Simply wrap the restraints around the ankles of the person you wish to tie up, making sure it is tight enough to not allow escape, but not too tight as to restrict blood flow. Pull the flap through the series of metal buckles while securing the pin. The D-ring attached to the restraint is very convenient, as it allows clips, ropes or any combination of fastening mechanisms to be looped through and secured. For example, you could use a spring clip to attach the two ankle restraints together, then loop a rope through the D-ring to tie it onto another object or body part. To tie the ankles together, make sure the D-rings are positioned next to each other, facing inwards on the ankle. To tie each ankle to another object such as a bedpost, it’s probably better to have the D-rings face outwards.

The ankle restraints are very comfortable, even to wear for a long time. This makes it suitable for anyone, from beginners to advanced BDSM practitioners. Although I haven’t tried rough play on them, they look sturdy enough to withstand a lot of tugging and pulling, however, I’m not sure if it’s strong enough for suspension.

The length of the fastening strap is 12 inches, the length of the main strap is 10.5 inches. The width of the fastening strap is exactly 1 inch, and the width of the main strap is exactly 2 inches. It fits nicely around my girlfriend's ankle. She needs to go to the second notch. However, I can imagine how people who have thicker ankles would have difficulties fitting in these.

The texture of the leather is very fine and it feels pretty soft. The faux fur lining on the inside is sewn to the main piece of leather. The fastening strip of leather is made out of the same material as the main strip that hugs the ankles. Ten rivets secure the fastening strip to the main strip. There is a D-ring in between two sets of rivets, nestled between the fastening and main strip. Two buckles sit at the end of the fastening strip. There are 5 holes of adjustable fit for the pin. The metal components are light but strong. However, the buckles seem a bit flimsy, but that is probably not a big deal. Overall, the build quality of these ankle restraints is pretty good, but they are not the best I’ve seen.

So far the Spartacus ankle restraints have performed up to my standards. When struggling or rubbing the ankles against the leather or faux fur, there is no agitation or roughness. The faux fur feels very comfortable resting on skin for long periods of time, even with a snug fit on the restraints. They should perform just fine for rough play, such as securing an ankle to a bedpost.

The D-ring is very convenient and allows for multiple uses, and is one of my favorite features of these restraints. The design is such that when the D-ring is pulled or some form of tension is applied, the tug experienced is not concentrated – it is spread out along the whole of the cuff. This is a very important attribute to cuffs, and makes them comfortable even with tight bondage.

I am assuming that standard practices for cleaning and caring for leather products apply to these restraints. Store it in a dry, cool place. Keep any moisture or humidity away from the restraints. You can use a zip-lock bag to form an air-tight seal. Wipe away stains or debris with a damp, soft cotton cloth. Air dry immediately after exposure to moisture. To protect the rivets and metallic components of the restraint, you could apply a thin layer of clear nail polish. This will help prevent moisture from contacting the metal (prevents rust) and thus prolongs the lifespan of the product.

The ankle restraints came in a clear plastic container that snaps open and closed. It can be reused to store the restraints and has room for some extras. I put my spring clips in there, the ones I use specifically for these restraints. There is a cardboard insert that serves as a label for the product. There’s a picture of an almost naked model posing with restraints and nipple clamps, a few sentences advertising the ankle restraints and a few sentences of blurb about Spartacus as a company. There is no contact info for the company besides their website, www.spartacusleather.com. There is no warranty info either, not even cleaning, care or use instructions. I would have hoped to obtain some tips on how to properly clean and care for these ankle restraints.

The packaging that the product came with is not discreet, but if you remove the cardboard insert, it would remove the sexually explicit aspect.

I went onto Spartacus’ company website and researched the warranty information. They offer exchanges only for the same product 30 days from the invoice date, assuming the product you received is defective.

For the price that the cuffs come in, that really isn’t much of warranty at all. For about $10 more, you can upgrade to a pair of Aslan leather cuffs and enjoy lifetime warranty on defects in material or workmanship. If any Aslan product breaks during normal use for the lifetime of the product, they will repair or exchange for the same product. On top of that, their cuffs are of much higher quality.

Here I have a picture comparing the Spartacus ankle cuffs vs. the Aslan wrist cuffs.



As you can see, the rivets from Aslan are bigger and made of stronger material, the fastening metal buckles and D ring are made of better metal, thicker and heavier. The leather is also of higher quality, you can clearly see the grains and texture of the leather (top grain leather), although, it is significantly rougher than Spartacus’ ankle restraints.