Not too long ago, I reviewed a dildo from a company I hadn’t heard of before they rocked up in my emails. To my surprise, it wasn’t half bad, and that really did put me in high spirits because it wasn’t the only product this company had sent for review. In the box with it was this, the Paloqueth Bondage Set, and given that it’s a ten-piece kit and costs less than $25, I’d confess that I’d set the bar pretty low.
The first thing I noted after I opened the exceptionally plain, yet strangely classy looking packaging was the smell. Because the Paloqueth product page stated that this is a leather set I expected to be hit with at least a little whiff of well, leather. Did I smile dreamily while filling my lungs with the scent of a future spanking session? Nope, I wrinkled my nose at the scent of mustiness and just knew that I was gonna find white bloom on something somewhere.
Sure enough, there on two of the ten pieces in the kit was the white bloom. I know that this can happen to leather items that have been in storage, but I really don’t like seeing it on products that are fresh from the box. I don’t wanna have to mess around to see if a bloom on leather is natural (caused by internal oils bleeding out or salts used in the tanning process) or mould based before I can even use a damn thing.
In the case of the funky items from the Paloqueth Bondage Set, it was natural. If the bloom was mould it would have wiped off on my fingers, but it didn’t. Breathing on it for a few seconds to warm the leather lessened it, then it vanished after a gentle wipe with my fingers. So yeah, it was just an oil seepage that was reabsorbed by the leather once warmed.
So, after resolving that issue, it was time to have a look at the quality. As I said earlier, given how cheap this kit is, I expected it to be shoddy as fuck. But it’s actually pretty well made. The stitching is tight with no flyaway threads, the hardware is clean and gleaming. The faux fur lining is soft and fluffy but might be a bit aggravating for some.
So, what’s actually in the box? Well, moving from head to toe you get:
Blindfold
I’m not a fan of this thing. It does its job well, making it impossible to see anything that isn’t going on quite literally on the tip of my nose. It’s easy enough to use, too, with just a single elasticated head strap to hold it in place. But I find that the furry lining irritates my skin, and the itching and inevitable sweating triggers my rosacea. Also, the part that sits on the bridge of my nose digs in and scratches a bit, so for me, it’s one to avoid.
Ball Gag
This hard plastic, breathable ball gag is great for those new to stuff like this. Or indeed for folks who panic a bit if they can’t comfortably breathe through their mouths. At almost 5.5” in circumference, the ball is quite a size, effectively eliminating the possibility of speech. In front, it has two large metal rings and around the back, it’s buckle fastening. Its total length is 26” and it has an adjustable fit of between 16” and 25”. There’s plenty of strap left over, too, so if 16” is still too big for you, there’s scope for shortening it further.
Personally, I’m not a fan of this gag. Just like the blindfold, it does its job well, but I don’t really like breathable gags. I prefer a smaller, solid ball, or an O-ring, cos the thought of germs lingering inside of a holey ball just freaks me out.
Collar & Leash
If you like the idea of a thick, chunky collar, this one could be your kinda thing. Including the slight tuftiness at the edges from the fur lining on the flip side, it measures almost 2.5” in depth. Lovely on a long, elegant neck, not so much on my stubby three incher. For me, it feels almost like a posture collar, except not shaped to be supportive so not as comfortable.
It fits necks between 14” (very tightly, you might have to give your sub whiplash if they need to be hooked into the smallest hole) and 18”, with no scope for further adjustment.
The leash is 44” long with a sturdy clamp that attaches to the collar via a D-ring on the collar front. It was about this stage where I started to feel certain that this kit was made of bonded leather rather than ‘real’ leather. The leash feels very flimsy and nothing at all like the leather ones I have in my cupboard.
That and the ‘leather’ of the collar has wrinkled as though it’s super thin and glued to something firmer from which it is starting to separate. I really wish I was the kind of blogger who flagrantly destroys a product to see what lies beneath, but I’m not. I just don’t have it in me, so I’m gonna remain unconvinced that this is any more than the cheapest, most aggressively processed leather.
Nipple Clamps
With rings on her fingers and bells on her…tiddies. Not quite the correct lyrics, I know, but haven’t been able to stop singing it since I gathered up the stuff from the Paloqueth Bondage Set to write this review. As nipple clamps go, these twin bell ones are pretty basic and super easy to use. Mostly.
