‘ ‘ ‘ These days, top manufacturers like Trojan, Durex and LifeStyles put out tons of condom… ‘ ‘ ‘ These days, top manufacturers like Trojan, Durex and LifeStyles put out tons of condom varieties ‘mdash; ribbed, studded, extra lubricated, ultra pleasure, shared pleasure and twisted pleasure, among others. ‘ ‘ ‘ But is there actually any difference between brands? ‘ ‘ ‘ I grabbed my partner and a handful of condoms to find out if Trojan is better than Durex, or if that extra ribbing makes a difference. ‘ ‘ ‘ A few weeks ago while attending a safer-sex workshop, I came across a condom brand I’d never seen before. It’s called One, and it’s advertised as ‘Next Generation Condoms.’ I snagged one of the free samples in the studded variety, and it definitely took first place as my condom of choice. They come in round packages that feature 160 unique designs and are definitely more attractive than standard condom fare.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ My only complaint is that it’s easier to rip the condom with round packaging than with square. As far as actual use goes, the studs didn’t do anything for my partner, and while I could feel them, they didn’t do a whole lot for me either, but they were kind of nice. The lubrication lasted much longer than Trojan, Durex or LifeStyles. Because of the extra lubrication, removal can be a bit messier than with other condoms, but the extra lube helps cover up the typical plastic condom feel. ‘ ‘ ‘ I found another new brand at the same workshop, this one claiming to restore the pleasure lost by the inclusion of latex in sex. Pleasure Plus condoms include an extra pouch of latex that theoretically stimulates the underside of the penis during sex. My partner reported no such extra stimulation and said it felt like any other condom. It certainly didn’t have anything going on for me. But even if the pleasure pouch is a gimmick, the brand did well as far as lubrication goes, and we didn’t need to use any of our own to make up the slack. ‘ ‘ ‘ After the new brands, my partner and I moved on to the classics ‘mdash; Trojan, Durex and LifeStyles. I had basically the same problems with all three ‘mdash; the lubrication wears off quickly, leaving you with that uncomfortable, plastic-condom feeling. Adding a touch of lubricant to both the inside and outside of the condom can help alleviate this problem, but for the purposes of this review I chose not to. ‘ ‘ ‘ First we tried Trojan Ultra Pleasure, which is lubricated with spermicide and come in white. Its packaging is plain, but Trojan is an established brand and doesn’t need to attract much attention. Durex’s packaging choices tend to be trendier than Trojan’s, and it offers a line of colored condoms, which adds a touch of fun. Of course, when it comes to safer sex, visual presentation is not the most important thing, and all these condoms do what they were made to do ‘mdash; prevent pregnancy and the transmission of STDs. ‘ ‘ ‘ LifeStyles under-performed Trojan and Durex. Its lubrication ran out even faster, and the condom tended to slide around, creating more uncomfortable friction. One thing that LifeStyles does have is variety in shape and size of condoms. Men who are wider at the tip could try their Tuxedo line, which flares at the end. ‘ ‘ ‘ Some of my friends have expressed reluctance to use non-name brand condoms, such as the ones that get handed out for free at sex health events. My partner and I tried one of these, and as far as protection goes, it worked just as well as any other condom we’ve ever used. The latex seemed to be the same thickness as Trojan or Durex, and all condoms that enter the United States must go through the same testing procedures to ensure reliability and safety.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ We did find, however, that the factory process used to lubricate these particular no-name condoms didn’t work very well. The condom came out of the package only half lubricated, and we had to lubricate the rest ourselves. For something that’s free and prevents disease and pregnancy, having to add a little extra lube shouldn’t be a big deal to most people, but if you have a few extra dollars, you might as well purchase a name brand at reduced cost at the Student Health pharmacy and save yourself the trouble. ‘ ‘ ‘ For fun we decided to try Night Light, a brand that glows in the dark. Who wouldn’t want glow-in-the-dark condoms? While these condoms are fun and admittedly rather silly, we had the same problem with lubrication as we did with the no-name one ‘mdash; it came out of the package only half-lubed.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ A lot of the extra lubricant seemed to stay inside the package, actually, but it doesn’t do much good in there, so we pulled out our Wet Light lubricant samples taken from the aforementioned safer-sex workshop. Sadly, you need to hold the condom under light for a few minutes for it to actually glow in the dark, and the glow doesn’t last very long. Still, things that glow in the dark are always fun. If you’re in the mood to mess around and be silly, Night Lights is an excellent choice. ‘ ‘ ‘ Ultimately, although One condoms hold the most promise, I have to say that a condom is a condom, and it’s best to bring your own lubrication to extract the most pleasure from your condom usage.