Condoms

Every condom we stock, in one place. Latex and non-latex, eleven widths from 47mm to 69mm, thin, ribbed, flavoured and delay, across every major brand. If you know what you are after, use the filters. If you do not, start below.

How to choose the right condom

Three things decide whether a condom works for you: size, material and feel. Size matters most and is the one most people get wrong. A condom that is too tight is more likely to split and more likely to be uncomfortable. One that is too loose can slip. Material matters if latex irritates you or you want a particular sensation. Everything else is preference.

If you have never measured, start with condom sizes. If latex is a problem, start with non-latex condoms. If you know your size and want more sensation, go to thin feel condoms.

How to find the right size condom

Condom sizing is based on nominal width, the flat width of the condom measured across when laid out. It is the figure printed on the box, and it is not the same as length or girth.

To find yours, wrap a piece of string or a soft tape measure around the thickest part of your erect penis and mark where it meets. Measure that length, halve it, then subtract two to three millimetres. That is your nominal width.

As a worked example, a girth of 120mm halves to 60mm, less a couple of millimetres, gives roughly 57 to 58mm. That is a large condom rather than a regular one.

Length matters far less than width. Condoms are made longer than needed, so if one is longer than you require you simply do not unroll it all the way.

If you would rather not measure, start with a regular width, which suits most people, and adjust from there based on how it feels.

Condoms by size

• Small condoms and snug fit condoms for a closer fit
• Regular condoms, the standard width most brands build around
• Large condoms, extra large and king size for more room
• Or shop by exact width, from 47mm through to 69mm

Are condoms made of latex?

Most are, but not all.

Latex condoms are the most common type and the most widely tested. Latex is elastic and strong, it protects well against both pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, and modern manufacturing allows very thin latex condoms that keep sensitivity high. It is also the cheapest option. It is unsuitable if you have a latex allergy, and it is damaged by oil, so use only water-based or silicone-based lubricant with it.

Polyurethane and polyisoprene condoms offer the same protection. Polyisoprene is synthetic rubber without the proteins that cause latex allergies, and it stretches and feels much like latex. Polyurethane is thinner and stronger with less stretch, and it conducts heat well. Both suit people with latex allergies and both cost more than latex.

• Latex condoms
• Non-latex and latex free condoms
• Polyisoprene condoms
• Vegan condoms

Condoms by feel

Once size and material are settled, the rest is preference. Thinner condoms increase sensation. Textured condoms add stimulation for the receiving partner. Thicker condoms reduce sensation, which suits anyone wanting to last longer.

• Thin feel and ultra thin condoms
• Ribbed and dotted condoms
• Thick condoms and extra safe condoms
• Delay condoms for lasting longer
• Flavoured condoms for oral sex
• Warming and cooling condoms

Condoms by brand

Durex for range and familiarity. Pasante for value across every size. SKYN for non-latex. MY.SIZE and Mister Size for exact widths. EXS, Mates, Glyde, Hanx and Lelo Hex alongside them.

Our best-selling condoms

• Pasante Regular for a reliable standard condom without paying a brand premium
• Durex Thin Feel for more sensation from a familiar brand
• SKYN Elite if latex is a problem, or for the softest feel we stock
• MY.SIZE Pro 64mm if standard condoms have always felt tight
• Pasante King Size for more room at a lower price than branded equivalents
• Durex Pleasure Me for ribs and dots on a widely available condom
• EXS Air Thin for thinness at the lower end of the price range
• Glyde Ultra for a vegan certified condom

What are condoms and how do they work?

Condoms are a barrier method of contraception that also protects against sexually transmitted infections. They are a thin sheath, made of latex or another thin elastic material, that prevents sperm from meeting an egg.

The term usually refers to external condoms, worn on the penis. There are also internal condoms, sometimes called female condoms, which are fitted inside the vagina before sex. We stock both, and everything ships in plain, unbranded packaging.

How to use condoms

Unwrap the condom, place it on the head of the penis and roll it down to the base. A few things make the difference between that working and not.

