7 Best BDSM Ankle Cuffs in 2024, Reviewed by a BDSM Educator!

As our priority is to only present the highest-rated BDSM products, my qualified team of sex toy reviewers and I dedicated ourselves to reviewing as many outstanding ankle cuffs as we could find.

In the end, we unanimously agreed that of them all, the one we felt was the highest ranking and safest was Stockroom’s Premium Garment Leather Cuffs. Made from buttery smooth leather and durable fittings, they come not only in three different colors but in two different sizes. Put all that together, and you, like us, will have no problem putting it at the very top of this year’s list.

Why You Should Trust Us

Hi, I am M.Christian. When it comes to all things kinky, I feel you’d be hard-pressed to find someone with as much hands-on experience as myself.  Beginning in the glory days of the BDSM community, that is, San Francisco in the late ’80s to the early 90’s I tried practically every sort of play and a wide range of toys and equipment—and once I learned how and why they work, not to mention the reason they can be so much fun, I immediately began teaching and writing about how to do them safely.

However, that doesn’t mean I don’t know when to ask for even more experienced help.  Case in point, to put together this year’s list of the seven best BDSM ankle cuffs, I called on my tried-and-true team of toy reviewers and my carefully chosen cadre of professional sexologists, kink experts, and respected sex educators to help narrow down my search.

To submit a question to M.Christian, call them at +1 307-372-3895 or send an email to [email protected]. Be sure to include your full name and your phone number or email address.

How We Picked The Products

Even after employing the unparalleled skills and phenomenal experiences of my cadre of sex toy testers, aided by my extremely qualified team of clinical sexologists, BDSM consultants, master-level sex educators, and my nothing-to-squeeze-at, kink worldliness, I managed to choose this year’s seven best cuffs would be a herculean task.

That is if we all didn’t use my specialty-designed, five-part selection process—the same you, too, can use when buying your first cuffs for you or your partner to play with. But before you go out shopping, here’s how my system works and why it did wonders for making our BDSM ankle cuff or shackles search less of a chore and more of an exciting adventure. The factors we could measure using well-defined quantitative metrics include the following:

• Manufacturer: My process started by reducing our pursuit of the finest quality, premium-grade products to only BDSM community respected companies like The Stockroom, Lovehoney, Bondage Boutique, and SheVibe. By doing so, we could rest easy that their ankle cuffs or shackles would be the finest crafted by highly trained bondage play craftspeople.
• Material: My next consideration was what went into crafting the top-scoring wrist or ankle cuffs.  However, that doesn’t mean always using the most expensive or rare materials.  Quite the contrary, premier BDSM manufacturers like Lovehoney, SheVibe, or The Stockroom are as adept at picking the right metal, rubber, or leather cuffs as anything else and not merely going for style rather than substance.
• Design: Sticking with quality wrist or ankle cuffs from The Stockroom, SheVibe, or Lovehoney also ensures their products won’t be the finest crafted and employ the ideal perfect materials for their intended purpose, but before everything else, these kink community-approved companies will have gone above and beyond to design their cuffs to be as durable, comfortable, arousing, and safe as possible.
• Safety: On that, The Stockroom, SheVibe, and Lovehoney understand the most vital thing about any sex toy or piece of BDSM equipment isn’t if it looks or feels good, but rather if it’s as safe as these manufacturers can make them. On that note, never play with handcuffs, as while they may grant a feeling of power, they are far too dangerous to fool around with.
• Versatility: We usually prefer when products are crafted for more than a single purpose as this means whoever buys them can experiment with different bondage play possibilities. However, we didn’t penalize any ankle cuffs for doing one thing extremely well.

We began looking for the top seven among this year’s twenty-five most popular products.  From there, my sex toy testers reduced that number to twelve, and my panel of sexologists, sex educators, and BDSM experts further knocked the possibilities down to eight.

