Durex vs Trojan: Which Condom is Best for You?

Durex and Trojan are the two names most people can bring to mind when they think about condoms, and the question of which one is better has been asked for decades.

There is a straight answer, and it is probably not the one you expected.

Quick Answer: Durex or Trojan?

Neither brand is safer than the other. Both meet the same testing standards, and the difference in real-world protection comes down to fit and correct use rather than the name on the box. The practical difference in the UK is availability: Durex is a British brand sold everywhere, while Trojan is American with very limited UK distribution. If you are buying in Britain, the realistic choice is between Durex and other UK-available brands rather than between Durex and Trojan. We stock Durex and do not stock Trojan, which is worth knowing as you read the rest of this.

What You'll Find in This Article

• Can you buy Trojan condoms in the UK?
• Durex vs Trojan at a glance
• The history of Durex
• The history of Trojan
• Are Trojan condoms better than Durex?
• Are Trojan condoms bigger than Durex?
• Thickness compared
• Trojan Extended Pleasure vs Durex Extended Pleasure
• Trojan Bareskin vs Durex thin condoms
• Ribbed and textured condoms compared
• What to buy if you wanted Trojan
• Getting the size right
• How to use a condom correctly
• What to do if a condom breaks
• Frequently asked questions

Can You Buy Trojan Condoms in the UK?

Not easily, and that is the practical heart of this comparison.

Trojan is an American brand, owned by Church & Dwight, and it dominates the US market. In Britain its distribution is patchy at best. You will not find it alongside Durex in most UK shops, and UK online sellers that do list it tend to carry a handful of lines rather than the range American buyers see.

We do not stock Trojan. That is a straightforward fact about what is on our shelves rather than a judgement about the brand, and you should factor it in when reading a comparison published by a shop that sells one of the two.

What it means in practice is that for a UK buyer, "Durex or Trojan" is usually the wrong question. The useful question is what you actually want from a condom, thinness, extra size, delay, texture, and which UK-available product delivers it. Trojan makes good condoms. So do several brands you can buy here today.

The rest of this article compares the two honestly, then points you at the equivalents you can actually get.

Durex vs Trojan at a Glance

Both brands are safe. Neither has a meaningful advantage on protection. Every condom legally sold in the UK is independently tested against ISO 4074 for latex or ISO 23409 for non-latex, and carries a CE, UKCA or BSI Kitemark to prove it.

The History of Durex

Durex began as the London Rubber Company, founded in 1915 by Lucian Alfred Jackson, initially importing condoms and barber supplies. The Durex name arrived in 1929, formed from durability, reliability and excellence.

The company was the first to introduce electronic testing of every individual condom, a process now required by the international standard, where each unit is passed over electrodes to detect any hole before it is packaged.

Durex is now owned by Reckitt and is the most widely sold condom brand in the UK. Browse the Durex collection.

The History of Trojan

Trojan was founded in 1916 by Merle Youngs, through the Youngs Rubber Corporation in New York. Youngs built the brand around quality control at a time when condoms were largely unregulated, and Trojan became the dominant American brand, a position it still holds.

The brand is now owned by Church & Dwight, and its range in the US is broader than anything sold under a single name in Britain, including the Magnum line for larger sizes and a range of textured and thin options.

Note that some sources credit the founding to Merle L. Heinrichs. That appears to be an error that has propagated across the web, including in an earlier version of this article. The Youngs Rubber Corporation attribution is the one supported by the company's own history.

Are Trojan Condoms Better Than Durex?

No, and neither is Durex better than Trojan. Both are long-established manufacturers producing condoms that meet the safety standards of their markets, and both are electronically tested.

What differs is the range and what is available to you. Trojan's US range is larger and includes polyurethane options that Durex does not make. Durex has a broader presence in the UK and a wider spread of sizes available here.

The variable that actually changes how well a condom protects you is not the brand at all. It is whether the condom fits, whether it is put on correctly, and whether the right lubricant is used with it. Our guide to the safest condoms covers the testing behind that.

