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19May/102

Review: Sportsheets Under the Bed Restraint System

The Under the Bed Restraint System's selling point is that it's quick and easy to set up, and you don't need a bed with a headboard to secure stuff to. You just need a mattress, and a bedframe. I've read so many glowing reviews of the Sportsheets Under the Bed Restraint System, and have been wanting to trying it out for almost a year. I finally got my chance... perfect timing, too, since me and J are living like hoboz right now. We don't even have a bedframe, let alone a headboard.

First: specifics. The Restraint System is made up of four 60" nylon straps, a nylon connector strap, and four cuffs. All these straps are adjustable, like backpack straps. The cuffs are made of nylon with neoprene backing and Velcro closures, and are all 15" long. The straps, which you secure the cuffs to, end in O-rings. The cuffs come with O-rings and metal snaps. You could easily wash all of the pieces by hand. I feel like throwing everything in the wash wouldn't be good because of the metal pieces. You can also use different cuffs with the straps, if you wish.

You set up the Restraint System by lifting the mattress, and throwing the system underneath. Then you can adjust the straps to the desired lengths. As you can see vaguely in the picture, the packaging suggests that you either put the straps at the top and bottom of the bed, or have them at the sides of the bed. There are probably many other configurations you can try. I think the straps are all long enough that you could use it with a futon or something. The entire system is so light and easy to put away that I can see it being very easy to travel with - you know, for trysts in hotel rooms and such. The straps are also easy to put away: simply stow them under the mattress once you're done. Instant hiding place.

Me and J set up the system and I had him secure me to it. We ended up positioning the straps at the top and bottom of the bed, which gave me a bit more room to move around (I was able to turn myself onto my side, for example). He tightened the straps until they were taut and I couldn't move at all. I pulled and struggled against the cuffs to no avail. The cuffs, besides being completely secure, were fuzzy and very comfortable as well.

J teasingly told me he was going to leave me there tied up, and then proceeded to use my belly as a tabletop for his notebook. For a while, he wrote down notes, and read certain excerpts to me. J isn't kinky at all, so I didn't slide into subspace entirely. Despite that, I felt the same pleasant, secure, Zen feeling at being restrained by these cuffs, as I did when I was first tied up with rope. After a while, J put his notebook away, started nuzzling and snuggling with me... which clearly lead to other things. He re-secured the straps my ankles were attached to, so that they were on either side of the bed and my legs were spread. Being fucked while restrained? Really liked it. And would definitely repeat it.

The system set up on me and J's bed. Please try to ignore the cardboard-box "nightstand"...

As much as I love this system, and as much as I agree with many of the glowing reviews I've read, I can find some places for improvement. For one thing, the cuffs are all the same size. For some reason, I expect most people have thicker ankles than wrists. Or maybe that's just me? I also have very thin wrists. When the cuffs were secured around my wrists, only an inch or so of Velcro was actually touching. These cuffs are long enough that larger people could wear them comforably; but maybe Sportsheets could similarly consider people with skinny wrists? In any case, I still couldn't pull myself loose from the cuffs, so I suppose the size of the cuffs doesn't actually matter.

Besides that, I would have liked it if the snaps were detachable from the cuffs, so they could be used for other things, though their permanent attachment to the cuffs makes them less easy to lose. I'd also like it if the set came with some sort of pouch unit I could store it in. And, while I couldn't get out of the cuffs by pulling against them, with my hands close together I could reach the adjustment point of the strap and loosen it. I could also easily pull the Velcro. If my hands had been spread-eagled, that wouldn't have been the case, but then the straps could have been designed with the adjustment points at the other ends. Except then I guess the plastic pieces would create a "bump" in the mattress. J didn't see this as a flaw, since it gives the bottom an "out."

In short: I like the Under the Bed Restraint System a lot. It is awesome in its versatility.

