# On buying condoms.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-buying-condoms/586800
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [June 25, 2011, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-buying-condoms/586800 "2011-06-25T04:34:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2011, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-buying-condoms/586800/1 "2011-06-25T04:34:36Z")
I was in Walmart the other day, having lunch alone at MacDonalds with nothing to read but a Walmart flyer. Advertised was boxes of condoms of assorted sizes.
Now why would a guy buy assorted size condoms ? How many women require assorted sizes ?
Having been married for 30 years, and no worries for STDs prior to marriage and relying on on the pill and now menopause for birth control throughout I’ve had very little experience with condoms and thought one size fits all.
Not true ?
And if you do use condoms. who buys them ? The man or the woman?
Poll coming
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### Author:  [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2011, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-buying-condoms/586800/2 "2011-06-25T04:37:47Z")
never bought any, so hell if I know.
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### Author:  [@wheresmymind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheresmymind)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2011, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-buying-condoms/586800/3 "2011-06-25T05:01:45Z")
If we’re at my house, I probably bought them. If we’re at her house, she probably did.
Your one-size-fits-all impression is true for the most part, you could probably stretch a regular sized condom over your leg if you really put your mind to it. I’d wager that 90% of “magnum” condoms are bought by people who simply like a looser fit than normal sized. Similarly, some people prefer a snug fit so they don’t feel like they’re banging a plastic bag.
The variety pack you describe would be useful for someone to figure out what works for them, or to just add variety. It would also make sense for a girl (gay man) outside of a monogamous relationship to have a variety on hand to accommodate the preferences of her/his flavor of the month. Actually, I’d be happy if she had such a variety pack, in my experience girls tend to buy whatever’s cheapest/plainest/free at the campus health center.
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### Author:  [@heathen\_earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heathen_earthling)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2011, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-buying-condoms/586800/4 "2011-06-25T05:18:32Z")
I think the only condom shopping I’ve ever done has been together with my partner.
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### Author:  [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2011, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-buying-condoms/586800/5 "2011-06-25T05:23:47Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#):
>
> Now why would a guy buy assorted size condoms ? How many women require assorted sizes ?
Hey now! What are you insinuating there? Years of following “People of Walmart” have shown me the sort of sophisticated clientele that require a massive box of condoms for penii (third declension Latin ought to be “Penes,” but penii looks better) of various shapes and sizes. 😛
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### Author:  [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2011, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-buying-condoms/586800/6 "2011-06-25T07:39:05Z")
If we used condoms the answer would be “the man,” since we’re both men. But we’ve been monogamous for over 23 years, so don’t need them anyway.
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### Author:  [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2011, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-buying-condoms/586800/7 "2011-06-25T09:14:00Z")
This is depressing. I have plenty just in case, but I haven’t had sex in 3 months, so I’m not voting.
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### Author:  [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2011, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-buying-condoms/586800/8 "2011-06-25T09:22:38Z")
The last fuck I had, he bitched the condoms were too small. And the fit did look more than a little snug, so next time I’m planning on his company I’ll be getting a bigger size.
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### Author:  [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2011, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-buying-condoms/586800/9 "2011-06-25T12:05:17Z")
> [@wheresmymind](#):
>
> Actually, I’d be happy if she had such a variety pack, in my experience girls tend to buy whatever’s cheapest/plainest/free at the campus health center.
Seconded
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### Author:  [@ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryan)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2011, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-buying-condoms/586800/10 "2011-06-25T14:07:26Z")
I (the man) buy them. That way I can get the brand and type I prefer.
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### Author:  [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2011, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-buying-condoms/586800/11 "2011-06-25T14:09:56Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#):
>
> Advertised was boxes of condoms of assorted sizes
Are you sure you’re parsing that correctly and it’s a box of assorted size condoms and not assorted sizes of boxes? I mean, it’s been the better part of a decade since I bought condoms and never really sat down and carefully studied all the available options back when I did, but I don’t remember there being packs that had different sizes in the same box. Different colors and textures, yes, but not different sizes.
