Sitting down to write this review, it has occurred to me that I actually don't have very much blindfold experience. I have made a few failed attempts at blocking off vision with those cheap little sleeping masks (they never stay put!) or a random scarf. Nothing has ever worked all that well, and consequently blindfolds don't really play much of a role in my bedroom playtime festivities. After all, why bother with a blindfold when light can creep in on the sides, or worse yet, when it won't stay on unless practically glued in place?

So I suppose it should be no surprise that I am quite taken with this Extra Wide Blindfold. And why not? It's comfortable, cozy, stays put, blocks out light AND is made of leather. Where could you go wrong? Not to mention, it looks positively sexy wrapped on your partners head

In use, I found it to perform admirably, although to keep it really snug on my head I found it best to cross the straps at the back, to form a bit of a head cradle. I think I found this necessary because the straps of the blindfold slip somewhat on hair, and unfortunately the straps aren't positioned in such a way that they can be looped over the ears to keep the blindfold in place. My husband, who has shorter hair, didn't have a problem with the straps slipping – I swear that his shorter bristly hair held it in place a bit like Velcro, but I think I might need to try it out on a few more victim playmates to be sure of that theory.

Because of the struggles I first had getting the straps to stay in place, I also realized that I preferred to use the blindfold such that my nose wasn't really in the nose cleft of the mask. When I pulled the mask down somewhat to get a more secure position on my head, I found I was most able to block out all light when just the little button tip of my nose was sticking out of the nose cleft. With my clever strap setup, when I fixed the mask so that the nose fit properly, light was seeping in through the bottom.

Now all that aside, this mask is well constructed. Spartacus generally does a good job with leather products, and this is no exception. It is constructed well, and I do not anticipate any premature ripping or anything like that. Design wise, it would be nice if the head straps were adjustable, and my hot-blooded husband does find the fleece lining a bit hot (but I certainly don't, so “your mileage may vary”). I think there may be issues getting the blindfold to stay in place during any heavy thrashing; however, if you really want something that will stay in place despite vigorous activity, common sense says to just get a hood!

Overall, this is a nice product. Perhaps it isn't the perfect blindfold, but I really wonder if such a thing exists - after all, not all faces are created equal! This one is, I think, pretty universally applicable simply because it's so big. I feel confident that however your face may be shaped, this blindfold will be able to deliver the darkness you crave – but you might have to be smart about it.

Since first reviewing this blindfold I have had a number of opportunities to use it myself, and on another partner. One point worth adding to this review is that the fleece lining on this blindfold makes it rather warm during use; not warm enough to give you sweaty eyelids, but almost.

That said, the blindfold excels at blanking out vision without causing any discomfort. It's designed such that it does not press tightly on the eyes (which can be uncomfortable), yet it's wide (in both directions), so you can't peek around the edges, even with moderate thrashing.