UNBJames

In Kickstarter

New Brand Alert!! — Project 5

August 28, 2014 1 Comment

While I was doing my daily scroll of Facebook in July, I came across a very exciting notion. Great quality underwear at an amazing price. That’s right readers, quality underwear for the budget of every man. Some of you who immerse yourselves in the underwear world as much as I do may have stumbled upon this miracle much as i did. Who are these crazy folks? They call themselves quite simply, Project 5. I used my great deductive reasoning skills to figure out that they call themselves Project 5 because they intend to sell EVERY pair they make for $5. I immediately added my email to their update list so that I can stay on top of their progress. I also reached out to the manufacturer to get the skinny on their crazy idea of selling underwear at such an amazing price. How do they do it you ask? Well I’ll tell you.

I got a great response from Jose at Project 5 and he filled me in the on plan. In his email to me he spoke very highly of his desire to provide great quality underwear at a great price. Jose said, “Quality is going to be great and the price you can’t beat.” Project 5 has already created another successful line of underwear and it’s this relationship with the manufacturer that allows them to keep costs down. During a $5 sale of their current line they sold out and thus the concept was born. Project 5 underwear will be successful I’m sure of it.

Project 5 underwear will be available to suit all underwear tastes. Briefs and boxer briefs will be the main offerings in their line up. I have not seen much of the colors yet, but on their launch page they showed a glimpse of the colors and they look very stylish and fun. They have focused much on their waistband. I like the twist on the letter “p” and the number “5” in the the logo. It looks like a superhero’s logo. Succeeding at this venture will undoubtedly make them a superhero to many underwear lovers. Project 5 will use a wide range of materials to make sure that their comfort extends beyond the wallet to the butt of the wearer. Cotton/spandex blends as well as nylon, modal, and polyester will ensure that each pair is made to the highest quality and comfort. I am sure that as they grow more and more materials will be used and consistently maintain affordable prices. The size chart for Project 5 is standard sizing for American manufacturers. Since I have not gotten my hands on them yet, I will stick to my usual size plan. Briefs I’ll get medium and trunks I’ll get small. The figures I see on the chart make me think that my sizing plan will hold true. I am eagerly awaiting some samples to test out and also to share with the other writers here at UNB and get more opinions.

How would you like to get an early jump on getting your own pair of Project 5 underwear? They are offering this unique opportunity through a Kickstarter project. Late last week they put up a Kickstarter page where you can help them fund the project. Your contribution to their goal will score you underwear, stickers, and even personal messages of thanks from Project 5. Check out the Kickstarter page for a peek at the underwear here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1840431454/project-5-underwear?ref=discovery. I hope that you all get behind this great new concept. My excitement for this new brand is overflowing. Getting this brand to market will really give other underwear brands a run for their money. I have always wondered why underwear has to be so expensive and Project 5 is my kind of company. Check them out!!

In Men's Underwear

12 Pairs We Love – Unico

August 21, 2014 No Comments

So…you all want to know what a great pair of underwear is you should have in your collection? I know of a couple brands that produce underwear that is nothing short of amazing. I was introduced to the first of these through a gift I was given by an ex-boyfriend. He found a store in Ft. Lauderdale that was closing out a bunch of underwear. He thoughtfully purchased a pair of Unico trunks for me. We won’t even go into where his thoughtfulness went after that. So he gave me the underwear knowing that I am an underwear junky. Let me tell you something, I was impressed by them. To be honest they had been on my wish list for a long time. Finding low prices on Unico can be a challenge. Luckily he found them on clearance at the store. Unico was added to my collection then permanently added to my collection for the first and definitely not the last time.

Unico added to my collection a different sort of underwear. Up until them most of my underwear had been Calvin Klein or 2xist. Great brands by all means, but Unico stands out as a brand to me cherished. Every pair of Unico underwear that I own is to say the least perfect. The cut, fabric, waistband, and pouch make for the best kind of underwear possible. I prefer the Unico briefs over trunks, but that is also a general preference in underwear as a whole. The briefs they make provide the best support and all day comfort we all look for in underwear. If you prefer trunks, the same can be said. The fabric they use can seem a bit stiff at first, but once you put it on you’ll quickly see that they know exactly how underwear should feel against the skin. Soft, yet firm enough to stay where in should through a day’s wearing. This is also credited to fact that Unico has somehow figured out how to cut their underwear in such a way that it fits to a “T” in both briefs and trunks. They are one of the few brands that runs a seam up the middle of your butt. I think that this creates a lifting action to help your butt look better. Seam placement can be challenging and have a mid-butt seam is a tactic more companies should adopt. Another great aspect is the pouch. Whether you are well endowed or not, having a place for your junk to rest comfortably is very important. With Unico underwear, all their underwear features a pouch that holds your junk as should be held. I can not begin to tell how much this pouch is valued feature to me. When I put them on everything just naturally rests where it should. Please keep in mind that as you read this paragraph about great Unico fits, you must keep in mind how they size them. They are a South American company and all their lines run small. If you’ve read my sizing standards you’ll know that I always go up a size in Unico. If you wear small, then a medium is a must in this brand. Make sure you first experience with Unico is a good one and order correctly.

