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The Original Drink Condom
Each year the bar and nightclub convention in Las Vegas features some of the latest and greatest innovations to hit the industry. Yes, the bar and nightclub convention! Fashion has Magic, electronics has CES, music has NAMM, well guess what…we have the Bar and Nightclub Convention. Just another reason to go to Vegas and get smashed sampling shots of every type of alcohol, new and old, served up in thimble sized shot cups. Every year I walk around, getting progressively more and more tipsy, looking for that standout product (gimmick) that begs to be picked up and dropped into my bag of convention loot. This year I found that product: the Roccado Drink Condom. That’s right, “Drink Condom”.
Outside of its comical first impression, this product is actually functional. The creators of this patent pending novelty claim the drink condom can prevent foreign substances from ending up in your drink, including that nasty old date rape drug, the occasional bug or bee that mistook your apple martini for an apple blossom, or any airborne matter that hones in on your Hennessy. Makes perfect scientific sense: a cardboard lid with an integrated plastic liquid barrier coupled to a magnum sized latex condom made to snuggly fit over the top half of your glass. I have not seen a shot glass version of the drink condom, maybe because shots don’t sit around long enough for airborne matter to plunk in.
PubDistrict Lab Techs performed several tests on the Drink Condom to test the manufacturer’s claims. First we tested condom fit. The manufacturer claims it fits on drinks, glasses, cups and cans of all shapes and sizes. We found it works best on your standard everyday bar glass. Good luck trying to get a snug fit on smaller energy drink cans, beer bottles, bucket drinks, or the foofy-shaped Benihana Buddha cups. I guess size does matter in the world of drink containers.
Next we tested the product’s effectiveness as a barrier to the notorious date rape drug. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”, is the best test methodology when simulating the thinking process of a true date rapists. The only point of access to the drink is via the open straw; a much smaller orifice, yet only a small challenge to the hormone enraged date rapist. One quick squeeze from the perpetrators liquid dropper and the “Drink Condom” is rendered useless.
Does the drink condom prevent spillage? Yes, when the latex is properly unrolled down the length of the cocktail (no pun intended) the snug protective sheath can prevent spills or leaks. This is true with all types of condoms properly matched in size to the unit, be it a glass or something else.
At this point I think a napkin or drink coaster placed over an unattended drink offers greater protection and looks less ostentatious. I think over-protective drinkers using a drink condom are just looking to be messed with. The drink condom is testimony to the old saying, “being over protective can do more harm than good”. By and large we endorse drink safety in bars and clubs and applaud innovative approaches to making the scene a safer environment for everyone.
After reviewing this product our team came up with a new concept: the PubDistrict Straw Condom (See fig. 1, right)! After all, straw safety is clearly the next step.
Whether or not we see the drink condom becoming as widely accepted as its Trojan cousin, at least we can say they both keep you safe and well lubricated.
Visit Roccado's website: www.roccado.com
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