During testing, we rated each of the toys based on the criteria listed above starting from 0% (Worst) to 100% (Best). Each score was calculated using different weighted metrics depending on what we deemed most important. The majority of the total rating comes from Manufacture (30%) and Material (30%). After that comes Design (15%), Safety (15%), and Versatility (10%).

My search ended after checking out how well, or not, these last wrist or ankle cuffs have been reviewed online—which, when all’s said and done, gave us these seven highest-rated ankle cuffs for this year.

Everything We Tested

In this chapter, you can see a comparison table with all the products we tested. As you can see, each row has the test criteria our team used during the testing. To make our testing process even more transparent, we also included the raw test data so you can see how the products performed with each test criteria.

Name	Leather Cuffs	BASICS	Bondage Boutique
Category	Best Overall	Budget	Spreader Bar
Average Rating	96%	91%	95%
Design	95%	91%	89%
Manufacturer	94%	90%	91%
Safety	95%	91%	90%
Versatility	96%	92%	90%
Price & Value	92%	94%	91%
Price Tag	$64	$11.69	$76.49
Material	Nickel Plated Steel & Premium Grade Soft Leather	Latex-Free Straps, & Velcro	Leather, Steel, & Faux Fur
Measurements	Ankles Fit From 7″ To 10.5″ In Diameter	Each Ankle Cuff Is 16″ Long	Adjustable From 18″ To 26″
Color	Black, Pink & Red	Black	Black

1. Stockroom’s Premium Garment Leather Cuffs: Test Winner!

Why I Love Stockroom’s Premium Garment Leather Cuffs:

When it comes to creating, making, and selling many of the top-scoring, highest-scoring BDSM toys, no other competing company can get anywhere close to the legendary Stockroom.

A great example of this is their Premium Garment Leather Cuffs.  Every one of my testers and BDSM experts praised The Stockroom for their impeccable fine manufacturing, practically guaranteeing you’ll find them the most durable, comfortable, soft, and arousing restraints on the market.

Each of us had nothing but good things to say about Stockroom’s Premium Garment Leather Cuffs, from their stylish, classical, and deceptively simple design to The Stockroom’s use of the highest scoring, top-ranking leather, and nickel-plated metal fittings.

If you’ve used and enjoyed one or more of The Stockroom’s Premium Garment Leather Cuffs, we’d like to hear from you, either by posting a comment below or sending us an email to MySextoyGuide.

Minor Issues I Found During Testing:

Of course, nothing, no less of which as BDSM ankle cuffs can ever be truly perfect, though considering how earnestly reviewers, kink experts, and I raved about The Stockroom’s Premium Garment Leather Cuffs—and how it’s a quite safe bet you or your partner will praise them as well—they might be an extremely rare exception to this rule.

In all fairness, we did have a very minor quibble about The Stockroom’s Premium Garment Leather Cuffs that they’re somewhat on the expensive side at $64 a pair.  Though, in all fairness, and taking into account their exceptionally fine construction, that’s a surprisingly low price to pay.

So if you’re in a pinch and you feel like a more budget-friendly option is good for you, we have a list of the BDSM restraints right here. Feel free to pick a more affordable alternative.

Why The Premium Garment Leather Cuffs Are The Best BDSM Ankle Cuffs:

No other BDSM ankle cuffs we tried got anywhere close to these super high-ranking restraints.  Agreed, my testers, experts, and I had a blast with many of the other ankle cuffs on our top list, but in the end, we all thought The Stockroom’s Premium Garment Leather Cuffs were the only ones worthy of our top position on this year’s list.

