How to Find the Best Bondage Rope and Tape

You’ll find many different varieties of rope and tape for kinky restraint fun.

If you’re new to BDSM restraint play, it can be confusing which tools are best suited to what you want to do.

Fortunately, rope and tape for bondage isn’t actually that complicated. Once you learn a few key pieces of information, you’ll be able to easily select the right kinky restraint tools for you.

This article covers the various types of bondage rope and tape, as well as the other BDSM tools you’ll need to have safe fun.

Why Rope and Tape for Bondage?

Let’s start with why you might want to use rope or tape at all for bondage play.

After all, you can just buy a set of cuffs or other restraints and call it done, right?

That’s true, but working with rope or tape has unique advantages.

For one thing, when you buy other restraint toys, they can typically only be used in one defined way.

With rope or tape, on the other hand, you can get creative with different ways of restraining or being restrained.

Another benefit to working with these particular tools is that, in additional to being versatile, they are much less expensive than purchasing a variety of restraint toys.

A single piece of long rope can be used to make many different ties and scenarios. And purchasing multiple lengths of rope often costs less than multiple leather restraints.

Bondage tape is even less expensive than rope, though it can’t be re-used as many times.

Rope Top or Rope Bottom—Terms to Know

When working with bondage tools with a partner, there is typically a person who is the “top” and a person who is the “bottom”.

The top is the person doing the tying or restraining, and the bottom is the person being tied or restrained.

If the tool you are using is rope, then it is common to call these positions the rope top and the rope bottom.

Some people like to only top or only bottom with bondage, but you can perform either role and switch from role to role depending on your preferences.

Special note:

You may hear the words “Dominant” and “Submissive” associated with topping or bottoming, but these terms are not actually interchangeable with top and bottom. Being a Dominant or submissive is about power exchange play, which may or may not be combined with bondage or restraint play.

It’s also possible to be the Dominant in a play scene and still be the person being restrained (and vice versa with being the Submissive), though this is less common than the Dominant playing as the top and the Submissive playing as the bottom.

Dominant/Submissive is about who has consensually-obtained authority over the other, not about the activities being performed.

You don’t have to identify as Dominant or Submissive at all in order to do restraint play. You can just be the top or the bottom in a particular scenario.

Solo or Partner Play

Did you know that you don’t need a partner to play with bondage rope or tape?

It’s true. Many people enjoy the art of self-tying.

Tying yourself can be done in several different ways. Some people enjoy restraining themselves for the sensation. If you are using restraint tools in this way, make sure you play safely and don’t restrain yourself in a manner you can’t get out of.

Others enjoy creating body art with rope or tape. This comes in the form of hip, chest, or full-body harness ties. Corset-style ties are a way to create clothing from rope or tape. And with tape, you can also mimic pieces of clothing, such as by wrapping a faux skirt around the hips.

And of course, any of these activities and more can be done with a partner, as well.

Rope and Restraint Safety

It’s important to play safely with BDSM restraints.

Factors to consider include loss of circulation and potential nerve damage. There is too much safety information to go into here, so look at these articles to find more detailed safety information:

• TheDuchy.com/safety
• Crash-Restraint.com/ties

As far as the tools listed here, you should always make sure you have some kind of heavy-duty safety shears on hand, such as those used in the medical field, in order to cut yourself or your partner free in an emergency. Have these within arm’s reach every time you restrain someone or are being restrained.

And if you are performing rope suspension, only use appropriate suspension rings that will hold weight without cutting your rope lines.

Important:

Do not suspend anyone by rope unless you have been trained by an experienced rope suspension expert. Rope suspension is an art, and it can lead to serious injuries when not performed properly.

Now that you’ve got some terms and safety information, here are the best BDSM tools for bondage:

List of Bondage Rope and Tape for BDSM Restraint Play

The toys on this list represent various types of rope and tape, as well as other tools you may need in your bondage toy bag.

KinkLab Curve Tip Safety Scissors

I’m putting this item on the list first because they are an absolute must-have if you are playing with restraining or being restrained.

These safety scissors can quickly remove rope or tape, and their curved shape protects skin from getting nicked in the process.

Keep these in your toy bag and replace them as they get worn out. You don’t want to be in an emergency and find that your safety scissors have gotten dull.

Pros:

• Durable and non-allergenic stainless steel.
• Safe, curved tips.
• Inexpensive.

Cons:

• The metal finger holes may not be the most comfortable.

Lovehoney Bondage Tape

Lovehoney Bondage Tape has hundreds of 5-star reviews behind it.

It’s a great tool for those who don’t know how to tie with rope or who just don’t feel like taking the time to make elaborate knots (or want to be restrained quickly to get to the rest of the fun).

