Thin & Tight or Thick & Loose?

Do you prefer skintight latex or heavy rubber? They are each a staple of rubber fetishism, and indeed, both have many desirable merits. And while I doubt there is any rubberman that would flat-out deny the hotness of either, it's clear most of us have our preferences. Look at any rubberman's gear collection, including your own, and you'll probably see a bias.

Some guys prefer skintight latex, such as catsuits. They revel in the snug and supporting feeling of rubber hugging every curve of their body. As Bootbrush explained in his podcast interview, it moves with you, and feels like an extension of your body. It's a second skin that heightens every touch and caress. You feel protected, and yet, exposed, as the material conforms to every curve and bulge, leaving little to the imagination. The rubberman that you see is like you, but with a smooth, lustrous, latex body.

Other guys, including myself, lean towards heavy rubber; diving suits, hazmat, industrial rubber gear. We love the thick, restrictive feeling as the rubber encapsulates our bodies. The gear contains you, swallows you into the rubber gear itself; you are in it. Sensual touches are distant, yet subtle. You feel protected from the world, safe and secure in its rubbery embrace. You are transformed into a rubber creature, with a man hidden deep inside the shiny folds and ripples of thick rubber.

The reasons why we fall in love with particular pieces and types of gear show us the differences between the two, and also the similarities. Both give a sense of protection, and both are metamorphic. Both provide the same full-body, all-sensory experience of sight, sound, smell and taste. But a key difference to note is that skintight latex is made for fetishists. It's purpose is to feel sensual and look sexy. In that sense, getting into a rubber catsuit can be seen as inherently hyper-sexual. Heavy rubber, on the other hand, is generally made for safety, commercial or industrial purposes. It's the gear of hard working, tough, and often courageous (primarily) men. There must be a hyper-masculinity connection in there, somewhere. And the fact that we take this purpose-made gear, and the personae that it implies, and sexually pervert it, delights me to no end.

They each have they're own advantages. Skintight latex is a great way to show off every curve of your body. Your physique, whatever it may be, is highlighted in smooth, glossy rubber, and is a central part of your image. In contrast, heavy rubber can be seen as a great equalizer... it looks good on just about anyone. In this instance, the adage is true: the clothes make the man.

I'm generalizing, of course. With something so personal as a sexual fetish, there is always special meaning within everything. But, from experience and discussion, I believe my interpretation is fairly typical. Although, absolutely, skintight and heavy are not mutually exclusive. And anyone who loves layering will know that. And thin, loose rubber can be quite stimulating.

So, which do you prefer? Skintight or heavy? Or both, equally? If you had to choose...

Humbled, I salute you.

I just discovered Rubber Canuck's thoughts on some of the reviews regarding the weekend. Particularly, mine. His post is very enlightening, and I highly recommend you to read it. It offers a clear window into the side of Rubbout we don't often think about.

It's now almost 5 AM, and its been bugging me all night, so I'm going post this as soon as it's off my chest. Consider this an open letter.

I feel a bit guilty. And that's probably because I am guilty; of being ungrateful.

The review was hard for me to write, because I've always been a stalwart supporter of Rubbout, at least in so far as that I never really had anything but praise for it. I didn't pull any punches, and in retrospect, I somewhat regret it.

Obviously, for the enormous amount of time and hard work you, Rob, and Doug have put into Rubbout, my words must have felt like a slap in the face. To feel your work is unappreciated is never a good thing. It obviously bothered you, and that bothers me. That's not what I wanted. But, I made stupid assumptions, I spoke without knowing, and without consideration. For that, I sincerely apologize, to each of you.

I've always cherished Rubbout, and would be loathe to ever see it falter. My words were, indeed, harsh, but you were correct; I did mean well. I know that you can't please everyone, and so I should have been more understanding. Although, rather ironically, it seems that what you envision for the future of Rubbout is something I'd like to see. I'd like to help, if I can.

I know (more now, then ever) that organizing Rubbout is a massive undertaking, requiring great personal strength and sacrifice. I am humbled. And I salute you.

