3 Useful Rope Lengths & Thicknesses

There is no one true way or true type.  That said:

• The most commonly used diameter is 1/4″ (roughly 6 mm). This is the most flexible for the widest variety of bondage situations.
• Some really love 5mm though as it is more intense and the look is different.
• Many experienced riggers recommend 5/16″ (8mm) for suspension support lines (“up lines”), although you do see many use 6mm as well.
• Another consideration:  If your partner has a larger body type, you might consider using 5/16″ (8mm) or 3/8″ (10mm) diameter even for floor work (non-suspension bondage).  It distributes the force across a wider area and can be more comfortable.  That said, one issue with thicker ropers is that knots tend to get bulky pretty fast.  Also, it can sometimes be easier to accidentally catch skin between larger ropes, leading to pinching or other rope marks.

It is important to understand that every body will require a different amount of rope even for the same tie.   A 6′ (183cm) body builder will need more rope for a given tie than a person that is 5′ (150cm) tall and slight of build.  So it is pointless to try to have lengths of rope to make ties come out “just right”.  There are techniques for extending rope when you need more, and there are many techniques found throughout this site for using up leftover rope.

So, unless there is some special need, most riggers work with a kit comprised of 2 or 3 standard lengths:

Measured by standard units:

These are what you can normally expect when ordering from a bondage rope supplier.

1. ~10′ (3m) … or, better, pieces that are two of your wingspans* long.
   Great for wrists or ankles or tying limbs to bedposts, stuff like that.
   This is sometimes referred to as a “short rope”
2. ~15′ (4.5m) … or three wingspans*.
   Good around thighs or knees, as a waist belt, or when you need to extend a rope.
   This is sometimes referred to as a “half rope”
3. ~30′ (9m) … or five wingspans*.
   Good for harnesses and long runs
   This is sometimes simply called a “rope”

Measured by personalized units, using “wingspans”

A “wingspan” is the distance from palm to palm with your arms outstretched to both sides.  Some people prefer measuring lengths in this way so that tail pulls are more predictable.  Working with rope tailored to your arm length tends to make using it more smooth.

Using this measure, people will often have:

1. Two “wingspans”, which normally translates to 10-12′
2. Three wingspans, ~ 15-18′
3. Five wingspans, ~25-30′

As you can see, the lengths will be different for each rigger.  This approach is more likely to be used by people that buy rope on a spool and process it themselves.

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My standard kit is 4 pieces of each of the 3 standard lengths above, but that is just me.  Many riggers only use two lengths (2 & 3 above).  I even know some that only carry one length (3 above).  As you practice and experiment, you will figure out what works for you and how much you normally need.