WTF is That? Crash Pad: Behind the Laughter & the Lube

WTF is That? is our new series highlighting people and places in the porn industry, sex educators, artists and more making the world of fucking a whole lot more diverse and real than just something to do when the lights are out! This review is about a porn company called Crash Pad...

Who the Fuck is That?

Crash Pad Episode 224

Crash Pad makes some of my favorite porn, so I’m super excited to start sharing reviews of their episodes. Here’s the thing about Crash Pad: they empower performers to make the kind of  porn they’re excited about. People come to Crash Pad with their partners, and you get to see real chemistry on screen. Not only that, but you get to see something that’s a lot closer to “real sex” than you get with a lot of porn. You get to see laughter and giggles, you get to see performers using lube, and you get to see communication and consent in action.

Real sex, real laughter, real lube

If you watch the behind the scenes clips, you even get to see what didn’t work the way the performers expected. In episode 224 you get to see one of the unexpected risks of using saliva as lube - someone getting spit in their eye - and you get to see performers figuring out what toy to use, and deciding one of them is too big. I love these glimpses behind the scenes. They make me think of what happens in my own bedroom, and they make the performers even more relatable as people. And for me, that’s part of what makes porn hot.

Sexy is realistic attractiveness and the best kind of threesome.

Episode 224 focuses on a threesome. Now, threesomes are a common fantasy and so they appear in porn on a regular basis. But what makes this threesome stand out is the chemistry and playfulness between the performers. My own sex life includes a lot of threesomes, and I’m not used to seeing reflections of my sex life on the screen. This comes close. I love how often you get to see the performers checking in with each other.

Another nice treat about Crash Pad in general, and this episode in particular, is the focus on diversity and inclusion. This episode includes the performers who identify as POC, you see them speaking Spanish at times, and the performers have body hair. Everyone in this episode is hot - while still looking like someone I wouldn’t be surprised to run into at a local queer sex party.
This combination, this realistic attractiveness, is something I seek out in the porn that I watch. Feeling like I’m watching “real” people, in their real private moments, adds a great deal of intimacy that I find a huge turn on.

Porn with a plot, finally!

Performer Vivi Marie mentions this “realness” in her bio, highlighting the fact that Crash Pad allows her to make porn that reflects authentic sex. And she echoes the theme of inclusion, while specifying that Crash Pad doesn’t ‘other’ or ‘exotify’ her identities.

When it comes to the episode itself, the scenario is that of performers Sal and Vivi interrupting Luka as she’s hard at work (on a typewriter!) In a lot of porn, the plot or dialogue can be incredibly awkward or uncomfortable. A little of this is still present, but it comes across more as nervous energy, as the performers transition into sex. And I can absolutely relate to that feeling.

The sex in this episode focuses heavily on strap-on play, which is one of my favorites. I also love seeing how many positions the performers try, focusing on ways for all three parties to be involved. At one point, Sal talks about being torn between wanting to watch, and wanting to be involved, which is something I constantly struggle with during threesomes or group sex. Oh, the trials of being a voyeur!

Safe, sane & consensual

As a sex educator, a lot of porn is difficult for me to watch. Sometimes the way consent and safety are being portrayed are so alarming that it takes me entirely out of the mood. Crash Pad is great for this, and I’ve never been anxious about consent issues. That said, sometimes safety points do still stand out to me.

Crash Pad uses performers who are partners in real life, or who have played together before. So they’re often fluid bonded. One of the great things about Crash Pad is that they allow performers to decide what kind of safety measures they feel comfortable with. And the performers talk about safer sex in the behind the scenes clip.

In this episode there were a few things I would caution people against emulating - though everyone must make their own personal risk assessment. In the threesome free-for-all, the performers take turns giving and receiving oral sex. So all three are fluid bonding. What gave me pause, was going back and forth between providing oral/anal stimulation and oral/vulva stimulation. This practice can spread bacteria that can cause infections, and in my opinion is to be avoided.

Hot sex tip:

It’s also worth noting that using saliva as lube, especially for anal sex, can be a contributing factor for spreading STIs. I always encourage people to use a high quality, body safe lubricant for all sexual activities, but especially for anal penetration.

Overall, episode 224 is a hot, sexy, playful threesome and I’d encourage anyone who enjoys strap-on play, queer sex, and threesomes to check it out!

Stella Harris is an author, educator, and coach who helps people build the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to explore their sexuality safely and free of shame. You can learn more about Stella, or schedule a consultation, on her website, or follow her on Twitter: @stellaerotica or IG: @stellaharriserotica