Underwear Guy Review: Obviously Underwear Sinuous Jockstrap
Designer/Manufacturer: Obviously Underwear
Website: www.obviously.com.au
Price: $26.00

I recently published a review of the Obviously Underwear Sinuous Low Rise Brief and I thought I'd follow-up with a review of the jockstrap from the same line. The Sinuous line is Obviously Underwear's latest release that introduces new colors and design elements to their previously released lineup of cuts including a trunk, brief, thong and jock. The waistband is new for this range with a microfiber elastic composition that is soft on both sides and has the perfect amount of stretch and tension so it's neither too loose to fall down or too tight to cause any digging in on your sides. The waistband measures a substantial 1 1/2" tall and includes a black 1/4" strip along the top with "Obviously" logo text repeated all the way around. I have been impressed with the very clean and low-profile seam that Obviously has engineered on their waistband which leaves almost no discernable "bump" in the back. There are no tags in the Sinuous collection, only a flat, heat-sealed flexible plastic patch that measures 1 1/8" wide by 7/8" tall...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Allure Leather Harness With Studded Pouch
Designer/Manufacturer: Allure Leather
Website: www.allurelingerie.com
Price: $55.00 - $65.00

In the interests of covering a broad range of men's underwear items I thought I'd take a detour into the wild side with this Allure Leather men's harness with atached studded pouch. I waffled a bit on the categorization of this item between "Bodygear" and "Thong" and decided to fall on the side of the thong since there isn't enough coverage or material to define it within the other category. Allure Lingerie is a well-established label for men's and women's lingerie offering a broad range of items from standard underwear to elaborate costumes. Beyond the women's lines there has always been a range of men's items manufactured by Allure including a black vinyl line and an authentic leather line. More recently Allure has introduced a "Rubber Look" line of thongs and jocks which are not made from real rubber but instead a rubber-like material...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Obviously Underwear Sinuous Low Rise Brief
Designer/Manufacturer: Obviously Underwear
Website: www.obviously.com.au
Price: $27.00

It has been interesting to observe the rapid evolution of Obviously Underwear's designs from the original full-rise brief and boxerbrief to the low-rise line which also introduced thongs and jocks and now the latest Sinuous range which introduces new colors and screen-printed graphics into the mix. The cuts for the sinuous range are based on the previous low-rise line with a low rise trunk, low rise brief, sport brief, jockstrap and thong available in eye-catching brown, turquoise and green colors. The waistband has been updated for a third time on this Obvious range with a new very soft and stretchable microfiber blend which feels great. The waistband measures a substantial 1 1/2" tall and includes bold "Obviously" logo text repeated in black against white all the way around the waist. The interior-back of the waistband has a very meticulously sewn seam which is surprisingly flat and not covered by a tag...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: California Muscle Maximizer Thong
Designer/Manufacturer: California Muscle
Website: www.californiamuscle.com
Price: $27.00

California Muscle may sometimes seem like a niche product label especially with all their pleather bodygear but there are plenty of mainstream options to choose from as well and I thought I'd highlight one of those items: the Maximizer thong. For anyone interested in more coverage there is also a bikini brief version called the "Tempter Brief". Both versions are available in a variety of colors including a dark olive, gray and a deep magenta which is cross between a dark purple and red color. The fabric of the Maximizer thong is a blend of 90% acetate and 10% lycra which is often referred to as a "slinky" fabric. Gregg Homme and N2N Bodywear have also used this type of fabric in the past and it provides a unique feel with the acetate. Slinky fabric has a textured surface created with very fine ribbing which allows for a very molded effect as well as yields dark, highly saturated colors that have a slight sheen to them.<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: N2N Bodywear Mojave Cutaway
Designer/Manufacturer: N2N Bodywear
Website: www.n2nbodywear.com
Price: $17.00

N2N's Mojave line represents a complete redesign of the previously popular Tropic underwear range utilizing the same fabric but offered in new cuts, colors and styles. I have previously reviewed the classic thong and this review covers another selection from the Mojave line: the cutaway. N2N Bodywear uses the term "cutaway" but I'll refer to this item as a sport brief for the rest of the review for consistency. I never had the chance to try out the original Tropic cutaway but it was one of the few N2N underwear items (at the time) that included the use of an exposed elastic waistband. Most of N2N Bodywear's new underwear for 2009 introduces a much more prominent, branded waistband that measures 1 1/2" tall. The waistband is composed of a modern microfiber elastic which is relatively soft to the touch on both the exterior and interior faces...<< MORE >>

Reader Comments and Questions 8th Edition
Men's body grooming, reasons for this site's existence, favorite trends in men's underwear, Life Underwear...Gone? and reviews and underwear laundry questions.

Thanks again readers for all the comments and emails. It might not seem like it but I do catch pretty much all of what you write between what you add to the blog, @replies on Twitter and status comment on Facebook. It's always really cool to see you pick up the conversations and provide your own perspectives. I appreciate that everyone continues to read and check back for updates and I am always motivated to create new content based on positive feedback. Something I haven't had a chance to do in a while is respond directly to some of your comments and questions so I thought I'd do that here in my 8th "Reader Comments and Questions" article. It's always tough to choose which questions to respond to and this time there are a very broad range of topics covered so hopefully there's at least something of interest for everyone here from shaving to underwear laundry!

Click on the "More" link to view all the questions and answers.

