AHHH!! My favorite spooky themed dildo brand is back! After a year+ long hiatus, Velvet Alley has returned. Their return to the indie toy world means that I can review some of my favorite pieces by them – something I felt a little guilty doing when I wasn’t able to point you, my readers, towards a site where you can also buy some of their toys.
Meet Velvet Alley
Velvet Alley is an indie toy maker based in the south-western part of the US, and makes a variety of spooky, silly themed toys. Several years ago for April Fools, they released a Wacky Wavy Arm Guy dildo. Another year for 4/20, they released a bong shaped dildo and a Sherlock pipe dildo. Their designs are insanely detailed and unique, and we can’t get enough of them in this house!
Owned by a husband & wife team, Velvet Alley set out to make non-phallic sex toys for everyone who is also interested in the strange, the spooky, and/or the kooky. Their designs include a unicorn skull, a spine, a chainsaw, a knife in a heart, and more. Velvet Alley even has mini versions of their Gumball, Gym Sock and Blender strokers, designed for trans mascs. When I think about Velvet Alley, I think about the insane detailing that they put into some of their designs, like Doomed, a chainsaw that can be used for grinder or inserting.
To brag for just a moment, we own a majority of their collection from before they went on hiatus, and they also welcomed us into their workspace to teach us how to pour dildos back in 2023. It’s because of them that I have any semblance of a clue of how the whole process works, and let me tell ya, the indie toy making business is a Whole Ass Process.
For transparency, I was an affiliate for Velvet Alley before their hiatus, but they have closed their affiliate program for the time being. None of the links shared in this post are affiliate links, and my only affiliation with Velvet Alley is that they remain friends of Cassie & I. At the time of writing this, they have no idea that I’m going to publish a review of any of their products!
Allow Me to Introduce Craven
Craven is a spine inspired dildo that is likely the second most used Velvet Alley toy in our collection (the first being Legacy, which my wife uses to help prep for penetration). The tip of Craven is rounded for easy insertion, with ribbed texture where each of the vertebrae connect, and spinal nerve & facets that are toned down running up the back of the shaft. The base is modeled after the pelvic bone, and makes for a nice handle to hold onto during use.
Velvet Alley has 20 color options available to customize your Craven. You can also choose between Soft Shore 00-30 or Medium Shore 00-50. The dildo is 7.25″ in total length, with a 5.5″ useable length and 4-4.5″ circumference. At $39.99, this custom dildo is a steal.
How to Care for Craven
It’s important to wash toys before and after use to ensure there’s no lint, dust, hair or other stuff stinking to the surface of Craven. If you use water-based lubricants, you can just use a gentle, unscented soap and some warm water. If you use oil-based lubricants, you may need to do a deeper cleaning, in which case you can boil the dildo for a few minutes, run through the dishwasher on top shelf on sanitize setting with no detergent, or you can soak in a 10% bleach/water mixture. There is a lot of texture on Craven, especially on the back of the shaft and the base, so I recommend having an extra soft, small toothbrush to help clean all the nooks & crannies.
Velvet Alley does not recommend using silicone based lubricants with their toys.
The flared pelvic bone is the thinnest area of the dildo, and while silicone is difficult to rip or tear, it’s really important to be gentle with those areas especially. Do not bite, pinch, pull, stretch the silicone!
My Experiences with Craven
I freakin’ love Craven, but before I got one, I was a little worried that the ribbed texture would be too much for me even before I noticed the back of the shaft’s texture 😳😳 Historically, ribbed textures like this are too intense for me, but because I love Velvet Alley and my dedication to trying different things in hopes of getting different results, I took Craven for a spin. And then I kept reaching for Craven over and over and over again.
A half inch change between the thinnest and thickest parts of the shaft doesn’t seem like much, but when it’s being pumped in & out of you… suddenly half an inch is really intense. And the texture that runs up the back of the spine adds even more intensity to this dildo. It’s a lot to handle! When using Craven, I need time to adjust to the texture, so I like to insert it and let my body adjust to the texture a little bit before I start to slowly move it in and out. Once I’m warmed up to the texture, then I can go harder and faster.
I’ve used Craven so many times since getting it that it’s hard to remember each and every single external toy I’ve paired with it. I do like Craven when paired with some sort of clitoral stimulation, but as a short arm/big belly having person, it’s hard to thrust it into myself and use a clit vibe and be able to read or watch porn (no TV in our bedrooms). So, most of the times I tried it without someone else pumping it into me, I would insert it and then leave it, rocking my hips to give me simulated thrusting. It felt really good, but I definitely prefer when someone else is using it on me for easier pumping.
We have not tried Craven in a strap-on harness for two main reasons. The first is that the base is quite small and won’t distribute the impact of penetration widely, which I find less comfortable. The second is that the base of the dildo just seems so delicate that both Cassie and I worry about damaging the toy. We’ve only used Craven for hand-pumping.
As someone with grip issues in my hand, Craven did get a little difficult to hold in some positions. There are some natural grip points on the design, however my hands are just too big for those grip points to make much of a difference when using it on someone else. When using it on myself, I found the grip points helped me comfortably move the toy in and out of myself.
When I initially ordered Craven several years back, Velvet Alley did have a larger size available, which is the version I used when testing the dildo on Cassie since she’s a Certified Size Queen. Ok, you caught me, there’s no actual certification for that, but if there was, you know she’d have it! Cassie liked the texture, but she felt that the repeated change in circumference may have pushed some air into her. She said it wasn’t uncomfortable amounts, just that she felt some air inside her after using.
Speaking of that larger size Craven, I don’t know if Velvet Alley plans to bring it back. When they told me that they were reopening the store, they shared that they were planning on only offering their dildos in one single size. So while I do have the larger size pictured and described here, only the smaller size is available.
What I Love About Craven:
- unique, customizable design
- body-safe silicone
- texture is intense, may be too intense for some users
- very affordable for a custom made dildo
What I Don’t Love About Craven:
- not the most comfortable dildo to hold, depending on positioning
- texture may be too intense for beginners
- currently only available in one size
- soft silicone is sticky, causing dust, lint, hair, etc to stick to the surface
- you may need a soft toothbrush to help clean all the nooks & crannies
Final Thoughts on Craven
Craven is a really intense dildo, texture wise. However, with the measurements Velvet Alley is currently offering it, it’s a pretty accessible size. There’s no curve for g-spot or p-spot stimulation, but the texture is working in your favor to help you achieve orgasm. I was able to get there every time I used it!
I don’t think that Craven is a dildo for beginners though, even with its dimensions. The texture is just a lot to handle, and I can see this very easily overstimulating someone who is not accustomed to so much texture.
As I mentioned earlier, I do not have an affiliate link for Velvet Alley. I wrote this review purely out of love for the piece and wanting to support my friends after they reopened their storefront.
