Readers with large penises sound off on the good and bad of being well endowed.
By M.J. Ecker
[M.J. Ecker is JackinWorld's Editor and founder.]
Most of us were born with fairly average-size penises – somewhere between 5 1/4 and 6 1/2 inches when erect (as adults). And because penis size seems to be a built-in concern among men, many of us "average" folks often wonder what it would be like to be really big. So we at JackinWorld decided to tap a rich resource – the JackinWorld readership – to find out. We asked about 50 guys who claimed to be well endowed to answer a series of questions on the subject. We then sorted and edited the responses, looking for those that best summarized common views or had alternate opinions. The results are fascinating – by the time you're done reading, I think you'll really have a feel for what it's like to "Live Large." You may (or may not!) still yearn to experience it in real life – but until someone invents a working holodeck, this may be about as close as you'll get.
A few words on how this Roundtable works: The questions are in bold. We've written a few summarizing comments; these are in italics. The first time one of our panelists is mentioned, we tell you the name he provided, his age, location, and the length of his erect penis, as measured by the "Official JackinWorld method" used in Survey #3 and the Puberty Survey. (We let a couple younger readers slip in who were a little larger than the average adult.) After that, every time a panelist is mentioned, we provide just his name and location as a link – if you want to remind yourself of his other information, put your cursor over the link, and the information will appear in your brower's status window. Those without Javascript-enabled browsers can click on the link – you'll be taken to the panelist's first response.
How old were you when you started realizing you were going to be big? How did you feel about that?
Most of our panel came to this realization at a fairly early age and were excited.
[Boxers, age 18, Massachusetts, 7.1"] I was 12 or 13. I was actually embarrassed at that point. It was to the point where I would never let my friends see my penis because I was afraid that they would make fun of me.
[Kyle, age 16, Oregon, 8.25"] I was 13. I felt really good. When you're young, your penis and all of your body in its developing state is very important to you. With a penis that was 6.75 inches long erect, and knowing it would still grow, I was very excited.
Some had problems with this very obvious change in their bodies.
[James, age 28, Washington, 8"] I was 12 and other boys would laugh at me in the shower after P.E. I noticed I was pretty big when I saw my dad's penis soft and it wasn't much larger than mine.
[Kyle, age 17, New York, 9.5"] I was about 13, I guess. At first I thought it was the most amazing thing in the world. But soon after I got really self-conscious. I never wanted to change in the locker room just in case anyone would ever see.
And a few didn't know for a while, being in the dark about what's average.
[Matthew, age 19, North Dakota, 7.5" long, 6" around] When I was 14 and measured my penis I was surprised by how much I had grown, but I didn't have any access to the Internet back than and I didn't have any close male friends so I had no clue what the average penis length was. When I first came online in late 1996 one of the first things I did was learn about penis length. I was very happy to learn I was large, and I loved to go into chatrooms and brag about it.
[Andy, age 18, Australia, 22 cm or 8.7"] I was never in a situation where I could compare myself with other guys. In the last year or so in the shower rooms I've been comparing myself against other guys. I'm yet to find anyone bigger.
[Russ, age 52, Iowa, 7.5"] I never really thought I was big until after I was married – only in the last few years have I found that out.
Did you ever reach a point when you thought it was getting too large?
A few of our panel members had concerns.
[Kyle/New York] From the day I found out it was larger than normal I thought it was too large. I wasn't ready to deal with something so different from what everyone else was experiencing.
[H.C., age 25, Belgium, 19.5 cm or 7.7"] Only recently I started to worry a bit, when I met my present girlfriend. She's rather petite. We haven't had sex yet, but I got worried when I noticed that my penis is thicker than her wrist. I know vaginas are wide enough to give birth to babies, but still, that doesn't mean it's comfortable to put something too big inside!
But most figured, the bigger the better.
