Many men use cock rings for harder erections & increased pleasure. And their partners love them for those same reasons! Here’s what you need to know before buying your first cock ring.

How to Use a Cock Ring

Many sex toy experts call cock rings the ultimate toy for couples. They’ve earned this nickname for their ability to enhance your sexual performance while stimulating both men and women alike.

According to Adam & Eve's resident sexpert Dr. Jenni Skyler, PhD, LMFT and CST, "Cock rings take a man's cock to the next level. It's like the Rabbit Vibratror, but live with your lover's penis."

Cock rings come in two major varieties: vibrating & non-vibrating. Vibrating rings add sensations that both of you can enjoy. Non-vibrating rings are great if you want to focus solely on enhancing your erection for peak sexual performance.

You might think it’s easy to use a cock ring, and you’d be right… for the most part. There are a few key details about cock rings that beginners either overlook or don’t realize. If you want to use a cock ring safely and effectively, then keep reading.

How Do Cock Rings Work?

Cock rings fit snugly around the base of your shaft. This tight fit restricts blood flow, causing your shaft to fill up with much more blood than usual.

"Make sure you get a strong erection first allowing all the blood to flow in before trapping in the erection with a tighter cock ring," said Dr. Jenni.

All this additional blood increases the size of your penis while making you extra hard at the same time. Cock rings can do that for every man, regardless of age. And if you’ve got problems maintaining an erection, then cock rings are just the extra help you need! You do have to be careful how long you wear a cock ring. Since the ring affects your blood flow, you should never wear one for longer than 20 minutes. When you’re getting close to that mark, slip your cock ring off and let your shaft recover. If you’re still ready to rock and roll afterwards, then you can put the cock ring back on for another round.

Getting Ready

You’re probably eager to try your new cock ring. But before you can take it for a test drive, there are a few simple things you need to do. I promise they won’t take very long, and they can mean the difference between liking and loving your new cock ring.

First, make sure that your lube and cock ring are compatible with each other. Silicone lubes can damage silicone sex toys. If you’ve got a silicone cock ring, you’ll need to make sure to use a water-based lube.

Second, make sure you’re fully erect. It’s a lot easier to put a cock ring on when you’re hard than trying to get hard while already using a cock ring. If you’re wearing a condom, the cock ring should go on after so it fits around your shaft and the condom. This provides a little extra security to help hold the condom in place.

Third, if you’ve got a vibrating penis ring then make sure you’re using a fresh set of batteries or that the ring is fully charged. This is essential if you want your cock ring to perform at its best. You don’t want to get a bad first impression of your new sex toy just because you used an old set of worn-out batteries.

How to Put a Ring on It

Start by holding the cock ring with both hands and stretching it open. Cock rings are usually very stretchy, so this shouldn’t be hard. While holding the cock ring open, slip it around your shaft and move it down to the base of your penis. Then gently ease the cock ring back to its normal shape. (Whatever you do, don’t let it go immediately. This might cause the ring to snap onto your shaft like a rubber band.)

The cock ring should fit snugly but not too tightly. You should be able to slip a finger between the ring and your shaft. If you can’t do this, then the ring is too tight and should be removed immediately (and you’ll need to make sure you buy bigger cock rings in the future). Not sure what size cock ring you need? Look for a set that comes with multiple sizes like the Play Zone Xact-Fit Rings. This set comes with nine stretchy rings measuring from 1.1 – 1.9 inches wide.

If your particular toy has multiple rings or loops meant to be used at once, you’ll want to slip the others around your scrotum or your entire package depending on its design. If your ring has a vibrating feature, then now’s a good time to turn it on. You might need to spin the ring around your shaft to make sure the vibrator can reach your partner’s erogenous zone. For example, the vibe should be positioned above your shaft during missionary and below it during doggy.

Once it’s on and ready to go, the cock ring immediately starts affecting your blood flow to increase your size and help you stay extra hard. It can feel a little weird at first but that feeling will go away the longer you use a cock ring. You might need to reposition the ring during sex if you change positions or it slips on your shaft because you used too much lube. Aside from that, you can just have sex like you normally do. Just don’t be surprised when your partner starts moaning or squealing more than usual thanks to your cock ring’s performance-boosting abilities and stimulating features.

Dr. Jenni added, "Many men enjoy their cock ring solo as well. Gazing at a strong erection can be really satisfying and a good ego boost. Some men like the vibrations at the bottom o the shaft as it can add a diversity of sensation."

Our Favorite Cock Rings

The RingO Erection Ring Set offers a great selection of non-vibrating rings. The set comes with three different-sized cock rings, so you can experiment to find your favorite. You can wear one ring around your shaft to boost your size and help maintain your erection, while wearing another ring around your balls to help delay your orgasm.

