I get the impression that a lower intimidation factor was what Spartacus was after with their Crave line, and there are lots of handcuffs that have a certain “girly” element to them (the Fresh wrist restraints|Sex toys reviews – Fresh wrist restraints and Marylin wrist cuff|Marylin wrist cuff - Wrist cuffs are great examples). What turned me off to those was that they either seemed to be playing to a crass stereotype or were simply unattractive. All the more power to those who enjoy pink fake fur and plastic rhinestones, but I like my kink with a little more elegance.

A little more elegance and a lot less intimidation is exactly what Kinklab’s wrist cuffs|Wrist bondage basics cuffs - Wrist cuffs by Kinklab provide. They’re as gorgeous a pair of wrist restraints|Wrist Restraints as I’ve ever seen. There’s no bulky hardware, the colors are appealing without being vulgar, and, most importantly, they work.

The leather is thick. When you put it on there’s no question about what’s happening - you’re being restrained. I had some concerns about how secure the bonds would be given that there is no buckle, but there was no need to think twice about it. Once the cuffs are on, they are not going to come off unless someone wants them off. After a few hours of being put to the test, the restraints were no longer as tight as they were when they were first put on. They did, however, stay on my wrists without any chance of them falling off (I’m still amazed you can have that without a buckle).

Most wrist restraints|BDSM Buyer's Guide: Bondage Restraints come with a d-ring or an o-ring wide enough to accommodate a wide range of attachments. That’s not the case here and you do have to keep in mind the size of the attachment rings. There are two points which can be used to link the cuffs together or attach them to something else - one hoop that functions exclusively as an attachment point, and a second which fastens the closure strap. I tried passing a few different things through the attachment points and had mixed results. Very thin rope/clothesline, carabiners, snap hooks - all of these work as long as they’re thin. Any hardware or rope thicker than approximately 3/4 inch will not pass through the attachment points.

The Kinklabs restraints are wide enough not to cut into your skin and thick enough to hold your wrist securely in place. If you’re concerned about the friction of the leather irritating your skin, consider wrapping your wrists with an elastic bandage, gauze, or bondage tape first. They also accommodate a very wide variety of wrist sizes. The smallest setting would fit the smallest wrists and the largest setting the wrist of a large man. Translating that into actual measurements, the circumference of the smallest setting is about 5.5 inches. The largest setting’s circumference is about 8.5 inches. If you’re unsure what that means for you, you can always take a tape measure and measure the circumference of your own wrist.