What we used: standard riding crop
From: Jack’s Floggers
Material(s): leather, glass fibre
Price: £12.00
Reviewer(s): Lizzie & Thomas
A crop is a crop is a crop. Or is it? Find out what Lizzie and Thomas think of their newest purchase from U.K.-based Jack’s Floggers.
First thoughts
Lizzie
So, can I just say that my eyes were going all over the place when I saw Jack’s line up of truly beautiful implements at LAM (the London Alternative Market), which is where Thomas and I bought this lovely, lovely riding crop a month or two back. The quality of Jack’s products was abundantly clear but, not only that, they were all, without exception, incredibly stylish. This crop stood out to me, first and foremost, because of the colour – I’m a sucker for red – but as soon as I picked it up, I thought ‘ooh!’. Our current Bondage Boutique crop, the one we reviewed a while back, is now a little worse for wear and, lately, we’ve noticed the keeper has started to part company with the shaft.
Thomas
Like Lizzie, I noticed straight away that this crop of Jack’s looked and felt far superior to our current one. And although they’re both about the same length overall (approximately 27.5 inches from end to end) the leather strop/keeper on his design is much longer (7.0 inches at the attachment point as opposed to 4.5).
Construction
Lizzie
I’ll say it again. This is an absolutely stunning crop and the quality of the craftsmanship is evident everywhere you look: the beautiful braided handle in gloss red leather; the black braided handle butts; the slim, tapered shaft; the soft leather keeper embossed with the Jack’s Floggers logo. Everything on it is neat and tidy, the finishing impeccable, and, basically, it’s just really well made. This isn’t an instrument that’s going to fall to pieces on you in a hurry.
Thomas
This crop is far whippier than our old one (I gave Lizzie a few experimental whacks before buying it and the difference was immediately evident) and it’s definitely better put together as well. The leather keeper is more securely attached to the shaft and the shaft material itself, which is glass fibre, is superior, too. I like that the handle is braided as the uneven surface helps with grip. Overall, the finish is very, very good.
In use
Lizzie
I love the crop. It’s become one of my favourite toy bag items. The threat and tease of it as it’s run or tapped over my body prior to or during a session; the sting of the tip and shaft when it’s applied to my bottom and thighs with force. The ‘smacking’ sound the keeper creates when it hits the skin, too, never fails to send a little thrill of fright through me.
Thomas and I liked our last crop a lot but, wow. It pales in comparison to this one. For starters, Jack’s creation has far (far) more bite than the Bondage Boutique version. The slim, stiff shaft really smarts when it hits and the split keeper seems to give far more sting to the wielder’s flicks and swings. Thomas had to strike relatively firmly to generate bruises with our previous crop. This one? Well, I had some truly spectacular purple keeper-shaped marks on my bottom for far less effort on his part.
If you’re someone who enjoys stingy sensations, this crop is a slice of heaven … and maybe just a little bit of exquisite masochistic hell, too :-).
Thomas
Jack’s crop is far more aggressive than our last one. The shaft is slimmer and stiffer, and the leather strop is softer and longer. This all combines for a lot more whip and a lot more snap in the end – and so a lot more sting. Lizzie wriggles about far more than usual when I use this crop, which tells me I have her undivided attention.
Any downsides?
Lizzie
None that I can think of. Although I would say that the slightly longer-than-we-were-used-to keeper dimensions caught us out a little; Thomas mis-judged a relatively firm hit by a fraction of an inch and ended up catching me between the legs before he intended to do so (he normally warms me up a bit more before going for that spot). I can tell you categorically that a firm swat with this on the clitoris will make you jump about like nobody’s business!
Thomas
As Lizzie mentioned, the only issue with this crop was that I made the schoolboy error of not practising enough with it beforehand and assuming if would behave the same way as our old one. The lesson? Always put a new toy through its paces, even if the overall style is familiar, so that you get the reach right. This one caught me out because I placed it fractionally further into the buttock than I should have (although I don’t think Lizzie minded too much ;-).) If you are used to a crop with a short, unsplit keeper, you will need to be extra careful with your aim until you get used to it.
The verdict?
Lizzie
A superb riding crop that is amazingly priced, beautifully made, and a joy to be on the receiving end of. If you like sting with style, this is £12.00 you won’t regret parting with.
Thomas
A very nice crop nice to hold and use and very effective (especially when applied to the clitoris!).
In summary
Things we liked:
- The finishing. Truly beautiful.
- The design. Sting city!
- The price. At £12.00 this is a total bargain.
- Being able to try before we bought. Jack (and his stall) were fab. But he also offers a great online service, with worldwide shipping, if you can’t make it to the London Alternative Market.
Things we weren’t so keen on:
- Nothing!
Tickle your fancy? Click on the following link to visit the Jack’s Floggers website. (You will need to navigate to the Canes, Crops and Paddles etc. page.)
*LAM (the London Alternative Market) runs the first Sunday of every month. Entry is £4 per person. Full details here.