Best,

Underwear Guy

<< MORE >>

Update on the Andrew Christian Show It 2.0 Brief Review
Giving the latest enhancement design underwear from AC a second look

A few weeks ago I reviewed the new Andrew Christian Show It 2.0 brief with some mixed results. Although I liked the design and look on the exterior and the lifting engineering on the pouch interior was great; the fit on the backside was really not working well for me. The fabric was not moving, stretching or flexing properly resulting in a less than optimal fit. At the time I wondered if this was isolated to one particular color of fabric or even just the production of the brief I ordered. I had the chance to pick up a second brief, this time in the red and gray color combination. I'm pleased to say that this time with the alternate colors and fabrics, everything fit much better. I have updated my previous review to reflect this improved experience but I might recommend staying away from the navy blue/light blue version. The gray fabric was significantly softer and more flexible than the navy blue which resulted in a better overall fit. Additional photos of the red brief are included in the updated review.

        

Men's Underwear Guy News Roundup
A couple of relevant underwear sales to note and updated reviews

I generally prefer to not post sales news and press releases on my site as I feel like there are several other blogs that already do that on a frequent basis but with my recent reviews of the Score Underwear thong and the Tribe Underwear Velvet bikini I thought it would be timely and relevant to mention that all Score Underwear is now permanently priced at $14.00 and Tribe Underwear is currently on sale for 40% off. In both cases that's a major savings and really helps make them worth trying out if you haven't already. In addition to the $14.00 price change Score Underwear is currently running a promotion with a half-off sale. You've seen these video clips of Vista Video model Marcel on the other blogs but I'll include it here as well in case you've missed them primarily because of the significance of the sale.



As I've mentioned in a past site news post I am always working on updating old reviews as well as continuing to publish new ones. Since the nature of this site is to be an on-going archive of reference information I feel it's important to go back and expand, adjust and re-edit the original reviews. Often it's just a matter of updating some links but other times I will add new detail photos and re-write significant portions of the reviews to better reflect scores relative to the current market. I have recently updated the review of the BodyAware Booty 2 short as well as the Joe Boxer string bikini/sport brief with additional detail photos, some more information in the reviews description as well as an adjustment of my score for the Joe Boxer string bikini.

Thanks for reading!

Underwear Guy

        

Underwear Guy Review: N2N Bodywear Mojave Thong
Designer/Manufacturer: N2N Bodywear
Website: www.n2nbodywear.com
Price: $17.00

For summer 2009 N2N Bodywear is rolling out a wide range of new underwear and swimwear as well as updating some existing lines and retiring others. The Tropic line from N2N Bodywear was discontinued and effectively replaced with the new Mojave line as part of the seasonal update. The original Tropic thong earned solid grades so I thought it would be worth checking out its successor. The fabric blend for the Mojave line is identical to the original Tropic line with 60% polyester, 32% rayon and 8% spandex. The fabric is thin, very stretchy and smooth to the touch which makes for a comfortable wearing experience for a variety activities. The current colors for the Mojave line include gray, olive and what I purchased for the thong: rust. The most obvious difference between the Tropic line and the Mojave line besides the colors and fabric is the new very wide microfiber elastic waistband. The waistband is taller than any previous N2N Bodywear design measuring 1 1/2" with 3/4" black N2N Bodywear text repeated all the way around...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Underthings Inset Suspender
Designer/Manufacturer: Underthings
Website: www.underthings.com
Price: $27.00

Another "alternative" gear review here (before returning to more standard fare): the Inset Suspender from Underthings. Underthings is another one of those smaller, lesser-known men's and women's undergear manufacturers who has carved out a niche by creating unique, made-to-order designs. Underthings garments are typically produced on-demand and as a result you get a very wide range of fabrics, patterns and colors to choose from for each garment order. Typical Underthings wares include standard and not so standard thongs, briefs and trunks. The not-so-typical Underthings offerings include bodygear, singlets and "suspenders". There are two versions of this particular suspender, one made from a solid color and this one which includes a second color in a "V" shape down the front pouch and thus labeled the "Inset" suspender. With this model you can choose from over two dozen spandex colors/prints for the inset piece panel and the main body. You also get a full range of back options for the design including a thong back, a half-back and what is reviewed here which is a full-back design...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: SpandexMan Sling Singlet
Designer/Manufacturer: SpandexMan
Website: www.spandexman.com
Price: $36.00 - $46.00 depending on fabric choice

Although I've focused this site primarily on men's underwear, every once in a while I like to mix up the reviews and throw in something different from the typical fare. The SpandexMan sling singlet seemed to fit the bill as something unique and different to cover for the site in the seldom-used "Bodygear" category. SpandexMan clothing is a small business based out of New York, that offers a broad range of spandex-based gear in a variety of cuts including standard underwear/gear thongs, bikini briefs, briefs and trunks as well as a broad range of bodygear including singlets, tights and bodysuits. As the company name suggests, all items are available in a variety of spandex colors and finishes with prices going higher for the metallic finishes like the one reviewed here which is called "Liquid Marine". Sizing for bodygear can be more tricky to nail down over regular underwear but knowing how spandex items generally run fairly snug I went with a size up to a large and found the fit results to be better in the size up from my usual medium...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Tribe Underwear Velvet Bikini Brief
Designer/Manufacturer: Tribe Underwear
Website: www.tribeunderwear.com
Price: $45.00 (price is approximate)

Tribe underwear is a relatively new Australian men's underwear label that has brought to market a wide range of underwear in no less than 6 different cuts that are available in a broad range of unique fabrics found nowhere else. This review covers the "Slim Side Brief" which is a bikini brief cut with the other Tribe options including a brief, full cut brief, squarecut, trunk and 2 lengths of boxerbriefs. Each cut is available in a range of fabric types, colors and patterns with varying prices for each fabric. One of the specialties for Tribe Underwear is velvet burnout fabrics with unique colors and patterns. The bikini brief cut includes options for what are called "Black Devore", "Burn Out" and what I am reviewing: "Red Devore". The velvet burnout fabric is a mix of 60% nylon, 30% polyester and 10% elastane which is thin, soft and stretchable. On the interior of the pouch there is a color-matched 100% micromodal lining which provides additional durability and visual coverage since the burnout fabric is partially see-through. Sizing for Tribe Underwear seems to run true-to-size with the mediums I ordered in several different cuts fitting well across the board...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Score Underwear Thong
Designer/Manufacturer: Score Underwear
Website: www.scoreunderwear.com
Price: $14.00

