be reluctant to use soap and water but instead may use a damp cloth or wet wipes. I will most likely treat this faux leather product as I would my real leather products, especially in ensuring the product is dry before storage. As for storage I might skip the card sleeve and keep this on a hanger with some of my fetish gear in my wardrobe.

Special feature

This paddle includes a nice little manual on safety and boundaries within restraint and bondage play.