Spandex open-mouth hood - hood discontinued by Pipedream - review by Vaccinium

Sight is one of the most important senses for the purpose of foreplay and sex. It enables us to behold outward beauty, discern furtive glances, and leer at seductive gyrations. Yet this same sense, when removed from the equation, enables us to experience our other senses at heightened states. It was this promise that resulted in the purchase of this hood.

Therein lies the fundamental problem. When stretched out and placed over the head, it is easy to see through this hood. Granted, it's not like putting on sunglasses, where things are darker but otherwise clear. Rather, sight is more gauzy and muddled yet detecting shapes and structures presents no problem. Quarter-inch print can even be read through it. As such, as a means to vanquish sight, it unfortunately fails.

It's a shame that this mask suffers from this design flaw because otherwise there is a lot to like about it. The open mouth design is great for men and women, sub and dom alike as it presents the opportunity to place the anatomical feature of your choice in it (hint, hint). The comfortable spandex fabric that covers the rest of the head contours and grips like latex in a way, albeit at a fraction of the price. Undeniably, wearing it certainly sets the mood for some BDSM play. Breathing through the nose while wearing it is easy, although the tradeoff for this ability is that you are also able to see through it easily. It can also fold up so small, that it can fit in the palm of your hand. That's great for traveling, hiding in the car, or even slipping in your pocket or purse. It can also store almost anywhere. Washing it is simple as well, as all you need do is throw it in the washing machine (delicate cycle and hang dry, please). As with all clothing, definitely wash this hood before wearing it to get the chemicals out of it.

Aside from the issue with being able to see through it, which can be partially remedied by adding a blindfold or mask over the eyes, there are a few other points worth mentioning. Although the spandex is comfortable, if worn for extended periods of time when it's warm it can result in an itchy heat rash because of how spandex traps water. In that same vein, someone with an allergy to spandex would want to steer clear of this hood. The hood can also be difficult to get on if the person who is to wear it has a lot of hair (and wears it up) or a very large head. For example, I find it hard to imagine a sweaty 350 lb. NFL nose tackle tied naked to a bed and someone trying to get this hood on him - and now good luck getting that image out of your head. For most people, though, the hood size wouldn't be an issue. The final point is that the packaging is anything but subtle. On the front, the word "FETISH" sticks out in bold red letters, with an image if a woman wearing the hood. The back is even less subtle. If you want to seriously freak out your nosy neighbors, by all means leave this package out. Otherwise, recycle it discretely.

I do have to say, there is a bright side to the whole issue of its semi-transparency, if you are so inclined. Its failure as an agent for darkness in the BDSM setting is its saving grace as a hood to wear when robbing a bank. No, seriously, bear with me here. When someone robs a bank wearing a ski mask or Halloween mask, what information can police glean? There's height, and build, and gender, and... eye color. You've got to be able to see to rob a bank, right? What if you could see AND not not let anyone know your eye color? Come on, are you just a bit tempted? Now, I am in no way endorsing the idea of robbing a bank. That would be foolish on my part (Hi, Mr. FBI agent if you are reading this!). But that said, I fully expect a consultation fee from anyone who pulls off a bank heist using this idea.