What if do not (yet) want to go into rope suspension? Does that make me a softy? And are there any good alternatives to rope suspension?

These are all questions, that come up during suspension workshops and they are very, very relevant.

First this: there are no such things as Shibari Olympics and there are no medals to earn. You will hear us repeat this over and over again. The fact that you are not, not yet or maybe permanently not into anything does not make you a lesser person, a lesser giver or recipient, of lesser quality or less “experienced”. You and only you are the master of your own wants, needs and desires as well as limits and only you are to judge. If you are not into rope bondage suspension at all or if you feel you are not yet up to it, all of that is fine. And no, you are not a softy.

In fact, the general advice in any case is to try other forms of suspension first, before you turn to rope bondage suspension. This will give you a better – and less complicated – idea of what suspension is. Plus, there are a few devices that – for suspension-novices especially – are actually safer than rope bondage. Rope bondage requires a lot of technical knowledge. There are simpler ways.

First – as usual – what NOT to do.

Actually, there are a few devices you should stay away from for suspension purposes. These concern – usually leather – handcuffs (wristcuffs) and anklecuffs that – usually according to the retailer – are “designed for suspension purposes”. Unfortunately, most of them are NOT. They can be used as part of a suspension in a sling, as we will explain below. They are however UNFIT to suspend someone from!!

The other thing to stay away from, are leather “suspension harnasses”. A leather body harnass in general is unfit for suspension. “Suspension harnasses” are rarely designed well enough to use safely. In general, the leather is too tough and there will be either shackles, rings, studs and buckles in places where you do not want them. These often break ribs or do serious damage to nerves, muscles, bones and joints and they are VERY unforgiving! Besides, they are very expensive.

Love swings

A love swing is a device you hang from the ceiling and it is largely an adaption of a Kindergarten swing, only made from leather and chains and usually with leather rings to sit in, so the genitalia will be exposed. Provided they are of solid and rigid construction, love swings are a very good bondage device and very useful. They are safe, will support the weight (often even of heavier built persons) and used in cooperation with cuffs – that can be attached to the swing itself – they make a great and very versatile device that is easy and safe to use. They come in a variety of designs and prices, so if you plan to buy one, shop around. They are not cheap, but they are worth their money. If you are a handy craftsman, you will probably be able to make one yourself.

Slings

A sling is basically nothing but a small leather hammock, one that only supports the back of the person suspended. Some have a head rest and the general idea is that you cuff or tie wrists and ankles in an upward position to the sling itself, thus fully exposing the person suspended.

A sling is another good, safe and versatile device to have and – if you have a place to hang it of course – is very much worth your money, since they could also serve other erotics purposes. Again, a welldesigned and crafted sling does not come cheap but it is most of all safe and a very good way to experiment with suspension and to learn to understand weight distribution.

Leather cages

Some manufacturers make a very effective leather hanging cage. These are basically large fishing nets, made out of leather. They have a very small incorporated plateau on which the “suspendee” can stand. As the “cage” is hoisted, the weight of the body will stretch the cage as a result of which it will wrap itself tightly around the body and movement is restricted to next to nothing.

The downside of these leather cages is that, once suspended, there is very little you can do since most of the body of the person suspended is out of reach. The upside however is that one can safely remain suspended in the “cage” for longer periods of time. Using a leather cage however does require a solid tackle to be able to hoist it.

Alternatives

Many people tend to overlook the obvious. A simple hammock (especially one made out of rope) is an excellent alternative to such things as leather slings and love swings, it it less expensive and can be left hanging or standing, even in a vanilla situation. There are hammocks and hammock-chairs readily available from a variety of stores and they work fine. In conjunction with ropes they will not interfere with your general wish to do rope bondage only and in many cases they will save you a lot of time and trouble. While they may not be “Japanese” or “traditional”, they make excellent beginner devices and they also allow for scenes, that are simply not “traditional” (it does not always have to be).

Many hammocks come with a safely designed frame to hang them in, meaning you do not need to screw hooks, bolts or rings into your ceiling.

Concealing your suspension points

It is a question often asked: how do I conceal my ceiling hooks and bolts from vanilla eyes? Well, the thing NOT to do is to bolt a big hook into your ceiling and then hang a two pound plant from it. Believe us, nobody will believe you!

There are actually only two effective ways to conceal your hooks in a convincing way. The most obvious one is to simply hang a hammock or a hammock chair from them when they are not used for suspension purposes. Depending on your personal situation, hanging a simple indoor swing from them might also be a good idea. If you do not have children, the excuse will be that you use the swing (or gymanstic rings) for work out purposes.

The only other convincing thing you can do is to simply hide them. For this purpose, use mock ceiling beams. You can buy them from any Do It Yourself store. They are made out of some sort of styrofoam, usually and hollow. Place them over your ceiling hooks and cut out the bottom, that you can next stick back on using velcro. All you need to do when starting your suspension session is to remove the bottom part to expose your ceiling hooks.

 

The above article is a reprint from our information/educational site Kink Culture.
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