WRITTEN WITH 'ULTIMA' PASSION IN MIND...!! (Durex Avanti Condoms)

Member Name: totalserenity

Product:	Durex Avanti Condoms
Date:	01/05/09 (1205 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A SUPER, NEW UPDATED SLICKER VERSION OF THE OLD AVANTI CONDOM!

Disadvantages: STILL FAR TOO EXPENSIVE, THE LATEX HYPER-SENSITIVE AMONGST US ARE 'PENALISED' FOR BEING ALLERGIC...

Ahem...well here goes!

After asking permission off both Gothy - my Teenage Mutant Ninja Daughter, and my Toyboy boyfriend *Bob*, I am now setting about the task of writing a review about a very serious subject - whilst hopefully 'slipping in a bit' of a humorous, plus informative slant to it at times...

Gothy was suitably grossed out at the fact her mother engaged in 'such unmentionable activities', naturally. For she of course, is the archetypal example of 'The Immaculate Conception' in her own mind-boggling mini-me-me-me universe, bless.
Bearing in mind Gothy is a member of dooyoo also, I had to be mindful of the fact she would happen across this particularly important review subject - and promptly go into anaphylactic shock, before stabbing me with a pitch fork!

Henceforth a 'grown up' and frank chat took place, with my offspring astutely questioning me as to why I felt the need to write a review on such an 'embarrassing' subject.

Point succinctly proved as to why this somewhat 'taboo' topic should be highlighted.

The sooner such issues can be discussed openly without the fear of ridicule, awkwardness, or hand-giggling tittering, and the like; then the sooner hopefully this country will start seeing lower teenage pregnancy rates, less incidences of the ridiculous fertility-threatening diseases like Chlamydia and Pelvic Inflammatory Disease - alongside the devastating life-threatening illnesses such as HIV or full-blown AIDS.

My beautiful daughter, I'm glad to say, understood my need to compile this opinion-plus-experience-filled biopic review, although I doubt she'll read it for fear of being traumatised at a young age!

*Bob*, aged 27, was 'cool' immediately with it, despite wanting to deep-down believe like Gothy that I am indeed 'The Virgin Mary' re-incarnate - so that no other male before him has sullied my delicate, untouched-by-man skin!

Now as you have probably gathered by the product title, plus the fact I have chosen to write this, I am indeed a 'Latex Allergy' suffer...Lucky Me.

The repercussions of this are far reaching for someone with my Arthritic health status. I have had many, many operations, proceedures, etc, up to press with no doubt more to come; thus the dratted Latex hypersensitivity can cause real problems amongst the medical profession when dealing with me.
However, that is not the reason for this write up today - as I really want to raise the point that it can have serious effects on a latex allergy sufferer's 'sexual' health too.

I have to say I fully intend to boggle you with scientific information regarding the 'Ultima' condom offering from 'Durex'; in addition to loads of quoted written jargon from the actual 'Avanti' packet itself, so panic ye not if you are reading for new information!

A little snippet to keep you going would be that the trade name of Durex originally derives from 'Du'rability. 'R'eliability and 'Ex'cellence'.
See I promised some educational content, and there will be, honest!

Now I would like to share with you (though not in 'too' much graphic detail, of course!), the Whys and Wherefores as to how I found out I was allergic to rubber-based items, as I think it's extremely relevant to this topic.

*So stop reading now if you are of delicate disposition, okay!*

Firstly, for most of us sex is a very natural, very enjoyable, very pleasurably sensual experience - and I consider it a gift to human kind.
The fact endorphins are naturally released into the system, from the chemical reaction our brain undergoes at the body being assaulted with the most wonderful sensations, is a huge bonus to someone who lives on tablets to relieve some of her pain!

Therefore, I for one, am grateful to Mother Nature for providing me with some much-needed 'natural' pain relief of the most stimulating kind!

However, the main thing I would like to stress here, is we should not be hypercritical as people about the use of everyday contraceptive protection, especially for the likes of condoms that should be used at any age where a person is sexually mature; as in my opinion they are a necessary but essential evil, unless you are in a committed, loving monogamous relationship.

In my own case, I was with the same man for 22 years of my life; we got together at the tender of age of 16 - both virgins I might add, so never had the need for condoms as a barrier again diseases - though such nasty infections were as rife in the 80's as they are now, sad to say.
Up until we entered into wedlock at the age of 22, I was on the contraceptive pill until we decided to have a baby...

