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Men’s Underwear

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38_073781Hi everyone, here is the second item from my lovely new found fav UNIQLO, from the Heattech line: the Long Johns. Now, these have the same luxurious feel of the UNIQLO Airism line, with the added technology that their fabric absorbs moisture from your body and converts it to heat. It is made of a very thin synthetic fabric that can keep you warm without the bulk of heavy winter underclothes.

Like the Airism line, I am in love with these long johns. Living in Vermont, I experience a LOT of cold, and these are the perfect under-pant garment, as well as a lounge garment. They have a two panel back (center back seam), and a separate crotch panel in the front with a functional fly opening. The waistband is a woven elastic, with a tag center bag. Much like the airism line. The fabric for the Heattech line is 34% polyester, 33% rayon, 27% acrylic, 6% spandex. The line has two styles, the “long john” and the “tight”, both seem to be exactly the same in all composition, except the “long john” features a waistband that’s encased into the top of the long john, where the “tight” has a sewn on elastic band as the top. Both are extremely comfortable.

The fabric is extremely silky, and not overly warm (the type of overly warm where you are sweating all over it, which is the reason why I dislike a lot of winter garments). The fabric is breathable, and nicely stretchy to give a nice form to your legs without outlining every contour to your package. My negative thoughts on this long john focus on the ankles. I have shorter legs than my size demographic in most brands. My jeans are usually 34-32 507a651531489where I usually end up shortening them to 34-30. Having said that, if I put on these long johns, and mark where it hits my ankle, and remove them, there’s definitely more than 2 inches of extra length on these. It wouldn’t be a problem if the whole thing was baggy, but because the rest of it is more fitted to your legs, having a bunchy ankle makes it look a little like awkward legwarmers. The other note is that I have fairly small feet, and it is hard to get my foot/ankle through the bottom hem of the legs. I think there’s a little too much “infrastructure” in the hem of the ankles, which is not letting the fabric stretch as much as it could if just folded over and sewn.

At just under 20$ and coming in a nice range of muted neutral stripes/solids with a few bright colors thrown in (fuchsia, lime, turquoise), these are a really great piece for the cold weathered man. They also happen to look quite sexy in my opinion.

PROs:

  • Very cozy in the cold months.
  • Silky feel fabric

CONs:

  • awkward leg length
  • tight ankles

RATINGS:

  • FIT 3.5
  • MATERIAL 5
    CONSTRUCTION 4.5
  • LOOK 4
  • DAILY WEAR 5
  • OVERALL: 4.4

 

Find these at Uniqlo

free-shipping-february

For the next 5 days, until Wednesday, February 27th, if your order is over $25, Jockstrap Central is offering free U.S. shipping and discounted shipping everywhere else. Here’s the details:

Free U.S. Shipping

It couldn’t be easier, just place your order at Jockstrap Central and if your product total is $25 or more, you’ll be offered a free shipping option during checkout.

Discounted Worldwide Shipping

If your product total is $25 or more and you’re not in the U.S. you’ll be offered a discounted shipping option. The discount is based on 10% of your product total. Spend $50, get $5.00 off the cost of shipping. Spend $100, get $10.00 off the cost of shipping and so on

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I’m sure what I am about to write some of you have gone through or are going through. I started UNB over 4 years ago. It was a project to do while I was laid off. where I could write about one of my passions, underwear! UNB also gave me a creative outlet for my pent up energy. Little did I know 4 years later it would still be going on stronger then ever.

You maybe asking how did I get my love back? Well, over the last three years I gained weight and was only able to wear XL undies. My waist went to a 42 inches. It was not fun to get all the great undies we review and have to pass it up. I kept saying that one day I’ll be back into a Large/size 36. However, that’s all it was, just thinking. I never did anything to achieve this goal. Then one day I went to the doctor and they weighed me and I was just over the 300 pound mark. Yes, I said 300. I was shocked, never in my life had I ever weighted that much.

I’ve heard experts say that you have to reach a point in your life where it comes clear you must loose weight. This was my tipping point last June. I got an app for my phone called My Plate and put in what I wanted to loose a week, I went form over 4,000 calories a day to 2,000. I cut out candy, most fried food (i had my first order of French fries last month after months), sodas and more. I started to pay attention to what I ate and other then the holidays I have been successful. I have lost around 70 pounds and have gone from a 42 to a 36 inch waist.

This also affects my undies drawer. A lot of my favorites no longer fit. I have a lot of N2N, Cocksox and Unico that are now too big. This is a good thing as well. I can now fit in undies you regularly see on this blog. The first pair I wore was a Pikante camo brief. It felt great. The day this happened it opened my eyes that now I can try all the brands we write about on the blog. Those brands include, Baskit, Timoteo, Gigo, Clever, Candyman, Pikante, PPU, Andrew Christian and the list goes on and on.

