GEAR Ireland - 21 December 2013 (including Mr GEAR Ireland competition)

GEAR Ireland - Saturday 26th October 2013

GEAR Ireland - Saturday 21 September 2013

Pride Pleasures

Well, Belfast Pride went off with a bang, with plenty of fun and frolics. I have been thinking about this post for a number of weeks now, but thought I would share this hot encounter as it was a horny experience that will stay with me forever! It all started with getting ready to go out to Fetish bubu to meet our fetish friends who made an effort, and to get a gander at the (porn) actor and promoter, Bruno Knight, who was making a special appearance that night. Donned in highly buffed leather, it was time to get to bubu and get sweaty!

As the night progressed, the club filled with guys, some in gear, from leather, rubber, military and sports gear, to those hunks in jeans and t-shirts (probably with something leather or rubber 'accessories' underneath!). The club was pumping, Bruno Knight had done his 'thing' and everyone was euphoric, getting merrier as the beats got bigger and better. Still fully clad in my leather shirt, tie, Sam Browne belt, leather jeans and boots, and getting ever the hotter, I noticed a handsome stocky muscle bearded bear wearing a leather chest harness. He looked hot as hell in it with his hairy chest! Oh, one has to go over and say hello! As I approached, didn't he pull open my leather shirt, letting some refreshing air into my shirt and around my torso. Cheeky wee shit, I thought - but as I looked at him I noticed he had an adorable, somewhat cheeky, wee grin on his face. He was a cutie! As the temperature was suddenly ratcheting up, it was time to step outside for a bit of fresh air. Only then, after meeting my other half outside, did I realise that my partner had put our leather harness on the hunky muscle bear visiting for the weekend from across the water. It was a fortuitous occurrence that both our paths had crossed with this guy. It wasn't to end then! 

Coincidentally, standing outside at the end of the night having a yarn with ones, we somehow got chatting to our hunky visitor once again. He was over with friends for the weekend. The banter was good. Our eyes met a few times. He admired my leathers. I said, 'you looked great in our leather harness, mister'. There was a bit of smirking back and forth as we passed compliments about each other. Moving into more heated conversation, as the chemistry developed, we explored the possibility of hooking up sometime tomorrow to 'get to know each other' a little bit better. As my partner and I have a healthy open element to our relationship, I exchanged numbers with the sexy muscle bear, so that we can keep in touch over the weekend. A few texts were sent back and forth on our way home, confirming our interests in meeting up again. He was a charmingly honest and handsome man; a cheeky chap with a naughty smile. 

Filled with excitement, I made my way down the following day to meet the muscle bear visitor. My phone vibrated again. 'You want a drink?' the text message read. 'Sure - that would be nice. A Guinness please mister' I replied. A little 'liquid lubrication' is always enjoyable!  With my leather chaps on under my jeans, and the rest of my leathers with me in my 'bag of tricks', as I call it, I arrived at his hotel. Nicely timed, I just walked into the foyer when he was walking towards me with pints in hand. 'Shall we take these up to the room?', he asked. 'Good idea', I said (or at least it was along those lines from what I remember!). On entering his room, I dropped my bag of tricks on the bed, and quickly took a drink of my Guinness. Our conversation turned to the leather contents in the bag. Full leather harness, chest harness, leather shorts, gimp masks, collars, and other bits and bobs came out. I could see the excitement in his eyes, as he drank his pint. I unbuttoned my jeans to reveal my chaps and jock. Chemistry kicked in and our lips locked. After another quick sip of our drinks, it was time to get our gear on. I added the full leather harness to my upper body, adjusting my chaps and jock to get the attached cock ring under them. Fuck me, I was getting hard, making it difficult to push my big boy through the cock ring, but by god I made sure it went through! Then I turned to rig him with the leather chest harness (which he was so handsomely wearing the night before in the club!). 

Bodies embraced, I could feel his manly hands caressing down my back and my exposed ass cheeks. I grabbed his bubble butt. 'Nice ass' I thought. Phwoar! He pushed my upper body back slightly and went face first into my chest. Oh, pure arousal consumed me as his mouth, tongue and teeth played with my nipples.  My hands went down to his cock bulging in his red PUMP! jock. As I went down to my knees, so too did his underwear. There it was, a big thick cock, with a tight rubber cock ring and his juicy balls right in front of my face. It was standing to attention! My tongue caressed his balls, moving up his throbbing cock to the tip before my lips wrapped around it all, slowly working my way down his long, thick shaft. Man, it was good, balls banging against my chin. I looked up at him; our eyes locked. He pushed me back and moved in closer. Suddenly, he spat over my face, saying 'good boy'. Returning the compliment, I spat on his cock before working it some more with my eager mouth. 

