Affiliation

For the first time, I've been asked directly whether I'd be interested in posting click-through banners on the blog in order to promote a site and consequently receive compensation in return.  I've had issue with affiliate programs from the start; it was my intent to keep this blog free of advertising  and do promotion of events and latex designers that I believe in through posts and links in the link lists (which I know need a clean-up; you don't need to tell me! ;p).

I want to keep the look and style of the blog free from banner clutter; you may have noticed that over the years I've had expanding and reducing numbers of links at the bottom of the page for retailers, the only place I ever had for banner ads.  At the moment there are no retail banners and only links through to events that I attend.

Over the last year, I've been more and more tempted to try affiliation programs; I mean, it's only a few banner ads and what's wrong with making a little residual income from the blog?  I dunno - call me stupid, I want to try to remain true to my principles, and one of the original principles I set for myself was to not sully the blog with advertising....it was meant and is always meant to be a place for rubbermen to come for information and entertainment....there are lots of other places where retailers can advertise, and lord knows how much inadvertent promotion they've received over the years here through the conversations and hyperlinks in the posts.

At the same time, I laugh at my dramatics: it's just a stupid blog.  Hell, if Alicia Keys can be a Global Creative Director for Blackberry ($$$), what's a couple of residual-income banner ads on a gay rubber blog?

What do you think?  Would it make a difference to you as a reader whether there were banners ads displayed on Rubber Canuck?

Double the Fun

Rubberstud of the Week #248

Rubbout Weekend Pass Contest

'Like' Rubbout on Facebook and enter in a draw for a chance to receive a weekend pass to Rubbout 22 on April 12-14, 2013!

Rubbout Host Hotels

The contracts have been signed and the reservation systems are open!  Check out www.rubbout.com and click on the 'Hotels' page for detailed reservation instructions.  They are also included below.

HOST HOTELS

Inn at False Creek - Quality Hotel Downtown Vancouver
1335 Howe St.
Vancouver, BC V6Z 1R7
http://www.innatfalsecreek.com/
Phone: 1-604-682-0229
Toll-Free: 1-800-663-8474

INN AT FALSE CREEK RUBBOUT GUESTROOM RATES

Standard Rooms:
Single/Double - $79
Triple - $99
Quad - $109

Suites:
Single/Double - $109
Triple - $129
Quad - $149
* Rates are based on checkin April 12, 2013 and checkout April 14, 2013
* Additional charge may apply for additional amenities
* Rates are subject to applicable taxes and fees (15.75%)
* Taxes are subject to change without notice
* All rates are in Canadian Dollars (CAD)
** In order to reserve a room at the Inn On False Creek with Rubbout rates, you MUST reserve by calling the hotel directly at 1-604-682-0229 or toll free 1-800-663-8474 and mention 'Rubbout' at the time of reservation to be properly identified.

Sandman Suites - Vancouver Davie Street
1160 Davie St.
Vancouver, BC V6E 1N1
http://www.sandmanhotels.ca/hotels/vancouver-davie-street/
Phone: 1-604-681-7263
Toll-Free: 1-800-726-3626

SANDMAN SUITES DAVIE RUBBOUT GUESTROOM RATES

Standard Queen Suite Limited View - $109
Deluxe Queen Suite City View - $119
King Suite Ocean View - $149
* Rates are based on checkin April 12, 2013 and checkout April 14, 2013
* Rates are based on single/double occupancy
* Max occupancy of 3 guests per suite
* Additional charge may apply for additional amenities
* Rates are subject to applicable taxes and fees (15.75%)
* Taxes are subject to change without notice
* All rates are in Canadian Dollars (CAD)
**Reservation can be made by calling the hotel direct at 1-604-681-7263, or our Central reservations at 1-800-SANDMAN. In order for attendees to take advantage of these rates, they must identify themselves by quoting the group reservation number and/or the Group name 'Rubbout Vancouver – Group Confirmation # 222659'.
You may also book online by clicking below link:
https://gc.synxis.com/rez.aspx?Hotel=2225&Chain=6275&arrive=04/12/2013&adult=1&child=0&promo=222659

Appropriate

Look what showed up on the Bathroom Reader today. Joy! LOL

Rubbersex Time!

Full Rubberf*ck

This is a rubber sub's dream come true.  Note that he is wearing anal sheath shorts!  I think I could repeat this video over and over again and never tire of it.  Thank you for sharing, Boundrubberboi and Mikaham!