The mission of this blog is to spread the word all men, no matter what size, sexual orientation or race should wear undies and feel comfortable and sexy. For the longest time I didn’t feel sexy or comfortable. I would be upset I never got to try the undies I report on.

Now those days are gone and I”m experimenting with undies we get in and buying the ones I see. It’s like I’m in my teens again buying my first pair of bikinis all over again. I hope you guys will see a renewed passion on the blog.

I would love to hear from you guys if you have been through weight loss and how you found some great undies you couldn’t wear before. I plan on joining a gym this next month and gain muscle and loose even more!

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Today, I get to review a line from a store called UNIQLO (read carefully, this is not to be confused with another underwear brand). Though UNIQLO is not a specifically underwear only company, or even a company highly focused on undergarments, I love the quality of their underwear so much, I wanted to write about them.

UNIQLO is a Japanese company that started in 1984, but I hadn’t heard about until a couple years ago. As a store, it’s like a Japanese H&M-like store, focusing on basics and quirky accent pieces at an affordable price, but still retaining sturdy quality. Their underwear visually isn’t groundbreaking, but to wear them is a treat, so I own many pairs.

The line/pair I want to talk about today is the boxer brief from the AIRISM line. Visually, you won’t be that impressed. The entire line is saturated in deep neutral solids with occasional low-vibrancy accent prints. For instance, you can get a basic all black, a charcoal, a dark midnight blue…as well as a black/charcoal small checker print, or a black-grey-deep navy stripe pattern…etc. No bold primaries, neons. It’s not that kind of line.

The boxer brief in construction isn’t groundbreaking, but feels amazing. It features a single rear panel (no seam down the butt), and separate slightly contoured fly-front pouch. The waistband is exposed woven elastic, as well as a sewn on tag on the back center. It is made of a 87% polyester 13% elastane fabric that truly feels and reads as silk (I’m not making this up, and I’m a professional costume designer, I can tell you when it feels like silk). The name of the line is because of the fabric and fits making it almost feel like you’re wearing a cool breeze, instead of a pair of underwear.

When I’m wearing my AIRISM Boxer Briefs, I truly do forget that I’m wearing them. The tag has never bothered me. It’s not a truly low-rise undergarment, but it doesn’t ride up or down at all. The legs aren’t elasticized at the bottom, and I almost never notice them riding up. The pouch isn’t fussy with any lifting or pushing out type details, but it has enough contour to keep the goodies from getting smushed all the time. I wear these in any situation, I’ve lounged around at home in them, I’ve worn them to go teach circus in (I usually wear a dance belt, but on “light” circus days, I wear these with NO problem).

I love these so much. I’m pretty sure I have at least 8 pairs if not more (in all different colors/prints of course). And at about $13 a pair, it’s an amazing deal on the quality you’re getting. I find they run pretty true to size, so trust their size chart when you’re ordering. You won’t regret these.

PROs:

  • amazing silky feel
  • very great price
  • nice fit

CONs:

  • mellow in color choice

RATINGS:

  • FIT 4
  • MATERIAL 5
    CONSTRUCTION 4.5
  • LOOK 2.5 (NEUTRAL)
  • DAILY WEAR 5
  • OVERALL: 4.2

Find this pair at Uniqlo

z4ffa7303425bc_cx01_camo_front_72Cocksox is a favorite of the staff here at UNB. I don’t think we have many staff members who don’t like the brand. One of my favorite pairs is the traditional CX01 brief. It is one of the most comfortable briefs I own. In the past they have kept the style solid colors. This includes the traditional red, black and white. They have added bolder colors with Orange, Pink and Green. How ever the newest one I will say is one of my favorites they have come out with. It’s a really new and unique camo print. It’s not the traditional green, but a green, grey and black camo. I would say Cocksox put their own spin on camo.

Underwear of the Week doesn’t have to be a brand new design. They can be classic pair or a reworked pair. This pair is the latter. They have taken their mainstay brief and made it over with a great new fabric!

Reasons why this pair is the Underwear of the Week:

  • Really great camo print
  • Made with the amazing cocksox pouch
  • A bikini style cut that moves with you through out the day
  • Rework of a mainstay brief in the collection
  • It’s just FUN!
  • Made out of 95% Cotton 5% Lycra blend

This pair can be found at the Cocksox site for $28 AUD.