Score underwear was introduced in late 2008 as a new men's underwear label focusing on cotton basics with a sporty, modern styling. The sports theme is emphasized by the website's unique "undress" the model approach based on various sports activities ranging from Tennis to Hockey. Score underwear was designed by John Falocco and is modeled by the men of Vista Video. Score underwear is available in a variety of cuts including a trunk, full cut brief, low rise brief and thong with the underwear complimented by a couple different shirt styles as well. Currently, the colors for the underwear line are limited to white and black and the material is always 100% cotton. This review covers the Score Underwear thong which is a traditional thong cut with an exposed 1 1/2 " tall elastic waistband accented by a classic blue stripe running all the way around...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: BodyAware Color Change Bikini Brief
Designer/Manufacturer: BodyAware
Website: www.bodyaware.com
Price: $18.00

Those of you who remember the 80s will probably also remember a fashion trend called "Hypercolor" T-shirts. A special dye was used that changed from a normal base color to a completely different color when heat was applied to the fabric. Regular body heat was sufficient to activate the color change. Like many things from the 80s, color-change fabrics are back with new garments available from American Apparel and other high-fashion designers that are in some cases pricing versions of these T-shirts for close to $100. Underwear hasn't seen quite as much treatment from this unique fabric with a few items here and there for women but to date nothing that I am aware of for men was available until now. The all-new BodyAware color-change bikini brief brings some of the fun of color-change fabric from t-shirts to men's underwear in a unique and eye-catching design...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Rufskin "Barry" Softskin Bikini Brief
Designer/Manufacturer: Rufskin Denim
Website: www.rufskin.com
Price: $36.00

The softskin line from Rufskin is one of their current underwear lines available in a full line of styles including a full cut brief, bikini brief, jock strap and tank top. I reviewed the softskin "John" jockstrap a while ago with positive results so I thought I'd try out the bikini brief labeled "Barry" from the same line. There are two versions of this bikini brief with the other variation titled "Beto" although the only difference as far as I can tell is the color combination. Barry is available in turquoise or gray while Beto is available in a range of natural colors including white, khaki and brown-all with contrasting leg-band piping and waistbands...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Joe Snyder Mini Cheek Boxer
Designer/Manufacturer: Joe Snyder
Website: www.joesnyder.com
Price: $25.00

The Brazilian cut half-back brief style has been a common option for women's underwear for some time but for men it's a fairly uncommon cut that only a few brands have come close to replicating including Rufskin and Manstore. Joe Snyder has jumped into the void with their new "Mini Cheek" boxer which is available in a wide variety of no less than 13 colors/fabrics including camo, pinstripe, sheer and solids. Almost all Joe Snyder underwear is made from a blend of 80% nylon and 20% spandex. The fabric is smooth to the touch, very stretchable, is a medium weight and has a shiny finish to it. Joe Snyder underwear generally runs true to size and this item fit well in my usual medium size... << MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Calvin Klein Body Boost Hip Brief
Designer/Manufacturer: Calvin Klein  
Website: www.cku.com
Price: $20.00

The CK Body line is one of Calvin Klein's longest running underwear series going strong for several years now with minor updates over time but maintaining the same body-contouring fit with a shaping and lifting pouch. With the explosion in men's specialty enhancing underwear in 2008 and 2009 Calvin Klein joined the fray by offering modified versions of the Body line labeled as "Boost". There are two types of CK Body Boost underwear, one for lifting your butt-not unlike the original Andrew Christian Flashback line and the other boost style which is a specially designed strap sewn into the pouch in front to provide bulge enhancement. The Body line of underwear has always been made from a finely ribbed 100% cotton fabric which is medium weight and stretches surprisingly well. Sizing of the Body line is an interesting variance from CK norms as I've found I can wear a size down to a small and still achieve a good fit over the mediums. As I mentioned in the regular Body brief review I think it's mostly a matter of preference depending on what kind of fit you like where your size choice should fall. I went with a size small and the fit was form-fitting but comfortable and worked well for all-day wear...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: DMK Designs Velvet and Mesh Brief
Designer/Manufacturer: DMK Designs
Website: www.dmk-designs.com
Price: $30.00

DMK designs is a relatively new US-based men's underwear label springing from the creative mind of Diane Kirkland. DMK Underwear currently offers a variety of tie-die briefs, mesh panel briefs as well as profile enhancing trunks and low rise briefs. DMK Underwear employs a variety of fabrics, patterns and engineering concepts in their line. An example is the types of waistband styles which range from fully-covered elastic, to exposed elastic to drawstring styles. The mesh panel briefs are a unique signature line for DMK Underwear and they have gradually diversified from the original "Hawaiian" print made from stretch spandex fabric to include seasonal red and green satin as well as this review: stretch velvet in red. Available in a single style of a low rise brief, there is a variant of the pattern cut which has an all-mesh front. The fully covered 3/4" tall elastic waistband is comfortable and stretches nicely allowing for a good fit that is true-to-size-although keep in mind this is a brief that is meant to be form-fitting that hugs all your curves...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Reviews: New Archive Page
An easier way to find and sort reviews

As this site has grown with new reviews added every week I realize that searching and navigating the content has inevitably become a challenge. It has been on my to-do list for a while to set up a new method of accessing the reviews and I'm pleased to announce that after testing a variety of solutions I've begun to build out the new Reviews Archive page.

