Drysuit condom catheter sizing help & questions

[Storker]

I'd be more worried about shrinkage.....

Get a proper set of undergarments. And a nice, warm wool wicking layer. Problem solved.






I won't guarantee wood, though. Unless you're fifteen years old.

 

[mk706]

I'll dog pile on for Rochester Widebands. I'm between sizes. The larger size is much more comfortable and no leaks.


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[BFRedrocks]

When the time comes to put it on, remember, although it is commonly called a condom catheter, it is not to be put on like a condom. As you will 99% of the time not be "standing tall and proud" you need to remember to actually pull the foreskin to the front. (Unless you can't) (Allright.. I know... too much details) However... as a nurse I have seen a few students make the mistake to put it on with the foreskin back, and that will hurt when taking it off agin.

Ah, and herein lies the "big" question (and forgive me for the brutally honest details): When you say "pull the foreskin to the front," do you mean towards the tip (like I'm sure all of us 12-yr old guys did when we were actually 12-years old...hiding it like a turtle), or pulled towards the bottom of the shaft? If it's the former, then do you pull the foreskin essentially over the head enough so that when the glue of the cath first touches your skin, it's actually touching the foreskin and not the head? My issue has been even the ones I am honestly sized for correctly (based on shaft size) are way too small for the head, so the glue ends up way too high in the sensitive spots, and the cath simply does not fit right. I just ordered some bigger sized widebands, ultraflexes, and pop ons to see if that makes a difference in getting past the head better while still sealing properly. With the amount of glue these use, and how much "joy" there is in getting them off, I have a hard time seeing how any of these could just "blow off" without the "flow" being stopped simply due to the back pressure pain..

 

[Storker]

do you pull the foreskin essentially over the head enough so that when the glue of the cath first touches your skin, it's actually touching the foreskin and not the head?

I think there might be a difference in your frames of reference here. Imla, being Scandinavian, has probably seen (I'm referring to experiences in her occupation as a nurse, mind you!) a lot more intact penises than cut ones. While circumcision AFAIK is quite common in USA, it's very uncommon in Scandinavia (and I assume the rest of Europe) outside Jewish or Muslim communities. An uncut penis is essentially totally covered by the foreskin when flaccid unless you deliberately pull the skin back, even also when erect (although there's considerable individual variation).

So I'm pretty certain she means that the foreskin should cover the head totally, or at least as much as possible.

 

[Imla]

Storker is completely correct! the point being to protect the sensitive skin of the forehead from the glue. Ie glue on the skin, not the head and let the skin provide the "perfect positioning"...

 

[Storker]

On a totally unrelated note: This apparent ubiquitousness of pee valves is something I wasn't aware of before I started reading SB. Around here, where virtually everyone dives dry, I've never seen one of those.

Yes, I totally see the point for tec divers who might spend several hours underwater, but for a rec drysuit diver? I can't remember one single outing where anyone has given a planned bottom time of more than an hour. Even I, who's a bit bothered with immersion diuresis, can hold it for about an hour if I remember to take a leak before zipping up and splashing. That's what front zips are for, right?

 

[Lorenzoid]

On a totally unrelated note: This apparent ubiquitousness of pee valves is something I wasn't aware of before I started reading SB. Around here, where virtually everyone dives dry, I've never seen one of those.

Yes, I totally see the point for tec divers who might spend several hours underwater, but for a rec drysuit diver? I can't remember one single outing where anyone has given a planned bottom time of more than an hour. Even I, who's a bit bothered with immersion diuresis, can hold it for about an hour if I remember to take a leak before zipping up and splashing. That's what front zips are for, right?

If it's the first dive of the day, where I may have just had breakfast with coffee and water, I will pee at least once in an hour dive, and sometimes two or even three times. When I was younger, I could go hours without peeing. I think frequency of urination increases with age. Getting up at least once in the middle of the night to pee is not uncommon for me now.

 

[BFRedrocks]

Storker is completely correct! the point being to protect the sensitive skin of the forehead from the glue. Ie glue on the skin, not the head and let the skin provide the "perfect positioning"...

Okay, well this actually makes more sense to me and kind of helps to explain maybe why you size condom caths for the shaft and not the head (which may or may not be bigger than the shaft). So even being a more "typical" guy from the US (i.e. cut), I would still pull up so that the glue part contacts the skin around the shaft first and not the head, and then slide/roll it down from there?

---------- Post added January 29th, 2015 at 03:29 PM ----------

If it's the first dive of the day, where I may have just had breakfast with coffee and water, I will pee at least once in an hour dive, and sometimes two or even three times. When I was younger, I could go hours without peeing. I think frequency of urination increases with age. Getting up at least once in the middle of the night to pee is not uncommon for me now.

Totally agree. In addition, even if I don't have to go (or can hold it) during my hour-long dive, the ability to relieve myself without unzipping is well worth it (once I master the whole condom cath thing of course )

 

[scagrotto]

I can't remember one single outing where anyone has given a planned bottom time of more than an hour. Even I, who's a bit bothered with immersion diuresis, can hold it for about an hour

If I don't pee a couple of times during a one hour dive in the tropics I figure I must be dehydrated.

 

[hroark2112]

You are seriously worried about getting a hard on while diving???? What are you?.....12?

You obviously have never been diving in NC. We've got some dead sexy sea life!!

:redhot: