Interlude in Red (Rubber)

A new friend from San Francisco suggested i post a blog about what it is like wearing rubber, in public and in private from the point of view of a neophyte interested in trying rubber for the first time and who needs to know the special conditions required.   That sounded like an idea too good to pass up.

While I'm working on that, though, I thought I'd go ahead and post these pics from a recent dive trip into the desert.  It features a cool red drysuit I got off the shelf about 15 years ago.  It is rare anything fits me off the shelf but this one fit like it was cut custom for me, so I got it straight away.  Needs a few patches but the rubber is thick, heavy and squeezes tight against every muscle when submerged.  It is a compression that is most enviable.  The suit also inflates so you can float.  All in all, 5 days of the drysuit and I did not want to take it off.

Drysuit in Red

Suit Deflated

Suit Inflated

Why I Like Rubber - 2

rubberman on an art tour in Lincoln Park Chicago

Last post talked about why I like rubber from the point of view of a rubberman among other rubbermen.   This one is devoted to why I like wearing it as much as I do.   If one word sums up wearing rubber it is sensual.  Whether tight or loose, it feels very different on the skin than any other material.  It is confining or loose, slippery or sticky, depending on how you wear it.   Rubber's sensuality derives from its peculiar properties.  It stretches elasticly with you and yet resists, pulling back against muscle and limb.  Like a continuous touch massage clamped to the skin, it can feel like an symbiotic organic entity reacting to your motor input.  More than a few fantasies have exploited this aspect.  

Rubber's impermeable nature (it doesn't breathe) has several interesting effects.  I will focus here on longer-term wear but short term applies as well.  Rubber traps your sweat and oils, bathing and caressing the skin.  Skin and muscle slip and slide against the sweat soaked rubber, like getting a gentle oil massage with every movement.  Get my sweaty male anatomy rolling around in the slick tight confines of rubber shorts or leggings and I am good to go for as long as I like.  

Rubber also does some things other materials do not.  When the Sun hits rubber it absorbs the heat instantly like stepping into a finnish sauna.  This can bring soothing warm to a chill day.  At the same time rubber blocks sweat evaporation and body heat builds up if you are being very physical, like when gardening (or wrestling) in full rubber.  I love the feeling as my body heat builds.   I call rubber my personal walking steam bath and hot tub.   On the flip side, it also has NO insulating factors.  Walking out in the November cold of a certain northern city in full rubber is like a thousand small needles poking every square inch of skin as the wind and cold strip away the body heat.  Very sensual indeed.  This heat and cold is all very intense but for gods sake be careful!  Know your limits.  Extremes in heat and cold can only be tolerated by the body for short intervals, even by me.

Scene from MIR 2011

There are so many ways rubber stimulates the senses that I will attempt to describe only a few (see my new post #3 on this topic from Dec 16).  

I like the way rubber transmits and amplifies other tactile impulses to so many other areas on the body (also why I prefer a massage in full rubber [see Dec 17th post!]) . . .

the way everything, especially the male parts, slide around and are stimulated in the dank sweat-soaked interior of the rubber . . . 

the way every ounce of skin and muscle works against the confining pressure of a tight rubber suit and becomes alive with its own energy as the rubber joins with you symbiotically, whether walking or working or . . . 

the way a pair of snug rubber toe socks gently massages each toe non-stop whenever I walk or stretch my feet, or a right-fitting pair of rubber slacks slick with man sweat rubs up against the thigh and ass as I walk . . .

the way that single bead of sweat trapped inside the rubber suit slowly trickles down the small hairs along the centerline of my chest or backside sending a shudder of electricity up my spine . . .

seen at MIR2011

the way I feel masculine and unique unto myself while wearing rubber in public, or one with the rubber brotherhood when with other rubbermen . . .

walking down the streets of Chicago with my fellow rubbermen

A special rubber play toy, the gimp (or hog) sack.
My favorite rubber device, this restricts movement, envelopes the entire body
& traps heat, sweat and moisture inside for a squirmy good time.
No other device brings all the joyous aspects of rubber together so well.  
I really wanted to be in there with this man and later on stepped in to help give him a good time.

I will add more as I think of them, but please feel free to add your own comments and experiences here and for other posts!

Why I Like Rubber - 1

Some hot rubber backsides at MIR, Nov. 2011 - what's not to like?