Price @ Babeland.com: $55

Filed under: BDSM gear, J, sex toy review, sex toys 2 Comments

18May/100

Review: Spartacus Medium Tip Crop

Yet another run-of-the-mill BDSM toy review... except, this time, the Spartacus 18" Medium Tip Riding Crop is a keeper.

I had the same issues with this crop as I did with the other Spartacus crop I reviewed: the Wide Tip Bat:

One thing that bothered me about the tip was that I didn't feel like it was made of pure leather. I've briefly seen and touched an actual riding crop, to be used on horses. The Wide Tip Bat's tip and the "real" riding crop's tip felt very different. The "real" riding crop's tip was much more pliable and somehow softer. The Wide Tip Bat's tip feels... almost artificial, as if it were made of leather and some synthetic material, or a mixture of leather and plastic. When I bend and push it back and forth with my fingers, the material makes a crackling noise. I'm no expert when it comes to leather, and I couldn't find any information on Spartacus's websites stating what the crop is made of exactly, so I don't have any solid facts to go on. I just know I don't like how the material feels in my hands. It feels plasticky, not like leather.

I tweeted about it and the tweeps who responded said: #1 it must be bad quality leather #2 it must be dried out leather, and that I should "treat" it. Either way, the crackly noise does not make me happy.

As I said before, I think I'll hold off on the cheaper BDSM gear options, and wait until I have the cash to shell out for quality pieces.

However, I quite like this crop. Why? Well, regardless of the sub-par quality, it still works really well as a prop. It's black, it's intimidating, and still evokes a sense of I am in charge, and I am going to whip your ass. I'd prefer to have a sub-par crop than, well, no crop. I also like the size of this crop much more than the other one I tried out. It's 18" long, about half as long as the Wide Tip Bat, which is more of a standard crop length, I think. This crop's shortness makes it easier to wield, and also easier to travel with and store, which is a concern to me as I'm not settled in a place/job yet and will be traveling a lot.

Comparison to a paddle and the Wide Tip Bat. The Medium Tip Crop is at the bottom.

I used this crop on myself, at Sir's request. Using it on myself was a bit awkward, and I couldn't really get any hard hits in. I also used it at Zeta Mu's runway show, where my act was to dom someone onstage. Before the show, during meetings, I was in my dom outfit and walking around with the crop, and at one point I asked someone to hold it for me and it got passed all over the room because people were so interested in playing with it. One of my friends kept caressing people with it. During the act itself, I used it to direct my sub, I pushed it lengthways against her throat when she resisted me, and spanked her a few times. I tried it on my calves beforehand, and it does sting quite nicely.

Basically, I'm content with this crop and the usefulness it has as a prop and symbol, at least until I can afford something better.

Price @ Sextoy.com: $24.93

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Filed under: BDSM gear, sex toy review, the Inventor No Comments

3May/102

Review: Singapore Stinger II

Funny story about the Pipedreams Fetish Fantasy Singapore Stinger II. I brought it home with me to potentially review over break, hid it in the closet, and forgot to re-pack it when I headed back to school. I had to email my 17 y.o. sister and ask her to look for it, and send it to me so I could actually review the thing. Instead of sending it to me herself, she asked my mom to do it. My mom's reaction? To laugh at me when I next talked to her on the phone

Apparently she and my sister had been having a bit of fun with it: trying to think of different uses for it (my sister: shoehorn?) and mock-swatting each other with it.

"Good thing your dad didn't see it," my mom told me.

Good thing indeed. I'm just glad I have a mom who's cool with me reviewing sextoys. (She doesn't know about the blog though. I think she'd be a lot less cool with me posting HNTs...)

Anyway, I finally got it in the mail, so now I'm reviewing it.

The Singapore Stinger is a light wooden paddle. It's about as wide as three rulers lying next to each other, and very thin. (About 0.2" thickness?) The handle is comfortable to grip. I really want to own one of those big, heavy duty frat paddles, but I kind of like that this paddle is so lightweight, since I'll be able to use it for longer periods of time without getting tired.

