What the Heck is a Cock Ring, and How do You Use 'Em?

So yeah...erections. Whether you have a penis or your partner does (or both!), the strength and endurance of an erection can be kind of a sticking point. Does it get hard enough, does it stay hard long enough, could my orgasms be stronger, could my partner’s? Everyone wants to feel good and be good in the sack, and we at Nox are here to help in any way we can.

Plainly speaking, a cock ring, or a C-ring, is a ring, usually made of metal or stretchy silicone, that’s usually worn around the base of the penis, right near the balls. They can also be worn around the penis and the balls for a stronger erection. The ring restricts the flow of blood away from the penis, so that you can stay hard for a longer period of time. 

Cock rings can both help you get a stronger erection and maintain that erection for longer, and even improve the quality of your orgasms and your overall sensitivity. Metal rings, which are rigid, need to be put on while you’re flaccid—balls first, and then the penis. Known as penoscrotal rings, these are better suited to those with some experience. Silicone rings like Super Soft C-Ring from Tantus, Firefly Halo (which glows in the dark!) can be stretched right over an erect penis, and are easily removed. Some can also be extended to wrap around the balls or not, your choice! Either way, you might find that using a little lube can help the ring along and prevent chafing in your more sensitive areas.

In general, cock rings should be worn for 30 minutes or less—any longer, and it can result in priapism, which is a kind of perma-boner that needs medical treatment to subside. (If you think that sounds fun, trust us—it’s not!) Like anything, listen to your body and pay attention if you feel any numbness in your penis, kind of like when your foot falls asleep. Or pain, ‘cause that’s your body’s way of stating its limits!

Cock rings are sometimes sold with ticklers or a built in vibrator attached for clitoral and/or anal stimulation with partners , but many people also use C-rings for more pleasurable solo play. We personally recommend metal, silicone or neoprene, but you can also get rings made of rubber, leather, wood, ceramic, glass and even semi-precious stone. Just make sure you've read our piece on toxic toys, as inexpensive rings make up a large number of these potentially dangerous offenders. 

Lastly, cock rings are an amazing tool for people who suffer from erectile dysfunction, which is essentially when the body is unable to keep blood in the penis to produce an erection. The pressure of a ring, especially an inflexible one, can keep blood trapped in the penis and help you maintain your erection, and can be safely used in tandem with many other erectile dysfunction treatments.

Depending on your size, you should do a bit of research and see what material and diameter are ideal for you. To start, measure the circumference right where your penis meets your body, and do this a few times so you can calculate an average. Then, divide this number by 3.14159—yep, you nerds, that’s Pi—which should give you the ideal diameter for your penis. Silicone rings are really forgiving—we recently tested out a Super Soft C-Ring on various things around the studio and it fit around everything from a clementine to a small stovetop coffee pot! For inflexible rings made of non-stretchy materials, make sure the diameter is not smaller than that of your penis, or it might be uncomfortable to wear.

Speaking of the Super Soft C-Ring, Tantus says it can take you from the average 6-second orgasm to a mind-blowing 45 seconds. We'll wait while you count to 45 :-) 

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