Fetters Heavy Leather Hogtie Set

All Retraints of the Fetters Heavy Leather Hogtie Set

All Retraints of the Fetters Heavy Leather Hogtie Set

My toy purchasing process is quite easy. When I see a toy it has to fascinate me and spark my imagination. I need to start dreaming what I can do with it and what can be done to me using it. Sometimes it takes two to three visits when the faint “This is interesting” turns into “I need that in my life and playroom!” But sometimes there is an instant connection to a toy.

Last Friday I was working on my master thesis when the new Regulation newsletter popped up. Their headlining product was the new Fetters Heavy Leather Hogtie Set. I was immediately drawn to this product and my kinky fantasy was running wild. Actually it was so enticing that I stopped working in my thesis. That really means something when toys are you hobby and you have seen a lot.

Detail of how the Wrist Restraint in Connected to the Thigh Restraint

Detail of how the Wrist Restraint in Connected to the Thigh Restraint

This set is actually not very new but a clever combination of existing toys with a nifty addition: They have taken their padded thigh-to-ankle restraints to bind them together. Onto this restraint they added a flat loop through with the belt of their trusted padded wrist restraint goes. So wrists and ankles are connected to the thigh limiting the movement even further. Naturally coming from their premium restraint range all pieces are locking and feature two welded D-rings. For additionally fettering they developed a belt with two loops to bind the upper arms together. This piece of bondage is also locking.

All piece of gear can of cause be used individually yet it is the combination that makes them shine. I can’t wait to get my hands on one of these sets and try it out myself. It retails for £249 which is a pretty good deal when you keep in mind what you are getting for your money.

HML Fetish Isolation Hood

The HML Fetish Leather Isolation Hood

The HML Fetish Leather Isolation Hood

Vendor: HML Fetish

This hood is another toy I discovered when visiting HML Fetish last December. I already had the Heavy Bondage Special in mind back than so the guys sent me this hood as a review sample earlier this year. Since making pictures of a hood without person to wear it, all pics in this article were made while I tried out the hood for the first time.

Construction

This HML Fetish Isolation Hood is made out of soft black high quality leather. Every part of the hood is lined with leather so it has quite some weight and smells intoxicatingly good off leather. The hood’s basic design is a double face hood. There are zippers in the front and in the back. The back zipper covers a lacing possibility with a leather strap which is used to bound the sub tightly into the hood. Behind the front zipper lies the face hood which has a cut out for the mouth and a piece of leather that covers the nasal wings. The eyes are closed on this hood. What sets this hood apart from other double face hoods are the thick pieces of padding over the ears.

Detail of the Double Face behind the Front Zipper

Detail of the Double Face behind the Front Zipper

I have gotten the size M which measures roughly 34cm by 32cm. Depending on your forehead circumference and the amount of hair that has to fit under the hood HML offers sizes from S to XL.

Playing with it

This hood is a true isolation hood. The padding with its pressing sensation against the head creates an intense bondage sensation. It muffles all sounds. If you add ear plugs or headphones with white noise the sub looses it hearing all along. Since there are no cut outs for the eyes most subs remains blind when the front zipper is opened. However, depending on the nose shape and size light and glimpses of the scene can get past the nose. I am already discussing with HML how to address this issue. Because if the sub can’t see anything this hood is great for humiliation play. Leave him stored as a leather gimp and only open the hood to use his mouth for licking, sucking or pissing into him. Of cause while stored he will inhale the intense scent of high quality leather.

Detail of the Lacing Behind the Rear Zipper

Detail of the Lacing Behind the Rear Zipper

One of the most interesting scenes I had with this hood was stripping the sub naked and just putting this hood on. If you take away the sight and hearing of a sub he will probably get more and more disorientate over time. I would not recommend letting the sub stand unguarded for an extended period of time wearing this hood. If the area the sub is standing is obstacle free you can of cause turn this intensifying feeling into a game: Walk around him, tell him to walk towards you, smacking him with a riding crop from various positions and see him struggle.

Finally a word on the material: Last week I talked about a neoprene hood and said that you can put a cotton pad with poppers under the front zipper. With this leather hood, I would not recommend it! Poppers is a rather aggressive substance and it will damage the leather. If you want to get your sub high on this substance stick a gas mask hose between the two front zipper’s runners.

