Tips To keep In Mind When Shopping For BDSM Gear - Part 1
Tips To keep In Mind When Shopping For BDSM Gear - Part 1
Shopping for BDSM equipment can be an extremely difficult proposition. Between determining what kind of gear you're looking for and finding the best prices, it can give you a massive headache with ease. With all of the different options available, it's easy to find yourself simply grabbing whatever seems to fit your needs and is relatively cheap. This is a mistake that can lead to the headache of dealing with returns or even light injury. Luckily, there are several tips that can help minimize this.
Figuring Out What You Need
This is one of the most important things you can do. Whether you're shopping online or you plan to go to a local BDSM store, the basic idea remains the same. First, you need to talk to your partner and figure out what kind of activities you want to engage in. If you're both interested in bondage, but neither of you have much experience in it, you don't want to blow a ton of money buying extremely complicated bondage equipment. If you're looking to replace gear that's broken, you likely already know exactly what you need. If you're trying to experiment a little, however, then it gets a lot trickier.
For most activities such as bondage, marking, milking, and many others there is usually a beginner's pack available. It's easy to feel embarrassed at the idea of admitting you're a beginner at any activity, especially a sexual activity, but you need to ignore that feeling. There's a reason that companies make beginner's packs, after all. They usually include a very simple set of tools necessary for the activity you're in as well as helpful tips and instructions. This is enough for you to try out the activity and determine whether or not it's for you. This saves you valuable time and money if you don't enjoy the activity. The included tips will also usually have suggestions on what you can purchase if you want to explore the activity more.
If you're looking to expand on something you already enjoy, shopping gets a little bit easier. Even if you don't have a beginner's pack with tips on what you should buy next, you likely have a decent idea what you're looking to get. That being said, it's still very easy to end up accidentally buying redundant equipment. This is where making a list can come in very handy. By simply taking stock of what gear you already own and figuring out what uses it covers, you can build a list of what activities you need equipment for. If you're considering buying something to hold your partner in place for branding or tattooing, for example, you may find that you already have a piece of bondage equipment that will do the job perfectly. This is a fairly simple tip, it may even seem obvious, but it's one that's usually ignored by people who don't want to take the time to fully list the uses of their existing equipment.
Lastly, if you are replacing equipment, as mentioned earlier, you probably have a good idea of what you need to get. What you may not realize is that this is actually a perfect opportunity in disguise. Let's say, for example, you're getting rid of an old set of arm binders and considering getting some leg irons as well. Quite a few companies make products that serve both functions in a variety of styles. Any time you're replacing equipment it's a good idea to see if you can find any gear that is multifunctional and will serve your purpose. This is a good way to expand your equipment collection while also saving money.