First Impressions

My cylinder came yesterday. I normally take the weekend off, but I just had to give the cylinder a try. :)

Observations:

1) The 1 7/8” tube I ordered is perfect for the immediate future, but I think I could have gotten away with a 2.0” tube and bought myself a little more time. I am definitely glad I didn’t buy a 1.75” cylinder like many recommended. I would have packed the whole tube (horizontally that is :) ) right out of the gate—just as calculating 5.5”/pi = 1.75” would suggest.

I am not sure why anyone would want to start out packing the tube 100% right from the get go unless they were going for length only—and if length is your primary goal, I feel that heavy stretching is your best bet. I am adding pumping to my routine primarily as an attempt to jumpstart my girth gains. After 5 min@5 Hg, the lower third of my penis touches the cylinder wall, I touch at a couple points in the middle, and the sides of my glands also touch. All in all, I’d say about half my surface area contacts the tube surface by the end of a short session.

(It looks like I’ll be starting my pumping avocation with a starting uniform girth of 5.5”. I mentioned earlier that I’ve flirted with 5.5” a few times in the past, but could never seem to lock it in. Well I’ve been measuring a consistent 5.5 (or just a hair under) all week, so it looks like the extra squeezes I’ve been going have helped.)

2) I am really glad I got a straight walled tube! The flared ones are ¼” narrower at the base, and I really don’t need that since I seem to fill the bottom of the tube first.

3) I am happy to report that I was able to achieve a nearly perfect seal with no shaving or trimming whatsoever! My favorite jelqing lube (Maximus) also does a great job helping create an airtight seal.

4) I’m following Avocent8’s advice, and alternating 5-6 min pump sessions at light/moderate pressure (4.5-5.5 Hg) with jelqing/squeezing sessions, and so far I like it a lot! I don’t feel a great deal of pressure, but can see the effects on girth in the tube, so I’m going to play it safe and not push my luck by venturing beyond 6Hg.

5) The Mityvac Silverline is a nice sturdy piece of equipment, but it is heavy. I’ve only seen the plastic one in pictures, but I assume that it is a lot lighter—light enough to just let it hang from the tubing between pumps. It also might be safer to use in the bathtub. Either the plastic or the metal Mityvac can be used for water pumping, but I think the metal one could easily take a chip out of ceramic if you accidentally dropped it.

BTW, the Mityvac Silverline Kit does NOT include the proper male coupler needed to attach to the female coupler that comes on most tubes. Luckily, I ordered one for $5 with my tube just in case.

6) I had great luck with nwpumpworks. They customized a tube to my exact specs and shipped all within 48 hours of me placing my order. The price was also very competitive, and I am very happy with the quality of the tube.

7) I think I am already hooked. LOL. Pumping is so much easier than the other PE techniques. It really provides a welcome break between more demanding jelq/queeze sessions. I am even looking forward to my next pumping session! Pumping is pure ecstasy compared to hanging, or an all out set of DLD Blasters!

8) I have a feeling that pumping isn’t going to do too much for my length though, so I’m going to continue doing separate stretch-style PE sessions at least several hours before or after my jelq/squeeze/pump sessions. I originally separated stretch-style PE sessions from jelq/squeeze style sessions because too much hard stretching made it difficult to get hard enough for jelq/squeeze sets. I could do it, but it took more effort and created too much delay between sets. I don’t like stretching after a good jelq/squeeze session either, because it kills the nice pump. I plan to continue to keep my stretching sessions separate.

mushroom;

Glad to hear your first experiment went well. It sounds like you have the right size tube for now. When you pack the entire thing you’ll be so happy with the girth gains that you won’t mind shelling out for a larger tube when that’s necessary.

7) No question that pumping is a whole lot less work (and feels better) than some other PE exercises. After you’ve been at it for a few months your initial post-pump expansion will last longer and longer and that seems to me to be a good way to end a session that included a whole lot of other effort.

Mushroom,
Thanks for the update! Lots of great info for us in between size guys with the 1 7/8” tubes.

I plan to to get a straight wall tube right after the first of the year.

I was curious to how you felt the seal was on the straight tube design?

I also noticed on the NW tubes there is an extra bottom edge/rim that sticks out vs. the Vacu-Tech that has no extra edge/rim, at least that the way it looks when comparing the pictures on their sites. I was just wondering if this edge bothers you at all?

Thanks :)

Mushroom,

Sounds like you’re off to a good running start! Keep us posted on your progress. And best of luck with it all.

bigjack

Avocent8,

Exactly! The tube is perfect for now, and I’ll be more than happy to shell out another $70 for the privilege of moving up a size. It may not take too long either, because I am already seeing a noticeable girth increase after only a week of following your plan of alternating short pumping sessions with jelq and squeeze sessions. Thanks a lot man!

Where would we all be without this great forum?! I think the reason pumping gets a bad rep is that most guys just buy a pump and have no idea how to use it safely/effectively. I mean, without a forum like this, how would they? It is not intuitively obvious.

Bulge,

I find the ¼” flat lip very comfortable, and it gives me an almost perfect seal when I coat it with Maximus lube.

Bigjack,

Yeah, I am definitely psyched! I am already getting results better than I ever expected. Too bad pumping has developed a bad rep, ‘cause it appears to be the missing link for the girth hard-gainer.

Mushroom,
Thanks for the info!

If I rember correctly we are about the same girth at the base at about 5.5”. My size goes down in size to about 5.25” in the middle and around 5” at the head area.

I was curious to what your girth measurement is at the middle and head area and how much of the tube you are starting to pack from the base up?

I have a slight curve going downward in the middle of my shaft and wondering if the curve would straighten out, if I bought a smaller tube like the 1.75” to start out with first?!?

BTW, is your tube straight or does it taper in toward the top?

The more I think on tube size the more I get confused. :)

Bulge,

I started at a uniform 5.5”, but seem to have already gained an extra eight-inch in girth (putting me at 5.625”) after just the first week incorporating the pump into my routine! I measured 2.5 days after my last pump, so I don’t think it is a temp pump effect. This really shocks me, ‘cause I don’t gain girth easily.

As long as you are 5.5” at the base, I think you’d get a good seal, because, at least in my case, expansion seems to occur at the base first—even if your girth is not greater there. I pack the base, and the sides of my glands touch. I touch at various other points as well, but it is really hard to know for sure whether there is an air pocket on the bottom or not because you can’t see it. I suppose I could pump in from of a mirror if I was really curious.

My cylinder is a uniform 1 7/8” from the base to the top.

Mushroom,
Sounds like you are doing great with the new pump!

I will try to make a decision on the tubes in the next couple of weeks and give it a try. :)

Thanks for the helpful info and I wish you great success!