I thought such things were only gags for bachelor parties.  

Thinking abut it now, I get the "icks" considering hygiene and cleanliness.

I've done quite a bit of research on sex dolls for a documentary I was planning but I never finished. This is a subject that has always fascinated me as I have an interest in robotics and A1. The sex doll and A1 technology has improved to a point now where some of these dolls really look.. and in some cases act... human.  

There's a company down in Oceanside CA that makes dolls that actually move and talk to you and learn through A1 how to respond to your responses. The higher tech dolls can cost up to 10K and even higher.  

The standard high end non-robotic dolls usually run from $1500-$3500 depending on what options you choose. The materials they are made of feel like real skin. You can choose from hundreds of models of beautiful girls of all types and styles, from sophisticated supermodels to downright sleazy. There are female and male sex dolls and they are anatomically correct. The dolls are quite heavy and hard to move around easily and do require a commitment to keep clean and store properly.  

Some come complete with heaters, though the heat is in the sex organ areas only, the 'skin' of the rest of the body, limbs and face remain cool to the touch. I'm sure they are working on the skin temperature issue as you are reading this.

It is important to do your research before purchasing a sex doll. There are a lot of rip-off companies in China that make inferior quality products. Use a reputable dealer who has a history of good customer service, reliable communication and established integrity.    

As robotics and A1 improve, I'm certain we will reach a point where the line between a real partner and a robotic one will come close enough to make it a much more realistic experience than it is now, and some men say that having a sex doll has changed their life dramatically for the better. Still there is a lot of stigma attached to using one, as would be expected. I think that will change over time as we come to accept alternate reality simulations as part of our daily life and recreational fun.  

There are also TER-like review sites where users have used, reviewed and rated the many hundreds of sex dolls available! {"She just laid there" LOL}    

For myself, I have never personally tried a sex doll and doubt I ever will as I'd much prefer the valued interaction with a real life lady with whom i can converse and share intimacy, even if for only a few hours.      

Of course, nothing will ever replace a real person. But it is a fascinating area of technology that introduces interesting questions about our sexuality and the line between fantasy and reality.  

For further study I recommend:  

http://www.realdoll.com/
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http://www.siliconwives.com/
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_doll

Two dimensional porn is very stimulating.  Even cartoon porn. Dolls make it 3D with the opportunity for touch.  
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So you have this situation where it is more real than video porn, yet not really real.  So there is always going to be a psychological conflict about really engaging in activities with one.
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An interesting concept, though.

Thank you for the replies and feed back

you might as well tattoo "Loser" on your forehead.  Just watch the movie, "Lars and the Real Girl," for insight into how weird this is and what normal people think of it.  There is a provider SOMEWHERE for everyone, and these sex dolls can cost thousands of dollars, so why not just get the real thing?  

 
I think a provider offering a sex doll is just going to attract guys with psychological issues about sex, and there is no way of telling how safe it will be for the provider.  

Sex dolls as in plastic dolls never appealed to me. Even as a masturbation device they're expensive, opposite of portable (and require blowup if you deflate them), a mess to clean if used, opposite of discreet, etc etc.

 
I think with advent of fleshlight, a blowup sex doll, already being kind of a joke in itself before memes as a concept have started on the internet, has pretty much ran it's course as a semi-practical device.

 
I do feel there will be an Ai sex robot, which can do a few things a doll cant ever, but we are far from that being available on an affordable consumer level.

They reach a level of verisimilitude that rivals Rachael from Blade Runner.

VR --  have you tried VR porn ?/   not only MUCH cheaper but .. even more realistic and mind absorbing  

POV  VR ..  i have tried it a couple times .. laying on my back .. and  hand coated in silicone lube .. within a few minutes you forget its your hand !!        

i am surprised  VR POV porn has not become more popular.   guys .. seriously   try it ..   if i lived alone be using it all the time LOL ..        

and if you really want to go modern ..

I've not tried one of those strokers but I have looked at VR porn on the Oculus VR headset and it is astonishingly real looking. It is quite realistic visually. Coupled with something like this [the stroker] if it were synced with the action on the screen I think this might be a pretty good experience. Not as good as the real thing, mind you, but worth checking out. It might also be a good practice aid for those with premature ejaculation issues. Practice makes perfect, like a flight simulator!    

Today's sex dolls are getting more realistic with each passing month.

No free human should be fucking a doll -  no matter how ugly and broke or nerdy you are.  
If you  don't  want any commitment there are plenty  of sex workers out there....unless you're  anti-social sick piece of shit.
But if you have a higher than normal sex drive I will give you a pass.

I have never seen one in person.  Would not be interested in using one alone but would never begrudge anyone who does.  Doesn't concern me at all what others do in their own lives.   Interesting question about it being another "toy" during an in person session.   Would have to participate in that one time to know.  Male-Female-Doll.  May depend on the Female participation.  Thanks for the Interesting question MistressKym.

I was on a ship as an engineer and a female cadet was a real cool person.  We often told jokes and tried to keep it clean in her presence and she sensed the false behaviour.  She quickly started telling dirty jokes.  She had a lot of sheep jokes that got me rotflol.  I responded with a few sheep jokes and things started getting weird.  

 
She went ashore in her home port with her father and came back with a blow-up anatomically correct sheep doll.  Actually, she had her father bring it back to the ship a few weeks later as the toy store was sold out and had to re-order.  She gave me the doll and told me to enjoy.  I asked if her father would chase me down with a shotgun for turning her into some strange pervert.  She said he paid for the doll and thought it hilarious.

 
Twenty plus years later, I still have that doll.  There is a slow leak that can't be patched due to location.  But it is funny as hell in some situations like bachelor parties.  Most people think it is funny; a few are repulsed but get over it quickly.  It seems to appear in the strangest places when least expected.  If nothing else, it is a great conversation piece.