First Impressions: At first glance, Doc Johnson's Sunny Vivid Power Flex looks a little cheap and gimmicky. In fact, the first word that sprang to mind when I caught a glimpse of it was "microphone." This is not a sexy looking toy. But who cares what my first impressions were, right? My girlfriend--the intended demographic/primary future user of the Power Flex--was thinking "large ball," bendy arm," and "three power settings."  

The Test Drive: "Power" indeed. Even on the Flex's "medium" setting, the heavy plastic ball vibrates with intimidating force and volume--so much so that my girlfriend opted to play only with the still-pleasing lowest setting during the initial test drive. I'm sure the power of the max setting will appeal to many women, but for my girl, the loud buzzing and intense vibrations of the third setting proved a little too unsettling and intimidating. Regardless, she was excited to be wielding something that had that much power.  (In fact, when asked if she preferred the Power Flex or Jenna's Velvet G, she surprised me by saying the Power Flex. While she loved the look of the G, she was eager to sample the more powerful settings on the Flex.)

The first thing my girlfriend noticed (aside from the noise) once we put the Power Flex to use was the ridge created by the meeting of the two halves of the ball. It proved uncomfortable at first, but with a little KY and her wetness, she didn't feel any discomfort after the initial few rubs. The second thing she noticed was how freakin' good the Power Flex feels. The ball is fairly large in diameter so its vibrations affect a greater area than a tapered vibrator might. Whether pressed firmly against her clit, or rubbed over her pussy and pushed gently into her vagina, she was writhing around the bed in pleasure.

For partner play, the flexibility of the vibrator is a huge bonus. The Power Flex was comfortable in my hand and its bendable arm allowed me to pleasure her comfortably while I was laying side-by-side with her and straddling her.  I spent a good 30 minutes massaging her pussy with the Power Flex without an iota of discomfort in my wrist or hand.        

The Verdict: The Power Flex isn't perfect. The seam on the ball is something that should be addressed if Doc Johnson is going to going to refine this product as it proved slightly uncomfortable at first. Also, the volume of the vibrator--especially on the highest settings--is alarming. There is no way to use this vibrator discretely. (And it's actually louder than Jenna's Velvet G, which my girlfriend initially likened to a chainsaw.)  Finally, the plastic is hard and feels a little on the cheap side. (Another recommendation: Encase the ball with the same soft skin featured on the Velvet G. Not only would this mask the seam, but it would really ratchet up the pleasure factor.) Despite these flaws, however, the Power Flex will get plenty of use in our bedroom. It's powerful, and the flexible arm makes solo and partner play easier than some of the more rigid vibrators. Recommended.