Frequently asked questions

In the rope community, and in all of the kink community, consent is one of the primary matters to consider and receive PRIOR to doing ANYTHING with ANYONE. Make no assumptions; do not touch anyone without their permission. If you receive a "Yes!" then you have consent. A "No!" means . . . NO! At Rope Burn, words like, "stop," "quit," "no," etc. are all taken very seriously. If anyone is saying these words we expect the Top to stop and respect the request of the bottom. Yelling "Safe Word" will bring all play to a stop while you are assited, and it should only be used if your top ignores requests to stop. Any violation of this will result in immediate ejection from the event.

This event is open to all male-identified, non-binary, and gender non-conforming persons regardless of skill level.

Shibari, also known as Kinbaku, is an art form using learned skills to perform sensual, dramatic, and erotic rope bondage. Traditional shibari has its origins in Japan. Shibari is a style of rope art, it is not the only style. We welcome all styles of rope artists!

StopGap is wheelchair accessible and ASL interpreters for the 101 class are available upon request. Please just send us a note via the contact section of the website.

Rope Burn SF was created to be a welcoming and relaxed environment where people can share rope skills and learn from one another. While the primary focus is on education and practice, we recognize that rope can also be expressive and playful. Participants are encouraged to explore in ways that feel right for them, while being mindful and respectful of others who may not be involved in their scene.

Having a partner is a great way to attend. However, some people do not have a partner or friend they can bring. Our pre-event meetup at Wicked Grounds from 6-7pm is a great place to meet people! We welcome everyone who comes, solo or partnered, and we can help you to find people to tie with for the first session. As with all things that come with adult responsibility, you will, however, have to work at finding partner(s) for future events. A great place to start is the Facebook group!

These events are private events and everyone who attends must sign waivers and rules forms, along with presenting a government-issued I.D. (used for age verification only) Nudity is allowed but not required. This ALWAYS a personal choice, so feel free to be as fully clothed or nude as you are comfortable with! If you do want to leave a little to the imagination, we recommend wearing tight-fitting clothes that are cool and comfortable -- something that you might wear to a yoga class, for example.

Beginning rope work (hands tied to the bed, etc) is generally very safe and sexy! Rope play, in general, is considered "edge play," which means you have the potential to be hurt. We will cover some of the safety aspects of rope through a handout when you come to the party and via the LEARN link on this website. We strive to create a safe and fun environment, but like in any other sport or activity we make no guarantees that it is safe to do rope work.

Each experience is unique to the individual, however, many tell us that it feels like a good hug or a massage. More advanced experiences can lead to ties that are beautifully decorative, painfully torturous, tightly bound, and/or put you in a creative predicament.

As you begin to tie you will find that your focus is on safety, proper execution, and placement. You may feel like you are going through a series of steps in order to achieve a particular outcome. Over time you will find that safety will ALWAYS be a concern, but you will be able to improve your flow and control.

Rope, safety shears, and yourself!

Yes, but ONLY with the consent of everyone in the photo/drawing (including the background). This goes along with our policy on consent.

Watching is an acceptable action during an event, provided you are not interrupting or disturbing (being inappropriate) others. Watching more experienced riggers can be a great way to learn!

Contact us and let us know!

We cannot publish the address publicly, but if you sign up for our mailing list, we will send it out there or if you purchase your ticket on Eventbrite. We host our events at StopGap SF, a local dungeon space located at 9th and Mission St (on mission street, right next to the hotel)

Rope Burn SF runs on community labor, creativity, and care. If you want to help, the best first step is to fill out our volunteer form so we know what you’re interested in and how you’d like to contribute. You do not need to be an expert rigger, performer, teacher, or longtime attendee to get involved. Some volunteer roles are public-facing, some are behind the scenes, and some only come up a few times a year.

We are always looking for help with event setup, cleanup, door/check-in, photography, class support, demos, street fair booths, social media/content, outreach, logistics, and general event operations. We also have standing committees focused on: Finance Marketing and Outreach Curriculum Event Operations Some roles require rope experience or prior relationship with the organizers, but many do not.