But that’s not the only reason why we decided to give these ankle cuffs such a resounding approval and so much, and quite worthy, praise:

• Manufacture: Ask practically anyone in the BDSM community about The Stockroom, and doubtlessly, you see them nod their heads in approval of their dedication to building most, if not all, of today’s most pleasurable, highest-scoring, and premium quality power toys.  Their Premium Garment Leather Cuffs are no exception, as their cuffs are made to be comfortable, soft, exciting, and, more than anything, extremely safe to wear.
• Material: Further proving their premium grade status, The Stockroom exclusively chooses soft and durable leather and high-ranking nickel-plated metal fittings when constructing their Premium Garment Leather Cuffs.  So fine are these materials, and how perfectly The Stockroom used them to create their quality, high-scoring cuffs, all of us said they might even be less pieces of bondage gear and more fine works of kinky art.
• Design: Skill in manufacturing and always selecting the right materials for whatever BDSM-related produce they create, The Stockroom is equally respected for the care they put into designing theirs to be as effective as they are soft and comfortable to use.
• Safety: Speaking of which, The Stockroom is a rarity among its competitors in it understands the importance of customer safety when creating their cuffs.  For instance, their Premium Garment Leather Cuffs are secure but never difficult to remove and tight but never uncomfortable.
• Versatility: Do you or your partner want to do more than one type of restraint play—but don’t want to spend extra getting a whole bunch of different designs?  If so, look no further than The Stockroom’s Premium Garment Leather Cuffs, as they can be equally used as ankle and wrist restraints, and since they are available in two sizes and three colors, you can use them for nearly every kind of bondage play you can imagine

Features:

• Material: Heavy Gauge Nickel Plated Steel, Premium Grade Soft Leather.
• Measurements: The Small To Medium Ankle Cuffs Comfortably Fit Ankles From 7″ To 10.5″ In Diameter, And The Medium To Large Easily Work With 0.5″ To 1″ Ankles.
• Colors: Black, Red Pink

Pros:

• Made and sold by The Stockroom, often highly praised for its outstandingly high-quality manufacturing and choice of materials.
• Each model is sold as a pair and comes in two sizes and three colors.
• They are exceptionally soft, comfortable, and safe to wear.

Cons:

• At $64, these leather cuffs might be too expensive for some kinksters to afford.
• The cuffs might not be enough for more hard-core BDSM players.

View On Stockroom

2. BASICS Ankle Cuffs: Budget Pick!

Why I Love BASICS Ankle Cuffs:

Let’s face it, when it comes to getting hold of superior quality, highest scoring BDSM gear, you pay for what you get—and since cheaper isn’t just merely not great quality but may also be harmful to use—you need to balance affordability with fine workmanship.

Enter Lovehoney with their BASICS Ankle Cuffs.  Every member of my sex toy testers, professional BDSM experts, and I decided it’s an ideal example of low cost without compromising safety, comfort, or enjoyability.

Crafted from sturdy, latex-free straps and connected by strong but not too strong Velcro pads, able to fit a huge variety of ankles, BASICS Ankle Cuffs sell for the jaw-droppingly low cost of just $11.69.

Minor Issues I Found During Testing:

Everyone we asked about BASICS Ankle Cuffs had little or nothing they didn’t like about them: high praise indeed for such an affordable pair of finely made, high-scoring ankle restraints.

If anything, most felt they may not be a good choice for kinksters looking for a more intense, less flexible ankle bondage play experience.  Otherwise, there’s a lot to like about them and very little not to.

In case you’re looking for a more robust bondage feel, and you feel like you’re ready for it, you can opt for ropes. Here are some BDSM ropes we highly recommend. Just remember that they need a good set of skills to work the way you intend them. Reading this Shibari 101 would be a huge help if plan to give it a shot.

Why BASICS Ankle Cuffs Are Our Budget Pick:

Choosing these high-quality models is a surefire way to have your kink and eat it, too, meaning you and your partner can get off on an exciting ankle bondage play experience while paying less than $20 for a pair of these great ankle cuffs.