I have yet to include all the reviews on the site in this archive but it's a good start. By my estimation this represents about half the reviews I've written. Those of you who will receive this post via email should make sure to click through to the website since the live page includes the ability to sort by any of the columns in ascending and descending order.

I'm still testing some of the functionality out so consider this a beta launch while I continue to test and work on the full listing. So far things have worked well across FireFox and IE browsers... << MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: AussieBum Wonderjock Brief
Designer/Manufacturer: AussieBum
Website: www.aussiebum.com
Price: Approximately $14.16 (plus import and currency exchange fees)

AussieBum Underwear has grown significantly as an underwear label and is now known internationally for its innovative yet classic designs and very effective marketing campaigns. Although AussieBum had been producing underwear for many years I think many would agree that the Wonderjock brief really helped to catapult the label forward when it was introduced in 2006. Since then, AussieBum has continued to expand their range of men's swimwear and underwear to include a broad variety of styles and fabrics but the Wonderjock remains an important staple for the Australian manufacturer and designer. I reviewed the hipster version of the Wonderjock a while back but have finally had a chance to write this review for the low rise brief version. There are currently dozens of colors and waistband styles to choose from in the Wonderjock style although for the most part, the colors stick to the primary hues with contrast color piping and leg-bands...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Andrew Christian Show It 2.0 Brief
Designer/Manufacturer: Andrew Christian
Website: www.andrewchristian.com
Price: $26.95

Editor's update: I was able to try out another pair of the Show It 2.0 briefs in the red/gray color combinations and my issues with the leg-bands and back seat fit did not come up with that brief. I have adjusted this review accordingly with the assumption that the blue fabric was the culprit. When Andrew Christian underwear was initially launched, virtually all of their underwear items included what was called "Show It" technology which was a snap-based version of the C-In2 sling that operated like a cock-ring to lift your package up and out to give a more pronounced visual impact. After the first production run of underwear finished the Show It strap was eliminated from all Andrew Christian underwear. You can still find some older inventories of stores that include the versions of briefs, jocks and trunks that include the lifting mechanism. Since the removal of the Show It strap, Andrew Christian has introduced the Flashback butt lifting technology however the enhancement for the front side has been left out of the mix. In the spring of '09 Andrew Christian finally released a new enhancement underwear line titled: Show It 2.0 which is currently available in low rise brief and trunk cut (jock style to come to market soon as well as swimwear) in a variety of two-tone color combinations...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Udy Wonderman Brief
Designer/Manufacturer: UDY
Website: www.udy.es
Price: Approximately $36.00

UDY is a men's underwear label based out of Spain with a company history dating back to the 50s. In its current incarnation UDY underwear is responsible for manufacturing a broad range of men's underwear and clothing from thongs to briefs to shirts and swimsuits. UDY underwear is produced in various lines and seasonal styles that cycle on and off the shelves frequently. From the sporty to the daring you'll find UDY utilizes a broad array of cuts, colors and fabrics to appeal to almost any interest. UDY underwear is still not particularly common in the North American market and you'll have to spend some time searching to find places that sell their lines. One of the newer staples for UDY is the "Wonderman" brief and trunk which you can tell by the name is a not-so-subtle nod to the Aussiebum Wonderjock brief...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: OBoy RIPP Retro Push Up Brief
Designer/Manufacturer: OBoy
Website: www.oboy.com
Price: Approximately $19.00

German menswear label OBoy has been producing a comprehensive line of men's underwear for many years. You can always count on OBoy to offer cutting edge designs with unique cuts, styles and fabrics that feature a daring European flare. Recently, OBoy has been introducing their own line of more conservatively styled every-day underwear that is clearly based on the AussieBum Wonderjock. Originally the OBoy versions of the famous enhancement underwear were more blatantly copied from AussieBum with various country names included on the waistband which they called the "Territory" line. The briefs and trunks included a pocket support pouch design almost identical to the original underwear they were copied from. OBoy later retired the Territory line and introduced the RIPP Retro Push Up line which included a better waistband design, a softer cotton fabric blend, an improved lifting pocket pouch and a lower rise fit...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Intimo Liquid Metallic Thong
Designer/Manufacturer: Intimo
Website: www.intimo.com
Price: $12.00

Intimo has been a manufacturer of men's underwear for several years, providing men all manner of intimate underwear options from boxers to g-strings in fabrics from tame cotton blends to wild metallic mesh finishes. This review covers a long-standing item from the Intimo underwear product catalog: the Liquid Metallic Thong. Available in an array of no less than 7 different colors your options range from black, grays, gold, green blue to my pick: deep red. Made from a 100% polyester fabric, the finish is effectively reflective and shiny providing the metallic look. The material is smooth to the touch with an almost silk-like feel. Unfortunately the polyester has very limited stretch allowance to it which doesn't always make for the best fit. Intimo underwear sizing tends to be somewhat inconsistent in my experience with a trend towards running a bit large so I ordered this thong in a small which actually fit closer to a medium. I would say this particular thong runs about a 1/2 size large so consider where you might fall in the typical ranges and order accordingly... << MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Male Power Branded Thong
Designer/Manufacturer: Male Power 
Website: www.malepower.com
Price: $12.00