[Antonio, age 17, Georgia, 8.2"] No. Unless it gets to 10 inches, which I am pretty sure it won't, I don't think it can be too big. It is too big, however, to run without underwear on or to wear shorts with no underwear.
[Andy/Australia] Not really. I just assumed it was normal – which it is – but just not as normal as some!
[Peter, age 14, Massachusetts, 6.5"] Too large? is there such a thing?
Does size run in your family? Have you seen the endowments of other male family members, and how do they compare?
Of those who were able to compare, most indicated there seems to be a connection.
[Caleb, age 16, North Carolina, 7.8"] I once saw my brother's, and it is huge.
[Andy/Australia] Even though they're 15 and 17, I know my brothers will be quite large. My 17-year-old brother is not much smaller than me. I've never seen them erect, of course.
[Antonio/Georgia] I saw my brother nude once several years ago – he seemed pretty well endowed. I have seen my father in briefs a few times, and it seems like he is about to fall out of them. My uncle says that's why women like us so much.
Then again, a few find the opposite to be true.
[Kevin, age 22, Oregon, 8.5"] Both of my older brothers are much smaller then me. In fact, both of my brothers were shocked when they saw my penis erect for the first time.
But most of our panel just have no idea.
[Alex, age 19, California, 8.25"] I don't know. The last time I saw my dad's, I was about 8 years old. I thought he was huge at the time, but that might have been because mine was the size of a Tic-Tac.
[Zach, age 16, Illinois, 8.25"] I have no clue what my male family members have in their pants.
How does your non-erect penis compare in size? Does your non-erect penis ever cause problems for you? (i.e. it gets in the way, its outline can be seen through clothes, etc.)
Almost everyone on our panel related problems their penis caused in day-to-day life – most commonly a loss of privacy in certain clothing.
[Antonio/Georgia] Mine is about 5.5 inches long when flaccid. It does seem to occasionally get in the way. In PE doing jumping jacks for instance, there is a lot of bouncing around, since I wear boxers and I am always paranoid about people noticing. I am also wary of wearing shorts to school, because a few times I have been sitting Indian-style and have felt it come out of the opening of my shorts.
[Mike, age 17, Illinois, 8.15"] When my penis isn't erect, it is about 4.5 inches long. Sometimes when I am lounging around in my boxers and a pair of basketball shorts it can be seen. But it's even worse when I am sitting on my bed or in a recliner and one of my friends can see up my shorts. They are always telling me to put away the giant or something stupid like that.
[Alex, age 20, California, 9.7"] It's 5 or 6 inches. I stay away from briefs and short shorts. It's been known to poke out of bathing suits and boxers, but I don't mind too much.
[Jez, age 19, United Kingdom, 8"] My non-erect penis is only about an inch shorter. When you see my flaccid penis it looks like it would be bigger than 8 inches erect. And, yes, my trousers produce a sizeable bulge, but I like it. It makes people notice. I like to show off – and besides, that bulge has gotten me an awful lot of sex!
[Caleb/North Carolina] Yes, I hate it. You can see it in any pair of pants I wear, it touches the toilet water when I go to the bathroom, it always pokes out the bottom of my boxers at sleep-overs or parties, and I can barely fit it into my Speedo (I'm on the swim team). And God help me if I get an erection in class!
[Kyle/New York] My non-erect my penis is a little under 6 inches long. My friends ALWAYS think I have an erection – no matter what I do you can see it through any kind of pants I wear. It's a burden, I guess, but I've grown to deal with it.
What kinds of things, either positive or negative and from people of either gender, have people said to you regarding your size? (Don't include comments made during sex; cover that in this question.) How did these comments make you feel?
Most of our panel enjoy hearing comments about their penis – they serve as an ego-boost.
[Alex/California #2] One male friend once said, "Yikes, keep that thing away from me" – but I took it as a compliment.
[Stuart, 20, Ontario, Canada, 7.5"] I got a "Wow" from my best friend, and that made me feel pretty good. Other people make little jokes about it, and that doesn't feel so good.
