The condom is not a new invention, but it might be more ancient than you think. In fact, these “rubbers” have been around since longer than sliced bread, which is why the new HEX condom created by the Swedish intimacy company, LELO, is out to change the game.
This 20-year-old company recognized that the condom was seriously in need of an upgrade and sought to create a better verson that would be safer and more comfortable. The genius behind HEX is the hexagonal shapes that make up the condom. Filip Sedic, HEX’s founder, told Tech Insider that in the beginning his team attempted to create the condom with different materials, but after recognizing the long FDA approval process, they decided to stick to latex and focus on the design.
Sedic told Mashable that “[t]he challenge was to make something radically different with a material already approved for condom use. We did this because people need to be having great, safe sex today, not ten years from now.”
He explained to Tech Insider that when a HEX condom has pressure applied to it, it is stretched in six different directions—and since that pressure is only relative to the single hexagon it is applied to, it is much more durable. Plus, if you do poke a hole in it, it stays contained in the punctured hexagon instead of tearing the entire condom.
Sedic also explained that the hexagon shape is often a foundaton for strength in many aspects of nature. For instance, honeycombs are built to sustain weight, and snake scales are hexagonal to create a smooth yet durable surface.
The hope is that this new condom will be inconspicuous enough to prevent the “it doesn’t feel good” or “it might break” excuses. The HEX is currently being crowdfunded on Indiegogo and can be preordered for $9.90 for a 3-pack. There are also options to buy it in a 12-pack, $19.90, or a 36-pack, $34.90. The cost might seem a little steep, but the reason behind the added expense isn’t the extra manufacturing process, it’s the desire to make this a high-end condom. Sedic hopes that by making it a luxury item people will want to buy it for the cool factor associated with it. Well, we applaud you LELO, for trying to make safe sex cool again, one HEX condom at a time.