Condom Nation
     Condoms don't have to smell bad and feel like a rubber dishwashing glove, says my friend Lucero, whos a sexual-health educator. Shes absolutely right. As the march of technology has brought us bread machines and ever-faster computers, its also improved condoms. In a country with at least 40,000 new HIV infections a year and a million new herpes infections, only a fool wouldn't take advantage of these improvements.
     To help you explore condoms you may not have tried, we canvassed our friends (and their friends) and bolted the doors of the Mens Fitness test bedroom. We returned with six intriguing condoms and way more information about our friends' sexual habits than we wanted to know.

Six Sheaths
Crown Skin Less Skin (Okamoto): My pal Sofia raves about these. They're nicely lubricated, but not soupy. Women hate condoms with soupy lube, she says. From a male perspective, the Crown was easy to slip on, comfortable, and extremely sensitive. Better yet, testers who use Crowns regularly say they've never had one break. LifeStyles (Ansell): A friend lost his virginity with this and he's been a rabid partisan ever since. In general, condoms in the LifeStyles family are durable, fairly sensitive and readily available, yet they dont have the sensitivity of other brands. A solid but somewhat unexciting choice.
Kimono (Sagami): Some men are built differently than others: Eiffel Towers, Space Needles, fire hydrants. Kimonos are terrific condoms--smooth and sensitive, with just the right amount of lubricant. However, for some men they're just a bit tight around. Kiss of Mint (Ansell): Think caviar: Some people like the taste, some people dont. These minty wonders didn't do much for two testers, but they might be a boon for people who hate the taste of latex. In fact, the minty taste is actually a scent, but taste buds are easily tricked, especially in the heat of the moment. Smell aside, these are adequate, comfortable condoms minus the latexy aroma.
Magnum (Carter-Wallace): It may feel a bit self-aggrandizing to buy a condom called Magnum, but a good fit is crucial for condom reliability. The Magnum is about seven inches long, slightly more than two inches wide and slightly bigger than the Maxx, another popular large-size condom. If you have problems with fit, try them both. The Maxx has more head room.
Avanti (Durex): These high-tech polyurethane condoms are supposed to be thinner and stronger than latex, but they haven't yet been approved for HIV prevention by the FDA. They dont aggravate latex allergies and you can use nonwater-based lubricants with them. However, anecdotal reports from employees at Passion Flower, a sex boutique in Oakland, California, suggest that Avantis tend to break. When the manufacturer irons out the bugs, these should be great condoms. They're extremely thin and heat-conductive, but for now, says Passion Flower co-proprietor Louisa Daniels, Avanti isn't the answer to our prayers.
     Here's a tip for wily consumers: Buying prophylactics from a catalog or specialty store such as Passion Flower or Good Vibrations in the San Francisco Bay Area, and Condomania in Los Angeles, usually guarantees better selection and prices than at the local drugstore. All the condoms mentioned can be purchased over the phone from Passion Flower at 510-601-7750.

How to use a condom
You probably think you know how to use a condom. Everybody does. But condoms break, and according to Daniels, ninety-nine percent of condom breakage is caused by two things: lack of sufficient lubrication or not pinching out air at the top. So listen up--and stay safer.

• NEVER store a condom in your wallet. Sorry, stallion, but would you rely on something you've been sitting on for months?
• As you roll a condom onto your penis, ALWAYS pinch the air out of its tip, but leave a quarter-inch of space or so at the tip with nonreservoir-style condoms. An overly taut sheath is more likely to break.
• ALWAYS make sure the condom you choose fits snugly. If you place a drop or two of lubricant in the condom tip before rolling it on, be careful. Many books recommend this to improve sensation and reduce breakage, but too much lube and the condom could slip into the next county, leaving your jimmy lonely and vulnerable--and you and your partner at risk.
• NEVER use a petroleum-based lubricant, such as Vaseline, with a latex condom; it rots the rubber. Try a water-based lubricant like Liquid Silk or Astroglide, or use a polyurethane condom.
• After the deed is done, ALWAYS hold the base of the condom securely with one hand as you withdraw from your partner. Spillage could lead to pregnancy or STD transmission. Tie a knot in the condom and dispose of it in a wastepaper basket--no flushing.
• The most effective method for ensuring birth control is to ALWAYS supplement your condom with contraceptive lubricant or foam, preferably spiked with nonoxynol-9. Dont rely on lubricants for birth control, as they do not contain enough nonoxynol-9 to effectively kill sperm, though they are effective in helping prevent HIV transmission.

What if the condom breaks?
A woman should apply a foam spermicide immediately or within the hour. Dont douche--it only pushes the semen up into the cervix. If you aren't concerned about pregnancy, douching is OK. The man should wash with soap and water thoroughly, and if its not too painful, push a bit of softened soap into the urethra. It will burn a bit, but this helps eliminate STD-causing microorganisms.

--Kevin Foley

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