# Men - Can you tell when a condom has slipped off? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 27, 2007, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-can-you-tell-when-a-condom-has-slipped-off/413395 "2007-07-27T16:50:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-can-you-tell-when-a-condom-has-slipped-off/413395/1 "2007-07-27T16:50:03Z")
My title is my question. As a woman, I can’t tell when a condom has slipped off during sex, but can a man? ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-can-you-tell-when-a-condom-has-slipped-off/413395/2 "2007-07-27T16:55:16Z")
Not always. Evidence the three children living in my house. 😃 Actually, sometimes it feels like it’s broke and it really isn’t and other times you don’t notice that it tore. I’ve never had them fall off, they usually break and most of it is still in place except for the gaping hole. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-can-you-tell-when-a-condom-has-slipped-off/413395/3 "2007-07-27T16:57:08Z")
Yes/No/Sometimes/Maybe/Depends ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-can-you-tell-when-a-condom-has-slipped-off/413395/4 "2007-07-27T16:57:44Z")
Moved to In My Humble Opinion. **Gfactor** , General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-can-you-tell-when-a-condom-has-slipped-off/413395/5 "2007-07-27T16:59:47Z")
As a poster: Sometimes, but usually it’ll be a while after the slip off happened. Never had one tear, but that would probably be the same. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-can-you-tell-when-a-condom-has-slipped-off/413395/6 "2007-07-27T18:19:06Z")
Usually. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_British\_Shop\_Owner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Small\_British\_Shop\_Owner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_British_Shop_Owner)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-can-you-tell-when-a-condom-has-slipped-off/413395/7 "2007-07-27T18:38:34Z")
I don’t use condoms except with prostitutes. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-can-you-tell-when-a-condom-has-slipped-off/413395/8 "2007-07-27T18:40:49Z")
I managed to push right through and out the other side once or twice, and I wasn’t at all sure that it had happened. (It happened about the last time the Cheatin’ Ex and I did the nasty. I reassured her that come what may I wouldn’t leave to face things alone, and if it’s possible to convey in a single look the entire sentence “Idiot, I’ve already decided to leave you as soon as maybe, and the last thing I need is a complication like this”, she sure did. Fortunately, no harm was done.) ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-can-you-tell-when-a-condom-has-slipped-off/413395/9 "2007-07-27T18:49:46Z")
[QUOTE=Small British Shop Owner] I don’t use condoms except with prostitutes. [/QUOTE] Yeah, but can you tell when they slip off? I’m sure it depends on the type you’re using, it’s only happened to me once or twice, and I could definitely tell the difference. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-can-you-tell-when-a-condom-has-slipped-off/413395/10 "2007-07-27T18:55:50Z")
Almost always. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_British\_Shop\_Owner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Small\_British\_Shop\_Owner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_British_Shop_Owner)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-can-you-tell-when-a-condom-has-slipped-off/413395/11 "2007-07-27T19:09:34Z")
[QUOTE=Cheesesteak] Yeah, but can you tell when they slip off? I’m sure it depends on the type you’re using, it’s only happened to me once or twice, and I could definitely tell the difference. [/QUOTE] Perhaps there’s yet another culture difference at play here. What I said meant that I didn’t use them. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-can-you-tell-when-a-condom-has-slipped-off/413395/12 "2007-07-27T19:14:46Z")
[QUOTE=Small British Shop Owner] I don’t use condoms except with prostitutes. [/QUOTE] As professionals, they surely can tell when one of yours breaks…and instantly realize in horror of what they are about to catch. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-can-you-tell-when-a-condom-has-slipped-off/413395/13 "2007-07-27T19:17:41Z")
Nope, can’t tell at all. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_British\_Shop\_Owner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Small\_British\_Shop\_Owner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_British_Shop_Owner)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-can-you-tell-when-a-condom-has-slipped-off/413395/14 "2007-07-27T19:21:43Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty] As professionals, they surely can tell when one of yours breaks…and instantly realize in horror of what they are about to catch. [/QUOTE] You’re the nasty shag 😉 I think the correct thing to say on the Straight Dope Message Board: Thank you, I’ll be here all night ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-can-you-tell-when-a-condom-has-slipped-off/413395/15 "2007-07-27T19:22:07Z")
Ditto the majority. This actually happened to me two weeks ago. Rather freaky, for me and for her. Thankfully we noticed when we were switching positions, before I had climaxed, but of course that’s no guarantee of anything. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-can-you-tell-when-a-condom-has-slipped-off/413395/16 "2007-07-27T19:37:48Z")
It’s only happened once and I noticed something was… different… enough for me to reach down — “Hey! Wherediditgo?” But it was really subtle and if I’d been drinking/drunk I probably wouldn’t have noticed. ETA: And ditto what **Uncommon Sense** said. Since the one time it came off, I’ve often _thought_ it had or was otherwise compromised, when it wasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-can-you-tell-when-a-condom-has-slipped-off/413395/17 "2007-07-27T20:14:54Z")
So, for you guys are we talking just a tear? Or are we talking condom slipped off completely? Does it matter? And, this is not the basis for my question but the responses make me wonder: If you can’t always tell when a condom slips off during sex, then doesn’t that kill the “sex with a condom is like a shower in a raincoat” reasoning behind refusing to wear one? ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-can-you-tell-when-a-condom-has-slipped-off/413395/18 "2007-07-27T20:31:40Z")
I’ve never had a condom malfunction, so I wouldn’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-can-you-tell-when-a-condom-has-slipped-off/413395/19 "2007-07-27T20:33:47Z")
Thank you, **sturmhauke**. That’s very helpful. I’m glad you took the time to post that for me. 😛😉 (Goofball!) ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-can-you-tell-when-a-condom-has-slipped-off/413395/20 "2007-07-27T20:38:24Z")
Yeah, I can tell. Everything feels different. Even a blowout or tear feels different. In fact, a tear or blowout usualy feels even _more_ different than just a slip-off. You know - different parts of the wedding tackle getting different sensations, right next door to each other. The contrast is attention-getting, and somtimes rather painful, if things get pinched. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-can-you-tell-when-a-condom-has-slipped-off/413395.md?page=2)