The Kinklab line of bondage equipment is gorgeous and the Pink Bound Leather Kit is no exception. It comes with a pair of wrist cuffs, a paddle, and a blindfold – a well thought out range of equipment that provides couples with almost everything they would need to start incorporating a touch of BDSM into their bedroom activities.

The wrist cuffs are a combination of nylon and leather. A one-inch strip of thick leather is attached with rivets to a two-inch wide strip of soft nylon. Both the nylon and the leather are very durable and it would be difficult to imagine a situation in which either tore or where the rivets somehow loosened. I’m sure it could happen in theory, but I'd guess that your wrist would give out long before the leather would.

The hardware is a durable plated metal. It is certainly possible that the silver outer coating of the hardware could be worn off in time, but that would not compromise the effectiveness or longevity of the hardware itself. There is one attachment point – a roughly one-inch wide d-ring – that is able to accommodate a wide range of materials. Rope, snap hooks, carabineers, etc. can all pass through and attach easily.

The heart shaped paddle is an effective substitute for your hand with over the knee spanking (or any other sort of spanking, for that matter). The size of the heart is roughly that of a large hand. The handle is easy to grip and the rope at the end provides a practical storage option.

The paddle seems to be made of thick leather attached to a solid plastic core in the center. Think of it as an oreo cookie – plastic in the middle with leather on the outside. This makes the paddle itself very, very firm. Start out gently to see what you and your partner are most comfortable with. The handle is inflexible, which makes the paddle awkward to hold for any length of time. For short spanking sessions, though, it’s perfect.

The blindfold, while functional, is my least favorite element in the kit. It’s large enough to cover one’s eyes completely, but it does not fit well over the nose. That allows for a bit of light to peek in. Someone wearing it does not have their sense of sight completely removed. It’s simply compromised. Wearing the blindfold it is possible to angle your head to see shadows and some gestures.

The blindfold is also an awkward fit for those with longer hair. The elastic strap accommodates both small and large heads, but it’s also very slippery on the hair itself. If you can hook the elastic behind the ears, it stays in place. If the wearer’s hair makes that impossible or impractical, the blindfold may very well slip off.

When cleaning the materials, the rules that apply to garment leather care also work here. You can clean the leather with a soft cotton cloth and any over-the-counter leather cleaner. I personally like Lexol products, but there’s a wide range available on the market.

I clean the nylon straps on the wrist cuffs with a damp rag dipped in soapy water and wrung out. To protect the leather from the moisture, I’m simply careful with how I dab at the nylon.

If you and your partner don’t share toys with others, are monogamous, and have no STD concerns, stop reading here. If these conditions don’t apply, there is also the issue of body fluid and skin/blood borne pathogens.

If you are in a situation where exposure is even the slightest concern, clean the kit with a medical antiseptic/disinfectant as soon as playtime is over. If that’s not available, place the toys in a 10% bleach solution for 10 minutes. The color of the leather may be affected, but the damage to the integrity of the leather should be negligible. After that, follow up with the usual leather care.