My husband and I had fooled around with the flavoured condom varieties just for the fun element of them, as you do when you're experimenting in your love life...
Alas however, I unfortunately suffered with the traumatic health issue of Infertility so we trying 'to' get pregnant, rather than to 'prevent' it.

Fantastically for us, our wonderful miracle baby Emo-fringed Cyclops-Looking Goth (she didn't look like that when she was born, honest!) was joyously born in 1992 after six years of treatments and operations...followed several years later by a full hysterectomy for me at the tender young age of 31.

No need for condoms again then. Until hubby and I split up that is...

Thus, there I was at the ripe old age of going on 38, technically needing to use prophylactics properly for the first time in my life out there in 'the real world' - scary stuff indeed!

Luckily, I ended up in a 2 year relationship which meant I didn't have to use the rotten little rubber 'johnnies'...which leads me neatly up to my 'Naughty 40's', Mwahhhh!

And this is where the real fun began... for on encountering a more 'casual' physical relationship, I soon found out the latex rubber ingredient in the 'usual' sorts of sheaths did not agree with me - and boy did it hurt!
Walking around like a bow-legged Cowgirl for two whole days, with a burning inflammation where the sun definitely has never shined, soon had me hobbling off to the local doctors 'Pronto', I can tell you!

Red-faced, and almost crucified with mortification, I sat there quite literally squirming (!!) after an up close and personal examination, as the professionally dispassionate GP matter-of-factly explained I had a 'Latex Allergy' - thus would never be able to use 'normal' condoms, as my private bits would always have an 'angry reaction' to anything of that rubberised nature.

Grrreat!!

Obviously the ramifications of this type of allergy would - and still do, spill over into everyday life. But for me as a 'newbie' in the world of 'sexual experience', it was a horrifying discovery to make.

Being a sensible and responsible person - plus respecting my sexual health intensely, as it's just as important as my physical or mental health; I immediately went out and bought some 'latex free' 'Durex Avanti', to avoid my poor delicate skin having such an extreme reaction ever again to the 'natural rubber latex proteins', found in the more mainstream condom packs.

(Well I actually made my best mate Maria go and pay for them at the Boots counter...I wanted the points on my Advantage card, but was too self-conscious to go for myself - 'tis true!)

Here we get to the' soap-box bit' - as I was aghast when the GP had originally explained I could not get the condoms free on prescription, despite it being a 'legitimate' allergy that I had to deal with for the rest of my life.

I had been prescribed by that point, several different strong cortisone creams for my dermatitis, E45 for extremely dry skin generally; pain killers for an arthritically debilitating, again life long condition, and yet not for an extreme reaction to a rubber cover that technically would literally 'burn' me intensely both internally and externally on rubber-to-skin bodily contact.

It just didn't make sense to me, especially as the GP knew I was on a low income due to being unable to work with an acutely bad back.

On purchasing the original Durex Avanti product I started on a few years ago, I found the prices truly horrifyingly high! Costing a ridiculous £4.95 for a pack of only 2 - or £9.95 for a multi-pack of 5 sheaths.

'How piggin' much?' Ye Gods I just couldn't believe it!

Might as well wash any sort of sex life down the drain then. At those extortionate prices the next poor guy in question had better to be able to perform for England!!

Even before needing this 'specialist' material type of condom, I have always been a firm believer in that either condoms should be free - or at least sold at a hugely discounted price - compared to the extortionate profit margin these condom companies must surely be making.

Scandalous, I tell you...Scandalous!!

The original Avanti condoms were god-awful as well.
No give, no stretch, plus frighteningly prone to ripping; made from 'polyurethane' according to my new 'Wikipedia' internet bible - therefore not prone to 'latex-rot'...apparently 'a plus'.
Am not surprised - they were too rigid to move, let alone rot!

I hated them with a passion, as I do all condoms - but I must stress they are so very necessary for the more casual, less committed type of sexual intercourse, or other more experimentational sorts of sex.
Recommended by the sexual health experts to be used even during oral sex to protect oneself against nasties like Herpes, Hepatitis B, Genital Warts - and as *Bob* just muttered 'bad breath'...Hmmm...

We all know the dangers of unprotected sex, at least it now thankfully well advertised now via the Media.

