I do not recommend rope for beginners. Two reasons. ONE: There is an art to finding "the right rope" since you are basically adapting an industrial use tool (rope) to sensitive, nude humans. Abrasions, allergic reactions, etc are the very least of your concerns. Which leads us to TWO: Rope Bondage requires skill. Not just to make pretty knots. It requires an awareness of anatomy so you know what parts of the body you are restricting blood flow from and what muscles/bones/ligament s are at risk when you force someone into an "unnatural" position or redistribute their weight. I know people who have long term injuries from inexperienced tops. Chronic pain, etc. What do you know about the circulatory system in general and this bottom's specifically? Buy some books, take a class. Buy Jay Wiseman's bondage for beginners videos. You wouldn't fly a plane without a lesson. Don't fly a lover with less care.

Tape obviously has less of the above issues because it adheres and therefore doesn't have to be overly tight to be restrictive. It moves with the person and is more likely to remove body hair than abraid or "cut" the victim. But beware of latex allergies and similar to saran wrap mummification, you still have to watch for circulation (and in the case of mummification or excessive taping --overheating) and the dangers from being stuck in one position (does your bottom have diabetes, hypoglycemia, problems that might cause clotting?) Longer bondage requires you to reposition the bottom. Check the extremities constantly. Fingers, toes, etc. Are they cold? Discolored? No one bound should ever be left unattended. NOT EVER. If you like the tie them up and walk out mind fuck, then put them in a blindfold and tell them you're going shopping, slam the door and sit down and read a book. But check on them frequently. Keep him/her in your line of sight.

As to the second part of the question: People tend to wriggle free rather than break free. So the difficulty depends on the flexibility and persistence of the submissive as well as the tension/strength of the bondage material. Tighter bonds do give less room for manipulative fingers but at the cost of shorter play time. I think it's fun to let them try and when they are close to escape, out comes the duct tape and reapply. Or actually let them "break free" enough to get good blood flow and mobility going and then retape them in a new position. Leather cuffs are the easiest to escape and are more for weight and psychological bondage than effective restraint. For safe effective bondage consider hospital restraints or straightjackets.

Rope, more durable