The Basic Rope Kit

The IFA has been around for several years now and in that time we often get asked “What do I want or need for a basic rope kit?” It seems like a great answer to have on our blog.

I would recommend that folks start off with something like this:

- 4 pieces of 15'

- 3 pieces of 30'

- Safety shears and/or rescue hook

Yep, that is about as basic as it gets. Let me break down the whys of what I chose: 4 lengths of 15' will let you do single column ties on every limb.With this someone could be tied to a bed in a number of inviting ways. You could also easily do double column ties on legs, wrists and arms with those lengths. 15' gives you a bit more flexibility in regard to the size of the columns that you are putting it on and also gives you slightly longer tails to reach whatever you may want to attach them to.

Three 30' pieces will allow you to do some fairly elaborate chest harnesses and hip harnesses. Or perhaps a chest harness and a hip harness. You could also do some basic rope corsetry with it too.

If you play with rope you really should have safety shears and/or a rescue hook on your person or very close nearby in case of emergencies. The rope you have could be inexpensive rope from a hardware store or it could be valuable hand-spun and hand dyed bamboo rope but no matter its intrinsic value it will never be worth the life of the person bound in it. This is an item that you should not skimp on. Inexpensive safety shears can be purchased via Ebay or at drug stores but they tend to be dull, not cut well and may not do what they need to do in case of an emergency. Spend $10 on a good pair.

This basic 150 feet will work very well for most basic floor work. If you want to do more complex forms or start to think about suspension then it needs to be altered.

“What type of rope should I start with?” is another frequently asked question. The answer is going to seem somewhat non-committal, but honestly, whatever rope you can afford. Yes, there are rope types that you should stay away from (anything super cheap, especially with a monofilament core) but there are a lot that work. There is braided nylon that can be purchased at Home Depot, Lowes, or a local hardware store that will work very well for basic floor work. Good cotton clothesline (without the hard core) works well too. Of course if you are gung ho then get hemp or jute or any of the better synthetics that are out there (MFP, good braided nylon, Hempex, Banda rope, etc). The most important thing is to have rope.

Why do I say that it is important to have rope? Simple - if you don’t have rope then you can’t tie. Like anything else, the way to get better with rope bondage is to practice. If you don’t tie regularly and don’t handle the rope much you won’t become fluid with it. You will always be relearning what you had learned earlier. If you sit and practice with a partner or even on yourself then you will become more comfortable with the rope. It pays off! In all the time I have helped instruct people with rope bondage the people who struggle the most are the people who don’t have their own rope because they can’t practice at home.

There will be an upcoming post about the merits of different kinds of rope, how to prepare your own hemp rope and other topics of that nature.

Esox