Blackstore Playscenes

Those guys at Blackstore really know how to turn everyone's cranks!  The photography of their sessions and gear is to die for!

Let's Get This Party Started!

We've had a great time putting together this year's event for you and hope you'll join us in sunny Southern California for...

WEST COAST RUBBER 2013

FEB 22-24, 2013

Registration is open! The full package is available for $99 at http://westcoastrubber2013.eventbrite.com.
Join us at the for WCR 2013! Once you've registered, we'll provide you with the event code and you can contact the Skylark hotel at 1-800-793-0063 or gm@skylark.com to set up your reservation for the weekend. Rates are $149 for Friday and Saturday and $99 for Thursday and Sunday.

Thu, Feb 21 (for those arriving early who are eager to gear up!)
7:00 pm
Casual Rubber Invasion - Palm Springs Street Fair. Dinner. Movie or Bar Night - we'll decide this one together (Not part of WCR Package)

Fri, Feb 22
3:00 pm – 6:30 pm - Skylark Hotel Lobby - Registration Open
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm - Skylark Hotel Pool Patio - Opening Cocktails and Meet & Greet
9:00 pm – 11:00 pm - Tool Shed Bar - Out on the Town Bar Night
9:00 pm – 2:00 am - Skylark Hotel Back Patio - Slip it to Me Play Time

Sat, Feb 23
9:00 am – 11:00 am - Skylark Hotel Patio - Continental Breakfast
10:00 am – 4:30 pm - Skylark Hotel Lobby - Registration Open
11:30 am – 4:30 pm - Skylark Hotel Pool - Splashtastic Pool Party and Gear Swap
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm - Skylark Hotel Patio - Sandwich Lunch
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm - Gummi Nosh Rubber Dinner
9:00 pm – 11:00 pm - Skylark Hotel Patio and Pool - West Coast Rubber Contest and Poolside Cocktail Party
11:00 pm – 2:00 am - Skylark Hotel Back Patio - Slip it to Me Again Play Time

Sun, Feb 24
9:00 am – 11:00 am - Skylark Hotel Patio - Eye Opener Party
10:00 am – 2:00 pm - Skylark Hotel Pool - Splashtime Closing Pool Party
After 3:00 pm (For those not ready to pack up their gear...) - Movie/Dinner/Bar - we decide together (Not Part of the WCR Package)
8:00 pm – 12:00 am - Private Location - Are You Still Here? Cocktails and Play Party

SKYLARK PALM SPRINGS IS THE PERFECT HOST HOTEL WCR 2013

We are very pleased to be at the newly-renovated Skylark Hotel for this year's West Coast Rubber Weekend. It is the perfect size, is clean (brand new rooms and grounds), and the staff is eager to please and incredibly attractive! Since we keep many of the events on site, it was important to find a hotel that people could enjoy when they were just hanging out and relaxing in gear as well as when they were socializing in their rubber finest. We are getting in on the ground floor before the Skylark hotel becomes THE place to stay in Palm Springs.

Many of the smaller hotels seemed to small or had some reservations already made which would prevent exclusivity. We kept hearing about the renovation of the less-than-spectacular Camp Palm Springs. Though we were skeptical, it sounded like such a major change and the photos looked GREAT - too good to be true. However, if the renovation was as good as it looked, it would be a great spot for this year. We scheduled a tour with owner/developer Jesse Rhodes who showed us a truly amazing transformation. Though some rooms were still being renovated, 90% of the renovation was complete and it looked fantastic! The rooms are completely new and the grounds were undergoing their final facelift - including the back patio and steam room. All of it was actually exciting. The hotel has been restored to it's original 1955 style, but with all the room and service luxury expected from a Palm Springs resort stay. Jesse promised the top notch service that he hopes to be known for as the property gains positive word of mouth. Transportation, including a classic Rolls Royce, will be provided to the dinner and will be available for other outings. The property is open and they are slowly gaining the reputation as a Palm Springs hot spot with first class amenities. We really got in on the ground floor before this property soars in popularity. Everyone get your registration and rooms booked as soon as possible!

