Hmmm. It's alright, and I guess it has some advantages, but an ordinary condom is better. I'm a guy, incidentally, and I've used it during standard heterosexual sex once (actually, twice, though in fairly rapid succession). Don't think I will again.
Break It Down:
- Ease of Installation. With the FC, you've got to stop in the middle of the action so the woman can do an elaborate and un-sexy gynocological rigamarole to get it put in. I suppose she could put it in ahead of time, but that would kind of kill the fun of the preliminaries. Standard condoms go on in a flash (assuming you can figure out how to open the package, and which way they unroll). It's actually a mood-builder, rather than a mood-killer, for your partner to put it on for you.
BIG ADVANTAGE: Ordinary condom.
- Sensation. Maybe I'm in the minority here, but the FC feels a little bit like having sex with a doll (uh, that is, what I *think* it would be like to have sex with a doll ...). True, the penis is uncovered, and free to slide against stuff (as in uncovered sex), but what you're sliding against doesn't really feel right.
ADVANTAGE: Ordinary condom.
- Interaction / Lubrication. Maybe this should be included under "Sensation." I don't know. With an ordinary condom (as with uncovered sex), there's a bit more of an interaction between the partners, particularly as the woman becomes more excited and wetter. That's gone with the FC. Lubrication is purely a matter of how much you choose to use. I guess that can be a good thing, as it's more controllable, and the guy can choose more friction, but I think something's missing. Some of the promotional stuff for the FC lists the fact it "transmits heat" as an advantage. I don't know: if an incredibly thin latex membrane doesn't transmit heat, wouldn't interior paint be sufficient to insulate your house?
ADVANTAGE: Ordinary condom.
- Cost. Obvious. Plus, you're going to need some lube, which you might or might not need with an ordinary condom.
ADVANTAGE: Ordinary condom.
- Accomodation of Odd Anatomy. I'll touch on this, as it's mentioned in some other reviews. Main point: ordinary condoms come in every size you can think of. There's no reason to use one that doesn't fit. I kind of like 'em tight, to tell you the truth. Indeed, if the choice is FC vs. generic medium-sized ordinary condom, I'd say the FC has an advantage for those with *small* penises, because there's no issue of it slipping off.
MINOR ADVANTAGE: FC, for those who are incapable of buying a condom that fits.
- Protection. The FC does cover more, since it hangs all the way out. And it can't slip off. I don't know which is more likely to break. Also, it puts the control over proper use more in the hands of the female, where experience suggests it will be more intelligently used.
ADVANTAGE: FC.