Ok, so you want to add Unico to your collection. I don’t blame you. I want more! Unico is a brand that rarely is priced at a bargain. Many sites will tell you it’s a bargain and frankly, it’s not bad, but 40% off is still putting you the $30 per pair range. If you can swing it, go for it. Recently www.cheapundies.com landed a great lot of Unico underwear and about 70% off retail. Yes, I stocked up. Keep in mind that www.cheapundies.com is discounting discontinued lines. Other sites are discounting current lines and so the price is higher, but for a great like Unico, still a bargain. Whether you buy current or discontinued lines the underwear is still basically the same. Only the design changes. The construction and fit has never changed in my experience with Unico. Find a deal or a pay full retail, you’re gonna get a great pair.

What else can be said? Oh right…have you bought yours yet? Ha! I know that if you already have Unico in your collection you are saying that I am preaching to the choir. If for some reason you don’t have Unico yet, you’ll be happy when you add them. If trying for the first time, find that bargain and test them out. I feel very confidant you’ll be happy with your purchase. If you have a different opinion of Unico I’d love hear it. If you know of current sale on Unico I’d love to hear that too. We are all fans of a great daily garment and finding the best and most comfortable can be a challenge. Unico, in my honest opinion, can be a solution.

Picture from International Jock

In Brief Reviews

CX03 Waistband Brief Review

July 28, 2014 No Comments

On the review table for today is the CXO3 Waistband Brief from Cocksox. This is my first pair of underwear from Cocksox. I was pretty excited when the package arrived and I realized what was inside. Getting underwear is always fun, we all know that. Upon examining them

I realized I was sent a pair of small briefs. As you know I usually wear briefs in medium. I was a bit concerned by this considering how small they looked when I held them up. The fabric was soft and seemed stretchy enough to form to my butt and provide me with all day coverage. I also took notice of the pouch and was curious to see how that fit, but more on that later.

When I wear a pair of underwear to review I prefer to go about my day as normal. Doing abnormal activities wouldn’t allow me to give you all an honest and fair judgment. Keeping true to this I wore them to work. The key thing to mention here is that my pants are fairly tight fitting. This is where it is important to mention the pouch of the underwear. They push all your package right out front and don’t really allow them to be pushed back. While wearing tighter pants this very evident as things could be seen through my pants. Maybe this is why my sales for the day were better than everyone else’s. As for the rest of wear, they stayed put. No wedgies or misplaced leg holes throughout the day. I will say that taking a bathroom break and trying to tuck myself back into the pouch was a bit challenging. Once I was situated back into them I again took notice of my frontal protrusion. Kinda funny really.

I mentioned earlier that I was sent a size small to test out. Yes, I was concerned about how they would fit. To be very honest I do feel that a medium would have been better, but the smalls weren’t bad either. The rule I follow is that I wear small trunks and medium briefs, in most cases. I always wear small jocks, except for Unico. Exceptions to every rule you see. This is a pair where following my rule for briefs would have been best. According the website for Cocksox they do follow American sizing, but again we all know what works best for each of us.

Did I like them? Well to be honest, I’m still on the fence about that. On one hand they were comfortable. The material used to make them was soft and despite not being my usual size choice, still conformed nicely to my butt. On the other hand though, they were a bit revealing and forceful in the way they presented my package. I have found that a lot of the other lifting pouches still allow your outer clothing to push your package back not allowing too much to be revealed. I think if I had worn them in a different setting they might have not shown as much, but again I want to give a fair review and most of my underwear will see a day work at some point or another. I did ask my boyfriend for his thoughts and well, he said the front looked like a Peep. I wish I was making that up. I guess my final thought on whether I liked them or not is that yes, they are fun, but I’d probably go for a less pronounced pouch in the future.