As for vibrating cock rings, the Big O Multi-Stage Vibrating Penis Ring is incredibly popular. Adam & Eve has sold more than 300,000 of these to happy men (and their lovers) all over the world. This ring features its very own vibrating bullet that buzzes your shaft and your lover with every thrust for extra stimulation.

Tips & Tricks

If you really want to maximize your sexual performance when using a cock ring, look for one that comes with two rings like the Adam & Eve Couple’s Enhancer Ring. The small, inner ring fits around your shaft, while the larger outer ring fits around your shaft and balls. This can greatly increase both your size and stamina, so you can truly blow your lover away!

Vibrating cock rings are usually powered by a bullet vibrator. And most of those bullets are removable. This lets you use the bullet vibrator for stand-alone stimulation or with your other sex toys. Bullet vibes work great with male masturbators in particular!

While most vibrating cock rings are used for clit stimulation, there are some designed for anal stimulation. Like its name suggests, the Double Penetrator Ring slips around your shaft and has a built-in dildo so you can use this cock ring for double penetration. Then there’s the Adam & Eve Cock & Ball Anal Teaser. This cock ring has an attached butt plug to work your prostate.

Most cock rings are similar in size, usually anywhere from 1 - 2 inches wide. Sure, these rings can be extremely stretchy. But smaller and bigger guys alike can have problems finding a cock ring to use that fits their shaft comfortably. That’s where adjustable cock rings like the Extreme Cockties come in. This ring features an adjustable slider to make sure it fits your shaft perfectly. You can also tighten it during sex to help boost your performance and loosen it when you’re ready to finish.

Dr. Jenni noted, "If you are pegging your partner, you can still slip a cock ring on the dildo to enhance both your and your partner's pleasure."

How to Use a Cock Ring with a Penis Pump

Penis pumps and cock rings make a winning combination. If you’ve never tried using a cock ring with a penis pump, then you’ll love how the two sex toys complement each other to enhance your penis and improve your sex life.

Start by slipping a cock ring around the mouth of your penis pump before you start pumping. Penis pumps create a vacuum, which pulls extra blood into your shaft. This extra blood helps boost your size and make you harder than ever. Ordinarily, the improvements you get from pumping can wear off fairly fast once you remove the pump. But that’s where the cock ring comes in.

Once you’ve finished pumping, slide the cock ring off the pump and around your shaft. The cock ring’s snug fit causes all that extra blood to remain in your shaft, preserving your gains so you can use them to satisfy your partner. They’re sure to be wowed by the new and improved you!

Cock Rings for Single Guys

Cock rings might be called the ultimate sex toy for couples, but they can be pretty fun for single guys too. Their erection-enhancing abilities are just as effective when you’re using a male masturbator or stroker. And if you’re having issues with maintaining an erection, then using a cock ring might be just what you need.

When you’re using a cock ring by yourself, you don’t have to worry about pleasing your partner. This lets you twist the ring around so that the vibrating stimulator presses against your balls. Your boys are sure to love the stimulating vibrations, and you’ll enjoy a truly explosive finish when you’re done!

Cock Rings for Single Women

Surprised that women can use a cock ring by themselves? All they need is a dildo. Just slip a vibrating cock ring around the base of the dildo. Then they can use the cock ring on their clit while the dildo works their vagina and G-Spot. It’s like a do-it-herself rabbit vibrator. The Happy Rabbit Rechargeable Ring has a bunny-shaped clitoral stimulator complete with vibrating ears that’s perfect for this!

Dr. Jenni said, "The vagina is anywhere from 3-6 inches. For smaller women who insert the rabbit into them, but can't reach the ears, the cock ring can be placed anywhere on the dildo portion of the toy for that added clitoral vibration."

Cleaning & Caring for Your Cock Ring

Once you’re finally worn out, it’s time to remove your cock ring. It should slip off easily once you’re no longer hard. Then all you have to do is clean it off.

If you’ve got a vibrating cock ring, remove the vibrator if possible. Spray your cock ring with a sanitizing sex toy cleaner. If you’re all out of cleaner, you can use warm, soapy water instead. It won’t be quite as thorough or good at killing bacteria, but it still works in a pinch. Dry your cock ring off with a clean, lint-free towel. Then go back and clean the removable vibrator too. If you’ve got a rechargeable cock ring, remember to plug it in so it’s ready to go the next time you need it.

Store your cock ring in a cool, dark place. Make sure your cock ring has its own storage bag. Some sex toy materials can interact with each other, damaging both toys. With the proper care, your cock ring can keep you and your lover smiling for many nights to come!

Dr. Jenni added, "Sex toy storage is key to toy longevity. Cleaning and dry, cool storage make the bucks go longer."


Shop penis rings at Adam & Eve: You’ll find dozens of vibrating and non-vibrating penis rings in all styles, shapes and sizes! See all penis rings.