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pikante8626

We all agree that underwear should be fun. I decided to put that statement to a test. When I got a chance to pick some Pikante I chose the metallic silver Spotlight Anatoimc brief. It is not one that I would normally wear on a daily basis but sometimes we have to step outside the underwear comfort zone and try something new. This is the third pair of Pikante I have tried since loosing my weight.

My first impression was it’s a really cool pair, being all bright and shiny. The material is metallic (Polyester 93%, Spandex 7%.) but didn’t seem like it would stretch like other pairs I have received from Pikante. I was a little worried about the fit. On top of that is it has a zipper in the pouch. Need I go into detail how that can be bad for a guy? I don’t think so.  But I always try to have an open mind and I took an extra pair of undies to work just in case this pair didn’t work out.

I wore this pair to work. I didn’t want to do a review that was too intensive because I wasn’t sure how well this pair would hold up. The main concerns were it’s ability to move and breathe. So in the morning I put it on and liked the look of it. The fit surprised me; it didn’t fit as tight as I thought it would. It was snug but not too tight. As I wore it through the day my worries about it not breathing were put to rest. I could barely tell I was wearing a metallic pair. Granted I wouldn’t wear it to the gym or running but for daily wear or a date night you should be fine.

The zipper maybe a concern to most of you guys. I didn’t find it as a bother. The zipper is covered with fabric so it didn’t rub me in the wrong places. You may ask if I used it. For the review I unzipped it a few times during the day. Each time I as super careful zipping up. It worked fine and its not just decorative.

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If you are familiar with Pikante and their sizing chart it’s pretty much spot on. I’m a size 36 waist and the XL fit me fine. I believe the XL fits 36-38. If you’re close to a 38 you may have an issue. These aren’t made for bigger guys. Being a former bigger guy it can be frustrating to find great undies in larger sizes. But follow the size guide and you should be fine.

I really liked this pair. Will I wear it weekly, probably not but it will definitely be a fun pair to wear on occasion. The major down fall for this pair is it’s hand watch only. If you wash it in the washer you may find the metallic fabric may not hold up. So put in the washer at your own risk. I would say another great place to wear this would be in a costume if you go to Cons. There could be some super creative things you can do with it. But for my daily wear it made me feel sexy all day, no one knew that I was wearing such a fun pair under my pants.

Pros:

  • The Fun Factor is off the charts
  • Surprised by how it fit through out the day
  • Zipper is functional and not decorative

Cons:

  • Wouldn’t recommend for works outs or heavy activities
  • Hand wash only

Ratings:

  • Daily Fit – 8
  • Sizing – 8
  • Construction/Materials – 7
  • Styling – 8
  • Daily Performance  –
  • Overall: 7.9

Pikante furnished this pair for review. The pair is also available  n black

PPU1322

The pair of underwear I am reviewing is the PPU Boxer #1322.  Before trying these on, I enjoyed taking in the big picture.  The white fabric has see through polka dots, the waistband is red with contrasting black logo sewn in, the leg openings have black piping to contrast with the stark white and bright red, and there is a black mesh area above the pouch for a peek-a-boo effect.  Interesting.  The PPU logo sits on each side and is not centered over the pouch which does not bother me like it bothers other guys.  The red waistband has a metallic sheen to it which I really enjoyed.

After trying them on, the waistband is comfortable at nearly two inches in width.  The slight pouch was accommodating, conforming, and defining.  While this is a boxer, it felt more like a brief.  Companies seem to have their own take on what defines a boxer and in this case I suppose a slightly longer side panel is the key.  The boxer was pieced together in multiple pieces to create the pouch and had a seam down the center of the rear for even more definition of the assets.  The black mesh panel shows off the area above the bits and the upper portion of the bits, as well.  It is quite erotic, in my opinion.  This boxer comes in several colors (mint, white, black) that most anyone would enjoy.  This is my second pair of PPU underwear and I like them.

While wearing this pair of underwear, I went on an extended shopping experience over an eight hour period with lots of walking, bending, and trying on clothes.  It was a busy day filled with quite a bit of activity that tested the underwear under normal circumstances for most guys.  The pair fit well, looked good, did not bunch up, did not ride up, and felt like I did not have underwear on at all.  This pair of underwear would be good for a night out on the town or everyday wear, but not for exercising or major activity.

I received a size extra large in this boxer.  This size should cover a 34-36 pant size.  Sizing was not true to size as I am a large in the vast majority of underwear, but this is a non-issue as the company tells you that the XL is a 34-36” size.  So, size up.  This pair can be found for around 21$ on most websites.

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I loved the polka dot see through pattern that made up the body of the underwear, the metallic red waistband, the black contrasting piping around the legs, the black mesh see through peek-a-boo panel, and the way the crotch area felt against my skin.  82.5% Nylon and 17.5% Spandex fabric combination makes this a slightly stretchy and conforming pair of underwear that I enjoyed.  The rear seam was another part of the boxer that I enjoyed as it showed off the assets.  This boxer had nothing about it that I could complain about.

Overall, this was a nice pair of underwear and I felt sexy and comfortable at the same time while wearing them.  The design is conforming to the body and creates a fantastic profile from the front and the rear.  I did find that one could take the pouch and pull it down and under the package to push up the mesh pouch area and create a totally different look for the boxer.  I enjoyed this boxer and look forward to wearing it again.

Pros

  • Style
  • Fabric
  • Color Combination
  • Cool Pouch design

Cons

  • None

Ratings:
· Daily Fit – A
· Sizing – B
· Construction/Materials – A
· Styling – A
· Daily Performance – A
· Overall – A-

 

PPU furnished these for review.

8639 (3)

When I first received my pair of Pikane Biologic Piping Briefs in the mail, I wasn’t so sure about what I saw. They appeared way too small for my size, used a strange combination of colors and felt a little bit weird. I hadn’t tried any other pairs by the brand, and heard good things, so I figured I’d give them a whirl. This particular style comes in three colors–I tried the purple/grey combination.

Before writing this review, I wore the pair for a fairly normal day for me. I rode the bus 45 minutes to work, sat in my office working all day long and then wore them as my pajamas for a night’s sleep. Though I didn’t really have an “active day,” I think this pair would hold up really well regardless of what you’re doing, because the material was so lightweight and comfortable.

I have a 29-inch waist and got a size small. I found the pair to be true-to-size, but definitely on the smaller/tighter end of the scale. They’re also fairly stretchy. The sizing is Columbian..

Overall, I really liked the feel of this pair against my skin, which really surprised me. They’re 100% polyester and I almost never go with that. The material was extremely breathable. My heritage leans heavy on the Italian side, so I can sweat profusely on a typical day. I didn’t experience any of that with these. They also fit surprisingly well–not too tight as I had initially thought they would be when I received them. I think the look is what could use the most improvement. Though the purple-gray combination definitely grew on me, I found both the pattern and the waistband to be a bit cheesy.

pikante8639

Though I initially thought that this pair wasn’t for me, after about 24 hours of wear, I was presently surprised–the fit was perfect, the material comfortable and the look fair. They also passed the boyfriend test–I showed them to him at the end of the day and he thought they were great. To sum up:

Pros:

  • The fit might run a bit small for some folks, but overall Pikante’s Biologic Piping Briefs are true-to-size
  • The material makes this pair a great choice for any type of day–active, average or just lounging around

Cons:

  • The waistband for me was a little to cheesy. I’d like to see them remove the pepper that makes the ‘i” little guy that makes the “t” in Pikante. I saw on their website that they offer several styles with different waistbands
  • The design / cut was a little too sexy for my personal taste

And here are my ratings:

  • Daily Fit — A
  • Sizing — A
  • Construction/Materials — A-
  • Styling — B
  • Daily Performance — A
  • Overall — B+

Clever furnished this pair for review.