Rating for this pair:

Daily Fit: 6
Sizing: 6
Construction/Materials: 8
Styling: 7
Daily Performance: 6
Overall: 6

Cocksox furnished this pair for review. You can find them at their website.

In Men's Underwear

Polar Bare Briefs…Check them Out!

July 20, 2014 No Comments

Out there in the world of underwear are hundreds if not thousands of brands and styles from which to choose. My job here at UNB is to help you find those pairs you may not have ordinarily thought about or even heard a single word about. One such brand is Polar Bares underwear from Canada. I am not sure how widespread they have reached into the world. I am the only person in my circle of friends that I know to own a pair. So what better way to spread the joy of a pair of underwear than to encourage my friends here at UNB to wear them too.

I own a pair of Polar Bare briefs, orange or tangerine as they call them. Since the very first time I put this pair on I fell in love with them. The soft material blend they use to make them was quite nice. They combine nylon and spandex to create a soft feel against the bare skin. They also have a cotton/spandex blend that I’m sure is just as nice. The brief also has a waistband that features their name. I don’t know about you, but the waistband is a key piece of the underwear I wear. Polar Bare wraps the band with their name and it nicely accents the colors they use for underwear. The overall cut of the briefs helps to accentuate the things we want accentuated, if you get my meaning (wink, wink). The best reason to buy and wear Polar Bare underwear is the fact that they stay where they are supposed to when being worn. This fact is again credited to the material and the way they are cut to fit the body. I have never had to tug at the backside of the briefs to readjust during the day. A good fit and feel makes the brand.

I do hope you all take the time to visit www.polarbares.com and check the selection they have to offer. Helping a brand grow and become more of a presence in the market is part of our job here at UNB. I only hope my endorsement of Polar Bares has persuaded you to help this brand grow

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In Aussiebum

And The Winner Is…James 300 pair is…

June 30, 2014 No Comments

And the winner is… AUSSIEBUM!

That’s right friends, you voted and with 48% of the vote my 300th pair of underwear is AussieBum. I can’t thank you all enough for helping to make this decision. It was quite fun to allow someone else make the choice. I am not at all disappointed with the choice from AussieBum either. Once the votes were calculated my only job was to choose the pair I wanted from the AussieBum.com website. I actually let my boyfriend make the choice. He chose the “LineUp” Black Brief. This style features an oversized waistband with the logo randomly written throughout. The overall design of this pair is simply fun to wear. My boyfriend had no complaints either.

Since adding this pair to my collection I have added an additional 22 pair. I am now proudly boasting a collection of 322 pair and always growing. It is hard not to keep adding more when the deals and clearance sales run rampant throughout the internet. Each time I get an email from CheapUndies.com I have the fight off the urge to buy, buy, buy. Truth be told I’m running out of space in my drawer of underwear. I am currently trying to figure out where to stash more pairs.

I know I’ll continue to add to my collection and I encourage all to do the same. With each new design or style that the designers put is our opportunity to keep our collection current and fun. Let’s face it…our love underwear centers on fun, for us and our partners. Thank you again for helping to make the 300th choice.

In Boxer Brief-Trunk Reviews

Review Sly Collective Azura Trunk

May 25, 2014 No Comments

I was recently was given the opportunity to test wear a pair of trunks from the Sly Collective. Sly Collective is a new brand in my collection. I had never heard of them prior to them showing up in my mailbox. I was very pleased with my first time wearing them. The fit and wear was very comfortable. I was told that these wear trunks, but I would say that better fit the description and cut of boxer briefs. While I do not know the exact measurement specifications for trunks versus boxer briefs. I feel this pair better fits in the boxer brief category. There is a very distinct difference between Sly’s trunks and boxer briefs, so making the right choice is easy. Browsing the website of Sly reveals that they have a wide variety of colors and patterns. They also offer a small selection of briefs if that is your preferred cut of underwear. I would encourage you to browse the website of Sly Collective and see for yourself.

I took Sly Collective on a test wear during a normal day in my life. There was nothing uncomfortable about them from the moment I first donned them until I removed them at the end of the day. The sign of a good fitting pair is the not knowing you have them on and Sly did that for me. Often times you have to readjust the leg placement or fix a wedgie. Sly required no adjustment at all. I wore them while doing extensive walking and also during some seated time in a vehicle. Getting out of a car will usually mean having to pull the legs down on a pair of trunks or boxer briefs. Again, not with Sly as they stayed right where they were supposed to. I call into question the longevity of the legs and their ability to keep the underwear where they belong after normal wear and tear.

