Bondage gear is designed to

restrict a person's freedom as

part of sex play. Bondage &

BDSM gear ranges from mild

items to extreme. The standard

kinds of bondage gear include

restraints, ropes, chains, cages,

hand cuffs, wrist cuffs, ankle

cuffs, thigh cuffs, waist belts,

breast harnesses, chastities,

gags, blindfolds, helmets, and

full body devices. Closely related

are discipline devices such as

whips and paddles. Serious

bondage fans often have

elaborate custom made costumes,

toys, gear, and furniture.

Bondage gear can be made from

a variety of materials, including

cloth, velcro, rope, leather,

wood, or metal.

In light bondage, a person is lightly

restrained. This can include such

things as tying a person up with

silk or ropes or a simple blindfold.

In light bondage, the person in

bondage can normally escape

from the bondage on their own.

The purpose of light bondage is

to give the sensation of giving up

control.

In heavy bondage, a person is

more seriously restrained. This

can include ropes, chains, cuffs,

leather, and all kinds of specialty

gear. In heavy bondage, the

person in bondage cannot

normally escape on his or her

own.

The person performing the

bondage is called the dominant

or dom. If the dominant is a

woman, then she might be called

a femme dom, dominatrix, or

mistress. If the dominant is a man,

then he might be called master.

The person upon whom the

bondage is performed is called a

submissive, sub, or slave. A

person who does both is called

a switch.

S&M stands for sadism and

masochism (sometimes called

sado-masochism). B&D stands

for bondage and discipline.

Before using bondage or BDSM

toys, you should be familiar with

bondage safety. People can and

have died from bondage that

went wrong. There are several

excellent books that discuss

bondage safety for beginners.

It is strongly recommended that

you read one before trying out

bondage on your own.