Revel Body Sonic Vibrator

UPDATE: Please note, the version of the vibrator in the review is no longer available. In fact, I’m not even sure that I was given the version in stores, which was infuriating. I was given the version that was already scrapped. And then not many months later, they gave up entirely on the Revel Body and came out with the Revel SOL (shit-out-of-luck, yeah, I know) which apparently has marginally better reviews. But the idea is still basically the same.

Crowd-funding for sex toys never ceases to amaze me. The Revel Body is one such item, but unlike a few other sex toys, at least the Revel Body is being made with very different technology. And for those with finicky clits which demand specific types of powerful vibrations–those who are disappointed with nearly every Lelo vibrator, or most other luxury vibrators–our hopes go up when we hear about something new. How is it new, exactly? Well, I’m not really sure beyond knowing that it involves “sonic” vibrations and magnets¹. I’m a geek, sure, but lately I don’t want to put this much effort into knowing how my vibrator works. I just want one that works. If you want to know more, you’ll browse their site. I’m not here to tell you HOW it works, just how it worked for ME.  If I were to explain every aspect of this thing², we’d be here all damn day³. You can look at photos and read the “about” info on their site.  For a little more, I did a mini video review, too, viewable on the separate review about the extra accessories for the Revel Body.

I think it’s safe to say that I tried harder with this vibrator than any other vibrator in the past. I’m usually pretty decisive pretty fast; even when the vibrator is “meh” and only sort of gets me off. But the Revel Body thoroughly confused me because so many things about it tricked my logical brain into thinking that it should work for me. There was no way it wouldn’t. Many of you know the vibration intensity test tricks – hollow of your cheek, or tip of your nose. Even on my fingertip, certain modes of the Revel Body combined with certain tips seemed more powerful than my much-loved forever-compared We-Vibe Tango. Yet….my clitoris staunchly disagreed.

The Revel Body’s design history feels promising. They truly have worked hard, and aimed to make a revolutionary sex toy, of that much I am certain. And I’ve heard from some women that they love it, it’s amazing, etc. However, I’ve heard from just as many that it was a complete failure for them. This is, however, the case with ALL sex toys. So I kept an open mind, and that’s why I tried so hard to love it. But the basic design of it just is 100% incompatible with my body/vulva type. When I added on the accessory tips, I saw some improvement but ultimately it wasn’t enough for me. This vibrator is absolutely going to work best for women with exposed/”outtie” clits. Women like me will have issues. Women who need/like some rubbing and pressure in addition to their vibrations will not have any luck with the Revel Body, as applying pressure works against the piston motion and applying pressure to the side of certain tips will cause the vibrations to halt completely. This is not easy to achieve with just the original, flat, included tip but it can be an issue if you purchase some of those accessory tips.

Despite seeing all of the information online, I was still a bit baffled on how the Revel Body actually works – not how the sonic works, but “which part do I apply to my clit? That’s it? That little pink dot??”. In my other review which focuses on the accessory tips and all that you can purchase separately, I have a short video which will give you a better idea of How Things Work if you’re interested.

From what I understand, they chose to use magnets to ensure that the Revel Body has only one moving part, thus apparently giving it a longer life than traditional vibrators. If you don’t get any of the accessory tips, it’s less of a big deal, but if you do you’ll have to store them in their own boxes. They shouldn’t touch – the magnetic pull is strong and they’ll cling to each other, making it a bit difficult to pry apart. You’ll want to keep the Revel Body and its tips away from all electronics (as warned by the manufacturer), body piercings and pacemakers. This is a little worrisome for me. Due to the way the vibe works, and the piston core, you could get a pubic hair or three yanked out if everything lines up improperly. They also caution not to use on loose skin…..so would women with long inner labia have cause for concern??  The warnings listed on the site are a bit intimidating⁴ but the warnings as listed in the manual are downright frightening. I get that they need to list these things for legal reasons, but still.  Again, “travel friendly” is a term thrown about. I disagree. There is also a separate, specific case (for $30) that includes a “baseless” charger which goes back to being like a finicky fob. I’d feel better if this travel case had a magnetic shield in it that would protect the vibrator and the accessory tips from ruining any electronics they might come near.  Sadly, the travel case is yet again an additional cost and is not included.

