which material?

Me again, yes I have read posts talking about the various doll materials. I would search for them if I knew what I was searching for!
What materials are what, Im lost.

Thanks

Well for the fabric that us plushy babes are made , best to contact their manufacturers
I’m sure they would sell a meter if you say it’s for repairs , can’t help with the rubber or
air babes 😇

Carly xxx

What are you actually looking to do ? Repair an existing doll or buy one and trying to decide which material is best for you?

Well, the top 3 are TPE, Silicone and Textile (fabric).

As to which is better, that depends on your priorities and expectations. For me personally, I prefer TPE over silicone. Somewhat less durable and slightly more maintenance, but I like the look and feel better.

Both of those materials are heavy though, so I'd take a fabric doll over either. Much less weight to deal with and far more durable overall. Not to mention, much nicer to cuddle.

Well there is a proprietary blend for Kimber (appears to be some kind of TPE), TPE, STPE, silicone and platinum silicone. No idea what fabric plushies are made of but I have seen felt, leather and linoleum, sure there are latex versions too. There are probably more but I can see your eyes beginning to glaze ever. Good, you shouldn't notice me emptying your pockets.

Winter! Did you have anything shiny or sparkly silkweed? She isn't interested in your money...

Kimber doll is a proprietary latex/silicone mix.

Whatever you like Natalie, its a date;)

Not at all, I dont have a doll. I am just interestd in the materials which I hear talked about. Its difficult to comprehend without actually 'feeling' the materials!

So, how does TPE and silicon compare? Which material feels more like flesh? Im not interested in the plushy materials, thats not for me.

I can’t speak for silicone as I don’t have a silicone doll at the moment. TPE is pretty realistic. I do have an STPE doll from WM but it feels a little too soft for me and is far less durable. A lot of people like STPE, but there seem to be different formulations from different manufacturers and I would not recommend one from WM Doll.

Thanks Jedzed, thats interesting.
I cant handle too much choice, being quite ADHD means I can't choose of there is too much choice, does that make sense? Too many companies (well there are too me) and even more choice of dolls makes it almost impossible to choice '1'.

Break it down:

1. Is this your first doll?
YES - get something inexpensive to see if this is something you really want to get into. Look at what Lucid Toys have to offer.

2. Do you intend to have “bedroom fun” with her?
YES - Go TPE

3. What is your height? Do you want a Doll who is taller, shorter or about the same height as you?

4. Weight is a big factor. Are you very strong/big?
NO - you’ll want a lighter doll.
As a guide, I’m 5’9” and weigh about 12st. I’m 61yrs old. Anything over 40kg is a strain. The dolls I find most manageable are below 35 kg.

5. What size breasts are you looking at?
SMALL - A/B cup
MEDIUM - C/D/E cup
LARGE - F/G/H/I cup
Anything bigger???
Bear in mind that the bigger the breasts, the heavier theDoll

These are just some basic guidelines. But honestly, if this is your very first Doll then don’t go spending expensively, I would recommend you look primarily at the off-the-shelf TPE dolls that Lucid Toys have to offer. There is quite a learning curve to the care and maintenance and carrying of a Doll, and your first doll will teach you a lot in that respect. So it’s probably best to go for something relatively inexpensive to begin with. I’m glad I did it that way.

Thank you, although it not easy to break my complex head down.

1. Yes
2. TPE
3/4. Im a mere 5' 6'', 66 and fit (bin man!) - smaller required but cant go below 150cm can I?
Im fit enough not to be bothered about weight per say but guess I would like something about the same as you would.
5. Breast sizes, well I would er on the side of C/D/E I guess.

Lucid is one name which keeps coming up so I will look on their site but I just hope there isn't too much choice. Taken on board with your cost thoughts although I tend to like getting things correct the first time which saves money.

⬆️Exactly what Jed said ⬆️ -

“Jed said” - that should be a mantra…..:)

Also if you want to just try something slightly more user friendly, and cheaper with less potential dramas maybe consider a Lifesize torso with a head ?- Again plenty on Lucid under 500 quid. I know its not necessarily the “full doll” experience but its a great way to see if you really like it and get a sense of whats involved.
If you don’t then you have only invested about half what you would in a full doll.
If you do then Great! you will learn a lot in a short space of time and be much better informed and prepared for your next full size doll purchase.

In the last few years I have started preferring torsos - mostly as I have a weak back due to a lifetime of manual work, Lugging a heavy doll around is manageable but it just takes a lot of the fun out of it - my heaviest torso is STPE ,32kg without a head and that’s still plenty when lifting and being careful not to damage her……

I completely understand your thought process as I tend to think the same way but to be blunt - Forget about getting the perfect doll first time - treat it as an experience and learning curve!
Lucid website search lets you select height and weight etc so you can narrow things down somewhat without getting too distracted.
Regarding the height, I know some dolls are measured with feet outstretched so when standing are shorter than the specified height. Jed will be able to advise on this.
I maybe wouldn’t get too fixated on the height as for your purposes she will likely be spending most of her time horizontal so probably her MTV measurement and general proportions are more of a consideration.
In general Lucid can be slightly vague with their specifications so if any particular aspect is super important to you always double check it by asking them direct.
As you probably already know if you fancy a trip to Oxford you can pay £30 or so and look / touch / inspect Lucid dolls in their warehouse in person, then purchase and drive away smiling with the one you like….. I just noticed they have some Piper 150s in their “Imperfects” section but still £1300 odd..
In your position I would still go for a JY, (SugarBabe) 6YE, SM,(Soulmate) Neodoll, Firedoll circa £800 ish. And under 35kg
Or of course there still some Kimbers around………….