[Kyle/Oregon] The first time my brother saw me in gym class, which is the first time he has seen me naked since I entered puberty, he said, "Jesus, dude, your dick is huge." I like it when someone makes a comment like that – I just laugh and say, "I know."
[Alex, age 17, Florida, 8.9"] Many guys have told me I'd be too big too have sex comfortably (a lie).
[Rob, age 18, Colorado, 7.25"] The doctor once joked that I was growing nicely. That's the only thing.
[Phillip, age 19, Texas, 7.75"] Positive: "Wow, it's true what they say." Negative: "That might hurt."
[Alex/California #1] Once a guy in the sauna at my gym was checking me out, and when I caught him, he said he was "a sucker for a guy with a big...tattoo" and smiled.
Some haven't heard such comments – or they've noticed (and enjoyed) non-verbal "comments."
[Antonio/Georgia] The only time I have actually ever exposed myself to anyone was streaking on a cold New Year's Eve. Needless to say it was not at its full potential, so no one really commented.
[Andy/Australia] Nothing has really been said. I've had a few guys stare at my crotch in the shower rooms. I guess I'd probably do the same. It IS quite flattering to have guys look.
[Tom, age 19, New Zealand, 8"] I can't really remember any non-sexual comments. It's more like the glances other guys sneak at you in changing rooms. On the day after being seen changing at a school camp a few years ago, I heard girls whispering about my size. Of course, these comments make me feel good. You get respect from guys, and girls might see you as being "ahead of the pack."
How do you feel about being seen naked? Are you proud of your size or embarrassed by it – or both, depending on who might be seeing you?
Only a few guys in our panel have any problems at all with being seen naked.
[Stuart/Canada] I have no problem – except when I get stares in the gym showers or at a urinal. Some guys aren't even coy about it – they just stare like they've never seen a penis before.
[Boxers/Massachusetts] I am only embarrassed because I tend to get erections easily. I don't feel comfortable showering in locker rooms because I feel I may become erect. But in general if I am soft I am proud of my penis.
[Darren, age 15, Western Australia, 8.25"] I'd say both. Sometimes I feel insecure about my body, but I know I am changing – I went skinny-dipping at a friend's birthday party recently, and I really didn't care if anyone saw me.
Most truly enjoy others seeing their nakedness.
[Phillip/Texas] I feel somewhat self-conscious about being naked, but only because I am comparing my fitness level to others; I am proud of my size and turned on by others seeing it.
[Mike/Illinois] I have no problem being seen naked. I am definitely proud of it around guys – I feel superior. I have some sense of knowing I can always say I have a bigger penis than some a-hole who's making me mad.
[Dave, age 16, New Jersey, 7.5"] I'd rather be big than small. Guys with small penises are embarrassed to be naked.
[Alex/California #2] I very much enjoy being seen naked. I love strutting around in gym locker rooms or around my roommates, and I'm totally proud to show off my endowment.
Can you relate an incident when you intentionally showed off to impress someone?
Not surprisingly considering the answers to the previous question, most of our panel had indeed "shown off" at some point.
[Kyle/Oregon] A friend of mine once spent the night. In the morning I took a shower and "accidentally" walked into my bedroom naked where he was. He said he was sorry, and I said, "No, it's okay. You have one too, right?" And he said, "Yeah, but it's not as big as that one." I must admit I did do this to show it off a little – or big, as the case may be.
[Antonio/Georgia] There was one instance at a party when I was asked to put on some sweatpants without underwear and do jumping jacks. I could have said no, but I knew everyone would be impressed.
[Hayden, 17, Georgia, 7.5"] When I was in the tenth grade, I took a shower with a bunch of seniors. I knew I was bigger than most of them and wanted to embarrass them.
[Park, age 51, New York, 7.7"] Yes, during fraternity hazing. Penis size was a hot topic. It needed to be documented in the hazing book and verified by your "big brother." I was extremely proud of it.
