Firmness

What is Firmness?

How hard or soft a silicone toy is, measured on the Shore hardness scale -- the single most important customization choice that affects every aspect of how a toy feels during use.

What Is the Shore Hardness Scale?

Firmness in the fantasy toy community is measured using the Shore hardness scale, an industrial standard originally developed for rating rubber and polymer materials. Two scales are relevant: Shore 00 for very soft gels and Shore A for firmer rubbers. Most fantasy toys fall somewhere between Shore 00-20 (ultra-soft, marshmallow-like) and Shore A30 (rigid, minimal flex). The number alone does not tell the whole story -- the same Shore reading can feel different depending on the toy's size, shape, and wall thickness -- but it provides the essential baseline for comparison.

How Does Firmness Change the Experience?

Firmness does not just make a toy harder or softer. It fundamentally transforms every other characteristic. Surface textures like ribs, nodules, and scales feel dramatically different at different firmness levels. In firm silicone, each texture element pushes distinctly against the body, creating sharp, defined stimulation. In soft silicone, those same textures compress and blur together, producing a gentler, more diffused sensation. A knot that feels like a challenging stretch in firm becomes a pillowy squeeze in extra soft.

Size perception also changes with firmness. A medium-sized toy in firm silicone can feel larger than a bigger toy in soft, because the firm material does not compress under pressure. This is why experienced collectors often recommend sizing down when going firmer and sizing up when choosing a softer pour. The same model in two different firmness levels can feel like entirely different toys.

How Do You Choose Your Firmness?

Most makers offer between 3 and 6 firmness options. A typical lineup runs: extra soft, soft, medium, firm, and extra firm. Medium is the default starting point for newcomers because it balances texture definition with comfortable give. From there, preferences diverge sharply. Some users love the intense texture clarity of firm silicone, while others prefer the body-conforming forgiveness of soft. There is no universally "best" firmness -- only the best firmness for your body, your chosen toy, and your experience level.

If you are ordering your first custom from an indie maker, consider requesting a firmness sample set before committing. Holding the physical samples in your hand makes the choice far more intuitive than reading descriptions. Many experienced collectors own the same model in multiple firmness levels because the sensation difference is substantial enough to justify the investment.

How Do Firmness and Toy Size Interact?

Larger toys benefit significantly from softer firmness because the increased girth already provides substantial presence. An extra-large monster dildo in firm silicone can be overwhelming even for experienced users, while the same model in soft compresses enough to be comfortable. Conversely, smaller toys sometimes feel insubstantial in extra soft because they lack the mass to maintain their shape. This interplay between size and firmness is one of the reasons the fantasy toy community values made-to-order customization so highly.

Firmness is the invisible variable that makes or breaks a toy. At LustMonster, understanding this one specification helps you make smarter choices across every product category, from horse dildos to tentacle designs.