As you will see below, the basic kit that you absolutely need is very small. But you might have seen people with bags and bags of tricks and gotten worried that you don’t have this or that, or have simply been intrigued by an object but didn’t get a chance to ask what it is or what it’s for. Hopefully, this guide can answer some questions and make your journey into rope bondage easier!
The basics:
- Rope. For types, lengths, thicknesses etc see our rope guide. For beginner floorwork, we recommend around three to four ropes, 8m each, 5mm diameter, in jute, hemp, linen hemp or cotton. We won’t turn you away on the basis of what rope you use, but it is worth noting that many of the techniques we teach will only work with certain kinds of rope!
- Safety shears. Either an unused disposable pair (search for EMT shears or medical shears, under £5) or a multi use pair (more expensive, e.g. Leatherman Raptor).
- Storage. Most people like to have something their rope kit lives and travels in. This is completely up to you, it could be a dedicated tote or duffle bag, backpack, furoshiki* or anything else that strikes your fancy.
* Furoshiki is a type of traditional Japanese wrapping cloth, used to transport and protect items. It is popular for storing and transporting rope as when unwrapped, it creates a surface on which to lay ropes out, protecting them from the floor and dirt. You don’t need a deeply authentic cloth imported from Japan – any piece of fabric around 60x60cm will do the job, though square works best. Your perfect furoshiki might be waiting for you in the scarf section of a charity shop, or if you’re crafty you can select fabric you like and trim and hem it. Then just place your kit in the centre of the cloth, bring two diagonally opposing corners together, and tie a tight square knot. With the remaining two corners, you will be creating a handle, so tie a square knot at a distance which will give you your preferred handle length.
Optional extras:
- A rectangular piece of cloth, such as a tengui, which can serve as a blindfold or a gag.
- Bambones. These are single segments of bamboo around 1cm in diameter, with any sharp edges from cutting sanded down. They serve a plethora of fun functions: they can be hit with, poked with, tied into uncomfortable spots such as shins and closed back of knees, used to twist and crank rope, temporarily tightening it, stood and knelt on, and so on.
- Lego. To stand and kneel on and tie into the body, and dishwasher safe.
- String. Useful for tying up small parts of the body, such as fingers, feet, faces and hair – but be very careful!
- Clothespins.
- Kubotan. A nasty stick for poking people with, with a sharp point.
- Thai reflexology stick. Less hardcore than the kubotan, this stick comes with two rounded ends, which are great for using on pressure points.
- Wax/candles.
- Two chopsticks joined together with tiny elastic bands at both ends. This creates a “clamp” of sorts you can use to trap a tongue, nipples, or anything else you can think of.
- Coconut rope. For easy scratchy sadism.
- Anything else in your kink kit you might wish to combine with rope: nipple clamps, gags, elastic bands, impact toys – the sky (and your partners’ consent) is your limit.
For suspension:
There are multiple options available to fulfill necessary roles of kit in suspension, and what you’ll need will also vary depending on where you are suspending and what from, so none of these are strictly necessary, but you’ll need a selection of some of these if you do want to suspend. Please make sure that any kit you use for suspension is appropriately weight-rated.
- Suspension ring. Usually wooden or metal – for a wooden option, gymnastics rings do a great job, a metal one you will most likely need to purchase from a dedicated rope bondage shop. Metal is smoother than wood, meaning rope slides over it more effortlessly, but most metal rings are thinner, which in turn means that more force is required – all in all this largely comes down to personal preference. The thickness of wooden ones means that it’s not possible to clip a carabiner onto it, whereas it is possible with many metal ones.
- A suspension point in a shape other than a ring, or a ring with internal dividers. For example rigging plates or bondage specific set-ups sold in dedicated rope bondage stores. Generally it is a cluster of smaller rings around a bigger ring, or a ring internally divided into sections, the purpose of which is to keep suspension lines separated from each other. Once again, matter of personal preference.
- Bamboo. A piece of bamboo around 1.5-2m long and at least 10cm in diameter can be used as a suspension point and is a very popular choice. Please note, the way suspension lines are tied changes between bamboo and rings/carabiners. Please don’t turn up to ROH with a bamboo, however, as we are unlikely to have enough space for it.
- Large carabiners or smaller O rings, around 7cm diameter. These are used near the body on suspension lines to reduce friction and make lifting up easier. Some people also use bundles/”trees” of carabiners as a suspension point.
- Climbing straps/slings/daisy chains. Useful for lowering the suspension point down to a desirable height, going around thick beams, etc.
- Reinforced or entirely artificial rope. Due to superior strength, these are often used for suspension lines, even if the rope on the body is natural fiber due to softness and reduced chance of abrasion.
- Swivel. Used to facilitate frictionless spinning.
- Pulley. Useful for heavier bottoms, tops who want to make lifting easier and if a very high suspension is desired.
Last updated 05/07/2022