Site Name: Cropped Leather
Web Address: www.croppedleather.co.uk

Review:
We don’t see a lot of personal website here at DarkPost. The big corps seem to be invading everything, even our porn. Next thing you know Wal-Mart will be starting a porn house … can you even imagine!? Yet, it’s fun to have a look around when these small indy sites pop up. Who doesn’t love homemade porn? Actually that’s the great thing about some of these personal websites-they’re not perfect and thus have a real homemade sense to them. (That’s the same reason homemade apple pie is so good!)

Cropped Leather is a UK site that is light on porn but chock full of information. Now I don’t know how I feel about just taking information from strangers for granted, but much of it is cited from other sources so I feel a bit better about it. Firstly, the porn is pretty non-existent, “cropped”-short you could even say. The owner has a leather fetish so there are several images of him in leather gear and in his dungeon, etc. Yawn. None of them show anything more titillating than his moderately sized pecs. Strike out there! There is a lot of written information about him though, so if you’re looking for a new friend maybe you can really get to know each other, have a heart-to-heart or something. So not what I was looking for at 3AM though!

Like I said before though, the site contains some valuable information, which can be hard to find. The fisting section alone features a concise exert as well as updates from the seemingly experienced webmaster about the foundations of fisting. Things like a brief biology lesson, douching, and what goes where. So if you’re new to the scene, it would definitely be worth a read. However, if you’re an old pro, you’re probably not going to learn much here. You however, can have a laugh at the webmasters collection of dildos (and other contraptions) he’s managed to get up his ass. It’s like a dildo scrapbook! I thought this was the best part of the website because of its uniqueness, as well as its history.

Site Name: John’s Guide to London’s Leather, Bear & SM Scene
Web Address: www.paws.dircon.co.uk/London.htm

Review:
The first time I went to London I was fifteen. I stepped into that city, looked around, and was just awed by its metropolitan power. For a boy from the Midwest it was quite a culture shock. The first time I went to a gay club in London I was nineteen, and I think it really did change my life. It pushed me out of the closet like nothing else at the time could have. Being surrounded by gorgeous gay men, in a London superclub for the first time sort of makes everything else all right.

However, I really did have to rely on the kindness of strangers to get me through a few of my trips. Sometimes the Lonely Planet guide will only get you so far! I’ve just stumbled upon a great gay guide to London though, which will undoubtedly make your first trip that much easier. Plus, not only is John an expert on the gay scene, he’s an expert on the gay leather scene. Which I certainly don’t remember ANY mention of in Lonely Planet!

The page is just that, a page, so don’t go hoping for any fancy designs, but it was just updated earlier this month, so all suggested itineraries should still be pretty current. There are sections on basic things like transport and drugs in London clubs, as well as the typical tourist attractions and uber-gay gyms where you can be sure to find fun in the showers! John’s even gone all out to list all fine retailers that stock fetish gear and those that do private appointments for when you need the perfect fit and you’ve left your chaps at home. Web links are provided for all of them so you can have a look around at their services first.

The important stuff obviously though is where you’re going to go play! I’ll just tell you now John speaks very highly of The Hoist and The Backstreet but then lists dozens of other clubs that host fetish nights, so you’ll be hard pressed not finding something to do. Besides all this there’s information for you if you’re new on the leather scene and it’s your first time to a leather bar. (I think we all remember that experience!) This page makes a great beginner’s guide to leather in London if you’re planning a first trip or even need some refreshing. Now if we can just get some of these clubs dispersed to the rest of the world!