 

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Before I received this pair to review, I did not own anything from MaleBasics.  And anyone who knows me and my passion for underwear will tell you I’m not a fan of boxer briefs.  I tend to prefer smaller briefs.   So it was with a little reluctance that I agreed to review the MaleBasics Boxerbrief.  And  must say I was pleasantly surprised.  78% nylon and 22% spandex, I really enjoyed the way they felt throughout my day.

It was just a typical day for me.  8 long hours at my desk, with the occasional stroll throughout the office to keep the blood flowing.  I was worried that I would be pulling them legs down every time I stood up, but much to my surprise I only had to do that a couple of times.  The waistband was extremely comfortable, and I liked the fact that it didn’t create the dreaded “muffin top” around my waist.   After work I went to the gym to work out, and wore these under my shorts.  The fabric breathes and moves great.   Because I generally wear briefs, I am used to more of a pouch, I did find myself making the occasional adjustment when things moved out of place.

With contrast stitching on the legs and pouch, these boxerbriefs are definitely eye catching.   The waistband boldly announces the brand, and there will be no mistaking that you are a man who has exceptional taste in underwear when you wear these.

Pros:

  • great fabric
  • legs did not ride up

Cons:

  • no pouch front

Fit

5

Materials

5

Construction

4

Look

5

Daily Wear

4

Overall

*Out of 5*

4.6

This pair was provided for review by MaleBasics, and is available in red, white, and turqouise from http://malebasics.com for $26.00

 

jockandcups

It’s been a few years since I played softball, ok I admit I wasn’t very good at it. In fact I was really bad at it. But, I had a lot of fun while doing it. While I played I experimented with a few different jocks and cups. Not all of them are created equal. I guess you could say my love of undies carried over into softball. Granted this is not a complete list but ones I would recommend for the sport.

  • UnderArmour Men’s Performance Jock with Cup Pouch – $14.99 – This was my favorite jock I wore while playing. I would not recommend wearing it without a cup as the pouch is designed to be work with a jock. The reason I love this jock is it’s made for sports. It wicks the moisture away from your body. The material also made to stretch and move with you through the game. It really conformed to the cup and my body. Other cup jocks I tried either made it difficult to put the cup in or didn’t cover your package fully. (top left in pic)
  • Bike #10 Jockstrap – $16.95 – If you want to go old school then check out the Bike #10 Jock. It was the first one that all the other jocks are based on. During the 80’s when you said jockstrap you only thought of Bike. Today there are hundreds of jocks. This one was made for sports. It wasn’t made for fashion. Granted now it’s available in colors. (top right in pic)
  • Shock Doctor Supporter with Carbon Fiber Cup – $24.95 – This is a cup I would recommend to those who want a really cool cup. It just looks awesome. It’s form and function in one. The front part of the cup is made out of carbon fiber and can take an impact (but I hope you won’t have to experience that). Its not the cheapest but both the jock and cup look pretty cool. For those gear guys out there, who are like me, you want it to be fun and protective. (bottom left in pic)
  • Bike Protective Hard Cup Support – $12.99 – When I played I preferred the Bike brand cups. The main reason is they had enough room in the cup. If the cup is too small it won’t offer much protection since it won’t cover your package. This cup was so comfy that when I used to have to wear it all day, I usually forgot I was wearing a cup. These are getting harder and harder to find though. They are no longer sold at sports authority in store, and even searching on line proved problematic (bottom right in pic)

Up until now we have discussed traditional jocks. But with the advent of the jock brief it could definitely be worn under your softball pants/shorts. I wouldn’t recommend it with a cup. If you wear a cup I would say get a jock made for a cup. If you don’t the cup could move and not offer protection. But if you have a position like I did (right field) you can wear what you want.

I know many of you like to wear matching undies. Now with jockbriefs and fashion jocks you can get them in a rainbow of colors that would match your teams colors. Some brands you should check out would be Baskit, Timoteo/Cellblock13, Andrew Christian and Go Softwear. This is just a suggestion.

We hope you enjoy this short list Finding protective gear is not easy these days. I have tried all the ones listed above and if you are starting back check them out. If you get one of the non traditional jocks/jockbriefs, let us know which you wear! For protective gear I would suggest surfing International Jock, they have the best and easiest to browse selection. As for non traditional jocks go to the brands websites.

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I had such high hopes for the Garcon Model Brazil Trunk when I received it as it is quite an attractive looking pair. Available only in yellow with green piping (Brazil – get it?) the trunk features a comfortable metallic logo waistband as well a color contrast logo on the seat of the trunk . Additionally there is no annoying tag to deal with. These great details are probably why they are the most popular item on the GM store. However, the pleasing looks is where my love affair with this trunk ends because despite these advantages I had issues with the general fit of the pair.

