Shop on Square ↗The Experimentalist is a straitjacket for anyone curious about the experience. Affordable enough to try on a whim and visually striking for photography, it gives you that classic straitjacket hug—with room to experiment with different positions and levels of restraint.
Available on eBay, Second Skin, Spice Rack, and Square.
The Experimentalist was the first design I started with at Straitjacket Struggles. I set a pretty simple goal: make the best straitjacket I could sell for under $100.
Cost kept me from purchasing my first straitjacket for a long time. I wanted to make it easier for somebody else to follow that curiosity—and hopefully fall in love with the feeling.
These are made for us by a manufacturing partner in China, but they aren’t just stock jackets with our brand slapped on them. They’ve been through numerous rounds of upgrades, adjustments, and user feedback. You may find jackets based on the same model elsewhere; ours reflects the changes we’ve made with input from real users.
I added things like locking zipper hardware, reinforced panels and strap attachments, improved stitching, and American sizing. Some changes came from my own use. Some came from photoshoots. Some came because customers found weak spots and I wanted the next run to be better.
Another feature I am very excited about: in addition to the zipper up the back, there are two more just above the hands.
The back zipper closes the jacket. The two sleeve zippers give you access to your hands without taking the whole thing off. The locking pulls let the zippers move toward the closed position, but you need the key to unlock them before opening.
You may decide that losing the use of your hands is a little too much. You can open the sleeves and keep wearing the jacket, or tether the sleeves to limit your range of movement. These openings are a big part of why I called it the Experimentalist.
Four D-rings at the waist let you secure the arms independently, in front or behind, tight or loose. You can also attach the sleeves to each other for that more traditional feel—or give your escape artist a chance.
I am very happy with the PU shell, and the inner lining is very soft. The shoulders and bottom hem are reinforced, and the straps are doubled up.
Keeping the price down means making compromises. Synthetic does not have the stiffness of traditional canvas or the weight and smell of leather. If those are the things you want, we make those too.
Don’t expect this to contain a strong person determined to break free, even at the cost of destroying the jacket. I want you to enjoy struggling in it, and it has withstood some serious struggling. Despite all the reinforcement, I can’t sell it to you as escape-proof. For a more serious struggle, take a look at our Posey replicas.
We strive to make a straitjacket for every body. Getting the sizing right has been a huge part of developing these jackets. The goal is to roughly match American shirt sizes: if you usually wear a medium, a medium is a starting point. Compare your measurements with the chart below, and send me a message if you’re between sizes or unsure.
International order? Get in touch before ordering so we can work through shipping.
Ask me about fit or shipping ↗Finished jacket measurements. Allow room for your body inside the jacket; these are not body-size ranges.
Swipe or scroll across the chart to see every size.
| Measurement | XS | S | M | L | XL | XXL | XXXL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neck Circumference | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 44 | 46 | 48 |
| Chest / Bust | 84 | 92 | 100 | 110 | 120 | 132 | 146 |
| Waist | 72 | 82 | 92 | 102 | 112 | 126 | 140 |
| Hem / Bottom Opening | 84 | 92 | 100 | 110 | 120 | 134 | 150 |
| Shoulder Width | 37 | 39 | 41 | 43.5 | 46 | 49 | 52 |
| Back Length (Center Neck) | 54 | 56 | 58.5 | 61 | 64 | 67.5 | 71 |
| Sleeve Length | 82.5 | 85 | 87 | 89 | 91 | 93 | 95 |
| Sleeve Width (Bicep) | 32 | 34.5 | 37 | 39.5 | 42 | 45 | 48.5 |
Sleeves enclose the hands. Available sizes and stock are shown when you choose your size on Square.
That is basically how Straitjacket Struggles started. If you are still figuring out what you like, the Experimentalist gives you a lot to play with without asking you to make a several-hundred-dollar decision first.
Choose your size on Square ↗Current price, size availability and checkout on Square.