Even through the darkest phase
Be it thick or thin
Always someone marches brave
Here beneath my skin
- K.D. Lang

The Crave Blindfold is one of the lovely pieces in the Crave line, by Spartacus. As you might guess, it's designed to cover the eyes and block vision during sexual activities, thereby increasing awareness of one's other senses, heightening anticipation, and adding to the sense of being at someone else's mercy. This blindfold is simple and comfortable enough for those just beginning their bondage experimentation to enjoy, but also has the quality, durability, and serious-bondage-accessory appearance that more experienced people crave.

Design & Craftsmanship
I was very pleasantly surprised at the quality of the materials, design, and construction, given the more than reasonable price at which this blindfold is offered. The design is basic, but ingenious: A thick, firm piece of leather is cut into a shape that curves up over the eyebrows and far down along the sides of the nose; a wide, sturdy elastic band is attached to the back of the leather at each side; finally, a piece of soft, low-pile faux fur, matching the shape of the leather piece, is both glued and sewn to the back.



This final step covers any scratchy or loose threads by sandwiching them between the layers, provides a soft surface against the skin, and also aids in blocking out light and vision.




Materials
The front of this blindfold is made of a 1/8"-thick leather in a lovely shade of dusty plum. The color is a hint more on the reddish side than it appears in the product photos--it leans more toward plum than violet. Still, it's a nice change from the many bright and/or pinkish purples found in the BDSM accessory market, and it isn't too feminine for a masculine person to wear.

The black faux-fur lining is very soft and smooth, but not very fluffy. It's just enough to smooth out and lightly pad the part of the blindfold that touches the wearer's skin, and it mostly can't be seen around the edges when worn. The package shows no information on the fabric content, but my educated guess would be polyester.



Sizing & Fit
This blindfold measures slightly over 8" across its widest point; each eye-covering portion is 3.25" tall, and the center over-the-nose portion is 1.5" tall. The elastic band, unstretched, measures 21" around, and will stretch up to 34" (comfortably to about 28"). It is comfortable, snug, and secure on my medium-sized female head, which measures 22.5" at eye-level, and it also fit my partner well, whose head is a little smaller than mine.

As a woman of German/Welsh/Scottish descent, my nose has a bridge of approximately average height for a "white female." Many blindfolds leave a space between my nose and cheeks, meaning that if I open my eyes, I can see what's going on by looking down through that slit. Not so with this one! The elongated shape of the eye-covering portions and the deeper center notch, added to the conforming softness of the plush lining, creates a perfect and complete vision-blocking effect for me. A tiny hint of light does still seep in along the bridge of my nose, but I can't see through it at all. This is the next best thing to a hood.

My partner is of Asian descent, and has a very low nasal bridge. Despite the shape of her nose and face being quite different from mine, this blindfold is just as effective for her.

You should care for this blindfold the same way you'd care for any genuine leather item. Protect it from moisture; store it flat (not folded) in a cool, dark place; spot-clean with a damp cloth and/or leather cleaner; and consider getting a leather-protecting product to keep its surface from drying out.

This blindfold comes in a small, clamshell-type box--clear plastic, hinged at the bottom, and containing an attractively-designed paper insert.



It's not really suitable for long-term storage, as not only is it transparent, allowing sunlight in which could eventually damage your blindfold, but it's also too small to allow the product to lie flat inside. Keeping it folded for too long could cause cracks.

This blindfold coordinates excellently with my Tantra Feather Tickler from Lelo, and of course with the Crave Wrist Restraints as well.

How nice to find a blindfold that is so good at its job! While my partner moved around--touching me here and there, stepping away to get a different toy--I had no visual hints whatsoever about what was coming next, and was truly kept in the dark, both literally and figuratively. This caused all my concentration to focus on my senses of hearing, smell, and most of all, touch. Each sensation was magnified, and the anticipation of what she might do next made the whole experience much more arousing.

The headband is pretty firm and tight-fitting, even though my head only stretches it 1.5" from its unstretched length. This caused slight discomfort against my eyebrows and upper eyes after wearing for a several minutes, but I expect that issue to remedy itself after a few wears, as the band becomes a bit softer.