A vibrator that’s both small and strong is — for many people, myself included — the holy grail of vibrators. Usually the strongest vibrations are found in large, heavy vibes that can be inconvenient in certain sex positions and take up valuable suitcase real estate when you’re traveling. On the other hand, there are few sexual disappointments quite like not being able to cum because your vibrator just doesn’t have enough “oomph” to get you there.
Thus, it’s always exciting when a vibrator comes along that manages to pack a lot of power into its relatively tiny form. The Dame Kip falls right in the middle of the Venn diagram where vibration strength overlaps with small size, and it’s a beautiful thing.
What Is the Dame Kip Vibrator?
Dame is a female-founded sex toy company that’s perhaps best known for the time they sued the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for refusing to let them advertise their wares on New York City subway trains. Provocative ads abounded on public transit for erectile dysfunction drugs, and Dame argued that the MTA denying them the right to tastefully advertise their vibrators was the result of a sexist double standard about whose sexual pleasure matters and why. Amazingly, they won, and got to run the ads. I’ve been a fan ever since. What can I say? I love a company that genuinely stands up for sexual empowerment, even if doing so also pads their bottom line.
Anyway, the Kip is one of Dame’s cutest toys, IMO — and all of their toys are pretty cute, so that’s saying a lot. It’s mainly supposed to be a clitoral vibrator, and its designers clearly understood that different clits like different things, and that you can even enjoy one type of clitoral stimulation toward the beginning of a session and want a very different type as you get more riled up. The ingenious shape of the Kip is made to be super versatile: You can use the softly pointed tip if you like hyper-focused stimulation, or you can press the entire top end of the toy against yourself if you prefer a broader, more enveloping touch.
Beyond working wonders on clits, the Kip is also well-shaped to stimulate other erogenous zones, like the taint, frenulum, balls, nipples and labia. (Don’t put it inside your butt, though; it doesn’t have a flared base.) Its silicone has enough firmness to feel impactful but enough squish to stay comfy no matter where you’re pressing it.
The Kip has five different vibration patterns, each with five intensity levels to choose from. It’s rechargeable, waterproof and has a travel-lock function so it doesn’t come to life in your suitcase. Damn, Dame — you really thought of everything, huh?
My Experience with the Dame Kip Vibrator
First, I gotta say that I love the color of the Kip. It comes in either a pale lavender shade or the sunniest, happiest yellow I’ve ever seen, and obviously I chose the latter. There’s something so friendly and appealing about the look of it; I smile just seeing it on my nightstand.
The controls of this toy are simple and intuitive: you turn it on by holding down the power button for a few seconds, and then you can adjust the vibration intensity with the up and down buttons or scroll through patterns by short-pressing the power button. The buttons are indented, which makes them easier to find by feel if you’re using it in the dark, or if you tend to close your eyes when things are feeling really good.
Again, the Kip’s shape is remarkably versatile. I usually start by teasing around the periphery of my vulva with the side of the toy (water-based lube is a must) and then tend to press its head more firmly against my clit as I get more turned on.
But the most crucial component of any vibrator is the motor, and the Kip has an excellent one. For a vibe of this size, it’s surprisingly rumbly — meaning that the vibrations are low-pitched and feel like they stimulate you more than skin-deep, potentially resulting in easier and stronger orgasms. Having reviewed over a hundred different vibrators, I can tell you that higher-pitched, “buzzy” ones tend to make my clit feel numb and bored, like a student zoning out during a tedious math class, whereas rumbly vibes like the Kip make it sit up straight and pay attention.
The five intensity settings are fantastic, ranging from a low purr to a robust rumble that’s comparable to a small wand vibrator. If you’re used to heavy-duty vibrations like those found in larger toys, this one might not do it for you — Dame is great, but they can’t bend the laws of physics — but I find it plenty strong enough for my purposes. The jumps between settings aren’t too extreme, either, so I can ascend to the heights of pleasure without getting overstimulated.
The Kip’s small size means it can easily be combined with other sex toys, like a dildo or a butt plug, without crowding them out. And it can slip between bodies during sex, no problem.
As a person in a long-distance relationship who travels a fair bit, I always appreciate when vibes have a travel-lock function like the Kip does — and I also love that it’s so small, because it takes up barely any suitcase space, even when I bring its magnetic charging cable too.
Overall, this vibe just delights me. It never leaves me feeling frustrated or disappointed like some lesser toys can; it just hits the spot — and vibrates the hell out of it.
What Other People Are Saying About It
Most of the reviewers on the Dame website agree with me that this vibrator is a tour de force. “Gets the job done quickly and quietly while still being mind-blowingly pleasurable,” one wrote. “Even the bright lemon yellow color makes me happy every time I pull it out… which is often!”
Users love how quiet the Kip is, especially when they’re stressed about being overheard by roommates or family. It’s indeed impressively quiet for how much power it puts out; someone lying next to you in bed would know you were using it, but it’d be inaudible through a closed door except for maybe on the highest setting, which gets a little louder. Putting some music on would cover up the noise just fine, though.
Some users complained that the Kip was too weak to get them off, while some said the opposite — that even the lowest speed of this toy felt too intense for them. (If you’re in the latter camp, remember that you can always use vibrators through one or more layers of clothing to dampen their sensations.) This just goes to show that every clit is different and nothing is guaranteed to work for all them — but I think the Kip falls into a range of intensity that would serve the majority of users quite well. One reviewer described orgasms from the Kip as “a precision strike that is so quick and effective you momentarily forget who you are, where you are, what century it is and for about five seconds you think you’ve gone blind.”
Sounds pretty good to me.
At $95, the Kip’s price point won’t be within reach for everyone, but I think it’s worth saving up for if you think you’d need a moderate amount of power and you dig this toy’s adorable aesthetic. A reviewer on the Dame site summed it up nicely: “Okay, so here’s the deal. Kip is my best friend now. At first, the price kinda made me hesitate, but let me tell you, she is worth it. I deserve it and so do you, so make the purchase.”
As a satisfied customer, I have to agree.
Kate Sloan
Kate Sloan is the author of the books '101 Kinky Things Even You Can Do' and '200 Words to Help You Talk About Sexuality & Gender,' and has reviewed over 300 sex toys on her blog at GirlyJuice.net, to the chagrin of her high school guidance counselor. She also cohosts the podcasts 'The Dildorks' and 'Question Box.'
