Gas Mask

Gas Masks are a fetish item for many different types of fetishists, especially with Rubberists.

The appeal of gas masks can stem from a multitude of aspects of them, concepts of them, or fetish techniques possible with them. Many prefer the qualities of oxygen masks, anesthesia masks, or other breathing equipment to 'war-type' protective masks, but the principles are basically the same as gas masks.

Breath and breathing obviously plays a huge factor. For gas mask fetishists, breathing on its own can be an incredibly powerful and sensual turn-on. Gas masks amplify and focus the breathing, making it noisier, and adding a hollow and "deep" quality to it. It also increases the intimacy level with a partner, enabling them to hear the breath in great detail, making how the bottom is feeling very obvious to the top.

There is also a bondage and control aspect to gas masks. The gas mask In a sense, the breathing of the sub is being "tied up", and quite possibly at the mercy of another. The sub's nose and mouth are firmly sealed in a pocket of space, making it impossible to do anything other than breathe through the hose. No matter what the sub does, no matter where they turn, their breath is channeled through the mask. The sub must breathe, therefore they MUST breathe through the mask. It is also worth mentioning that the sight visor will obstruct the view of the wearer to an extent - adding a slight sensory deprivation aspect to the experience.

Finally, there is the sensuality of gas masks. The otherworldly qualities of their look, sounds, feel, and the types of control they exert can be appealing to some.

There are a variety of possibilities for gas mask uses, although many of them exist strictly in fictional fantasy due to physical dangers, impracticality, or impossibility. Some concepts include:

1) Scentplay, both of benevolent and malicious varieties. The sub will be forced to inhale whatever smell you put through the hose. They can be overwhelmed by sexual scents, or tortured with foul smelling things, and be helpless against either.

2) Breath control (aka Breathplay). Obviously, trying to stop someone's breathing for too long is dangerous, made more dangerous by the fact that a mask is strapped to the face. However, gentle teasing techniques can be used quite safely. A hand can temporarily cover the end of the hose for a few seconds, or gently play with the end to sporadically half block the flow of air. The top can also seal the end of the hose with their lips to breathe in and out in an inverted synchronicity with the sub a few times, for an intimate breath sharing experience. Perhaps the top could have the sub relax their chest and stomach muscles, and then exhale slowly into them, or possibly even "breathe for them".

3) "Gassing", for lack of a better term. This means using the gas mask (likely a medical mask instead) to administer some type of gas to have an affect on the sub. This is often anasthesia, nitrous oxide, or similar substances. It takes the helplessness of having to breathe through the mask, and mixes it with the helplessness of breathing the gas. They can't help but breathe because they must, yet every breath weakens them further. The fact that simply placing the mask can make someone so helpless can be a powerful concept in the minds of fetishists.

Since such things are dangerous to use recreationally, and not exaclty available on a store shelf, this concept resides strictly in imagination. And since this is imagination, one is free to imagine using gasses that don't exist! Gasses that incapacitate in interesting ways can be dreamt up; perhaps a gas that paralyzes, hypnotizes, weakens the motor strength of the victim, or excites them sexually. The possibilities are endless. It's not too hard to think of a delicious comic-book style prediciment that could be caused with gas masks.