However, there’s much more behind why we all felt BASICS Ankle Cuffs deserved their position as our choice for best value:

• Design: It takes a lot of BDSM gear-making knowledge to make a pair of low-cost yet high-ranking ankle cuffs—and why we have to praise again and again for how much extra work went into designing these phenomenally fun ankle restraints.
• Safety: Not only will these cuffs save you buckets of money and provide you or your partner a thrilling ankle bondage play, but all of us—from my sex toy testers, well-versed experts, as well as myself—enthusiastically endorsed them as some of the safest ankle restraints we took time to review.  Please share your thoughts about these BASICS Ankle Cuffs if you used them yourself in the comments or via email at [email protected].
• Versatility: An extra nice bonus to playing with a pair of ​​BASICS Ankle Cuffs is unlike many of the others on our list; they can be easily and comfortably used on writers as well.  Their surprising versatility is just another fine reason why they made it onto this list.

Features:

• Material: Latex-Free Straps, Velcro
• Measurements: Each Ankle Cuff Is 16″ Long.
• Colors: Black

Pros:

• Amazingly affordable at just $11.69.
• They can be comfortably used for ankle or wrist restraint play.
• The cuffs can be removed quickly, making them extremely safe to use.

Cons:

• They are probably not intense enough for those seeking more restrictive bondage cuffs.
• The cuffs only come in a single size and only one color.

View On Lovehoney

3. Bondage Boutique Extreme Expandable: A Good Spreader Bar!

Why I Love Bondage Boutique Extreme Expandable:

A fun and exciting, not forgetting wildly arousing, type  are spreader bars. Basically, a length of wood or metal which when connected to a pair of ankle cuffs keeps the person restrained from bringing their legs together, spreader bars routinely feature in all kinds of erotic books, stories, and kinky videos—plus are a common sight in BDSM dungeons the world over.

As you might guess, to make it onto our list a high-ranking, top-scoring spreader bar has to be so fantastic other sex toy manufacturers can only hope of replicating. This is why we are proud to grant the Bondage Boutique Extreme Expandable our highest award for this year’s favorite spreader bar.

Its bar is constructed out of light, yet very durable stainless steel, the Bondage Boutique Extreme Expandable Spreader Bar can be fitted to a person’s ankles, wrists, or both at the same time.  Even better, it comes with four cuffs, four locks, and a set of eight keys (image above), so it is ready right out of the box for you or your partner to enjoy.

Minor Issues I Found During Testing:

If anything, we all felt that though the Bondage Boutique Extreme Expandable Spreader Bar is an amazing piece of bondage play equipment, it may not be tough enough for kinksters who like their bondage play scenes on the more intense side.

But don’t fret if you feel like taking things up a notch, you can certainly find a toy that will match your enthusiasm. For starters, you can find other bondage spreader bar alternatives in this roundup.

Why Bondage Boutique Extreme Expandable is the most effective spreader bar:

It takes a lot of manufacturing expertise to even come close to creating a spreader bar as good as Bondage Boutique’s Extreme Expandable model.  But we feel there’s more than that to why it’s here on our list of BDSM ankle cuffs:

• Manufacture: Bondage Boutique’s respected construction standards are all over their Extreme Expandable Spreader Bar. Every component, from its tubular steel shaft to its impressive versatility, we all voted it—and only it—was worthy of being considered as this year’s preferred spreader bar.
• Design: Though it may, on the surface, seem like building a spreader bar shouldn’t be all that difficult, the truth is only a company with several decades worth of BDSM equipment manufacturing could hope to design one as elegant and effective as the Bondage Boutique Extreme Expandable Spreader Bar.

If you want to see what Bondage Boutique Extreme Expandable looks like and how to use it, please watch our unboxing and demonstration video below:

We have the full review of Boutique Extreme Expandable right here if you want to check it out.

Features:

• Material: Leather, Steel, Faux Fur
• Measurements: The Bar Is Adjustable From 18″ To 26″, And Each Of The Four Included Cups Can Fit 7.5″ To 12″ In Diameter
• Colors: Black

Pros:

• Currently retailing for $76.49, Bondage Boutique’s Extreme Expandable Spreader Bar ships with four fur-lined leather cuffs, four locks, and eight keys.
• The spreader bar can easily be lengthened or shortened at a moment’s notice, allowing for a myriad of fun play possibilities.
• It’s a great and surprisingly affordable introductory spreader bar.

