Since the famous appearance in Sex in the City, there's been an increased interest in owning a sex swing. In the last few years the prices have also drastically reduced and what was once a real luxury accessory can now be bought for no more than the cost of a good quality vibrator. This popularity has led to a large range of options so if you're thinking about buying one, take a few minutes to read our buyers guide for some unbiased tips on what to look out for when choosing your first swing.
When choosing a sex swing there are basically three options, the standard free hanging sex swing, the free hanging swing with a frame and a door jamb sex swing. All have their advantages and disadvantages...
This is the standard arrangement for sex swings where they are attached to either a ceiling joist or underneath a door frame. The door frame hanging option is generally easier to set up because you don't have to try to locate the ceiling joist to screw the fixing eye into but can be less fun because you don't have so much room to actually use the swing. The ceiling mounting is the best but can be difficult if you don't have a suitable ceiling.
There also the problem of a pretty large hook stuck in your ceiling or door and this apart from being somewhat difficult to explain if the kids come to visit, it doesn't look that attractive. A lot of people get around this by placing it discretely inside a light fitting but the best option we've found is a fake smoke detector we bought from Ebay. This simply attaches to any hook and covers it completely, you just pull it off to hang up your swing, replace it after use and nobody is any the wiser - brilliant!
The second option is a swing that comes with its own free standing frame thus avoiding any need to drill holes in the ceiling. This is extremely convenient in one sense as it is a total solution (and portable if you like to visit "swinging" friends!) but has the disadvantage of being rather expensive to buy. There are alternatives to the standard frames UK sex shops sell if you are a little creative - we know one couple who use their (now grown up) kids' old garden swing frame, it performs wonderfully, is as sturdy as the purpose built frames and if someone sees it stored in their garage there are no awkward questions to answer!
The last option is the door jamb type swing that clips over the top of the door and is wedged in place against the frame when you close the door. They're a relatively new addition to the sex swing market and were developed to make swing ownership easier, cheaper and help avoid having to drill holes in the ceiling. Although they do undoubtedly have some big plus points, we've tried out a couple of these swings and honestly can't recommend them because they really don't provide anything like a true sex swing experience.
The main problem is that you never hang freely and always feel like you are pinned to the door. Because of this you don't experience the true weightlessness that a free hanging sex swing provides and as this is one of the principal benefits of a swing, a lot of the advantages are lost. There is also the problem of accessibility and the partner not in the swing (usually the man) cannot really get to the woman very easily. When we tried this we were constantly hitting our knees, elbows and heads on the door which really ruined almost all the positions we tried.
There is also the issue of the strength and stability of the door. Given that most modern internal doors are thinly constructed, hollow and bonded inside only with cardboard, we wouldn't trust them at all. In addition there is the fear that if during love making you accidentally catch the door handle, the door could easily come open and this would mean an instant and painful plummet to the floor for the person in the swing.
To be completely honest, these models really don't deliver the experience most people are looking for when they buy a sex swing and we would encourage prospective buyers to take a look at one of the free hanging models instead. They are more expensive and a bit more work but once you find a joist it is really just a matter of drilling a hole and screwing in an eyelet.