Since I was given a pair of trunks to review the size I wore was small. I follow a general rule of thumb that when I wear trunks or boxer briefs I go with smalls. This rule has suited me well and in the case of Sly Collective also holds true. The measurements for the small size is 30 to 32 inches. I would say that this sizing is very true to reality. If you consider yourself to be a small then ordering a small in Sly would not disappoint. I would definitely consider myself a small in Sly Collective trunks and boxer briefs.

Considering that the Sly Collective trunks I reviewed were more along the lines of boxer briefs than trunks. I still rather liked them. As I mentioned before I wore them during a normal day and did not know I had them on. They required no adjustment throughout the day and stayed in place from beginning to end. The material was soft and waistband was the perfect size. The bands on the bottom of the legs were tight enough to hold the legs in place not so tight they made the underwear uncomfortable. They even included a cute little pocket on the leg in which to hide a small item. This a catchy feature that makes them unique and fun. I have no real complaints of Sly Collective. I still stand by my original belief though that they would better fall into the category of boxer briefs. That is a small issue in the grand scheme of things. All in all a great pair of underwear that I strongly recommend checking out. I know I’ll be shopping for another pair, briefs this time.

Pros:

Soft comfortable fabric
Strong leg bands to hold in place
Unique pocket feature to set them apart

Cons:

Better suited to the boxer brief category

Ratings:

Daily Fit – 8
Sizing – 8
Construction/Material – 9
Styling – 8
Daily Performance – 8
Overall – 8

Sly Collective furnished this pair of underwear for review. They retail for $20 at the Sly Collective site.

In Men's Underwear

Reaching a Milestone

April 16, 2014 No Comments

Reaching a milestone is something we all look forward to in life. Not everyone will look at an underwear collection as a milestone worth celebrating, but I know everyone here will appreciate this milestone. As I sit in a coffee shop typing this, there is a package waiting for me in my mailbox. In that package are 5 pairs of underwear that will put my underwear collection total at 297. That’s right folks, I’m only 3 pairs away from 300. How should we celebrate?

I’m less focused on the celebration I guess and more interested in what that 300th pair will be. With my recent involvement here, my 300th pair could very will be a sample pair I review. If that’s where they come from I sure I hope it’s a good pair that I’ll be proud to own and give rave reviews about. On the other hand it could be an uncomfortable trip into unknown territory with a new design or style I’ve never worn before. No, going to keep positive here, number 300 will be amazing.

This amazing number 300 could also come from a favorite online haunt of mine, www.cheapundies.com. You never know what amazing finds will pop up there from day to day. All I know is you better act fast if you see something you like, they sell out fast. I wish there were more sites like www.cheapundies.com. They are responsible for the largest surge in my collection to date. It’s hard to resist the temptation to order sometimes. We won’t look at my credit card statement where it is concerned.

Wouldn’t it be amazing if that 300th pair came from a fan who ordered them for me from my Amazon wish list? I want to kiss the genius that thought of the ability to create a wish list and share with anyone and everyone. I know my list is filled with underwear and jocks I want to own, but would feel better financially if someone else footed the bill. I guess that sounds really bad, but if there are people out there willing to send random gifts to strangers, who I am to refuse?

Lastly, and most likely, I’ll hand pick a pair of really nice underwear I’ve been eyeing for some time now. There are a few brands I’m looking at to become number 300. The obvious choices are C-IN2, Aussiebum, 2xist, and Unico. I know, why don’t I let you help me decide? I think that’ll be fun and get you involved in a small part in making my mind up for me. So there we have it then, a reader poll to determine my 300th pair. I can’t wait!

In Men's Underwear

Orange you glad?

April 15, 2014 2 Comments

Do you see a color of underwear and immediately say to yourself, “I gotta have those?” Well, that’s how I am with the color orange. Whether I am in a store or shopping online I have a real hard time resisting a pair of orange underwear. Now, to be fair, it goes for most anything orange. Shirts, shorts, and yes, underwear in the color orange will most likely end up in my shopping cart. My Amazon wish list is loaded with orange underwear. Thankfully having that wish list option helps me feel like I might buy it one day and saves me the money today.

I did some research, by which I mean I looked on Wikipedia. They say that color preference relates back to childhood. I can not for the life of me recall anything orange in my childhood. I guess the closest to childhood orange relations would be the blaze orange clothes we wore when we went hunting. I guess I’ll go with that. I enjoy hunting and had to wear orange clothes to hunt, so 2 + 2 = 5…right!? I really don’t know why I love orange so much. I just do!

