a quick guide to impact toys

There are lots of toys used for impact play, both specialty made & improvised. Check in with your partner about different toys beforehand, especially if thinking of playing with toys that might have associated triggers (such as punching, kicking, belts, rulers). Always educate yourself on how to use a new toy before using it on your partner in a scene! And remember different toys will leave different marks!

Kinksters often categorize toys into two major sensations types:

thuddy or stingy

Here are the most common toys that come up in impact play, categorized by sensation, and with some basic detail about what they're like & how to use them. (This isn't a substitute for learning how to use them properly though!!)

[art by Honz Art]

“THUDDY” TOYS

Paddle —

• flat, wide, made from leather/wood/acrylic/etc.

• best for booty, close & far hits, heavy

Flogger —

• handle with many braided or flat falls, can be thin (stingier) or thick (thuddier), often leather

• great on upper back & booty, need space, can be heavy or light, can be used in pairs (Florentine)

Jack, Big Boi, Baton —

• leather wrapped (sometimes padded) stick-shape, often with a hard core of pvc or metal

• thighs & booty, less padding = harder hits, aim purposefully, often heavy deep pain

Boots, Punching Gloves —

• kicking, stepping, punching

• booty, thighs, careful & informed if stepping/punching elsewhere

• educate yourself on how to purposefully do these! it isn't the same as "fighting" kicks/punches

“STINGY” TOYS

Canes —

• bamboo, wood, acrylic, long & thin, more flexible = more sting

• booty, thighs, "tiger stripe" marks

Crops —

• riding crops, can be cute shapes

• booty & thighs, light sting usually

Dragon Tongues & Tails —

• picture a flogger whip combo, leather, need some space (more if a dragon tail)

• best on booty & thighs, elsewhere with care, focused aim, concentrated sting

Bare Hand Spanking & Slapping —

• booty, thighs, very carefully on face

• "slappy" sting, or heavier if you "cup" the hand

Whips —

• back, booty, thighs, tummy, need lots of space & very careful aim, often leather or nylon

• train yourself on how to use a whip for impact properly first! whips can easily do damage & draw blood!

Household DIYs —

• wooden spoon, ruler, hair brush, belt....

• be mindful that since they aren't made for impact play, these items may break easily

There are lots of other impact toys out there, too, plus kinksters getting creative with new versions of the above! Looking for a place to shop for toys? My favorite handmade toys come from Agreeable Agony (plus they sell wax play candles and rope!), but I also love searching through Etsy for new kink-makers. The customizations are endless with many of these toys — so whether you want classic black leather, varnished wood, or allll the pastel colors, you’ll find your niche!

I’ll be answering some Q&A on my Instagram story about impact toys, or ask below!