We’re all about condom innovation. If there’s a way to get people to practice safer sex, we’re pro-that thing. However, we have some questions about the Galactic Cap, the latest in crowd-funded condom design.

This innovative condom looks like a tiny shower cap that you put over your junk. What looks to be some type of double-sided sticky tape is placed over the head of the penis, and then the shower cap with a reservoir is stuck to the top to be filled up like a fun little semen balloon.

What's interesting is that this design isn't exactly new-- in fact, it's very, very old and can be traced to the dawn of condoms (or the condawn, as I like to say), around 1200 B.C.E. Greek and Egyptian men would wear a type of loincloth with a sort of condom that attached around the head of the penis. You can read more about that in our History of Condoms article, although we wonder-- what was the problem that lead to this innovation dying out?

The main problem that the Galactic Cap addresses is comfort. Many men find condoms uncomfortable-- it’s been a problem since day one, and good on the Galactic Cap for pinpointing this. Unfortunately, the Galactic Cap sacrifices safety in the name of comfort, and that shouldn’t be the case.

Which is perhaps the reason why there were no Just-The-Tip condoms on the grant winners list from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Many of these designs continued using the same male condom shape that's we've been very familiar with for so long, but found other ways to make that more comfortable-- through materials, shape, and design.

Even these ultra-cool Origami Condoms don't skimp on the coverage, instead providing an awesome extra texture on the inside of the condom to make up for the loss of sensation many condom-wearers feel.

Using the Galactic Cap comes with such a big caveat-- there will be a large amount of exposed skin soaking up juices. Sure, the reservoir pouch at the end will be excellent for preventing the transmission of semen, but what about vaginal fluids? What about herpes or genital warts? Even syphilis can be transmitted via contact.

If even normal condoms sometimes slip and prevent complete coverage from these contact STDs (read about the Scroguard, an alternative to protecting against this), what chance does a condom that's even tinier have?

The Indiegogo site where you can support the project does note that for sick people, traditional condoms would be preferable since healthy skin is a good barrier for protection. What we're worried about is that differentiation between perfect and typical use. Someone who uses a normal condom typically is still most likely going to be just fine. But someone incorrectly using a Galactic Cap may have virtually no protection. Be honest-- do you thoroughly examine your partner's genitalia for cuts and sores before you have intercourse?

Like the Trojan NaturaLambs, these may be a great alternative for committed folks who have both been STD tested and trust one another to not bring anything into the relationship. For one-night-stands and casual daters, more protection should always be considered.

We’ll have to see the Battlestar Galacticap in action before we make any final judgements, but for now, we’re excited by the innovation that it's inspiring.