In the past, Male Power was perhaps known more for the extreme designs of their men's underwear lines than for the inherent utility and function. Comprised of some novelty-esque fabrics and cuts, Male Power underwear was usually considered "in the bedroom" type of underwear. In the past couple of years, Male Power has significantly broadened their underwear designs and included many more mainstream cuts and designs that compliment some of their more edgy options. The Male Power branded waistband line is now a core staple offered by the men's underwear manufacturer and it fills the gap in their product range for a more conservative, every-day-wear line. There are a broad variety of cuts available in the branded waistband line including: trunk, mini trunk, brief, sport brief, y-back thong, thong, jock and sock. This review covers the standard thong cut which retails for an affordable $12 and is available in the standard branded waistband colors of white, black, blue and red...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: BodyAware Gun Metal Gear Thong
Designer/Manufacturer: BodyAware
Website: www.bodyaware.com
Price: $13.50

If you are ever looking for unique, edgy underwear designs that push the boundaries from what you've seen before, BodyAware is often a good go-to label. Their designs include a wide range: extreme mesh, cinch-up jock pouches, rubber, pleather, velvet, silk, satin and finally metallic in a variety of exposing cuts and designs. This review covers the barely there metallic "Gun Metal Gear" thong which is a micro-thong cut design unique to BodyAware. You can order this thong in 4 metallic colors including silver, red, black and my purchase: blue. BodyAware underwear generally runs true-to-size and I found this thong in a medium seemed to fit well on the waist and strap. The material is a blend of 55% nylon, 30% polyurethane, and 15% lycra. This slightly unusual fabric blend is what allows for the unique metallic finish which is shiny and does a good job of reflecting light. The thickness of the material is a medium weight with a finish on the fabric that is smooth to the touch and with the lycra, flexes and stretches well...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Pikante Shine Thong
Designer/Manufacturer: Clever Underwear
Website: www.clevermoda.com
Price: $14.00

Not content to limit themselves to their already vast array of men's underwear, Clever underwear decided in Fall of 2008 to launch another underwear label: Pikante. For all intents and purposes, Pikante underwear is an extension of the Clever line with a slightly more flashy twist applied to the same or very similar cuts. You'll find Pikante underwear offered in trunk, brief, bikini, thong and jockstrap cuts with an emphasis on mesh, shiny finishes and printed stretch cotton fabrics. This thong is from the shine collection from Pikante which is also offered in a bikini brief cut. The colors in the shine collection include purple, red, blue gold and silver all with a slight metallic finish. The shine fabric is 96% nylon and 4% spandex which results in a thin (almost see-through), stretchy fabric that is very smooth to the touch. The exterior-facing finish is almost reflective while the interior has slightly less shine and more matte...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: 2Xist Evolve No Show Brief
Designer/Manufacturer: 2Xist
Website: www.2xist.com
Price: $12.99 2-pack

When the Evolve line started showing up at Target stores across the US I think a lot of guys were immediately curious about the new underwear line from 2Xist. Could 2Xist bring their high-end underwear to the masses at a lower price point while still maintaining the same level of quality, fit and construction that we've all come to expect from one of the leading men's underwear companies? I'm finally able to share my verdict on one of the Evolve underwear styles: the No Show low rise brief. Designed by 2Xist, Evolve is a Target-exclusive range of underwear available in their many physical stores and online at Target.com. Given the nature of the retailer, it's not surprising that the price range for the underwear in the Evolve line is considerably lower than typical 2Xist fare. A 2-pack of these No Show briefs available in white, black and red combinations will set you back a relatively modest $12.99 which is nearly half the price of the Essentials No Show brief...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy's Guide to Men's Enhancing Underwear
Ultimate guide to underwear that will make your package look bigger

In this article:
   Introduction
   Flat Front
   C-Ring slings and straps
   Fabric Panel C-Rings
   Enhancing Support Pockets
   Enhancement Pouch Underwear
   Padded Underwear
   Conclusion

Introduction

Hello blog readers.

I get a lot of questions about underwear (of course) and there are always interesting things people want to know about one brand over another. How do they fit? is probably the most common question followed by something along the lines of I need features of a, b, c etc. in my underwear and what is going to work best for certain wearing conditions. I try my best to give useful answers and of course it's often very subjective. Not only does each man have a unique anatomy he's also going to have unique preferences for fit either ingrained by experience or socialization. Lately a lot of questions have centered around specialty designed pouches, lifters and engineered underwear designs that are currently on the market including how they work and the ways that they all compete or compare against each other. A while back I wrote up an article on enhancing underwear but I think a lot of guys who haven't had the opportunity to try out some of the styles still have a lot of questions about how the designs work...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: DT Ultra Low Rise Brief
Designer/Manufacturer: DT Clothes
Website: www.dtultra.com
Price: $28.00

DT Ultra is a special sub-brand of DT Clothes, the Australian-based clothing label that includes a variety of underwear, swimwear, shirts and pants for both men and women. Introduced just about a year ago, where DT Ultra fits in the broader DT Clothes strategy is a bit unclear as it's still men's underwear in funky and fun colors and prints with the main differentiator being the fabric blend and specific set of cuts. DT Ultra has its own website with unique branding and logo so I am inclined to think of DT Ultra as an attempt to broaden the appeal of their men's line while stopping short of re-branding the main DT Clothes label and subsequently causing confusion as they experiment with different styles and cuts.

