Spunkinmyarse

Yes, some guys do wear knee-length socks, though it’s not common. It’s particularly handy if you are a smoker, as you can roll the top down and tuck a pack of cigarettes (or vape) underneath. Not relevant in the Vault, though- there’s no smoking area.

I just wear regular crew socks, but a double layer (ie: two on each foot) which creates a sort of ‘pocket’ between the two layers.

I have a similar wristband wallet that I can keep cash, lube and even a bank card in if I want. Generally, I put everything important (phone, wallet, keys, etc) away into the coat check along with my clothes when I strip, and just hold on to a bit of cash so I can buy a drink or two at the bar later- don’t forget you get one ‘free drink’ voucher when you pay the entrance fee. If I forget my wristband wallet, I just stuff this into my socks along with my poppers and a couple of sachets of lube, which are available for free in a couple of dispensers around the club. You can, I believe, leave your phone and wallet with the staff behind the bar for easy access later, though I’ve never done that myself. Poppers are available at the bar: £8 for a small bottle, £10 for a big one, and £12 for supposedly stronger ones. Be aware, especially if you are accustomed to similar bars in Barcelona, that there are NO douching facilities at the Vault. There are, however, four toilet cubicles: I make sure that I’m pretty much fully prepared for bottoming before I arrive at the club, and then just ‘refresh’ myself with a bulb douche in one of the toilets. I also end up stuffing the bulb douche into my socks so that I’ve got it on me later, just in case… So yeah, socks are a kind of important accessory at underwear/naked nights wherever you are- make sure you’re wearing a pair that fit snugly and have a good elasticated top so that things don’t fall out!

Bunker bar in Hoxton is the closest thing to the Vault, though it never seems to get as busy. SBN can be quite good, but is just a once-a-week thing on a Sunday afternoon. Underground club near King’s Cross is another, but it’s very much event-driven, with each night quite different from the next depending on the theme. Tbh, there aren’t a huge number of options available in London for this kind of play…

Ha- the same thing is always at the back of my mind when I visit Berlin these days, @NordicBtm! Like you, I was at Folsom 2024: bending over and getting fucked by multiple tops at parties like Horsefair, Biohazard and PIG is my ultimate thrill sex-wise, but I’m aware this puts me in the high risk zone as far as getting Hep C from fucking is concerned… Anyway, just had my tests done and they all came back clear, which is good- though I understand it can take months for Hep C to show up In your bloods. So really, all I can say for with any certainty is that I didn’t catch it at Folsom 2023 😅

Hey, looks like no-one else has stepped in to answer your questions yet, so I’ll give you my observations: 1. As far as I can recall, the piss grate is open and useable on naked nights- can’t remember there being huge crowds using it, but it’s not my fetish, so I’ve never given it much attention. 2. Lab does not have ‘private’ darkrooms- all fucking is pretty much visible to anyone and everyone. Some areas are darker than others. The main fuck zone consists of a dimly lit room full of padded fuck tables/platforms, where generally bottoms bend over and take whatever comes along, so it’s all fairly ‘anon’. There are of course lots of other areas kitted out with all manner of fuck furniture- including some (though not many) slings. For a ‘private’ fuck, the best you could do is find a darker, quieter corner somewhere. 3. Yes, you can take in your own lube, though a generic lube is provided in squeezy bottles dotted around the club. Your bag will be searched, but I don’t think they are looking for lube. The layout of the Lab (and the position of various bits of kit) does vary from time to time, depending how much of it they decide to open up. On busy occasions (Folsom, etc) as well as “Lab Dance” more areas are open than on regular naked nights. Hope you have fun!

Have you tried Sniffies?

I think the main difference between the two is that the Tiergarten cruising area around the ping pong tables is quite open and, as @AirmaxUK point out, it’s quite close to a well-lit main road. While you would think this would make it safer, it clearly lends itself more to “drive-by” harassment incidents like this one. The main cruising area in HH is quite far from the road, and is difficult to find unless you know it. Any gang of would-be harassers would have to park their car, make their way down a steep hill through trees and bushes in almost total darkness, and then have to run back up that hill in order to make their getaway. Plus there is often a police presence at HH- the Heath has its own police force, and I’ve sometimes seen their cars parked in the Jack Straw’s Castle car park. Contrary to what a lot of people think, they are not there to harass the cruisers (HH is a recognized PSE, so cruising is largely tolerated after dark)- but more to ‘preserve the peace’. I’ve always felt pretty safe on HH- but then again, everywhere feels safe until it isn’t. The only part of the Heath that gives me the heebie-jeebies these days is the walk down to the fuck tree, as no-one seems to go there anymore, and you do feel quite alone. If you are very unlucky, I think it’s much more likely that you’ll get into trouble with a lone-wolf type character on HH than a gang of homophobic troublemakers.