Give a shout out on the Facebook Event page for West Coast Rubber Weekend 2013 and let folks know you're coming and/or to look for roommates. Though the rates are great for Palm Springs in season, we know that hotels can be a challenge for some. The good news is that the rooms are big and many have two queen sized beds. Though all rooms are decorated and outfitted identically, some locations on the property are better than others for this type of event (and privacy). Book now for best locations.

West Coast Rubber 2013

I succumbed to peer pressure and even though I totally can't afford it, I'm heading to Palm Springs for West Coast Rubber 2013!  I'm excited now!  Just bought flight, not as cheap as last year, but I'll fly into LAX and drive out to Palm Springs with C, drive back into LA on Monday morning and catch a flight home.  It sounds like the renos to the resort are extensive, which is good.  I'm just looking forward to hanging out with all my California rubber buddies again! :)

Rubberstud of the Week #247

Full Rubber Sunday

Hung over and horny today and still feeling like I didn't get enough sex this weekend, I decided to suit up and play for a bit in the transparent black Polymorphe catsuit, the new Polymorphe hood and gloves, Blackstyle toe socks and a condom over the hood, just to throw some frustration into the mix.

I used a latex cock and ball sheath -- something I haven't used in awhile -- as well as the Oxballs cockring with attached butt plug and Nut Sack. Mr. P took these pictures.

I am not sure why I am so horny at this time of year, but it seems to be a month when I get a lot of kinky action! I am trying to set up a rubber fisting session this week, and I'm heading to Seattle next weekend for a session with Sparky and an interview on the No Safe Word podcast, and then the infamous Chez Poing fisting party on Saturday. I'm looking forward to it all!

I also lost a third pic due to a importing error.  Gosh, when's the last time that happened?  Well, with these two pics you at least get the jist of the hot mess situation  I was in.  I wish I didn't sweat so easily and readily.  

I have to sop up the playsheets every few minutes in order to not drown in my own sweat pools.

In other news, the Rubbout website will be online and active this week. Lots happening on that front, it's going to be a busy weekn.  Even though all the information on the site isn't complete YET, at least it is accessible now, thanks to M for working so hard to get the site up!  There is a lot of good visitor information there.  I am hoping that the other M (who is generously doing some graphic work for us) will provide some logos and images we can use on the site. :)

Winter Fist

Horny

Argh! KE stole my fanboy idea!

...and not a single one of the Clones was female. Just sayin'. LOL I love Kink Engineering; they are not afraid to push the boundaries.

January 12th VAN-PAH Puppy Mosh

Check out cjros' review of the inaugural Van-PAH puppy mosh that took place last weekend. Despite the obstacles getting the event rolling, it ended up being a grand old time! Approximately a dozen pups, handlers and curious observers showed up to enjoy the afternoon. I'm looking forward to the next one. Much thanks to Pup Figaro for setting everything up.

It looks like I might have even received my pup name, or at least a moniker that doesn't make me a stray anymore. "Hall Pass Pup" LOL

New Rubbout Logo

Made by my good friend Mike! This is a placeholder until the photoshoot is completed. Hopefully we'll use components of it in all the upcoming artwork!

Men's Rubber Fashion

Burberry has latex trenchcoats in its 2013 line.  Not the cheapest, but they are legitimate latex! They look nice; but I know the cost will be lost on rubbermen, who obviously have ways of getting a similar style much more cheaply! ;)

Companies like Native Shoes and One Moment are making rubber or rubber-like casual shoes. The One Moments even biodegrade overtime and 'return to the environment from wence they came'! Not sure how long they would last, but the concept is kind of cool. They would certainly protect my latex socks from damage...

I own a pair of Kenneth Cole rubber boots that were a special edition from about four years ago, I've never seen anything like them since, though it looks like they might still be available on the KC website??? Hunter also made rubber sneakers in the past, they are apparently also hard to find today.

Of course, the ultimate in rubber footwear might be these darling Converse All-Stars that were sold special edition years ago too. A guy on Fetlife posted this pic of them, I don't suspect there are many pairs of these in existence...pic removed... It's nice to see some rubber and latex making some inroads into men's fashion!

Even Superstars have horrific wardrobe malfunctions

Oops! Lady Gaga splits pants during Vancouver show
By Soraya Roberts | North Stars – 9 hours ago

We're used to Lady Gaga dropping her pants, but splitting them? That's a new fashion statement for her.