This “tape” is non-adhesive and only sticks to itself, so you don’t have to worry about painful removal or getting hairs stuck in it. It can technically be reused, but it’s a bit difficult to pull it off without it getting stuck to itself.

Pros:

• Easy to use.
• Comes in 3 different colors to create pretty restraints.
• Inexpensive.

Cons:

• Not breathable and can make the restrained person sweaty.

Hemp Bondage Rope by Twisted Monk

I’m partial to products from Twisted Monk because they are a respected educator in rope bondage.

This hemp rope is made from sustainable, natural hemp fibers that are twisted together in a manner that prevents them from unravelling easily.

The rope has a pleasant, grassy smell that you don’t get from synthetic rope fibers or even cotton rope. I find rope to be a more versatile tool than the bondage tape listed above, even if it does take more skill to use. Besides, the learning can be fun.

Twisted Monk’s Hemp Bondage Rope is a standard 6mm thick and is 30 feet long.

Pros:

• Nice smell.
• Sustainably made.
• Available in multiple colors.
• Sheds less than other hemp or natural-fiber rope.
• Can be used for suspension ties.

Cons:

• More expensive than the other ropes on this list.

Jute Rope, Natural by Paraphilia Toys

Jute rope happens to be my absolute favorite rope to use for bondage play.

It’s a classic for using in Shibari-style ties, and it’s easy to work with. Plus, it’s made of all-natural fibers.

Don’t get discouraged if your jute rope is stiff and difficult to tie in the beginning. This kind of rope becomes more pliable and improves with use. Paraphilia Toys’ Jute Rope comes primed with conditioner to help speed up the breaking in process.

Like the hemp rope above, this rope comes in standard 6mm thickness and is 30 feet long. It also

Pros:

• Provides a more noticeable sensation against the skin than cotton rope.
• Beautiful, distinct golden hue.
• Can be used for suspension ties.
• Moderately priced.

Cons:

• Can shed fibers when new (but this can be prevented by carefully holding a flame near the rope to singe off the loose fibers).

Cotton Bondage Rope

Cotton Bondage Rope is a much softer option compared to the hemp and jute rope above. That doesn’t make it better or worse, necessarily, but it is a different sensation.

If you or your rope bottom prefer to feel a bit of discomfort when tied, then hemp or jute are better options. (And believe me, rope torture is a for real thing!)

But if you are going for a gentler feeling of just being restricted with discomfort, cotton is a great choice.

It also comes in way more colors than hemp or jute, making this rope perfect for aesthetic ties that are designed to be pretty to look at.

Pros:

• Available in many colors.
• Doesn’t shed fibers.
• Least expensive natural rope.

Cons:

• More likely to compact than hemp or jute, which can make untying difficult.
• Cannot be used for suspension ties.

Natural Ball Gag

This item is not technically for tying someone up, but I had to include it because it IS made from natural hemp rope, and it’s a terrific accompaniment to any restraint scene.

Using a gag is a popular type of play in combination with bondage. And this Natural Ball Gag made with maple wood and hemp rope would match beautifully with rope bondage.

All you have to do to secure it is tie an overhand knot in the back, so there are no buckles or awkwardly placed holes for sizing to contend with.

Pros:

• All-natural materials.
• Easy to put on.
• Looks great with natural rope bondage.

Cons:

• Not the world’s most comfortable gag (but maybe you like that).

Cat Paw 2.0 Rigger Suspension Ring

The Cat Paw 2.0 Rigger Suspension Ring is an amazing tool for rope suspension play.

It’s lightweight and easy to pack along for play parties, but it is strong enough to hold the weight of any rope bottom.

What I really love about this particular suspension ring is that it has multiple attachment points, rather than one big attachment ring. That makes it easy to attach multiple carabiners or pass multiple lines of rope through different points, so you can keep track of your suspension lines and get more creative with ties.

Pros:

• More versatile than o-ring suspension points.
• Heavy weight bearing so you know it’s safe.

Cons:

• Somewhat pricey.

My Top Recommendation After Hours or Researching and Testing

I have to go with the Natural Jute Rope by Paraphilia Toys as the overall winner in this category of BDSM toys.

It is versatile and works well for any kinds of ties or suspensions, unlike cotton rope which cannot be used for suspension ties. It is long-lasting and reusable, whereas bondage tape is likely to get tangled and need to be replaced.

And it is moderately priced, unlike the more expensive Hemp Rope by Twisted Monk, making it a good choice for beginners who don’t want to commit a lot of money to a new hobby or advanced users who buy a lot of rope.