A strap on harness is a device which connects a dildo or vibrator to the wearer's body, normally holding it in a position similar to that of a man's penis. There are variations though which attach the dildo to various different parts of the wearer's body. A good harness should be sturdy yet comfortable to wear. They're sometimes designed to provide stimulation for the wearer too with an inner dildo attachment as well as an external one. There are many types available, some with built in dildos rather than having separate attachments.

Two strap Harness

A two strap harness, in its basic form, is similar to a g-string. One strap goes around the wearer's waist, while the other goes between the wearer's legs and connects to the other strap in the middle of the lower back. These tend to be cheaper to buy, but people find them uncomfortable because the strap tends to rub against the anus and other areas. Also they sometimes don't hold the dildo in place very well.

Three strap Harness

Three strap harnesses also fit around the wearer's waist, but instead of a strap between the legs, they have a strap around each thigh. This design leaves the genital and anus areas free, and attaches the dildo much more firmly, giving the wearer more control.

Dildos built into clothing

Dildos built into various items of underwear are also available. Some are designed to be worn underneath normal clothing for quick use. The advantage of these is the additional strength and sturdiness an item of clothing can provide compared to a few straps, as well as adding something extra to an erotic outfit.

Wearing dildos on other body parts

You'll find dildo attachments designed for mounting in other places, such as the thigh or arm. Another design attaches a dildo to the chin of the wearer, allowing vaginal penetration while performing oral sex. There are also gag style harnesses, where a gag is fitted over the wearer's mouth with a dildo protruding for stimulation of a partner. The variations are practically endless.

Using dildos with other objects

Harnesses are available for attaching dildos to many items of household furniture. A chair or bed for instance, or any other item of furniture. This allows for solo penetration, as well as being used by couples for 'double penetration'. One of the most popular and effective of these is the inflatable ball attachment also know as the 'rider ball'. This allows double penetration by the woman lying face down on the ball for vaginal penetration, while her partner penetrates her from the rear. These inflatable balls are very popular for solo use amongst women.

Harness construction

Harnesses are made from many different materials, and which to use depends on your choice of practicality and comfort.

Synthetic materials

Nylon webbing and soft synthetic leather are common materials which are relatively cheap, and very durable. Synthetic harnesses are easy to clean and require little maintenance. Some may even be machine washable.

Leather

Leather is more expensive but adds a touch of class. Good quality leather is comfortable and adjusts to the wearer's body while maintaining strength. It's is harder to keep clean though and requires more work to keep in good condition than other materials.

Plastic

Some harnesses are made with soft plastic, such as flexible vinyl. These are often available in unique colours, such as completely transparent, which is not possible with other materials. The downside is they're possibly less comfortable than other materials, and may be difficult to get a good fit, however they tend to be very easy to clean and reasonably hardwearing.

Latex, rubber and PVC

Latex harnesses usually cover the entire area, rather than just using straps. They tend to be medium-priced, and have a limited life span, especially if used with oil-based lubricants which can damage the material. Latex does need special care, such as having to use special cleaners to keep it from getting dry and dusty. Latex harnesses may have the dildo molded as part of the harness, and although may appear to be very convenient, they do tend to be floppy due to the flexibility of the latex. Similar harnesses are also available made of rubber or PVC. PVC tends to be much less flexible than the other materials.

Stimulation for the harness wearer

Stimulation for the wearer of a strap-on generally comes from pressure against the genital area, particularly the clitoris. But many designs have various features to increase the pleasure of the wearer.

Many harnesses have the genital area and anus open, either with an opening in the material to provide access, or from the design simply not having any straps that would cover it. This allows for the wearer to be penetrated while wearing the strap-on.

External stimulation

Built-in features

Some harnesses and attachments provide raised bumps or other features which will rub against the clitoris of a female wearer. These may be attached to the inside of the harness, or on the back of the base of the dildo. Harnesses that work with such dildos have to be open at the front for the base of the dildo to directly touch the woman's body. As better quality harnesses usually have padding or other means of attaching the dildo to the harness, this cannot be done, therefore this is usually only seen on lower quality dildo harnesses.

Vibrating attachments

Another means of providing fun for the wearer is a vibrating egg or bullet. There are also vibrating pads or other devices mounted on the inside of the strap-on to give stimulation. These devices provide stimulation to the clitoris, vulva, and other parts of the vaginal opening, but do not provide any penetrative stimulation or anal stimulation.

Internal stimulation

Double-ended attachments

Some harnesses have both an internal and external attachment built in. The main attachment for penetrating a partner, with a smaller vaginal attachment for the wearer too. This design has the main attachment at the right angle and position for thrusting, while its movement is transmitted directly to the internal vaginal plug and clitoris of the wearer.

Internal attachments

Internal attachments on harnesses will have one or two plugs (vaginal, anal, or both) on the inside, for penetration of the wearer. Harnesses made for men usually only come with the one anal plug, whilst those for women may come with both plugs. These can gave a great deal of pleasure to the woman wearing one.

Depending on the type of harness, different methods are used to connect internal plugs to the harness. A common type consists of an opening or rubber 'o' ring, with a cloth or leather back, similar to that used to hold the main dildo at the front. A dildo with a wide base is inserted through the ring, and inserted into the wearer then when the harness is put on. For Vac-u-Lock harnesses, one or two additional small plugs are mounted on the inside of the harness, allowing any suitable attachment to be connected to them. These generally come with two plugs, a smaller one for an anal dildo and a larger one for vaginal dildos.