Firmness Sample

What is a Firmness Sample?

A firmness sample is a small silicone disc or cylinder sold by makers so buyers can physically feel each available firmness level before committing to a full-size purchase.

Why Should You Feel Before You Buy?

Choosing a firmness level for a fantasy toy is one of the most consequential decisions in the ordering process, and it is also one of the hardest to make without hands-on experience. Photos and videos help, but nothing replaces physically squeezing a piece of silicone between your fingers. That is the entire reason firmness samples exist. They let you feel exactly what extra soft, soft, medium, and firm silicone actually feel like before you spend money on a full-size toy.

A typical firmness sample is a small disc or cylinder, usually one to two inches in diameter, poured from the same platinum-cure silicone formulations the maker uses for their production pieces. Each sample is labeled with its Shore hardness rating and firmness name. When you hold them side by side and squeeze, the differences become immediately obvious in a way that no squish test video can replicate.

What Does a Firmness Sample Set Include?

Most makers sell firmness samples as complete sets covering their entire firmness range. A typical set might include four to six samples spanning from extra soft through firm, with each one clearly marked. Some sets also include a split firmness sample showing the soft-over-firm layered construction, which is particularly useful because split firmness feels fundamentally different from any uniform firmness level.

The samples are usually uncolored or poured in a neutral shade, since the purpose is to evaluate feel rather than aesthetics. However, some makers use their firmness samples as an opportunity to showcase popular signature colors, killing two birds with one stone. A few creative makers even shape their samples as miniature versions of their popular models, adding a fun collectible element to a practical tool.

How Do Firmness Samples Save You Money?

A firmness sample set typically costs between five and twenty dollars, which is a tiny fraction of a full-size made-to-order toy's price. That small investment can save you from ordering the wrong firmness and either being disappointed or having to rehome the toy at a loss on the aftermarket. Consider it insurance for your custom order.

Experienced collectors often recommend that every new buyer's first purchase should be a firmness sample set, not a toy. Spending a week handling the samples, squeezing them at different times, and getting a feel for your preferences leads to a much more satisfying first toy purchase. It also makes you a more informed participant in community discussions about firmness, because you have a physical reference point for what those Shore numbers actually mean in practice.