My cock was bulging in my jock by this point. He ordered me to stand up and quickly he released my cock and balls from behind my jock. His warm mouth felt so good as my cock slide back and forth. Then I turned him around to get started on his hot ass. The sight of a firm hairy butt is always a beautiful thing. He groaned as I worked my tongue around his man cunt, going deeper with every lick and turn. I was forced to the floor, face up. He forced his hot ass into my face so I could work it harder and deeper, as he started pleasuring my cock and balls some more.

'I want to pound your ass, man' he says to me, as we begin to move into another intense position. My ass flexed slightly as I heard these words utter from his mouth. I promptly get on all fours as he - and my ass - get ready.  Love the feeling as he slides inside me, to the point where I feel his balls against my ass. Sweet! As he picks up momentum, he tugs on my leather harness, pulling me tighter towards him, thrusting harder and harder. I grip my nipples tightly. By this point, the pleasure soaring through my body was intense.

As he pulls out to blow his load, I quickly turn round to receive the hot jizz over my face. Wanking hard as he brings himself to climax, I gain pleasure from his facial expressions. He groans as his warm man juice squirts onto my face and down onto my leather harnessed chest. I rub it around my chest as I too blow my load. Fuck me, that was good!

You just can't beat a horny session on a Saturday afternoon...during Pride weekend!

Fetish BuBu - special appearance by Bruno Knight

It is great to see a local fetish night on offer in Belfast. Delighted that the actor, model, director and promoter, Bruno Knight, will be making a special appearance. 

GEAR Ireland - 8th June 2013

GEAR Ireland – the fetish frontier for guys into gear

The journey back from Dublin to Belfast was filled with one yarn after another about the night before at the launch of GEAR Ireland. With over 100 guys in gear—mainly leather, which made me as happy as Larry—the atmosphere was welcoming and full of the Irish banter, yet filled with a sense of enthralling anticipation of what sexy leathermen might turn up tonight. 

The build up to GEAR Ireland grew steady over the months preceding its opening night, will guys exchanging positive messages about the excitement generated by the launch of a new, strictly enforced, fetish event on a Saturday night in Dublin.  I even had guys asking me to provide accommodation information. Being the considerate guy that I am, with a passion for all things leather, I tried my best to provide some assistance, albeit I don't know Dublin that well…and I ain’t no travel agent!

When the launch day arrived, my partner and I were running late as usual. The notorious ‘let’s try to get down a bit earlier to explore Dublin’ has never actually happened, as of yet! Even though I buffed the leather we were bringing with us the night before, the day of departure made me reconsider the outfit, so I added, and kept adding, more and more leather ‘bits and pieces’. As you do!

Arriving early evening, we checked into our accommodation and were pleasantly surprised by our home for the night – a self-contained apartment near O'Connell Street. After a quick nosey round, we decided to pop open a bottle of wine and take a well earned rest for a moment in the outside patio courtyard of our apartment. “There’s no corkscrew, damn it! No worries, I'll improvise”, I hear coming from the kitchen. Trust my man; he'll always manage to get a wine bottle open regardless if there’s a corkscrew or not! (if you need any tips on this for future reference, see: Open-a-Wine-Bottle-Without-a-Corkscrew). 

After our early evening drinks it was time to grab a quick bite of food before heading out. Thankfully the Arlington Hotel was nearby, which provided some fuel for us hungry fetishists, washed down with a must have pint of Guinness. Returning to our apartment, it was decision time on what leather gear to wear. 

As one piece came off, another went on. Mmmm, still not sure. Eventually, agreement was reached - I'll wear the chaps (plus jeans), harness, shirt, waistcoat and biker jacket; you should wear the breeches, Sam Browne belt and the other biker jacket. Let’s bring our Muir caps, too, we thought. Walking out of the apartment, as dusk was approaching, the passersby in the street took a second look. Yep, it’s two leathermen hitting Dublin town for the night!

Arriving at GEAR Ireland after only a 5 minute walk in full gear, we decided that it was too hot in the venue to keep all our leathers on – it was time to strip off! After bumping into some old friends from previous nights out in Dublin, we eventually got to the cloakroom. And boy was it filled with bags from all the guys already in the club that had changed on arrival. The number of bags on show is always a good sign that it’s going to be a good night!

It was lovely to meet one of the event organisers at the cloakroom that I had conversed with many times online about promoting the night on the run up to the event. He made us feel very welcome. He even had a little helper to remove my boots, so I could take off my jeans, and remain in my chaps. He was a very serviceable young guy, indeed, helping me to put my boots back on again.