One thing that I don't like about this paddle is that it isn't laquered or finished in any way. According to some random instructional video I watched on Spanking Tube, a wooden paddle without a finish is much more likely to splinter, and if you manage to break skin and get blood on it (or sex fluids too, I guess) you won't be able to use it on anyone else since the liquid might have sunk into the wood. (Anyone care to confirm this for me?)

I used this paddle on myself, to carry out a task Sir set me. He had me lay naked in bed, fantasize for 25 minutes, and give myself 5 whacks at every 5 minute interval. Compared to my crops and my hairbrush, the paddle was easiest to wield (easier than the crops, as easy as the hairbrush) and made the loudest noise: a loud crack. I can see some people liking this, but for me it wasn't a positive thing since I have roommates and don't really want them hearing questionable noises (good thing the walls are thick).

So this is a pretty nice paddle. However, after trying this out, along with two crops, I don't think I'd bother buying BDSM equipment unless it's exceedingly well made, or handmade, and I actually have the cash to shell out for it. Why? Well... because it's easy enough to find random household items that work as well, or better than, this paddle, including but not limited to:

- wooden hairbrush I picked up at a CVS

- large craft ruler

- the flat handle of a letter opener

- wooden cooking spoon

However, if you want to own an actual paddle, this would be a convenient and affordable option.

Price @ Sextoy.com: $6.25

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Filed under: BDSM gear, sex toy review, sex toys 2 Comments

5Mar/102

Review: Spartacus Adjustable Broad Tip Clamps

I have quite a number of "beginner's" BDSM toys to review - a few days ago I reviewed a Wartenberg Wheel, and today I'm reviewing a pair of Spartacus Adjustable Broad Tip Clamps, also from Sextoy.com.

First, I guess a quick intro to nipple clamp types is in order: the three most common types I've seen so far are tweezer clamps, alligator clamps (and variations thereof), and clover clamps. These clamps are a type of alligator clamp. Tweezer and alligator clamps are more suitable for beginners, as adjustable versions are produced as well. Clover clamps are intense; they're heavier, are much more painful, and yanking on the connecting chain actually tightens them.

Tweezer clamps can be adjusted by sliding a metal piece up or down the tweezer part. I've never used tweezer clamps, but I expect them to be more difficult to adjust, because I imagine the metal piece might slide up or down if the clamps were jostled, or if you were slightly on the clumsy side. These broad tip clamps, as well as other alligator clamp models, are adjusted by a screw, which seems much easier to me, and once you adjust them, they stay in place.

Another difference is that tweezer clamps are narrower, thus don't clamp onto much flesh. I also own a pair of "eagle clamps" that are very similar to alligator clamps, except that the clamp area is pointed, not broad and flat. A narrower clamp means that the pressure is concentrated on a smaller area, so is probably slightly more intense. However, broader tips clamp onto more flesh, making them easier to use on tiny man-nipples. You can just pinch a big area of flesh - the aureole as well as the nipple - so it will stay on easier. One of the difficulties I had trying to use my eagle clamps on the Optimist was just getting them to stay on.

These clamps are also linked by a chain, which can be fun to yank on and lead your partner around with. Some clamps have vibrating bullets, or pretty colored beads, but I liked having the option to yank someone around by the nipples.

Basically, I picked these clamps as one of my first pairs because they seemed easier to use and more versatile than other types.

Pointed v.s. broad tips

So far, I've only used the clamps on myself. The "easy to use" part was only half true: the tips of the clamps are coated in black rubber, which probably prevents hard metal poking into your nipple. However, the coating coupled with the wideness of the clamps makes the clamps fall off easier when the chain is yanked, or if I have sweat on my skin. The adjustment screws were kind of long - a bit too long, actually, since you can't turn them all the way and open the clamps to that extent. The clamps just don't open that wide. The screws also aren't fixed in place, they have been slid through a hole in the clamp. I left these clamps loose (i.e. not in a storage baggie) in my toy drawer for a while, and one of the screws got detached and lost. Annoying. So now I store them in the plastic clamshell they came in.

