3 Types of Spanking Paddles You Need to Know About

The shape, thickness and material that a BDSM spanking paddle is made of makes a huge difference in feel and effectiveness. Writer Sienna Saint-Cyr gives her top three types of spanking paddles.

Into the woods

My husband and I have a wooden BDSM spanking paddle that is gigantic. It’s over a foot long, six inches wide, and about half an inch thick. It’s made from a pine, which is very light. I love spanking paddles like this because my husband can hit me with a great deal of *** and it only feels pleasant. There isn’t a lot of thud or sting, just even impact. This means that it’s a great one for getting me warmed up, or even for use during sex to make my orgasms screamingly strong.

Our bamboo paddle is similar in size to the pine but has more bite to it. This is my favourite BDSM spanking paddle out of all that I’ve experienced. For one, I love the feel of bamboo on my skin. But two, this paddle is perfect for just about any occasion. Used lightly it can be a warm-up or used with more *** it can drop me nicely into subspace. It might leave a bruise or might not, depending on how it’s used.

My Dom's paddle is wicked: it’s made of purple heart-wood, which is extremely hard; moreover, the width is also about three to four inches, which means the impact point is smaller. A BDSM spanking paddle like this make a real thud but also sting. I can’t take a lot of this one, and even one mid-strength whack means I’m bruised!

A BDSM spanking paddle for every sensation
Trying a different type of BDSM spanking paddle can be a fun way to explore. Image: via Shutterstock.com

Plastic paddles

Plastic paddles offer an intriguing sensation. The only BDSM spanking paddle in plastic I’ve experienced was about half an inch thick and had holes cut into it every two inches or so. It was intense! Not necessarily in a good way. I can take this kind of paddle, but the sting that comes from it isn’t my favourite. This paddle didn’t leave so many bruises, but it left my skin tender and glowing red!

A BDSM spanking paddle in metal?

Finally, we come to the metal spanking paddle section. Yes, I said metal! Two years ago, my husband won a metal paddle at a kink party. It’s gorgeous, and while I love hanging it on the wall for decoration, I was disappointed with the results. It’s shaped like a circle with three Celtic spirals carved into the centre.

Upon first inspection, I assumed that if the hubby hit me hard enough, I’d have lovely spirals left on my skin. Followed by what I hoped would be spiral bruises. I was more than excited to try this BDSM spanking paddle! He put me on the cross, swung, and failed. He tried harder, making the impact hit right in the centre of my butt, and still nothing. I hardly felt it! It also left no marks. The only fantastic thing about spanking paddles like this is the intimidation factor.

Spanking paddles come in all shapes, sizes, and mediums. If you have an interest, I suggest testing some out before buying. Hardwood paddles leave more marks, lighter woods and plastics sting, and metal just intimidates! All are fun, and each serves a purpose, so test away! Once you’ve found your BDSM spanking paddle, I wish you all the paddle joy I’ve experienced and more!

Sienna Saint-Cyr is an author, advocate, and the founder of SinCyr Publishing. She speaks at conventions, workshops, and for private gatherings on the importance of having a healthy body image, understanding enthusiastic consent, using sexuality to promote healing, navigating diverse or non-traditional relationships, having Complex PTSD, and more.