Start lower than you think
The most common first-device mistake is buying for the month you imagine rather than the month you will have. Security and comfort trade against each other, and a first October spent fighting an over-specified device teaches you nothing except that you dislike the device. The tiers below run from least to most constraining. Almost everyone should start in the first three.
Tier one — mental
No hardware. A stated commitment, held by your word and by whoever you told. It costs nothing, it fails softly, and it is the only tier that tells you cleanly whether you want the practice or the object. A first Locktober done honestly at this tier is worth more than a failed month in metal.
Tier two — soft silicone
Flexible, light, forgiving, quiet under clothes. Comfortable enough to sleep in from the first night for most people. It is not secure in any meaningful sense — it is a reminder you can feel, not a barrier — and silicone needs conscientious drying because it holds moisture against skin. As a first device it is close to ideal.
Tier three — basic plastic
Rigid, cheap, widely sized, and the standard first purchase for good reasons: you learn your ring size, discover how your skin behaves under a rigid device, and find out whether the whole idea survives contact with a working week. Expect it to be imperfect. Its job is to teach you what to buy next.
Tier four — metal
Heavier, cooler, more durable, and considerably less tolerant of a wrong ring. Weight changes everything about a night’s sleep and about a long walk. Metal is a second or third device, bought once you know your measurements from experience rather than from a chart. Cleaning is easier; consequences of poor fit are worse.
Tiers five and six — piercing-anchored
A Prince Albert piercing used as an anchor point, in plastic or metal. This is a different category of decision, not a further step along the same line: it involves a healed piercing, which is a months-long commitment made before October and never during it. Be clear-eyed here — no medical literature evaluates a piercing used as a device anchor. What exists is community practice, and it should be read as practice, not as recommendation.
Tier seven — secured belt with anchor
The most constraining arrangement, and the most demanding in fit, hygiene and cost. It belongs to people who have already spent seasons at lower tiers and know exactly what their skin tolerates.
The things nobody puts on the product page
No manufacturer publishes independent material certification, at any price point, including above a thousand euros. Sizing charts are approximations and second purchases are normal. Every rigid device requires daily inspection of every contact point and an unconditional ability to remove it — that is not a caveat, it is the condition under which the practice is defensible at all. Read when to unlock immediately before you order anything.
Maison Cage carries the practical range with the sizing detail written out honestly. If you would rather have the tier chosen with you than for you, Locktober 2026 includes an audit of the device before the month begins.