• Put it on the right way up. Each side may be lubricated differently, so a condom worn inside out is more likely to tear or slip. The rim should be on the outside when you roll it down. If it will not roll, it is inside out, so start again with a new one rather than flipping it over.
• Pinch the teat to squeeze the air out before rolling it down. Trapped air increases pressure and is a common cause of breakage.
• Leave the tip loose enough to collect semen. If it is stretched tight over the head, semen can leak out of the base.
• Use the right size. Too tight is uncomfortable and more likely to split. Too loose can slide off during sex.
• Use a new condom every time, and never two at once. Two condoms rub against each other and are more likely to break, not less.
• Hold the base while withdrawing, then wrap it and bin it. Never flush a condom.

If you use lubricant, keep oil away from latex. Oil degrades latex and causes it to fail, and that includes massage oil, coconut oil and petroleum jelly. Water-based lube is safe with everything we sell.

How effective are condoms?

No contraceptive is 100% effective. Used perfectly, external condoms are around 98% effective at preventing pregnancy. In typical use, which accounts for the mistakes people actually make, that figure is closer to 82%, and the gap is almost entirely about how they are used rather than product failure.

What makes condoms distinctive is that they are the only widely available method that reduces the risk of sexually transmitted infections as well as pregnancy. The contraceptive pill is marginally more effective against pregnancy in perfect use and offers no protection against infection at all.

The NHS guidance on condoms sets out both figures and how to close the gap between them. This page is general information rather than medical advice.

Can condoms break?

Occasionally, and almost always for a reason you can avoid. Breakage usually comes down to one of these.

• Poor storage. Keep condoms cool, dry and out of direct sunlight, below 30°C. A wallet or a pocket is the worst place for anything more than a few hours, because heat and friction both degrade the material.
• Using one past its expiry date, once the latex has started to degrade and the lubricant has dried.
• Damage while opening. Sharp nails, jewellery, teeth or scissors all puncture condoms. Open at the notched edge with your fingers.
• The wrong size, either too tight or too loose.
• The wrong lubricant, or not enough of it. Oil-based products destroy latex.
• Buying from an unreliable source. We only sell genuine stock sourced from brands or their official UK distributors.

Can condoms be uncomfortable?

The right type and size should not be. If they are, it is usually one of four things.

• Latex allergy. This shows up as rashes, hives, a runny nose or watery eyes. If that happens, switch to non-latex condoms and speak to a GP if the reaction is more than mild.
• Not enough lubrication. Most condoms are lubricated, but adding more is almost always an improvement.
• Spermicide. It irritates some people. Regular condoms are just as effective against pregnancy, so there is no reason to persist with it.
• Too small. A condom that is too tight can restrict blood flow and make maintaining an erection harder. If you are using a smaller condom deliberately to last longer, use a delay condom in your correct size instead, which does the same job without the fit problem.

Are flavoured condoms safe for oral sex?

Yes, that is what they are designed for. A flavoured condom is a standard condom with a flavoured lubricant made from food-grade ingredients, which covers the taste and smell of latex.

If you also plan to use them for vaginal or anal sex, check the packaging. Some flavoured condoms use sweetened lubricant, and added sugars can contribute to yeast or bacterial infections. Most brands make flavoured condoms suitable for all three, but it is worth confirming rather than assuming.

When do condoms expire?

Most have a five-year expiry from manufacture, though this is shorter for some flavoured, spermicidal and non-latex condoms. The date is printed on the box and on every individual wrapper, so check before use. An expired condom is more likely to break. Everything we sell is genuine stock with a long shelf life.

What are vegan condoms?

Condoms made without animal ingredients and not tested on animals.

Latex itself is plant-derived, so latex condoms are not automatically non-vegan. What rules many of them out is casein, a milk protein long used as a softening agent in latex manufacture. Brands making vegan condoms use thistle extract or a similar alternative instead, and avoid animal testing throughout. Fully vegan condoms are usually certified and carry the Vegan Society logo or an equivalent.

Where to buy condoms in the UK

Here. We are a specialist rather than a general retailer, so the range runs wider, the sizes go further in both directions and the prices are lower on the things people buy repeatedly. We only sell genuine stock sourced directly from brands or their official UK distributors.

Every order is sent in plain, unbranded packaging with nothing on the outside to indicate what is inside.