Another aspect of this vibe that alienates certain users is the changing of the tip. Even if you have only the one tip, you’ll want to remove it for better cleaning, or to try some lube on the piston to make it more quiet in use. To remove the tip, you have to push through the orb using your finger from the back end to push the piston/tip out. It requires some effort, and it’s not for those who have manicured, long fingernails. I broke a nail, and mine are short and stubby.

This chart and the one to the left baffles me, and so does the settings. There’s a high and low overall power setting. Then there are 10 different levels of sonic whatever. Oddly, “low” is not what you’d expect. It’s not the most powerful, but it moves the piston the most. Levels 3 and 4 deliver the most intense sensations, whilst 9 and 10 are vibrating at such high speeds that you can barely feel anything at all. I tried out all of the tips (a separate post), and none made levels 6-10 do anything for me. I am told though, by the company, that they plan to introduce more tips in the near future – tips that are much softer and will resonate with the upper levels in a much better way. The included tip is a flat, hard disc coated with silky soft silicone (they all are). That chart at first had me sold, but in use there is hardly any different detectible between the high/low “overall” (not high vs low in the 10 settings). Combining 5 different tips with 20 different possible settings would surely seem like I could find something that would work and justify the cost, but I couldn’t.  Perhaps that’s why I became so damn frustrated with this thing – I became an unsatisfied version of Goldilocks. It’s super hard to describe what it feels like in use. A few of the levels, the mid-range, feel more like a traditional vibrator. The upper range, 8-10, is very “buzzy”, high-pitched, etc. It’s barely enough to feel, especially that “highest” setting. On the lowest setting, there’s a lot of piston movement without a lot of power. Levels 3 and 4 deliver the most oomph, but it’s so finicky that I couldn’t orgasm. I don’t have a bathtub, but I have a feeling that this is the vibrator to try if you like masturbation in the tub. I think that on certain levels, combining it with underwater effects would result in something that feels more interesting. This would best be achieved though by using one of the accessory tips.

They say that it is extraordinarily quiet. The upper levels are, but the levels in which the piston moves away from the orb the most can get pretty noisy. You’re supposed to be able to make it silent by applying lube to the piston, but this only worked for a minute for me. The company claims that it has 50% more power than any other “battery powered” vibrator. What type of battery? Do they mean disposable? Obviously not, since they used mostly rechargeable models in their comparisons. If there is more power to the Revel Body Sonic Vibrator than the We-Vibe Tango, then something is getting lost in translation because I simply, absolutely, cannot orgasm from this vibrator. I just can’t.

Revel is still working out the kinks. I had to send mine back, which is surprising at this stage, because the charging was a bit wonky. Like many other higher end, waterproof vibrators, the Revel Body charges magnetically on a cradle. I hate this stuff. It’s slightly less finicky than those with a “fob” but it’s finicky nonetheless. The company is, though, very good with ensuring that your unit is working as it should. If you do have one and you’re having any weird issues at all, contact them. I still am having issues with the charging aspect, though, despite a new unit – sometimes it takes a dozen tries to get the magnetic connection just right so that it charges⁵. Another complaint about the charging unit – the cord is very short. You’ll have to find a sturdy, flat surface close to an outlet. Not an easy feat, for some.

For a vibrator that will seemingly only work for a small margin of people, I’m hard-pressed to recommend it. The price is high⁶ and includes only a basic tip for $180 at SheVibe.com. This is a deterrent to most. If you could buy all of the accessory tips currently available for one low price, instead of $80 extra for them all⁷, I might be slightly more inclined to gamble with a recommendation.  If the $180 price tag included the travel case and both charging options, and if the travel case shielded the magnets from each other and anything outside the case, the $180 might feel more worth it.

Thanks to the lovely Shevibe.com for hooking me up to try this out!