Restraint of the Week – Straitjackets – November 6, 2012

Straitjackets were originally a medical restraining device invented in the 1770’s by a Frenchman. People that were considered a danger to others were placed into a straitjacket, ensuring the safety of themselves and others. Their use in modern times is much rarer, as now there are other ways to control the patients (or even prisoners). However, the use of straitjackets has definitely increased in the bondage world. They come in many different fabrics and forms. The most common are canvas and leather. Some are also in Lycra, latex, and neoprene. Most leather and canvas jackets have multiple straps making escape much more difficult and reducing movement at the same time. Even with the possibility of escape fairly low, locking straps are an option on some jackets. Locks at that point are more for the headspace of the bound sub, though they are certainly enjoyed by the Dom as well.

I enjoy straitjackets for their ability to have someone in heavy bondage, yet quite mobile at the same time. The look of a boy in a straitjacket is quite a sight indeed. Struggling in the jacket, thrashing their arms back and forth, in a vain attempt to loosen the straps holding them only makes me more excited. The creak of a leather straitjacket when they do this, or even when they are made immobile, is another part I enjoy. When a boy is in a straitjacket, they have no control over their face, cock, or ass. All are quite accessible and vulnerable when bound in such a manner. I always enjoy shoving a gag into a boy’s mouth when they are in a straitjacket, unable to stop me.

The idea of “mobile bondage” is also something of interest. A boy in a straitjacket on a leash is something you don’t see too often in a more public area, but certainly gets a lot of attention. I’ve led a few boys on leash in jackets around San Francisco and San Diego at various times. With leg irons and a straitjacket, you can allow a boy to wander around and also have him well under control. You always know where he is by the sound of the clanking irons at his ankles.

As a straitjacket is a form of heavy bondage, the Dom using it needs to make sure he knows what he is doing. There are many straps on a good straitjacket, each one with a different purpose. The most important straps are the arm straps and the top rear strap. Both should be snug but not too tight as the shoulders are usually the first thing to get sore. If you want to have the boy in the jacket for an extended period, try loosening the arm and top strap a bit to allow some movement. They won’t be able to escape and their shoulders won’t be sore. Be aware of any other pressure points as well, as the wrists are another point that can get quite sore after a period of time.