Again, thank you.

(I have edited the review.)

Rubbout 21 - After Action Report

Another Rubbout is over. I think I speak for all the attendees in saying that it comes too infrequently and is over too soon. That's what she said! Ohhh! Ahem. Sorry.

Actually, Rubbout 21 was longer than ones of the past. If you include the Thursday "Invasion" and the Monday dive expedition, the event was actually FIVE DAYS. That's pretty awesome. I shall relate that awesomeness to you, as well as the aspects that could have been better. Yes, Rubbout is still a work in progress.

This year, the theme was a sort of sci-fi/alien invasion. This seemed to be right up that alley of my roommate, Longshot, who dressed as Master Chief from the Halo video games for nearly the entire time.

Please note that this is an expression of my own experiences and opinions, and of some of the attendees that I spoke with at the event.

Regardless, a HUGE thank you to Rob, Reid (aka Rubbercanuck), and Doug M. (also Doug S.) for all their hard work. And, of course, thank you to the volunteers!

Thursday - Invasion Night


Rubber Invasion

The invasion of 1181 Davie Street.

The night started with a rendezvous at the Pumpjack Pub, a traditional Rubbout venue. The turnout was quite impressive, with a number of rubbered guys filling out the ranks of regular patrons. A group of guys, whom I shall now refer to as "the pups" were in attendance, displaying their usual playful personalities. After some time enjoying drinks and good conversation, the decision was made to commence the "invasion". Our first stop was a posh gay bar down Davie Street called 1181. It was certainly an interesting contrast, as the Pumpjack has a dark slightly industrial feel with brick, leather, and woodgrains. 1181, however, is all clean lines, glossy finishes, and contemporary designs. Everyone enjoyed a suitably pricey drink, pics were taken, and then it was off to the next venue.

The Oasis Ultra Lounge is more restauranty than either the Pumpjack or 1181. Arriving unannounced, our rubber army proved too much for the poor cook in the kitchen, when some of our group ordered food. The bar, similarly, was backed up for some time as they attempted to serve around 2 or 3 dozen of us. Walking down the street in a mass of rubber and costumes was an exhilarating experience.

Longshot aka Master Chief and Collector2 at the Oasis.

I'm not 100% sure if another bar was crashed afterwards, but as we waited for our food, the momentum seemed to be lost. Many of us called it a night, and retired back to the host hotel for more socializing and cocktails. One of my roommates, RbbrWizrd, took great pride in his mysterious cocktail, known as The Rubb. Although it was a big hit, we're all still in the dark as to the milky greenish-yellow mixer that was the focal point of the drink. And no, its not what you may be thinking. Seriously, that's just gross.

Ruff Party

After the Invasion, there was a bear/cub party. I did not attend, as I am neither a bear, nor especially interested in them. There was some discussion among our group, some of whom are bears, as to the validity of such an party at a rubber-oriented event. The party did not appear to be fetish oriented in any way, as far as I can tell. They are a sponsor, so one can hazard a guess as to how it came to be included on the official schedule. By one account, however, it was a fun night in its own right.



Friday - Rubber Night

Registration

Our room opted to stay in the hotel and host our own little cocktail party, instead of attending the early registration at the Pumpjack. The package can be picked up at the Meat & Greet later on, and consists of a goodie bag with lube, polish, various pamphlets and cards, and a RubberZone 30-day membership!

Meat & Greet

Longshot says Happy Easter!

Hosted at the Junction Pub, the Meat & Greet is a great way to catch up with old friends and meet up with new ones. This year, they played matchmaker and handed out playing cards to which you would seek out the duplicate and engage in conversation. My match was a drag queen from the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, who were there to support the event by selling raffle tickets. The conversation was pretty short, as drag isn't my thing, and I suspect that rubber wasn't high on his list either.

