Choose from three
Platinum Cured Silicone comes in a variety of firmnesses and we pour toys in our three favorite: 00-30 (soft), 00-40 (medium-soft), and 00-50 (medium). But which one is right for you?
It might look a bit technical, but I promise it's not too complicated -- let's get into it!
Shore Hardness Scales
The rubber industry uses "Shore Hardness" to describe material firmness. The ones we use are all on the softest scale, Shore 00. That's why our firmnesses are formatted as "00-XX!"
The second set of numbers indicate a material's firmness on the Shore 00 scale. Firmness increases as the number gets bigger. We offer three firmnesses: 00-30, 00-40, and 00-50 that we call soft, medium-soft, and medium, respectively.
Some people have strong firmness preferences, for good reasons. We'll discuss some of these below so you can consider what will be the perfect firmness for you!
"So, which one should I get?"
The chart above comes from our supplier, but it's pretty broad. Let's focus on the firmnesses we offer.
The firmnesses that we pour in can be generally described as "flesh-like, with varying degrees of squish." Medium 00-50 has more resistance and springs back to its original shape more quickly after being bent or squished. Soft 00-30 is notably more supple and you'll find that design features like nubs will have more flex and be more gentle. Our medium-soft 00-40 is a lovely mix of the two, and not many shops offer it!
While 00-50 is certainly firmer than 00-30, none are "hard" to the touch, nor so soft that the toy can't stand... except Geo XXLarge in 00-30!
Geo's demonstration:
Here we have two Geo XXLarges. On the left is a "medium-soft" 00-40 and on the right is a "soft" 00-30. While our other models stand the same in all firmnesses, Geo's unique design demonstrates something that they don't.
While most sizes of Geo sag a bit, particularly in 00-30, the XXLarges so are dramatic about it that it's almost comical! The 00-30 cannot stand on it's own -- in fact, despite leaning on the 00-40 toy, this photo had to be taken FAST! You can see the right side of the 00-30 toy just lifting up as it started to tip forward!
If there were a "medium" 00-50, it would stand a bit more erect than the 00-40. But the due to this model's design, the 00-30 is especially floppy. Geo stands on its base just fine in both 00-40 and 00-50 firmnesses.
Further considerations...
Where is the toy going?
We've found that some customers prefer softer toys for vaginal use. This is especially true for more textured models, like Magister. Also, consider if you'd enjoy using the base to grind on. Customers love the feeling of Sasquatch's balls and Magister's nubs on their external sensitive parts. How might you want that to feel?
Perceptions of firmness change with mass!
A XL in 00-40 will feel just a bit firmer than a mediumin 00-40.
As mass increases, the toy has more structure providing resistance, so the XL won’t squish quite as much. They’re very close, but it’s worth mentioning!
Mix it up — or stick to what you love!
Some customers enjoy toys in various firmnesses based on characteristics like shape, texture, size, or if they plan to use one toy differently than another.
Others swear by their favorite firmness and wouldn't dare owning anything else!
"I’m kinda tight. I want soft, right?"
It may sound counterintuitive, but if you're on the tighter side might actually want a firmer toy.
Softer toys can take a bit more effort to insert since they squish down and become wider when they meet resistance. Don't worry, they bounce right back! Firmer toys squish less so they'll remain more slender and truer to advertised dimensions.
You can sqeeze a soft toy to keep it from squishing wider during insertion, but that can take a bit of coordination once it's slippery with lube!
How do you plan to use it?
If you usually hold toys in your hand, the firmness may not matter as much since you can direct the toy yourself. If you plan to use the toy as a fuck machine attachment or with a double-sided suction cup, you may find firmer toys a bit easier since they're less floppy!
Don't sweat it
Can't decide? Here's the real talk.
You're not alone! Everyone has their own preferences and this can be a difficult decision because there's no true "right answer." Trust your gut if you're leaning one way or another. All of the firmnesses we offer are in a relatively narrow range, and at a certain point, you kinda just have to feel it.
Axol is a great first toy because it's smooth with no textured features. Magister and Sasquatch are pretty textured and may not be a great first toy in 00-50. Conversely, Pride Plug in 00-30 is pretty squishy (especially the smaller sizes) and insertion can take some patience if you're a bit tight.
The last thing I'll say is that our 00-40 is a fantastic middle ground that has become our personal favorite. The vast majoirty of toys we sell are in 00-40. Our local retail partner carries our toys in 00-40 exclusively! We recommend it to our friends buying their first Platinum Silicone toy and will continue to do so!
Listen to your intuition, you got this.
That said, if you'd like to chat a bit more, please feel free to reach out :)