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Rope bondage can be beautiful and rewarding, but it can also be time consuming if you want to do anything more complex than basic ties. It requires a level of patience on the part of the top and the bottom that not everyone has, and even if you’re very familiar with rope, you might want to add another dimension to your bondage. And sometimes you just want to cut to the chase! Fortunately, there are quite a few alternatives to rope that are just as effective and fun for bondage.
Bondage with Clothing
Clothing is one of the most common types of pervertibles—household items that are used for kink—that can be used for bondage. Clothes are easy and practical to use because you definitely already own at least one of these items and might even be wearing one or more of them at any given time. You’re not going to be able to do full body ties using just one of these things, but by using multiple items, you can restrain someone quite effectively.
- Belts. Belts are a fantastic way to bind someone’s wrists, ankles, etc. This short video shows how to secure someone’s wrists with a belt.
- Underwear. This works best with underwear that have some stretch (so not traditional boxers). Just match the leg holes up to form a circle and slip that over your partner’s wrists or ankles. Then, twist to form a figure 8 and slip the new loop over their wrists or ankles again. Done!
- Neckties (and more). Ties are another great way to restrain someone’s wrists or ankles. You can also use them to tie a limb to something else, like a bed post. Check out our video showing how to do a simple double-column tie (tying two things, or “columns,” together). We picked up this technique at a class taught by the excellent BDSM educators, Shay and Stefanos. In this video, we’re using a blindfold, but the concept works with regular neckties, suitably shaped scarves, or even bathrobe belts. You can use tights or stockings in a similar way.
Bedroom Bondage
“Bedroom bondage” can literally mean using your bedding for bondage.
- Bed sheets. Sheets can easily be used to bind someone. If you’ve ever swaddled a baby, you get the idea. Simply wrap the sheet around them so they can’t move their arms and/or legs, or tuck the sheet under them enough to restrict movement. If you want genital access, make sure the wraps stop around the waist since sheets don’t have much give or stretch once they’re taut.
- Pillowcases. Believe it or not, you can use a pillowcase to do the same double-column tie we showed above using the blindfold. It works best with a king-size pillowcase because they’re longer.
Bondage with Cuffs
There are dozens of kinds of cuffs you can use for bondage, from metal handcuffs, to leather cuffs, to candy (!) cuffs. Here are a few kinds that we use.
- Padded cuffs. The advantage of padded cuffs is that they’re far more comfortable than ones that aren’t. And leather ones are quite sturdy. The ones we have are leather with a fleece lining, similar to these but with a detachable chain between them. Even without the chain, you can use a scarf, tie, etc. to link them together or tie one to something else.
- Silicone cuffs. These are thin, handcuff-shaped loops of silicone designed for wrists. In contrast to metal cuffs, they’re light, noiseless, and not cold to the touch. They’re not as comfortable as padded cuffs, but they’re perfect for travel since they’re flat and pretty inconspicuous.
- Metal handcuffs. What’s a more obvious signal for kink than traditional metal handcuffs? Despite their visibility in popular culture, these are probably our least favorite method of non-rope bondage. They’re freezing cold, and they can dig into skin in uncomfortable ways. But some people are into that! There are multiple kinds you can buy that aren’t that expensive, including double-locking ones or single-locking ones (which don’t tighten as much).
Bondage with Other Materials
In addition to everything we’ve listed above, there are a few other items that come in handy for non-rope bondage.
- Self-adhesive bandage wraps (aka vet wrap). Vet wrap is normally used to wrap injured legs, arms, etc. but is a fun alternative to rope. Vet wrap isn’t reusable, though, so use it sparingly if you want it to be cost-effective.
- Bondage tape. This is a special kind of tape usually made of PVC that sticks only to itself. In other words, it does not adhere to skin, hair, or any other surfaces, which is why it’s perfect for bondage. Although it’s technically reusable, this requires carefully unwrapping it and getting it back onto its tape spool, which involves a level of patience some of us don’t have. If you don’t want to deal with all that, just cut it off when you’re done. This explainer video details some of the benefits and even shows how you can wear it as clothing!
- Cling wrap. Plastic cling wrap (Saran Wrap) or pallet wrap can be used for bondage. Remove the roll from its box and simply start wrapping it around whatever limbs you want to restrain. You can also use it to bind someone to a chair or other piece of furniture. This is a popular tool for mummification (wrapping up someone’s entire body). One word of caution: plastic wrap traps heat, so be prepared to sweat a lot if you’re the person getting wrapped.
You may have noticed that we didn’t list duct tape. Some people do use it for bondage, but we don’t advise it. Adhesive of any kind can irritate some people’s skin, and because it does stick to skin, it will rip out body hair when it’s removed. Unless you really enjoy that kind of pain, avoid using duct tape for bondage.
There are myriad ways to enjoy BDSM bondage without rope, many of which are more comfortable and faster to do. This can help sustain arousal and prevent boredom. Non-rope bondage can also be far more affordable, as you likely already own many of the items mentioned in this post.