[Peter/Massachusetts] I was at my friend's house – we were going swimming, and he said I could change into my bathing suit now. I knew he meant in the bathroom, but I wanted to see what he would think. So I stripped completely with him in front of me. His jaw dropped at first, but only because he didn't expect me to strip. When he saw my penis he said it was huge.
[Matthew/North Dakota] I used to stuff my pants, and one time I came up to my dad with my stuffed pajama shorts and talked to him. I kind of stuck out my pelvis, accentuating the bulge. I was very horny, and I guess I wanted to almost show him now I had the larger penis and that now I was the man of the house. Odd, huh?
But there was also this perspective:
[Alex/California #1] I'd rather just let the girl or guy I'm hooking up with be pleasantly surprised.
Have you ever bragged to anyone about your size? To whom, and for what purpose?
Along the same lines of showing off, many on our well-endowed panel also like to brag about their size – to both sexes.
[Alex/California #2] Totally – to all my friends. I like the idea of telling them about it before they've seen it, so they think about it and picture it in their minds. It totally gets me hot knowing they're thinking about it.
[Tom/New Zealand] I whispered my size in a girl's ear at a party when I was trying to convince her to go outside with me. I didn't see any reaction on her face, but she was really eager to see it and seemed quite impressed.
[Dave/New Jersey] Yeah, to girl once hoping she would fool around with me. She didn't.
[Andy/Australia] I brag only to defend myself. If someone tells me I have no balls, or something like that, I make sure they know they're more than welcome to take a look so I can prove them wrong. They shut up pretty quick.
[Antonio/Georgia] I did try to brag to one guy who was calling me "needle d*ck" – it turned out he was about half an inch bigger than I was, so I was still a bit embarrassed.
Some don't do much more than joke to others about it.
[Mike/Illinois] I have jokingly teased my friends that I have the biggest penis they would ever see. But other than that, no – I'm not the kind of person who brags.
[Neil, age 31, Pennsylvania, 7.5"] Sometimes to coworkers, just in fun. They don't buy it anyway.
[Kyle/New York] I always toss around the my penis size with my friends as sort of bragging rights. It's weird, though, because I know if I ever came to a situation where I had to show it to someone, I would be insanely self-conscious.
And a few just keep their mouths shut about it.
[H.C./Belgium] No – after all, they are called "private" parts....
[Alex/California #1] Not really. I'm not embarrassed; I just find it inappropriate. Also, I don't like to make anyone feel small.
[Kevin/Oregon] I just let my penis speak for itself.
Do you think your size makes masturbation more fun for you? In other words, do you think you'd enjoy masturbation less if you were smaller?
These responses were divided. Some clearly think a large penis makes for better masturbation.
[David, age 18, The Netherlands, 19.8 cm or 7.7"] I think it does. You have more "meat" to play with. I think it feels better to have something big in your hands – to be able to move your hands up and down a considerable length.
[Caleb/North Carolina] I have seen guys with smaller penises masturbate, and it looks so arduous. I like long strokes.
[Doug, age 18, Indiana, 8"] I love masturbating with my "massive" unit. If it were smaller I might have an easier time in some masturbatory positions – but the way it is, I think it's great enough.
[Kyle/Oregon] The size just gives me more to play with. For example, lubing up really slick and going two-handed is a lot of fun. It just feels better to have this big piece of meat in your hand when you masturbate.
[Antonio/Georgia] Probably. I can run my hand up and down the entire length and imagine a woman taking it down her throat. If it were several inches smaller, there would be no need for her to do that – and that happens to be my favorite fantasy.
[Diego, age 14, Mexico, 20 cm or 7.8"] I am used to myself, and I probably would have less fun if it suddenly became smaller. But yeah, I think an average guy would have more fun with a big penis.
And some feel it makes little or no difference.
[Nicolaas, age 19, Belgium, 23 cm or 9"] Not at all. Size doesn't make an orgasm.
