Everything You (N)ever Wanted To Know About Condoms

Condoms: the greatest thing to ever happen in the history of sex without (quite as many) consequences, but how much do you know about your latex saviors? Feel free to whip these factoids out the next time you’re struggling to come up with something to talk about at the bar, ’cause that won’t be weird.

1. Magnum condoms are only .32 inches longer than regular ones.

2. In 2012, Durex provided over 150,000 condoms to athletes at the London Olympics.

3. The first artistic rendering of a condom was in the French cave Grotte des Combarelles roughly 12,000-15,000 years ago.

4. Don’t worry, lambskin condoms aren’t made from lambs’ skin. They’re made from their intestines!

5. One in four acts of vaginal intercourse involve a condom. When sharing this fact with someone you’re attracted to, try not to call it “vaginal intercourse.”

6. Only 39% of high school students are taught how to properly put on a condom.

7. Female condoms can be inserted up to eight hours before sex.

8. September 16 is Global Female Condom Day.

9. Condoms are strictly regulated by the FDA. Just like Advil.

10. All condoms undergo rigorous testing including water and air inflation tests as well as an electronic hole inspection. The robots keep your condoms safe.

11. Storing condoms in your wallet might be a great way to feel like James Dean (or Deen), but it’s also a great way to damage them.

12. Get psyched, vegans — condoms are completely animal product free! Except, y’know, for the lamb intestine ones.

13. Over 30 million free “NYC Condoms” are given out to New Yorkers every year…28 million of them to Derek Jeter.

14. Condoms come in a variety of exciting flavors, even BACON!

15. While in World War I, the U.S. and Britain were the only countries in the European conflict that didn’t provide troops with condoms. They recorded over 400,000 cases of syphilis and gonorrhea.

16. World War II marked the first war in which condoms were given to American troops.

17. Zac Efron’s mom once bought him condoms for Christmas.

18. Condoms weren’t allowed to be advertised at all ’til 1918.

19. …and the first condom commercial burst onto the scene November 17, 1991, during an airing of “Herman’s Head.”

20. Americans buy approximately 1.7 million condoms a day. USA! USA! USA!

21. While everybody knows about Magnum condoms, there are also condoms made for the undersized, not that you’d ever need one.

22. The first rubber condoms were made by Goodyear, the tire company. (They were first used by the Michelin Man.)

23. The world record for the thinnest latex condom was set by Guangzhou Daming United Rubber Products Ltd. The condom was .036 mm thin, which is very thin.

24. In 2013 Bill and Melinda Gates received 812 entries in their “Build a Better Condom” competition. The 11 finalists received $100,000 each to make their wildest condom dreams come true. 

25. The average condom user is between 18 and 24 years old.