Are Trojan Condoms Bigger Than Durex?

This is the question the brands are most often compared on, and the honest answer has two parts.

Standard condoms from both brands are similar. Trojan's regular lines sit around 52mm to 54mm nominal width, Durex's around 52mm to 56mm. In practice that is a difference you are unlikely to notice.

At the larger end, Trojan Magnum has the stronger reputation, and it earned it. Magnum is the best-known large condom in the world and it is genuinely wider than a standard condom. It is also the single biggest reason people search for Trojan in the UK.

Durex answers it with Durex Originals XL at 57mm nominal width and 215mm length, and XL Wide Fit lines at 60mm. Note that Durex does not make a product called Durex XXL, despite it being widely referenced online.

If you need genuinely wide rather than slightly wider, neither brand is where the UK market is strongest. Brands built specifically around sizing go considerably further: MY.SIZE is made in nine widths up to 69mm, and Mister Size works the same way. Our large condoms collection brings the wider options together.

Why Wearing the Correct Size Matters

A condom that is too loose can slip off during sex, which removes the protection entirely. One that is too tight is overstretched, more likely to split, and more likely to roll down.

Condoms are sold by nominal width, which is the flat width of the condom laid out, roughly half the circumference of an erect penis. If condoms have always felt uncomfortable or unreliable for you, width is almost certainly the reason rather than the brand. Our condom size guide explains how to measure.

Thickness Compared

Thickness is where the marketing gets loudest and the differences get smallest. Here are the verified specifications for the Durex range we stock.

For context, Trojan Bareskin is marketed as around 20% thinner than a standard Trojan latex condom, and Trojan's polyurethane Supra line is thinner again.

The gap between a "standard" and an "ultra thin" condom across the whole market is roughly 0.02mm to 0.03mm. Whether you notice that is genuinely personal, and it is worth knowing that thickness is not the only thing affecting sensation. Fit and lubrication both matter more than most people expect.

An earlier version of this article stated that Durex Extended Pleasure condoms are "56mm thick" and Trojan Extended Pleasure "54mm thick". Those are nominal widths, not thicknesses. A 56mm-thick condom would be about the depth of a house brick. The figures above are the correct ones.

Trojan Extended Pleasure vs Durex Extended Pleasure

Both are delay condoms, and both work the same way: a mild anaesthetic on the inside of the condom reduces sensation slightly to help extend the time before ejaculation.

Durex Extended Pleasure uses benzocaine and is 0.07mm thick at 56mm nominal width. Trojan Extended Pleasure uses benzocaine in its lubricant as well. Published percentages for the benzocaine concentration vary between sources and we have not been able to verify them from either manufacturer, so we are not quoting them here.

Two practical notes. Delay condoms suit some people and not others, and the effect is gentler and more gradual than a delay spray. And benzocaine can transfer to a partner, which some people find reduces their sensation too, so it is worth being aware of before you buy a large pack.

Durex Extended Pleasure is currently out of stock with us. The delay condoms collection has the alternatives, including EXS Delay Endurance, which uses lidocaine rather than benzocaine.

Trojan Bareskin vs Durex Thin Condoms

Trojan Bareskin is the brand's thin latex line, marketed as around 20% thinner than a standard Trojan condom. It has a strong reputation and it deserves it.

The Durex equivalent people usually name is Durex Invisible. That line is not one we currently carry, and Durex has restructured its thin range in the UK. The closest current equivalents are Durex Thin Feel at 0.055mm and Durex Nude at 0.05mm.

If thinness is the priority and you are not tied to Durex, the ultra-thin condoms collection goes thinner still. EXS Air Thin is around 0.045mm, and non-latex options reach approximately 0.01mm, which is thinner than any latex condom on the market.

An earlier version of this article described Bareskin as both "40% thinner" and "20% thinner" in different sections. The 20% figure is the one the manufacturer uses.