DT Ultra underwear is available in a low rise (almost full rise) brief with several variations in style and a squarecut. The brief I purchased and am reviewing is the fly-front version which is composed of 49% bamboo, 49% cotton and 2% spandex...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Obviously Underwear Sport Brief
Designer/Manufacturer: Obviously Underwear
Website: www.obviously.com.au
Price: $27.00

I've received several requests by readers for a review of new Australian-based men's and women's underwear label: Obviously Underwear. I believe it's no surprise that the provocative model photography has caught many people's eyes and sparked a lot of questions about the results you'll get from such an extremely designed pouch. Initially the Obviously underwear line was released in a brief and trunk cut with an understated elastic waistband. The original color options were white, black, red and blue in a soft, light-weight micromodal fabric. Obviously Underwear quickly followed up their initial release with a more refined version of their underwear with an improved graphic waistband using a modern microfiber construction, a lower-rise waist on the cuts and a broader variety of styles including a jock, thong, sport brief, low rise brief and a new trunk. Obviously cut back on the color options and kept all their new lines to simply white and black. This review covers the Obviously Underwear sport brief in white...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Clever Cotton Thong
Designer/Manufacturer: Clever Underwear
Website: www.clevermoda.com
Price: $19.00

The Colombian-based men's underwear tidal wave continues with Clever Underwear releasing more and more products over the last year. This cotton thong is a slightly older release from Clever but a notable addition to your options for men's thong-cut underwear. This thong is offered in a selection of bright colors including pink, lime green and my pick: light blue. For the more conservative purchasers out there a dark charcoal gray is also available. The main body of the thong is composed of a 91% cotton and 9% spandex blend which is thin but very soft to the touch with a fairly high level of stretch. Each color option is accompanied by a matching 1 3/8" tall elastic waistband that carries over the same hue as the main body but in a much darker shade. The waistband is fairly basic with gray Clever logo text repeated all the way around and limited interior surface treatment...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Gigo Nylon Thong
Designer/Manufacturer: Gigo Underwear
Website: www.gigo.com.co
Price: $24.00

Gigo Underwear has released a variety of underwear styles and cuts over the past year which has continued to diversify and grow their men's underwear range. This review covers the nylon thong which rounds out the Gigo style options that also include printed briefs and trunks. This thong is offered in 4 color combinations including a black fabric and bright yellow waistband, my selection was white with a bright orange waistband and the other two are simply all-white and all-black. The fabric is 78% nylon and 22% spandex which is very smooth to the touch, a medium weight and allows for a medium-level of stretch. The waistband design is fairly substantial with a full 1 3/8" height and contrast woven Gigo logos in gray repeated all the way around. This waistband is fairly no-frills with only the slightest bit of brushed treatment on the interior but it's comfortable and doesn't irritate or feel too tight...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: California Muscle Komodo Thong
Designer/Manufacturer: California Muscle
Website: www.californiamuscle.com
Price: $22.00

California Muscle is always a good go-to when you're looking for innovative, daring and provocative men's underwear. Their designs often push the boundaries for men's underwear while still maintaining a masculine design aesthetic. Almost all California Muscle Underwear includes some sort of bulge enhancing feature either by the shape of the pouch cut or by any one of the many rings, loops or straps they have designed for their lines. I reviewed the Komodo brief several months ago and found it to be a well-designed brief with an effective, enhancing design so I thought I'd try the thong version from the same line. The Komodo line is available in a variety of colors including a blue-gray, olive and this bright red color. The fabric is a slightly shiny and very smooth 90% nylon and 10% spandex blend. The weight of the material is fairly light with a medium level of stretch allowed. California Muscle underwear typically runs true-to-size and this thong fit well in my normal medium...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: N2N Bodywear Tropic Thong
Designer/Manufacturer: N2N Bodywear
Website: www.n2nbodywear.com
Price: $16.00

It seems like I've covered almost every style of the Tropic Underwear line from N2N except the thong cut. This review nearly completes my coverage of one of N2N Bodywear's signature products by giving you the first-hand experience of trying out this somewhat daring but also comfortable classic thong design. The Tropic line has been around for several years with variations in colors and some cuts introduced along the way. Right now you can find this thong in a variety of colors including lime green, light blue, tan, bright orange/pink as well as the light purple featured here. Officially N2N denotes all these colors by special "design" names but I'm listing the more common references in this review...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Undergear Piped Back Thong
Designer/Manufacturer: Undergear
Website: www.undergear.com
Price: $12.99

Undergear has always had a line of "in-house" underwear that is manufactured exclusively for their catalogs and website. In the past, Undergear has kept these lines limited to unbranded styles without logos or other significant markings but over the last couple of years they have started to bring their name and logo to the forefront of their clothing and underwear designs with many more exposed elastic logos bearing a prominent "Undergear" woven text image. Last year Undergear released their latest line of logo-waistband underwear that included a low-rise brief style as well as a new classic-style y-back thong in deeply saturated fall colors. Originally available in a dark purple with blue trim combination (as reviewed here) you can currently pick this thong up in a light purple with red trim and brown with light purple trim...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Male Power Leopard Wonder Thong
Designer/Manufacturer: Male Power
Website: www.malepower.com
Price: $13.00

Male Power underwear has made some excellent strides over the past year to broaden their product lines and thus their appeal to the general consumer. In the past, Male Power's underwear has often been of the zippered, buttoned, and peak-a-boo variety but over time they have introduced several new lines and styles that fall into the more mainstream market taste. Although "leopard print" doesn't usually denote classic or conservative styling animal prints have become a little more mainstream over the past year. Continuing my ongoing reviews of men's thongs, I have the new male Power animal print "wonder" thong in brown leopard print for your consideration. This particular thong is from an entire family of animal print underwear that ranges from a posing strap, to a "Tarzan" thong, a standard squarecut and then of course this traditional thong cut. The 100% nylon fabric is very thin and has a low to medium level of stretch to it. The leopard print is available in two different color schemes with a lighter, tan color option as well as the one I purchased which is a more standard brown, yellow and orange mix. The print graphics are very clean, sharp and colorful and include areas where you see the full leopard face between the patterns of spots...<< MORE >>

Metallics for the New Year?
Are metallic finishes a new trend in men's underwear for 2009 or just a quick fad?

