The Fleshlight Review: Stamina Training Unit

Jon Pressick
7 Min Read

Unmatched in pleasure and market presence, the best-selling male sex toy continues to evolve.

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It takes a lot of cultural sway for one particular brand to become ubiquitously attached to the need it services. Just think about one everyday item that is closely related to sex products.

After a particularly good time, do you reach for a Kleenex or a tissue? Chances are you’re thinking “Kleenex” even though there are many different tissue brands on the market. Such is the power of the product’s hold on our collective conscience.

In the world of sex, the most recognizable brand name in the marketplace is Fleshlight—despite the fact that penis-engaging sex products have long taken a backseat to devices geared toward clitoral or vaginal stimulation.

But there’s a distinct reason for this: the Fleshlight is, was, and will always be considered a sexual gamechanger. No other sex product has garnered such a critical and cultural response as to make its very name a part of our cultural—sexual and otherwise—lexicon. Sure, we talk about vibrators, plugs, lube, but when male masturbation toys are mentioned, the word Fleshlight is, invariably, noted before sleeve or stroker.

And there is a very distinct reason for that: the Fleshlight is that damn good.

Pretenders to the throne

There have been many flash-in-the-pan sex products released over the years. Many of them have garnered a lot of buzz but then fallen to the wayside. Not Fleshlight. Having been in mass production for about 20 years now, the company is constantly innovating and expanding. In fact, it is fairly ironic that one of its biggest selling products, the Stamina Training Unit (STU) , embodies the company’s place in the sex market. You’re going to learn sexual stamina from the best!

I’ve had a couple STU’s over the years, and whenever I bring them out for fun, I know I am guaranteed a satisfying and highly pleasurable sexual experience. In fact, even as sex products advance and gain new and exciting features, the design and materials of the Fleshlight ensure that it will always be among my favorites.

Works for you

It is kind of funny: if there is one aspect of the Fleshlight STU that might turn some people off, it is the visual design. It is somewhat clunky, and the thought of disembodied genitalia might be a bit much for some folks to handle.

It is called Fleshlight for a reason—it was modeled after an actual flashlight. Combining these two factors could make a person hesitant. However, that’s just the outer appearance, and it can be modified.

Fleshlight There are different body shapes available (mouth, vulva, anus); however, there is also a non-descript opening. And some of the other Fleshlight models are far more sleek and stylish in terms of casing. If aesthetics do inform your arousal, these are important factors.

However, if performance is the key, then the simple-but-effective mechanism of the STU is sure to impress. The moniker Stamina Training Unit isn’t just a catchy name. Any user can attempt to learn new levels of staying power throughout penis stimulation, with just a simple turn of the base.

The end of the STU screws open and closed. The more open it is, the more air is allowed into the unit. This provides less air pressure on the penis. However, if you decrease the airflow or seal the unit, a more pronounced sucking or squeezing sensation is established providing increased stimulation.

Simply turning the base to different degrees exposes the user to different sensations and gives the option to extend personal pleasure to any length of time desired. Over time, you can then learn arousal triggers and attempt to slow them down, both with your toy and with people.

SuperSkin sensations

While the function of the Fleshlight is surely a huge draw, it is the feeling of the toy that truly sets it apart from all other strokers available. The company’s patented SuperSkin is an incredible substance that can mimic the soft and supple feeling of human flesh like no other substance currently on offer. Added to that are the different textures available on the interior of the SuperSkin sheath. From light ridges and bumps to magnificent playgrounds of penis pleasure.

When I first tried a Fleshlight, I was very skeptical. With so many other products claiming the same great experience, it was hard to believe this one would be any different. But I was wrong. It is different. With the addition of water-based lube, sliding into a Fleshlight is absolutely the closest you will come to the warmth and sensation of penetrating another person. And over the years, the company has introduced many different models suited to different tastes and preferences.

All of this said, given how long the Fleshlight has been a pillar of pleasure, it could be time to attempt some innovation. Indeed, they do offer different options, including toys modeled after adult film stars and attachments to use the Fleshlight in the shower, with a tablet, and interactively with adult entertainment videos. There is even the “Freaks” line that caters to more creative fantasies.

However, what I to see from Fleshlight is an experience that mimics a partner’s arousal. The squeezes, the slight jumps and jerks that tell you the other person is enjoying the experience as much as you. This might be a challenge to design, but if anyone can do it, the Fleshlight team can.

However, even without this addition, Fleshlight will always rank as the premiere male sex sleeve and. Simply put, it will never let you down. And when you think of a penile sex toy, Fleshlight will surely be the first word to come to mind.

*I was provided one STU by Vstroker and Fleshlight in exchange for an honest review. This review includes affiliate links.

Image sources: Fleshlight, Jon Pressick

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Jon Pressick is a Toronto-based writer, editor, blogger, and radio personality specializing in topics related to sex and sexuality for more than 15 years. Jon primarily publishes on his blog, Sex in Words, where he shares and contributes analysis of sex-related news stories, feature interviews, and erotic fiction. He is also a regular contributor at Kinkly.com where he provides a weekly sex news roundup. He has been published in New York Magazine, Xtra, and Quill & Quire. In 2010, Jon won the TNT Favourite Adult Journalist Award. He is also one of Broken Pencil Magazines "50 People and Places We Love." His many accomplishments as a sex journalist and erotic fiction writer also landed him on the jury for the Feminist Porn Awards. Jon is the author of three books: Best Sex Writing of the Year 2013: The State of Today's Sexual Culture; Best Sex Writing of the Year, Volume 1: On Consent, BDSM, Porn, Race, Sex Work and More; and Secrets of the Sex Masters. Jon's books have been featured in mainstream media outlets such as Huffingtonpost.com and Playboy Radio. The Best Sex Writing series published by Cleis Press covers topics including sex education, sex and disability, sexual exploration, legalities of sex, cultural sexual differences, sex in society, pornography, and asexuality. Jon was previously the co-host and producer of the weekly radio show Sex City. During this time he interviewed some of the sex community’s biggest names, including Cindy Gallop, Candida Royalle, Sunny Megatron, Susie Bright, Tristan Taormino, Kate McCombs, Reid Mihalko, Carol Queen, and Dr. Charlie Glickman. Jon earned his Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in English Language and Literature at McMaster University and has a Certificate in Book Publishing from Ryerson University. Jon is a regular speaker at sexuality conferences and offers prostate pleasure and erotica workshops. Recently, he embarked on gathering a collection of erotica and sex education books for Oasis Aqualounge's Erotic Library where he also acts as the official curator. Currently, Jon is Digital Production Manager at Nelson Canada. Nelson is Canada's leading educational publisher providing innovative products and solutions for learners of all ages.
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