As the night progressed, it was fantastic to catch up with lots of our fetish friends there from all across the island of Ireland. It was great to meet many of the guys we chatted to online before going to GEAR Ireland…and looking even sexier in reality in their leathers! Gear does bring out the best in guys! All that yakking makes a leatheman very thirsty. With the bar being very busy, and on waiting to be served, it gave me ample opportunity for more yakking with guys, exchanging compliments on each other’s gear and sharing stories of kinky play.

While at the bar, one sexy leatherman caught my eye. His harness wrapped around his shoulders accentuating his furry chest, as did his chaps around his lower region. Grrr! It was only polite to introduce myself and compliment a fellow leatherman on his appearance. It is always enjoyable to click with another guy into gear that shares my passion for leather.

With drinks in hand, it was time to return to our friends in the smoking area. The ‘craic’ was mighty, laughter abound. Mobile numbers were swapped and random photos were taken. Then the atmosphere began to become charged with excitement and sexual chemistry, with guys exchanging eye contact and the odd feel and grope as a hottie walked by. At different times, there were even a couple of guys with floggers, who didn't hesitate flogging the exposed arses on show – mine included!

Another fully clad leatherman stood out from the crowd that I had been meaning to speak with all night. His off-duty leather clad police officer like appearance, and masculine and friendly demeanour, drew my attention, just as it did at the BLUFDublin Social last year. We had chatted online many times before, but it was exhilarating to have a more intimate conversation face to face. He is definitely a leatherman I hope to learn many things from. I am hoping he can help me on my journey through leatherland.

Being in the company of likeminded guys that get a similar kick from kink generates a warm sense of camaraderie. However, as the bouncers called for 3:00am close, we had to pile out onto the street. It was time to say farewell to old and new friends, and take stock of what to do next, now that our first successful GEAR Ireland event had just ended. Let’s just say, the chemistry from earlier inside kept eyes interlocking as guys gathered on the pavement outside the club. The leather night was still young; it was time to bring the sexual chemistry back with us to continue the party in our Dublin residence for the night!

I have to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate the organisers of GEAR Ireland for all their hard work and planning. It was a brilliant night, and long may it continue. The next GEAR Ireland event is on Saturday 8^th June 2013. Make sure you're geared up and raring to go! 

GEAR Ireland - launching Saturday 11th May 2013

Brizzle’s the best in the west!

Indulging in memories of a visit to Bristol with my partner brought a huge smile to my face. Even though it was a short stopover, it left an indelible impression on me. It was a Sunday evening towards the end of the summer, during our road trip around England, that we reached bustling ‘Brizzle’. We arrived later than planned, but we had time to get "ship-shape and Bristol fashion!"

In the weeks running up to our road trip  and visiting Bristol, I made contact with some of the leather and BLUF guys from LeatherWest and BLUF@Bristol. The responses were filled with enthusiasm. Straight away, BLUF SBerg started to round up the leather troops for the Bank Holiday weekend. Given the short stay in Bristol, to meet our fellow leather brothers, my partner and I wanted reasonably priced accommodation near The Den bar, where we had arranged to meet. The Den is a men-only fetish bar, which ideally offers budget accommodation over the bar - named ‘The Den Rooms’. It was ideal, with reasonable rates, satisfactory facilities that couldn't be any closer to The Den bar! The alleyway at the side of the bar, with its concrete walls, metal gates and industrial spiral steel staircase, brings you up to the roof terrace and access to The Den Rooms – and is a very masculine entrance space for any leatherman that knows just how this kind of background goes well with leather!

After the enjoyable pleasure that is buffing up one’s gear and adorning oneself with layers of leather, it was time to make our way down to The Den bar to catch up with our Brizzle brothers. With a couple of knocks on the door, we enter. The bar was starting to get busy, with a mixture of fetishists: skinheads, rubber guys, and of course, leathermen! Heading straight to the bar to order our first drink, my partner and I recognised a familiar accent. The bar man was from Northern Ireland – typical, us ‘Norn Irish’ are everywhere! As Norn Irish men do, we got chatting and had a bit of ‘craic’ (banter) as we call it.

From the online exchange before arriving in Bristol, it was easy to spot our BLUF brother, SBerg, who warmly welcomed us to the city – and the Den – and introduced us to his leather comrades. The drink was flowing and the ‘craic’ was good. We decided to grab a pew in the heated smoking area out the back. While sharing our stories from our recent road trip, and hearing from the Brizzle boys about how the leather community is going from strength to strength, I didn't notice the bar filling up with loads of guys, especially on a Sunday night – but after all, it was a Bank Holiday weekend. Happy days!