In this article:
   Introduction
   Metallic Waistbands
   All-over Metallics
   Reader Poll

Introduction

There are now enough manufacturer's and designers of men's underwear in the global marketplace that it is possible to track trends and themes that emerge across the industry. Trend spotting is always difficult of course and the Men's underwear market tends to be fairly volatile with quick turnovers in product lines and indeed even entire companies. I'm always checking out product news and reviewing the latest offerings and lately I've seen a trend for metallics in men's underwear and in some cases swimwear. The interesting question is whether this is just a quick fad or if we'll continue to see more products introduced throughout 2009 to extend the already considerable lineup of existing and new men's underwear that shine and reflect. Here are the products that I've observed over the last year that support metallic finishes as a continuing trend for the near term at the very least...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Gia Mesh Thong
Designer/Manufacturer: Gia Underwear
Website: Unavailable
Price: $19.00

Gia underwear is another entrant into the men's underwear world from Colombia that has made inroads in the North American market over the last year. Currently available in a broad variety of web stores, Gia Underwear is characterized by a variety of styles, color, prints and material options in unique combinations that range from classic to wild. This thong is an example of one of the slightly more wild Gia designs as it's composed of a dual-layer mesh fabric that is sheer and eye-catching in a dark blood red color. The interior mesh is a bright red while the exterior layer is black creating variations in color depending on the angle and shape of the fabric. The material is composed of 95% polyamide and 5% spandex and has a medium amount of stretch to it. The fit of Gia Underwear generally runs true-to-size as this thong in my usual medium fit well across the waist although I'll elaborate further on the pouch fit later in the review...<< MORE >>

End of Year Update From Underwear Guy
Site plans for 2009

Hello regular readers as well as site newcomers. I'm sure you've noticed that it's been quite a while since my last update so I thought I'd write to let you know what's coming up next for the site and what's new. First off I want to say thanks for continuing to comment and write emails as it's always rewarding and gratifying to hear from everyone including your opinions and experiences wearing and trying out new underwear. It's been an incredibly busy winter season for me and sometimes it's tough to keep up the work on the site here but it always helps to hear from you even if I can't always write back in a timely manner. Despite the lack of new reviews or articles posted the last 2 months I've actually been quite busy working on the site...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: N2N Bodywear Brushed Tactel Boxster
Designer/Manufacturer: N2N Bodywear
Website: www.n2nbodywear.com
Price: $18.00

N2N Bodywear can always be counted on to bring unique products to the men's underwear market that innovate on fit, pattern and sex appeal. I reviewed the N2N Tropic Boxster almost a year ago and I thought it was time I reviewed its companion piece: the N2N Brushed Tactel Boxster. Made from a highly stretchable 92% nylon and 8% spandex blend, this is a wrap-around style of squarecut with an extreme low-rise and a flat front and back design. The BT line is officially only available in black and white colors right now but there are several online stores that still have the original "camel" color as featured here, as well as a slightly more rare crimson red color. The signature brushed tactel fabric has a unique feel to it that is very soft and lightly reminiscent of a suede surface. The exterior of the fabric has a soft sheen to it while the interior is completely shiny...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Gregg Homme Chopper Brief
Designer/Manufacturer: Gregg Homme Underwear
Website: www.gregg.ca
Price: $35.00

Most underwear aspires to be versatile and functional for a variety of wearing situations. Mainstream options from CK, 2Xist, C-In2 and others are available in regular department stores and work well for office attire, at-home wear and workouts. Excluding a few exceptions, Gregg Homme underwear is most definitely not every-day wear underwear. Only available in select stores online and a few specialty retail stores, Gregg Homme items tend to be oriented towards specialized designs that work for more specific wearing purposes. This all-new Gregg "Chopper" brief falls into the specialty underwear category given that it involves metal buckles, faux leather, shiny metallic fabric and a daring design. Like most Gregg underwear this brief is true-to-size with the mediums I ordered cut nicely with a comfortable fit on the waist and the legs...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Jockstrap Review Series Concludes
10 days of jockstraps ends on a high note

With the Mundo Unico Acid Art Jockstrap post from this morning I am concluding my marathon of 10 jock reviews. It was definitely a challenge near the end with some late nights but I also feel like it was very rewarding to have upheld my commitment to the blog and to you, the readers. Most of the products I reviewed scored very well so I think it was a good run. I would have a hard time calling out a single favorite but I did like the Rufskin Ron Mesh Jock quite a bit as well as the Go Softwear Scoop Jock.

The original jockstrap wearing poll results revealed an interesting split between the respondents who either said they wore jockstraps several days a week or rarely at all. I'm actually a bit surprised there weren't more answers falling into the middle ground but jocks are a fairly unique underwear cut not unlike thongs where you'll find that fairly strong reactions on the two extremes isn't an unusual situation.

Moving forward I'm hoping to write some responses to your individual comments and email questions and then of course add more reviews. Now that the singular focus on jockstraps has ended I'm curious if any of you have an opinion on the kind of articles/posts you'd like to see appear next. You can voice your opinion in the latest Underwear Guy Poll below by selecting as many of the choices below:

What's next for the blog?