Ribbed and Textured Condoms Compared

Trojan makes several ribbed lines, including Magnum Ribbed, which combines the wider fit with texture. Durex makes Pleasure Me Ribbed and Dotted, which has both ribs and raised dots rather than ribs alone, and Durex Intense, which adds a stimulating gel.

Textures are moulded into the latex during manufacture rather than added afterwards, so they do not affect the condom's strength or its safety profile. Whether you notice them varies a great deal between people.

Browse the ribbed and dotted range for the wider selection.

What to Buy if You Wanted Trojan

If a specific Trojan product brought you here, these are the closest things you can buy in the UK.

If you wanted Trojan Magnum, you want a wider nominal width. Durex Originals XL at 57mm is the closest Durex option. For genuinely wide, MY.SIZE goes to 69mm and EXS Magnum and Grande are both 60mm. See large condoms.

If you wanted Trojan Bareskin, you want thin latex. Durex Thin Feel at 0.055mm, or EXS Air Thin at around 0.045mm from the ultra-thin collection.

If you wanted Trojan Supra, you want non-latex. Trojan's polyurethane line has no direct Durex equivalent stocked here, but the non-latex collection covers both polyisoprene, including SKYN, and polyurethane.

If you wanted Trojan Extended Pleasure, see the delay condoms collection.

If you wanted Magnum Ribbed, a wide fit with texture, EXS Ribbed and Dotted is made in a Magnum width. Start with large condoms and filter by texture.

Getting the Size Right

Whichever brand you settle on, width matters more than anything else on the box.

Measure the circumference of your erect penis at its widest point, then halve it. That gives you your approximate nominal width in millimetres. A 110mm girth points to roughly a 55mm condom.

Standard sits at 52mm to 56mm. Below that you want a snug fit, above it a large. If you are between two sizes, try the smaller first and move up if it feels tight or leaves marks.

Our guide to condom sizing covers the measuring properly, and what girth size means explains the conversion.

How to Use a Condom Correctly

Brand choice matters far less than this does. Perfect use gives around 98% effectiveness against pregnancy. Typical use gives roughly 85%, and the gap is almost entirely made up of the following.

1. Check the expiry date and that the foil is sealed and slightly inflated 2. Open the wrapper carefully at the marked edge. No teeth, no scissors 3. Put it on before any genital contact, not partway through 4. Pinch the tip to expel air, then unroll it fully to the base 5. Use water-based or silicone-based lubricant. Oil-based products degrade latex and polyisoprene within minutes 6. Hold the base while withdrawing, and do it while still erect 7. Wrap it and bin it. Never flush it, never reuse it, and never wear two at once

Our guides to putting on a condom, expiry dates and storage cover each of these in more detail.

What to Do if a Condom Breaks

It happens, and what you do next matters more than which brand it was.

For pregnancy risk. Emergency contraception is most effective the sooner it is taken. It is available free from sexual health clinics, GP surgeries and many pharmacies, and to buy from pharmacies. Taken promptly it prevents the large majority of unplanned pregnancies, and effectiveness falls with every day of delay.

For STI risk. Get tested. Most STIs produce no symptoms at all, so waiting to feel unwell is not a strategy. Testing timings vary by infection, so a sexual health clinic will advise when to test. If there is a possible HIV exposure, PEP needs to be started within 72 hours and ideally much sooner, so that is an urgent same-day conversation with a clinic or A&E.

Then work out why. A breakage is usually a fit problem, an oil-based lubricant, an expired condom, or not enough lubrication. It is rarely the brand. Fixing the cause is what stops it happening again.

You can find your nearest clinic through the NHS sexual health clinic finder.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Durex or Trojan better?

Neither is better on safety. Both are long-established manufacturers whose condoms are electronically tested and meet the standards of the markets they sell in. The meaningful differences are range and availability. In the UK, Durex is sold everywhere and Trojan has limited distribution, so for a British buyer the practical comparison is Durex against other UK brands.