2908(3)

This is not my first pair of Zylas underwear but it is my first time reviewing them for UNB. As with my other pairs of Zylas, I am proud to report that the 2908 boxer brief does not disappoint. One thing that I love about Zylas as a brand is that their underwear is multipurpose. It functions great as everyday underwear but also holds up well at the gym and could even work as beachwear (a lot of Zylas styles come in great colors with unique designs that make it easy to show them off).

I wore this pair for a particularly busy Saturday that included some errands and shopping. The 2908 did a great job holding up to the activity of running all over town during a busy day and I have also since worn them around the house for a day loafing and also was pleased with how comfortable they were. This pair goes above and beyond however and was also very comfortable to wear to the gym. My routine on this day featured both weights and cardio which put the pair through their paces and I never had to adjust. Also, this pair wicks moisture like it’s its job… which I suppose it is.

The pair that was supplied for this review was a large (which the tag indicated is 36-38 inches) and fit true to size. The fabric is a nylon/polyester/elastic mix (83/10/7%) which gave great stretch which made the boxer both ideal for everyday wear and working out without any binding or bunching. Finally, though not specified to what level of protection, the tag indicates that the 2908 also provides UV protection (see previous mention of use as beachwear).

The 2908 comes in bright orange with gray, blue and black vertical stripes. The logo waistband features the same shade blue and provides a comfortable, snug fit. This pair also features vertical vents that are slightly more sheer than the body of the garment that run parallel with the stripes and provide breathability without revealing anything they shouldn’t.

The Zylas 2908 is definitely a great pair of boxer briefs for any guy in search of a great-looking, versatile pair that is as comfortable in the office as in the gym. If you don’t own any Zylas, I would definitely suggest trying on a pair for yourself.

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Pros:

  • Comfortable fabric
  • Wicking/breathing great for the gym
  • UV Protection
  • Great fit

Cons:

  • Overall, a great pair. My only complaint is that it needs to be washed on gentle (which isn’t really a complaint

Ratings:

  • Daily Fit – 10
  • Sizing – 10
  • Construction/Materials – 10
  • Styling – 9
  • Daily Performance – 10
  • Overall – 9.8 (A+)

This pair was furnished by Zylas.

05-30-13_2

This is going to be an unusual review for two reasons: 1) it’s the first review I’ve ever written (for anything… ever), and 2) the review concerns a pair of underwear that is more likely to be found at a Target than from the specialty retailers online.  So bear with me.  Hopefully Tim and the gang won’t beat me up and take my lunch money on my first day.

I’ll start with the facts.  The pair I’m reviewing is the Jockey “Cuffed Trunk” (insert party favor noise here).  There is nothing exotic about these.  It’s everything you would expect from a trunk style boxer brief in terms of cut, fit, and materials.  Jockey offers this pair in three colors; hibiscus, olive, and blue indigo.  The material is a blend; 48% cotton/48% modal/ 4% spandex.

To test these out I wore them to work.  My job straddles the fence between white collar and blue collar.  I spend about half of my day pointing and clicking but the rest is usually spent outdoors wearing coveralls and a hard hat.  Being on my feet and performing physical tasks puts all of my clothes through a proverbial gauntlet (hence the coveralls).  So finding a comfortable pair of underwear that can hold up over 12 hours is like finding a unicorn.

Sizing of this pair is consistent with domestic (U.S.) size charts.  My waist is roughly 32″ but depending on the brand of underwear I wear either a small or a medium.  In this case I chose small and it worked just fine.  It was very comfortable, not too snug at all.  I think their choice of materials is partially responsible.  The cotton/modal blend is very soft, but strikes a good balance between comfort and support.

The thing that most impressed me about this pair was that it looked and felt really good over the entire workday.  It’s very common that a pair of underwear will accomplish only one of these.  Either it will be very comfortable but look like a train wreck by the end of the day, or it will look great but feel awful after a few hours.  Let me tell you how much I enjoy having to adjust my underwear at a work site (insert sound of crickets here).

This pair remained stable over my entire workday.  By ‘stable’ I mean that it did not droop, sag, or wander into places it shouldn’t have.  As far as the pair looking good, I am going mostly by the feedback from my fiance.  She really enjoys seeing me in these as her loiter time in the bathroom while I shave has increased by roughly 800%.  Jockey has chosen some colors and contrast stitching that are just far enough from mainstream to make them visually appealing without being flamboyant.  I picture the scenario in which I have a job-related accident and have to be resuscitated by EMTs.  Do I want my co-workers to see me wearing a pink thong while being defibrillated?  Not really.  But not worry, these will send the message that you’re a man dammit… but you might listen to Annie Lennox occasionally.

As far as drawbacks, it’s hard to pick apart a pair that I enjoy as much as these.  I am, however, going to knock them down a notch by mentioning that the construction of this pair is roughly equivalent to any other chain store bought pair of underwear. They’re fine, but not great.  I fully expect that sometime in the next few months the first visible frayed end of a seam or waistband elastic will rear its ugly head.

I MUST mention here that I bought this pair at the price of 2 for $12 from the Jockey website.  I’ve owned enough ‘fancy’ underwear to know that other brands who shall remain nameless would easily charge double for an equivalent pair.

To sum things up:

Pros

  • Very comfortable material and level of support
  • ‘dimensionally stable’ even with moderate physical activity
  • Your significant other will suddenly look at you as if you’re the guy from those ‘Old Spice’ commercials
  • For what you get, these are dirt cheap

Cons

  • Don’t expect these to hold up forever.  Mass produced just like most of our clothes.

Ratings

  • Daily Fit         8
  • Sizing         8
  • Construction/Materials         7
  • Styling         10
  • Daily Performance         9
  • Overall         8.4

Find these at the Jockey Site.

Note: Gabe is one of the newest writer/reviewer on the site. He will have a speedo article very soon!

 

 

pikante-9227

This week, I had the pleasure of reviewing Pikante’s new 9227 Sporty Jockstrap. It’s one of those jockstraps that looks like a brief from the front and most of the side, but then sneaky, you turn around, and there’s a big ol’ opening framing your booty. I am not too familiar with Pikante, I think I probably only have one or two of their pairs, and they are both trunks or boxer briefs. As you might know if you follow my reviews, I am somewhat weary of mesh material in underwear, due to a bad experience with a certain pair along time ago (in summary, I had to return and get the next size up, not once, but twice, before I realized the mesh on that pair just DIDN’T stretch, and wasn’t meant for people with butts), but recently, I have come in contact with happier mesh underwear, and this was no exception. Right when I opened the package and saw the mesh, I pulled at the fabric in both directions to check. So, I opened the package to see what mostly looked like a brief, except for that big opening in the back. The waistband and edges of all of the openings are a black material, with the waistband featuring Pikante’s woven in logo. The entirety of the garment is made up of the white spandex mesh. The briefy jock is also available in sunny yellow with a bright teal trim, black with purple trim, and yellow with black trim (but note that on the yellow pair, the waist band is also yellow, not black).

I got to wear my pair on my New York city weekendcation. I wore it while walking around NYC seeing the sites, buying sewing supplies, and visiting the MET. I did also had a date that night, with a nice guy I’ve seen a few times, (not to get too graphic, but he thought the pair looked really nice as well). I didn’t work out in the pair, so I can’t completely attest to it’s workout-ability, but from wearing it, I can say it stayed in place and (obviously, due to the mesh) breathed very well. I’d imagine this would be a VERY nice workout pair.

