Bondage Hardware Special

Welcome to 2016! As already announced in the Season’s Greeting post I will start this year of with a special on Bondage Hardware. The series with have six parts.

  1. Rope: All you need to know when purchasing rope in a nutshell.
  2. Rope Substitutes: Not good with ropes yet want to create elaborate forms of bondage? This part is all the things you can use for bondage which are not rope.
  3. Connection Hardware: The hardware you need when you want to connect bondage hardware without knots.
  4. Accessories: All the items you need to be prepared for an extensive bondage scene – but the security items.
  5. Safety Hardware: The things you should keep in reach when doing bondage.
  6. Emergency Kit: The things you should keep in reach when something went wrong.

I hope you find this special informative and as much fun to read as I had researching and writing it. If you have any comments and suggestions e-mail or tweet me.

Christmas Gift Tip V – Leather Chastity Harness

Christmas is over and after being stuffed with good food and (some more, some less) having enjoyed the company of our relatives most of us are heading home today. Some back to the gym in order to prepare for Full Fetish in London or to look good for the New Year’s Eve (Play) Party. Some might even already be thinking about New Year Resolutions for 2016.

Maybe because of that the time around Christmas is the period of the year where I get asked most about chastity device. I guess some of you want to become better boys next year in order to escape Santa’s naughty list in 2016. The question which chastity belt is right for whom is a quite complex one yet important because the devices are quite expensive investments.

The HML Leather Chastity Harness

The HML Leather Chastity Harness

When I went to HML in early December to try out some toys for the upcoming Heavy Bondage Special the guys handed me their new leather chastity harness. Being made out of leather it is soft and doesn’t leave a too big print even through thin cloth dress pants. It is also flexible thus comfortable to wear. Due to the stressful pre-Christmas period I haven’t had a chance to try it out extensively but I somehow fear that my new boy friend has already some evil thoughts. You will be able to read an extensive review in the Heavy Bondage Special sometime in March. But for only 79.95€ it is on the less expensive side of chastity devices and thus a great way to get used to have “something” permanently around your dick.

Christmas Gift Tip II – Steel Bondage

With 8.5kg their heaviest Collar with added Bondage Points closed with a padlock

With 8.5kg their heaviest Collar with added Bondage Points closed with a padlock

One of the four Christmas gift tips every year is dedicated to the extremes of BDSM: Oversized ass toys, extreme pain or almost inhuman bondage. This year the latter is the case with recommending the Parus steel bondage toys and especially the Plug Steel Bondage system.

Parus Extra Heavy Steel Wrist & Ankle Restraints

Parus Extra Heavy Steel Wrist & Ankle Restraints

Parus is quite small store in Munich that has a well-earned reputation of making very high quality leather gear. They only use European hide which has been tanned using highest standard to keep you from getting allergies. I own a harness from them which I love and I soon hope to be getting restraints and a hood from them. But leather isn’t their only field of expertise. They are not quite as famous for it as their leather works but they excel at making steel bondage.

Overview of the Plug System with Leather Covered Restraints and Connection Chains

Overview of the Plug System with Leather Covered Restraints and Connection Chains

Even though they also sell relatively light steel bondage you can get in most places most of their gear is on the heavier side really making you fell the weight of the restraints. Some of my really bondage obsessed friends own steel restraints from Parus and they say that almost nothing makes them feel more bound DOWN than the thick and heavy steel from Parus. Another nice feature it the integrated barrel lock so that you don’t have to deal with padlocks dangling around. Into locking posts of the barrel lock you can put metal plates onto which you can mount chains or use as bondage points. If you can deal with a heavy duty padlock they offer especially heavy collars with welded on bondage points.

The Stainless Steel Bondage Belt with welded Bondage Points

The Stainless Steel Bondage Belt with welded Bondage Points

The restraints are made is painstakingly accurate so there are no sharp burrs, all edges are round that despite the weight they can be worn for a long period of time without causing unintended bruises. The majority of the toys are made out of stainless steel so allergies are not an issue. If you are still concerned they offer some pieces wrapped in their high quality leather.
To be honest the restraints don’t come cheap starting at 349€ for a belt and ending at 650€ with leather covered wrist cuffs. But if you take into consideration the amount of metal and time it takes to create this master pieces and the feeling of being bound and dragged down by metal (a full restraint set from collar to ankles weights over 20kg and it isn’t the heaviest set…) they are worth the money!

