# It's the size that counts -when it cums to condoms **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 20, 2014, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-size-that-counts-when-it-cums-to-condoms/699020 "2014-09-20T15:57:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-size-that-counts-when-it-cums-to-condoms/699020/21 "2014-09-23T02:05:46Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Take a condom and fill it with water til it bursts, then you’ll know how big an organ they could hold. It is a silly complaint. If a condom is too tight, it’s painful. Or so I’ve heard from a couple of boyfriends who were generously endowed. They didn’t decline to wear condoms at all; they did go for the “XL” varieties. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-size-that-counts-when-it-cums-to-condoms/699020/22 "2014-09-23T02:39:34Z")
> [@GrumpyBunny](#): > > If a condom is too tight, it’s painful. Or so I’ve heard from a couple of boyfriends who were generously endowed. > > They didn’t decline to wear condoms at all; they did go for the “XL” varieties. Agreed – se #14 above. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-size-that-counts-when-it-cums-to-condoms/699020/23 "2014-09-23T04:20:49Z")
Note that the article mentions length, not girth. I will agree the rubber band at the base of a condom can be too small and tight. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-size-that-counts-when-it-cums-to-condoms/699020/24 "2014-09-24T01:35:01Z")
In my experience the usable length is at least 1/2" smaller than the listed size, mostly due to the tip. If you are 7"+ “non bone pressed” most condoms don’t cover the whole length. Legit 7" is pretty up there in percentiles but not that uncommon. Also, I am pretty much just average girth and there are some condoms that are way too tight, at least getting it on over the glans. Most condom bases leave a mark a little bit up my shaft. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-size-that-counts-when-it-cums-to-condoms/699020/25 "2014-09-24T03:45:55Z")
All I know is I’m so big that I have to make do with Saran Wrap. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-size-that-counts-when-it-cums-to-condoms/699020/26 "2014-09-24T09:31:39Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > All I know is I’m so big that I have to make do with Saran Wrap. I generally find a wheelie bin liner will do just fine, provided I lube it up first and ease it on gently. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-size-that-counts-when-it-cums-to-condoms/699020/27 "2014-09-24T13:52:36Z")
This reminds me of a documentary on the Cold War that I watched some years ago. It focused on non-military aspects of the long uneasy peace. Anyway, they were interviewing an American (a humorously salty crew-cut old man at the time of the interview) who was manager of a condom factory in the 60s. The Soviet Army wanted to order condoms from his factory, apparently because there was not a reliable manufacturer in the USSR at the time. No problem, he said; we can take care of you. However, the Soviet procurer ordered them all in a ten-inch length. The manufacturer called him for clarification, thinking that perhaps the buyer had miscalculated in converting centimeters to inches or something. The buyer informed him, rather huffily, that the size requested was correct. After he got off the phone, his assistant manager asked what he should do. The manager said, "Well, let’s fulfill their order, but… …print ‘medium’ on the sides of all the boxes." 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-size-that-counts-when-it-cums-to-condoms/699020/28 "2014-09-24T16:55:12Z")
> [@OneCentStamp](#): > > This reminds me of a documentary on the Cold War that I watched some years ago. It focused on non-military aspects of the long uneasy peace. Anyway, they were interviewing an American (a humorously salty crew-cut old man at the time of the interview) who was manager of a condom factory in the 60s. The Soviet Army wanted to order condoms from his factory, apparently because there was not a reliable manufacturer in the USSR at the time. No problem, he said; we can take care of you. However, the Soviet procurer ordered them all in a ten-inch length. The manufacturer called him for clarification, thinking that perhaps the buyer had miscalculated in converting centimeters to inches or something. The buyer informed him, rather huffily, that the size requested was correct. > > After he got off the phone, his assistant manager asked what he should do. The manager said, "Well, let’s fulfill their order, but… > > …print ‘medium’ on the sides of all the boxes." 😃 That reminds me of a joke from post #19. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-size-that-counts-when-it-cums-to-condoms/699020/29 "2014-09-24T16:58:07Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > That reminds me of a joke from post #19. 😛 Hah, that’s what I get for skimming. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-size-that-counts-when-it-cums-to-condoms/699020/30 "2014-09-24T19:06:57Z")
And it was not a Cold War joke, it was a World War Two joke. It was usually presented as a conversation between FDR and Stalin at the Yalta conference or the Tehran conference. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-size-that-counts-when-it-cums-to-condoms/699020/31 "2014-09-24T20:43:52Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > And it was not a Cold War joke, it was a World War Two joke. It was usually presented as a conversation between FDR and Stalin at the Yalta conference or the Tehran conference. Heh, probably a version was told as a conversation between Wellington and Talleyrand at the conference of Vienna, involving condoms made of pig’s bladders. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-size-that-counts-when-it-cums-to-condoms/699020/32 "2014-09-25T01:51:41Z")
In Mike Mullane’s book _Riding Rockets_ he wrote about the process of being fitted for a condom catheter (a condom with a tube on the end to capture urine while wearing a spacesuit). To mollify astronaut egos, they were available in three sizes - Large, Extra Large and Extra Extra Large. He did not reveal which size he wore. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-size-that-counts-when-it-cums-to-condoms/699020/33 "2014-09-25T02:27:31Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > And it was not a Cold War joke, it was a World War Two joke. It was usually presented as a conversation between FDR and Stalin at the Yalta conference or the Tehran conference. Didn’t they do this for real during the Vietnam War? Or was that an apocryphal story too? ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-size-that-counts-when-it-cums-to-condoms/699020/34 "2014-09-25T17:06:49Z")
And it would be nice if people could easily get non-latex larger condoms. Some of us are latex allergic, and that is \*\*\*not \*\*\*a nice place to have an allergic reaction of any kind! ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-size-that-counts-when-it-cums-to-condoms/699020/35 "2014-09-25T17:26:42Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Agreed – se #14 above. > [@Malthus](#): > > Heh, probably a version was told as a conversation between Wellington and Talleyrand at the conference of Vienna, involving condoms made of pig’s bladders. 😃 Back then, they were made with sheep intestines. Held on by ribbons, which would certainly be festive. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-size-that-counts-when-it-cums-to-condoms/699020/36 "2014-09-25T17:36:00Z")
> [@GrumpyBunny](#): > > Back then, they were made with sheep intestines. Held on by ribbons, which would certainly be festive. Back then, the box of cow intestines for condoms sent to the French had “for medium size” branded into the side of it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-size-that-counts-when-it-cums-to-condoms/699020/37 "2014-09-25T17:41:57Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Back then, the box of cow intestines for condoms sent to the French had “for medium size” branded into the side of it. > 😃 And then the French sent one back made from the intestines of elephants, marked “small”. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-size-that-counts-when-it-cums-to-condoms/699020/38 "2014-09-25T19:32:36Z")
> [@GrumpyBunny](#): > > And then the French sent one back made from the intestines of elephants, marked “small”. 😃 Then, the Brits sent back by the very next post the 19th century version of this article: > **[Napoleon had a 'very small' penis according to C4 show](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/napoleon-s-penis-size-confirmed-channel-4-documentary-calls-the-artifact-very-small-9235101.html)** > > The political and military leader was right to have his famous complex 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-size-that-counts-when-it-cums-to-condoms/699020.md?page=1)