Conslusion: Very well made intense isolation hood with double face feature
Pro Cons Where to get Price
Heavy hood creating an intense bondage and isolation experience… … if the nose isn’t too small HML Fetish 495€
Very well made out of high quality leather
All over lined with leather.
Thightness can be varied through the lacing

665 Leather Neoprene Confinement Hood

Vendor: 665 Leather

The 665 Leather Neoprene Confinement Hood

The 665 Leather Neoprene Confinement Hood

Construction

Today’s toy of the Heavy Bondage Special is made out of soft neoprene. The soft side of the neoprene is always on the outside on this toy. I am reviewing the L/XL version that measures approx. 31cm by 29cm. While this may sound large please be advised that I have a somewhat average head size and this mask sits quite tightly and is a bit difficult to put on. While neoprene stretches and thus creates a great confinement sensation (see: next section) this hood is definitely not for quickly throw on, especially if the sub has much hair.

Over the entire front of the hood runs a zipper behind which a roughly anatomic mask with cut out for the eyes and mouth is sowed. On the back there runs a zipper up the half to make putting on the mask easier. In order to keep from hair getting caught in the zipper a piece of neoprene covers the zipper from the inside.

Detail of the Back Zipper for Easier Access

Detail of the Back Zipper for Easier Access

I am a bit indecisive what to say about the build quality. The seams of this toy are flawless. Again, they are not welded yet for a hood I don’t consider that important. Sadly the cutout of the double mask is not as precise as I would have hoped for. Luckily neoprene can quite easily be cut with a good pair of kitchen scissors yet this gets a deduction in the B-note. But what you should keep in mind: $50 for a double face hood is a bargain!

Detail of the Inside Mask behind the Front Zipper

Detail of the Inside Mask behind the Front Zipper

Playing with it

While last week’s reviewed toy was all about fitting loose this mask is the complete opposite. The neoprene fits tightly around the head, creating an intense feeling of bondage. If you add ear plugs they get firmly pushed into the sub’s ears canceling out noises very well and adding to the feeling of isolation. Once the front zipper is closed the sub is caught in darkness, inhaling the neoprene scent. This property makes this mask the ideal companion for the Neoprene sleepsack I reviewed some time ago because it creates total neoprene immersion/ gimpness. Another nice feature of neoprene is its waterproofness. This mask once served as a “storage tool” for a piss sub on a party: open the zipper if needed, close it once done. Since neoprene pulls together you get a bit of a cocksucker hood effect if you don’t open the zipper too much. So you can face fuck the sub while remaining anonymous. Of cause, it takes a bit of practice to find the sweet spot that the tension doesn’t open the zipper completely.

The amount of air that is let through the zipper is enough to allow for a good oxygen supply. Yet if you are into it, put a poppers drenched cotton ball behind the closed zipper and the intoxication is quite intense.

Conslusion: Inexpensive, well confining double face hood
Pro Cons Where to get Price
Great sensation of bondage and isolation Not as precisely cut as I would have wished for 665 Leather $50
A bit tricky to put on
Very inexpensive for a double face hood Sizing on the smaller end

Preserving the Burning Fire – On Outgrowing and Passing on Toys

S&M stands for sexual magic

– Patrick Califia

Passing on toys and gear has a long tradition in the BDSM and fetish community. One of the reasons for that is the concept of energy transfer during a scene. What happens during play is more than just the exchange of mental or physical force between the top and the sub. An intense connection between them is formed that consists out of more than the sum of its parts (If you are curious about this more spiritual aspect of BDSM I recommend the works of Marc Thompson or Joeff Mains). For some people this connection is the origin of headspace, for some the sole reason they engage in BDSM and certainly an intense, overwhelming and mind-shattering experience when you experience it for the first time.

The First Restraints I have ever bought: The McHurt Ihsan Wrist, Ankle and Boots Cuff and Hand Suspension Restraints

The First Restraints I have ever bought: The McHurt Ihsan Wrist, Ankle and Boots Cuff and Hand Suspension Restraints

The concept of energy exchange also includes that some of the energy of the players stays in their gear and toys. For that reason some pieces of gear or toys are special and dear to perverts and not easily parted with. Most often floggers, boots or bar vests are considered to be special in that way. In my case three pairs of McHurt restraints are that way. They were among the first things I reviewed for this website and liked them a lot. It feels, they have been with me forever. But when I looked up the order date for writing this article I was stunned: I had only bought them in early December 2011. Not even half a decade felt like a life time. This illustrates really well what they mean to me. All the fun, experiments, surprising experiences and intense emotions are somewhat bound to them. Yet as I matured as a kinkster I outgrew them. While I still stand to my 3 ½ year old review and consider them a good pair of restraints to start out with I want more: More padding, more D-rings, more build quality, more features. So I choose the Fetters Padded Locking Wrist and Ankle Cuffs from Regulation to replace them.

