| February 18, 2023
While hanging out on Reddit, I’ve seen a number of questions from guys curious about or interested in using cock rings for the first time, so thought I could immortalize some of my experience here on the blog. With such a large and diverse collection, I’ve definitely picked up some data points over the years!
Finding your size
This is the most important place to start. If you are completely new to the world of adornments for your manhood, be prepared to experiment a little bit and to try a few options. Just like every man has a preference for what kind of vehicle he would like to drive, you will have a preference for the size and material of your rings that is unique to you. This, of course, is part of the beauty and the adventure: your adornments are personal - they are an extension of you.
It took me a while to fully understand and appreciate the size and style of ring that I like the most. The right sized ring is going to make or break the experience for you. Begin getting a feel for what you want out of the experience and review a sizing guide for pointers. Notice on the guide that a 1/8" (only 4 to 5mm) inner diameter can significantly change the dynamics of how a ring fits.
Pro tip: Cock rings are usually sized for inner diameters of 1 1/2" (40mm), 1 3/4" (45mm) and 2" (50mm). Only some manufacturers offer sizes in-between.
As mentioned in the sizing guide, start first with some string to get a rough idea of your anatomical size. You can do this pretty much for free, so why not? This is your baseline. This diameter number represents your measurement without constriction and in a “normal” state. With this number in hand, it’s time for the fun part: a bit of shopping!
- Start inexpensive - You are experimenting with size and shape. Unless you plan to start a collection and keep your options open, I wouldn’t recommend investing yet in an ultra-premium ring like a Kings Ring or Himeros. Find something cheap that won’t upset you if it just plain doesn’t work for you!
- Find a multipack - Experimentation often requires multiple tries. Go for something like one of these options ( 1, 2 or 3) which provide multiple sizes in a single purchase. When purchasing a multipack, be aware of what sizes are in the pack versus which ones you already have. As noted above, most adornments come in fairly standard sizes so you will probably come across duplicate sizes if you are trying multiple packs.
- Avoid super stretchy - The exercise at this point is to figure out what your optimal size is. A very stretchy ring (like those crappy jelly rings) is going to work against this goal because it will expand in size as you engorge. The optimal place to start is with a nitrile/rubber set. These types of rings are flexible to make it easier to put on but will not give you a false reading of size as you thicken up. If you cannot find nitrile or rubber rings, silicone can work, but be wary that many silicone rings are made to be stretchy.
- Avoid rigid - Hey, you’re new at this… and you may choose wrong. A rigid ring such as stainless steel or aluminum will be hard to remove if you get yourself stuck. While I’ve tried hundreds of rings over the years and have never become stuck, it can happen. Don’t chance it, rookie! Stick with the rubber or nitrile rings for now because they have the bonus of being made of a material you could cut with household scissors if things go south
Put it on
Once you have some adprmnemts in your possession to try, let’s get down to business. The process for putting a ring on starts while being flacid. Once you’re hard, it’s not going on. You may get excited while putting your ring on - that’s OK, just pause a moment until things calm down. Your testicles go in first. You should have no trouble doing this because the ring should be sized to fit both cock and balls inside. Once your scrotum is all the way inside, guide your shaft in. Manouvre the head of your penis into and through the ring. Continue guiding the rest of your member through the ring until the adornment is flush against your body.
With the ring on, now it’s time to decide if it fits. Ask yourself some questions:
- Is the adornment too tight while hard? Do you feel like the ring is digging in to your skin? If you are turning turning purple, get that thing off of there!
- Is the adornment too loose while hard? Does your shaft feel thicker and fuller and are you veiny and rock solid? Does the ring feel like it could slide forward and backward? Is the effect what you or your partner are going for?
- Is the adornment too tight while flaccid (all day wear)? Do you feel like it will be uncomfortable if worn this way? It will increase your bulge, but does it force an erection when you do not want one?
- Is the adornment too loose while flaccid (all day wear)? What happens while sitting and standing? The ring will move a bit, but will it stay on all day? Does it encourage enough of a bulge for you?
- How does it feel at the point of contact? Does the ring feel too narrow indicating a need for a thicker band? Do you feel pinching anywhere?
Most of all, remember your reason for putting on a cock ring in the first place. Does this ring, at this size, get you to that goal? Do you have to make any trade offs for that goal (i.e. less “pump” for more comfort)? Only you can determine if this size is right for you. I keep multiple sizes in my collection because my goals for wearing an adornment differ from day to day. Some times, I just like to feel hug of the ring around my member all day long. Other times, I want an intense and borderline painful erection for play time. Think about your objective and this one size to make your determination.
Then… try it all again with more sizes! Take note of what works for you depending on the goal as you progress and you will land on your exact size.
Pro tip: When starting out, plan for wearing/testing an adornment no longer than 30 minutes. You only get one penis, so be safe with it.
Fine tune your tastes
Remember the analogy earlier in the article about this being a personal experience? Now that you have tried on a few sizes and figured out what is the right diameter, you get to really make the adornment personal. If you are happy with your nitrile or rubber ring set, awesome! If you think there is room for improvement, you can now look at more expensive rings - rings fine tuned to your tastes - to hone in on something that is truly an extension of you.
Ring thickness
Most nitrile and rubber rings have about a 1/4" thickness. Depending on your anatomy and goals, this ring thickness may just plain be uncomfortable while erect. Personally, I can only tolerate a thinner band like this for short periods of time. Adornments come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. If you like the round (called “wire”) look and feel, find some rings that have a thicker diameter (you can go as crazy as you want). If you think perhaps having more surface area at the point of contact would be better, but don’t want to have a huge wire around you, a classic donut is a great next purchase.
Stretchiness
Although we want to avoid stretchy rings while trying to figure out the right size, that doesn’t mean stretchy rings have to be off limits all the time. Now that you know what size gets you to your goal, you can begin experimenting with stretchy rings that may start at a much smaller diameter, but expand to fit your optimal diameter while erect. Because these rings are dynamic in their fit, they will still feel a little tight while flacid and should maintain a similar “feeling” while erect. This may be exactly what you’re looking for, so give it a whirl!
Material
Literally anything that surrounds your manhood and gets you to your goal can be an adornment. This means that lots of materials are in play! Material and design selection is how you can make your adornment special. Plus, we started cheap for a reason: some materials are downright expensive! Your everyday silicone, rubber, or stainless rings will be pretty reasonable while getting into designer stainless, aluminum, or tungsten carbide rings become an investment. As an avid collector of all sorts of adornments, I can say with certainty that purchasing a gorgeous ring at the wrong size is a huge let down.