Strap Ons Archives

A strap-on dildo (also strap-on) is a dildo designed to be worn, usually with a harness, during sexual activity.^[1] Harnesses and dildos are made in a wide variety of styles, with variations in how the harness fits the wearer, how the dildo attaches to the harness, as well as various features intended to facilitate stimulation of the wearer or a sexual partner.^[2]^[3]^[4] Strap-on dildos are most frequently used by lesbian women (or women who have sex with women), but can be used by people of any gender or sexuality.^[2]

A strap-on dildo can be used for a wide variety of sexual activities, including vaginal sex, anal sex, pegging, oral sex, or masturbation.^[5] Sexual lubricant can be used to ease insertion.

Equipment

Many types of equipment are available, with different features and drawbacks, for a strap-on dildo set up. Often the strap-on dildo will be used with a harness, but some do not need a harness or are built onto one.

Harness types

The first part of a strap-on setup is the harness, which connects the dildo to the wearer’s body, usually in a position similar to that of a male’s genitals. A good harness should be sturdy yet comfortable, and is often designed to provide stimulation for the wearer.

Two-strap

A two-strap harness, in its most basic form, is similar to a g-string. One strap goes around the wearer’s waist, like a belt, while the other goes between the wearer’s legs and connects to the other strap in the middle at the lower back. While these are simple, many people find them uncomfortable because the strap rubs against the anus and other areas, and they sometimes do not hold the dildo very firmly, causing it to sag, flop, twist, or squeak.

Three-strap

Three-strap harnesses have one strap around the wearer’s waist, but instead of one strap between the legs, they have two straps, one around each thigh, rejoining the first strap near the front. This design leaves the genitals and anus uncovered, and attaches the dildo more firmly, giving the wearer more control. Not all people find this design comfortable, and sometimes they are difficult to fit properly, and tend to slip.

Leather

Leather is comfortable and adjusts to the wearer’s body, but still is strong. Leather is harder to clean and requires more work to maintain than other materials.

Cloth

Cloth is used mostly for clothing harnesses such as corsets and other lingerie, although is occasionally used by extremely inexpensive harnesses.

Plastic

Some harnesses are made with soft plastic, such as flexible vinyl. These are often available in colors besides traditional black, and may be completely transparent (not possible with other materials). They may be less comfortable than other materials, and may be difficult to make fit well. They are very easy to clean and fairly robust.

Latex, rubber and PVC

Latex harnesses usually cover the entire area, rather than just using straps. They tend to be medium-priced, and have a limited lifespan, especially if used with oil-based lubricants. Latex can require much care, such as special cleaners or shiners to keep it from turning dry and dusty. Latex harnesses may or may not have the dildo(s) molded as part of the harness, and in either case, they tend to be floppy due to the flexibility of the latex. Similar harnesses are also available made of rubber or PVC, and are similar to latex harnesses, although PVC tends to be much less flexible and elastic

Corsets and other clothing

Strap-on harnesses built into various clothing items are available, most often as a corset or other item of lingerie. Some are designed to be worn underneath normal clothing for quick use (if done with the dildo in place, either to give the appearance of a penis or to be able to quickly initiate intercourse, this is sometimes called packing), while others take advantage of the additional strength and sturdiness an item of clothing can provide over a few straps, or just to integrate the strap-on into an erotic outfit.

Bases

Fittings are available to attach dildos to just about any household object, allowing for many creative uses. A dildo could be attached to a chair, bed, or any other item of furniture, and penetrate someone during other activities, with or without a partner.

Nylon webbing and soft foam-like synthetic leather are common, relatively affordable, and very durable. Synthetic harnesses are relatively easy to clean and require relatively little maintenance. Some, such as the Spare Parts harness, are machine-washable.

Attachment methods

The principal feature of any strap-on setup is the attachment of the dildo to the harness. While there is a huge array of different dildos available, most need a specific kind of attachment to a harness, All methods have tradeoffs, and many couples will have different harnesses depending on which type of dildo they intend to use.

Ring and wide base

The most common means of holding the dildo to the harness is to have an opening or ring in the harness through which a wide-based dildo is inserted. Inexpensive harnesses tend to just have a round hole in the fabric or leather, while more expensive ones will use a steel or rubber ring. The advantage of this method is that dildos which fit are widely available and inexpensive, and even many dildos not meant for harness use will work in one of these harnesses, such as most dildos with testicles. The major disadvantage is the dildo is often held loosely (especially on cheap harnesses) and tends to flop downwards, and the dildo often can rotate in the harness, making it difficult or impossible to use g-spot or other shaped dildos.

Vacuum seal

Used primarily by Doc Johnson, Vac-u-lock dildos have a rippled hollow in their base, which fits onto a matching plug on the harness or other toy. Powdered lubricant is used on the plug to facilitate removal. The advantage of this design is the dildo is firmly attached and can not easily rotate, and does not tend to flop downwards or slip like ring harnesses, as well as there being a wide variety of other devices the dildos can be attached to, such as handles and inflatable balls. The disadvantage is the relatively low availability and high cost of compatible attachments. A number of brands have non-compatible clones of the vac-u-lock system, but dildos and accessories for them are virtually unavailable.

Strapless

A recent design is a strapless strap-on, designed to be held in a vagina or anus with an egg-shaped bulb and thus not to require the use of a harness. This differs from a double dildo where both ends are phallic and a harness is required. Advantages of this design are that it can be used spontaneously, that it provides deep internal thrusting to both partners, and that the lack of harness makes it more comfortable. Disadvantages are that the eggs do not prevent rotation or droop, leading to a reduced amount of control unless a harness is employed anyway; a requirement for strong muscles; and the practice needed to become familiar with its use. Many strapless strap-ons can also be used with a harness when partners want to increase control. Not all harnesses are suitable for strapless strap-ons. It is highly recommended that you use a strap-on with very adjustable O-ring or a two-hole harness. A thin pantyhose can also be used with great success to hold the strapless strap-ons.^[6]

Double penetration

A double dildo can be used with or without a harness, although most provide no means of using them with a harness. A double dildo, as its name implies, is a dildo in which both ends are designed for insertion, and often is 18 inches (450 mm) or more long. While special ones meant for use with a harness do exist, a normal double dildo is straight, is rarely at a comfortable angle for intercourse, and jabs into the cervix of a woman using one. Double dildos can be used for a variety of creative positions for which a harness would be awkward, such as both partners in doggy style positions or sitting facing each other.

One-piece latex

Some harnesses and dildos are made of a single piece of molded latex, with the dildo permanently built into the front. These are often inexpensive, shoddy products, although higher quality ones are available. The advantages are simple use and an appearance some people find erotic, but this is often outweighed by the inability to use a different dildo, the often weak, floppy nature of the dildo, the inability to adjust to a given person for a comfortable fit, and their relatively short lifespan.

Molded straps

Some very cheap “strap-on dildos” have straps or attachments for straps directly molded into the material of the dildo. This design is very flimsy, and is only used on the cheapest products. They are essentially useless for the traditional purpose of a strap-on dildo (one partner penetrating another using a dildo in a position similar to a penis), but can be strapped around chairs and other objects for a variety of other activities.

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