Pipedream's spandex open-mouthed hood is an excellent product for a multitude of experience levels. Beginner BDSM players and those looking to spice up their bedroom life will appreciate the not-so-blinding effect of the stretchy spandex material. On the other end of the spectrum, more advanced users can use it with other toys to really amp up the sensory deprivation experience.

The hood is made out of a thick, black spandex. The material is largely reminiscent of a swimmer's one-piece bathing suit. There is no lining on the inside of the hood, but the spandex is incredibly comfortable against the sensitive skin of the face and neck. There is a noticeable odor to the hood when it's fresh out of the box, but a quick wash will take care of it.

As for design, the hood is pretty simple. There are two halves of fabric that are held together with one long seam going down the middle. The seam stops at the top of the mouth hole, but resumes below it and continues down to the neckline. There is also a strip of doubled up spandex going horizontally across the neck. The mouth hole is about 4" across when the hood is unstretched. However, it does get a bit longer when pulled over the head. The hole itself is shaped like a horizontal peanut. In other words, it has bulbous ends that get narrower in the center. On my face, the top of the hole lies on the tip of my nose while the bottom lies in the middle of my chin. It allows more than enough room for oral sex, and can be pulled below the chin if the edge irritates you or your partner.

With its low price tag, I was a bit concerned about the hood's quality. I was pleasantly surprised to see the stitching was secure, and that the seam had been gone over with a serger. For those who don't know, a serger cuts off excess fabric and loops thread around the edges of a seam. Because of this, I feel confident that the stitches will stand up to a lot of wear and many washes. The spandex is quite thick and I do not foresee any ripping or snagging with normal use.

As far as fit goes, I think the hood can work for many different sized users. It's difficult to measure the exact head circumference that the hood can accommodate, but I do know that it fits my fairly petite 22" cranium. The neck band is loose around my 12" neck, but there's still no chance of it slipping up or coming off during use. I don't think smaller users will have any problem with fit, but those with necks (and proportional heads) nearing 20" around might find this to be too snug.

For those with longer hair, I find the most comfortable way to wear the hood is with my hair down. However, it tends to shift around my neck that way, so I usually end up tying it into a bun at the base of my neck. If you have a smaller head, you can get away with putting your hair up and then putting the hood over it. If you have facial piercings, you may want to remove them before using the hood. I don't have any problem with my septum piercing, but I flip it up into my nose just in case.

Though the hood looks quite intimidating, it's not so scary in use. When I put the hood on in a dimly lit room, I can still make out objects and navigate around without stumbling. This is an excellent feature for beginners who are not quite comfortable with full sensory deprivation.

For those who are looking for absolute blindness, you'll want to wear a blindfold underneath the hood. However, if the hood is already tight on your head, you may feel like there is too much pressure on your eyes when you add the blindfold to the mix. If you're not big on aesthetics, you could combat this by wearing the blindfold over the hood. When wearing a blindfold under the hood, I found that I was immersed in total darkness. I was able to breathe through my nose at all times. If you wish to up the intensity some more, you could easily fasten a ball gag over the hood.

With moderate or vigorous play, the hood will almost certainly get hot. It didn't damper my experience with it, but those who are sensitive to heat may want to make arrangements to keep cool. This could include anything from turning the AC down to turning a fan on.

The hood stood up well to a cold wash in my washing machine. Since I did not want to chance any shrinking, I laid it flat to dry. I would either recommend this method or a simple hand wash and air dry. Since it will be in contact with the face, those with sensitive skin will want to be incredibly careful with the detergent they use.

Though not the most advanced sensory deprivation tool, Pipedream's spandex hood is a great way to try out a hood without doling out a large sum of cash. It allows for a certain amount of versatility amongst people with assorted tastes and is worth trying if you're curious about sensory deprivation that goes beyond the traditional blindfold.

Here are a couple shots of the mouth opening, the profile, and the seam:

mouth opening
profile
seam