Role Play Made Easy: Everything You’d Ever Want To Know About Bondage Ropes
Bondage ropes: What ropes should I buy? How do I tie them? How will it feel? When I was first getting into bondage rope and restraints play, these were exactly the kinds of questions swirling around in my mind, too.
When you and your partner both decide to take your bedroom routine or BDSM play up a notch by introducing bondage ropes, it can be a really thrilling and exciting step for your intimacy.
But, the idea does become complicated when you try to understand the technicalities of how to tie bondage ropes and how to use bondage ropes correctly to make the experience for you and your partner a safe and pleasurable one.
Thankfully, the internet has your back! Today, I am going to walk you through my bondage ropes 101 lesson, to help you discover how to use restraints during sex, and which bondage ropes you should buy to give you and your submissive pair an unforgettably arousing night together.
What Exactly Are Bondage Ropes?
Bondage play is a popular BDSM activity that involves the Dom partner restraining their submissive partner. For rope bondage to happen, both partners need to consent to the activity, and need to receive sexual gratification from the restraints.
Bondage ropes are the materials used to hold you submissive partner in a particular position during sex. These ropes can restrict your partner’s movement, wrap them, adorn them, or even suspend them in more extreme and experienced bondage scenarios.
In short, bondage ropes are all sorts of sexy, and if you and your partner are turned on by the idea of restraining each other and taking total control over one another’s sexual pleasure, this could be the kink for you!
How To Tie Bondage Ropes?
Common advice from the world of rope bondage is this: before you and your partner even touch a rope, you need to read and learn as much as you can about this activity. Essentially, the more you learn before you play, the safer and more successful your bondage play will be. Go slow!
I recommend that beginner bondage enthusiasts start with simple ankle and wrist restraints. During your favorite sex positions, restraining your submissive partner’s wrists or ankles with handcuffs or a tie can be an easy way to start experimenting with bondage play together. You can even add a cloth blindfold to heighten this sensation even more!
One of the most popular ways to tie a bondage rope, and a great method for beginners, is using your four-poster bed to spread apart your submissive partner’s arms and legs in the direction of the found corners of the mattress. This position was my personal introduction to bondage ropes, and just thinking about it still turns me on!
Another well known bondage rope tie is the hogtie. In this hogtie, the submissive lies on their stomach, and their arms and legs are tied together with restraints around their wrists and ankles. Keep in mind that this is a more advanced position that increases the restrained partner’s risk of asphyxiation because of the pressure that is placed on their abdomen.
The combinations of rope bondage really become endless as you and your partner advance in your experience and comfort level with bondage play! Other popular positions include the ball tie (restraining a person in a fetal position) or the crab tie (binding your partner’s arms to their legs), or the shrimp tie. Again, these are more complex bondage positions that require knowledge and experience of using bondage ropes before they can be performed safely.
There are a variety of different knot patterns that BDSM and bondage adventurists will practice and perfect before they use them on their partner. These knots include the overhand knot, the square knot, the lark’s head knot, and the single column tie.
When you are learning how to tie bondage ropes, you want to make sure that you are practicing knots that are safe to use on a partner for bondage play. Ideal knots are easy to escape from, not too tight that they constrict blood flow, and are flat so as to not catch on other objects or hurt the skin.
However, you do not need to be an expert in knot tying to experiment with bondage play. Adult sex stores sell lots of restaint kits for beginners, with fun accessories like under the bed restraints, beginner handcuffs, hogtie restraints and more to let you safely ease yourself into the world of bondage.
Which Bondage Ropes Should I Buy?
You can purchase rope for bondage at an adult store, or at your local hardware shop. Here are some of my musings on the different types of rope available for bondage play.
#1. Cotton
Cotton bondage ropes are typically weak to medium strength ropes, but this varies based on how they are crafted as well. Some cotton bondage ropes are also known to stretch, so they are not recommended for suspension play.
Cotton bondage ropes can be a good beginner restraint choice for couples who want a soft rope that is easy to tie and does not need to be very strong.
However, the knots made in cotton rope, when tightened, can become very compact and difficult to untie.
#2. Polypropylene with core intact
Polypropylene is a synthetic rope material that has little stretch and is considered to be a stronger rope choice in comparison to naturally occurring fabrics.
However, sometimes this rope can feel slippery when knotted, or can more easily cause rope burn against skin. It also is very stiff, making it difficult to work with. Keep in mind that this rope material is not recommended for suspension.
It is the standard type of rope you can find at any hardware store.
#3. Zenith all purpose rope
Zenith all purpose rope is another synthetic rope that has very little friction, making it feel comfortable against the body when used as a bondage rope.
Zenith all purpose rope is also very easy to tie, allowing you to make fast knots with it. When you purchase Zenith all purpose rope from your local hardware shop, you should notice that it comes with a strength rating and recommended load weight, which is good information about just how strong the Zenith all purpose rope is.
#4. Nylon Bondage
Nylon bondage ropes are known for their flexibility and comfortable texture. Nylon restraints are also machine washable (which comes in handy if your bondage session involves sex and the bodily fluids that come with that!).
But, nylon is also known to be slippery and has little grip when it comes to holding knots, so it is not a beginner's choice. Make sure you know what you are doing with your knots if you choose to purchase a nylon rope.
The kit linked to the left comes with two silky pieces of nylon bondage rope.
#5. Hemp Bondage
Hemp bondage ropes vary a lot according to their manufacturer. Some hemp ropes can feel very soft against the skin while others are more scratchy and shed little fibers after they are used.
Generally, hemp bondage ropes are known to have good grip for knots and do not usually stretch when they bear weight.
Keep in mind that hemp bondage ropes are not known for their strength, and can sometimes be difficult to unite.
#6. Tossa Jute
Jute bondage rope is one of the most popular restaint materials in the world of bonage, and for good reason. Jute, and particularly tossa jute, is known to be durable, flexible, and easy to use.
In my experience, tossa jute bondage rope is my favourite for its easy handling, how well it holds a variety of knots, and how knots in it do not become too compact and impossible to untie.
I will say that this rope does come quite stiff when you first buy it, but after some time it gets easier to use as it is broken in. As well, tossa jute rope does not take well to water, so it is harder to clean.
Bondage Ropes: Tips for Safe Play
Like I said earlier, safe bondage play requires lots of learning. For that reason, one of my top tips for safely entering the world of bondage is to join a local rope or BDSM group. Talking, practicing, and taking lessons with the experts is your best method of one day becoming an expert yourself!
When people first learn about rope bondage, their main concern is often safety, and for good reason. I will tell you honestly that with rope bondage, there is always a level of risk involved, and it is the responsibility of you and your partner to mitigate that risk.
If you want to experiment with bondage with the intention of participating in more and more complex techniques, you need to follow the guidance of a mentor and educator yourself on how to perform knots and positions safely.
You also need to establish immense trust and mutual respect with the person you are engaging in bondage play with.
A few ground rules for all play with bondage ropes are: get enthusiastic and ongoing consent from your partner before and during play, set boundaries before you begin your play and respect them throughout, never leave someone restrained and alone, never practice bondage while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and establish a safe word.
Enjoy Rope Bondage!
With careful learning and consideration of your partner’s needs, sex with rope bondage can be an erotic and thrilling experience for couples looking to spice up their intimacy. Consider this article your first lesson in an ongoing journey of reading about, talking about, and practicing for rope bondage scenarios; go slow and enjoy the process!