The size I got sent was a Large, which fit me wonderfully. Looking at the size chart, the Large is a 32-34 and XL is a 34-36. Depending on the brand, I base my size off of a 35/36, so I would have bought the XL, ESPECIALLY since this was a mesh pair, thinking the mesh wouldn’t stretch nicely. I find the Large to fit very well, and I would say, if you might be near straddling two sizes, order the size smaller, because the mesh is very accommodating.

I wanna start by saying the pair is very comfortable and I like it very much. The small things that I have problems with aren’t big enough that it truly hurts my opinion of this pair. Think of them as things to keep in mind, before you go ahead and order this pair (heehee). Mostly, my issues revolve around the butt straps. They are really wide, and there is elastic trim hemming the edges (both around the thighs, and around the butt-framing edge). This creates a strap with a much sturdier edge than middle, whereas a standard elastic strapped jock would be equal tension across the entire strap. I found that this, mixed with my nice muscular but sizable, demanded some “dressing” when I first put the pair on. However, once the pair was properly on, I found no real need to adjust the straps any more. The next negative might only be towards a specific audience; if you like some support from under your junk in your undies, read on. I like the anatomical pouches and the lift and protrude-type undies, as well as my normal tighter briefs and things, because I like keeping my goodies in their pouch. If a pair of undies doesn’t have enough tension from behind pulling the bottom of the pouch into your perennial region, it allows enough slack that some of your “treasures” might fall out of the “chest”. I found that to adjust for that slack, i’d just discretely grab the straps from the back and pull them up a bit. It wasn’t horrible, but it did happen a couple times.

Having said those two things, I really did like this pair of undies. They were extremely comfortable, with a sexy look to them. As I said previously, this pair has definitely helped me start to overcome my avoidance of the mesh type underwear. I wanna get the black with purple pair for myself as well. Cause I can’t say I am a white underwear guy at heart, but I do know I’ll be wearing this pair a lot in the future (especially to the gym, I wanna try that out).

PROs:

  • Very comfortable stretchy mesh.
  • Very breathable to wear in warm weather.
  • Sexy look (approved by myself as well as an outside eye).
  • Cute, non standard color combinations.

CONs:

  • very small amount of fuss to get on and dress the back straps properly.
  • Not perfectly fitted to keep the goodies in the pouch.

RATINGS:

  • Daily Fit: 7
  • Sizing: 8
  • Construction/Materials: 7
  • Styling: 8
  • Daily Performance: 7
  • OVERALL:  7.4

Pikante furnished this pair for review

9227 (8)9227 (2) 9227 (7) 9227 (1)

Zylas 4034

 

I haven’t ever worn a pair of Zylas underwear before, so when I got the 4034 Brief in the mail, I was excited to try them out. Once I had them in my hands I had a mixed first impression. The brief is mostly made of Nylon, an underwear fabric that I haven’t had much luck with. While I am not a huge fan of the 70s inspired conglomeration of greens and vertical stripes, these briefs do have some style to them.

Another first reaction before I had before I got them on was the size of the waist, it looked too small to match the sizing chart for what a Zylas XL brief should be (34-36). Once I got them on, my initial impression seemed accurate, as the waist was a little snug.  You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that when it comes to men’s briefs, if the waist is snug, it’s likely going to be snug in all the wrong places too, but this turned out to be only partially true. I decided to wear them for a full work day to really put the brief through its paces. While I was nervous about how the brief would hold up, with its blend of nylon and spandex, these briefs stood the test of a busy day.

I did have an issue with sizing, when I peeled them off in the evening, I did have quite the “imprint” on my 36″ waist but over the course of the day, I wasn’t experiencing any discomfort around my waist. As with many Latin/South American brands, these weren’t made with U.S. sizing. While there are several brands that can get away with this, the XL at 34-36 is going to be too small if you’re wearing a 36 pant size. Quite honestly, I’d say if you’re wearing a 34 jean, you’ll want to go with the XL.

As I mentioned above, I haven’t been a huge fan of some of the nylon pairs in my collection, but the way this brief uses nylon I was pleasantly surprised. The fabric had vertical perforations throughout, making the briefs very breathable, so that helped score this brief some points.  As far as the look of this brief, I am of two minds. Green is one of, if not my favorite color, but it can be overdone and the penchant Zylas has for vertical stripes overall, could be re-thought. While I appreciate the attempt, I am not a fan of the 1970s fashion trend of purposefully clashing several shades of the same color together, but I think this brief could have really been tied together well if the waistband and the elastic leg openings were the same shade of green as one of the stripes in the brief, instead it’s a lighter lime which clashes with the neon green stripes that feature prominently.

The style of the brief is described as an “almost bikini” and there has been a bit of a pickup of this type of style across several different labels. When you wear this style it certainly feels a little more comfortable and less boxy than a traditional cut brief and that is good. If I had to make one complaint overall though, it would be that this style does not lend itself to the ample pouch that my anatomy requires. That is not to say I felt too crammed in these briefs, but this brief certainly does not feature a contour pouch, which is something I need.

Pros: 

  • Breathable Nylon – a novel concept!
  • Fashion-forward cut

Cons: 

  • Lacks a contour pouch
  • Sizing for me didn’t work

Ratings: 

  • Fit – C
  • Sizing – C
  • Construction/Materials – A
  • Styling – B
  • Daily Wear – C
  • Overall – C+

Zylas furnished this pair for review

Zylas4033

I reviewed a new arrival to the Zylas performance line called their “striped brief” Perhaps it is lost in translation, but the naming of this product is less than creative, so to be precise, this is the 4033—the black “brief brief”.

When I first saw Zylas a few months ago on an online apparel store, I was not immediately drawn to them. The briefs seemed much fuller than I usually prefer to wear, and I almost never boxer briefs, which makes up most of their standard line. I tend to like underwear that is skimpier, at least in the front, but always I’m willing to have an open mind when it comes to new underwear.

When I opened my package for this weeks review, I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw—a sexy looking, attractive brief with vertical stripes and a waistband that subtly announced what I would be wearing to the rest of the world. I generally don’t “advertise” what I’m wearing (at least while I’m wearing pants or shorts), but if you do, Zylas seems to be a good choice for that.) It was made of 83% nylon, 10% polyester and 7% spandex. The label said it was “wicking, stretch, easy care and UV protection”—I planned to test all of those monikers, except for the last.

I did my standard daily routine I do when trying out any new underwear—a full day at work, getting up and down a lot; a 2 hour workout out in the gym; and changing afterwards at the gym to I could catch the “peer reviews” of the guys in the locker room to the new duds. The Zylas brief seemed well constructed, and held up great, despite an intense two-hour Mixed Martial Arts workout. The fabric wicked sweat away surprisingly well for nylon and polyester and the Lycra in the material allowed it to stretch well and not chafe at all.

I liked the look of this brief from the get go. There was a very slight descending line into the middle of the waist band, giving others the impression of smaller waist. The legs were high cut, allowing for freedom of movement and the wide waist band sat comfortably below the waist. The pictures online made this product look like a full brief, but I would classify it as a low rise. The fabric was somewhat sheer and shiny—in a way that invited others to look without giving away all the goods. The stripes, in brown and highlighted in white, gave the overall package a racy look, and there was plenty of space in the front for a good sized package.