Mister B Premium Leather Blindfold

Mister B Premium Leather Blindfold

Mister B Premium Leather Blindfold

As some of you might know 1 ½ weeks ago I lost my favorite blindfold at LAB in Berlin. It was on a Friday and I was planning on attending the BDSM U35 party at the Quälgeist for which I would have needed one. So I did some research on the web before heading downtown in order to look for a new one. Doing this I came across this new blindfold from Mister B. It has the same general design like my old one from Mr S: Padding around the eye so there is no pressure and the ability to blink promising comfortable long-term wear. As a bonus you can apparently lock the strap for an added bondage sensation. Sadly the blindfold wasn’t in stock at Mister B’s store in Berlin so I couldn’t take a look at it. Yet I can’t wait to get my hand on one, try it out and see how it compares to the old champion.

It costs 49.50€ at Mister B.

Being on the NoSafeword Show

Detail of the Male and Female Velcro Straps

Detail of the Male and Female Velcro Straps

I have just gotten off Skype recording a show with the great guys from the NoSafeword Show which you will be able to download here. They produce a weekly podcast on all things BDSM and are a fun crowd to hang around so check out their shows!

The HML Bondage Harness

The HML Bondage Harness

On the show I mentioned HML Velcro restraints. So if you are interested in learning more about these restraints, click here for a review of the normal restraints, an update on the heavy duty and ankle version and a short intro into the hand stirruos. The prices of the restraints range from 49.90€ to 149.90€. They also make unique gear like a bondage harness. If you are in the market for light weight yet heavy duty restraints I would recommend ordering them because by doing so you are not only getting a great piece of gear but support a local, small and creative kinky business.

HML Bondage Harness

Vendor: HML

 

The HML Bondage Harness

The HML Bondage Harness

The thing I love most as a BDSM toy collector than using toys (or more precisely having them used on me) is strolling through small BDSM shops who make their own gear and toys. While I love the products sold by Mister B or 665 Leather to name two big players in the market, I love the sometimes unexpected creativity of small shops. So when discussing with the guys at HML the suggestions for improving the electro ball stretcher I stumbled across this bondage harness, a category of gear I thought that wasn’t made anymore. So I was quite surprised when they provided me with a review sample.

Construction

The basic construction follows the blueprint of a standard full body harness: Two straps run over the shoulder, one under the arms and one around the waist. What sets this harness apart from a standard full body harness is that the strap running around the ass: You can either wear it with once strap over the ass crack or add two contouring the ass cheeks for a thong-like look.

Like all HML leather toys the 4cm wide straps of this harness are made out of soft black hide which is folded so the seam is in the middle of the back of the straps which makes for a clean look without edges. The individual straps are attached to massive and heavy steel rings by rivets. The connecting strap between the upper torso part and the thong-like part around the waist uses snap fastener for connection. They are quite convenient because once you have adjusted the harness to fit your body by using the roller buckles you don’t need to open them again so the harness fits perfectly every time you want to wear it. The holes in the belts for the roller buckles are reinforced by steel rivets. The right size depends on your body type: The harness can be adjusted to different body heights but is quite limited to adjusting so bigger bodies. If in doubt ask the friendly guys at HML. Another thing that can be changed is the stainless steel cockring. The harness comes with a standard 50mm cockring that can be changed into the perfect size for you.

Detail of the Snap Buttons on the Middle Strap

Detail of the Snap Buttons on the Middle Strap

What makes this harness special are the six D-rings that are riveted under sturdy pieces of leather just behind the roller buckles on the shoulder, under the arms and around the waist.

Playing with it

I have made it a rule not to talk about gear on this website: The different styles and cut and ways of making it are way too personal and actually controversial in our community (I have seen friendships break over discussing the “right” place to get your rubber…). But being a harness the gear aspect is the pink elefant in the middle of the room so I get it out of the way first: I’ve been out with this harness a couple of times and it performs well as gear. The cut is very good helping to highlight your good assets. It can be worn either as a full body harness or you take the connecting strap out and wear it just as an upper torso harness or as a cockring thong.

Detail of the Roller Buckle with the D-Ring

Detail of the Roller Buckle with the D-Ring

But now on the playing aspect. As the name states this harness is made for bondage and it performs really well in the field of play. First I thought that six D-rings are a bit few but when trying out the harness there were more than enough. When tying someone into a bondage frame you can effectively immobilize someone’s torso quickly by using chain and carabiners or tension belts without having to worry about cutting of circulation like when using rope. If you use rope, you can also incorporate the four steel rings on the front and the back for an even more elaborate designs. A fun thing when taking out your sub to the bars is to use the shoulder D-rings for tying a head harness in its place and attaching upper arm restraints to the upper and wrist restraints to the lower strap that runs around the body. Depending in the method you chose for attaching your sub is quite immobilized, coming close to the effect of a straight jacket yet every part of his body is accessible. In order to limit access to certain body regions there are anal toys out there which can be put onto a harness (sadly I have forgotten where I have seen them). They will probably fit on the strap running down the crack keeping them well in play. What works in any case is attaching a show plug for pup play onto the harness. I a friend of mine was thrilled that he can pup out with a tail despite not being able to take something up his ass when wearing this harness.

