With the holidays nearing, I thought I’d review some gift ideas for anyone interested in sensory/regulation products.
I am reviewing Speks products in this post. Speks is a fidget product company that make high quality fidgets. You can review their entire line up of products at www.getSpeks.com
My current favorite goto sensory toys/fidgets are magnets. I love magnets of all types and sizes and have amassed quite a collection myself. I love the tactile feedback of the magnets and clickiness of manipulating them in my hands. I am often engaged in this while pacing to regulate my nervous system when I feel overwhelmed or stressed.
Speks’ offers a line of magnets including their Supers, Fleks, small magnets (Speks) of any color and magnetic putty (Crags).
Supers are magnetic spheres that are 33mm in size, which are quite large as far as magnetic spheres go. The price is 29.95 for a pack of 6. They come in either oil slick or gunmetal. I opted for the oil slick variety as I already have gunmetal spheres from another retailer. Supers are a nice weight and satisfying to hold. The magnets are very strong and high quality.
While I do like the Supers, their larger size isn’t the best option for compact, pocket size travel. They would probably not be the best for youth or small hands in relation to hand manipulation. Still, fun to play with. The price point is a little pricey for 6 spheres, as you can get a higher volume of slightly smaller spheres at other retailers in higher quantity. That being said, they might be more appropriate for adults or as a desk toy.
Next in the line up are Speks Magnet Balls, the smaller magnet sets that offer more play options. Speks come in many different colors, including matte finish options. The size of these magnets are 2.5 mm. They are perfect for making designs, mashing, and hand manipulation. You get 512 in a set. I don’t personally own any Speks. I have some cheaper alternatives. Speks are 34.95 for a set of 512. Based on my comparison of Speks other products and alternative products, I can say the Speks are sure to be a superior choice. In my testing of magnets of the same type by other retailers, I can easily distinguish the difference in quality between those I paid 20 or more dollars for and those that were less that 15. The differences are apparent in the durability of the finish, strength of the magnets, and continuity of the pieces. Speks would be a good option for 8 and up. Speks also offer a metal magnet display stand which enhances and provides additional play options. I love the stand! The Show-off stand is 9.95 which is super reasonable.
Next up is the Crags, magnetic putty. The crags putty come in a variety of colors including matte finish options. They are packaged in a tin that looks sleek. Hands down, Crags are superior to any other magnetic putty on the market. They feel awesome in your hands. These magnets are not as strong as other magnets but they are designed that way on purpose, to get that putty effect. This is one of those products you have to try to understand how amazing it feels. I highly recommend this product and would say it is worth it to buy a higher quality magnetic putty. It comes in two sizes, small 24.95 or large 44.95. Again, on this one, it is worth it to buy crags over the other cheaper options out there. You won’t be disappointed. Crags are great for anyone old enough to safely play with magnets. One caution, because magnetic putty is comprised of looser/weaker magnets, they could easily fall apart and end up on the floor or other places. Magnets are dangerous when ingested so if you have small children or pets, take the extra steps to ensure play is safe. For instance, I use a plastic plate with a high edge around it when I pay with them to prevent any spillage or lost magnets.
My very favorite product from Speks are their Fleks. Fleks are bendable “x” shaped magnetic pieces. Their rubbery silicone shell feel fantastic and silky smooth. The magnetic ends are very strong. They have quite a bit of bend and still connect to each other well. Fleks retail for 29.95 for a box of 6. That is the only con. While I had a great time making things with just the 6 pieces, I really felt like the price point was a bit high. Each box of six comes in a two tone color scheme. I bought a second set because I loved them so much. You could easily play with them for a long time. It seems they have limitless combinations to build.
Fleks would probably be suited well to aiding in calming and focus based regulation. I could see them being helpful in situations where you need to sit for long periods of time. For those who need to do something with their hands while listening, this is a perfect fit for me. I just wish they were cheaper or had more pieces included.
Next up, Helix. Helix are hard curved plastic pieces with magnets on the ends. This is my least favorite. Yes, you can use them with your Fleks but I wasn’t thrilled. It would’ve been better if they were made of the same flexible silicone as the Fleks. Yet again, the price for the few pieces you get is not stellar. I could see them being really fun with multiple sets. You can make your own tangle with them. Love the color and quality but as I mentioned, the soft flexible material would be best. Helix retail for 19.95.
Onto the Geode...
Geode is a great little set of magnets. They
come in either octagon or triangle shape. Firstly, I love the quality and feel. They are a lot of fun to just flick around in your hands. The plastic is great quality and the pieces are two-tone for added creativity. Now, I thought getting a couple sets would increase playability but the sad truth is they just seem to form the same shape. It’s hard to make anything but a Geode sphere. I even bought the triangle shaped ones but the magnets don’t line up so you can’t use them together which totally sucks. So, these get a fail from me. I was disappointed. If you buy one set, it’s fun, I guess. You get 12 pieces. But don’t expect a lot of playability. It’s super limited for 29.95. They do come in matte colors as well.
Gump. Gump is a set of squishy balls. Imagine a very high quality needoh. These are amazing. 19.95 for a set of three. The colors are fantastic. The embossed lettering on them feels good and looks sleek. These are made well, easy to clean, and very durable. Hands down, this is a fantastic product.
Lastly, Blots. I have all three blots. There is the “Purple Splatter,” “Navy Slammer,” and the “Green Splotch.” I do love all three but the splotch is my favorite. It just feels great between my fingers. The Blots are high quality and look/feel amazing. I would recommend for both youth and adults. They retail for 24.95 each but there are deals out there to grab a discount.
Overall, I give Speks products a 4-5/5. The main reason for the less that 5 stars is due to the cost vs quantity of sone sets. Still, I love the colors, textures, and quality. Speks has excellent branding with very catchy nanes for the product line.
Best overall: Fleks
Best value: Gump
Best accessory: The Show-Off Stand
Hope this was a helpful review for you. Feel free to leave comments and let me know if you’d like me to review more products.
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