It’s almost assured that if you’re reading this, you know all about the Jockstrap-how it’s typically made, what it’s basic purpose is, etc. For those that may not, a jockstrap is an undergarment that both covers and supports the male package while simultaneously leaving your behind exposed to the world, or the backside of your shorts and pants. The long story on Jockstraps is that they were invented by a guy who started Bike and the brand’s jockstraps are made very similar to how they were made over 100 years ago. We’ve come a long way since then, and thank heavens for that.

For those of you that haven’t read my evolution into the world of men’s designer underwear, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I have to evolve when it came to the typical understanding of what a jockstrap is good for. It wasn’t until I got into underwear in the first place that I decided to purchase my first jockstrap. I was doing rigorous circuit training and my trunks just weren’t cutting it in the support department. I opted for the traditional and safe Papi 3-Pack Cotton Jockstraps and thought that’d be the end of my journey. After those passed their sell-by date, my underwear evolution was well under way, and I wanted to keep with the traditional, but seeing all of what I just refer to as “Fashion Jocks” I snapped up some of the 2(x)ist All-Star Jocks as well as some Go Softwear Cotton Lycra Jockstraps. For the most part, I was happy. Not only was I getting the practical support a jock offered me, the nice colors provided an added boost to my self-esteem.

It wasn’t until I decided to start blogging about my underwear collection, and visiting sites like the brilliant Underwear News Briefs and some of the other friendly underwear bloggers’ sites that I discovered that men were actually wearing Fashion Jocks under there everyday clothing. While that should have been more than obvious to me at that point, I am a slow-to-school straight guy, so bare with me. I tried to join the trend back in March, wearing one of my Go Softwear jocks to work and it wasn’t the greatest experience. The thick cotton, that is great for comfortable and supportive workouts quickly became swampy and cramped. I came home, dying to get my jockstrap off, and was resigned to the fact that I just wouldn’t be a jockstrap guy.

A few weeks passed, and as I started showing off my underwear collection, the fact that I didn’t wear jockstraps as daily wear was a negative in two ways. Primarily, it was locking me out of reaching more of you guys (our invaluable followers and fans), but second, (which was an eventual realization) I was missing out on one of the best styles of men’s designer underwear out there! However, I remained frustrated. I wanted to try some more “wearable” fashion jocks, but for the most part, the ones that I was attracted to shaped up to be similar to the ones I already had, fearing they’d fit the same and cause similar problems.

And then, came my “Ah Ha!” moment…

Not long after my failed attempt, I discovered what is perhaps the most brilliant (and in my opinion best) fabric in men’s underwear design today, “Rayon”. A pair of Obviously for Men briefs (which I wore yesterday) introduced me to the fabric’s magical qualities and I was hooked. It didn’t take long for me to put two and two together. Obviously made jockstraps with rayon, and knowing how soft, form-fitting (I’ll discuss this, later) comfortable and most importantly, breathable the fabric was, I decided to try one. Once I got it on, I was in heaven. After wearing it for the day, I finally realized what I had been (knowingly) missing-I knew why so many men loved this style as everyday wear.

I had found the perfect style of underwear for me, and needless to say, I became obsessed. My jock collection exploded and continues to grow when new rayon jocks hit the market that I cannot live without. A jockstrap made with rayon, is the Jockstrap, done right. For those of you who do not know, Rayon is a fabric made from cellulose fibers of bamboo. It’s incredibly soft, and while not the most moisture-wicking, it is still near the top, but what makes it most comfortable is the fabric’s elasticity. While there are several jockstraps on the market that use similar fabrics to rayon, I am convinced that the Jockstrap is at its best when the pouch is made of the stuff.

What we know about all underwear made from rayon, is that it allows your package to sit in its most natural state, hanging away from your body and in front of your legs. While some men may argue that this feature doesn’t give them the support they’re looking for, I disagree. For those of us working 8-12 hour days, a jockstrap with a rayon pouch is the penultimate in all-day comfort because it’s doing the job all underwear sets out to do, but does so in the best way, performing the task without so much as a little reminder of what it’s doing.

While the rayon jockstrap provides excellent support, I think its best part is the fabric’s body-hugging fit. When laying on the bed, it doesn’t appear that there is much to a rayon jockstrap pouch. The pouch seems much smaller than you would think it needs to be, but that couldn’t be further from the truth once you get it on. As soon as you’ve got your package secured into the pouch, the greatest thing happens, you’re done for the day. The fabric molds to whatever natural changes might occur to your package during the day. What I love about rayon in general is that for men like me, who are just slightly above-average between their legs, no fabric on the market does a better job in supporting us without ever cramping our natural “hang.”

Rayon is an expensive fabric, and for companies that produce huge quantity, it’s gets expensive to sell. In addition, its production costs typically mean that rayon fabrics will tend to be monochromatic. Most men prefer cotton jock straps because they come in the widest varieties of colors and styles, and do not get me wrong, this wholehearted endorsement of the rayon jockstrap is not in any way a slam on those designs or designers who do not produce them. A non-rayon design I favor is C-IN2 and their jock design. It has an excellent pouch that is very deep in its contour. Another great designer, N2N Bodywear makes jocks in just about all of the commonly used fabrics in men’s underwear design.

If you are like me, and are either afraid to start wearing jocks as daily wear, or have yet to find one you really feel comfortable enough in to wear for several consecutive hours in a day, I firmly believe the answer lies in the jockstraps that feature rayon as the fabric in the pouch design. I guarantee it will provide unparalleled fit and comfort and will reshape how you once viewed the jockstrap. It’s a design that truly is the Jockstrap, done right.