Everyone was very friendly and the atmosphere was relaxed, but beginning to fill with excitement as the bar packed out with leathermen, muscle bears, rubber guys and eager subs.  We were very lucky to be seated around a picnic bench with views into the bar area, and the opening of the darkroom! As the night progressed, things were getting hotter by the minute. Eye contact and body language was getting stronger, more intense, and fun and frolics was being sought. The views of hot guys indulging in passionate intimacy and kinky copulation from ‘the bench’ got my blood pumping. It reminded me of how leatherfolk embrace such socio-sexual spaces as a way of expressing their sexual freedom. Such bars are essential for us to express our sexual identity in a safe and friendly environment.

Our conversation, at the bench, gradually turned to the joys of nipple play and tit toys. It isn't only on a topic I enjoy talking about, if you know what I mean (*wink wink, nudge nudge*)! One of the Bristol brothers reflected on the joys of nipple suckers (caps) and how one can improvise without purchasing the expensive ones we all (probably) know about being sold in fetish stores. The ‘improvised ones’ can be found in all good hardware stores. (However, I still never remember to visit those stores to acquire this toy! And I call myself a fetishist leatherman – tut tut!) During our tête-à-tête, a fellow brizzle muscle (leather) bear ‘D’ produced his metal clover clamps. Well, my eyes opened, as did my leather shirt!

It was only appropriate to try the clover clamps, given the heated conversation. The intensity and pleasure generated from the clamps slowly pressing on my nipples was immense. The atmosphere was sexually charged. My fellow pleasure seeker, muscle bear ‘D’, removed one of the clamps and placed it on his nipple, allowing us to tug against each other. Eye contact was powerful around the bench. It was time to take this to the next level.

Our group made our way into the bar to the dark room. Dimly lit, my eyes gradually adjusted to the surroundings. The room was heated with the presence of men. The pleasure continued, all over my body, not just my nipples. Fantasies were coming reality. The sound of leather creaking and the sensation of other men’s leather rubbing against me was exhilarating. The Den was truly rocking, with the hum of moans and groans from pleasure seekers.  

Afterwards, we returned to ‘the bench’ to finish our drinks and natter some more. However, the night wasn't over. Round two would follow, via the concrete alleyway, and metal staircase, in our room, above The Den. It was a pure delight to share such leathersex with my brizzle brothers.

I have such fond memories from that night. As I said at the beginning, recalling these memories always brings a huge smile to the face. You guys, and you know who you are, will have to visit us Irish leather guys…so we can return the favour (and pleasure)!

My thoughts on Leatherman Protocols

After reading Weal’s (2010) The Leatherman’s Protocol Handbook, and the many reviews of it online, it has encouraged me think more about how leather was appropriated by the gay community, how the gay leather community per se is evolving and what role protocols have in our contemporary leather play and lifestyle.

While I am not going to provide a critical review of the book’s substance and its literary style/composition – as many other, more ‘well established’, leather brothers have done this already, as well as Weal responding to the widespread criticism see:
 NWleathersir2012's blog; John Weal's rebuttal on Leatherati; John Weal's response on Leatherati – what I will do is share my thoughts on how the book resonates with me as a young leatherman starting my journey into the world of leathersex, DBSM and role play.

It was interesting to discover Weal’s personal account, told via others, of how the gay leather scene developed after World War II. It does seem plausible that the “Old Guard” protocols, which provided the three “S’s” of leather life (Structure, Strictness, Stability) that Weal outlines, evolved from the many gay soldiers that returned from the war, especially given that they had to follow rigid rules and structures day in, day out. While many of us today probably haven't experienced such formality during our formative years, the three S’s point to a leather play framework that resonates with me – and which comes naturally to me during play sessions in leather whichever position/role I assume. Having a protocol framework like Weal writes about can help govern how both (or multiple) partners act and behaviour in a particular play session. Weal notes how, in his experience, these protocols extend beyond play sessions and are strictly adhered to in the wider relationship and interactions between a submissive and dominant. This works in some relationships, no doubt, as some guys like to adopt a submissive or more dominant lifestyle 24/7. However, I do wonder if this is widely applicable in contemporary relationships, given the decline of the “Old Guard” practice and the competing demands and complexities of modern life. For me, adopting the widespread application of such protocols into my relationship and around our daily routines and customs would be difficult. In fact, my preference is to savour the pleasure generated by applying such protocols and deploying certain behaviours for play sessions, which alters the ‘normal’ dynamics that exists in our relationship, outside our play sessions.  