However, Zylas is a Colombian company, and its sizing is designed for South American standard.  I usually wear a small or medium (at most) in American standard. I wore a medium brief for this review, and it was most definitely too small—in the waist and in the butt.  Granted, I have a big (but muscular) butt—but, I would need a size two sizes larger than what I usually wear to  feel fully comfortable moving around and being seen in Zylas. I know it’s a hit to the ego to have to bump up two sizes to feel comfortable (from small to large), but hey—it’s only fabric

I noticed the pair riding up in back all day while I was wearing them. My opinion was confirmed by a guy in the locker room, who mentioned that I seemed to “falling out” my underwear. The back coverage of this Zylas brief was a bit too skimpy for me. Now, if you are less well endowed in the glutes than I am, you would most likely love it—so don’t let my problem with it dissuade you from getting some. Incidentally, I tried on a size larger, but still felt like I was hanging a bit in the back.

Overall, once the sizing issue was addressed, I did like the Zylas black striped brief. It had a racy, almost sheer appearance designed to get approving looks, fit well in the waist (in the appropriate size), and front, but was just a bit skimpy in the back. The construction held up well and especially after washing, was very comfortable to wear.  It moved well during work and play, left me dry even after an intense workout, and made me feel sexy—which is what all good underwear should do.

Pros:

  • Racy appearing
  • Wicks sweat comfortably for workouts
  • Descending line in the waist

Cons:

  • Too little material in the buttocks
  • 2 sizes off from American Standard

Ratings:

  • Daily fit: B
  • Sizing: C
  • Construction/Materials: B
  • Styling: A
  • Daily Performance:  A
  • Overall: B

Zylas furnished this pair for review.

zylax3078

The pair of underwear I am reviewing is the ZYLAS Boxer #3078.  Before I tried these on, I enjoyed feeling the soft, shiny black fabric with partially see through stripes mixed among a bright lemon yellow pattern.  The waistband was the same lemon yellow that was the pattern in the fabric with ZYLAS woven into the waistband in an almost metallic thread.  There was a ZYLAS Underwear label centered on the back on the boxer.  The waistband is about 1.5 inches in width and very comfortable with no binding or bunching issues during wearing.  The slight pouch became quite accommodating once I had the boxer on.  This boxer was pieced together to create an extremely comfortable and form fitting pair of underwear that everyone would enjoy.  This boxer comes in several contrasting color combinations that anyone would love.  This is my first, but not last pair of ZYLAS underwear, and I enjoyed being able to try them.

While wearing this pair of underwear, I went about my normal daily activities for work.  I administered assessments to three clients and sat and stood approximately fourteen hours while wearing this extremely comfortable pair of boxers.  It was a busy day filled with lots of movement and activity.  The pair fit well, did not bunch up, did not ride up, and felt like I was not wearing a bulky pair of underwear due to the nice, slick fabric that never clung to my khaki pants.  This pair is more of a fashion pair of underwear and I would hesitate to wear it as exercise wear, but I feel it would hold up to strenuous and rigorous workouts.

I received a size extra large in this boxer.  This size should cover a 34-36 pant size.  Sizing was not true to size as I am a large in the vast majority of underwear, but this is a nonissue as the company tells you that the XL is a 34-36” size.

I loved the black fabric with see through stripes and bright lemon coloring (83%Nylon, 10%Polyester, 7%Spandex) as it was stretchy and conforming to the body.  The pouch was slight, but stretchy and conforming to the bits.  I loved the seam that ran along the rear from the leg openings in the rear across the buttocks as I felt it provided more shape and definition to my bum.  There is nothing about this pair of boxers that I did not like.  Someone was thinking when they designed them as everything about them seemed geared towards pleasing the wearer.
Overall, this was a nice pair of underwear and I felt sexy and comfortable at the same time while wearing them.  The design is conforming to the body and creates a fantastic profile.  I have enjoyed viewing the other ZYLAS underwear options and look forward to trying some more of the pairs they have to offer.

Pros

  • Style
  • Fabric
  • Pattern

Cons

  • None

Ratings:
· Daily Fit – A
· Sizing – B
· Construction/Materials – A
· Styling – A
· Daily Performance – A
· Overall – A-

 

ZYLAS furnished these for review.

9226 (1)

When the package arrived i was curious of the content. When I opened it I found a nicely decorated flocked envelope with jockstrap marked. I opened to reveal its contents: a Pikante double effect jock strap. When I looked at them they were really a cross between a deconstructed brief and a jock strap more then just a traditional jock.

The seaming additional straps were a bit of a challenge… it took me 2 tries to get them on correctly but when i did i found a very comfortable pouch awaited. I wore them to work and then the gym. They did everything a jock should do, they held me well and moved with me and were comfortable. They will fast become one of the best jocks that I own. All through my work out they held my package and i almost forgot that they were on.

I wear a 35 so i got the XL. they were very true to size. They are true American sizes. So it is EZ to find your size that will be comfortable.

I like the comfort of the pouch and the design is so comfortable i could wear it all day. These are very comfortable with not binding or stretching. It is a basic redesign of a brief and has the exposure of a jock making it fun for the day or going out.

I love fashion and garment design and these are great on both levels. The straps wrap around to the pouch and do not come up in the back.  They are held to the waist band by 2 vertical straps at the side. It made this a fun jock that is creative and different. This is 10 times better than the jocks from gym class but just as supportive.

Pros:

  • Comfortable
  • Creative
  • Fun

Cons

  • A little confusing to get on the first time
  • Could have brighter colors in the line

Ratings

  • Daily Fit –  A
  • Sizing  – A
  • Construction/Materials – A
  • Styling – B on color
  • Daily Performance –  A
  • Overall: –  A-

Pikante furnished this pair for review.

4020(1)

Zylas is one of those brands I have never worn. Believe it or not! So when I got the chance to try it I was excited to get a pair. I specifically made sure I received a brief to revieww, if you are a long time reader,  I am not a big boxer brief fan. The brief I received was the 4020 brief. It’s a nylon/spandex brief with a semi transparent pattern. Green is my favorite color and anytime I get a chance to find green undies I usually snap them up. A matching Boxer brief is also available in this pattern and color.

Let me start this review by saying that when I first put them on they seemed small. You know when you look down and wonder if you are A.) going to fit in them and B) would they last all day. I took a chance and decided to wear them and hoped they made it through the day. So I was worried wearing them to work they would loose their shape and let everything hang out. Luckily that didn’t happen. I wore them to work and they held up pretty well. I do office work but if you are more active I may not recommend them. While I wished their sizing was a bit bigger they didn’t stretch out or loose their shape during the day. I was very surprised they  looked the same at the end of the day as when I put them on. If I would have had a very active day I’m not sure they would have held up.

As I mentioned above the sizing seemed a bit small. I am now in a 36 waist. The Zylas sizing chart says and XL is a 34-36. The 36 fit me really small. I would recommend it if you were a 35 inch or below. The pouch did something funky when I wore it. It didn’t look right on me but I think that its part of the overall sizing issue. During the day it didn’t bind or drive me crazy. If you are a fan or want to try Zylas I would suggest going with the lower end of sizing rather then the upper end (ex get the 34 rather then 36 of the XL).

Some of the positives of this pair are the following. The first is the color. I love the light green color. It’s rare I find green undies and this isn’t a typical green you find in the world of men’s underwear. It’s light and bright. Second, I loved the pattern in the fabric. It’s a little see through in those areas of the pattern but you won’t be showing off everything you have. Last is the waistband, its green need I say more. What I didn’t like was the sizing. It didn’t look right in the mirror and had I been any bigger it would have not fit at all.

I love the look of Zylas but due to the sizing I’m not sure I will wear them again. I’m working my way to get a 34 waist. When I reach my goal I will give them another shot but the sizing just took too much away from the pair. Which is sad because I really love the color and pattern!

