Since Fifty Shades of Gray, BDSM toys have become more readily available. I still remember how I bought my first set of cuffs about fifteen years ago in a dark shop in the Red Light District in Amsterdam. There was only an expensive range to choose from, so we chose something that seemed as universal as possible.
It wasn't really universal, but we still had a lot of fun exploring S&M with this set. Currently there are many beginners sets available. And just to add a personal story, about ten years ago I ordered a beginner's set through Marktplaats for a hundred euros. And no, it was not a success. It was very poor quality, the mouth gag was a bouncy ball that I could bite off and the cuffs were funny, but not exactly solid. I was not immediately excited when I got the red BDSM set to test.
First of all, it is a very elaborate set for the price you pay. The set consists of wrist and ankle cuffs, a collar, a leash for the collar, a whip, a ball gag and rope. The set comes in a luxury blue storage box. Due to the magnetic closure, it doesn't just look good, it's also very practical for storing the toys. The cuffs and collar are made of PU leather and lined with synthetic fur. They're well made and they don't feel like you're going to break them straight away. There aren't any sharp edges. The snap hooks are supplied separately with the set with some chain in between. The big advantage of this is that you can decide for yourself whether and how you want to secure the cuffs. The whip is a simple flogger with strands of PU leather. The handle is also covered with this material. The blindfold is a simple eye mask made of PU leather and covered with soft fabric on the inside. It is secured with an elastic band. The ball gag is also made of PU leather. The ball is made of hard plastic with air holes. The leash is a piece of PU leather with a loop at one end and a hook at the other end. The rope is about 8 mm thick and five meters long and I think it is made of cotton. The whole set does not smell very pleasant. I think it's best to keep the parts out of the box for a few days and that will evaporate. All in all, the collection looks stylish.
The set worked really well. The cuffs were comfortable and I did not expect that from a set in this price range. The fur feels soft on your arms and ankles and you can use quite a lot of force on it. We also tested it in a suspended position, but that's not all that great, because the material pinches a bit. But that was more our fault, because you need special cuffs for that. That's actually not something that comes in a beginner's kit. The collar is also nice, but I think these collars are a bit too wide to wear comfortably. Once again, that is a personal preference. If you want to experience what it's like to wear a collar, this is a great model. My husband didn't like the leash on the collar. The hook to attach it has just a sharp point that could easily hurt your neck. If you attach it to the wrist cuffs, you will not have that problem. The whip is perfect for beginners. It does give you the experience of what it's like to be spanked, but it's hard to really hurt someone with this. The only part I did not like was the ball gag. The ball was too hard and just too big for my mouth. You can however experience what it is like to wear a gag. If you want to take it further, I would look for a silicone model. There are also very good models for sale at low prices. The eye mask works great. I could still see a very small edge at the bottom, but I never found this a problem. I must admit that I have never been able to find a good expensive eye mask. We usually use a satin BDSM scarf. The rope is absolutely excellent. Great quality and the length is definitely suitable to practice with.
I was surprised by the quality of the Red BDSM Set. It's versatile and extensive and I think it costs a third of what I paid for my first set. I would have been very happy with this twenty years ago, as you can try out different facets and do not have to take ropes out of a small backpack for your first bondage experience. You can try the cuffs separately or you can tie them together. With some imagination you can tie the cuffs to the collar. And you can even use a gag and blindfolded, while not really being able to protest, experience your first whip session. I can recommend this beginners set to anyone who is interested in BDSM and who wants to discover what they really like. Look up information on the internet, set good boundaries, and with this set of toys, success is guaranteed!