Consumer Reports Puts 20 Condoms to the Test

Nov. 3, 2009— -- In the heat of the moment when most couples use a condom, they might not be thinking about how their choice of contraceptive might work when inflated with 25 liters of air. Or what would happen if it was submerged in water.

But this is exactly what Consumers Union did. Their conclusion? While there was some variability in performance, it seems condom users are the winners.

Despite the variety of styles and brands tested, all of the condoms tested performed up to snuff for standards set by national and international regulatory bodies -- meaning that for those who choose to use condoms and use them properly while engaging in lovemaking, the risks of sexually transmitted infections or pregnancy will be low.

"All of them test at the standard," said Jamie Hirsh, an associate editor for Consumer Reports Health, which released its findings Monday. "On our own, more stringent test, we found that some were stronger than others."

Condoms are typically tested by inflating them wth 17 or 18 liters of air to test for breakage. For Consumer Reports' test, they inflated to 25 liters. Of the 20 brands tested, 7 types -- including varieties from Durex, Lifestyles and Trojan -- did not break in 500 to 600 tries.

And while Consumer Reports found differences among the condoms they tested, none of these differences showed that any of those condoms on the market shouldn't be used.

"This isn't a very scandalous story," said Hirsh. "None of them failed, all of them are fine, but some of them are even better than fine. If you're looking for the strongest, toughest condom, that's what that extra test gives you."

Consumer Reports testers also submerged the condoms to see if there were any signs of leaks.

"To have this done independently seems like a good idea," said Eli Coleman, director of the program in human sexuality at the University of Minnesota Medical School. "It's reassuring to know that most of these condoms are proven to be reliable, although [Consumer Reports] gives the caveat that still the most protection comes with using a condom properly."