Peepshow Toys asked if I’d be interested in reviewing one of the new Lux Active Vibrating Cock Rings that they’ve started to stock in their online store. I’m not a huge fan of cock rings with bells and whistles, but I agreed to check one out. To my surprise, the parcel from Peepshow contained not one but two of these vibrating rings. Let’s see what they can do.

The Circuit looks like what I expect a vibrating cock ring to look like. It’s got the circular cock ring itself, and the vibrator is totally encased in a silicone stick-out part that makes the device look kind of like one of those candy ring pops.

The Triad has a little more complex design: there are two rings, not one, and the vibrating part is actually a good sized bullet vibe that’s nestled in a silicone pocket at the top end of the smaller ring. Rings like this are meant to be worn around more than one part of the cock and balls. For instance, you could wrap the larger ring around your cock OR balls and use the other one as a shaft ring or a glans ring. How you position the device will determine what the bullet comes in contact with: be it your a part of the wearer’s body, and/or an erogenous zone of a partner who happens to press up against it during sex.

Both cock rings are from the Lux Active line of sex toys which is part of the larger collection from BMS Factory, which manufactures an assortment of vibrating toys as well as silicone dildos and other insertables.

The Triad

For whatever reason, I decided to try the Triad with its extra ring first. Both rings are nicely packaged in sturdy boxes with see-thru panes that allow you to view what’s inside the box. I was super intrigued by the removable bullet, mostly because I like using these things for frenulum stimulation, so I figured if the ring didn’t do much for me, at least I’d have the option of teasing my sweet spot with the bullet vibe.

Since the Lux Active rings are powered, they have to be charged before use. The Triad has a USB type charging cable with two magnetic leads on the opposite end. Usually I think magnetic chargers work a lot easier, but this one did not want to stay connected. I think it was because the charging cord had been folded in the package and it was still pretty stiff after I uncoiled it and plugged it in. Finally I was able to make a connection, but the charging light on the ring was confusing for a little while. Normally, the lights on rechargeable sex toys will blink while charging and turn solid after a full charge is reached. With the Triad, the opposite is true. It showed a solid light right after connecting it to the magnetic cord, so I wrongly assumed the toy came pre-charged. Not so. The light actually stays solid while charging and will turn off once it reaches a full charge. Or if the metal contacts come loose, which mine did a few times while charging. Now that I know what’s what, I think a recharge will be a lot easier.

Once I finally found the ring charged up and ready to use, I popped the included remote control out of the package. Unlike the ring, the remote runs off a button cell battery, so no charging/recharging is necessary. Simply pull the little clear plastic tab out of the battery door to ensure the remote has power before using it with your ring. Mine, alas, had no power. Well that’s a big bummer. Who wants a remote that does not work right out of the box?

I was able to turn on and operate the Triad without the remote, so I decided just to use it manually for the first time before I tried to find a new battery. To turn on the bullet, press and hold the end of it where the two silver connections are located. Another light will turn on and you can actually cycle through the settings by pressing the button on the vibe.

For a cock ring, the vibe is really strong. The options aren’t too varied and include four steady settings (starting low and growing more intense with each successive click) and only three patterns:

rapid tapping
revving from slow to fast (repeats indefinitely)
about 5 rapid taps followed by a long sustained steady vibe (repeats)

The vibe is not bad, but it seems like the most intense sensations come from the end of the bullet, not the mid-section where the silicone holster is more likely to press up against a clit, taint or other sensitive sex spot.

The silicone the Triad is made of is great and incredibly stretchy. My main complaint about cock rings (especially pricey ones) is that the material will be too solid to stretch around my cock and balls. No troubles with this one! It was super easy to stretch it into place, wearing the larger loop like a traditional cock ring (around both my cock and balls) and fitting the smaller one onto the base of my shaft. However, I found it felt even better to loop the larger part around just my balls and use the smaller one as a shaft ring. This shifted the position of the bullet, which had it resting right against the top of my balls. Now I like vibrations on my nuts, so wearing the Triad during a solo stroke session was very pleasurable. The vibes not only teased my balls but made my dick quiver nicely as well. By sliding the smaller ring up nearer to my glans, I was able to get some great stimulation on my frenulum, which I always love.

