On June 26, 2024, I attended my first-ever rubber event. Not only was it my first rubber event, but it was also my first kink event in general. I had so much fun meeting new friends and longtime online friends.
In this blog post, I’ll describe what the event was like for me, how it went, and how it was wearing rubber in public for the first time.
Learning about the event and deciding to attend
I’ve always known about rubber events. I’ve watched online, seeing hundreds of photos and videos over the years of kinksters having fun at huge parties and conventions across Europe and in places in North America., like San Francisco, Vancouver, or Chicago. Despite knowing about these events and yearning to go one day, I had some challenges preventing me from doing so.
First, as many of you know, I don’t live alone. I keep my fetish a secret. I’m also single and don’t have many friends anymore. So, traveling for a rubber event would bring up many questions I don’t have good answers for. So, I never considered attending an event at this time.
That all changed in late May 2024, when I saw a post for the first Seattle Rubbermen meetup, slated for June 26. Would I finally be able to attend my first rubber event?
After the initial excitement at seeing this, my emotions turned to fear and anxiety. This would mean driving to Seattle, by myself, and having to find parking. It would mean seaking out of the house wearing rubber or finding somewhere to change. It would mean wearing rubber in public for the first time. If I had to park far from the bar, then I’d have to walk in rubber or bring it along in a backpack or something. What if people saw?
Thoughts like this crashed through my head. So, I did nothing at first. I’d also never been to any pride events, so I thought that would be a good first step (I won’t write a blog post about it, but I went to a small pride event in June).
After sharing about wanting to make connections at events and get out more, I chatted with a few locals who were already going or thinking about going. This convinced me that I should commit to attending and figure out the logistics as it got closer.
The logistics
First, I had to figure out how to wear rubber out of the house without anyone noticing. If the weather was too warm, I wouldn’t be able to wear full rubber (wouldn’t be worth dying), but that would also mean jeans and a jacket would be too warm, so it becomes harder to stealth rubber. I could have always found a place to change, but that was no guarantee.
All of my rubber was either long-sleeved or a tank top as well. A tank top would be fine, but I was feeling a bit self-conscious about wearing it or my surf suit singlet, even though I post photos of them. So, I ordered a new rubber t-shirt from Invincible Rubber for the event. But, that also got me thinking, what would I do with my phone, wallet, and keys? My rubber leggings or suits don’t have pockets, after all. I researched some rubber belts and satchels but they were all quite small and had long production times. I found a leather alternative from Mr-S-Leather that could fit my phone, wallet, and more strapped to the upper leg. Is it good for rubber to have leather strapped to it like that? Probably not. But, I don’t really care. It looks sick. With new items secure, I was ready for the event.
Second, since the event was a weekday, I had to make sure I could take time off that day and the next. Thankfully, I was able to without issue.
I had also made plans to meet up with someone before the event, which I was looking forward to.
Getting to the event
On the day of the event, the weather cooperated with gray skies and slightly cooler temperatures in the low ‘70s. This meant temps in the ‘60s while at the event. Perfect for wearing rubber under jeans and a jacket until I got there.
I left my house just after 3 p.m., thinking I’d have plenty of time to get there early and hang out before needing to go to the bar. Unfortunately, due to multiple crashes on the freeways, I was delayed into rush hour, which ended up making it a multi-hour ordeal. So, I wasn’t able to meet up beforehand.
I parked two blocks from the bar in a busy parking garage. This is where my nerves began to kick in. Here I was, standing behind my car, stripping my street clothes to reveal the black, shiny rubber underneath, trying not to get my bare feet or socks on the dirty garage floor. What would people think when I walked out to pay and then headed to the bar? It was pretty obvious I was wearing rubber leggings, but at least someone might mistake them for shiny leggings.
To my relief, while others looked at me, they didn’t stare much. Nobody made any comments, and I made the walk over the bar without incident. I believe that, for the most part, most people don’t care about what others are wearing or doing. Everyone is so focused on themselves that they don’t pay attention to what’s going on around them.
I arrived before anyone else, so I stood in the back waiting to see anyone else in rubber. I’d never been to a gay bar before this, so I felt out of place. The venue was cool. Like many bars, clubs, and music venues I’ve been to, the floors, walls, and ceilings were painted black. But, the ceiling had a sparkle to it. Instead of traditional ceiling lights everywhere, there were some neat lampposts with bulbs that imitated the orange glow of candles. The bar was one room and not very big, at least compared to normal bars I’ve been to, but it is apparently pretty big compared to other gay bars in the area.
While waiting, I started chatting with others who knew about the event taking place, including the owner of the bar. I wasn’t worried about nobody showing up, as I knew that at least three others would be there.
I didn’t have to wait long. Soon, others began to arrive, and we claimed a table in the back. I wasn’t sure how many to expect, but I had heard around 10. Spoiler: the turnout was much better than that.
The event
The event itself was incredible. Dozens of rubberists showed up, basically taking over the bar by the time night arrived. I had fun chatting with a small group, mostly those I’d already chatted with online. Unfortunately, my introvertedness held me back. I was too nervous to approach others, so I stayed in the same group for most of the night. Plus, I didn’t want to stay the entire time, since I still had to drive home.
It was great seeing all of these people in the Seattle area who are also into latex and rubber. It showed me that I’m not alone in the area, which is uplifting and encouraging. I wasn’t sure what the scene would be like here, but I had always suspected there were many of us.
I saw so many interesting outfits. Some attendees wore full black rubber catsuits with harnesses. Others wore rubber surf suits or tank tops with leggings or shorts. Many outfits had flashes of blue or pink. I even spotted a few pup masks and a furry. How wonderful to have a safe place where everyone could be themselves. I felt so freeing, to not have to hide what I was into.
I had a lot of fun. Because it was my first kink event, I had no expectations. I didn’t set out to start dating anyone or make any good friends (but let me tell you, the number of cute guys there was intimidating). I wanted to get out there and get a feel for things, to discover if events like this were my thing. I just chatted with others and enjoyed the conversations.
I was still feeling a bit of a high from it for about a week afterward because I haven’t had a lot of human interaction lately. I make most of my connections on social media, and I work from home, so I don’t get the chance to meet new people very often.
Although I didn’t talk to as many people as I wanted to, I’m proud of myself for actually going. I think it will become easier every time, and I can’t wait for the next event. And there WILL be a next time.