Also, to adjust the clamps, you need to pinch the clamps open, and then turn the screw to the desired tension. If you don't hold the clamps open while adjusting them, the screw gets stuck. With my eagle clamps, I just have to turn the screw to adjust them. A moot point, perhaps, but I think it says something about Spartacus' design.

After being disappointed by the shoddy quality of one of their crops, I was suspicious of trying out another Spartacus product. But apparently, they make halfway decent clamps.

Specs:
- Type: Nipple clamp
- Clamp width: 0.4"
- Chain length: 12"
- Price @ sextoy.com: $11.70

Further reading:
- Nipple Clamps 101
- How to Play with Nipple Clamps

Three out of five hearts.

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Filed under: BDSM gear, sex toy review 2 Comments

1Mar/103

Review: Kinklab Wartenberg Pinwheel

The Kinklab Wartenberg Pinwheel from SexToy.com is a classic BDSM toy. It may look a little bit like a pizza-cutter (actually that's what J called it when he first saw it), but Wartenberg wheels were originally used to test neurological responses. It fell into disuse because of hygiene issues. Its medical-related background and appearance is part of its appeal to me; as is the lovely sensations it produces. Running it lightly over the skin results in a tickling or slight pricking sensation; if you exert heavy enough pressure, you can break the skin.

I tried it out with J. I got naked, and he gently ran the sharp tips over my back and arms, while I squirmed and giggled. Being naked while he was clothed, and having the steel points coasting all over me, was quite an enjoyable sensory experience. It's hard to describe. It felt like tickling, but very intense tickling concentrated on a very small area of skin. Then he moved on to my breasts and nipples, which definitely started to turn me on.

I teasingly ran the wheel over his arms a few times. He thought it was interesting; probably would get a bit overwhelming after a while, which was true for me. After about 15-20 minutes of tickling and poking, I had had enough.

I attempted some research on how to clean the wheel if you break a person's skin and then want to use it on someone else. Obviously, that can be dangerous since you're getting blood on the implement. Google yielded no results; I got the most responses from Twitter:

- soak it in a 10% bleach solution for 1-2 minutes

- boil it

- wipe it down with "medical wipes"

- sterilize it in an autoclave (can be found in tattoo parlors and used for a nominal fee); if any other method is used, wait at least 21 days before using on someone else

The best response I found was actually a comment by Mina made on Panthera Pardus' review of the same product:

I would sterilize it the same way doctors sterilize a lot of things. Go to the drug/grocery store and get yourself a bottle of betadine (or any brand of povidone iodine) It’s a general antibacterial sterilizer most commonly used to prep people for surgery. Put a little in a container and add water. You’ll want it to be a “tea” color. Put the wheel inside and let it soak for at least 10 min. The dry. Just note that the povidone iodine will eventually stain the container after continual use. Make sure to rinse your hands after using it, but if you are trying to be completely sterile I would suggest wearing gloves while handling the wheel during the sterilizing process or washing your hands with the povidone iodine as well. May I also suggest using hot water.

I've yet to determine if this wheel is made of surgical-grade, non-porous steel, which is the only safe material that would be share-able. Couldn't find any information on Kinklab's website.

The wheel also comes with a nice leather sheath that snaps shut.

I really don't have much to say about this product; it either works for you or it doesn't, and I don't see much opportunity, or NEED, for variation of any sort on its basic shape and appearance.

I really like Wartenberg Pinwheels. I'm glad that I own one.

Specs:
- Type: BDSM/Medical fetish toy
- Length: 7"
- Material: Steel
- Price @ Sextoy.com: $14.85

Four out of five hearts!

