This issue is an ode to our most tactile sense, and the one we missed the most this past year.

Touch, as you’ll see in these pages, takes many forms, from the constrictive pleasure of shibari, to the proper way to give (and receive) a hug, to the chemical reaction of static shock. It’s also a measure of skill and a mode of communication—both in this world and beyond.

Naturally, the experience of touch can be heightened. (If you’ve ever hotboxed a shower or felt the rays of the sun after an edible, you know what we’re talking about.) The physical components of this issue and products recommended in it are our best attempt to offer the same intensity of sensation. (Just wait until you see—and feel it.)

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