Condoms with raised dots, ribs or a moulded pattern on the outside. The texture is meant to add sensation for the receiving partner during movement.
What texture actually does
Ribs run around the condom; dots are raised points. Both add friction against the vaginal or anal wall as the condom moves.
Whether that registers as pleasant varies enormously between people, and it is worth being straightforward: some people notice a clear difference and some notice nothing at all. It depends on sensitivity, position and how much lubricant is present — plenty of lubricant reduces the effect, which is a real tension since lubricant is otherwise a good idea.
The one thing texture does not do is improve protection. A ribbed condom is exactly as effective as a plain one, no more.
Try before you buy a box
Because the response is so individual, this is a category to sample.
Pasante Points & Stripes and Durex Dame Pleasure are both three-packs. Skins Dots & Ribs 4 is a four-pack. A single small pack tells you whether the whole category is for you.
If it is, Pasante Ribbed Passion 144 brings the price per condom right down.
The LELO Hex, which is a different idea
LELO Hex is not a texture applied to a normal condom — it is a hexagonal structural web through the latex itself, designed to be thin while resisting tearing. It comes in threes, boxes of 36, and an organic version in twelves.
It is the most expensive condom on the site per unit, and it is bought for the thinness rather than for the texture.
Other sensation types on this shelf
Durex Intense Orgasmic and Control Xtra Dots combine texture with a stimulating gel on the inside or outside.
⚠ If you are prone to irritation, a stimulating gel plus texture is two irritants at once. Try one variable at a time.
Assorted packs like Skins Assorted 8 and Control Feel Fun Mix mix textured with plain, which is a reasonable way to compare directly.
Same rules as any latex condom
No oil — use water-based or silicone-based lubricant. Check the date, store cool and dark, one at a time.
Nearby
Plain condoms, flavoured, by size.
Does texture reduce sensation for the wearer?
Not noticeably — the texture is on the outside.
Is a ribbed condom safer?
No safer and no less safe. Protection is identical.
Will it be uncomfortable?
For most people no, but the texture can be irritating with insufficient lubricant. Use plenty.
Ribs or dots?
No general answer. Buy a mixed pack and find out.
30 products