What I'd like to read next on this blog: Answers to reader questions Underwear commentary Jockstrap Review Thong Review Bikini Review Sport Brief Review Low Rise Brief Review Brief Review Squarecut Review Trunk Review view results

        

Underwear Guy Review: Mundo Unico Acid Art Jock
Designer/Manufacturer: Mundo Unico
Website: www.unicointerior.com
Price: $15.50

Mundo Unico is a reliable favorite for guys looking for underwear that provides an enhanced profile in bold colors and patterns. Mundo Unico underwear has evolved over time to include a nearly limitless array of cuts and materials although surprisingly very few jockstraps have made it to the market. This "acid art" jock is the only current jockstrap available from Mundo Unico. Some online stores call this the "classic" jockstrap as well. If you like color options you'll enjoy this release as you can order it in traditional black and white as well as green, yellow and bright orange. The black and white versions have matching-color waistbands while the remaining colors use a bright orange waistband. As with all Unico underwear you simply must order a size up from your normal fit as the underwear is cut very small...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Go Softwear Snap Jock
Designer/Manufacturer: Go Softwear
Website: www.gosoftwear.com
Price: $18.00

Note: Review updated 2/24 to correct product availability. Go Softwear was originally a very jockstrap-heavy label with very few brief or boxerbrief options in their lineups. Things have changed of course and now you'll find many more non-jockstrap designs available from Go Softwear. Turning back the clock a bit back to those days when jocks were the main attraction for Go Softwear is this classic: the snap front jock. Although it's been on the market for many years, you can still find this now classic jockstrap at several online stores as well as direct from the manufacturer. The snap front design from Go Softwear is also available as a boxer-brief cut, both of which are available in the basic color options of black or white. The sizing of Go Softwear's newer items are more variable but this classic jock is true-to-size with a medium fitting the standard 32"-34" range comfortably. The main pouch material is 90% cotton and 10% spandex which is soft and provides a medium amount of stretch suitable for all-day wearing...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Rufskin "Look" Swim Jock
Designer/Manufacturer: Rufskin Denim
Website: www.rufskin.com
Price: $42.00

It's surprising in many ways how much variety there is when you look at the options to purchase a jockstrap. No longer relegated to the pure athletic category, fashion jockstraps bring plenty of style, color and design options to the table. This Rufskin "Look" swim jock is my first true swimwear item review and yet, it's still a jockstrap. Although in theory you can wear this item standalone for swimming, I think reality would dictate that for most situations, this jock makes sense as a support layer for regular swim trunks. The Look jock is available in a variety of colors including white, black, navy and red. The material is a water-friendly 85% nylon and 15% spandex blend that is thick, stretchable and surprisingly comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. Like virtually all Rufskin items I recommend ordering a full size up as they cut their patterns to be very tight. Because this is a non-shrinking material you could potentially order your normal size but you should expect a very snug fit if you decide to go that route...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: JM Koton Jock
Designer/Manufacturer: JM
Website: www.jm.ca
Price: $12.00

For a little more background information on JM underwear I suggest you check out my recent review of the Skinz Thong where I reviewed an item from the JM microfiber line. This review focuses on the jock cut from the Koton line which is JM's 100% ribbed cotton group that also includes a brief and boxerbrief. The Koton line is a basic staple from JM and is offered only in plain black, white and gray color options (blue was offered for a limited time). The Koton line can be identified by the bold, 3 black stripes that run across the smooth microfiber elastic waistband which measures 1 1/4" tall. On the interior-back of the waistband you'll find the nicely compact 1" square JM logo tag and side-attached size/wash/care information tag. The tags are a shiny white nylon and are thankfully minimal interference to the feel of the waist. Attached to the interior of the waistband you'll find the leg straps which are an unusual design departure from most jocks...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: Go Softwear Scoop Jock
Designer/Manufacturer: Go Softwear
Website: www.gosoftwear.com
Price: $15.00

After covering some fairly expensive jocks I thought it would be a nice break to cover a slightly more affordable and colorful option on the market right now: the Go Softwear Scoop Jock. This jock is from the current "Berry Fresh" line which was introduced this year with a fun lineup of cuts and colors available at a very reasonable price. You can purchase a double-fly full-cut brief, trunk, low rise hip brief, t-back thong and jockstrap in 4 vibrant colors including pink, lime, blue and bright orange. Most of the color combinations are actually two-tone with another color used as an accent to contrast the primary color. My "kiwi" lime green scoop jock was accented with bright "iceberry" blue piping on the edges. Sizing is always a tricky question when dealing with Go Softwear as I have experienced inconsistent fits from line to line...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: C-In2 Classic Jock
Designer/Manufacturer: C-In2
Website: www.cin2.com
Price: $12.00

After the disappointing review of the PriapWear jock I thought it would be a good move to highlight a different jock that maintains a similar classic jock style, but scores much higher on virtually all the categories. The C-In2 underwear brand has been consistently introducing new lines with new materials and a broad variety of colors and prints. Amidst all that product innovation being brought to market, there are still the original staples from the first C-In2 line which include among other classic cuts this jockstrap. Although there are several C-In2 jocks (titled "Street") available in bright colors and prints, this particular classic-style jock is only available in black, gray and white in 100% cotton. Styled like those original old-school jockstraps from the past, this jock has a super-tall waistband that measures an impressive 2 1/4"...<< MORE >>

Underwear Guy Review: PriapeWear C-Ring Jock
Designer/Manufacturer: PriapeWear
Website: www.priapewear.com
Price: $22.00

Of all the jockstraps I've reviewed, the PriapeWear Cockring Jock is probably the most classically styled design for a jockstrap. Everything about this jock says "old-school" from the giant, extra-wide waistband to the classic mesh cotton pouch. Of course, there is a secret to be found on the interior of this jock with the hidden cockring embedded inside the pouch which is a decidedly "new school" design. The question, of course, is how well did PriapeWear fuse old-school design with new-school engineering? For the answer let's start the review. PriapeWear underwear usually runs true-to-size and I would say this jock in my typical medium fit reasonably well on the waist. There might have been a bit of tightness felt from the extra-strong elastic but otherwise I would say you can order your normal size. You can purchase this jocks in utilitarian black or white colors with no other options available...<< MORE >>