7 Tips for Choosing Bondage Rope

You've tried metal handcuffs and leather bondage cuffs. You've even tried hogtie harnesses. But while you love the feeling of bondage, you might be finding that the current bondage quick solutions out there aren't helping you achieve the perfect, kinky position that you and your partner had in mind. That's where rope comes in.

Rope bondage is unique in that it allows you to restrain your partner in any way possible. Your only limitation is your imagination and skill level! You can quickly move your partner from a hogtie position to a standing bondage position without any problems. You can make large, elaborate ties that border on pieces of art. You can easily restrain a wrist to a thigh - or even to another person's torso! At the more experienced levels, you can even use rope to suspend a person entirely in the air. Check out the work of Shibari or Kinbaku rope designs to see just how flexible rope can be. Want to get into rope bondage? Here are some key tips for choosing the right rope.

Read: The Top 7 Bondage Sex Toys for Getting All Tied Up

Safety First

Now that I've got you all excited, you might be thinking about the rope section you've seen at the hardware store. While it might be tempting, skip it. The fabric isn't treated for human skin. It can be difficult to untie knots. It's just generally uncomfortable and unsafe. More often than not, you'll end up having to cut the rope into pieces just to remove it (often from a very-agitated partner).

Instead, select a rope that's specifically designed for human bondage. Human bondage rope can readily be found online or at a local sex shop. Don't forget to pick up a pair of safety shears too. They look like scissors but are designed to safely cut clothing or bandages (and, in this case, bondage rope) from a person's skin without cutting or scraping them. In case of an emergency, you'll be glad you had it. Plus, they're really cheap.

When purchasing rope, don't forget about learning how to use it as well. While there are many online guides that provide step-by-step instructions to specific rope ties, you may prefer to grab a book to go alongside your new bondage purchase. You can flip open a book in the bedroom without worrying about seeing a screen or pausing and rewinding videos. No matter what you choose, it's up to your own preference. (Learn some basic rope ties in The Ins and Outs of Rope Bondage.)

Now that you know how much fun rope bondage can be and some of the safety things to worry about, it's time to buy your first piece of rope. With all of the options out there, though, how do you know which one to buy? Think about some of these things when you're looking for your first piece.

Size Matters

The most important aspect of any piece of bondage rope is the length of the rope. While you can always tie two pieces of rope together, it's usually less hassle to have the proper length you need in the first place. Most beginners like to start in the 25-30 foot range. However, if you know you'll be doing body harnesses or know you'll regularly be tying a plus-sized body, you may choose to go with up to 50 feet. Unless you specifically have a reason, avoid going any longer than 50 feet as the rope becomes more difficult to manage.

So Does Thickness

Along with length, thickness is another important aspect of bondage rope. Where a large, thick rope might be impossible to use on a penis, thinner ropes would be uncomfortable for use on the human body. As a general rule, larger bodies and larger ties tend to be more comfortable with larger ropes, but as with everything else, what you choose may come down to personal preference. Avoid going too thick as thickness may make it difficult to tie your knots.

Think About Bondage Rope Material

Material is an important consideration. Alongside the cleaning and partner considerations listed below, it also makes a difference to the feel of the rope. Nylon tends to be soft and stretchy while a hemp rope may feel scratchy and rough. What type of bondage session would you like to enjoy? Do you want it to be romantically intimate? If so, you might like softer strands like cotton or nylon. If you're more into the idea of a kinky, rough rope scene, you may prefer jute or hemp.

Know How You'll Use Your Bondage Rope

The rope that will be suitable for suspension will be different than a rope that's suitable for floor ties. Once you hit the skill level to start delving into suspensions, you'll know the difference. For now, however, think about what type of ties you'll want to be doing. If your ties regularly include naked bondage or rope running near bodily fluids, you might want to choose a rope that's easy to wash.

Ponder Who You'll Use It With

If you only plan on using this rope with one person, you may not need to worry about cleaning the rope after every use if you don't get it messy. For transient bondage that has you tying up multiple people, consider getting a rope that's easier to wash and take care of to ensure you're taking care of your partners.

Think About Cleaning

I'm one of those people who hates taking tons of time out of my life to do any sort of cleaning. If you're one of those people too, you probably don't want to choose a hemp rope that requires hand washing and reconditioning the rope's fabric after every wash. You might prefer a nylon or cotton rope that you can machine wash and dry in a lingerie bag. However, some people find the rope care-taking process to be a sort of intimate connection in itself, so you'll need to determine what works best for you.

Determine Your Color

While color is definitely important, it's not one of the most important aspects. However, once you've figured out everything else about your rope, it's time to think about the rope's color. You might really want to tie someone up in cherry red rope. Or, maybe a gothic black is more your style. Consider getting contrasting colors in a couple different lengths to make pretty designs alongside your intricate rope work. Manufacturers have made rope in a whole rainbow of colors – including vibrant neons and glow-in-the-dark options.

Remember, if you ever decide to turn your interest in rope bondage into an intense love, you'll start to find out what works for you as you continue your exploration. Expect your rope bag to continually shift and change as you find your own loves and preferences. The 25-foot pink nylon rope you currently own may not be the rope that you love to use in five years, but it'll always have a soft spot in your heart.

What's important is that you enjoy the journey. You can always pick up more rope if it doesn't work for what you had in mind, but valuing your new hobby and your partner's involvement goes a long way toward overcoming some of those frustrating rope speed bumps. Expect to be shopping for more rope again soon in the future, and enjoy the experimentation that will get you to that point!