1. My reasons are :
– weight, silicone is often lighter than TPE
– maintenance, silicone is easier to clean and repair
2. I own both TPE and a silicone “doll”
WM 166 and a Real Doll Classic.
Both have certain advantages. TPE sex doll is definitely softer and feels more life-like (in a sense)
But tend to be smaller than an RG. Plus the restriction of clothes that may stain. TPE “dolls” tend to be lighter in weight.
The silicone sex doll, on the other hand, tends to be more true to life as size goes. So sizing for silicone dolls tend to be easier. Plus clothes colors tend NOT to be a concern.
So it is really a trade-off weight versus life-like figure and weight versus non-staining.
3. Less maintenance, fewer stains, more durable, if needed easier to repair, more details.
To me, the biggest disadvantage of TPE is the tearing during storage.
And I prefer the feel of silicone over TPE-but that is personal.
On the other hand, TPE is much cheaper.
4. My first 3 dolls were TPE and they were great gateway dolls. Cheaper and got me totally addicted! My last 2 dolls are silicone and I am a total convert to silicone. That said the price of silicone has come down substantially and the options have improved substantially even in the last 5 years since I discovered dolls.
Why I prefer silicone:
1）As above, they can be lighter than a similar-sized TPE doll. Options of using foam cores can reduce weight.
2） They are much easier to repair.
3） They are much easier to clean and they are much less likely to become stained from dark clothing.
4) I found that TPE irritates my skin after prolonged contact, silicone does not. This is why I wanted to move to silicone in the first place.
The huge advancements in recent years:
5) Five years ago silicone dolls pretty much didn’t stand on their own. Standing feet were hardly an option. Now there is a multitude of standing silicone dolls.
6） Now various densities of silicone can be seamlessly molded together in the same doll, so that some parts can be incredibly soft, boobs come to mind, and others areas can be very dense allowing, for example, standing feet without the annoying bolts which only serve to cause more damage to the doll’s feet and to my floor. Multiple densities of silicone on the same doll can add a lot of realism.
7） I also like the combination of a soft outer silicone with a harder inner foam core that can simulate a real skeleton, think ribs over a chest cavity. TPE dolls are basically the same softness everywhere.
8） In my experience, TPE dolls get less soft over time as the oil leaches out, maybe that can be mitigated with more frequent oiling, but I don’t if that’s really healthy. Silicone dolls don’t leach oil like that and I don’t see the same changes in softness over time.
5. Depends on what you see as better. By most accounts, an SUV is better than a regular car, but then not everyone wants or needs an SUV and would see it as a disadvantage.
6. Silicone is much more impressive visually. TPE can look really good in tan, but for pale skin tones, most brands struggle to achieve a realistic surface finish.
TPE is heavy. These guys with dolls in the 40+ kg range are pushing it. There are some new full-size silicone dolls between 20 and 25kg and that is a world of difference. Weight is really important.
7. What I like about the silicone dolls. The realism is fantastic. They look better in the flesh than in photographs. It is actually difficult to capture how they look in person.