Can you buy Trojan condoms in the UK?

Not easily. Trojan is an American brand owned by Church & Dwight and it dominates the US market, but its UK distribution is limited and patchy. We do not stock it. UK sellers that do carry it usually list a few lines rather than the full range American buyers see, so the choice is narrower than it looks online.

Are Trojan condoms bigger than Durex?

At standard sizes, no. Trojan's regular lines sit around 52mm to 54mm nominal width and Durex's around 52mm to 56mm. At the large end Trojan Magnum has the better-known reputation. Durex answers with Originals XL at 57mm and XL Wide Fit at 60mm, and sizing-focused brands like MY.SIZE go considerably wider, up to 69mm.

Is Trojan Magnum bigger than Durex XL?

Magnum is genuinely a wide condom and is the best-known large option worldwide. Durex Originals XL is 57mm nominal width and the XL Wide Fit lines are 60mm, which is comparable territory. If you need wider than 60mm, neither brand is the answer and you want a sizing specialist such as MY.SIZE, which is made up to 69mm.

Does Durex make an XXL condom?

No. Durex does not produce a product called Durex XXL, despite the name appearing widely online including in an earlier version of this article. The largest Durex options are Originals XL at 57mm nominal width and the XL Wide Fit lines at 60mm. For anything wider, look at brands built around sizing rather than at Durex.

What is the Durex equivalent of Trojan Bareskin?

Bareskin is Trojan's thin latex line, around 20% thinner than their standard condom. The closest Durex products currently available are Thin Feel at 0.055mm and Nude at 0.05mm. If you want thinner still, EXS Air Thin is around 0.045mm, and non-latex options reach roughly 0.01mm, which is thinner than any latex condom made.

Which is better, Durex Extended Pleasure or Trojan Extended Pleasure?

They work the same way, using a mild anaesthetic inside the condom to reduce sensation slightly and extend time before ejaculation. Both use benzocaine. Published concentration figures differ between sources and we have not verified them with either manufacturer. Choose on availability and fit, and be aware the anaesthetic can transfer to a partner.

Are Durex and Trojan equally safe?

Yes. Every condom sold legally in the UK is independently tested against ISO 4074 for latex or ISO 23409 for non-latex and carries a CE, UKCA or BSI Kitemark. Trojan meets the equivalent US requirements. Every individual condom from both brands is electronically tested for holes before packaging. Safety differences between reputable brands are not a real factor.

What is the difference between Durex and Trojan condoms?

Durex is British, founded as the London Rubber Company in 1915 and now owned by Reckitt. Trojan is American, founded in 1916 and owned by Church & Dwight. Trojan's US range is broader and includes polyurethane. Durex has wider UK availability and a good spread of sizes here. On protection there is nothing meaningful between them.

Which condom brand is best for sensitivity?

Thinness helps, but fit and lubrication matter more than most people expect. Within Durex, Nude at 0.05mm and Thin Feel at 0.055mm are the thinnest stocked. Across brands, EXS Air Thin reaches around 0.045mm and non-latex options go thinner again. A condom in the correct width will nearly always feel better than a thinner one in the wrong size.

Does the brand affect how well a condom works?

Barely. Both brands pass the same testing, and material failure in normal use is rare. The gap between roughly 98% effectiveness with perfect use and around 85% with typical use is made up almost entirely of user error: the wrong size, oil-based lubricant, putting it on late, or using one past its expiry date. Fit and technique decide the outcome.

Where can I buy Durex condoms?

Durex is stocked widely in the UK, and our full Durex range covers Thin Feel, Extra Safe, Real Feel, Originals, Originals XL, Intense and Pleasure Me, alongside lubricants. Every order is delivered in plain packaging with nothing on the outside referring to the contents or the brand.

Medical disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. For personal guidance on contraception or sexual health, speak to a healthcare professional or visit NHS.uk.