Packers' basic course - about penile prostheses
Penis, pippel, kikkel, egg, väjari, vehej... The beloved little knife has many names. A store-bought pippel is also good and valid! Are you ready for the packers basic course?
( Editor's note. if you ended up in this article because you received a package from a strange sender, please note that despite the similar wording, it is not from us! This article is about the use of penile prostheses and is not related to the Lithuanian parcel company in any way.)
Packer is used to pack or "pack"
Packing means the use of different types of penile prostheses. Packing is especially important for many trans men and transgender people to relieve dysphoria, strengthen gender euphoria and be seen as a representative of their gender in everyday life. Packers are everywhere and their appearance and functionality are constantly evolving. The cheapest packers can be found for a couple of tens (or you can make them yourself from, for example, a sock), the finest hand-shaped and painted versions can cost up to hundreds of euros.
Even though the packer is in the shape of a penis, it's still not basically a sex tool. Packer is therefore also suitable for, for example, trans youth, and the selection of many manufacturers also includes smaller sizes aimed at young people. Most of the packers show specifically a dormant penis. Of course, there are also prostheses intended for sexual intercourse and masturbation.
Not all trans men use a packer, or only use it in certain situations, and not all people who use a packer are men. Packer can be part of a variety of gender expressions. The most important thing is that you are comfortable!
In this article, we will go through the features of packers. After reading this guide, you will hopefully be able to choose a prosthesis that suits your preferences and needs.
Color, size and shape - where can I find mine?
When choosing a Packer, the first thing to consider is what kind of prosthesis you feel most comfortable with. The options include, for example, circumcised or pre-skinned versions, smaller and larger models, and in addition to different skin tones, also different delicious candy colors.
For example, many people of the opposite sex who like the feel of Packer in pants, but do not want a realistic prosthesis, prefer to choose, for example, a gold or purple packer. When choosing a packer based on skin tones, a good rule of thumb is to choose a prosthesis one degree darker than your own skin tone, as the skin in the genital area is usually slightly more pigmented than the rest of the body.
New York Toy Collective's Archer and Pierre packers are available not only in skin tones but also in fun space colors
The number of skin tones varies depending on the manufacturer and the price level - there are often 3-4 basic colors in more affordable packers, but especially as the price goes up, the color selection can be up to ten different options or even customized color mixes according to your own preferences.
When choosing a size, you should think about how much stuffing you want in the pants. The biggest packers can be eye-catchingly large, especially on top of a petite or slender one. Even if the packer feels small in the hand, it usually brings "more" filling to the pants.
There is also variation in the testicles. In some of the models, the testicles are more realistic - in the more expensive models, you can see the so-called 3D testicles with separate floating testicular prostheses inside the scrotum. Some models have a separate testicle part, and some have left the testicles reduced.
Material - i.e. what the penile prostheses are made of
At Sateenkaarikaupa, we always recommend primarily using packers made of medical silicone. Packers are also made from other materials, such as so-called from Cyberskin, but the safety of these materials is not necessarily guaranteed. They also get dirty, collect fluff, get sticky and tear more easily than high-quality silicone. That's why we don't want to include them in our selection either.
Medical silicone is an easy-to-care, non-porous, hypoallergenic and hygienic material that feels comfortable against the skin. It is easy to wash with water and mild soap, and it does not necessarily need to be talcumbed between washes. It does not grind and does not collect bacteria in use. Silicone is also just the right "soft firm" penile prosthesis material, giving a natural feel and bulging, without compromising on comfort. The silicone Packer can also be sterilized by boiling!
STP – when nature calls
In addition to basic packers, prostheses are also manufactured with various additional features. You may have noticed various special terms in the name of the packers - such as the mysterious acronym "STP". Let's talk a little about it!
STP, i.e. Stand-To-Pee, directly translated standing pee device, is, as the name suggests, a prosthesis suitable for urinating. Most STP devices have a cup, a "bladder" for the testicles, which is placed against the crotch when urinating, and from which the liquid then flows down the shaft of the penis out of a hole at the end of the glans, just like in a penis in general. Using the STP may take a bit of practice at first, but after a while of practice, peeing is like – heh – water. In addition to peeing, many STP devices are also suitable for use as a regular packer.
STP devices can also be read so-called meta-packers, i.e. prostheses intended for people who have undergone metoidioplasty. If the urethra has been lengthened during surgery, you can also pee standing up with this meta-packer. Individuals who have not undergone these surgical procedures cannot use meta-packers to pee.
STP devices can also be found as simple troughs in design, which means that you don't necessarily have to carry a penis-shaped device on your trip to enjoy the benefits. They are also excellently suited, for example, as a backup STP, or for people who do not feel the need for a penis.
But what about those bed sheets?
Although the majority of packers are not intended for sex, this function of the penis is certainly also remembered in product development. Some of the packers are designed for face-to-face sex, some become sex-compatible with a separate erection rod. Packers especially intended for sex may be called e.g. play-packers or strokers, depending on the more precise way of use.
A play-packer usually refers to an erect prosthesis that enables penetrative sex. The Play-packer can be a dildo at the same time, or it can be a more realistic erection prosthesis. Play-packer can also have so-called A pleasure slide that brings pleasure to its wearer. Such add-ons can also be connected to the play-packer, if it is not found built-in in the packer.
Stroker, on the other hand, refers to an instrument that enhances the sexual experience, often in the shape of a penis, which is used to create suction against one's own genital area, and which is especially suitable for caressing with the hands. In the case of Stroker, it is important to note that most of them are designed primarily for people who have previous growth in the genital area due to testosterone treatment. For other strokers, suction may not work as expected, but the effect of strengthening the sexual experience can still provide significant help for living with gender dysphoria. Strokers generally cannot be used for penetrative sex.
Some of the STP devices may also be suitable for sex – those equipped with an erection rod for penetration, and without the rod you can use the STP device for oral sex by forming a suction cup against your own intimate area. For this task, especially the so-called "small bladder" prostheses fit perfectly.
Although play-packers and strap-on dildos have similarities, they are not exactly the same thing. Play-packers are usually designed so that they can be worn under clothes even before sex, in which case they also function as a regular packer. The erection feature may be designed so that the head of the prosthesis can be turned parallel to the body, so that it does not bulge awkwardly and visibly before the h-moment. In general, play-packers also resemble a realistic penis more than strap-on dildos, although there are exceptions, especially when it comes to coloring. Play-packers can also have special features, such as an ejaculation tank, and many models also include testicles.
Stroker refers to prostheses suitable for masturbation especially intended for transmen and transmasculines. The prosthesis is absorbed into one's own anatomy by means of suction, and enables masturbation that strengthens the sexual experience. The partner can also caress the person using the stroker. Most strokers require lower head growth brought on by testosterone to function optimally, but for many, simply rubbing their own body parts into a trick that looks and feels right brings relief to gender conflict.
Does size matter?
When choosing a packer, you should note that the silicone is a little stiffer than the resting swelling tissue. In addition, Packer's testicles usually come a little further than with cis-kickles, where they often hang a little further back in the crotch area. A packer that feels small can therefore be "larger than its size". That's why you shouldn't underestimate the visually small knife, because it fills your pants more than you think!
If you don't particularly want to draw attention to your huge bottle, you should choose a packer according to your body structure. A small packer is more appropriate for a slim and graceful person, while a more stocky person can choose a slightly bigger packer without worrying about the large bottle that bothers them.
Now! Now we have gone through the most important basics about packers. For the following courses, there is still more to learn about different packer equipment, such as bags and straps. Until then, keep your peepers safe!