What brand is best

The brand really doesn't matter. I mean, it would probably be a good idea to use a reputable brand like Durex or Trojan or LifeStyles (I use mostly Durex). But as long as it's made from a non-porous material like latex (or polyurethane if you or your partner are allergic to latex) you should be okay.

Assuming you're having anal sex, you should definitely use a lubricated condom, though also make sure to have plenty of extra lube available too.

Condoms can be fun (and they SHOULD be made fun) by the wide variety of different kinds available, from ribbed to multicolored to flavored, etc....but the important thing is just that you use one.

 

The brand really doesn't matter. EVERY single condom most pass the same quality control and they must be made to certain dimensions. A trojan condom and a generic one will have gone through the same process and should protect you the same amount.

But there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to condoms.

- Check the experitaion date
- Do not keep them in your wallet or somewhere that can get hot ( ex. your car)
- Use water or silicone based lube. Oil based lube will destroy the condom.
- Learn how to put a condom on and practice before you have sex! There are a lot of informational videos out there.
- Learn where and how to get free condoms if you don't have access to money. Planned parenthood and many health clinics will gladly give you a bag of brand condoms if you need them.

 

No condom can fully prevent the spread of STD's. If it say's that on the package, it's a lie. As for the flavored and ribbed one's I'm not an expert, but they should go through the same testing as normal condoms and should have the same level of protection.

 

Like the person above said, every single condom (aside from lamb skin) will protect against STIs and pregnancy.

The only thing is that you do not want to use a flavored condom for penetrative sex. Those are only for oral sex.

For anal sex you are going to want stick with regular lubricated condoms. After you have some experience with that then you can experiment with other kinds.

 

Ribbed, multicolored, flavored, etc. have no impact on the effectiveness of condoms. Whoever told you that was lying. Keep a wide variety of different kinds of 'fun' condoms to make condom use fun and make sure you use one. The only kind of condoms that won't prevent STDs are ones made of porous materials, like lambskin. Do not use those.

There is always a small risk of STDs even with condoms, in case it breaks or falls off or something, just keep that in mind and be careful with choosing sexual partners and talking about safe practices with them.

Use plenty of lube. As mentioned, do not use Vaseline or oil-based lubes. Use water-based lubes like ID-Glide or Wet or KY.

 

Consumer Reports does, or has done, condom studies. I've sat there at the bookstore reading them, for free, while drinking a cup of coffee. The other things, even if the condom is a good one, are that you have to watch the expiration date, keep it properly stored at room temperature (better than being kind of mangled in someone's wallet), and only using a water-based lubricant with it, as others have said.

 

LOL had to look this up, and yes they do have condom ratings but you have to search for it (not in a-z directory) and you have to be a member to see it (unlike me)

 

As I said earlier, overall the best brands are Durex, LifeStyles, and Trojan.

 

Condom sizes are also for girth (width), not length (They will always stretch long enough); I believe.

 

Look at #2 in the study. That's what I've kept on hand. They are cheaper than Trojan, yet even better. But then the box stale dated, because I never had a chance to use them. I won't go into detail!

 

Just reading through the information in the thread, it's all on the mark.

For someone who is new to sex, the major brands and simplest condoms are the best option for anal sex. The more "bells and whistles" in the description, the less effective it can be.

The major brands- Trojan, Lifestyles, Durex, etc are all dependable. Avoid condoms marked "extra sensitive" or "ribbed", etc. Definitely avoid any condom with spermicides (like nonoxynol-9) since these can be irritating to the anal lining. Most of the "plain vanilla" condom brands come with a receptacle tip which makes it a little easier to keep the semen in the condom when taking it off.

If you're new to all of this then go to the store and buy some condoms and practice putting them on. Some of the larger cities have condom specialty stores that have condom sampler packs that allow you to try different brands (you can also purchase these online, too).

 

If you have expired condoms, you can use them on sex toys if you have any, like a dildo. At least, that's what I use condoms that are past or near the expiration date for. Makes cleanup easy, but I feel guilty using non-expired condoms on a sex toy rather than real sex.

Of course you could also just use them to make water balloons or something.

But yeah, if they're expired, don't use them for actual sex, it's not worth the risk.

Is there a reason to avoid "extra sensitive" or "ribbed" condoms? "Sensitive" condoms ranked pretty highly on CR, I would think it's just a matter of personal preference whether one enjoys more sensitivity or ribbing.

 

What about Mates Condoms?

 

Mates is apparently only a British brand, so I can't comment it on personally...but just fyi everyone, if you're interested in a particular type of condom, if you put it into Google you can find reviews of the condom by real people on Amazon, pharmacy sites like Walgreens and Drugstore.com and on condom-specific sites like CondomDepot or UndercoverCondoms or Condomania.

Here's a bunch of reviews of Mates Skyn non-latex condoms, if you are allergic to latex: Amazon.co.uk: Customer Reviews: Mates Skyn Non Latex Condoms x12

You can also just go to Amazon.com or CondomDepot.com or UndercoverCondoms.com and search for a particular condom there. Or just browse the many different kinds there are and see which have good reviews.


For example, if you're interested in finding out about "Durex Extra Sensitive Condoms", you can search for it and find a bunch of reviews of it to read:
Durex Extra Sensitive Condoms | CondomDepot
Durex Extra Sensitive Condoms Reviews - Undercover Condoms
Durex Extra Sensitive Condoms - One Dozen - Condomania
Durex Lubricated Latex Condoms - Extra Sensitive | drugstore.com
Durex*Extra Sensitive Ultra Thin Premium Lubricated Latex Condoms | Walgreens
Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: 100 Durex Extra Sensitive Condoms
Durex Extra Sensitive Condoms - Walmart.com
Durex Extra Sensitive Lubricated Latex Condoms - Free Shipping

Though the condom-specific sites are probably better overall because some of the reviews on Amazon are poor ratings because a particular seller was sending them out-of-date condoms in poor packaging, so only pay attention to the ones that focus on the condom itself unless you're interested in actually buying some from a particular online seller. (I've bought condoms online in the past, but now I get them for free from my LGBT center, you can probably find a free source of condoms in your city)