I was quite excited to receive the Beginner’s Rope kit. I have never had the opportunity to use rope, though was always curious. The package was a simple hard plastic with a few illustrations on it.

Anxious to use them, I knew I needed to get them washed & dried before my partner came home. The packaging says these ropes are made of silk. To wash them I used tepid water and lingerie detergent. A few rinses in warm water and I laid them over my shower curtain to dry. They held up well, though I wouldn’t recommend sending them through the wash.

I was initially worried about possibly getting rope burn, but these ropes are very soft to the touch. They slip easily over one another for pulling them through to tie knots. I failed out of girl scouts when I was 12, but luckily my partner is an Eagle Scout. I showed him our newest arrival and he quickly had my hands bound behind me in some fancy knot. I squirmed, pulled, and tried quite hard to free my hands, but couldn’t. I did feel some loosening, possibly because of the slickness of the rope, but in the end, he had to undo me.

These ropes are well constructed with the exception of the ends. They were starting to unravel slightly, even though the ends had been “melted”. I grabbed a lighter, quickly torched the ends, and they melted together much like nylon would. My quick touch has held up well. Any time you are using something designed to restrain, always remember safety. Keeping a pair of bandage scissors on hand isn’t a bad idea.

These ropes are a great choice for beginners. The length is realistic to work with and the ropes are incredibly soft against the skin. No guides are included, if you have no experience tying knots, getting a book would be a great idea. These two pieces of silk rope have given my partner and I a glimpse into rope bondage and we hope to explore it further.