BDSM encompasses so many elements -- and not all have to be mutually inclusive -- that it can be confusing to beginners. However, BDSM toys focus on implements that are typically used for bondage or discipline -- or both!.
Bondage Toys
There are as many ways to tie a person up as there are people in the world. Bondage items often include cuffs made of neoprene, leather or even silk; although, you should be careful with silk as it can tighten and cut off blood flow. Rope is always useful if you're an expert at tying knots, and you can use plastic wrap or specifically-created bondage tape, which only sticks to itself and nothing else, to keep your partner enthralled and bound.
Of course, cuffs often connect to one another, but they can also connect to all sorts of systems, from restraints that hang over the door to those that tuck under the mattress to spreader bars that keep ankles spread. Experienced bondage players might use ball gags as a type of bondage for the mouth, arm wraps that bind arms completely behind a person's back or blindfolds and face masks to further immobilize their partner.
There's a perfect item no matter your level of experience. Beginner-friendly Velcro cuffs are easy to get out of it you're skittish or worried about kids or roommates busting in on your play time. More advanced cuffs can be locked with padlocks, and some restraints function similarly to belts. Keep a paramedic safety scissors or wire cutter nearby to remove bonds during a time of emergency.
Discipline Sex Toys
Toys for discipline are typically designed to create an uncomfortable and sometimes painful sensation, usually across the butt and thighs where there is plenty of fat to protect the body during impact. Paired with the loss of control, this can be highly erotic to people. Discipline BDSM toys include:
- Paddles
- Canes
- Floggers
- Whips
- Riding crops
You can also improvise with wooden spoons, belts and other household items. Some items span the bridge between bondage and discipline. For example, a chatty partner might find a ball gag to be both because it stops her from talking. Similarly, someone who is visual might feel particularly thwarted when made to worn a blindfold, and this makes play time all the more fun!