Testing the Love Glove : How Manufacturers Test Condoms

Condoms are designed with two issues in mind; to protect the user against STDs and pregnancy, while at the same time minimizing the loss of sensation during penetration. If manufacturers had their way, condoms would ideally be a great deal thicker than they are now to effectively prevent sperm and disease transfer - condoms would be easier to design manufacture. This, however, conflicts directly with the goal of maximizing sensation during sex. To attain an acceptable equilibrium, manufacturers design condoms to be as thin as can be achieved while the requirements of strength are maintained.
Because human volunteers cannot be made, in all ethical sense, to test condoms in high-risk situations, ‘empty-condom’ tests are carried out to ensure a minimum standard of quality is maintained.
There are usually six common methods used in condom testing; air burst tests, tensile property tests, dimension tests, leakage tests, package integrity tests and lubricant quantity tests. Other methods include testing the endurance of the latex used to make condoms, a highly degradable material, especially when exposed to oil (like vegetable oil) and heat.
The air burst test involves pumping air into the condom until it bursts. The amount of air that the condom is able to contain without before it breaks is used as a measure of the condom’s strength.
The tensile test measures the elasticity of the condom, and includes cutting a band of latex from the condom shaft and stretching it until it breaks.
The dimension test measures the length, thickness and width of the condom, ensuring that all properties meet standardized requirements.
Leakage tests are divided into two methods, the dry test and the wet test. In a dry test, the condom is placed on a penis-shaped metal bar and given a small charge of electricity. Intact condoms do not allow electricity to pass through them. In a wet test, the condom is put into a water-based solution in which electric currents are passed to ensure there are no holes in the body of the condom.
Testing standards vary according to country.
Package integrity tests have resulted in several regulatory organizations requiring that all condoms be packaged in foil, which prevents condoms from degrading quickly, as opposed to condoms packaged in plastic. The final package seals are also tested by applying stress to them. Lubrication, which is also present within a condom package, has also been found to slow condom deterioration.
In 2005, the non profit Consumers Union tested the seven top condom brands used in the United States for strength and reliability. Durex Extra Sensitive Lubricated Latex was found to be the most durable. Other top-performers included Durex Performax Lubricated, Lifestyles Ultra Sensitive Lubricated and Viva TheyFit Lubricated. (Reuters)
Encouraging statistics show that the risk of contracting STDs is as low as 17 percent when using a condom. This also means sex with a condom is over 10,000 times safer in terms of preventing HIV transmission than unprotected sex. Short of avoiding sex altogether, the math is simple: effectively, condoms are the only type of contraception method that also prevents the spread of STDs, including HIV. Odds are that, given the risks involved, you might definitely want to reconsider the next time you think about having unprotected sex.