The "Bad Romance" singer ripped the back of a pair of latex pants while on stage in Vancouver this weekend, the first North American stop on her "Born This Way" tour. According to Gossip Cop, the wardrobe malfunction occurred while Gaga was performing "Heavy Metal Lover" on Friday. As she sat astride a motorcycle onstage, her pants split, revealing her nude fishnets beneath.

But ever the show-woman, Gaga reportedly continued her performance without hesitation (she even wore the same ripped pants for Saturday's show -- maybe she preferred them like that!). Contributing to the problem might have been the fact that she hadn't yet broken the outfit in. In November, the 26-year-old pop star revealed that she was getting new costumes for the North American leg of her tour.

"THE BORN THIS WAY BALL is getting a face-lift for America," she tweeted. "I heard rumors @VERSACE IS CUSTOM DESIGNING ALL THE CLOTHES AND NEW LOOKS."

According to a somewhat catty report on Radar Online, the outfits were actually ordered because "the tight, skimpy outfits weren’t doing anything for Gaga’s new fuller figure," a source told the website.

In September, Gaga responded to reports she had gained weight by launching a body-revolution campaign. And just last week, she got into an online feud with Kelly Osbourne, slamming the reality star's appearance on "Fashion Police," a show that rips celebs apart for their outfit choices and sometimes even for their bodies.

"It used to make me truly sad when I would hear people talk about your weight when you were younger, as I was bullied too," Gaga wrote on her website, in response to Osbourne calling out her Little Monsters for being bullies. "To see you blossoming into a beautiful slender woman who makes fun of others for a living is astounding. Why not help others?"

Looks like Lady Gaga has more important things on her mind than a little rip in her pants.

Even Versace latex is not immune to the curse of glued seams.

My Anal Sheath

I took the anal sheath out for a spin again today; it's been months and months since I had the CB/anal sheath shorts out and utilized.  I started out with the silicone Oxballs cockring-anal plug however once it was lubed up, it didn't want to stay in.  Therefore, I went with the big guns -- I wanted to get some pics done with the metal cockring/anal plug toy inserted to see how it would look.  It's a great feeling; let me know what you think!

Mummification Theory

There has been an interesting conversation started on Fetlife that is related to my post last month about the evolution of a bondage-restraint-latex fetish.

The conversation tends towards discussing the psychosexual roots of restraint and mummification, and further along also delves into skintight coverage. Some of the people adding to the conversation seem quite knowledgeable on the topic! I will try to include a balance of the discussion without posting everything.

Ok, so I have this theory about mummification lovers...
by Various Contributors

My theory is that people who like mummification were born with the desire for the feeling of being compressed and encased. I'll go further and hypothesize that this applies to people who enjoy being snugly bound in sleepsacks, vacbeds, straitjackets, etc. as well.

Everything in my life history seems to line up with this theory:

As a baby I would always fall asleep and be happiest when I was swaddled in blankets or sheets (according to mom, I obviously don't remember it).
As a kid, I had an inflatable mattress that I would inflate only slightly then roll up inside. I recall enjoying the feeling of compression, even though I was far too young to associate any sexual feelings with it.
Up to this day, I always sleep rolled up under blankets. Even when it's hot out, I want at least a sheet or something over me and I find it difficult to sleep when I don't have something covering me.
What are your thoughts? Did you always, on some level, enjoy mummification? Is my theory completely nuts?

Thank you for taking the time to read and share your thoughts on this.

* Personally I don't feel this applies - I've always felt the need to be able to move around freely and not feel constrained by clothing or bedding or whatever it may be. I'd be interested in hearing whether anyone else feels that your theory applies to them though.

* A friend of mine had some thoughts on this... mummification could also be seen as a desire to be close to death. A dance with suicide. You are confined, unable to move, breathing through a little tube just waiting for the next time someone places their finger over it cutting off your only life line to the outside world. I suppose it's the same reason people enjoy collars being tighter and tighter. No doubt reasons for this fetish vary. Associating infantile feelings of being in the womb or swaddled as a baby could very well factor in too. In any case, it's a hell of a lot of fun.

* I have to agree with the theory. I began rolling myself up tightly in a large bed sheet at age 5 or 6. I enjoyed the feeling of being tightly encased. Shortly thereafter, long before puberty, I found that if I rolled myself up tightly, then eased myself over the edge of the bed so my crotch was pressed into the wood slat on the edge of the bed, I would get a pleasant sensation in my groin. I didn't know at the time, of course, that this was a prepubescent orgasm. Once I was old enough to have erections, still before puberty, I realized there was a sexual connection. I masturbated to orgasm mummified or in, or fantasizing about, other forms of bondage for years, with no ejaculation. At age 14, I had my first ejaculation with an orgasm.