Cons:

• Hardcore bondage play enthusiasts may feel its tubular construction won’t be able to withstand especially energetic play.

View On Lovehoney

Other Good Alternatives

Quickie Cuffs is a good beginner choice as we all have to begin somewhere, which makes this single-piece, silicone ankle cuffs just the ticket for those of you wanting to explore the ecstatic delights of bondage play and ankle or wrist cuffs without spending a lot or worrying you or your partner may not be able to get out of them in a hurry.

Calexotics Boundless is for anyone with ethical concerns about animal-based products, Calexotics’ Boundless ankle cuffs look and feel like leather but are formed instead from a blend of polyester and polyurethane, with an extra added dash of iron and nickel-free alloys—making them a must own for everyone and not just people seeking an alternative for leather cuffs.

Stupid Cute was rated as the prettiest among the bunch. Even the blackest-of-black-leather kinksters want to now and again bring a dash, a smidgen, a fairy-tale theme to their bondage play scenes. As adorable as they are great at preventing the wearer from moving about, The Stockroom’s Stupid Cute ankle cuffs are sure to put a big, wide smile on dominants and submissives alike—and even better for folx who may want to bring a little humiliation play into their scenes.

Bondage Boutique Soft Cuff is the ideal option for those who want to hog-tie their partner. Placing someone into a position where their wrists and ankles are joined close together always needs more flexibility and overall comfort than your run-of-the-mill, and often too stiff traditional leather cuffs. Made of high-performance fabric, lined with faux fur, and with infinitely adjustable Velcro restraints, Lovehoney’s Bondage Boutique Soft Ankle Cuff would be a superb choice for fierce or laid-back, intense or more sensual BDSM activities and is super highly suggested for a large range of unique hogtie scenes—or just to have on hand (or ankle, as the case may be) for every wider variety of bondage play possibilities.

What Are BDSM Ankle Cuffs?

BDSM Ankle Cuffs are restraints a dominant put around a submissive’s ankles [1]. They are manufactured and designed to be soft and safely comfortably inhibit the movements of the person wearing them.  People have a great range of different models to choose from, such as leather, Velcro, or buckles to hold them in place, elaborate designed kinds such as spreader bars, and other, frequently more restrictive models. Ankle restraints should always be high quality and attaching them should be safe. Likewise, restraints must be crafted to reduce harm to the user’s body while giving their desires a boost of passion and a feeling of control.

But Why Should I Use Them?

It’s no wonder ankle cuffs have become a time-honored staple within the kink community: versatile, safe, and sometimes able to be worn for extensive lengths of time, they provide all kinds of exciting, arousing, and power exchange possibilities for experienced players or novices alike. If you desire or are interested in cuffs or shackles for you or your partner, only consider ones that are well crafted, easy to release, and give a feeling of arousal.

One of their many benefits is their ability to achieve or create a feeling of relinquishing personal power in you or your partner. If you or your partner use cuffs, leather or not, you’ll soon learn or find as time goes on that they can also provide a feeling of personal power. If you or your partner are interested in exploring these and other benefits, you also must learn what makes good bondage restraints or not, like handcuffs which I do not recommend. It would be ideal, if not great, for you or your partner to enjoy quality items that make bondage play safer while feeling arousing.

Never place anything over your partner’s eyes when using cuffs or any type of bondage play that might be problematic. Handcuffs, for example, are not ideal, and I personally never recommend anyone use them for bondage. It’s why you and your partner must learn all you can about how not to just enjoy but also what needs to happen or what requires a scene to be safe. Another thing I recommend when doing power exchange play or when you or your partner want to achieve a feeling of strength is to equally learn all kinds of great emergency procedures, like how to create a safe play area, how to check for possible hazards, and why you and your partner must agree about what you’re interested in and other kinds of great quality of life procedures.