'Sex Education' has improved drastically since 'back in my day' as well; but let's not forget that practically every disease can be passed on by anal intercourse too.
And before you start 'Tutting', these things are part of life - whether or not it's your cup of tea. There are many forms of making love - so each to their own, as consenting adults I say.

However being pure of heart and of body (*Bob's sat here reading as I type so 'Shhh'...!) I really wouldn't be able to tell you much more about such activities *shiny halo*...

Then, amazingly enough, Avanti more recently went 'Ultima', and suddenly things got a whole lot better for this rubber-hating cover lover - Hurray!!

In the beginning of mine and *Bob's* fledgling love affair, we were both fanatical about the concept of safe sex, and later on down the line when we both felt it okay to stop using condoms we discussed it fully.
When taking our relationship to 'the next level', I had to explain to my new would-be playmate that I was latex allergy; therefore we would have to use the special Avanti brand of 'rubbers'.

He was, of course, fine with this so I used all my older condom supplies up before ordering some more off - of all places, 'eBay'!

The 'Ultima' is the updated version of the Avanti basic brand (which is now discontinued), and is made from synthetic polyisoprene, were the ones I received through the post a few days later.

These new and lubricated condoms are very soft; feel a lot thinner and much stronger than their basic forerunners ever did, and I think they are fabulous!
You still have the essential teat end needed to collect the ejaculated sperm safely; plus they are transparent like the old Avanti ones (but you can actually 'see' the goods a lot clearer than through the thicker polyurethane), and have a 'nominal width of 56mm'.

As with the entire Durex brand they exceed worldwide quality standards, a fact the company is understandably very proud of!

Durex also claim the Ultima smell better, and I would certainly agree with that too!

*Bob* and I found the revolutionary Ultima to be far superior to just the basic Avanti prophylactic. It was far more durable, far stretchier, didn't roll up the shaft as easily as the stiffer Avanti type; plus not a single one burst no matter how vigorous our nocturnal activities were...

All Durex condoms are 100% electronically tested too - a very important factor for those who rely solely on condoms as a contraceptive as well as a protector.
Please note however, this is a product that has a none-spermicidal lubricant; plus no sheath is 100% safe in preventing unwanted pregnancies or catching STDs.

Claiming to be; 'The world's most natural feeling non-latex condom', in addition to being: 'Thinner than regular latex condoms for a natural feeling', I would again concur with both those claims *big smile*!
The basic Avanti types were awful to use; the Ultima does allow for so much more sensations to get through the slicker sheath - both during intercourse and oral sex, than the older condom ever did.

In my opinion I think they are a fabulous improvement in just about every way they could be from the older prototype, and we both felt more confident regarding their durability; which is crucial if you are practising safe sex sensibly.

There is a list on the back of the dark purple sealed cardboard container, giving plenty of information regarding the contents of the pack - including a warning that some people who are sensitive to latex may also be sensitive to these too, but I personally have had no problems at all.
Inside there is a leaflet with plenty of relevant advice on how to place a condom on the penis properly, etc, plus each foil packed sheath has an expiry date on as well as showing on the outer box - usually a good couple of years in front if you buy them well in advance.

The front of the pack is rather tastefully adorned with two gorgeous planets, one looked liked the ringed Saturn, although I have never got the relevance to prophylactics...perhaps it just means you're in for an 'out of this world experience?!

On one the side of the pack is the Durex proud pledge plus the fact they are the 'World's no1 condom brand' with over 75 years of quality experience, on the other it says the Ultima has an 'Easy-On Shape' thus is both easier to put on, plus more comfortable to wear.

In a world full of unwanted and distressing Sexually Transmitted diseases such as Gonorrhoea, Chlamydia, Syphilis, to name but a few; along with other little nasties that are just waiting for a new host, can anyone afford to be complacent with their precious sexual health?

Ignorance is not an excuse, nor is a few minutes of embarrassment. After sending my friend Maria to buy my first packet, I subsequently went and bought my own while she hovered in the background for morale support!

Nowadays it's so easy to buy them via the internet as well, even in bulk if you so wish...

'And' did you know the Ultima make are suitable for Vegans too, as there are no animal additives to the man-made material - how good is that for a suitable ending?!

Summary: A FAB NEWER PRODUCT TO REPLACE THE OLDER, THICKER SHEATH - WELL DONE DUREX!