Rubber Party

After a while, we began to migrate back to the Pumpjack for the exclusive Mr. S Leather Rubber Party. I'm told that this is the first time that the Pumpjack has voluntarily closed its doors to the public. Suffice to say, rubber was in high abundance without the regular patrons in the mix. The music was very loud, but not too intense off the dance floor. And there was plenty of eye candy. In the back a few lucky devils were subjected to turns in a rubber sleepsack and a shrinkwrap bondage contraption. I met up with a few friends from the Seattle area, whom I hadn't even known were coming until the last minute. You know who you are!


Saturday - Fetish Night


Puppy Play Party

The Pups next door.

The Puppy Play Party, a hit last year, was hosted at the Junction. It was quite entertaining, featuring a Best in Show competition not unlike the Westminster Dog Show. Handlers allowed their pups to romp and roam on a large padded play area. Attendees enjoyed the cute antics of the rubber or leather pups, and were delighted and thrilled by some impressive puppy maneuvers. Puppies were graded on aspects such as ability to fight for a toy, "loping", and jumping though a hoop. They were also commanded to display their best tricks, which, amongst other things, included doing "the worm". A pup by the name of Roscoe won "Best New Puppy", and Gadget won "Best in Show". It was a great woofy way to spend the afternoon.

Slick: Invasion

Enjoying the night air.

Investigating a noise complaint.

Returning for a second time, this is a "Fetish-Fantasy Party", this time located at Performance Works on Granville Island. Initially, I was impressed. The event volunteers greeted us in a decontamination setting. Dressed in scrubs and surgical masks, they ushered us into an airlock to be polished. The night started off gradually, but quickly, the music became so incredibly loud that all you could do was dance. And I did dance, grinding my crotch into Master Chief's armored codpiece.*grin* But eventually, the noise became intolerable. I had talked to one of the organizers (I forget which one) beforehand and told him of that the previous dance had been criticized for the music volume, and, apparently, my advice was not heeded. Some of us sought refuge in the building's lobby, while others simply left. The organizers provided a shuttle bus service to and from the hotel, and, eventually, complimentary cab service for those that wanted to head out. I don't know how many chose to leave and how many were driven out. The gear levels were also disappointing, as many of the guys seemed to be wearing minimal latex. A few go-go boys in skimpy latex danced on stage (yawn) but otherwise not much happened. Talk of a rubber scene on stage did not appear to pan out. I did not stay the complete night, as the better prospect of vac rack bondage back at the hotel awaited me.

I honestly don't know who is in there...

Slick: Official After Party

This is another event that I had reservations about, and so chose not to attend. Hot steamy bathhouses are not conductive to rubber gear, and almost guarantees that anything you are wearing is taken off. If anyone did go to Steamworks after the dance, please let me know how it went.


Sunday - Recovery

Brunch

We returned to the Junction, this time for brunch. The food was decent and satisfying, consisting of standard breakfast fare including pancakes. The highlight was easily the much anticipated raffle draw. There was a healthy selection of prizes to be won. I am now the proud owner of a Violet Wand. Another of our group won a free massage, and my friends from Washington state won Rubberzone DVDs and some rubber gear.

Kegger

Pretty much just a normal get-together for beers. Rubber gear optional. Did not attend this year, but it's usually a non-affair. We opted to return to the hotel for more cocktails and conversations, and gear play.

Truckerdisco

Truthfully, I have no f-ing clue what this was. Even reading the Rubbout pamphlet doesn't really help. As far as I can tell, it's a dance. Again, without any rubber association. *Sigh*. Did. Not. Attend.

Monday - Dive Deep


Commercial Dive Excursion

Now that's how you collect clams.

Those boots are awesome.

Frogman friends! Smile for the camera!