If you and your partner are interested and mutually agree about continuing, what makes a scene you can both enjoy, I recommend putting everything in its place, setting out a time for when and how long you want to play, checking in with one another frequently, choose what kinds of items or products you may need or want, pick an option or two if you or your partner become interested in something else, and do what makes your bondage play ideal for an afternoon or years to come.

Related: 13 Best Bondage Positions

If you or your partner finds the idea of being prevented from moving then I highly suggest picking up one or more pairs of wrist or ankle restraints.  What’s particularly great about ankle cuffs is they can be used as part of a full-body immobilization scene or merely as a way to keep the person they’re used to keep their legs spread wide apart. As there’s a whole wonderful universe of restraints to try, there’s bound to be one or more of them that will hit all of your or your partner’s sexual buttons—in a good way!

How To Use BDSM Ankle Cuffs?

Because wrist or ankle cuffs are, by their nature, a form of bondage, everyone using them—either restrained by them or as a top controlling their use, must put safety above everything else. In this regard, they should never be attached so that they cannot be immediately removed—such as the very first sign of trouble or merely the wearer’s discomfort. In a similar vein, cuffs shouldn’t ever be excessively tight, as otherwise, they might result in serious injury—particularly in cases where the restrained person might pull against them.

Pro tip: To add an extra layer of safety, make sure to have safety shears ready. Here are the highest-rated safety shears you can choose from.

As the difference between a minor inconvenience and resulting in a permanent disability is measured in seconds, you and your partner must stay in constant communication with one another—and always be prepared to instantly act to remove the ankle cuffs and administer first aid at a moment’s notice.

How To Clean BDSM Ankle Cuffs?

Whatever you do, never try to wash any wrist or ankle restraints without first checking in with the company or site you purchased them from.  Failure to do so might either ruin your restraints or expose the next person unfortunate to use them to harmful cleaning solutions.

Should you be unable to find out how to properly maintain your cuffs, obey the rule that a little goes a long way—as in only using an extremely small amount of unscented, mild, antibacterial soap, leather, or sex toy cleaner, and nothing else.  Likewise, don’t boil your ankle cuffs or scrub them too much, rather use just warm water and treat your restraints gently.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Are BDSM Ankle Cuffs Safe?

When used correctly—that is, as their manufacturer intended—wrist or ankle cuffs can be very safe to use [1]. Even so, I suggest not using them for an extensive period until the wearer and those they’re planning to get used to how they feel.

How To Make BDSM Ankle Cuffs?

Under no circumstances should you or anyone else ever attempt to make a pair of ankle restraints.  While they may appear to be relatively simple to design and build, in truth, they require decades of experience to be safely worn.  For the sake of your or your partner’s health, don’t make your own wrist or ankle cuffs and instead purchase high-quality ones from the likes of Lovehoney, SheVibe, or The Stockroom.

How Long Can I Wear BDSM Ankle Cuffs?

According to die-hand BDSM players and kink-play experts, high-quality, excessively comfortable ankle cuffs can be worn for several hours or even as long as a day or an entire evening [2].  But having said that, take regular breaks to make sure the wearer hasn’t experienced any irritation, abrasions, swelling, bruising, or anything else that might result in anything from light to severe injuries.

Primary Sources

Autostraddle. Bondage 101: How To Tie Someone Up By The Ankles (April 2014)

Freetied. Cuffs And How To Use Them—Bondage Technique And Tutorial

Lascero. How To Bondage Tutorial 1—Tying Wrists And Ankles

M.Christian

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M.Christian

M.Christian loves nothing better than exploring the intersections of sex and technology. They regularly appear on sites like Kinkly, Tickle.Life, Sexpert, Queer Majority, Killing Kittens, Sex for Every Body, Future of Sex, and dozens more on topics like BDSM safety, sexual education, senior sexuality concerns, queer and gender issues, as well as reviewing numerous sextech products and adult entertainment sites.
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