Pros:
•    Green Color
•    Pattern in the Pair
•    Waistband is GREEN

Cons:
•    The sizing just didn’t fit me

Ratings
•    Daily Fit – C
•    Sizing – C
•    Construction/Materials – B
•    Styling – A
•    Daily Performance – B
•    Overall: C+

Zylas was furnished these for review.

gold1

One of the best perks in writing an underwear blog is getting really great and free underwear. Granted I work hard at the blog but it allows me to have an up to date underwear drawer. So it’s rare when I actually go out and purchase a pair of underwear. That is just what I did with the John Sievers California Gold Natural Pouch Brief. I heard from Brandon how great the line was and finally decided I needed to give them a try.

I placed my order and with in days they were shipped to me. I will admit I was really excited to try this brand. The first thing that I LOVED was the gold waistband. This is where the style gets it name. Each pair in the line is trimmed out with the same waistband with John Sievers stitched in. It felt as great as it looked too, but more on that in a few. The materials were super soft.  Made out of 95% modal and 5% spandex. When I put them on it just felt amazing.

The International Jock site says, “When you pull on a pair of natural pouch briefs, your genitals hang gently and naturally in the pouch, providing a feeling so comfortable that you’ll swear that you’re not wearing anything at all.” I’m always skeptical of this but they were spot on.  The pouch really fit me like a glove. it held everything in place all day!  I am a guy that needs a little extra room up front and it never felt I was being constrained or squished.

I decided to give this pair a real work out. The day I wore them it was a busy day when I knew I would be on my feet a lot. They held up really well.  I was expecting to like them but not as much as I did. They lived up to the “you’ll swear you’re not wearing anything at all.” That to me is the best sign of a great pair of underwear. The pouch has to be in the top 5 of my all time underwear of all time.  I ran around work in the warehouse and after work did some shopping. Never once did I have an issue with the pair.

The sizing was pretty much spot on the sizing guide. My new waist size is a 36 and I bought a large which fits a 36-38 waist. It should conform to normal sizing and I feel strongly you can trust the sizing chart.

What did I like about this pair, pretty much everything. The pouch is one of the best I have ever worn. Second, is the modal blend. Modal feels so good on your skin. It also allows your body to breathe. Next, is the gold waistband. Waistbands are something to me that sets a pair off, when it’s made of gold and fun like this one is, it just makes me smile. Things I didn’t like, the only thing I can think of is I don’t own more of these!

Pros

  • Has an amazing anatomical pouch
  • Super soft Modal material
  • A fun gold metallic waistband

Cons:

  • I only own one pair

Ratings:

  • Daily Fit – A
  • Sizing – A
  • Construction/Materials – A
  • Styling – A
  • Daily Performance  – A
  • Overall: A

I purchased my pair from International Jock for $26.94. It is also available in White, Black, Navy and Steel Grey.

 

5159 (1)

Clever is one of the hottest new brands to hit the designer underwear scene in the past couple of years.  They create flashy underwear that fits well while making a statement: look at me.  The Desert Classic Brief is another outstanding pair, designed for the man that wants comfort and style.

The first thing you notice is the desert wave pattern.  Not only does it look good, but it feels great.  To both the wearer and anyone who is lucky enough to touch your underwear.  There is a center seam in both the pouch and the seat, providing lift in just the right places.  With the unmistakeable wide waistband, you can’t miss the logo on this pair.

I wore them while I ran errands and then to the gym.  I loved the way they felt.  The microfiber fabric did a great job of keeping me dry while I worked out.  An hour on the stationary bike and I didn’t have any chaffing that sometimes happens with other brands.

I received them in a size medium, which was very true to size for my 31” waist.  I wish that the pouch were a little bit larger, but all in all I was comfortable in them all day.  They are available in silver and in blue.

Pros

  • form fitting
  • great texture
  • center seam

Cons

  • only available in two colors

Ratings

  • Daily Fit – A
  • Sizing – A
  • Construction/Materials – A
  • Styling – A
  • Daily Performance  – A
  • Overall: A

Clever furnished this pair for review.

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5165 (6)

I have recently had the chance to wear and review Clever’s Prague Brief, style number 5165. This brief is available in a variety of colors and sizes. The pair I tested was size small and red. Because of my previous experience reviewing Clever’s cheeky boxer, I had very high expectations of this brief.

Upon receipt of the package, I honestly had no idea what was contained within it’s wrapping. As a result, I was honestly pretty surprised to find an (almost) fully mesh pair of underwear. I have never worn a pair of undies with a similar construction so for me, this review was something entirely new. My review day was not much different than any other day. A day which started with morning and afternoon class finished with light studying and eventual lounging. Throughout the day, the brief successfully maintained its shape and allowed all of the goods to remain in place.

As I have previously mentioned, this brief was a small and I feel that this brief is true to size. I am between a 28 or 29 and this brief was dead on in terms of what a pair of underwear sized small should feel like. Many people which wear Clever underwear note that it can sometimes be difficult to find the correct size which corresponds to their individual bodies due to the differences in foreign designer’s sizing. I can say with confidence that this brief closely reflects American sizing standards. This brief, as mentioned earlier, is almost fully mesh with a blend of 83% mesh and 17% spandex. The only portion of the brief which provides coverage is a panel of spandex that covers your privates. The brief has more of a traditional cut and provides full seat coverage and the waistband is excellent due to its flexibility and construction.

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When the day began, I never thought I would find one thing wrong with this brief. If you have a very active day planned with very little sitting, this brief is totally ideal. It provides very good frontal support while barely riding on any skin. I certainly look forward to the day when I have recovered from my knee injury and can run again because I think this brief will be amazing to wear while running. I don’t see myself wearing it to the gym due to its transparency, but that is a small issue. There were a few issues that began to arise while I sat in class for a long time. Similar to the skin itch that develops from the netting in a pair of swim trunks at the beach, this brief began to moderately chafe against the skin of my rear end as the day progressed. It became a larger annoyance the longer I sat without movement. As a result, I recommend wearing this brief when you expect to be on your feet for extended periods of time.

All in all, I felt this was a very enjoyable review. I was able to experience a totally new and even more edgy pair of underwear than what I have worn in the past. While I don’t  envision wearing this brief while sitting on the couch for multiple hours, I eagerly anticipate wearing them during long runs.

Pros:

  • Well constructed waistband

  • Bold color

  • Form fitting design

  • Excellent workout brief

Cons:

  • Skin chafing during extended periods of sitting

  • Not my ideal brief for everyday wear

Ratings:

  • Daily Fit-B+

  • Sizing-A

  • Construction/Materials-A

  • Styling-A

  • Daily Performance-B-

  • Overall-A-

Clever furnished this pair for review.

9684(1)

Me reviewing a boxer? Yep, it’s happening. Ok, so it’s not your conventional boxer. Candyman is a fun playful line of underwear. So in keeping with their brand this boxer is mostly mesh. It is basically all black mesh (96% Nylon, 4% Spandex) except for some piping along the legs and waistband. The same fabric is used for the pouch. It is made of stretch cotton. The pair I received was a green camouflage print. It also comes in a blue plaid. To be upfront as much as I loved the comfort of this garment I was not too excited about the all day adjusting I had to do while wearing it.

I think this is more of a boxer brief then boxer since its design mimics a boxer brief. The fabric is nice quality. Sometimes mesh can be itchy. Is this one? Nope. Sometimes mesh can be soft be cheap and tear easily. Is this one? Nope. Sometimes piping can be sewn incorrectly and not have stretch. This pair never felt constricting around the legs. Even big brands can mess up piping.  One big brand made a pair with piping that I thought was gonna cut my thigh open. I found the nearest pair of scissors and cut the piping. I walked around for a while with just this on. My boyfriend liked the view of my butt encased in mesh but then I had to pull them up as they were slipping down over my bubble butt. Did I get sent a large by accident? After checking the tag (which I had already cut out- ugh- i hate tags.) i saw i had a medium. I know I have been trimmed an inch or more off my waist at the gym. I have also made my giant butt and thighs even bigger. So why are these falling off?