Someone special to me once asked me if it was rubber that I love.  I answered him truthfully and wanted to share that reply with you, albeit in a somewhat more poetic manner than my original answer.   I may indeed be intoxicated by the smell, feel, look, sound, and even the taste of rubber, but there is one essential fact that perhaps some on the outside who wonder about the rubber fetish miss.  Put a piece of rubber gear on the floor or on the rack and it might give me some ideas or trigger memories of some hot encounter, but just by itself it doesn't mean much.  Rubber needs a man.  Rubber traps his sweat, his oils, his scent, his body heat activating the rubber's own powerful industrial scent and mingling with his own unique musky odors.   It stretches taut across his chest, his ass, his package, resisting muscle and flesh as they strain against it, rippling as he moves in the way only rubber does.  What rubber hides underneath it also accentuates by being both hidden and yet prominently highlighted as his flesh and muscle pushes back against the elastic restraint.  A man in rubber is very clearly a man, cradling and accentuating his male equipment in its distinctive pouch.  Seeing other men in rubber and wearing rubber myself reminds me every moment I am male.    

In short, rubber is nice but it doesn't really mean much on its own without a man to fill its empty shell, without a man's muscle and flesh to highlight and harden, without a man's scent to trap and amplify.  Perhaps a different way to describe it is to say that rubber heightens and amplifies those things that make a man what he is.  These things are difficult if not impossible to transmit in the virtual world of blogs and photo albums, a world without Odorama.  Yet images and words can bring primal sights, scents, and actions back to life in our memories.  Conversing with fellow rubberists, whether old friends or new, does the same thing.  There are better ways to say all this (editing anticipated) and we may come back to this topic later, but maybe some of the images we've posted here over the past year remind you of these things too.

a man who can fill a rubber suit - G-man from Atlanta

This poetic image from rubbery tumblr site brings to mind some of the reasons why I like rubber.  

Courtesy of the web

Chatting with Derek Bishop

Unexpected discoveries are sometimes the best.  You put yourself out there and meet some great guys and then something different comes along out of the blue (or black).  When Derek Bishop followed me on twitter and I followed back I wasn't expecting much, but a published musician curious in my peculiar adventures was an intriguing novelty.  With the near-insanity of my travels the past few weeks there wasn't time to listen in to his work, but suddenly a few days ago I find myself in a conversation with Mr. Bishop chatting about common interests (in?  well . .   heck, check the excellent publicity stills below and you will see at least one reason).   He is out and likes leather and shiny clothes generally.  This got me to put my multitasks aside and give a listen.  My tastes are broad but very esoteric.  I like what I like, no more, so I'm hard to impress.  I've only ever really liked two Madonna songs (gasp!).  Ever.  This was different.  I loved it.  Catchy and clever, too; innovative piano songs and similar genre (I'm not a music critic and can't even read sheet music so my descriptions are rather generic).  Google his name and you will find similar glowing but more descriptive reviews.  He is new on the music scene this year and likes to innovate and try new things.  Indeed.  So now I'm planning a visit to NYC area and hope to hang out together for a few days, maybe see a live performance.  We have even been exchanging ideas for music video concepts and attire.   How that works out we shall see but it's still a hoot to toss out crazy ideas and see where they land.   I hope to report more early this spring during my visit to the city.  In the meantime give him a listen when you can.  I rarely if ever make such recommendations but in this case I'm happy to do so.  If you like, tell your friends too.

Derek Bishop (pub. shots for "Resistance is Beautiful")

Return to LA - A Diversion

Taking a break from my restoration of old blogs to report on current events. 

Lying awake at 6 am, my first full day without rubber in 3 weeks ahead of me, I can't help but think back on the past couple days of rubber intensity.  Spending another day on the train to California is another day well spent and the past 2 days wandering abut town have been just as good.  Did not do anything special on halloween cause I had to stay in and prepare some reports, but I did stay rubbered and meet some fine fellows.  Wore my black rubber skin gear on the train and here in town.  Got one really good compliment from someone but they looked a bit punk oriented so it was understandable they would like something edgy.  Otherwise the passengers were rather sedate.  The train crew recognized me as I take these routes regularly.  I think they look forward to it as a break from the routine of your average passenger.  Had dinner in full rubber and it was like I wasn't wearing anything odd at all.  Maybe Halloween had something to do with it and I did use that as an "excuse" once or twice.  

