If you’re in the market for a super inexpensive, genuine leather collar that’s as functional as it is beautiful, look no further than Sex Toys UK. Their recently launched Bound Noir range has some fantastic pieces in it, and one that I got to check out recently is the Bound Noir Nubuck Leather Collar.
After my all-time favourite collar (an iridescent white, glittery, starry affair from Hot Topic) died a death earlier this year it took me ages to pick a permanent replacement. I had plenty to choose from. Black ones, red ones, pink, blue, brown ones, and even a different white one. The Fella and I both thought I was having some kinda crisis. But, as it turns out, I just needed something new, cos as soon as I got my hands on the Bound Noir Collar Nubuck Leather Collar I wanted to wear it every time anything even remotely bondage related happened.
And can you blame me? It’s a gorgeous bit of kit, isn’t it!
As I said above, this choker-style collar is made of Nubuck leather. STUK’s original Bound nubuck products are a lovely, rich brown, but as its name tells us, the Bound Noir line is black. The leather is gorgeously soft and supple. When worn, smooth, shiny leather touches the skin while the outward appearance is silky and matte. My skin is incredibly pale, so the black stands out stark in comparison, much in the same way my hair does.
Most black bondage kit has silver hardware, but not the Bound Noir Nubuck Leather Collar. The back fastening, rivets, and the o-ring up front are all brass-tone. Not that garish brass everyone’s granny had in the 80s, though. This stuff has a slightly dulled, almost antique finish, so it doesn’t look at all tacky.
The fastening of this collar is an interesting one. Rather than a buckle, it has a brass post that is pushed through your chosen hole. I’ve seen this type of fastening before and those posts had holes bored through them, so a lock of some kind could be attached. This one doesn’t have that so isn’t lockable. Well, it is if you or a partner wants to wriggle a padlock through one of the spare outer holes, effectively jamming it in place. But a standard lockable collar it ain’t.
From end to end, the Bound Nubuck Leather Collar measures 21”. The five holes on the longer strap make it adjustable between 12” and 17.5”. If you need it to be larger or smaller (or something in between) there’s plenty of room for you to make a few extra holes. All you’d need would be a set of revolving punch pliers (which are cheap enough to buy).
For me, this collar is super comfy to wear. I did worry that it wouldn’t be at first, though. The o-ring at the front measures just over 2” in diameter. Pretty sizeable, given that it lies flat against the throat rather than hanging off a pin. My neck is quite short and chubby, so I worried such a large ring would look too big. That it would cut in and highlight my chubbiness, even though the collar itself is slender at an inch in height. But it isn’t and it doesn’t. It looks and feels great.
As an accessory to an outfit, it definitely looks the part. Sleek, luxurious, and sexy. I like that the metal ring reminds me to keep my chin up, and I like the way it presses against my windpipe when I’m told to lower my head.
As a functional piece of bondage kit it works well, but it does have a few drawbacks. The fact that it isn’t easily lockable is one of them. The other is when it comes to leading a sub around the place. Something the Fella does a lot is pull me into position by grabbing rings on collars. With this one, he has nothing to grab. He has to wriggle his finger beneath the metal and it slows him down.
When attaching a lead or a set of cuffs he has to watch closely to ensure he doesn’t nip my skin. To combat this, he attaches lead clips and such at the point of fitting the collar. It immediately prevents the slowdown and the skin pinches. Slotting rope through remains a no-no, cos it’s fiddly, uncomfy, and I don’t want visible rope burns on my neck.
Though it has those few minor cons, I would 100% recommend this collar to anyone looking to add to their bondage kit. It’s lovely to look at, great to wear, easy to keep clean with a quick rub of leather cleaner when needed. But the best thing about it is probably the price. At the time of publishing this review (9/7/18), it’s a fantastic £7.95. And even when it isn’t on sale it’s still a steal at £12.95. That’s an absolute bargain for a genuine leather collar if you ask me.
If you want to bag one before the sale disappears, click the banner below and zoom over to STUK.
