MyHixel TR: Sex Toy Review

The Product: MyHixel TR

The Verdict:

Ever since someone put their penis into anything other than someone else, it’s been the lifelong dream of many penis-equipped people to find something that feels as close as possible to sex with another human being.

But the developers of the MyHixel TR didn’t stop at trying to create a lifelike sexual experience. Instead, they went beyond it by putting together a unique working partnership between a sleeve-type sleeve masturbator and an instructional app to help their users control when they come.

The Toy

As the MyHixel TR isn’t merely a single, solitary sex toy or a stand-alone app, I’m going a look at both of them separately, followed by how they work together, beginning with the hardware side of the MyHixel TR combo.

To give you some background, as the boxes and boxes and considerably more boxes of sexual gadgets and gizmos (not to mention the assorted geegaws) under my bed, can attest I have some experience with sleeve masturbators.

Because of this, I can say that compared to the others I’ve put through their various paces, the MyHixel TR doesn’t fare very well.

In the feels department, measured against other sleeves I’ve tried, the MyHixel TR gets the job done: it’s smooth where it must be and nicely textured where it should, and with an appropriate amount of lube it does manage to closely approximate what it’s like to have penetrative sex with a real person. It is a little on the more gentle side, as the internal structures aren’t noticeably stiff enough to make the sleeve feel profoundly structured.

Okay, that’s probably confusing, so it’s perhaps better to think of using the MyHixel TR, (for me at least,) was closer to approximating oral sex than vaginal penetration.

But while it was enjoyable to use, aided as well by its built-in heating system, so you don’t immediately feel like you’re inserting yourself into a cold, lifeless silicone tube, it still feels somewhat cheap. This isn’t always a bad thing if you are buying an inexpensive sleeve (you get what you pay for and all that), but at this price point, one would expect a more luxurious feel.

Then there are their questionable design choices, like how the bottom is rounded so you can’t stand it upright. I found the protective cap flat-out weird as MyHixel TR decided for no discernable reason to use magnets to hold it in place. Not overall a bad idea, but I spent far too long trying to get them to align correctly.

There are other issues as well. While it initially may not sound all that important, the LED indicators for the power and heating controls look like they aren’t where they were supposed to be, which seems to be another design flaw.

I do have to go on record by saying if you can somehow look beyond these shortcomings, the sleeve is quite pleasurable to use and, again, the fact that you can pre-heat means it feels less artificial and far more natural.

How'd You Use It?:

As the MyHixel TR’s hardware side is a non-powered sleeve-masturbator, getting it going is simply a matter of employing your own muscles.

Again, however, MyHixel TR isn’t just the toy but is a key component of an entire package, so you have to factor in its software side, as well.

For my time with it, I used the iOS version of their app, though there’s an Android version. My initial thoughts were that MyHixel TR takes security very seriously, as I had to go through a somewhat ridiculous amount of registering, including a code included with the toy and then an email confirmation before I gained access to the app.

Saying this, I wonder if this all wasn’t so much about protecting my security as making sure that only people who bought the entire MyHixel TR package would be able to use the app.

On my older though far from antique iPhone, the app worked quite well. As for how it works, MyHixel TR has taken the odd approach of avoiding being overly sexually in place of space-themed euphemisms: so learning how to use the app, and preparing to take off on your voyage with it, is at the Space Station. In the same vein, your stats are located under the Astronaut tab, and FAQs and the like can be found at Houston.

After setting up your info, you can visit the first of eight planets, each moving you forward through lessons designed to help users gain greater control over their orgasms.

The lessons themselves are well-written and structured, so MyHixel TR knows their stuff. For that alone, I think it’s worth supporting.

That said, I’m still puzzled by why they opted for this outer space approach, which comes off as appearing like a sex-specific company is uncomfortable talking about sex.

For a while, I debated with myself that maybe this odd decision had more to do with security, so that should someone other than its intended user should open it, they’d think it was anything other than a sexually-oriented app.

But this argument doesn’t hold water as MyHixel TR locks itself if left unintended, and unlocking it requires a four-digit passcode. Besides, I could understand its avoidance of sexual language on its main screen but it’s everywhere in the app--making this choice even odder.

I also have an issue with MyHixel TR’s language. Please excuse me as I climb up on my soapbox, but sex should never be about performance, which is the term used quite often in the app and the MyHixel TR’s marketing materials, as this makes sex sound like something you either succeed or fail at.

The reality is that sex should be what makes you feel good, and consensually so when with a partner. Yes, if you want to try to work on coming in different ways, such as faster, slower, etc., you can do so but not because you feel you’re broken and need fixing.

How Else Could It Be Used?:

That the MyHixel TR is a partnership between the sleeve and the app is its strength and weakness.

I mean, you can’t use one without the other. Okay, technically, you can have fun with the sleeve component without ever opening the app. It’s that buying it exclusively for the hardware may not be the best financial decision as there are better-made toys offering a superior range of stimulation available.

Product Details:

The MyHixel TR masturbator is 4.45 inches long, 4.45 wide, and 3.58 in diameter. Overall, it clocks in at 560 grams, a little more with the protective cap in place.

Charging is done through a USB that’s magnetically attached to the bottom of the unit.

Towards the bottom are the MyHixel TR’s twin controls. The top toggles on and off the sleeve’s vibrator function and a button to control its heating system.

As far as I could determine, it has a single kind and amount of vibration. This, again, puts it behind many toys of a similar type that are available for less money.

The toy is also not brainy, so there’s no Bluetooth syncing to be done; it’s up to the user to use the app to record information on how it was used and for how long.

How It Works:

After unlocking the app, users are walked through some basic facts about how it operates.

The MyHixel TR toy has no way to connect to the app, so it’s up to the user to do what could have been convenient smart features. The user must set up their next lesson, activate the app’s built-in timer, do what they want with the stroker component, and then turn off that same timer. I shouldn’t have to tell you that is a serious bother, even more so because the app doesn’t allow users to enter their time manually, so if they hit the wrong button, they have to start the clock all over again.

MyHixel TR’s overall approach is to promote body and physiological awareness, something I definitely can get behind. Users are encouraged to pay attention to if they felt tense or uncomfortable while masturbating. Then, armed with this know-how, to learn to identify and hopefully gain greater control over their orgasms.

Freely admitting that my experience writing about, shall I say sexual matters, might be skewing my perspective a tad, I took time to try and put myself into the mind of someone concerned about orgasming too quickly and is looking to MyHixel TR for help.

But my concern remained, as rather than a biological how-to guide, most people experiencing what they consider premature ejaculation would benefit from receiving support and reassurance, something that MyHixel TR most definitely does not do. In fact, a few times, I found myself squinting in disapproval at the app’s language and structure and how it somehow managed to make someone like me feel inadequate.