In its unstretched state, the smaller ring of the Triad is just under 1″ in diameter and the larger one is just over 1.25″ in width.

The Circuit

My initial disappointment on unboxing the smaller/simpler Circuit cock ring was that the silicone this toy’s made of is completely different from the Triad. The sole ring is fairly small (1.4″ diameter) and barely stretches at all. Now, it’s possible one could yank it open to fit it into more configurations, but at this price I wouldn’t recommend it. Once the ring tears or snaps, it’s not going to be of much use to you or anyone.

Like the Triad, the Circuit is rechargeable but unlike the Triad, the method is completely different. Instead of the magnetic piece that attaches directly to the side of the ring, the Circuit has a prong-type cord that can be pushed into a pinhole on the side of the toy. It’s pretty straightforward and honestly after the issues I had with the other ring’s magnetic set-up, I thought the pin method of charging was a lot easier.

The vibrator on the Circuit is completely embedded, so you won’t have the option of removing it for additional methods of stimulation, though you could hold the ring while it’s powered on and use it as a hand-held teasing device. The outer aspect of the vibe has a bit of a raised triangular piece that will make it easier to come into contact with a clit or other sensitive spot. The vibrations are exactly the same in this ring as they are in the other: 4 steady vibes and the aforementioned 3 patterns. You’ll have to turn on the vibe by pressing and holding the center of the ring’s top. A blue light turns on and—if you’re using the Circuit without the remote—simply keep clicking to cycle through the patterns. Press and hold to shut it down completely. Or (hopefully) use the included remote control to turn it on/off and change the settings.

Fortunately, the remote that came packaged with the Circuit turned on and worked fine. It’s a two button operation; one for power on/off and the larger button to work through the seven settings. Interestingly, the remote actually powered the Triad ring as well, so at least I was able to test that out without having to find a new battery (turns out it was just a dead battery; replacing it with a new one turned it right on). The remote does come in handy if you need to shut it off in a hurry. I honestly enjoyed a long hands-free frenulum teasing session with the Triad ring and used the remote a lot to shut things down before I hit the point of no return. I was pretty surprised that as a solo toy, the ring felt so good. It made me leak a ton of precum, which is a good sign that a toy is turning me on.

Since the Circuit ring wasn’t very stretchy, I personally had no option other than wearing it around my shaft. It actually felt pretty good, turning my dick into a quivering prong, and twisting the vibrating piece against my nuts made them feel just as good as the other one did.

After testing both rings more than once, I ended up preferring the stretchier Triad model over the tighter Circuit ring. I was able to get the Triad on/off way more easily and the more flexible material just made it more versatile. While both vibes put out a lot of power, I liked the larger bullet that comes with the Triad, mostly because it’s removable which allows for more options when using it to stimulate. It works great as a frenulum teaser (in or out of the ring) and someplace I have an anal toy or two with a pocket for a bullet vibe, so I am looking forward to seeing how this rechargeable bullet delivers when I use it that way. No reason not to use this thing in any way I can find to get me off!

While I wouldn’t recommend either ring as a first purchase if someone has never used a cock ring before, I’d suggest either one if you already know you love vibrating cock rings. Even though they have different vibes with different charging methods, both Lux Active cock rings put out a lot of power during use, which is what you want when you’re using one of these things.

If you’ve never tried a vibrating cock ring before but are curious, I might recommend trying one that’s a little less expensive at first, just to see if you (and your partner, if you’re wanting to use one during sex) get off on this type of thing before investing in the more pricey Lux Active rings. There’s a non-powered Double Lux Action Cock Ring that might be good for a first timer, and right now it costs less than $20.

If you’re cock ring shopping in general, be sure to browse the complete cock ring collection at Peepshow Toys, just to see what other options are available. For first time users, I’d definitely suggest something simpler and affordably priced, just to see if you like the feel of a ring wrapped around your cock and the way it makes you feel.

If you already know you’re ready to try the Lux Active rings, you can order either one using the following Peepshow Toys links:

Take a look at some of the other Lux Active sex toys in the collection! The powered plugs/prostate stimulators in they offer look enticing, especially if the vibes are as intense as the ones in the cock rings I tested.