I own quite a few pairs of boxers/trunks/shorts and in my opinion these barely qualify as a trunk; the cut is much more like a brief. When I first put these on, I even double checked the package to make sure I received a trunk. Additionally, for a large, the fit was pretty tight, especially at the leg opening – to the point that when I took them off at the end of the day, they had definitely bunched up around my legs adding to the brief appearance. Also, if you’ve read any of my previous reviews you know that I am a fan of underwear with pouches and while the Brazil trunk does have a semblance of a pouch, it likewise is tight and somewhat uncomfortable.

While I do wear large in most of my underwear, obviously I could alleviate many of my issues by purchasing an XL however, sadly they are not available bigger than a large. Overall, I would say that they are well made and the 82% Nylon/18% Spandex is remarkably soft. If they fit you, they are a great pair of underwear; however, the awkward fit means that for me personally they will be living at the back of my underwear drawer.

Pros:

  • Metallic waistband
  • Tagless

Cons:

  • Not really a trunk
  • Tight fit
  • Small pouch

Ratings:

  • Fit – 2
  • Materials – 5
  • Construction – 5
  • Look – 4
  • Daily Wear – 3
  • Overall – 3.8

Garçon Model furnished this pair for review.

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We are well into winter here in the Northeast. What better way to weather the two feet of snow we received in Boston last week than with a pair of long johns and a cashmere sweater! Much to my luck, two days before we were hit by the super storm, Nemo, I received a pair of Male Basics Microfiber Long Johns to take for a test run.

These long johns are made of a very soft microfiber fabric, which had a nice weight to it. They are fitted throughout the majority of the leg, with some extra room near the lower calves, where there is a cuff at the ankle. There is a grey seam down the front and back of each leg, as well as the center of the front and back. One thing I really enjoyed about these MaleBasics was the front pouch. I have had many pairs prior to this particular one, but non have supplied me with the right amount of support without wearing a pair of underwear underneath them; this pouch has a center seam, and provided a gentle lift to the ‘goods.’ They hugged the body without being too tight or too loose, and were perfect for lounging around the house, and running around the corner for a quick coffee fix during the storm. The only thing I was not satisfied with was the contrast seaming; while it highlighted my best ‘features,’ it was not consistent, and you could see where the stitching was too close, snagged or too spread out.

These microfiber long johns currently are available in black, and have a light grey contrast stitching and silver and black logo waistband. The tags on the interior of the waistband are soft and sewn into the band, as to not cause irritation to the lower back. The fabric, made of 78% nylon and 12% spandex, also held its shape and elasticity following a few wears around the house and under a pair of jeans during the blizzard.

Pros

  • super soft
  • great fit
  • low rise

Con’s

  • Inconsistent stitching

Ratings

  • Fit – 4.5
  • Materials – 4.5
  • Construction – 3.5
  • Look – 4.5
  • Daily Wear – 4.5
  • OVERALL – 4.3

*OUT of 5*

This pair was furnished by MaleBasics and is available for $45.00 at their site.

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UNB goes to Vegas to see all the new underwear from some of your favorite brands. I generally go two times a year in every February and August. It is a great time to talk to all the brands and some retailers about the new pairs being released.

I will be meeting with over 30 companies in three days. Those three days will be nonstop. Some of the brands you may already know like 2(X)ist, Andrew Christian, Pistol Pete, and more. Then there are some you may not know well but after we talk to them and write them up they may become some of your new favorites.  I will bring you some of the hottest underwear that is or will be released!

There will be several ways to follow us at Magic/Curve. Follow our Twitter account (http://www.twitter.com/unbblog). The wireless and cell service is not the best, but I will try to post when I am meeting with certain companies. The second way is Instagram (http://www.instagram.com/unbblog). Regardless of the cell service at the end of the day  I will post pictures on Instagram.

Lastly, we will have write ups on the different brands the following week! They will run over the next few weeks. Certain brands will be delayed due to their release schedule. But I will post a list of brands I speak too and when you can expect to see them on the blog!

malepowerneon

These bright and colorful undergarments set the right tone for fun and frolic. Customers may choose from four different styles: mini pouch short, jock, micro thong and mustang bikini. All are available in lime green, orange, pink and yellow, colors that are as blazing as passion itself.

Neon Mesh underwear features the Male Power black logo waist and leg elastic, so it looks great against the skin and feels even better. The fabric is sensationally soft, but it beautifully contours the body. In short, you can’t go wrong with these shorts.

Market demand for neon fabrics has spiked, and so will your sales when you place this collection on your walls and display racks. It is a shining example of Male Power’s superior style and innovation.

Coming soon to a retailer near you! Find more info about Male Power at their site