This evaluation process happened with some toys over the last year. I looked at them and realized I haven’t been using them in a long time; saw no real play scenario for them anymore so I sold them to friends, to strangers, to anybody interested. These restraints were different. They not only represent for me the scenes I had in them but also my getting serious about BDSM: Committing to my longings, considerably investing money in this part of myself and somehow giving my desires a physical representation. Yet despite all these arguments I decided to pass them on. As soon as I would get the new ones the old ones would become an exhibition piece. Laying in my toy chest, reminding me of good times and fond memories. But like an instrument not being played anymore, they would be a dead accumulation of matter, slowly fading away, losing all the energy stored in them. So giving them away just by chance was no option! They are too special for me to see them disappear out of my life. Ultimately I decided to give them to a young pervert who is slowly exploring his desires, being just like me 4 ½ years ago willing to commit to his dreams and turn them into reality. So these special pieces will continue to live on in the BDSM scene until he outgrows them and hopefully then passes them on to someone special just like I did.

As important as these restraints are to me I am lucky that I am not parting completely from them: The set I ordered back then also included a pair of boot restraints, large enough to even fetter MX boots. A toy I have not seen elsewhere yet and thus I am keeping it: For memory sake, for current play, for future times when this mythical and mind-blowing bond between top and sub manifests again.

Hail thee who play

– Michael McClure

Sinvention Padded Muzzle

The Sinvention Padded Muzzle in Classic Black

The Sinvention Padded Muzzle in Classic Black

Since I started this Heavy Bondage Special many weeks ago the toy I was asked most if I could write a review about was a muzzle. I am sadly not running a kinky market research agency so I can only guess why muzzles are so intriguing to many kinksters. The popularity of pup play and the feeling of having both jaws pressed together are probably important factors. Sadly I don’t own a muzzle yet so I did some research in my network.

The Sinvention Padded Muzzle in Medical Beige with White Lining

The Sinvention Padded Muzzle in Medical Beige with White Lining

One of the muzzles named most often is the padded one from Sinvention. The padding makes it comfortable enough for long term wear while the locking buckles create an inescapable bondage sensation. I have talked to people who own one and have a really large respective small heads and Sinvention’s claim seems to be true that it is really a one size fits all without compromising the fettering effect. The muzzle comes in two color schemes: Classic black and in the medical style with beige and white. From a practical (and honestly personal preference) point of view I would recommend the black one because I would fear that the white lining doesn’t maintain its clean look for too long. Regardless of the leather color this muzzle costs CAD$250 which is a good price for a high quality piece of bondage gear. I can’t wait to get my hands on this toy and take an in-depth look at it.

Mr S Leather Bag Hood

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Mr S Leather Bag Hood

Vendor: Mr S

Construction

This hood is made out of six pieces of soft high quality black leather which helps to maintain the rough shape. It measures approx. 27cm by 33cm. The inside of the main body is lined with the same leather. The leather panel on the back side is not lined with leather but it is usually folded some way in order to seal the hood if the sub’s head is not gigantic. Besides this panel there are two eyelets through which a piece of leather string runs. You can use this string to close the hood tightly without constricting breathing. In the middle of the front of the hood there are two rivet-reinforced holes for breathing.

Detail of the Breathing Hole

Detail of the Breathing Hole

Playing with it

Despite appearing a simple piece of gear it is cleverly designed. The rather rigid part in the middle keeps the mask in place even when the sub breathes heavily so the hood doesn’t get sucked against the face of the sub. This is important for the main purpose I have been using this hood for: A beginner isolation hood. I tend to suffer from a bit of claustrophobia and thus stayed away from too intense hoods (until I saw myself forced to try them out for this website). As intimidating as this hood might look it fits loosely on the head without any pressure. So despite taking away the sense of sight (with most heads the breathing hole are next to the mouth so the noose blocks out most of the light) there is no sense of pressure that might freak a beginner out. Of cause the isolation feeling can easily be intensified with adding ear plugs or putting a Bishop Head Harness over the bag hood. If doing so pay attention that the breathing holes are not covered.