[John, age 17, 8"] It can be hard to hide if someone walks in.
[Andy/Australia] I doubt it makes it any more pleasurable – perhaps a little awkward. I use my right hand to work the head over, and my left to slide along the lower half of my shaft. I often think how great it would be to have a third hand to massage my testicles at the same time – but you can't have your pie and eat it too!
[James/Washington] I could never enjoy masturbating any more than I do now. It's great recreation being by myself with my penis in my hand, dreaming about past experiences or future ones. It's just me and my penis.
And of course these people had a point:
[Darren/Australia] I honestly don't know. If I were smaller I might get more pleasure because I could hold more of it, but being bigger you might get more pleasure for the greater area to masturbate with.
[Park/New York] How can I tell?
Other than masturbation, do you think your size has helped you or hurt you sexually (either in sexual play/experimentation or intercourse)? Can you relate an incident to illustrate why?
The sex partner, rather than the well-endowed person himself, seems to make all the difference here.
[Alex/California #2] it depends on the girl. Some girls are really into it if you're big, but some are kind of scared by it. The ones who are into it can be pretty awesome.
[Dan, age 18, Australia, 17 cm or 6.7"] During my first sexual experience (when I was 16) the girl commented that my penis was bigger than the other guys she'd been with. That made me feel much better.
[James/Washington] I haven't had sex with a lot of girls, but the ones I have seem to enjoy the size. They seem to like masturbating it and watching it expand.
[Tom/New Zealand] More experienced or older women are more interested because they're more able to handle the size than young, inexperienced, unskilled ones. In other words, you can get better sex partners. Some of the younger women haven't enjoyed my length but have enjoyed the thickness – although more experienced women are more enjoyable because I can thrust all the way in.
[Rich, 33, Utah, 7"] It has helped me when experimenting with new positions. It's nice to have that extra inch or two when things get tricky.
[Alex/Florida] It has really helped me. Most girls can take all of me with a little oral sex before and a little time. Others need some K-Y, but there are very few girls who can't accommodate me – or so I've experienced.
But there's also the question of receiving oral sex.
[Boxers/Massachusetts] The girl I have been with has been very turned on by my size – but when it came to oral sex she had trouble. With practice she got better at it.
[Andy/Australia] It's a turn-off when it comes to oral sex. When they get it close, you can almost see the "how the hell am I going to get this thing in my mouth" look on their face. I just say "relax," and they learn pretty quick that sucking on the head does the job.
[Doug/Indiana] It makes oral sex harder for the giver. Can anyone say TEETH?
And a few reported serious sexual problems owing to their size.
[Nicolaas/Belgium] I know I hurt my girlfriend the first times we did it. She denies it, but I saw her face when we did it for the first time. She didn't enjoy it at all.
[Neil/Pennsylvania] When I was 20 I dated a girl, and when we had intercourse I could insert only about half of my penis, and the session was cut short because she became short of breath (absolutely true!). Also, my wife constantly complains that I make her cervix sore.
[Russ, age 15, United Kingdom, 7" and a bit] One big problem is due to my width. When I first tried on a condom, I simply couldn't roll it onto my penis. When I finally did get it on (by unrolling it first and then pulling it on, which isn't the way to do it), it squeezed so tightly I lost my erection. I know you can buy larger condoms, but I have parents to contend with. Sadly, intercourse is out of the question until I leave home, I suppose. The other thing is my penis doesn't look the right shape. It's thick at the head, but thicker right in the middle. Some people shy away when I show them that.
And one person reported that the partner's gender is important in this regard.
[Kevin/Oregon] The size of my penis is indeed a real plus. I get offers from people a lot (mostly gay guys, but a few girls). If I want a BJ, a trip to the mall is all it takes. A lot of guys hang out at the mall who are more then willing to play with my penis. The girls I have been with love it, too.
