Entry tags:

bondage, experiences, gags, latex, mummification, sensation play, sensory deprivation, vacuum beds

Vacuum Bed!
A year or so ago I'd posted a list of things I'd like to try...listed in no particular order, but if I'd numbered them, "vacuum bed" would've been at the top.

Just last week, I disocovered that this month's edition of Satyricon (a local BDSM munch-followed-by-educational-meeting group that has a different topic each month) was doing a vacuum bed demo!

Saturday April 14th, 2007
3:30 - 6:00 pm
Latex Vacuum Bed & Sensory Deprivation

Allan and cohorts will have a latex vacuum bed available for your amusement and titillation! We'll offer the chance to try one out and talk about how it relates to both sensory deprivation and extreme bondage such as mummification. Ever wondered what your food feels like when you put it in the Seal-A-Meal? Or wanted to see some sexy thang squirm inside a yummy latex shell? Mmm hmm, thought you had. So have we!

Hope to see you there!

I've rarely been able to make it to these meetings on account of being stuck at work on Saturdays, but this time I put some more effort into getting off. And still ended up not getting to the munch part until it was nearly over, but luckily didn't miss any of the meeting (after the public munch, the group drives to a different building where the private meeting is held).

There were only a half dozen or so people at the munch, but the meeting itself had closer to 30 people -- a slightly larger than average turn-out, I got the sense? While we did short introductions and a little discussion, the bed was set up. The frame was white tubing, and the latex a sort of half-and-half -- one side black latex, one side clear-ish latex -- with the frame inside, and a zipper going across the top and halfway down one side for people to get in and out.

They had the clear side up, with a hole placed where a person's head would go, so that you can breathe while inside. I'm not sure if the latex was reversable, where you could switch and have the black side up, because I assume that would mean both sides would have to have holes...and I don't know how you'd go about covering one in an air-tight manner.

Upon getting the bed and vacuum set up, they decided humorously to test it on a stuffed animal first, lol. Unfortunately, you can't get an air-tight seal through the breathing whole with a stuffed animal the same way as with a person...I guess the air was passing straight through the stuffed animal from the breathing hole, making it impossible for the vacuum to suck all there air out.

After that, they opened the floor for volunteers. A woman who helps run the group, knowing that one particular guy in the crowd had displayed an interest in trying it, asked him if he wanted to be the first? But he suddenly seemed slightly shy, saying "I didn't realize there'd be so many people watching." I admit the idea of trying it out with all these people around made things a little more nervous...but I wasn't going to let it stop me, lol.

They asked if anyone else wanted to try? I offered that I very much wanted to...I just didn't want to go first. ;-) Fortunately, one of my friends from the munch earlier courageously volunteered to be the first. (And climbed in with the bear, which was particularly cute, lol).

Seeing the real deal right in front of you is so much more impressive than just the random pics online...I mean, seeing the person right there...seeing the movement, a person's stomach moving as they breathe, etc.

And the latex is so tight against the body, you get so much fine detail as to the shape of the figure inside. It was particularly interesting seeing what the vac bed does to the folds in clothing -- something you never see in photos because the models are usually wearing something skin tight (or nothing at all). It compacts the folds in jeans and pants in a way that makes it almost look akin to a sculpture, the way the folds look tight and shiny. Especially the shiny. ;-)

Then it was my turn. Suddenly the awareness of "so many people are watching" made me a little more nervous...but I was able to block it out for the most part. Took off my shoes, watch and glasses, and walked over. They were handing us little clear plastic tubes to put in our mouth, to have sticking out of the hole for breathing purposes (though with the right placement, you don't actually need a tube). So stuck this tube in my mouth and through the hole, and climbed in. Once situated, they zipped it closed, and started the vacuum.

I was only in there for a few minutes, but it was just as awesome as I thought it would be. I'm definately sold on needing to have one someday, lol. Owning one would largely make saran wrap mummification obsolete for the most part, I think.

It's a wild feeling. As the air is sucked out, you feel the two sheets hug your body. Tight enough to be nicely restricting, without feeling at all uncomfortable (at least for me). Out of curiousity I tried testing out how much movement I had (though not exerting *too* much force, since it's not my toy after all). You get a slight bit of movement, but generally stuck within the pose you were in when the bed was turned on...and you're automatically pulled back to you "default" position when you relax.

Before the demo had started, the person talking about the bed had mention that the one thing that tends to grate one some people's nerves is the loudness of the vacuum...some people will invest in a long hose so that they can have the vacuum outside the door, the muffle the noise. But I dunno, when I was in the bed, the nose didn't bother me one bit. In fact, it kind of added to the sensory deprivation aspect, since I couldn't really hear much...almost like white noise. I could hear at one point the guy was saying something, but only just barely, and I couldn't at all make it out.

The only thing I could hear is if someone right next to me spoke. The aforementioned woman-who-helps-run-the-group was also helping with the bed stuff, being the one to do the zipper, and also asking throughout if I was doing okay, etc. (unable to say much with the tube, I would just nod ;-)).

At one point she asked if it were okay to run her finger down my arm (*nod*), which felt interesting...just how clearly you can feel things through the latex. She (or someone else, I really have no idea, lol) then lightly touched my other arm (and with the noise, I didn't even hear it coming)...sensory deprivation can be so fun in that not-knowing-where-a-touch-will-come-next.

And then, after just a few minutes, the vacuum was turned off. Actually, I have no idea how long it was...I'd slightly lost track of time, but I'm sure it was only 2-5 minutes. However long, it wasn't nearly long enough, naturally. ;-) But my curiousity had been thoroughly satisfied, lol. As the zipper was undone, I climbed out, declaring my approval: "yeah, that was pretty rad."

I wish I had pics of it to show (well, and mostly just for my own curiousity)...but as it turns out, even if I'd had a camera, there is a very strict no-photography rule (to keep the space feeling comfortable for everyone, of course).

Naturally, the small taste only confirmed how much I knew I'd dig it, and left me wanting more. Hopefully I'll get a chance to use one as part of an actual scene one of these days.

In the meantime, suppose I need to redo my "list of things to try" sometime, eh? ;-)