Detail of how the Hood is closed

Detail of how the Hood is closed

Even if they are not blocked, this mask has some form of breath play capabilities. When resting or being tied down, the sub can breathe easily. As soon as you start to talk or breath heavily to process pain there is too little air sucked in so a sense of breathlessness kicks in. I have never experienced that the oxygen supply was getting critical when using this hood yet it is something to watch when playing. If you are concerned about suffocation or usually play pretty heavy I guess the guys at Mr S can add another pair of breathing holes. Since the hood is made out of the high quality Mr S leather, when you are encapsulated in this hood every breath of air brings the intoxicating rich smell of leather to you.

Conclusion: Simple yet very effective hood
Pro Cons Where to get Price
Easy to use Have to watch oxygen supply in long scenes Mr S $139.95
Great isolation sensation without being to intense
Very well made

 

Mr S Bondage Suit

Mr S Bondage Suit

Mr S Bondage Suit

After last week’s desiderate of the Parus Heavy Leather Straitjacket I got some messages if I knew a piece of bondage equipment that offered an even stronger bondage sensation but wasn’t a sleepsack. That was a bit of a challenge I was happy to overcome.

I first saw the Mr S Bondage Suit on my trip to San Francisco in 2013. Just looking at it caused me a bit to panic out of claustrophobia. It is a massive suit made out of high quality fine grain hide that weights nearly 10kg. Yet with lacing possibilities all over the suit the bondage sensation can quite finely be adjusted: From a compact feeling to not being able to even bend. For a quicker tying down there are belts that can be easily adjusted. Once laced into that beast there are countless d-rings attached to the suit so the sub can be tied into a bondage frame or to himself in a stress bondage position. A nifty feature is that the pants and jacket can be separated so if you don’t want to have the entire experience you can still either have a bondagy looking pair of leather pants or a straitjacket. Despite the thigh bondage effect play is quite possible with tit flaps, crotch and ass access.

Mr S Bondage Suit

Mr S Bondage Suit

I have to admit that this is one of the priciest pieces of bondage gear with a price tag of $2,895 but it will be the most intense yet versatile bondage experience available on this planet. In order to create the tight feeling each suit is custom made to measure to fit the sub’s body perfectly. In this process custom design ideas are possible, p.e. a friend of mine got a cod piece instead of the lacing around the crotch.

Blackjump Wrist Suspension Restaints

The Blackjump Suspension Restaints

The Blackjump Suspension Restaints

Vendor: Blackjump

Construction

The basis of this toy is a 13cm wide wrist restraint. It is made out of latigo leather onto which a rather firm and thin padding with soft leather cover is sowed. The restraint is closed with two latigo leather belts equipped with roller buckles. Onto the body a long strap of latigo leather is riveted. Through several rivets it has an h-shape with a welded D-ring on each vertical part and carrying a brushed stainless steel grabpole on the horizontal part. The leather is high quality and the manufacturing is spotless. Yet due to the materials used it takes a little bit longer to break them in. The restraints come with a standard steel carabiner which as always I recommend to switch for a climbing carabiner.

Detail of the D-Rings and Gradpole

Detail of the D-Rings and Gradpole

Playing with it

If this restraint lives up to its name depends on your play style. Through the stiff body the wrist is kept upright and well supported. Yet the padding is way firmer than on that restraint so I would not recommend the weight of a body resting on the lower bones of the hand. So a suspended sub would have to hold onto the grabpole which is essentially the stress bondage. Some testees found that scenario incredibly hot! Personally I prefer the 4 buckle style – at least for suspension.

Detail of the Roller Buckles and the Padding

Detail of the Roller Buckles and the Padding

In different play scenarios I really love these restraints. Because the D-rings are centered above the hand you can really stretch a sub into a spread eagle. Also in a hogtie the bounding force being an extension of the arm feels more natural than pulling perpendicular on the wrist like when using a D-ring attached to the side of a cuff style wrist restraint. This more natural flow of force is also good in many other play situations, p.e. when fettering a sub into a sling. I used these restraints into a fisting once and the sub used the bars to lift him up and really thrust his ass onto my fist.

Speaking of position these restraints are good to compensate for the shortcoming of most crosses in play spaces. There are good reasons to put a St.-Andrews-Cross into a play space yet for flogging in combination with cuff style restraints they are not ideal. The arms get stretched up leading to tensed up shoulder muscles. If you use these restraints the arms can hang easily so that the upper arms are in line with the shoulder leading to relaxed muscles.

