As both an allosexual (a person who experiences sexual attraction) who enjoys intimacy and a sexuality professional dedicated to helping people safely experience as much pleasure as they can, you can imagine the joy I felt when I first heard about a pleasure aid designed to help make penetration possible for people (like me!) who typically find it painful: Ohnut Buffer Rings ($65).

Created by a company by the same name, Ohnut is a wearable pleasure aid that allows you to customize how deep a penis, dildo, or other toy goes inside your vaginal or anal canal. Sold as a series of stretchy, stackable rings, pleasure-seekers can choose how deeply they’d like to be filled by sliding the chosen number of modular rings over the phallus-in-question. Once in place, the squishy aid acts as a physical (but non-obtrusive) buffer between the receiver and penetrator (or penetrating toy).

I’ve been using the Ohnut during receptive strap-on and penis-in-vagina intercourse to make penetrative play comfortable since it was first released to market in 2018. Truth be told, no sex toy, pleasure aid, or piece of sex advice has changed my sex life quite like this non-assuming trinket. So, when I learned that Ohnut released a vibrating toy dubbed the Ohnut Vibrating Ring ($50), I buzzed with excitement.

What are the benefits of the Ohnut Vibrating Ring?

Released to market in November, the Ohnut Vibrating Ring is a single, stackable ring outfitted with a rechargeable, thumb-sized vibrator. It can be used on its own, or seamlessly interlock with the brand’s other buffer rings, says Emily Sauer, CEO and founder of Ohnut.

“You can stack up to four soft rings—including a ring with a vibrating function, should you choose—onto a penetrating partner,” Sauer says. These rings then compress down, reducing depth by about 1.5 centimeters each, she explains.

Ohnut Vibrating Ring — $50.00

Vibration can add a new sensation that can make it easier to experience pleasure and even orgasm both for the wearer and receiver, says Sauer. “The vibrating ring can help all partners experience all different rumble sensations,” she says. The product has seven different vibration speeds, ranging in intensities from subtle buzz (my fave) to explosive rumble, which you can easily cycle through by pressing a single, well-placed button.

More than that, vibration can also support the main goal of reducing pain during penetrative play. “Vibration can actually elongate the vagina, making it easier to accommodate a penis or a toy,” she says. “Vibration can also increase natural lubrication and blood flow, which help create slip and cushioning for penetrative sex,” she says. Can vouch!

To be clear, the Ohnut Vibrating Ring shouldn’t be used in place of store-bought lubrication. Plenty of lube should still be squirted along the shaft and entrance, should you need or want it. Thankfully, the vibrating ring is made from an FDA-approved family of polymers, which means it is body-safe and compatible with both silicone- and water-based lubrication.

The Ohnut Vibe is available in two different sizes: Classic and Wider. The two sizes are the same “height,” meaning that they reduce penetration depth by the exact same amount. What differs is the size of the hole that the penis (or toy) goes through. The classic was designed for those who wear “standard” condoms, while the wider option was made for those who wear “large” condoms or prefer a looser fit.

How is it different from a cock ring?

To the naked eye, the Ohnut Vibrating Ring may look like a cock ring. After all, it has the same banded shape as popular vibrating c-rings like the Lelo Tor 2 ($130) and the JimmyJane Deimos Vibrating Cock Ring ($125).

But to be clear, the Ohnut Vibe is not a vibrating cock ring. Cock rings, or c-rings are they are sometimes called, are designed to fit tightly over the base of a penis and restrict blood flow to ultimately help the wearer get harder and maintain an erection for a longer period of time. None of the Ohnut rings (including the vibrating one) are designed to be tight on the penis or alter its function. Instead, the Ohnut was designed to limit the depth of penetration without sacrificing sensation to either partner. (For the record: The two people I’ve used the Ohnut with have reported that the device feels like a “penis hug”).

Further, the Ohnut Vibrating Ring can link into other Ohnut Buffer Rings, in a way that other vibrating rings cannot. If you use more than one ring, you can put the vibrating ring anywhere in the stack. Through a little trial-and-error, I’ve learned I like it as the second ring. When the first ring vibrated, my clitoris got a little overestimated, which is common for me.

So…is the Ohnut Vibrating Ring for me?

If you, like me, are part of the 75 percent of vulva-owners who has ever found penetrative sex painful at times, you could be a good candidate for the Ohnut Vibrating Ring.

However, it’s important to note that if you find any kind of penetration painful—intercourse, hand sex, tampon insertion, etc. —don’t just order a sex toy and call it a day. It’s important to consult a gynecologist and/or pelvic floor therapist, suggests Corey Silbert PT, DPT, a pelvic floor therapist with Pelvic Gym, a pelvic health education platform created by Ohnut. Penetrative pain can be caused by a number of underlying conditions, says Silbert, including endometriosis, vaginismus, pelvic inflammatory disease, and sexually transmitted infections. The proper health-care provider can help diagnose the underlying cause and either treat the condition or give you told to manage it, she explains.

In fact, a visit to a pelvic floor therapist is how I learned that my penetrative pain is caused by a condition called hypertonic pelvic floor (where your pelvic muscles constantly spasm or contract). I now manage this condition with a number of at-home and in-office pelvic floor stretches, as well as pleasure aids like the Ohnut, CBD suppositories, dilators, and now, the Ohnut Vibrating Ring.

If your condition causes pain deep inside the vaginal canal, your provider may suggest the Ohnut Buffer Rings or Ohnut Vibrating Ring (among other products), says Silbert. “By controlling depth, you can keep penetration from aggravating deeper structures that are painful when touched,” she says. If the main place of your pain is at (or closer towards) the entrance of your vaginal canal, the vibrating ring is less likely to address the pain because some penetration will still be taking place.

All in all, at $50.00 for the Ohnut Vibrating Ring and $65.00 for four additional (vibrator-free) Ohnut Buffer Rings, I’d recommend anyone who finds penetration more ‘ouch’ than O give the aids a try. There’s not much to lose, and as I can vouch for, there’s a lot of pleasure and peace-of-mind to gain.