Bondage basics restraint kit - light bdsm kit by Kinklab - review by Dawn (Lilac Distraction)

How often do you find equipment that is suitable for users of all skill levels? Not very. Things usually fall on the beginner side of the spectrum because they're not serious enough for advanced players, and then the gear for the experiences often scares away the newbies because of how intense it looks. Oh, and if you're inexperienced but know you want to get super kinky, where do you start? It can be a confusing place for the novice kinkster.

This lovely 6 piece set is something that doesn't discriminate when it comes to your skill level and interests. Like the name of it, it truly is the basic bondage kit. Think of these things as the essentials. For beginners, it's a great place to start because everything in the set is very versatile and there are tons of other pieces of gear you can mix and match it with.

The wrist and ankle cuffs can be tied together with the rope, attached together using snap hooks or locks, used with the Kinklab Hogtie Strap, the Kinklab Spreader Bar, the Sportsheets Under the Bed Restraint Kit, and several other styles of equipment. You can grab one of the Kinklab Bondage Basics Collars or use the Spartacus Locking Collars for a complete set of matching restraints. The possibilities with these are pretty much endless.

Rope is also an incredibly versatile tool when it comes to BDSM. There's so much you can do with it. Use it as restraints or to secure the restraints to each other or other things, create Japanese rope bondage works of art, or use it as a leash. The rope here is soft and slick meaning that it won't leave you with tons of bruises or rope burn (unless you want it to).

And the blindfold is also an essential part of any BDSM gear collection. This one is padded which makes it highly comfortable. It'll fit just about everyone, too. Sensory deprivation is a highly intense experience and can be incorporated into all sorts of play, so it's pretty much a staple in all things kink.

Not only is this equipment incredibly versatile, but it's also well made, durable, and easy to use. Putting it on and taking it off is quick and painless. The cuffs can be adjusted so that there's no escaping them which is perfect for hardcore kinksters, and they can be loosened so they can be slipped out of if needed. Everyone regardless of experience can also appreciate a highly effective blindfold and good sized length of great rope.

Now, a word for those serious players (but you probably already know this), the restraints aren't the type you'd use for any serious weight-bearing restraints. A suspension rigging would be suitable, but not something that's going to lift any weight.

Another bonus feature is that everything comes in a wonderfully thick and durable plastic bag that's great for storage and a dream for travel.

Let's start off with the cuffs here. I was a bit confused at first when I got them because I haven't ever seen this design before. Seeing as there was no buckle I was slightly skeptical of their staying power. I mean, they're only secured with that tiny little strap . . .

Once I figured them out I was incredibly pleased with how they work. Each cuff is made of a solid piece of leather. There is a small strap that runs along the cuff but is only attached at one end. There are also 10 adjustment notches on the ankle cuffs and 7 on the wrist cuffs spaced about 1/2" apart that allow for a precise level of adjustment to ensure you get the perfect fit. The cuffs also feature two D-rings. What you do with these is lift the small strap off of the cuff, wrap the cuff around the wrist or ankle starting with the side with the side with the large D-ring, find a comfortable fit and place the adjustment notch over the D-ring. There will be a good amount of leftover cuff in some cases, but we're about to fix that. Take the small strap and place it through the D-ring. This secures both the strap itself and what you have leftover and this technically makes it a locked cuff, but you can also add a little padlock if you wish. Makes them look more serious. To attach the cuffs, you'll use the other D-ring that's provided. A basic snap hook, padlock, piece of rope, or carabiner will be all you need. The ankle cuffs are 13 1/2" long and can adjust from 8" to 13" around. The wrist ones are 10 1/2" long and adjust from about 6 1/4" to 9 1/2". (Somehow they fit my 5 1/2" wrists, too. With that being said, they should be a good fit for a wide range of sizes. Overall, they're incredibly comfortable. The cuffs are made of a soft and pliable leather that's about 1/8" thick. The outside is a finished edge, while the inside is a soft raw edge. The top and bottom edges of it aren't finished, but they're not sharp in any way due to the softness of the inside and shouldn't leave marks unless you're doing some serious struggling.

The blindfold measures 8" across and 3" at the widest point also giving it a good fit. The elastic band is really stretchy, but it's not going to catch hair, and should fit anyone out there. Because of the padding and shape it does a rather fine job of blocking out light, but in my experience it does allow for a very, very small amount of peekage, but it's not going to ruin the surprise. Very comfy, cozy, and performs well at what it does.

The rope is a wonderful nylon material that's incredibly soft and smooth. It's a little bit thinner than the average rope used for rope bondage, but it's not too thin so that it won't work. Overall, a great starter material to get you up and going with rope. The 25' length is great for doing body harnesses and such. It can also be cut into pieces and sealed at the end with heat. It's not going to be the best rope out there for BDSM purposes, but it's still really nice for quite a few applications.

Because the cuffs are a smooth and soft raw edge inside they cut down on uncomfortable sweatiness and stickiness that other cuffs with finished edges may have. They also won't chafe the skin or rub you raw. They might not last you forever and ever if you're playing super rough with them, but a moderate amount of pulling and tugging should be fine. They certainly won't break in the first few uses as long as you're not hell on them. This is also what makes them great for beginners because they do give that same genuine feel of the more expensive luxury cuffs, like those by Aslan Leather, without costing you a fortune.

The blindfold, as stated earlier, is very excellent. When your eyes are open your eyelashes might touch it and that's not a fun feeling, but it just makes you want to close your eyes (which is the point of a blindfold, right?). And like I said, there's only a minimal amount of peekage that goes on with these. It lets a small amount of light in, but it's pretty difficult to see what'd going on. Those with features that aren't as petite as mine may not even have that.

The rope is also quite nice. It's shiny so it'll show knotwork really well. It's incredibly easy to clean and is quite durable and comfortable during wear even though it is slightly thinner than your average rope that you'd use for decorative bondage. It's great for arm and leg binds and use as a connector.

Overall, you get a whole lot of bang for your buck. It's not super heavy duty premium leather, but it'll get the job done and has quite the visual appeal to it. I mean, I've got loads and loads of Aslan Leather stuff and awesome rope, but I still really enjoy this set and I'm highly picky about the stuff I use.

I love that the packaging doubles as storage like most Kinklab packaging does. You can throw everything back inside the bag, snap it shut, and toss it in a drawer. It keeps it very well protected.

Leather is a little needy in the care department. If you need to clean the cuffs or blindfold just give them a wipe with a slightly damp cloth and dry them off. You don't want it to get too wet because gear that's falling apart is no fun. If they start to get a little dried out you can always use some leather conditioner or a very light natural oil like vitamin E or joboba to keep them good as new.

If you're looking for things that would be great to use with this, there are quite a few things out there that would work wonderfully:

Ball gag
Adjustable nipple clamps
Riding crop
Studded paddle
Whip
Wartenburg Pinwheel

With this kit and the rest of these things you'll have a wonderful stash to work with!