Was I born with the desire and am I hard-wired to sexually enjoy bondage for more than half a century? Or did my early experience with mummification put me on that track for the rest of my life?

I really don't know.

* Developmental theory is well studied, and it is quite logical from many perspectives. All humans are hardwired to associate 'contact' with social and emotional acceptance. These usually include the mother's embrace at birth and the caring contact of family throughout a person's childhood. Newborns are wrapped in swaddling because it is known to calm infants. I believe this practice only confirms and enforces that desire for contact as validation, security and survival. A lack of family contact (hugs, tickling, massage, attention and compliments) will often exaggerate the desire for contact. I definitely fall into this category.

I do also believe that the adrenaline/fantasy theory is also valid. 90% of the sexual response is in the thoughts of a person. But the sensory part is amazing, and 'pulls the trigger' for most people that are setup this way. I'm one of them too.

Power exchange, trust, fantasy, sensory overload, and even 'bucket list' are the top drives that come to mind. The number of ways to accomplish the desired results is only limited by a persons imagination and budget, which results in a wide variety of separate fetishes.

* many autistic individuals or those with nerve disorders and sometimes a sense of 'out of body/out of control body' experiences, also find they enjoy the feelings and experience of being 'mummified' in tight wrappings. So to make a proper theory/description, one should look at it from a physical as well as psycho-emotional state, not just from a fetish perspective. afterall, we are more then just our fetishes. :)

* Yep. I'd have to agree. Had this huge European pillow and I'd always crawl inside the pillowcase when I was little not even realizing it was sexual. Then learned to roll myself up tightly in my sheets. Got to the point where I wanted more so I tricked my siblings into zipping me into a sleeping bag and then putting belts tightly around me. I said I wanted to be a magician/escape artist and always bet them I could get free. Then I 'begged' them not to leave me alone and of course, they usually did. Then I was free to enjoy myself!

* Yes, same here : no idea it was sexual - this came later

* This is something that has always fascinated me...why some people crave anything restraining, binding, skintight, while the thought of being incapacitated in this way or tightly covered nauseates others. I think it speaks volumes about the complexities of our minds and what we find stimulating. I always thought the swaddling/calming thing was part of it; and within that desire for the swaddling, a sexual trigger was manifested at some point, thus becoming a fetish or kink. Could there be more psychosexual complexity to this? Maybe some of us weren't swaddled enough or held enough by our mothers? Maybe there is a desire to return to the warm, compression and serenity of the womb for others? Maybe that's too much Freudian quackery, and it's simply a matter of how the internal wiring is done. I can't get enough skintight, compressioney goodness while my partner gags when wearing a turtleneck. It's funny and fascinating.

* A return to the womb seems the most reasonable to me. Especially to those who slide into a delicious comfort zone when fully encased. Perhaps even napping.

* I believe this is more physiological than we think. It is the total giving up of yourself and "the world" in order to be cared for by your top. The need to be away and to be nurtured. The desire to be taken away from the noise and worries of the world. I think the compression and sensory removal is all part of this mindset which allows for an experience like this which can not be compared to anything else.

* In my case it's more about the things you listed than the things in the original post.

I guess I've always felt the lack of positive emotions during my childhood/early teen years (I'm not aware of that but when I think about the atmosphere in the house it certainly wasn't heart warming to say the least) and I've started developing the encasement fetish very early (actually some of my first memories are of such activities). But what's peculiar is that I was a switch from the very beginning lol I tied up/wrapped my toys as well as myself.

It's just one of those things that are fun to think about but I don't really wanna know why - it's something very fun right now and since my emotional life doesn't suck and there are no unresolved issues there's no good reason for me to poke around that subject.

Throb

Rubberstud of the Week #246

Another Letter....

I received another message from the same guy, lots of food for thought here too. I am happy to share our conversation here as well.

Hi Reid,

Some times in life you get bigger rewards than money following a passion and doing what truly makes you happy. I Dj in ***** and have for about 13 yrs now. I've seen the music and club scene change so quickly over this period with other fellow dj colleagues adapting the music styles and preferences just to maintain gigs and exposure.