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22Nov/094

Review: Spartacus Wide Tip Bat

Riding crops have a certain sophistication compared to other BDSM sex toys. When I think riding crops, I think classy riding breeches and boots. Which is why I was so excited to try out the Spartacus Wide Tip Bat from Vibrator.com - this is also my first BDSM toy review

Requesting this toy was a little bit of a mistake on my part - I requested it this summer, when I was still in LA and wanted to try it out on the Optimist, but by the time I received it I was back at my college and had no one to try it out on. And so I made the most of what was available - I tried the crop out on myself. Which is somewhat limiting - as one of my friends said, spanking yourself is kind of like tickling yourself. It doesn't really work, but at least I was able to gauge how hard it hit, etc.

(Maybe for my next SM review I should get one of my kinkier college friends to try the toy out instead... Guys? )

First off, the Wide Tip Bat definitely looks elegant and pretty intimidating. It's black and simple. No novelty roses or hand-shapes or colors or any other gimmicks to make the crop look more interesting or less foreboding to vanilla folk dappling in the BDSM pond. And I prefer it that way. If I'm going to be beating someone with a crop, I want to beat them with a crop that looks like a crop. No hot pink or novelty roses for me, thank you very much.

I've never used a crop before, but here are a few things I know about them - the shorter they are, the easier it is to control your aim, and the wider the tip is, the less "stingy" and painful the swats are, because you're covering more surface area of the other person's flesh. The Wide Tip Bat is 27" long and the tip is pretty wide, so that should tell you something about its performance.

I imagined the crop would be a lot longer. I tried it out with one of my cushions as a "target", and it's not difficult to wield, but compared to the 18" crop I have, it was slightly harder to get my aim right. The crop is made of fiberglass covered with leather, which is stronger than wood or plastic. It's definitely very stiff. For some reason I imagined crops to be bendier, like canes, but this crop, at least, is not. It definitely is slightly springy, but mostly has no give, and feels very sturdy and solid.

I have mixed feelings about how well the crop actually works, i.e. hits. It makes a satisfying, loud "thwack" sound when it hits flesh, and I love the sound it makes whipping through the air. I already know I'm going to want to use a crop on someone just because of that one little thing. However, its bark is much more worse than its bite. Sure, it hurts, it's a crop for heaven's sake, but the pain is duller and more like that of a paddle or brush, not stingy like you'd expect a crop to be. Probably because of the wideness of the tip. For some, this may be a good thing. I can see the Wide Tip Bat being a good warm up or introductory crop for a bottom who is interested in trying one, but might not be accustomed to that type of pain yet.

Comparison to a paddle and a medium tip crop. The Wide Tip Bat is in the middle.

One thing that bothered me about the tip was that I didn't feel like it was made of pure leather. I've briefly seen and touched an actual riding crop, to be used on horses. The Wide Tip Bat's tip and the "real" riding crop's tip felt very different. The "real" riding crop's tip was much more pliable and somehow softer. The Wide Tip Bat's tip feels... almost artificial, as if it were made of leather and some synthetic material, or a mixture of leather and plastic. When I bend and push it back and forth with my fingers, the material makes a crackling noise. I'm no expert when it comes to leather, and I couldn't find any information on Vibrator.com or Spartacus's websites stating what the crop is made of exactly, so I don't have any solid facts to go on. I just know I don't like how the material feels in my hands. It feels plasticky, not like leather.

DSCN3436

I tweeted about it and the tweeps who responded said: #1 it must be bad quality leather #2 it must be dried out leather, and that I should "treat" it. Either way, the crackly noise does not make me happy. I'll be keeping this crop for now as a staple, but I'm getting rid of it as soon as I get one of better quality.

All in all, the Wide Tip Bat works well, looks nice, is affordable, isn't of that high quality, and would make a good crop for someone semi-experienced in SM play.

Specs:

Length: 27"
Material: fiberglass, leather
Price @ Vibrator.com: $29.oo

3 out of 5 hearts.

Filed under: BDSM gear, sex toy review 4 Comments

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Wilhelmina Wang. Queer, female college student with her mind lodged firmly in the gutter, seeking genderbenders, lessons in BDSM, a meaningful fuck, and a point in life.

Here's where her mind is spilled like the proverbial guts.

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