Silver metal with black rubber grips, they’re adjustable via a screw pin in the side. As basic as they are, they do have quite a bite if you’re unaccustomed to nipple clamping. And before, when I said they’re mostly easy to use? I was thinking of folks like me who have mahoosive labia but smallish nipples. I find that this style always makes a break for it, sliding off within a couple of minutes of being attached. If you have something more substantial for them to cling to you’re onto a winner, especially if you like your tits to tinkle whenever you move.
Wrist Cuffs
I like these! Oh my God, it’s the first time I’ve been able to say that in this entire review. The wrist cuffs that come in the Paloqueth Bondage Kit are really comfortable to wear. This is where that furry lining comes into its own. It’s sweaty about the neck and face, but on the wrists it’s lovely. Soft, cushioning, and kinda luxurious feeling.
They’re 2.5” deep, same as the collar, and they accommodate wrists between 6” and 10”. The chain that connects them is as strong as you could hope, and the clamps are sturdy.
Ankle Cuffs
These are basically the same as the wrist cuffs except they’re a tad longer. And when I say a tad I mean like, an inch and a half. Granted, my ankles are larger than ‘the norm’ but these cuffs only just fit on the last hole. That leaves a gap between the two cuff edges that makes me hyper-aware of the fact that I have chubby ankles. That’s not a good thing to be thinking when you’re blindfolded and the person looking at you nekkid is not.
I know I can’t say that this is a problem of the product cos it isn’t, but it isn’t unique to me either. I like to see ankle cuffs that are at least a couple of inches larger than their wrist counterparts purely to accommodate a wider range of folks.
Hogtie
This cute little hogtie is probably my favourite piece in the entire Paloqueth Bondage Set. It’s well-made and sturdy with lobster clips that aren’t easy for the nimble-fingered to release. Even though this is a more advanced piece, I liked its inclusion in what I’d consider to be a starter kit as it lets your kit grow with you. Even if you’re not at the hogtie stage, it’s good to have it there and ready for when you feel it’s time to progress.
I know that some folks will probably roll their eyes at that, me being hogtied is an extra vulnerable position for me. Yeah, I’m restrained only with my full consent, but there’s something about being hogtied that can really make me panic. I dunno why, and it doesn’t happen every time, but yeah. It’s just a thing.
Flogger
This thing. It ain’t leather. It smells like leather, but I think that’s a scent transferred from the cuffs and such, cos I’ve never seen leather with a neatly woven flip side before. I’m sure Paloqueth will correct me if I’m wrong (then I shall correct myself) but I don’t think it’s leather.
It has a 6.5” wrapped handle and said wrapping is held in place with a silver coloured stud. The falls are about 13” and there are 15 of them. They’re scratchy, crinkly, and though they land quite softly their tips leave a nice, mild sting. For safety, the flogger has a decently sided wrist strap.
Feather Tickler
I feel like I’ve said this too many times in this review, but this is another super basic piece. Soft, black, marabou feathers topping a 6.5” plastic rod, it’s as simple a sensation product as you’re gonna get. It’s great for teasing, tormenting a trussed up ticklish sub, and entertaining bored cats. Seriously, I no longer have this thing cos my kitten picked it up yesterday and fucked off up the cat tree with it.
Rope
Confession: I haven’t used this rope. Why? Cos it’s pretty much the same as every other bit of soft rope I have in my cupboard and I wanted to save it for when I need a replacement. It’s a 10m length, soft and kinda spongy. The ends have little half-arsed aglets on ‘em that I’m 100% sure will fall off during its first outing. But even though I didn’t use it, I was pleased to see it included cos rope is super versatile. In fact, I think the only thing more versatile is bondage tape.
Well, that’s the full lowdown on the Paloqueth Bondage Set. Folks who have already started buying stuff for tie and tease play probably won’t find anything here that will impress them, unless what they’re after is variety. If you fancy a change of style, need a replacement item, or if your collection is missing a piece or two that’s included here, it’s a decent kit to have. To my mind, though, it’s especially suited to folks who are just starting to explore this kind of play so have very little in the way of kit. There’s a bit of everything so those folks will have many avenues to go down. It’s all easy to use, it’s mostly comfortable, and there is even a couple of stage two bits for when you need them.
If you’d like to give it a shot, click the Paloqueth banner below.
This Paloqueth Bondage Set was sent to me by Paloqueth in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences my opinions, which are now, and will forever be, my own. No affiliate links have been used in this post.
