Armband collar - collar by Spartacus - review by Zandrock

The Armband Collar by Spartacus is a collar. Collars are typically worn around the neck, although they can technically be worn anywhere (arms, legs, thighs are all possible areas). Collars are typically worn within BDSM play. They are often used as a way of showing ownership and dominating a person, but there is nothing to say a collar cannot be purely for aesthetic reasons, roleplaying, or whatever a person wants to use it for.

This collar is good for both beginners and advanced users. There is really no reason anyone could not use this collar. The only limitation is its size (which is limited by few adjustment holes, but I will discuss that more in design). It has a unique design over the basic leather collar. Most collars in BDSM play are just one solid piece of leather, this one has a woven pattern between metal pieces.

This collar is best used for only aesthetic reasons. Most collars have one to three metal O or D rings which allow a leash to be attached or the collar to be tied to something. This collar does not have any D or O rings so you cannot attach it to anything.

This collar is made out of leather and metal. The leather is a real leather, not a faux version. It is not the softest or best leather I have ever seen (not nearly as nice as the leather Aslan uses), but overall it is still nice. I have no issues with the leather. The buckle as well as the rings on the collar are made out of metal. Leather is a porous material so it will harbor bacteria if it is exposed to it. So a leather collar is best for fluid bonded partners especially if any bodily fluids (vaginal secretions, ejaculate, or blood) are going to come in contact with it. Leather is a very sturdy material as well as metal. I would imagine this collar if properly cared for will easily last 10 years. The leather seems to be quite thick and stiff, so I imagine it will tolerate a good amount of use. Most leather toys do come a bit stiff, but loosen up once they have been conditioned and used a couple of times. I imagine this one will be similar.

The collar smells of leather. I find it to be a very nice smell. I quite like leather products. But all leather products do eventually lose that smell. It kind of fades away and just smells like nothing.

This collar does feature a unique design. As I previously mentioned most BDSM leather collars are just one solid piece of leather. This one has a different design. You can see it in this photo



It has a pattern where the leather is woven between metal rings. Here you can see the collar (on the top) compared to a "classic" collar (on the bottom)



The design it quite interesting in my opinion. I think it is unique and is something that would stand out at a BDSM play party for example. It does come with the drawback of being less comfortable than a classic BDSM collar, but I think most people would still have no issue wearing this collar for an evening. For a long term permanent collar I think it might not be as good. The metal rings rub a little bit, so I imagine with really long term wear there could be some chaffing and discomfort from that.

The collar does have a very small adjustment range. As you can see here there are only 7 closely spaced holes to adjust the collar.

If you measure it the should fit someone with a 12-15.5 inch neck diameter. I am a man and have a collar size of 15.5 inches and the collar fits snugly on the last notch. So this collar is not going to fit everyone. I would think this collar is probably best for women, or men with small necks.

For certain people this collar is missing a few items. Firstly there is no locking buckle, so you cannot make it impossible to remove. Secondly there are no D or O rings, so you cannot attach a leash, or tie the collar to something. It loses some function and becomes only an aesthetic or a symbolic piece. But that is what some people want.

The "weave" pattern

Overall the collar performed quite well. It is very simple to put. It is the same as putting on a belt. It uses holes and pin. The collar has some weight to it, so you definitely feel it. I think the extra metal gives it weight, so it does have a unique feeling compared to the classic collar.

I personally like a collar with an O or a D ring. Being led on a leash is part of the fun for me, so I missed out on that experience with this collar, but this will depend on the person.

Overall this is a good collar. It is relatively comfortable, had a very cool and unique look and functions well.

I did not find any unexpected uses for this collar. Sometimes I use my other collars as restraints for thighs, but without a D or an O ring you cannot attach it to anything. You could use it for compression though and just the feeling. It would be possible to put it around someones thigh. Again this is slightly hard, because the collar does not have much room for adjustment.

This toy is made out of leather, so it does require more care than other toys. After you use the collar, you should wipe it down with a damp soapy cloth. From what I have read, either glycerin saddle soap or dish soap works great. After you wipe it down, you should dry off any excess moisture and let it dry completely before storing it. It should be stored in a place with at least a little airflow to prevent mold growth. I plan on storing mine in a plastic container under my bed with my other leather toys. Because it is leather, it can dry out over time. So, it is best to condition your leather toys once every 1 to 3 months. This will depend slightly on your climate. You should never completely submerge your toy is water. This will damage the leather. Because of the metal rings this toy might be slightly harder to clean than other leather toys, but it should still be manageable.

It is also important to note leather is a porous material. It is not advisable to use this toy on anybody other than a fluid bonded partner. Normally I would say if you clean a leather item properly and allow it to be exposed to the air for a week to kill all the microbes you could safely play with anyone, but there is still a slight chance of contamination.

This toy had no packaging. It came just as the collar in the box with all the other toys I ordered.