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### Author:  [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2011, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-buying-condoms/586800/12 "2011-06-25T14:32:41Z")
When I was single and grazing the male scene for entertainment i provided my own condoms. No bareback outside of a committed relationship.
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### Author:  [@Giltathriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giltathriel)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2011, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-buying-condoms/586800/13 "2011-06-25T14:53:46Z")
When we’re at his house, he provides. When we’re at my house, I (female) provide. So, I didn’t vote.
I just buy whatever he buys though. I’m new at this. Between that and general embarrassment at being in the condom aisle, I picked up a variety pack by mistake. It certainly didn’t say ‘small, medium and large’ anywhere, just slightly different shapes.
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### Author:  [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2011, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-buying-condoms/586800/14 "2011-06-25T14:54:48Z")
Since we do 99% of our shopping together, we’d both buy 'em if we used 'em. Just like dishsoap and other consumables, whoever remembers we need stuff in the store grabs stuff.
When I was in the market, so to speak, I’d always buy them just in case I needed them, but I thought a little less of a guy if things got to that point and he didn’t have any (and hadn’t told me that beforehand). Seriously? What were you planning on doing if I didn’t have any, dude?
Since everyone has their own health to watch out for, I think everyone should be prepared with their own stash.
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### Author:  [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-buying-condoms/586800/15 "2011-06-25T16:50:27Z")
Gay male and they give the condoms away all over the place, at least in Chicago. Gay bars have them, the gay centers have them. I know of straight guys who will go to Howard Brown Clinic (By the Red line on a block north of Irving Park) and run in grab a fist full and leave.
They are expensive too
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### Author:  [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2011, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-buying-condoms/586800/16 "2011-06-25T16:56:18Z")
> [@Markxxx](#):
>
> I know of straight guys who will go to Howard Brown Clinic (By the Red line on a block north of Irving Park) and run in grab a fist full and leave.
They provide services for straight people too; that’s where I got my Hep vaccine. Cool place.
I don’t need the condoms, but it’s also where I get my lube. Convenient little twist off individual use packs. Not the greatest lube in the world, but it gets the job done.
I’m still annoyed with them for not stocking female condoms, and I bet they’re pretty annoyed with me for asking every time. 😉
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### Author:  [@nicole1912](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nicole1912)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2011, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-buying-condoms/586800/17 "2011-06-25T16:56:39Z")
Whoever does the shopping buys them. Usually that’s both of us together, but it’s just another thing on the shopping list. (I can’t decide if that makes me grown up, or really boring. Possibly both.)
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### Author:  [@Chicagojeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicagojeff)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2011, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-buying-condoms/586800/18 "2011-06-25T18:07:33Z")
I know this sounds stupid… but i would never grab condoms from a clinic. The ones they had in college absolutely sucked and we became sure that they were discards…
Before i was in a committed relationship i bought them… like a beer you find a brand that fits… works for you and stay with it… no fooling around at that point LOL
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### Author:  [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2011, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-buying-condoms/586800/19 "2011-06-25T21:13:24Z")
While I’ve never purchased condoms (they’re free at Planned Parenthood and the campus clinic) I have always taken care of them in my current relationship. My girlfriend was fairly inexperienced at the time, so I did it to help take the pressure off. We don’t normally use them anymore because she’s on a hormonal method which she takes care of. When we are using condoms, they’re ones that I’ve gotten, though we use so few that I haven’t had to get them in a year or so.
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### Author:  [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2011, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-buying-condoms/586800/20 "2011-06-26T00:08:39Z")
> [@CrazyCatLady](#):
>
> Are you sure you’re parsing that correctly and it’s a box of assorted size condoms and not assorted sizes of boxes?
Yes, because I also considered the other option. I do however allow that the wording may have been simply incorrect on their part.
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