My boyfriend wears boxers sometimes so I ask him, “Is this how these are supposed to fit?”  He told me I was just being too picky. (NEWSFLASH: I am always this picky.) I took them off and he tried them on. He was all-confident that they fit fine until he started walking and they slipped down. Ah ha! I wasn’t being picky. So to make a long story short (too late) the issue for us was the size and the waistband. There isn’t a normal elastic band that would cling to your waist. There is only the piping trim. Mesh material is very forgiving normally because it can adjust and cling to your body. Without the waist being tight enough it just hung, drooped and slipped.

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Aside from the waistband the quality of the garment is really great. Mesh can be one of the hardest materials to sew correctly. It snags easily in a machine. And surging mesh seams can show mistakes easily. So this seems to be another case of not having the right size.  If you are gonna order this to show off your butt cheeks (mesh covered butt is a hot look) get a size smaller than you would normally.

And this is another reason why this bubble butt reviewer sticks to wearing thongs. Maybe Candyman can make a line of fun undies for the big booty fellow. If they do they should call it Bubble by Candyman. I usually like the playfulness if Candyman’s design so I was sad about the poor fit but my misfortune is your gain. Order a size smaller!

Pros:

  • Soft mesh
  • Nice Craftsmanship
  • Fun Design

Cons:

  • No waistband to keep it up

Ratings

  • Daily Fit – B-
  • Sizing – C-
  • Construction/Materials – A
  • Styling – A
  • Daily Performance  –  C-
  • Overall: B

Candyman furnished this pair for review.

5166 (6)The pair that I had to review this time around was the Clever Moda Purple Briefs. When I opened the package and looked at them I thought ok another pair of mesh material briefs. These should be OK. This is also my first pair I have tried of this brand. So I was looking forward to seeing how they fit and move with my daily activities. This pair is also available in black, red and white

One of the things I enjoy doing with most pairs is make sure I do the most intense daily activities while wearing them to see how they hold up; IE: gym, yard work, running, etc. I ended up wearing them to the gym, where is did extensive body movement, running and also took a few dance classes in them. One of the things that I liked was that the briefs never stretched out. Sometimes when you sweat, a regular pair of cotton briefs can stretch out and not give you the support you need while you’re doing extensive activities. This pair gives you the support. I did wash them 3 days in a row to see how they would hold up in the washing machine. And wear them for my next daily activities. They held up in the washing machine and didn’t fade in color or shrink in size. I was very impressed with this pair and how they held up in all of the activities I did. I would wear them on a daily basis for any sort of activity.

Sizing for me can be an issue. Some pairs/brands run smaller and some run bigger. As a thicker guy with a booty, it’s hard for me to sometimes find underwear that either fit in the booty but not the waist, or fit in the waist but not the booty or crotch area. The Clever paid that I received was a XL and they actually fit very well. If the brand of Clever fits like this for all of their underwear, their sizes are a true size of what you are. My size for XL covers 36-38. My normal waist size is a 34 but I tend to find that because of my body size and my attributes that I need to go up in a size for everything to fit comfortably. I would say for someone interested in getting a pair of this brand to go ahead and go with a typical America sizing chart.

After wearing them for a few days and being able to really get a good sense of the pair I was able to figure out what I liked and didn’t like for the pair. First and foremost was the support. When I look at briefs that are going to be cost efficient and look great on, I want to make sure that they give me good support. Sometimes people pay for these great looking underwear but they stretch out and don’t give you that good support. This pair is not like that. It kept its support and didn’t stretch out no fade or shrink in the wash. So A+ there Clever! The second thing that I really liked about the pair was the look and how it actually lifted my booty. Sometimes pairs can either cut off the bottom portion of your booty or hang down and give you that soiled look. This pair didn’t do that. It actually gave me a nice round booty. The last big positive thing I liked was the material. I found that because I was sweating so much, I was able to breathe down there and I didn’t get that nasty humid feeling doing all of the activities I did. Don’t get me wrong, I was still nasty after I had been to the gym and dancing, but I was able to breathe some and not have to adjust so much to get a burst of cool air down there. The only negative thing that I found in the pair was the pouch for your junk. One thing I find with certain pairs is that they design a “pouch” but it either ends up not giving you enough space and so you feel squished in or it’s too much space and you feel like you are flapping in the wind. Depending on how much you have been blessed with can also be an issue. The pouch of this pair was a bit on the small side. I was guessing that because this pair was more of an athletic brand that it was designed so you didn’t feel like you were trying to show your business but if it would have added in a little more fabric, I probably would have had to adjust so much. But it wasn’t as big of an issue as I thought.

One of the things I look for when getting a pair of underwear is how can I use this in my daily activities and will this work for me. Yes look is always a good thing if you want to feel sexy when going out to maybe give that extra surprise to someone, but versatility is the biggest thing. This pair gave me the versatility I needed and wanted. I felt support in both the front and rear also I could wear these out on a night on the town and if my pants fell down, I could still get some numbers ;). This is a brand I would most likely want to look into getting more pairs if this is how they are. I would love to see what other kinds and designs they have to offer. They also seem to be cost efficient so that if money is tight, it is a pair that is going to be worth the money so that they can be used for multiple ways.

Pro:

  • The fit of the underwear
  • The support that the underwear gave
  • The versatility that this pair offers in any activity you decide to wear them for
  • The look they give you

Con:

  • Con- The pouch isn’t as big for your junk

Rating Scale

  • Daily Fit – A
  • Sizing  – B
  • Construction/Materials – A
  • Styling – B
  • Daily Performance- A
  • Overall: A

Clever furnished this pair for review.

20120304020306401

We are back with our second review of Bunker Underwear. If you missed it check out yesterday’s  review of the TakeOut Brief. Today’s review is the Extasy Trunk. I have really high hopes for this pair. Second the pair is in my favorite color, green. Lately green is not a big color in the men’s underwear market. So when I get to find a green pair I’m ecstatic to get them.

I took these out of the package and was less worried this time about sizing. Knowing the TakeOut brief fit well I didn’t stress how they looked smaller then a 36. I put them on and the sizing was great. The one thing that worried me at first was they were cut a little higher in the back then I like. I wasn’t sure if it was going to ride up or if they would stay in place. This was my biggest concern with this pair.

I wore these to work the next day after the TakeOut briefs. I am not a very big trunk fan. Meaning trunks are not my first pair I would reach for on a daily basis. With that said I have reviewed some trunks that have been my favorite. The day at work was a little more active then the day before. The thought of them ridding up was constantly in my mind. But halfway through the day I realized that they were staying in place. Then at the end of the day they still didn’t’ ride up. Even though they were cut a little higher, they fit great.

As I mentioned above the sizing was dead on. The site lists a large as a 36-38. I am right around a 36 and they fit great. They weren’t too loose or too tight. When you take them out, they may look a little small but they don’t fit that way. The sizing is based on traditional American sizing and you should be able to get your regular size.

Some things I liked about the pair were the color, waistband and materials. The color was my favorite, it’s not often I find green undies. So when I do it makes my day! This pair is more of a darker green. Bunker calls this color Grass. The second thing I liked was the waistband. If you’re a long time reader you know my love of waistbands. This one is classic with the Bunker name offset to the right side. The last thing I like was the material. The bamboo makes it feel soft and the spandex conforms to your body. The material blend is 70% bamboo rayon 25% cotton 5% spandex jersey.

