The WORST Thing About Condoms — and How One Company Aims to Revolutionize It
Condoms’ limited size options in the past have given way to a new business opportunity: the custom-fit condom in 60 sizes, 10 lengths and nine circumferences.
We all know how important condoms are for safe sex, but they haven't always been comfortable to wear — until now. Thanks to a new line of condoms from Boston-based company Global Protection Corp., men now have the option to choose a condom that is custom-made to fit them.
The myONE Perfect Fit condom line has 60 sizes, with various combinations of 10 lengths and nine circumferences, reports The New York Times. So, in other words, there really is something for everyone. Hallelujah!
The condoms range from 4.9 to 9.4 inches in length, with circumferences of 3.5 to 5 inches. To find one's perfect fit, the company provides a "FitKit" with a printable measuring tool, designating sizes by random letters and numbers rather than by inches.
The company then provides a free sample to ensure the condom is a perfect fit, and customers can either make one-time purchases or set up a monthly subscription (all orders arrive in discreet packaging, the company assures). The condoms cost 66 cents each when ordered in a pack of 24; the cost is $1.66 each in a single six-pack.
The concept could be a game changer in boosting condom use — a recent federal study found that only a third of American men use condoms and that past complaints have generally been related to the fit. Yikes.
According to the Times, the standard condom size has been at least 6.69 inches long, even though studies determined the average erect penis to be an inch shorter — which is obviously going to cause issues when it comes to how comfortable the condom is.
"The idea was it had to be long enough to fit most men, and excess length could just be rolled," Debby Herbenick, a sexual health expert at Indiana University, told the Times. In Herbenick's study of 1,661 American men, the average penis length was 5.57 inches, with 83 percent of participants having shorter penis lengths than the standard condom size.
Even though the excess latex can be rolled, men have complained that condoms slip off and that larger condoms sometimes become too tight due to the bunching of latex at the bottom, notes the Times. Ouch.
Custom condoms first appeared in Europe in 2011, manufactured by the company TheyFit. Global Protection acquired TheyFit, but it has taken years of working with the FDA and other public health organizations to launch the product in the U.S. This is due to strict testing standards, ensuring the condoms won't leak when filled with water or break when inflated.
Since Global Protection received the green light, the response has been promising: The company's president Davin Wedel told the Times they've already received orders for all 60 sizes within hours of launching. But he acknowledges there's still work to be done — mostly because "condoms have an enormous image problem," which they're hoping to change as they continue working closely with public health organizations.
So now there is absolutely no excuse for not practicing safe sex. And if for whatever reason you aren't having sex right now, here's how to get the benefits either way.
What Do YOU Think?
What's your take on condoms? Have you tried or will you try this custom-fit brand? Do you think a custom-fit option will bolster condom use? Tell us in the comments!