Detail of the Straps which can be Added to Create a Thong-Like Look

Detail of the Straps which can be Added to Create a Thong-Like Look

When talking about the usage possibilities a word of warning is in place: The well chosen location of the D-ring would THEORATICL make this harness good for suspension bondage where the matter of supporting the torso is always a difficult one, especially when you are not using rope. BUT: Do to the snap fasteners I strongly discourage you from using this harness for suspension bondage because there is always the fear of the snap fasteners opening under the stress they are put onto. To be honest I put them to a hard test with strong subs who fought against the bondage and I tried the harness for suspension (with security measures of cause) and nothing opened. Yet still because the security of the sub is paramount I would not advise using this harness for suspension!

HML also makes another kind of harness called the HML Restraint Harness which exchanges the shoulder straps with a collar, has D-ring in front of the collar and two at the crotch and has build in restraints above the hip. It is made in the same great way as this bondage harness is and costs 345€.

Conslusion: Good full body harness with nifty additional features
Pro Cons Where to get Price
Great material & build quality Not made for suspension HML

(Manufacturer)

295€
Many restaining possibilities
Unique design
Easy to get in and out of

A Weekend with Velcro Restraints

Straps of the Standard and Wide Version Compared

Straps of the Standard and Wide Version Compared

Three weeks ago I have spent the weekend in Berlin for the annual BLF Easter event which was a fun time although in unexpected ways. Just in time before packing for Berlin I have gotten two new velcro restraints from HML. I reviewed their first velcro restraint and was quite impressed, After the review was written they incorporated the suggestions I wrote and send me the two new models that came out of this process. So I tried a little experiment: How satisfied would I be with the restraints‘ performance if I only took them with my for the weekend thus being forced to use them?

The answer is: I was surprisingly satisfied. Or to be more precise: I didn’t miss anything yet playing with these restraints meant altering my play style a bit. When fastening roller buckle restraints I tend to pull the closing strap to the maximum in order to give the sub the message that I am in control now and then loosen the restraints that they are comfortable yet tight. This position is mostly a compromise because the space between the holes in the strap specify the raster in how tight you can fasten the restraints. Since you don’t have a buckle to run the velcro strap through there is no fastening effect. But due to the nature of velcro you can adjust the strap in every desired position enabling you to play with the sub’s expectations. I put the wide heavy duty restraints on one sub’s wrists and he really enjoyed the feeling of being bound by a wide strap of solid and soft leather but he waited that the grip of the restraints would decrease which it didn’t because I had already closed the strap. It freaked him out a bit in a good way.

D-Rings of the Standard and Wide Version Compared

D-Rings of the Standard and Wide Version Compared

This easy handling is another thing I have grown fond of. With a bit of training in order to keep the velcro to stick together in a wrong way you can quickly immobilize someone without having to fiddle a strap through a loop. Especially when travelling or packing toys for locations where you can’t walk around with a big bag of toys like the LAB the compact form factor is a nice feature. They are also lighter than restraints of the same size because they have less metal. This might sound like bean counting but if I pack for an event I have to go by plane I am happy for every 100g I can safe.

The Ankle Restraint put into the Heavy Duty Wrist Restraint

The Ankle Restraint put into the Heavy Duty Wrist Restraint

HML also addressed the length problem of the restraints: Along the standard wrist restraints I reviewed last month there is now also a set of ankle restraints available. Since the muscles in the legs are usually stronger than the ones in the arms the velcro strap has to deal with more force. This increased the noises of velcro fighting with the struggling sub but even with a beefy muscle sub they didn’t fail me. Still, if you need more security HML now also makes new heavy duty Velcro restraints from which I could test the wrist restraints. They have twice the amount of velcro with a little bit longer strap than sinlge-strap wrist restraints giving you wider range of circumference. So if your sub has thin ankles you can use them also for fettering the legs for an extra bondage kick. If you want to put them over boots, you have to get the heavy duty ankle restraints. An important thing to keep in mind is that due to the thicker D-ring on the heavy duty restraints the space used for sowing the belt onto the body increases thus the minimum circumference is bigger than on the single-strap version. I have a glove size 7 ½ and while the restraints are not closely fettered onto my wrist they don’t slip over my hand. But for people with really small hands, I recommend the standard wrist restraints. Because naturally I tried out the toys before using them in the field I took all three restraints with me feeling confident that they will perform well when I went out intending to find a sub to top.