Pros:

  • Classic Waistband
  • Bamboo material blend
  • Green Color

Cons:

  • Was cut a little higher then I traditionally like

Ratings

  • Daily Fit – B
  • Sizing – A
  • Construction/Materials – A
  • Styling – A
  • Daily Performance  – B
  • Overall: B+

The Extasy brief is available from the Bunker Underwear website for $22. Bunker furnished this pair for review.

20130414_103104

I was a little surprised when I received the Clever Moda silver turmalina low rise brief for review.  I have tried Clever swimwear and underwear before, but they usually were too small for my ample butt, but since I’m always willing to try new things, I was more than willing to give it a go. My initial impression was a well constructed brief made of a silky feeling material—shiny grey in color—with a brief purple waistband that leave no room for doubt which brand it was. According to the tag, it was made of 63% nylon and 37% spandex—a combination in which I have never worn underwear with those proportions—and one that intrigued me. Turmalina is Spanish for tourmaline, a semi-precious gemstone, and the silver brief has an appearance similar to the schorl variety (thanks Wikipedia!). It’s also available in a gold tone as well. The brief has an outset pouch in the front and a seam running up the center of back—hopefully for enhancing all of one’s assets.

I put I decided to put it through my typical testing day—a full day of work, getting up and down quite a bit—and then a full workout at the gym. After donning it, I took at a look in the mirror and said “Damn!” This pair made me look smoking hot—nicely enhanced in front, and back; and it was comfortable and it covered my entire butt! At this point, I was more than happy I had Clever a second chance. (Check the pics out to see if you agree.)

I was impressed by the feel of the fabric—it felt like wearing nothing at all, but still being supported both front and back. The bottom did not ride up, despite an active workout in the gym and wide waist band kept everything else in place. Surprisingly, the brief breathed very well despite being part nylon, and was extremely comfortable to wear all day—so much so that I’m making this one of my new favorite pairs to wear.

I got a size medium, which fit me very well. I have a 31-32” waist and I think a small would have a little too snug. So this might be a pair to consider upsizing on when buying. Clever Moda is a Columbian brand and tends to run a bit small.

I loved the feel and look of this brief. The front is shiny and sexy, with a nice comfortable pouch that should fit even the most endowed. The spandex gives it a form-fitting quality without cutting off your circulation. The rear is almost see through—in fact you can see the tag in the pictures I posted with this—making this a good brief for daily wear and for a date as well. I certainly got plenty of looks in the locker room with this on one. My only complaint about the Tourmalina brief is the placement of the tag. It’s not on the waistband but in the center of the seam in the buttocks—and that looks strange in a see-through buttocks. On one hand, there is not tag to cause itching on your waist, but it did itch lower down. When I pulled it off, I actually tore a fabric a bit—so when you remove the tag, do it very gently. Other than that, I loved this brief.

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I have always loved the look of Clever Moda briefs but in the past I could seem to fit my butt into them and I hate it when underwear rides up…or down. I was thrilled that this pair seemed made for me and fit me as comfortable as my other favorite pairs of underwear. The look is sexy without being cheap. In the future,  I’ll be looking to add more Clever Moda pairs to my collection in the future.

Pros:

  • Comfortable fit
  • Structure enhances assets front and back
  • Feels like it is barely there

Cons:

  • Tag in strange place
  • Easily torn

Ratings:

  • Daily fit:                         A
  • Sizing:                                    B
  • Constuction:                        A+
  • Styling:                        A+
  • Daily performance:            A+
  • Overall:                        A+

Clever furnished this pair for review

3002(3)

The pair of underwear I am reviewing is the Clever Jockstrap in White Style 3002 (also in black).  Before trying these on, I enjoyed the look of this jockstrap as I took in the bright color and overall design.  The fabric was soft with stretchy legbands and slightly firm waistband.  The waistband was approximately 1.5 inches in width with CLEVER stitched into the elastic.  There appeared to be a grey ¾ of an inch band integrated into the band. Upon further inspection, there was a black band woven into the waistband for the CLEVER logo that created the look of the grey one.  Someone was thinking when they added that “clever” touch.  The two piece sewn together pouch runs from approximately 6.75 inches at the top to 1 inch at the bottom where the leg straps originate from between the legs.  This is my first pair of CLEVER underwear and I enjoyed being able to try them.

While wearing this pair of underwear, I went about my normal day as I considered this a fashion jock and not necessarily an athletic one.  However, I believe it would function nicely as an athletic jock.  I worked around the house a bit, drove an hour to teach a college class, and drove an hour back home to relax.  Overall, I spent about nine hours in this pair.  It was a busy day filled with lots of movement and activity.  The pair fit well around the waist, but I felt like it was a bit too taut.  The leg straps were quite comfortable and stretchy enough to conform without being too tight.  The pouch consisting of two pieces of fabric sewn together with a center seam was soft, comfortable, and conforming.  I liked that this pair covered the pubic area fully as some jocks seem to not do so and I really do not care for that.  The area at the bottom of the pouch where the leg straps originate fit tight to the body holding the pouch and goods in place.  I believe this pair would hold up well during normal and stringent activity.

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I received a size large in this jockstrap.  This size should cover around 33-35 pant size.  Sizing was fairly true to size, but after washing, it is a bit small.  Sizing up may be a good idea to avoid shrinkage.
I liked the soft fabric (94%Cotton, 6%Spandex) as it was stretchy and conforming to the body.  The pouch was adequate and should accommodate average guys without any major issues.  The leg straps were comfortable, yet tight.  The way the bottom of the pouch felt between my legs was excellent in the way it let you know it was doing its job.  The bold, all caps CLEVER logo looked nice around the band, as well.  Some guys may not like the center seam that ran the length of the pouch as I have heard complaints about that before.  My only complaint about the jock is that it did shrink a bit after washing.

Overall, this was a nice pair of underwear and I felt happy while wearing them.  CLEVER seems to be a company that creates underwear that serves the intended purpose, but with nice touches added in to create a fun experience.

Pros

  • Style
  • Fabric

Cons

  • Slight shrinkage after washing (I suggest cold washing and hanging to dry)

Ratings:

  • Daily Fit – A
  • Sizing – B
  • Construction/Materials – A
  • Styling – A
  • Daily Performance – A
  • Overall – A-

Clever furnished this pair for review.

 

5160 (1)I hadn’t done any research into which pairs I’d be reviewing so when I got another pair of Clever briefs in the mail I was a little nervous because if you’ve worn the brand before then you know their sizes can be a little inconsistent with their own size chart. With that in mind I was a little nervous to step into the Clever Onix Classic Brief. My initial impression was fairly positive as the lightweight fabric seemed like it would be comfortable (it was) and I was also excited to have a full-cut brief to review, as 99% of the briefs in my drawer are of the bikini or sport-type cuts.

I decided to wear these for a full work day to give them the adequate treatment. Upon initially getting them on my body, I noticed a couple things. The first was that the fabric has a subtle diamond-plaid type pattern which I didn’t pick up on when they were in my hand. The other was a unique stitching design that differed quite a bit from my other Clever briefs. The briefs are made of 88% nylon and 12% spandex, and unlike other nylon designs out there right now this pair has amazing breathability. At the end of the day I was really pleased with how comfortable they were and though I changed into a jock for my evening workout, I could have easily kept these on and known they’d serve me well during a workout.

This pair was an XL (34-36)which is what I normally wear with Clever, except in the case of these briefs I could have used a large in everywhere except the pouch. As I eluded to earlier, I have a couple of pairs of Clever Briefs that happen to be the same size (XL) and one fits me close to perfectly and another one, again, same size that fits like it’s a Medium. I don’t know if the emergence of Clever in the American market has led to a trend to more American sizing, or I just happened to get one of the pairs that was on the larger end of the XL pile.

