Rope has a special place in the heart of every kinkster. Of all forms of bondage, those that involve rope are the most aesthetic and artistic. Few things are as exciting as letting the rope glide over someone’s body parts and the feeling of surrender to a person with tie skills.

There are different types of rope available for bondage. What type of rope you use, depends on your preferences. Is it your goal to have it look decorative? Do you want to deprive someone of the freedom to move, or do you want to use the rope for suspension? For every reason to tie someone up, there is a different type of rope. Not every rope is suitable for every goal. That’s why it is important to choose the correct type of rope in order to make sure it is a pleasurable experience and not an accident waiting to happen (especially when you are planning on doing some suspension). Below we will give you some tips on the different types of rope and their use for bondage.

The characteristics of rope

Every type of rope has its own characteristics. The most important ones are:

• Flexibility
• Structure
• Friction
• Elasticity
• Sustainability
• Strength

It is important to look at each of those characteristics, when you are going out to buy some rope. Friction is very important is for making ties and the speed at which you have to untie your ‘victim’. Rope with less friction slides easily. The structure is important for the feeling against the skin of the submissive. Some ropes are not pleasant because of their rugged structure, like sisal. Strength and elasticity are very important when you are planning on doing suspension. When the rope is too weak or stretches too much, someone might get injured.

Synthetic bondage rope

Many beginners use rope of synthetic materials. It’s cheap, easily available (in any Do-It-Yourself store and interior design shop), easy to clean and fairly easy to use. Nylon and polyester are typical examples of synthetic rope.

Nylon rope

Nylon rope is very flexible, soft, has little friction and is a little elastic. It is very durable and pretty strong. Nylon is a good choice if you are just starting and if you are planning on western-style (as opposed to Japanese Shibari) bondage. Nylon is available in many colors and thicknesses, which makes it great for artistic work. But, because it has little friction, the ties will become loose very fast and it is hard to make a tight knot. Nylon is particular fit to use on a bed or on the floor, decorative bondage or decorative extra in other forms of bondage.

Plastic rope

Polyester is also cheap, strong and durable. It is slightly flexible, but a little more rough which makes it less suitable for bondage. It’s OK, but in general not very popular. Other polyester materials, like ABS or polypropylene are also not very suitable, because of their plastic structure and low flexibility. A special kind of rope is PVC bondage tape. This is slightly transparent, available in many colors and sticks only to itself and not to body hair for example. This makes it very suitable to use to gag or blindfold someone.

Silicone

Rope made of silicone also exists. This material feels very soft and tender and is reasonable rigid. It is easy to adjust which makes it very suitable to tie someone’s hands and feet. It is slightly elastic and unfit for suspension.

Natural materials

The more experienced ‘riggers’ in general use natural materials. Which one, depends on the application. Shibari lovers often use jute, because it is a traditional material.

Jute

Jute is favorite with shibari riggers. It is flexible and a little rough on the skin, has a lot of friction and is little elastic. It is strong and durable. When you treat jute correctly, it can feel soft on the skin, but you’ll have to replace it  regularly. Jute can be dyed.

Hemp

Hemp rope has the same characteristics as jute, but it smells stronger and is a little heavier. Many riggers like hemp, because it will become softer over time. It is also better available than jute. And above all it is fit for suspension.

Cotton

Cotton is softer and lighter than jute or hemp, but it does have some of the same characteristics. It is good choice for beginners because it is cheap and easily available. It is also very flexible, feels soft, has good friction and is slightly elastic. However, cotton is less durable, and it is not very strong. Cotton can be used for the same kind of bondage like nylon, but it is absolutely not fit for suspension, because it can break. Cotton can also be dyed in any color you like.

The best rope for your rope art

When you are a beginner, use nylon or cotton. They are soft, easy to use, cheap and available in all kinds of shops. When you are a little more experienced and have some basic knowledge on how to make knots, and the different characteristics of materials, you might change to jute or hemp. Always use your common sense when you do bondage. Make sure you can untie someone fast if necessary, always avoid rope around the neck and check the tied up person regularly.