For me its always been about the style and music I truly love deep down still being booked for events to represent what was old school deep house / progressive vocal is a sign being appreciated for what is still a passion and not a hobby or job - thats the reward in its self for me!

Theres a few rubber guys in ******* but generally of and elder age and body type that I don't feel would be any connection. + it's generally all related around sexy and not exploring the other sides to the fetish. Bad gear doesn't help as well.

I guess its also hard to establish a good scene here if the fetish store don't stock much gear so a lot of the time we have to order online taking a guess what the gear will be like and fit.

thats why strolling across your site really helps us isolated rubber boys develop the confidence in exploring our desires that little bit deeper.

I must admit i've made some bad purchases with gear believing the gear looks hot in the images yet when it arrives not so good + takes for ever to arrive in the post yet shipping is so expensive.

Who are the better suppliers out there from your experience, Do you find similar issues in Canada or can quite easily order gear?

*****

Well said, ******. I think things are similar here in Vancouver to *****. I don't have many guys to rubber play with though fortunately there are a couple. I find most of my rubber play comes when I travel to rubber weekend events or down to Seattle where I have some regular guys I play with. Otherwise, it is when out-of-towners come to visit! I also find a lot of guys that say they're into rubber really aren't; they are more into bondage and don't really care whether it's leather, rubber or lycra on their bodies as long as they are incapacitated.

Rubber has the additional challenge of being prohibitively expensive for most people, which is why I think you don't see a lot of guys in it in their 20s, and only in their mid-30s when they have the finances and the sexual confidence do you see them appear on the scene. That being said, I do know a few rubber kinksters in their 20s and marvel at their confidence...and I'm a bit envious (and proud of them at the same time!) that they are so 'far ahead of the curve' in their experiences.

It just seems that a lot of the younger generations aren't that interested in fetish as they used to be, something which I think might be attributed to the fact their sexuality is so much more normalized and accepted now; when we were younger we still needed to keep so many secrets and wallow in shame and guilt; my theory is that some of that manifested as fetishes and kink. This is why a lot of the communities seem to be getting older and not replenishing their ranks. However, this may only be an illusion. There are a lot of young kinky guys out there, they are just expressing their kinks in a more general way (some gay guys prefer the straight kink events), or in unique fetishes (like rubber animal roleplay, something which is certainly growing rapidly in popularity).

I think we've all been through the trial-and-error aspect of building our wardrobes; I have probably wrecked, given away or sold more latex than I currently own. It's just the way the fetish is: very expensive, sometimes frustrating with a big learning curve, but all so worth it!

Fortunately we have a gay store chain in Canada called Priape that carry lots of leather and some rubber. There is another fetish store in town that actually carry an impressive amount of rubber for men as well though they cater much more to the straight crowd than the gay crowd. Priape exclusively carries Polymorphe rubber from Montreal, which is a favorite of mine. Instead of importing latex sheeting for 4D or Radical in Europe, they generate their own which I find to be softer and more supple than the European stuff. I do own some Polymorphe gear, however most of my latex comes from the UK or Germany. I have had good experience with lots of retailers, I'm still partial to Skintightrubber and Invincible though I have more recently bought from Libidex and Regulation London. I am planning in the not-to-far future to delve into the products from Blackstyle, Blackstore, Eurocatsuits, Rubaddiction, Simon O, and Fantastic Rubber, which have all come highly recommended.

Most significantly, I find it most exciting to work with local designers. There are certainly some in ******, though they may be elusive to find. In addition to being able to size you precisely and that you can to be involved in the building process from start to finish, you can also create something completely unique. Most designers love the challenge of designing something new. I have a local guy who used to work for MOR Rubber who does all my repairs and with whom I'm going to design a couple of unique suits this spring.

In Canada there are lots of issues with customs and taxes when importing orders, though it is sometimes hit-and-miss. Ironically, even though we have all these trade agreements with the U.S., every order there is hit with customs, duty and taxes. I find that a lot of my orders from the U.K. just show up without any additional charges which is why I prefer to order from there...some of that may be due to the items in the shipment; I have had rubber leggings, catsuits, shirts show up from the U.K. with no duty or taxes, but a sleepsack showed up from STR years ago and I ended up paying $150 just to get it since it was being delivered from a shipping company and the claimed value of the shipment was almost $1000. I try to avoid places that use private shipping/courier companies to deliver cross border - even though they deliver to your door, they end up being very expensive, plus they have a lot of extra charges the regular mail service doesn't have. Regular good ol' Canada Post and UK Royal Mail area just as dependable IMO and deliver to your closest mail outlet, which isn't too bad.