The brief is constructed with a Y-seam that runs down the area of the wearer’s “crack” which joins two diagonal seams that run to the base of the leg openings. If you’ve got a bubble butt like I do, this particular stitching is fantastic, as it allows the brief to adjust to the thickness of the wearer’s behind. The downfall of that seam though is always the pouch which on these briefs seems like it is its own piece. While I didn’t have too many problems with the pouch, it could have been roomier, and I think due to the nature of the seam work of the brief overall, the pouch is sort of awkward once you get them on.

What makes this brief special is that it does enough with its design and its look to not feel like “Classic” should be in the title at all. When you get them on, you can understand why they use the moniker-these are a full cut brief available in only black and white (my pair is white). However, the silvery logo’d waistband and the diamond plaid design in the nylon make these a “classic” brief I would be proud to be seen in by just about anyone.

Pros:

  • No-fuss design
  • Good styling accents
  • Comfortable Fit

Cons:

  • Pouch could be more contoured
  • Seams might be over-thought

Ratings:

  • Daily Fit – A
  • Sizing – B+
  • Construction – A
  • Styling – A
  • Daily Performance – A
  • Overall – A

Clever Furnished this pair for receive.

99004(7)

Today, I am happily reviewing my first Candyman brand undies; the “Boxer 99004”. I’ve been hoping to review Candyman for a while cause I’ve wanted to know if their quality matches their creativity. I received the sexy fire engine red pair in the mail last week, and definitely had a fun first impression. When I opened the bag at first, I didn’t actually know whether my manly bits were going to actually be visible or not, there was so much mesh netting. Not that I’m against wearing translucent front pouch underwear, but I truly didn’t get it at first. Once completely unfolded though, a pair of quite sassy underwear came into my view. The pair I got to review is a new pair by Candyman, with a front pouch in opaque black, that is set into a fire engine red panel of fabric (you can also get this boxer in a Royal Blue, and a Gunmetal Grey). However, the panel of red ends not soon after as black netting swoops in front of your hips and continues onto the entire back of the underwear, leaving your rear very visible. The boxer is a 93% polyester 7% spandex blend fabric, with a separate pouch cut and a back center seam to contour for the butt. The boxer is a longer cut than you might be used to, I would probably use the term “sport boxer” for the leg length. The black pouch looks to be a fairly standard boxer brief pouch. My worry was about the netting, cause being a seamster myself, I know that some netting just doesn’t have a good amount of stretch to it, so putting the pair on could get awkward. I’ll fill you more in later, but the netting was NOT a bad fabric.

While wearing the pair, I didn’t do too much, but I did run around to do some errands, and felt very comfortable. I wouldn’t wear this to the gym for reasons I’ll talk about later. It is a very nice loungy “bedroom” pair. I could definitely wear this on a date I think was gonna get spicy later…ya know.

I found the sizing on this to be fine. I got a Large size which according to the Candyman size chart is for a 32-34”. I usually buy whatever size a 34” falls under, and I must say, judging by the fact that I’m the higher end of the L range, I could probably wear a medium. Having said that, I am not ready to say Candyman runs large, because I think a lot of the elasticity of this pair is due to the majority of it being made out of a very flexible net. I would say for this pair, definitely you could go a lower size, but I cannot test that fact on all of Candyman until I try other pairs out.

99004(3) 99004(5)

I really like the look of this pair. I mean, I like my butt, people who get to see it do too. I think visually, it’s a really interesting idea, because the front is almost “tame” if I can say that, and then the back is just BAM! My issues are with the wearability of the garment, rather than the aesthetics.  Maybe I’ve been spoiled by the whole anatomical underwear revolution, but I’ve never been too fond of boxer briefs that have a pouch that doesn’t actually hug the genitals. What I mean is, my favorite boxer briefs are when the fabric on the outside of the pouch is snug enough that your package stays in the pouch, instead of having things run around elsewhere. The pouch on this pair doesn’t really hold my stuff in place. Because of the netting being so flexible instead of having tension, there’s not too much support UNDER the genitals, so it’s fairly open down there letting some things wander down below the pouch. I think an entirely net back is a bold idea, and it’s a very sexy idea to pull off, but my biggest issues is that the sheer area the net covers takes out a lot of the structure that would be there if a more sturdy material were covering the same area.  I must say though, this did help me recover from a fear of mesh in underwear. I bought a pair of underwear made all out of mesh from an underwear company I love, and I couldn’t even get it up my thighs. I returned it for a larger size, and couldn’t get that over my butt, it was the LEAST stretchy mesh I’d ever seen, and I think the pair would have only worked on some twinky butt that doesn’t curve as much. Getting this pair did restore my ideas about using mesh in underwear.

PROs:

  • Sexy look.
  • Open breathable construction.
  • Comfortable sizing.

CONs:

  • Un-supportive crotch construction.

 

RATINGS:

  • Daily Fit: C
  • Sizing: B
  • Construction/Materials: B
  • Styling: B
  • Daily Performance: C
  • Overall: C+

Candyman Furnished this pair for review.

99002

The pair I am reviewing today is the Candyman 99002 Silver Boxer and there is no other way for me to describe this boxer than fun. Candyman not only produces great underwear like the 9674 Boxer that I reviewed at the beginning of the year, but they also specialize in “Costume” underwear. The Costume Collection ranges from an orange prison outfit singlet (complete with handcuffs) to a fringed cowboy themed boxer.

While the silver boxer is not categorized as part of the costume collection I think it would fall into it because it isn’t really an everyday underwear but sure is fun looking. This pair is metallic silver with a black net/mesh fabric over the pouch and two rear zippers. The zippers don’t serve much of a practical role, as a matter of fact if you unzip them the back panel will fall off, but they definitely add a unique/fresh look to the pair.

I wore this pair this weekend while running some errands and met my friends for lunch. With a 93% polyester, 7% elastic mix, the fit is snug yet stretchy, however, like most polyester it doesn’t breathe like other materials. Because of the snug stretch, I had no actual issues with the legs riding up while wearing this pair.  However, if you happen to be lounging in a chair however and leaning to one side, you will definitely feel the seams created by the hard plastic zippers. As I mentioned earlier, this is not an “everyday” pair of underwear but for more “special occasions.”

99002(4) 99002(5) 99002(6)

Now, it’s time to talk about sizing. As spring has just sprung, I am dealing with a little winter weight and am between a 36-38 right now but find that I can easily also go between a large or extra large depending on the brand. My previous Candyman review was on an XL pair which we very comfortable. The 99002 that I reviewed however was a large pair and while the material does have a nice stretch, it was less forgiving than the previous pair that I reviewed. So if you are like me and you are in between sizes, definitely opt for an XL.

One of the areas that I feel could be improved was the zippers. There is no fabric guard between the zipper and your skin; and though I don’t think you’ll be using the zippers often, it is possible that you could catch you skin or hair easily. Also, and there is the easy solution of simply cutting it out, the tag is placed inconveniently in the seam of the pouch.

I would not recommend this underwear for everyday wear but I do not believe that was the intent of Candyman when they created this pair. If you are looking for a great unique pair of boxers for the club or a seaside patio party, these might just be the pair for you.

Pros:

  • Fun and unique style
    • Metallic
    • Black net pouch
    • Zippers
  • Elastic provides a great stretch to the boxer

Cons:

  • Polyester does not breathe
  • No zipper guard
  • Inside tag in the pouch

Ratings:

  • Fit – A
  • Sizing – B
  • Construction/Materials – B-
  • Styling – A
  • Performance – C-
  • Overall – B

This pair was furnished by Candyman.