fucking awesome

If you read more than a handful of my posts, you’ll quickly learn that I love me some bondage.  I like tying my partner up, I like being tied up, I like to look at pictures of people all tied up (evidence of that is over on SaraPorn, actually).  The former two activities occur mainly in bed, primarily because it is soft and comfy.  However, I’ll be the first to acknowledge that our bed doesn’t have the best attachment points.  The headboard is pretty good, but we lack a footboard.  Babeland once again facilitates my kink by sending me more attachment points in the form of Under The Bed Restraints by Sportsheets.

What it is:

The Under The Bed Restraints is actually five items: one series of interconnected attachment points, and four cuffs with quicksnaps attached.  The restraints are shaped like an elongated uppercase cursive X, with an adjustable length of webbing forming the center, and two pieces of webbing (also adjustable) with metal rings attached coming out of either end of the center piece.  All together, they form a highly versatile, fully customizable system of attachment points on any bed, up to a queen size.  The centerpiece and much of the “limbs” are meant to go under a mattress, while the ends come up and onto the top of the mattress where they can be used as an attachment point, no head- or footboard needed.

The included cuffs are made out of a soft felt-like material (though this fabric is much more sturdy) and have strong velcro closures.  Each one has a strong metal split ring with a swiveling quicksnap on it.  The velcro fasteners make the cuffs infinitely adjustable.  All four cuffs are the same size.  I didn’t measure just how big they can get, but I do know that they fit around T’s bicep.  I would imagine that those with very small wrists and hands might have more trouble than those with thicker wrists and ankles.

Setup:

Here’s a  lovely MSPaint diagram of the way I initially set up the restraints.  The dashed lines are under the mattress, while the solid portions are on top.  The red points are places where the straps are adjustable.

All of the pieces came packaged together in a plastic clamshell.  It did not take long at all to untangle them and I decided I wanted to put them on the bed right away.  By myself, I lifted up the mattress and slipped the centerpiece underneath.  It was not difficult to slide the attachment points where I wanted them, which was close to the corners of the mattress along the top and bottom edges.  Because all of the pieces are adjustable, it was fantastically easy to get everything just the way I wanted.

Actual use:

First, I need to comment on the cuffs.  While I strongly prefer thick, leather cuffs and was initially disappointed with how flimsy the included cuffs are, after actually putting them to use I can’t actually complain about them.  They were extremely soft and comfortable, and didn’t slide up and over my wrist.

The velcro is very strong.  I’m a little bit of a brat when it comes to bondage; I have a hard time playing make-believe with restraints that I can easily get out of.  If I can squirm my way out, I will.  With these, I felt like I was actually stuck.  Very impressive for something based on velcro and split rings.

I am aware, however, that I have everything I need to use my own cuffs with the restraints.  If the velcro ever starts to weaken, or if I happen to be in the mood for a bit of leather, all I need to do is throw a shackle or double-ended quick-clip on each of my cuffs and I’m all set.

I found that I liked the setup better with the attachment points coming up from the sides of the mattress rather than the top.  At the top, they tended to pull together and give more wiggle room, but from the sides they stayed put.

We leave the straps and cuffs on the bed after we’re done with them.  The ones near the top of the bed slip between the frame and the wall, and the ones near the foot of the bed get tucked in between the box-spring and the frame.  No one would ever know they were there unless they were changing our sheets.  The fact that they live on the bed make for very fast set-up; one of us can tie the other down in less than a minute.  There are days when the ritual of getting laid out and set up is just part of foreplay, but sometimes you need your partner tied down and tied down fast.  I am very happy to have that option.

The bottom line:

If you or your partner likes to be tied to the bed, you need the Under the Bed Restraints.  Period.  Even if you do have a bed frame with convenient attachment points, it can’t possibly be as versatile as this set of adjustable straps.  I have never experienced anything that tops this set in terms of ease of use, fast set-up time, and reliability of restraints.  These perfectly designed restraints are not coming off of our bed, and will likely see frequent use for years to come.

Babeland, I can’t thank you enough for bringing the Under the Bed Restraints into my life!