Packing
What is packing?
'Packing' refers to using an object to create a bulge in your underwear. People may pack for different reasons, often to help alleviate gender dysphoria and feel more affirmed in their gender.
Packing is a personal decision, and it's not something that every trans and gender diverse person chooses to do. It's totally up to you to decide whether it's something that makes you feel good. You might choose to pack only on some days, for certain occasions, or not at all - and all are valid!
What is a packer?
A 'packer' is a object made specifically to be inserted in your underwear to create a bulge. Packers can look like realistic or semi-realistic penises, often made from silicone or TPE (thermoplastic elastomer), or can be non-realistic, like our SDH Budgie Packer, which is a fabric insert option.
Choosing a packer
Choosing a packer can be really exciting. There's lots of different options, so here are some things you can consider to help you decide:
Size
This is probably the most important thing to consider when choosing a packer. You may want to consider your height and body frame (e.g. if you are short and have a small frame, you might want a smaller packer for a more realistic look. We find people often over-estimate, but the average flaccid penis length is actually 3.5 inches. Check out our Blog Post about packing for more info on sizing.
Colour
For realistic packers, we stock a range of different skin tones. For foam packers (SDH Budgie Packer), we stock black, white and tan.
Cut or uncut
Some packer brands offer cut and uncut options. This means circumcised and uncircumcised. Trans-owned brand Banana Prosthetics which we stock at Sock Drawer Heroes, offer both cut and uncut options.
Material
Our packers come in 100% pure medical grade silicone, TPE (themoplastic elastomer) blend, and farbric. Silicone packers are the best quality, longest-lasting and most hygienic material because silicone is non-porous. TPE still feels realistic but is a cheaper material so is a great first packer. Our foam SDH Budgie Packer is a great light-weight and low budget option.
Use
You may want to think about when you'll be using your packer. Our foam insert SDH Budgie Packer is great for packing while exercising or swimming. At other times, you might want something more realistic in weight and feel. Lots of people have different packers for different occasions.
Cost
Finally, budget. We have packers to suit all budgets from our SDH Budgie Packer to realistic long-lasting silicone packers and several mid-budget packers in between.
Packing methods
There's lots of different ways to keep your packer secure. Check out our Packing Underwear and Pouches.
Some people buy specific packing underwear, such as SpareParts Packing Underwear, which is designed to hold a prostethic packer (and usually STPs too).
Others choose to use regular underwear that has a double pouch, which conveniently works well for packing. We stock a range of non-packing-specific underwear by Sheath, that we find works really well for packing due to it's double pouch and secure fit.
Another option is a trusty packer strap - a very secure and minimalist option that can be worn under your regular underwear.
Finally, Get Your Joey, the awesome trans-owned company based in Canada, have come up with the excellent solution of a packing pouch to turn any underwear into packing underwear! The pouch containing your packer simply pins to any underwear you choose, and even swimming trunks. Get Your Joey pouches come in all different colours, patterns, sizes and styles.
Keeping your packer clean
Keep your packer clean and hygienic by washing with warm water and anti-bacterial hand soap or anti-bacterial packer and toy cleaner. If your packer is silicone, do not store next to other silicone packers or toys as this will damage them.
For silicone and TPE packers, you can lightly dust your packer with cornstarch to keep moisture out while storing it. You can buy 100% cornstarch cheaply from most chemists and supermarkets.