What would you say to someone with a small or average-size penis who wants to know what life for the large is like?
These responses were diverse. Some said a large penis most helps one's self-image.
[Boxers/Massachusetts] Having a bigger penis helps your self-confidence about being naked. I am a skinny guy, and I don't look that good naked, but the big penis takes attention away from my skinniness.
[Tom/New Zealand] Its good for your self-esteem. And sorry, but in my experience women do appreciate greater size, if only because length (in my case at least) tends to go together with thickness. Masturbation is fun and a good alternative to sex in terms of satisfaction. On the minus side, it doesn't really make it any easier to meet women in the first place. It also doesn't automatically make you better at sex – although I think it does once you know how to use the size to your advantage. Size doesn't make you a nice person, and a big penis doesn't make up for a bad body or a bad personality.
[Phillip/Texas] Sex is somewhat easier only because it's one less psychological insecurity to be concerned about – but there will always be physical limits to what can be done with a large endowment, and those limits are proportionate to the size.
[Kyle/Oregon] You feel more confident and sexier. However, in truth, a penis is a penis. They perform the same function and give you just as much pleasure in your masturbation venues.
[Alex/California #2] It feels good showing it off, and knowing girls want it and guys want to have it. It gives you a lot more confidence and makes you proud to catch people staring or checking you out.
[Doug/Indiana] It just looks more impressive. It makes you look good in the mirror and around other guys – that's about all.
A few took the opportunity to mention some other downsides to being "well hung."
[Antonio/Georgia] You constantly have to worry about a boner popping up when you are dancing, or just randomly – especially in shorts. In gym class and in sports it's much more of a pain.
[Kyle/New York] It's not fun having your penis being pulled between your boxers and your pants, or having your penis sort of tumble out of your boxers while you're just sitting around doing nothing. I say be happy with what you have and be glad you have anything at all.
[Russ/UK] I know plenty of girls who wouldn't care if a penis were 4 inches or 8. Indeed, many think 8 inches is too big.
Most of our panelists feel that like so many things in life, "living large" has its ups and downs – and that how you see yourself, and how you learn to live with your own anatomy, is more important than physical dimensions.
[David/Netherlands] It just feels very good to be large. But on the other hand, I honestly believe a man can get just as much pleasure from a smaller penis. It's what you do with it that really counts.
[Andy/Australia] It comes in handy sometimes, but it's not all it cracks up to be. For the purpose the thing was designed for, all reasonable-size penises do the exactly the same thing!
[James/Washington] Don't worry about what life is like for guys with big penises. Every penis has the same amount of nerve endings, and it feels just as good no matter what your size is. Mine has felt great since I was 11 or 12 and will continue to feel good no matter what I am doing with it.
[Russ/Iowa] Don't worry about it. It ain't the size – it's the person it's attached to.
[H.C./Belgium] The most important thing is to accept whatever you have. There's nothing you can do about it. Sure, you can have surgery or use pumps or whatever, but then you're doing yourself more harm than good. Once you feel comfortable about your body, be it small or large, you will enjoy your penis and masturbation.
[John] Although it can be impressive, there's nothing you can do about it. Remember, somebody will always be bigger than you and somebody will always be smaller than you.
[Alex/California #1] I'm still jealous of guys with 10 inches. Until you start splitting girls in two, every guy is going to want a bigger one. However, it is pretty cool turning heads or having people comment to you about the size of your member.
[Stuart/Canada] Women all tell me it's sort of a kick to be with a guy who has a large penis, but it doesn't make it (or the guy) any more attractive. Also, some say penetration can be uncomfortable and size can limit the number of positions you can use. Most say they prefer normal-size guys (5 or 6 inches) who can use their hands and tongues. Gay guys are a little different – they like to fantasize about big guys, but when it comes down to it, just like women, they don't like the idea of something really big entering their body. Overall it's a hassle more than it's something to be proud about. But most of the time it's a penis and I love it, and that's all that matters.