Unisex straitjacket by Pipedream - review by Backseat Boohoo

I like to think of myself as an adaptable sort of person who can always find a good use for things, even if they don't work for their intended purpose. Pipedream's Fetish Staitjacket, however, doesn't have a single use that I can think of. It fails as a sex toy, it's not comfortable enough to be worn as a costume, and I've had to modify it heavily to make it an acceptable erotic photography piece.

Let's back up a bit here. This straitjacket is part of Pipedream's new Fetish line and arrives in the prescribed packaging, portraying both male and female models wrapped up in the jacket. The text on the box explains how the straitjacket functions and makes several incorrect claims: it says the jacket is "unisex," "one size fits most," and is made from a "rubberized material" it calls "comfortable."

The "rubberized material" is actually polyester. It doesn't smell, but it has a rough, plastic-coated feel to it that scratches on bare skin. It's also incredibly hot; I attempted to put 6 different people in to this straitjacket, and every single one of them complained about how stuffy the fabric was, even if they weren't fully secured in the straitjacket.

The jacket is secured via polyester straps with white plastic buckles. There are three straps on the back of the jacket, two pairs of straps dangling from the bottom of the jacket that are meant to secure the thighs, a strap on each sleeve that secures the arms behind the back, and a neck strap. There is a flimsy metal loop on the neck portion of the jacket for a leash, and the sleeves are sewn shut at the end to prevent your partner from using their hands.

Effectively, you put your partner into the jacket and secure the neck strap. Then you tighten the three back straps to your partner's liking. To secure your partner's arms, you have your partner hug themselves, then connect the straps on each sleeve. You can leave the thigh straps un-hooked, or wrap them around the inside of each thigh.

This is assuming you can fit your partner into the straitjacket. While the box claims that this product is "unisex" and "one size fits most," it's actually rather small. Out of the 6 people who tried this jacket on, only one of them was able to fit in to it comfortably. Both of the men were too broad across the back and shoulders, my average-sized and plus-sized female models both noticed a lot of gapping over their chests, and I (a relatively petite woman) couldn't get the straps tightened enough for my liking. The only person who fit this straitjacket was a female subject on the smaller side, roughly 5'5" and between 120-140 pounds, and the jacket wouldn't have fit her at all if she'd wanted the straps tighter.

Pipedream's Fetish Straitjacket is also very poorly constructed. If any part of the jacket is even the least bit tight on you, you're bound to pop a seam or rip the material. Granted, a straitjacket is meant to restrict your movements, but it's supposed to restrict them by holding you in, not by making you nervous about ripping the material.

I did ask the one model who fit into this jacket properly to attempt to work her way out of the jacket. When she yanked on her arms and squirmed lightly, nothing happened, which is promising, since most people's struggles during bondage play are token. I also asked her to yank hard for the sake of thoroughness, however, and then she managed to loosen up the arm straps. The plastic buckles that the straps loop through simply don't hold the straps in tightly enough.

As promising as this product sounds, it simply isn't worth your time. It can only fit a small percentage of the population, the material is extremely uncomfortable for extended wear, and it's all too easy to slip out of the jacket.

Technically speaking, you can use this jacket as a bondage tool, provided your partner is the right size, won't struggle much, and won't object to feeling like they've been shoved in to a polyester oven. You can pull your partner up while they're in this straightjacket, BUT:

1. The thigh straps must be secured. This helps pull your partner's lower body up along with their torso.
2. You must get a firm grip around your partner's arms; if you grip the wrong part of their arm, you risk hurting them.
3. You need a good deal of upper-body strength.
4. The fact that your partner's arms are folded will put strain on their chest when you yank them up, which can feel like a nice pulling sensation at first, but begins to hurt if you pull them up by their arms repetitively.

I actually plan on throwing this straitjacket away as soon as I've finished an erotic photo shoot or two with it (sleeves cut open for better use). I'm not sure how you would wash it. The plastic-like material makes me nervous about putting it in a hot washer/dryer, how ever if you buy this jacket and want to wash it, I recommend hand-washing in cold water and hang-drying.

There is a black mask provided with this jacket. I didn't mention it in the review because it isn't of much consequence; it does serve its purpose, but it's thin and the elastic is easy to snap. Wrapping a scarf around your partner's eyes would work just as well, if not better.

For a video, pictures of the test subjects, and some super-subjective ranting, head over here.

I used this for a photo shoot, then sent it straight to the trash. I had to cut the sleeves open just to make it workable for pictures. Even then, one visitor on my blog aptly commented that it resembled a "frilly shirt." Invest in a sturdier straitjacket, folks.