The Fleshlight Review: Stamina Training Unit

Unmatched in pleasure and market presence, the best-selling male sex toy continues to evolve.

It takes a lot of cultural sway for one particular brand to become ubiquitously attached to the need it services. Just think about one everyday item that is closely related to sex products.

After a particularly good time, do you reach for a Kleenex or a tissue? Chances are you’re thinking “Kleenex” even though there are many different tissue brands on the market. Such is the power of the product’s hold on our collective conscience.

In the world of sex, the most recognizable brand name in the marketplace is Fleshlight—despite the fact that penis-engaging sex products have long taken a backseat to devices geared toward clitoral or vaginal stimulation.

But there’s a distinct reason for this: the Fleshlight is, was, and will always be considered a sexual gamechanger. No other sex product has garnered such a critical and cultural response as to make its very name a part of our cultural—sexual and otherwise—lexicon. Sure, we talk about vibrators, plugs, lube, but when male masturbation toys are mentioned, the word Fleshlight is, invariably, noted before sleeve or stroker.

And there is a very distinct reason for that: the Fleshlight is that damn good.

Pretenders to the throne

There have been many flash-in-the-pan sex products released over the years. Many of them have garnered a lot of buzz but then fallen to the wayside. Not Fleshlight. Having been in mass production for about 20 years now, the company is constantly innovating and expanding. In fact, it is fairly ironic that one of its biggest selling products, the Stamina Training Unit (STU) , embodies the company’s place in the sex market. You’re going to learn sexual stamina from the best!

I’ve had a couple STU’s over the years, and whenever I bring them out for fun, I know I am guaranteed a satisfying and highly pleasurable sexual experience. In fact, even as sex products advance and gain new and exciting features, the design and materials of the Fleshlight ensure that it will always be among my favorites.

Works for you

It is kind of funny: if there is one aspect of the Fleshlight STU that might turn some people off, it is the visual design. It is somewhat clunky, and the thought of disembodied genitalia might be a bit much for some folks to handle.

It is called Fleshlight for a reason—it was modeled after an actual flashlight. Combining these two factors could make a person hesitant. However, that’s just the outer appearance, and it can be modified.

There are different body shapes available (mouth, vulva, anus); however, there is also a non-descript opening. And some of the other Fleshlight models are far more sleek and stylish in terms of casing. If aesthetics do inform your arousal, these are important factors.

However, if performance is the key, then the simple-but-effective mechanism of the STU is sure to impress. The moniker Stamina Training Unit isn’t just a catchy name. Any user can attempt to learn new levels of staying power throughout penis stimulation, with just a simple turn of the base.

The end of the STU screws open and closed. The more open it is, the more air is allowed into the unit. This provides less air pressure on the penis. However, if you decrease the airflow or seal the unit, a more pronounced sucking or squeezing sensation is established providing increased stimulation.

Simply turning the base to different degrees exposes the user to different sensations and gives the option to extend personal pleasure to any length of time desired. Over time, you can then learn arousal triggers and attempt to slow them down, both with your toy and with people.

SuperSkin sensations

While the function of the Fleshlight is surely a huge draw, it is the feeling of the toy that truly sets it apart from all other strokers available. The company’s patented SuperSkin is an incredible substance that can mimic the soft and supple feeling of human flesh like no other substance currently on offer. Added to that are the different textures available on the interior of the SuperSkin sheath. From light ridges and bumps to magnificent playgrounds of penis pleasure.

When I first tried a Fleshlight, I was very skeptical. With so many other products claiming the same great experience, it was hard to believe this one would be any different. But I was wrong. It is different. With the addition of water-based lube, sliding into a Fleshlight is absolutely the closest you will come to the warmth and sensation of penetrating another person. And over the years, the company has introduced many different models suited to different tastes and preferences.

All of this said, given how long the Fleshlight has been a pillar of pleasure, it could be time to attempt some innovation. Indeed, they do offer different options, including toys modeled after adult film stars and attachments to use the Fleshlight in the shower, with a tablet, and interactively with adult entertainment videos. There is even the “Freaks” line that caters to more creative fantasies.

However, what I to see from Fleshlight is an experience that mimics a partner’s arousal. The squeezes, the slight jumps and jerks that tell you the other person is enjoying the experience as much as you. This might be a challenge to design, but if anyone can do it, the Fleshlight team can.

However, even without this addition, Fleshlight will always rank as the premiere male sex sleeve and. Simply put, it will never let you down. And when you think of a penile sex toy, Fleshlight will surely be the first word to come to mind.

*I was provided one STU by Vstroker and Fleshlight in exchange for an honest review. This review includes affiliate links.

Image sources: Fleshlight, Jon Pressick