Well, I just went through a rather embarassing but enlightening process of finding out about condoms. You can learn a lot by phoning the informed people at Condomania (http://www.condomania.com/) - I talked to them and two other stores, and learned a lot:
1. Most of the gimmicks are gimmicks.
2. When it comes to condoms, size really does matter. For me, the standard condoms you buy in the store are hard to put on, tend to rip, and are rather numbing - when wearing a condom, I tended to get strong erections that lasted a long time but have a hard time progressing to orgasm. The condom was just way too small! I bought a few different sizes and figured out the right size - it should not fall off, if you move the condom it should be tight enough that your skin moves with it and the condom does not slip.
3. There are just a few brands that seem to be the big favorites.
At any rate, the better condom stores really do seem to know some things and can tell you on the phone, and I was able to learn a little, hang up when I was blushing too hard, and call back later when I was ready.