Velcro Suspension Restraints

Velcro Suspension Restraints

One thing I have missed in Berlin were hanging restraints. Especially unpadded wrist restraints are uncomfortable when the arms are suspended over the head. HML already makes a set of padded suspension restraints with velcro straps for 149,90€ for these situations which I might review in the future.

Since there is now a set of wrist and ankle restraints out there these restraints will become the second set of everyday restraints I have been looking for quite some time – so I now need to start looking for the third set which locks with a pin.

Long story short: All three velcro restraints I had with me and used extensively during the weekend lived up to the promise to be fully substitutes for unpadded restraints. They will probably become the regular travel restraints for me because especially the non-heavy duty set is small enough to get stores in my toiletry bag.

 

Price overview

Velcro Leather Wrist Restraints 49,90€
Velcro Leather Ankle Restraints 59,90€
Velcro Leather Wrist Restraints Wide 79,90€
Velcro Leather Ankle Restraints Wide 99,90€
Hand Suspension Stirrups 149,90€

 

Mister B Double Faced Hoods

Mister B Doulbe Faced Leather Hood

Mister B Doulbe Faced Leather Hood

After the last two hood suggestions I got some mails asking for a bit more budget friendly suggestion. A hood I really enjoyed playing with but sadly don’t own yet is the Mister B Double Faced Leather Hood. The design is similar to the HML Isolation Hood I featured last week but has open eyes and lacks the ear padding. This makes it good for not so experienced subs who want the leather gimp look and feel but are freaked out by too much isolation.

Mister B Double Faced Rubber Hood Close

Mister B Double Faced Rubber Hood Close

Mister B Double Faced Rubber Hood Opend

Mister B Double Faced Rubber Hood Opend

Being made out of soft leather it can be worn for extended periods of time and is a great piece of gear when being restrained in a sleepsack. And with a price of 199€, it is not too expensive. For a even more budget friendly option Mister B also has a rubber version of the double faced hood for 149€.

HML Isolation Hood

MA66If the Mr S Asylum Gear I featured yesterday are not an extreme enough bondage sensation ake a look at the HML Isolation Hood.

Detail of the Ear Padding and Face hidden behind the Front Zipper

Detail of the Ear Padding and Face hidden behind the Front Zipper

The hood is made out of soft black hide that hugs the subs skull. Above the ears thick padding is sowed between the two layers of leatehr so when you lace the hood tightly around the victims head all noises that reach the subs ear muffled at best. The front of the hood features a zipper so when it is closed the person wearing it can be turned into a leather gimp. Once opened it is revealed that the sub’s eyes are covered by piece of leather making him blind even when the zipper is opened. However, the mouth is still accessible so it can be used, fucked or abused without the sub seeing who is giving him pleasure or pain making this hood ideal for (literate) mind fuck or humiliation scenes.

Detail of the Lacing at the Back

Detail of the Lacing at the Back

The hood costs 495€ and can be bought at HML in Bremen or through their web shop.

Mr S Asylum Gear

The Mr S Asylum Hood fully closed

The Mr S Asylum Hood fully closed

Last weeks’s review featured the Mr S Head Harness with a more airy head gear design. If you are a fan of more isolation or tighter bondage feeling, I recommend looking at the Mr S Asylum Gear.

The design concept are two tightly fitting pieces of leather closing off either the eyes or the mouth of both, leaving you with the choice of turning your sub into a leather gimp, making him a blind mouth whore for easy usage or enjoy the look of fear and anticipation in his eyes while his mouth is covered by soft, high quality leather.

The Mr S Asylum Hood completely open

The Mr S Asylum Hood completely open

The design comes in two varieties: First there is the Asylum Hood. It is a classic leather hood, enclosing the sub’s head fully in leather. The front of the hood has cut outs for the eyes, optional nose holes and a mouth opening which goes around the chin so he can open the mouth wide.

Front of the Mr S Asylum Muzzle

Front of the Mr S Asylum Muzzle

Back of the Mr S Asylum Muzzle

Back of the Mr S Asylum Muzzle

Alternatively there is the muzzle design. It is made out of a piece of leather with a zipper to open and close which is put on the back of the sub’s head and onto which the blindfold or mouth cover is attached to hold it in place. This design is a good compromise between the airyness of a head harness and the full, tight enclosure of a full hood.

The Asylum Muzzle costs $309.95 and the Asylum Hood $439.95.