Where Should I Start?

How much rope you need depends a bit on what types of ties you want to do and who you are tying, but here are a few handy guidelines. Keep in mind that most ties are done with a rope folded in half.

For wrist and/or ankle cuffs: 10-15ft is usually sufficient in most situations of tying wrists and ankles. If you're looking to attach the cuffs to furniture be sure to consider the distance between the limb and your tie-off point when selecting your rope lengths.

For chest ties and hip harnesses: Measure a loop around the fullest part of the hip. You'll need roughly six times the hip measurement of the person being tied.

For full-body harnesses: Measure a loop from the shoulder, down between the legs, and back to the shoulder. Body harnesses will need roughly six or seven times the shoulder-crotch loop measurement.

If you're just getting started and aren't sure if this is something you're going to do all the time, we suggest our Curiosity, Robust, or Value-Line kits. 

Know you're into it but just getting started? Try our More Than Curious, Extra Robust, or Midori Essentials kits. Remember- you can always add to your rope kit as your skills and personal tying style develops.

For most ties and most people 6mm is the most versatile diameter. All of our kits are available in 6mm. This is what you'll primarily see in rope bondage imagery, what is used in our videos, and what you will see in the books we carry. 6mm is what we consider the best width to start with and learn on.

8mm rope will distribute pressure over a wider surface, and is favored by some for tying larger bodies or more muscular gentlemen. Knots tied in 8mm rope are bulkier and take up more length, so consider that when deciding on your lengths. Many of our kits are available in 8mm.

4mm rope is generally used for more delicate ties- hands and feet, heads and faces, or genitals. 4mm is also a good choice for discreet ties worn under clothing. The smaller diameter of the rope provides a lower profile, but also means more pressure against the body across a small space meaning a more intense sensation.

Still not sure? Our Rope Width and Length Video may illustrate the differences better for you. 

Rope burn is typically not a concern with bondage, mostly because rope burn is a friction burn caused by the rope being pulled very quickly across the skin. In most cases, unless you are aiming for this effect, you don’t pull rope across skin fast enough to cause friction burns during rope bondage activities. If you are particularly prone to friction marks, tying over tight-fitting clothing (socks and arm-warmers can be useful for wrists and ankles) can help.

You may experience rope marks by way of compression marks. These marks are temporary, and will go away within a short period of time.

With particularly tight bondage, or with struggling against the ropes, narrow lines of bruising may occur between where the rope lines lay as a result of the pressure differential on the body. This is most common on the fleshier parts of the body such as breasts, buttocks, and thighs. 

Exotic fibers such as our Hand-Spun silk or bamboo ropes are also a great choice for those who enjoy rope bondage but aren't fans of rope marks.

Whenever possible, we strongly recommend in-person education such as workshops offered by our licensed retailers or recommended educators. Many cities also have rope enthusiast social groups for like-minded individuals.

When classes aren't a possibility, or as a supplement/refresher, we have a series of videos available that cover most basic ties that will get you started and provide a wide range of possibilities. Also available on DVD.

Books more your thing? For purely functional ties, the aptly named Bondage For Sex is a classic. For a mix of decorative and functional ties, we suggest Shibari You Can Use. If you prefer rope more for aesthetic or fashion purposes, The Two Knotty Boys' books will be great choices for you.

If you still aren't sure what rope is right for you, we suggest ordering a Sample Pack. These contain a short length of our ropes in all the diameters, colors, and fibers we offer.

Sample lengths are long enough for you to tie a basic overhand knot or two so that you can see how the knots form and how bulky they are.

Sample Packs include a $10 coupon applicable to your next order.