My love of the color orange is not a big secret either. My fans and followers on Twitter and Tumblr know without a doubt I love orange. Every time I stumble upon a guy wearing orange underwear, I click that reblog or retweet button so fast heads spin. I have seen some photos I wouldn’t normally share, but that glimmer of orange makes that desire to share impossible to resist. I guess adding orange to anything makes it look better.

Now, do I have ONE favorite pair of orange underwear…NOPE!! I looked back through several photos I had taken and found a few pairs I would classify as “favorites.” I came across a photo of my first pair of skimpy swim trunks. A bright orange pair from Sauvage. I got them right before a trip to Florida. I wore them almost exclusively. They attracted a lot of attention too. My trunks were like a beacon for the boys at the beach checking me out on Grindr, cause yes, I posted that photo of me wearing them on Grindr. The second pair I came across in my photo search was a pair of bright orange pair of N2N briefs. N2N consistently delivers fun and sexy underwear. I have several pairs of their underwear, mostly orange I believe. I usually get plenty of comments when I post a photo of me wearing them, as they tend to leave little to the imagination. The last pair I came across was a pair of orange briefs I got with my first order from Aussiebum. Whatever those folks in Australia are doing, they got underwear figured out. I now own about 6 pairs of Aussiebum underwear. I would count myself as a new fan of them and watch their site regularly now of new stuff.

Well, I guess there is really nothing more to do here than to share those favorites with you. Stay tuned as I’m sure I’ll a lot more orange undies from my collection. I hope you enjoy.

In Feature

A History of Obsession

March 28, 2014 3 Comments

How does one find out they are an underwear nut? I suppose for me it began when I was probably 14 or 15 years old. I was discovering that I was gay and living in a part of the country where homosexuality was not heard of and definitely not acted upon. So being secluded from all things gay I was left with catalogs and newspapers to satisfy that need to see a guy’s physical form. What began with JcPenny catalogs and weekly flyers from Shopko, quickly grew into an obsession (on Twitter @undieobsession). The next thing I remember entering into my life was pack of Hanes bikini briefs I got from Shopko. Now, I could not get them at my local store, so I had to travel to a neighboring community to purchase them. This had to wait until I had my driver’s license too.

Once I could I drive to places on my own, my ability to seek out different underwear was ON! The first brand I remember truly seeking out was BVD. I saw an advertisement somewhere and the image on the package made me realized I had to have those! So as I began my search for them I knew it was something that would never end with just this pair. Once I acquired the BVDs I knew very quickly they were nothing more than another style similar to Hanes or Fruit of the Loom. What I saw in that package though, ignited something that would carry on to this day.

My hunger for underwear subsided as I enter the straight world of the US Military. I could not be seen wearing what I truly wanted to wear as I was walking around the barracks in boot camp. I feared that if I wore what I wanted I would be outed or judge.

So I strategically started wearing boxers. I know, how straight!? As my military career grew on I became more comfortable again with the idea of wearing boxer briefs and quickly trunks. I exclusively shopped for Calvin Klein (CK) underwear. I was very particular and would only wear CK. I think that image of a young Michael J. Fox in his pink CKs in Back to the Future: Part 1 was to blame for this long lasting obsession with CK. It took several years before I began to venture away from CK.

If I remember correctly the first pair of none CK underwear I purchased was a pair of Tommy Hilfiger boxer briefs. About that same time I also purchased a pair of Tommy Hilfiger briefs for my boyfriend. He pulled them off just as well as the guy on the package. It was so much fun to dress him in underwear I thought were sexy and fun.

I am glad he allowed me the freedom to do it. I have not stopped dressing up my guys in underwear I find sexy or fun. Whenever I buy a pair for myself I usually buy a pair for my boyfriend.

The time has passed and my underwear knowledge and collection has grown. Today I own a total of 290 pairs of underwear. A combination of briefs, trunks, bikinis, and the one odd pair of boxer briefs. I have also started a collection of jockstraps, which now number 67 pair. I will delve deeper into this as we become better friends.

My closet also contains a collection of fun swimsuits. I have 30 of those as this point. Yes, all numbers are exact! This whole obsession would not have been possible had I not start with that package of BVDs. I am thankful everyday for passion I have developed. It has and will continue to be fun. I look forward to seeing all the new styles, designs, color patterns, and whatever else underwear companies can come up with. I also look forward to sharing this love with you all.