October 1, 2021 queerthling
Review: NS Novelties Glo Bondage Glow In The Dark Wrist Cuffs
Content notes & warnings: bondage, some mention of kink scenarios & subspace
As I mentioned in my review of the Glo Bondage flogger, my spouse's favorite film is the 1982 sci fi film, Tron. I like the original Tron, and I respect the work put into it—the methods, which included painting and layering multiple cells, were complex and unique to the point where they've never been replicated. But while I respect the original Tron, I prefer the sequel, Tron Legacy. True, the use of CGI is much less revolutionary in a 2010 film compared to a 1982 film, and the methods were less groundbreaking; but the visuals are still incredible, and the story seems, to me, quite a bit tighter, with more in depth characterization. It doesn't sell so much on the technology gimmick, but as an actual film, I just enjoy watching it more.
[Description: Figurines of the characters Quorra and Sam, their bases stuck into some handcuffs.]
And so it is with the Glo Bondage Glow In The Dark Wrist Cuffs from NS Novelties, sent to me by Betty's Toy Box. It's part of the same series as the flogger, but as I said in my review, the flogger isn't very practical for me; not only is the glow function not compatible with actual kink usage, but it isn't a powerful enough toy for me to really enjoy as anything more than a light warm up. The cuffs, though? The cuffs are fantastic.
First, of course, there's the gimmick of glowing. It works just as well, if not better, than the flogger; for the flogger, only the handle glows, but the cuffs glow all over your wrist and in the connective hardware in between them, which is a striking spectacle.
Second…you can actually use cuffs in the dark! While you should be careful with bondage just as you should with impact, there are more things you can do in the dark with bondage. In my review last week I mentioned the merits of doing some wax play in the dark, which does still seem like a fun idea. (As of writing this, I haven't tried it, but it is distinctly on my kink to-do list.) But there are other things to be done in the dark when bound! For those of you who do not have a nonsexual kink relationship, like…rumor has it that sometimes people like to have sex with the lights off. Throwing in some glowy bondage would look, in a word, cool as shit. With care, you could even include some glowing sex toys, like this gorgeous glowing glass dildo, or a glowing cock ring.
And third…they're just really nice cuffs!
[image description: A pair of white hands (with a wedding ring) bound in white handcuffs.]
The cuffs themselves are mostly white, which glows in the dark, but with black detailing: the metal findings, the cuff lining, and some details on the cuffs themselves. They're made of polyurethane, so they are suitable for vegans, but it's a nice, soft PU that doesn't feel too plasticky on my skin, and the black details have a slightly leathery texture that's very pleasant to touch. The stitches are even, the metal details are smooth and well-made, and altogether, it actually looks like a lot of attention were put into these.
They are connected at the middle by a strap with a hook on either end, attached to D-rings on the cuffs themselves. I love this; it serves my spouse's preference for bondage I can remove myself if needed, it also means that the center chain could be replaced; you could do a longer or shorter link, or you could easily connect the cuffs to something else—a headboard, some bondage furniture, another submissive, whatever. This also, of course, makes them compatible with the other bondage equipment from this line, the hog tie connector and the ankle cuffs.
These cuffs are also very comfortable! The cuffs are slightly thick, but not bulky, so there's a comfortable bit of padding, and there are no rough stitches or other details on the inside to scratch at my skin. The bolts holding on the metal D ring are very smooth and not even noticeable.
[Image description: A before-and-after with the glowing cuffs & flogger, also seen in my flogger review.]
The sizing will also accommodate quite a range of wrists. I have very skinny wrists, and we can get them nice and firm around them, but they also expand quite a bit. I can even fit them on my ankles, although Damien with their lymphedema cannot. If you really want something on your ankles, you might want to try the above-mentioned ankle cuffs from the same line to be sure.
We've used these a fair amount since I got them, and tried a few things; the default connector leaves me a bit of space to maneuver, but it's still very restrictive, which makes for a very enjoyable bondage scene, and as mentioned, you can change it out for things of varying length if you desire. With the default chain on, Damien even had me try to type; I could, with some slight difficulty (the numpad was out of reach and the enter key was a trial), but I won't share it here because it's literally just a bunch of dorky subby nonsense because, uhhhh….apparently having me do tasks while in bondage is a great way to get me into subspace. (I had slightly less success embroidering; the cuffs were fine and comfortable, but the subspace made embroidery difficult.)
[Description: Cuffed hands, playing with a figurine of Rinzler from Tron Legacy.]
Oh, did I mention that these extremely nice, comfortable, restrictive-but-adaptable cuffs are only $32.99 on Betty's? You know I love budget toys, and especially ones that are, you know, functional.
Like Michael Sheen's performance in Tron Legacy, this honestly ticks all the boxes for me. Comfortable, budget-friendly, a gimmick that doesn't inhibit usage, and adaptability. I love that the connector can be changed out (but functions perfectly well on its own), and that the whole set just looks and feels great. I definitely recommend these, whether you're newer to bondage or if you're a practiced hand at not using your hands.
Buy from Betty's Toy Box for $32.99
Want more like this? Check out my bondage tag!
This post is not sponsored, but the toy was provided to me for free in exchange for my honest review.
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