Galactic Cap Just-the-Tip Condom
"The Galactic Cap is a condom men will want to wear and their partners will love. A better alternative, it will increase condom use and promote healthier sex." Want to wear? Partners will love? Well. Considering this just-the-tip contraceptive hasn't actually been released or FDA-approved yet, we'll see about that. We will just see about that.
Charles Powell created the Galactic Cap in response to the call for a male contraceptive that males won't bitch about or, in some cases, refuse to wear. While not perfect--the Cap's tip-only coverage cannot protect against certain STIs, such as HPV--the Cap does claim to address 4 primary condom shortfalls:
- Lack of sensitivity.
- Frustration of unwrapping and application.
- 15% to 18% contraceptive failure rate.
- Terminology. "Condom", after all, is kind of a dumb name for a penis coat, but "Galactic Cap" is an F'ING AWESOME name for a futuristic-looking penis hat.
The 2-part Galactic Cap system includes an adhesive base, which can be applied well in advance of sexy time. Not that this sounds particularly appealing, but days early even, as you can shower and pee and go about your normal non-penetration business with the base in place. The second Galactic Cap component, the cap, attaches to the base with a different high-tech adhesive, and creates a tight seal when scoring is imminent. Together, the parts still only cover the very tip of the penis, rather than the full shaft.
Galactic Caps run as an Indiegogo campaign through July 1, 2014. While most backer pledges will go towards further development and getting the FDA to say, "Aye, Aye" to Captain Galactic, those especially eager to try out a prototype can slide a sample on around December 2014 for a $100 pledge. If all goes well, Powell anticipates his Galactic Caps will descend as a full-on contraceptive army around January 2017.