Review: MEO Short Rubber Strap with Walnut Handle

We’re reviewing something a little more on the edgy side this time – the eponymous Short Rubber Strap with Walnut Handle from MEO's HURTME range; an impact paddle with a flexible slapper that looks extremely challenging but offers surprising variety. As usual, we received the Short Rubber Strap in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. I am consistently satisfied by the quality of the products we’ve been fortunate enough to review, and would recommend them to anyone looking to step up their kink a notch. Just be aware that their site is NSFW, so ensure you’re on a safe network with no minors around when you check it out.

So, the reason I requested to review this item was to provide some variety to the fairly beginner-friendly impact goodies I’ve been investigating thus far. I liked the handle and thought the rubber would be interesting to try out. However, the time upon seeing this toy in person, my initial thought was “Ohhhh, that looks mean.” And it really does. Once you get past the appreciably-minimal packaging (a simple plastic sleeve, MEO-style), you’ll definitely be impressed by the construction. This impact toy has a beautiful walnut handle that is smooth, light, and solid in the hand, but it’s affixed to a thick slab of rubber that just looks slappy and really, really nasty. The rubber bit is smooth and featureless, with no sharp edges that might damage skin; but it’s flexible enough to provide a great deal of slap-back force with very little effort. I was concerned that I had been overambitious in my pursuits. What if I couldn’t handle it? It looks stingy. Do I like stingy things? I just don’t know!

Fortunately, I was overreacting. Turns out that this nasty boi can actually be surprisingly gentle. I love how the stylishly tapered handle feels in my palm – the wood retains a gentle warmth that’s lovely, even if the gentle weight of the handle makes it almost feel unbalanced in comparison to the heavy rubber portion. It’s all in the way you use it really. The rubber can be surprisingly forgiving: you can do gentle pats or good hard wallops; it just depends on the effect you’d like to have. I used this paddle on my thighs mostly, just because it’s the most accessible area for me, and I definitely found it to be more of a surface sting than a deep thud.

The flexibility of the rubber allows for more of a contact spread over the surface of the skin as opposed to having the direct energy transfer that more rigid and hefty tools may have. The primary pain-point is at the tip, so it will be less intense if you sort of hit closer to the centre of the paddle. Of course, this means that the paddle will curl around the impact zone, creating quite a cool wraparound effect on my thigh that provides a wider contact area and more diffused sensation. It’s actually kind of nice for inexperienced playing around if you’re cautious. Of course, if you go full-force and aim to make contact with the tip, it will sting – a lot! I was too nervous to really put my back into it, but I did get a few good whacks in and trust me – this is a MEAN implement when you want it to be. Nevertheless, it only hurts if you go for that, meaning that it can be a wonderful tool for both warm-up and more intense BDSM play.

As for cleaning and maintenance, the little care card provided by MEO was the same one used for their leather products, unfortunately; and there was no additional care instructions on the website. I did some Googling as to how best to maintain the rubber, and the most consistent advice was just to store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sun that may cause it to crack. As this is my first rubber toy, I would have liked a better idea of how to look after it, as my initial investigative forays into rubber products on the internet served only to tell me there’s different types and you can’t be sure what’s what. In any case, my accessory knowledge about the sex toy industry tells me that rubber is a porous material that can’t be sterilised. For this reason, I’d caution against allowing this toy to come into contact with body fluids and then be shared between people. Better to keep this as a one-person play item, just in case. If you’d like to read up on this, the best source I can find is Dangerous Lilly’s mega sex toy treasure trove of nerdy care tips, and I’d highly recommend taking a look even if it’s just for personal edification.

Overall, I really enjoyed trying out an impact toy with some real variety in terms of sensation. I love the construction, the appearance, and the effect – just wish it came with a little care-card so that I knew how to look after it better. Still, I would recommend this sturdy and fabulous paddle to some serious kinksters looking to add an implement with a bit of bite to their arsenal. As for the n00bs out there, maybe it would be better to start out with the lighter items we’ve reviewed, just to get into the swing of things. When you want to step it up a notch, this is your boi. 

Check out MEO at the links below (on a safe network with no kids around), and say hello to them on social media!

Website  ♡  Instagram  ♡  Tumblr  ♡  Twitter