I tested the «Shegasm Tickle»: could this vibrator soon replace my partner?
13/9/2022
Translation: Katherine Martin
It sucks, it vibrates and it worships the clitoris. The «Shegasm Tickle» is a vibrator for electronic oral sex. Penetration-free orgasms with a big helping of love for the female pleasure organ, you say? Hand me that vibrator!
Yes, this article has a lurid headline. Although vibrators haven’t replaced my partner per se, they did stand in for him for a few years. During a long-distance relationship in my mid-20s, I often had to, well ... take matters into my own hands; forking out plenty of cash – not just on train tickets, but on all manner of sex toys. The specimens I collected in my nightstand drawer varied in their extravagance. Some were small, oval or delicate, others were thick, thin or pretty massive. Whether it was for at home or on-the-go, I tried a fair few. It was during those years that my solo sex life reached its peak.
Why am I telling you this? When it comes to sex toys, I’m open to trying new things. So when the «Shegasm Tickle» came out, I didn’t hang around. The vibrator promises orgasms without penetration, while providing two different features for the clitoris. This can only really go one of two ways: to the heights of ecstasy or back to the box and into the store cupboard.
The «Shegasm Tickle»: clit worship
When the parcel arrives at my place a couple of days later, I don’t wait around to unwrap it. I take the vibrator out of the box and discover to my delight that it’s already fully charged. That’s enough for a 70-minute session of self-love – at least, that’s what it says on the packaging. I roll my eyes a little at the vibrator’s pale, baby-pink hue. Why sex toys catering to female desire often have to be smooth, pink and infantile, I’ll never understand. The golden band doesn’t do anything either and looks kind of tacky. But hey, as long as it works, that’s the main thing.
As a clitoral vibrator, the «Shegasm Tickle» follows in the footsteps of the famous «Womanizer». Instead of popping it in and hoping for the best, you place it right on the clitoris, the female pleasure organ. About half of all women have difficulty climaxing through penetration alone. At least that’s what «Womanizer» inventor Michael Lenke pointed out in this [interview with Galaxus] (https://www.galaxus.ch/en/page/womanizer-inventor-i-made-millions-of-women-happy-20687).
Basically, some women think penetration alone is overrated, while the clitoris is notoriously underrated in both its function and importance. Over the last few centuries, information about the clitoris hasn’t exactly become common knowledge – at least in textbooks. There, you can still find mentions of the «pea-sized clitoris», which sounds more like the spare part of a car battery than something with the ability to send women all around the world into rapture.
Aesthetics and action
The clitoris is where the magic happens – something the manufacturers of the «Shegasm Tickle» are evidently aware of. A combination of sucking, vibrating and the movement of a small ball is supposed to simulate cunnilingus. Even for a sex toy connoisseur like me, this is something new. It makes a good first impression. At 18 centimetres, the vibrator is comfortable to hold, and conveniently, it can be powered up using the same charger as my iPhone. The surface is made of medical silicone. Meanwhile, the gold band houses the two buttons that activate the vibration and suction.
The vibration has three different modes. It increases in intensity depending on the setting, while the ball moves faster. The suction effect is more complex, with seven strengths and three speed levels available. I’ll admit that the multitude of functions scared me at first. The thing has more gears than my car! Fortunately, you can regulate the intensity by repeatedly pressing the two buttons. Having this many levels means there’s a suitable setting for every desired sensitivity. That’s what I’m hoping for before I try it out, anyway.
A dry run: get to know the horse before you ride it
The top of the vibrator tapers into a fingertip-sized opening about half a centimetre deep, which creates a vacuum when you’re using it. Alongside the suction and the moving ball, this is designed to bring you to an electric orgasm. I understand the manufacturer’s approach, but I’m still not convinced that a machine can achieve the same or similar things a person can: the sensitivity, the rhythm, the playful responsiveness and ultimately, the ability to hit the bullseye.
I start by holding the opening against my hand and pressing both buttons. A small ball moving up and down inside the opening is supposed to simulate the feeling of a tongue during oral sex. It all feels fine on my hand but I’m hesitant about moving the device south of my belly button. «Shegasm Tickle»? This gismo wants to see results – and it makes no bones about achieving them. There’s no sign of any «tickling». The noises it makes serve to strengthen that impression even more, giving me the urge to laugh. The suction in particular makes a loud, proud smacking noise, while the vibration sounds like my grandma’s blood pressure monitor.
Vibrator on; door closed
The feel of the vibrator on my hand, how it looks, and the noises it makes aren’t the things I’m actually interested in. Obviously, I want to know how it performs below the belt. To find out, dear reader, I’m going to disappear for a while.
Flying sparks or fizzling out?
Oh boy. I’ll start off by saying one thing. My fear that the «Shegasm Tickle» would suck the life out of me was totally unfounded. It’s all a question of fine-tuning. Once you’ve got the «engine» at a sweet spot, the ride is pretty fantastic. The sounds occasionally threw me off, but maybe the smacking of the suction is just a quirk of my anatomy – it could vary from woman to woman. What bothered me after a while was the vibrator’s rhythm. It was too steady, too monotonous. But it is a machine, after all. You can’t expect more than an orgasm at the push of a button. You’ll need to use your imagination to set the scene and create the right atmosphere.
To circle back to the provocative title one last time: no, of course the «Shegasm Tickle» won’t make my partner obsolete. We actually tried it together once, and let me tell you: sparks flew.
Olivia Leimpeters-Leth
Autorin von customize mediahouse
oliver.fischer@digitecgalaxus.chI'm a sucker for flowery turns of phrase and allegorical language. Clever metaphors are my Kryptonite – even if, sometimes, it's better to just get to the point. Everything I write is edited by my cat, which I reckon is more «pet humanisation» than metaphor. When I'm not at my desk, I enjoy going hiking, taking part in fireside jamming sessions, dragging my exhausted body out to do some sport and hitting the occasional party.