Conclusion: High quality heavy duty bondage belt
Pro Cons Where to get Price
Supports the wrist very well Padding is a bit too firm and thin Blackjump 249€
Allows for more “natural” bondage in some situations compared to cuff style restraints
Very well made out of quality materials

Parus Heavy Straitjacket

Front View of the Parus Heavy Leather Straitjacket

Front View of the Parus Heavy Leather Straitjacket

During BLF Easter I had the chance to quickly try out the Parus Heavy Leather Straitjacket. And since we are in the middle of the heavy bondage special I want to quickly share my experiences with you.

Rear View of the Parus Heavy Leather Straitjacket

Rear View of the Parus Heavy Leather Straitjacket

The first impression you get when holding this piece of bondage equipment is that is it massive. Being made out of and lined with high quality, thick, fine grain European leather in combination with welded steel D-rings and roller buckles the total weight adds up to 7kg. The entire jacket his heavily padded. The padding is quilted and as every Parus product the manufacturing is spotless. This weight and the padding create a feeling of being encased in leather which leads to a tight bondage feeling without tightening one strap. Once that is done you either start to sink into a deep bondage headspace – or like me start to experience claustrophobia. Both effects are enhanced once the arms are fixed. You can do this either like classic straitjacket style with the arms crossed in front of the chest or tie them down parallel to the torso using the d-rings on the side.

Side View of the Parus Heavy Leather Straitjacket

Side View of the Parus Heavy Leather Straitjacket

With 3 D-rings on the collar and 3 on each side there are enough possibilities to limit the movement of the sub even further. What sets this straitjacket apart from other besides going down up to nearly the knees is the laced up codpiece and the easy access to the ass. So despite having rendered the sub completely immobile you can still play with him very well. What this model lacks are tit flaps but I am positive that the guys at Parus can do a custom design if requested.

The straitjacket comes as a one-size-fits-all. I am 1.88m high and average built and it fit me quite well. Through the many straps it can be adjusted to nearly every body size.

This straitjacket retails for 1.449€ and is a Parus exclusive. Since it is made to order it takes up to 4 weeks to be made.

HML Fetish Wide Bondage Belt

Vendor: HML Fetish

The HML Fetish 17cm Wide Bondage Belt

The HML Fetish 17cm Wide Bondage Belt

Construction

The HML Fetish  Wide Bondage Belt comes in two varieties: One that is 11cm wide and one that is 17cm wide. While the narrower one only has one line of 7 welded stainless steel D-rings the wider one has two with a total of 14 D-rings. In order not to have metal touch the skin the belts that hold the D-rings in place are not riveted but sewed onto the belt. On one end of the belt there is a roller buckle, on the other side metal reinforced belt holes. The entire belt is made out of high quality soft leather. It comes in sizes from S to XXXL (!) so even a heavier built bear will find the right belt for him.

Detail of the Roller Buckle

Detail of the Roller Buckle

Playing with it

For this review HML Fetish provided me with the 17cm wide version because they claim that it can hold the weight of an entire body in suspension bondage. Naturally I was curious and a bit skeptical if just nylon thread and no rivets would be strong enough. I tried it out both as a top and as a sub and I have to admit: It takes a leap of faith to surrender the body just to this belt. Don’t get me wrong: As all HML Fetish leather it has a very high quality and robust feel. Yet I have learned in over 3 years of toy reviewing that rivets are the gold standard in durability and security. After multiple tests I have to say that to my own amazement the belt delivered what he promised: You can suspend even a heavier struggling body securely just using this belt. But please keep in mind that this form of suspension is an extreme form of stress bondage. Most of the time I used this belt for added support in a suspension setup with multiple restraints in which naturally he performed really well.

Detail of the D-Ring

Detail of the D-Ring

Apart from suspension bondage this belt is a great piece of bondage gear. With more D-rings than you would probably ever need you can really tie a person down. The wide belt sits comfortably on the entire hips and thus prevents movement of the lower torso really well when tied tightly. Of cause this belt is not limited to the waist; it works just as well around the chest.

The most surprising usage scenario was found by a member of my testee panel. He is new to rope bondage and thus struggles a bit with long ropes. He used this bondage belt as anchor point for shorter ropes to create elaborate rope bondage designs. This of cause also works with different restraints, I for example tried out different hogtie setups. If you are in a playful mood this belt really encourages you to be creative.

Conclusion: High quality heavy duty bondage belt
Pro Cons Where to get Price
In wide version can support a man on its own during suspension HML Fetish 179€ – 299€
Really ties one down
Encourages creativity when it comes to bondage
Very well made out of quality materials