Maybe you were inspired by some artistic imagery on social media, your lustful desires were captivated in the sadistic recesses of a porn film involving rope, or you simply stumbled into the right place at the right time and experienced a live shibari performance… No matter how you find yourself becoming interested in rope bondage, for those who want to take it a step further and actually start learning how to tie – whether for pleasure, connection, sadism or simply the pleasure of engaging in intimate activities with yourself or others – one of the first things you will need to do is get hold of some rope. Arguably, getting ahold of suitable rope for shibari is a bigger priority than finding someone to tie up, as self-tying is becoming more and more prevalent.
Oftentimes, when talking to people new to the rope scene, one inevitable question comes up: what’s the best rope for shibari? Frustratingly, the more experienced you become in rope bondage, the more acutely aware you are that there’s no simple answer to this question. There are many variables to consider, such as whether you want to do ‘bedroom bondage’ or ultimately practice suspension, if you intend to pair your rope with other activities like wax play, and even your or your tying partners' skin sensitivity or allergies. All of these combined will tell you what the best rope for you might be.
Oftentimes, when talking to people new to the rope scene, one inevitable question comes up: What’s the best rope for shibari? Illustrator: Eysar Vargas Beyond that, as you become more proficient in your rope skills, you will likely develop a personal preference. During my early phases of exploration, I tried many different types of rope to ensure I found something that worked for me. (I’ll try to be unbiased in my reflections here but it only takes a cursory glance at my Instagram or FetLife to know I have a penchant for undyed natural fiber jute rope.)
In this and the series of articles to come, I will cover a high-level view of what rope is, its construction, the different types of rope, and touch upon the pros and cons of each. For those who just want a quick fix and don’t care to get into the details, here’s the TL;DR version...
Tips for buying rope for shibari If you want a ‘traditional’ rope and are aware of the safety pitfalls? Buy good quality jute or hemp, such as Koumanawa , Ogawa, or Nawaya. Don’t be tempted by cheap jute as it’s a false economy, requires much more conditioning and is often wiry and difficult to use. Want the safest rope for suspension ? Much of the rope most popular in the bondage sphere isn’t actually specifically designed for human load, so if safety credentials are a priority for you, you might think that synthetic braided rated rope from a climbing store is as safe as it gets. In theory, yes, but while good quality, rated nylon is technically the safest possible rope for load-bearing suspensions, climbing rope can be wildly variable and, in many cases, unsuitable for a lot of tying techniques, so detracting from your bondage experience. What you gain in safety, you almost invariably pay for in general usability. Which brings us to the better options in the point below… If you want the look of traditional but need the security of a rated rope, buy POSH (available from bondage rope suppliers too, like Twisted Monk ) or Hempex. These are the brand names of synthetic ropes made by Dutch manufacturers Langman Ropes and resold across the world by many bondage stockists. Various generic versions also exist. This gives a balance between looking like a traditional natural fiber rope, but with the consistent manufacturing process to be load-rated for safety. These kinds of synthetics do feel a little stickier than their natural counterparts and, as a result, generate more friction, but have the advantage of being significantly stronger. Want super colorful rope that’s going to pop in every photo (or even UV)? Go for nylon rope, like those sold by Twisted Monk , Agreeable Agony or Chromaknotz . Nylon can be dyed into any color, plus it’s strong, though it can be a little slippery in frictions. Be mindful that if you choose to use these sorts of ropes, some of the techniques you see taught in rope bondage classes may not translate to the rope you’re using. If you want something soft for sensory play in the bedroom that won’t be used for suspension, buy cotton (like that sold by Twisted Monk ) or bamboo. These are soft and skin-friendly but can compact down overly tightly if using twisted varieties (less of a problem with braided rope – more in that in the second part of this rope guide ). Finally, for the sadists among us looking for something super scratchy? Buy coconut (coir), sisal or rice rope. If you are just starting out on your journey , any rope will do for now – you can pop down to your local hardware store, pick up some cheap rope and start learning straight away. The idea of spending potentially hundreds of dollars on a conditioned set of a dozen jute ropes can be daunting for people new to rope bondage, so don’t bother. Start cheap and you will soon begin to get a feel for some of the benefits and pitfalls of that particular rope. Once you start to understand it and have decided that you want to invest a little more, you can upgrade to something better. The main thing is to ensure you always have safety cutters , just in case.
Illustrator: Eysar Vargas If you are just starting out… any rope will do for now – you can pop down to your local hardware store, pick up some cheap rope and start learning straight away. My only advice on what to specifically avoid is the $15-a-length ‘shibari rope’ from sex shops or online toy retailers. This tends to be really stretchy, knots far too tightly, is terrible to handle and is vastly overpriced – you can often get similar cotton rope for a quarter of the price.
Perhaps this answered your questions about the best rope for shibari… or perhaps you’re one of those who wants to join me down the rope rabbit hole? I’ll be delving into even more detail in the second part of this series: Shibari Study Rope Guide Part 2: What Is Rope?
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