I review sex toys for sextoy.com. You can find Avanti Bare condoms on their site.
Condoms are a fact of life for the sexually active human being. Even strict lesbians use them to cover sex toys, especially dildos or other items they may end up sharing. I actually sometimes enjoy the snugness of a condom, a sensation which feels a little like a light cock ring. With practice, they become easy to use and almost (but not quite) forgettable in use, but that may be more true of the product I’m about to review than condoms in general.
There are undeniable drawbacks to condoms, especially the ones most people use. Latex can cause allergies in many people and those allergies can be extremely severe. Until relatively recently, the only alternatives were lambskin (which doesn’t protect against sexually transmitted diseases) and polyurethane condoms, which to me felt like putting my cock in a loose crinkly sandwich bag, a totally unsexy experience.
I don’t have a latex allergy, nor does anyone in my poly network. Even then, latex can be kind of gross. It smells and tastes nasty and rubbery, and it lingers on a person’s genitals after the condom is gone. This can be a buzzkill if you want to mix oral sex with protected penetration.
Happily, polyisoprene condoms have become my default choice and an indispensable part of my safer sex routine. Two brands are available: Avanti Bare condoms from Durex and Skyn from Lifestyles. This review is about the Avanti Bare variety, but in the near future I’d like to do a side-by-side comparison.
Not only do these condoms smell and taste better (they are basically odorless and tasteless), but by many accounts they feel better too. They are very thin and transmit a lot of warmth and sensation when I wear them. I’m not the only one who seems to like them better. My Pet insists we keep them on hand, and my lover from San Marcos enjoys them so much that she now keeps polyisoprene condoms in her purse and in her home. She won’t use anything else unless it’s the only option available, and has introduced other male lovers to them.
Despite these advantages, when used properly they should be just as effective at protecting against pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases as their latex cousins. And I’ve been using them for a while now and never had one break, no matter how vigorous the sex, though this was never an issue with latex condoms either so your mileage may vary.
My only complaint about polyisoprene condoms like these is that their newness limits my options a little bit. While latex condoms come in a dizzying array of varieties and sizes, both brands offer only the very basics. Another factor is that I have only been able to find them in 3 or 12-count boxes, unlike latex condoms which come in much larger quantities for discount prices. With as many condoms as I go through, this can be a real concern.
Despite these small drawbacks, I fully endorse Avanti Bare condoms. If you practice safer sex — and I hope you have good reasons if you don’t — then polyisoprene offers the best sensation with the fewest drawbacks.
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Disclaimer: Although I am not paid for these reviews (unless you purchase something via an affiliate link), I am sent free toys in return for my honest opinion.
