Purchasing your first whip
Buying whips is a tricky subject! Whips are highly personal and many whipsters are highly opinionated about what kind of whips to buy and who to buy them from. In this resource page, we hope to clarify some basic whip terminology and give you some information about whip types to help you with buying your first whip.
Special note for Etsy shoppers: We highly recommend against purchasing any whips from random / unknown Etsy whipmakers. You are likely to pay a lot of money for a very low quality product.
We are actively working on compiling a list of great whipmakers. In the meantime, we recommend coming to the Seattle Whip Social, or Whip Handling 101 classes to get more information on whips and where to purchase them.
If you are planning on attending our whip handling class, we hope to offer whips for sale in the future at that class so you can try them and purchase them in class. For now, we are only offering personal referrals / whip sales through the host (Kai Brave) and we do not yet have an official whip vendor for the class.
Tldr on your first whip for bdsm
For BDSM and whip beginners, we recommend either of these options depending on your preference for whip handle:
3ft snake whip with changeable cracker
3-3.5ft bull whip (usually a short handle) with a changeable cracker
The cheapest option to get started is nylon / paracord material. If you have the budget or want to make a longer term investment, you should consider kangaroo leather (the traditional material for whips). Continue reading below for considerations about whip materials.
Whip builds
Whips are generally composed of a few parts.
Heel knot - a thick knot at the start of the whip. Can be used to grip the whip or help with control
Handle - generally speaking, only bull whips or hybrids have a stiff “handle”. Other types of whips will be flexible throughout
Thong - the main body of the whip. The “underside” of the thong is called the “belly”
Fall - a strip of leather that is attached to the end of the thong. Some whips have this and some do not (see whip types below)
Cracker - the very end of the whip that makes the loud noise. Usually made of nylon
There are a few types of whips and some “hybrids” combining aspects of each of these types:
Signal whip - This is the simplest whip design. It has only: a heel knot, a thong, and a cracker. It does not have a handle or a fall. Many signal whips do not have changeable crackers (this is important for BDSM, continue reading below).
Snake whip - Has a heel knot, a thong, a fall, and a cracker. Note on measurement: snake whips are measured similarly to bullwhips, see the note below on measuring bullwhips
Bull whip - Has a heel knot, a stiff handle, a thong, a fall, and a cracker. Note on bullwhips: the “length” is measured from the heel knot to the end of the thong and DOES NOT include the fall or cracker! Be careful when purchasing one. A “4 foot bull whip” may actually be more like 5.5 or 6 feet in total when including the fall and cracker. When in doubt, ask the maker about the total length.
Stock whip - Like a bull whip but the thong is fully separate from the handle and attached via some thick leather connectors (“keepers”). Traditionally much longer handles than most bullwhips (and depending on Australian vs. American design)
How to choose a whip for bdsm
There are a few very important considerations for BDSM specifically. Not all whips are appropriate for BDSM. Here are the most important considerations:
Whip length. Whips between 3-5ft total length can be accommodated in most dungeons. Any longer will present space issues, especially in smaller / more cramped dungeons
Changeable cracker. The ability to change the cracker on your whip is extremely important for BDSM. The cracker will accumulate dirt and sometimes blood and this is a sanitary / safety issue for anyone you hit with your whip. You should always change the cracker in between different partners and preferably after each night in the dungeon. Nylon crackers are easy to clean with warm soapy water.
If your whip is continually touching the floor, outside dirt, or any other unclean surfaces, you should consider purchasing a nylon whip (not a leather one). Nylon is much easier to clean and a good choice for BDSM for this reason.
Whip materials
Whips can be made out of many materials. The two most common materials are nylon/paracord and kangaroo leather (the traditional material). Here are some tradeoffs with each choice:
Nylon Whip Pros
Easy to clean
More affordable (typically between $100-250 USD depending on length / plait / maker)
Usually faster to make / ship from various makers. Waitlist times can vary between 1 month (very fast) to 6 months (slower)
Lots of options for colors / patterns
Nylon Whip Cons
Less durable than leather
Can often have weight balance issues and inferior handling (due to nylon being a very light material)
Not the traditional “look” and “feel” of a whip
Kangaroo Leather Pros
Very durable (from a good maker, not Amazon). A long term investment
Usually the only material offered by master whip makers. If you want a whip with exceptional handling characteristics and weight balance, you are likely to only find this with a kangaroo leather whip from a master maker.
Many makers only offer custom orders. This is both a pro and a con. The pro is that you can customize your whip to your exact specifications. The con is that you need to know what you want before you order (or purchase one secondhand so you can try it first)
Has the traditional “look” and “feel”. Many kangaroo leather whips also crack more easily (and loudly) than nylon
Kangaroo Leather Cons
Harder to clean
Significantly less affordable (typically between $300-1200 USD depending on length / plait / maker)
Usually slower to make / ship from various makers. Waitlist times can vary between 2 months (very fast) to 2 years (for a high-demand master maker)
Fewer options for colors / patterns (you are limited to the colors of leather offered by the maker)