As for scene, I'm of the belief that if you don't like the scene, create the party yourself. I come from a long line of community organizers, I guess it's just bred into me. There are a lot of people that lament nothing is going on but won't do anything about it. That's why I've embraced organizing Rubbout so much; it just seemed to be my calling when considering moving to Vancouver. I can effectively imagine what I want the weekend to look like and execute accordingly, and it sort of ends up how I originally envisioned it, which is pretty cool. As a rubber event planner, I have the fortune of meeting other event coordinators from all over the world, get special invitations to other events and have a relatively recognizable face in the scene now. It's a great network within which to share ideas of what works and what doesn't work. All of these things help when it comes to getting things my way! LOL

I also have no shame when it comes to wearing rubber. I pretty much wear it to any kink or gay event I can where I can get away with it. Sometimes I feel that I end up being very unapproachable by most guys because I am wearing it, which can be a lonely experience sometimes, but I love it too much not to promote it in the hopes it sparks something in a pervy brain or two along the way. I also am fortunate to have a great friend network, largely in the leather and kink community, who love me as I am and support my endeavors to promote rubber locally and internationally. So, as you said in your note, sometimes the benefits are way beyond the financial, as they should be I guess. I'm also one who likes to stick to my principles as much as I possibly can and I'm definitely a person that lives my life out and proud. I don't think there is much I am afraid to disclose about my preferences or perversions, though there are limits - I won't ever tell my mom about the great fisting session I had last week, though she does now I wear and promote latex and gay rubber events.

Reid

Dressing and Polishing

Two of my favorite topics! The best stuff to use to dress and polish your latex. For those of us who particularly love it skintight, this is an even more poignant discussion. A friend recently asked me questions regarding these subjects, I'd like to share our discussion here.

Reid,

have you posted in any of your blogs regarding polishing gear to get so shiny and looking really hot?

I've never read anywhere on how to do it or what products to use?

Hi!

I really like Vivishine...I usually try to remember to buy a bottle of it whenever I buy some rubber from Europe. The local gay store carries a limited amount of rubber and have Vivishine in stock from time to time. The same company used to make this great dressing aid called Vividress but it seems a lot harder to find. I stopped using talc to get into my rubber a few years ago and now use silicone-based lube exclusively. Right now I'm using Gun Oil, which I know a lot of guys use but it is sort of expensive. You can make a little go a long way though, I just suck it up and buy the huge $100 bottle of it and it lasts a year. I know some guys are experimenting with medical-grade silicone oil and mixing it with other things with varied results. It can be quite a bit cheaper.

Back to polishing. Vivishine works really well, but you have to plan ahead and wash your rubber in it far enough in advance to let it dry. It nicely conditions the rubber, and also lubes it up slightly on the inside in addition to looking completely slick on the outside. I will use a product like Gun Oil as a touch up at the club or whatever after that point. Basically any silicone-based lube will work as a polish AND dressing aid, I've used ID and Pjur in the past but some have a lot more longevity than others. I don't really find the spray polished to work very well and prefer the ones that you apply by hand. It's also a great icebreaker to ask a guy to help you polish up, both of you getting lubey together! At our rubber events, having 'shine boys' do the polishing is a popular volunteer position, plus the attendees love it.

I've also heard some guys use Armour All and similar products but I wouldn't recommend it as they are optimized for car vinyl, plastic, etc and possibly not for latex, but they seem to be happy with it. I've also heard that silicone lube affects the integrity of the glue used to glue seams in rubber clothing together but I have no evidence to substantiate that claim. It seems that the longevity of latex is most effected by how well it is cleaned and how it is stored more than anything.

I recommend you get a profile on Fetlife; even though it is generally straight fetish, the discussion boards have TONS of great information and I've met lots of interesting people (and gay guys) on Fetlife as well. For informational purposes, I don't think there is a better site out there.

Reid

Moar Want

The Regulation Locking Collar Surfsuit with open ass.  AND CODPIECE. Totally hot.

Kinda Screwed