Tired of your dick? Why not just put on a new one?
This, among other things, is what a cock sheath can offer. Also called “penis extenders,” cock sheaths are much like a wig for your dick — one day you can be 12 inches long; the next you can have a purple dragon dong; and the day after that, you can be a squishy, thick amorphous blob. Shaped like hollow dildos with a ball ring attached, they’re worn over the penis like a sleeve, temporarily changing its size and texture to fit the wearer’s whim.
Daniel, a 33-year-old in L.A., loves using cock sheaths because they allow him to penetrate his partner with something much bigger than his own dick. “My partner enjoys being stretched out, and I enjoy seeing that happen to her,” he tells me. “I’ve used dildos on her prior to using a sheath, and while it’s always fun, it’s nice to feel like it’s my cock that’s doing the stretching. It’s quite a trip, visually, to see something much larger going in her that’s moving with the pace of my thrusting. It’s just more engaging than using a handheld dildo.”
Typically, Daniel uses sheaths that are at least two inches wider than his actual dick. “The first time putting it on was pretty comical,” he continues. “It’s a little bit of an ego death taking it off though. It’s intoxicating to use it and get used to it, but then going back to your regular size without it is humbling.”
This phenomenon of stretching out your partner and being humbled by your own size seems to be the appeal of the penis sheath for many users. In much of the porn featuring them, submission seems to be a theme — either the one being penetrated is submitting to the experience of taking an unrealistically large penis, or the one doing the penetrating is submitting to the idea that their partner much prefers the sheathed penis to their real one.
Some of the most popular cock sheaths/extenders come from Bad Dragon, makers of mystical and animalistic sex toys. With their line of “wearables,” people can turn their own penises into that of a giant flying reptile or a neon green alien wang, all in several dozen colors and sizes. Beyond just the fantasy of it all, Bad Dragon’s wearables also feature a variety of shapes and textures like ridges and beading, enhancing the sensation for the person being penetrated.
On the other side of the ledger, as Daniel explains, most cock sheaths don’t provide much sensation for the wearer. It makes sense — you’re basically just sticking your dick inside a squishy tube, preventing you from feeling anything outside of it. A few sheaths do have exposed ends at the very tip of the toy for the head of the penis to poke through, but the vast majority are entirely enclosed. There is, though, a silver lining: This lack of sensation can help extend the length of the sexual encounter.
“The benefits for the wearer would be pleasuring his partner as far as having a bigger, wider, ribbed penis,” explains adult industry veteran Maxine Fensom, owner of Australian strip club Maxine’s and founder of the Australian Adult Industry Awards, adding that they’re commonly used among both male porn performers and strippers. “It’s largely about the fantasy, but also, you won’t ejaculate early. If you struggle with cumming too quickly or holding an erection, cock sheaths can be great for that.”
This is largely because in addition to reducing sensation, cock sheaths also lightly restrict the blood flow around the penis, akin to a cock ring. Many also feature a ring meant to be held around the balls, which has a similar function.
Not surprisingly, the cock sheath’s sensation gap is part of the appeal for many redditors. As a submissive man on r/Femdom wrote of using it on his dominant mistress, “She loved it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her cream like she did. I felt close to nothing. The mental stimulation was almost enough to make me pop alone, but basically, no feeling other than pressure on my penis.” Meanwhile, many of the posts on r/PenisSleeve, a subreddit devoted to cock sheaths that’s grown up to more than 7,000 members in the last year, are from men discussing how happy they are that their partners never want to have sex without them wearing one.
Whatever the reasoning, most cock-sheath users seem quite pleased with their purchase. Some enjoy the pleasure it brings their partners. Some enjoy being devoid of pleasure themselves. And some, of course, just love getting to pretend that they have a neon monster dick for a day.
Magdalene Taylor
Magdalene Taylor is a staff writer at MEL. She covers internet culture, sex and the online adult industry. She lives in Brooklyn but is from God's Country, Western Massachusetts.