Cool- what a horrible experience, but glad to hear it hasn’t put you off your stride, @AirmaxUK One question- were there many other cruisers there? Or did you not really get that far? I’ve always felt there’s “safety in numbers” in these kind of situations (much like Hampstead Heath), but it sounds like I might be deluding myself a bit…

*once a month when they do bi night

I think it’s actually closed on Fridays, except once a month when they do no night. I just stayed in a cheap Travelodge off the M6…

So, I went to Cumunion at Northwich on Saturday. Although it was publicized on their website, there was nothing inside the sauna that gave any indication that it was Cumunion- but that didn’t seem to matter: I had an excellent time! There were about 130 guys there (according to the manager), but because the place is so huge, it didn’t feel particularly busy. However, everyone seemed up for play, and the vibe was good. There were two main areas of action for me at least, the steam-maze dark-room, and the upstairs cumdump room (this space has recently been refurbished, and the fuck bench has been divided into 5 ‘stalls’ where the cumdumps can bend over and present themselves to the tops lined up behind). Anyway, not only did I get lots and lots of fucks, I also got a fair number of loads… didn’t see a condom once. Needless to say, I came away very happy. I stayed overnight locally, and returned the next day. Well, what a contrast! Although it was actually busier in terms of numbers (150, I think), there was a lot less going on- guys just endlessly wandering around, or standing there just watching what little action there was. I don’t think it helped that it was ‘free lunch’ Sunday: my experience is that there is usually a lot less sex on days when there is any kind of free buffet- and that seems to hold true for all saunas. I can also report that condoms were very much more in evidence during the Sunday session. So, it really was a weekend of two halves. Honestly, on the Saturday it felt like I had “hot totty” scribbled on my back, whereas on Sunday that had been replaced with “fugly bastard”! Given that Saturdays are usually quieter than Sundays, I’m guessing that the fact it was Cumunion did make a difference. I’ve no idea what Tuesdays are like, Cumunion ir otherwise, though I’ve heard from a friend that they are pretty good.

Re-opened from what? The pandemic?? Yeah, it’s been open for years…

Hey, @TallAussieBtm- I was at the same event, but had quite a different experience. I had been a couple of times before, so knew it was important to get there early so that you can secure yourself a good position in the main room- not only that, but you have to know that you need to strip and check-in your clothes super quick, so that you can get back upstairs before all the good spots have been taken. Once you’ve ‘secured’ your spot with your hood, you can relax a bit and wander around, knowing that your spot should be safe… this is probably the reason you encountered hostility from bottoms prior to event starting- perhaps they thought you were after their prized position (and to be fair, if they had been queueing for over an hour before the doors opened just so they could get a good place you can’t really blame them 🤣). Anyway, I was on the main bed, and the first hour or so went pretty well for me- I wasn’t the first to get fucked, but I didn’t have to wait too long. Lots of fucks of various length, and not a lot of down time between them. But then I needed to pee, and so had to abandon my place, and ended up being led back into the second room where you were. It was much quieter in there, and I experienced exactly the same as you: short, sharp bursts of fucking, and then nothing for several minutes. The atmosphere just wasn’t the same either- much quieter, and I definitely felt I had been sidelined. So I kind of felt my way back to the main room, which I was able to do partly coz I knew my way around. This is kind of “cheating” a bit, but the hell with it, I wasn’t going to sacrifice my enjoyment of the evening for the sake of being a stickler for the rules. Once back in the main room, I couldn’t get a position back on the bed, but I found myself bent over a bench along one of the walls, and that worked out pretty well in the end- lots more fucking, and even some loads. So all in all, it was a good night for me- but that was partly because I’d done it before, so knew the drill beforehand. The Horsefair concept ticks all my boxes, and the fantasy is amazing! The reality can be almost as good, but it needs everything to line up perfectly for it really to work. There are so many variables that are beyond your control that can lead to a less-than-perfect outcome. Where you end up positioned is one, but there are others. Suddenly needing to go for a pee when things are in full flow; and God forbid you should have a “brown issue” and turn out not to be 100 percent clean (my worst fear lol). The tops that fuck you- some might wear condoms, some may just be bad fuckers, and some may spend just far too long in your hole while you crave others…(or worst of all, a condom-wearing bad fucker that monopolizes your hole for an hour 😱). But still, I would thoroughly recommend one of these parties to anyone who thinks they might enjoy it- after all, you only live once! (Btw, @TallAussieBtm- I was at Lab the night before too- I reckon I probably saw you getting fucked in that gyno chair- glad you enjoyed it!)

Thanks for that , @wh0rehole- we don’t have ABS in the UK, but if I know hom like I do, I’m sure he’d like to give it a try 😜