 As a way to end Rubbout, this was just awesome! The attendance was comparatively tiny, 12, but they were all there because of their love for rubber and diving. Porteau Cove Provincial Park is absolutely beautiful fjord, with scenic mountains and shimmering water. Collector2 took the extraordinary step of bringing everything required to conduct a surface-supplied dive. We are talking majorly big and expensive equipment, which most people never see first-hand, never mind experience. The gear used in the dive was a red Viking HD and a black Gates ProAm, both with Kirby Morgan Superlites. As a lover of frogmen, I must say... uber-hotness. As of yet, I am not a certified diver, and therefore contented myself tending the umbilical lines and assisting the divers in suiting up. But just to be close to men in this kind of gear gave me an instant boner. Rubcop dived his custom black Aquala drysuit, which was a sight to see. I brought my own drysuit along with the intention of simply wearing it and perhaps testing it in the water. We dived until the tide began to threaten our position on shore, but had gotten six divers in the water by then. It was enlightening and exciting, and a great way to spend the day. We dubbed the event DiveOUT, with the intention of doing it again. Afterwards, our dive group met up for dinner and farewell cocktails.

Rubcop's black Aquala with mitts. *drool*

Closing Thoughts

It should be noted that Rubbout is under new management for the first time in years, and so a period of adjustment is completely understandable. Every event has hiccups and its ups and downs. Experience is an asset that previous organizers acquired during their tenure, and given time, the committee should find its comfort zone and greater success should follow. The bar has continually been raised from year to year, and you can only fly so high before you burn up in the sun.

(Edit: For the record, Doug, Reid, and Rob have been integral to the success of Rubbout for many years. They are fully capable and qualified in their roles. This was a factually inaccurate assumption on my part.)

The Mr. S. Leather Rubber Party was definitely enjoyable. Bill, aka RbbrWizrd, the founder of Rubbout, said it had a "European factory party" feel to it. I'm not entirely sure what that is, but it sounds good to me! The Invasion was good fun, as well. And as always, the people you meet and friends you make are well worth the price of admission.

The low point was definitely the Slick party. The music was too loud, and if its really a party, then there should be socializing. How do you socialize when you have to yell to be heard from a foot away? The dance suffered the same volume problem as last year. But it did not feature the really hot bondage and rubber scenes that had been a redeeming quality during the first Slick.

For the most part, I still had a great time, and I will most likely attend next year.

Another for the collection.

But not the kitchen sink.

I'm currently in the painstaking process of selecting my equipment, as it were. Rubbout is tomorrow, if you count the Thursday invasion. I'm probably not the only rubberguy out there still packing. Actually, I know for a fact!

So far, I've packed my tactical gear, which includes pads, vest, and BDU's should I decided to forgo outwardly visible rubber (for whatever reason). My standard outfit includes a gasmask, because, well, they're fucking awesome, and I love 'em. This year, I plan on combining it with a heavy rubber suit, either my Hydroglove or my military Viking. The basic idea is sort of a Hazmat SWAT unit. I got the necessary shoulder patches and everything. If ever there was a time to show off my military gear, it is this year.

Circa Rubbout 2010. This year with 142% more rubber.

As far as other gear goes, its all up in the air. My tighter fitting Hydroglove is my suit of choice for general rubbering, but I do have a few fetishy items that I like to bring out for special occasions. I'm currently waiting for a pair of rubber overalls and a shirt I ordered from E7 Gear. I'm hoping it arrives on Friday, so I can wear it over the weekend. My wardrobe is surprisingly sparse in the casual rubber department. Such is life for a heavy rubber addict!

Other gear I'm planning on bringing is my firefighter turnout gear, which was a hit in years past. This year, I'm thinking about bringing my SCBA. The tank is expired and I have no method of recharging it, even if I wanted to, so its basically a huge prop. Not really sure if the mass to hotness ratio is sufficient to warrant lugging it around. Although, let me tell you, it's pretty funny making people nervous walking around in full fire gear. Went into a Chevron gas station to buy a lottery ticket once, and the guy behind the counter gave me the most hilarious nervous look. My turnout gear is black with yellow reflective stripes; the same as Vancouver's fire department. Ironically, I chose black and yellow so that it wouldn't be the same colours as my own local fire department! Luckily, people don't seem to be as strict about being mistaken as a firefighter, as opposed to a cop (a big no-no).

Hopefully, I'll see some of you at Rubbout!

I love Halloween. Tragically, I didn't win best costume.