4 in 1 handgrip restraint kit - suspension kit by Sportsheets - review by Haiku

At first I had high hopes for this product (and big plans). I wanted them to be fun with my lovers, but I also hoped to expand our play spaces during the kinky play parties I host every month. The box had pictures of the product being used (obviously designed for store display) and a good thing it did, since there were no instructions. The straps were packed folded upon themselves and secured with rubber bands, so they were easy to open and I give them points for environmentally acceptable packaging.

The stench upon removing them from the box was more than a bit overwhelming. I'm not sure what these are made of, but the foam in the cuffs themselves were out gassing very very badly. It was incredibly off putting. I hung them up to air out and waited.

Two weeks later, I still wouldn't want to play with them.

Four weeks later I put them out for a party to see if anyone else wanted to try them. A few people tested to see whether the cuffs would support their body weight as they hung on the door (answer: not without creaks and pops that scared everyone into walking away), but no one wanted to play because "they stink pretty badly".

Six weeks and I dared put them away, hoping the smell wouldn't attach itself to anything in my closet.

Three months after receiving them the door cuffs were finally used at a party. They still smell but it isn't as overwhelming.

There are some good points: the set is versatile. I found that I could hang the cuff strap over an exterior door, and run the bed strap around the base of the door to be used with ankle cuffs. The cuffs have a bar to hang onto, which helps one feel more secure, as well as making it possible to take more rough play (since holding tightly to something allows you to tolerate more pain). The Velcro on the cuffs is sufficiently contained that it does not scratch the skin in any way. The stitching on all the straps seems very well done and none of it is popping or fraying, despite the rather frightening noises the cuffs and door make when significant weight is put against them.

I do find the bed strap not to work well for me as it is intended. It is too difficult to move to different areas of the mattress without someone to help me lift the mattress while I struggle with it. This may be, in part, because my bed is recessed into the bed frame and I am disabled, but it still means I just don't use it as intended.

In addition to the smell, the cuffs are just not for heavy duty play. The man in the ads on the box must be supporting most of his partner's weight while they have intercourse against that door, because the cuffs aren't helping her do more than balance. The weight of myself (150 pounds) was too much for it, and when the 160 male in them on party night sagged in the cuffs (yay, subspace!) we had to take advantage of the quick release nature of Velcro to get him down. That is, for some, a plus point, but be aware that the person wearing the cuffs can also take them off and put them on his or her self. Of course, using them on the bed, with the strap pulled tight enough to keep your arms apart, would make that particular trick more difficult.

I feel the advertisement for this set was slightly misleading, since they seemed intended to support your weight during doorway fun, but are more inclined to simply help you not fall over when your partner lifts you. They are fun for simple bondage play, for those not inclined or ready to move on to more intimidating cuffs, but only if you aren't worried about the smell issue.