A core aspect connected with such protocols (and linked power exchanges) for leathermen, and their ‘leathersex’ is the inclusion of leather, of course! Personally, it is an expression of masculinity. I find the concept of leather sensual and enjoy the imagery of leathermen. My sexual preference is to partake in leathersex that encompasses the essence of what Weal describes as “Structure, Strictness and Stability.” To me, it provides some basic protocols that offer guidance to leathermen participating in role play scenes that have been agreed beforehand, or which is presented in an initial exchange at a fetish sex bar/club.

Weal’s book does provide me with some useful insights into the early gay leather lifestyle, however subjective it might be presented in his publication. I feel the criticism surrounding his book is unjust because after all it is a personal description of his leather experience, and that shouldn't be diminished by others that don't agree with its veracity. Everyone’s engagement in the leather fetish scene is subjective and personal – that what makes it so special, so exhilarating, so enjoyable, so rewarding, because it is created by you and the others that you allow to join you in it. 

My Leather Identity

Well...where do I start? It appears more difficult than I thought to write my first blog post, particularly as the focus of this blog is to share my thoughts, reflections and fantasies as a young leatherman living in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Being a leatherman, in a wonderful relationship with a fellow leatherman has enabled me to explore my leather fetish and lifestyle. The last few years has been filled with many leather attired sessions, nights out and visits to fetish clubs. Many years ago, before 'coming out' and in a hetrosexual relationship, I could not have imagined how much pleasure, and completeness, leather would bring to my life as a gay man. Don't get me wrong, I always was aware, even a young teenager, that I liked leather, but I never thought my passion for leather would grow into a fetish that would arouse such strong feelings in me while wearing it, and seeing other guys wearing it.

Finding the courage to accept that I was gay was very tough, given my catholic background and not knowing any gay men in my family or town (well, that were openly gay, anyway, when I reflect back on growing up). Telling my family, and my female partner, was very difficult, but there came a point in my life, in my mid 20s, that it felt right to tell the people I loved that I could not continue to hide my gay feelings. I had built up so many scenarios in my mind of rejection and fear I had convinced myself that I would be hated and jilted by those that I cared so much about. I couldn't have been more wrong. While my female partner was totally devastated by my revelation, as only expected, she gradually grow to accept it and eventually we did manage to rebuild a friendship. On the other hand, my family and friends were truly wonderful and very supportive; something I never thought possible, given the mental scenarios I had generated in the months prior to coming out. Everyone was so accepting of me being gay and I couldn't have asked for a better response.

After 'coming out', I felt more content within myself and was on a high, so to speak. Within a very short space of time, I met my first partner that was very kind and supportive, having gone through a similar experience himself when coming out years before. It was a new world for me, one that was exciting, so much fun, but also one that was challenging. Challenging in the sense of finding out more about myself as a gay man, and what the gay community entails, given that I had not encountered any of this before. After a few 'bumpy' starts, I managed to reconcile my 'old' life with my 'new', gay one. What I realised was that each and every one of us, whether gay or straight, has multiple identities - 'gay' is only one part of who I am. I have other identities: I am a son; I am a partner; I am part of a community of practice, which involves my profession and includes my work colleagues; I am part of other communities of interests, from my various circles of friends, that varies from straight mates that enjoy the 'craic' (as we say in Northern Ireland) over a pint, to my girl friends that are party animals, to other friends that are more 'culture vultures', to my leather brothers that share my leather passion. Like most of us nowadays, our identities are more plural and fluid, evolving and blending, to some extent, to form who each of us are. We shape our own identity, but our identities influence us, too - it's a cyclical process.

Appreciating this has allowed me to navigate through life in recent years and understand that I am part of many 'communities' that make up contemporary society and these shape who I am. Now more content with who I am, and returning to the focus of my blog, I can happily declare myself as a very proud leatherman, a member (#1093) of BLUF, and part of the global leather brotherhood. Reading more about the gay leather community and personally experiencing it has reaffirmed my passion for all things leather. My leather journey is only beginning!

There will be more reflections (and possibly fantasies) from my life in leather in future posts, but for now I will draw this post to a close. Hopefully this blog will become more interactive, with other leathermen commenting on posts, and following, or linking with my blog (if that's the correct terminology...as I'm a virgin blogger!), as there is nothing more exciting for me as a leatherman to meet, chat and share my experiences with other leathermen. If fellow leathermen bloggers have any tips or advice on enhancing my blog, please feel free to contact me - I would appreciate your help.

Leathercolt x