Wayyyyy back when I was an aspiring fetish photographer with no direct BDSM experience, I wandered by the booth of Breathe Toys at a major kink event. I had just attended an incredible demo on flogging by a woman named Midori and was truly inspired by what I saw. I knew this was going to be something I would end up trying at some point in the near future, though I wasn’t yet clear on exactly how to make that happen.
Among a sea of beautiful standard-sized floggers on display, there hung a giant one-off piece with exceptionally long falls and a sexy handle to match that looked as if it was inspired by a large, two-handed battle sword. It REALLY spoke to me, but without any hands-on experience (or anyone to practice on), I couldn’t justify the purchase just to use it as a photo prop. Moreover, I correctly assumed this behemoth may be a little unwieldy for a beginner. Still, it beckoned and part of me instantly regretted leaving it behind.
Nearly a year later, as a fledgling top with a number of successful impact scenes under my belt, I saw the very same flogger at a different event and knew this time I would make it mine. How many miles had it traveled to find its way back to me? I don’t know, but chances are it was quite a few based on how often Breathe sets up shop in the field. I spent every dollar I made as the photographer for that event (and then some) on that big, beautiful beast and never looked back. That flogger turned out to be extremely photogenic has since found its way into a LOT of my images. Even better, I’ve had several chances to use it for its intended purpose and it is a blast to play with.
All Breathe Toys are built for hard and serious use. Many are as beautiful to look at as they are fun to wield. Breathe’s floggers are stunners. Each is unique — unless, of course, it’s part of a matched pair. The handles are skillfully woven and are instantly recognizable from across the room. Perfectly balanced and made from fine leather, they beg to be held and admired almost as much as they beg to be used. Breathe’s finger floggers, while lacking pretty handles, use swivels with high-performance roller bearings that look cool and function even better.
Other Breathe toys are more understated in appearance. The aptly-named Bastard, for example, isn’t much to look at compared to the floggers, but it’s every bit as satisfying in its own wicked way. The Bastard is a 33-inch-long, 1.5-inch-wide, 1.5-pound mass of stacked leather straps. When it hits, it hits hard and can leave its victim quivering and breathless. It moves a bunch of flesh. It makes a BIG noise. It can — and should — leave some serious bruises, which is exactly what it was born to do. What’s more, if its target isn’t properly secured, it has the ability to send them flying. Fortunately for those not ready to face the Bastard, Breathe also makes a number of smaller and (slightly) more demure people beaters.
It’s worth taking a good look through the website at the entire lineup of gear because there are a lot of really nice things on there including a big assortment of floggers, spankers and a studded leather paddle that looks like pure evil. I have yet to get my hands on one but I KNOW will look great in photos. As you browse, it will become clear that everything on that site (and beyond since the site only shows what is in stock at the time) has been created and crafted with purpose and intent. There’s not a single product in the Breathe lineup that isn’t bad ass. Be warned: if you’re susceptible to making impulse purchases, you may find your first visit to the site a tad problematic. The good news is that, for the level of quality Breathe puts out, pricing is excessively fair and reasonable.
There’s a reason Breathe Toys creations are among the first I use as props in photos and in play. Yet another outstanding maker located in Oregon!