Walked into town to my favorite breakfast place and passed a guy loading boxes who said "That must be hot."  I of course replied "I hope so."  Went to Whole Foods to get some yogurt and stuff and love walking around in full rubber get-up in that store.  Even had dinner there.  Got a compliment or two.  Once again a stockboy asked "Isn't that hot in that?"  I of course replied in the usual manner.  It is the number one comment I seem to get.  Taking the Metro back into town was amusing.  People waiting for their stop trying not to stare for too long, not wanting to speak up. 

Had some shopping to do yesterday at Rubbellion and Syren.  Jeff at Rubbellion and I had lunch and we chatted about fetish and other things.  He is a great guy and he is working on a specific design for me.  Its kind of complicated, but if anyone can he can.  Went to Syren to see if anything new and met Eddie, the MC at MIR this weekend and he gave me a tour of the place, which is f'ing huge!  But then they deal with lots of fun merchandise too.  He had on a nice mummy costume for h'ween and I wish I had taken a picture.  Sorry guys.  Even went into the old army surplus store across the street and got a compliment from the clerk.  Anyway, I spend the next days in meetings before heading to MIR in Chicago (see my blog from one year ago where I talk about being a judge last year).  Two days without any rubber.  Grrrr.  I'll be back in it soon enough.  See some of you there!

Rubber Games We Play

Screen Shot from "Rubber Knife Throw HD" app for iPad (and iPhone) 

I don't normally go in for video games.  I sometimes use word games to idle a few minutes away and take a brain break but when I check the App Store at Apple I occasionally check for discretionary theme apps.  Last night I searched "rubber" not really expecting much as I already have Recon uploaded.   "Rubber Knife Throw" came up and the tiny app icon was curious enough to warrant opening the app description.   Lo and behold, the game features a hot guy in tight leather (?) pants and tank top pinned on a rotating wheel ready to be a target for your less-than-accurate virtual knife throws, as in circus magician carny acts.  It also allows you to choose a scantily clad female assistant but you might guess my choice.  I wonder about the guy (?) who wrote this app and what he must have been thinking and sort of things he might be interested in.  I make no endorsement either way on the game itself - it is free - but do plan to make some use of that assistant on cold winter nights.  It would not be knife throwing if I had more control over the game but maybe we can interest some gamer in rewriting this one for some oh lets say dungeon activities?  Maybe someone has done something like that already?  If anyone knows please leave a comment!

Recent Travels Part 5

The Prequel to my last post, "RECENT TRAVELS PART 6" which dealt with a week in Minnesota and Illinois and points in between, was a week to France!  Like a certain well-known director, these posts are coming at you essentially backwards, as I push back the cobwebs and restore memory function.  Rubber was somewhat limited on this particular trip due to other obligations but opportunities arose for rubber to express itself, particularly in the museums of Paris.  The first half of the week was in a smaller city on the atlantic coast before heading over to Paris, where you can be almost anything.  Because the weather had turned to a cool autumnal windy clime, I bundled up and wore a jacket, a nice compliment to the rubber.

The Musee d'Orsay forbade photography but the Louvre obliged and I took more than a few photographs.  Not much to say here except that I did finally wear the rubber, looking quiet normal and unobtrusive!   Wore a semi-formal rubber blue-jeans, and black polo shirt with a camel-hair jacket, removing the jacket when it got too warm.   The one thing that stood out was that it felt very good to be a rubberman in Paris.  At times I felt like one of those glossy black and metal statues come to life.  Okay, I'm no Adonis, but tight rubber usually flatters a man, and the rubber blue jeans do a decent job of that.

After the museum we took a river cruise and got some nice shots.  By the next day I was just too sick to get into the hot dank sweaty clingy tight rubber, so Champs Elysees and McDonalds and the rest, you missed your big rubber moment.  On the days I did wear it, Paris was oddly silent on the subject of my rubber in the streets.  It was a different story in northern Europe in May, the subject of a forthcoming and lengthy post later this month.

In the Gardens

 Under the Pyramid (2)

 Should have picked up this Calender!  ("Stadium Gods" - avail. online)

In the Louvre