Showing posts with label briefs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label briefs. Show all posts

Saturday, July 8, 2017

Cocksox Bikini Briefs Comparative Review: CX01, CX01BD, CX16N

 


Cocksox is an Australian company that makes underwear and swimwear for men. They offer a wide range of fits and styles, including four different pouch variations, two of which are smaller (the Snug and Contour pouches), and two of which are bigger (the Original and Natural pouches). As I mentioned in my previous review, I’ve been trying out bikini briefs for the first time in my life, and since I’ve always been impressed with the quality and longevity of Cocksox products, I decided to give the three main Cocksox bikini brief varieties a try. Cocksox ended up being the bikini briefs I was most impressed with. A comparative review of the three follows.

 
Materials and construction: Cocksox is the only company I’m aware of that primarily uses Supplex as its fabric. As a result, it’s hard to determine if it’s the material or the manufacture quality that is responsible, but Cocksox underwear has the best longevity of any company that I’ve tried. Supplex also dries faster than any common material. The 8% spandex blend makes it a tough but accommodating material. The differences between the three come in terms of the shape and support. While all three of these items use the Original pouch, it fits differently due to the different shape of the items. The CX01 is the most minimal of the three, with just a small, thin, streamlined silhouette that covers as little as possible and is supported by some minimal elastic. The CX01BD is quite similar, but has thicker layers of material surrounding the waist and leg holes (highlighted by the second color). The CX16N is a completely different design, similar to a jockstrap and utilizing a normal waistband, but with a normal backside rather than just two straps. The pouches on the CX01 and CX01BD are both positioned much more upwards than the comparatively relaxed CX16N. The CX01 and CX01BD are both quite stretchy around the waist, while the CX16N is has a tighter, stiffer waistband, possibly in an attempt to help alleviate the shifting on the backside (see next section). 9/10

 
Comfort and usability: The pouches on the CX01 and CX01BD are the same shape, but the CX01BD ends up being a better, more consistent fit, because the superior traction keeps everything more firmly in place. (A minor tradeoff to this is that the CX01BD is somewhat warmer, albeit still much cooler than most underwear.) Despite not covering much on the backside, the CX01 and CX01BD both stay in place better than one would expect, but can be irritating if they do fall out of place, which lots of sitting or friction against tight pants can do. The positioning of the pouches in the CX01 and CX01BD give more room for your penis than your testicles, but can be comfortably rearranged, and the lack of seam right behind the pouch gives them an advantage of comfort and flexibility that most pouch underwear lacks. Keeping the package away from the legs makes walking more comfortable. While I’m usually not a huge fan of low-rise underwear, both the CX01 and CX01BD surprised me with how comfortable they felt after I got used to the fit. While the CX16N’s pouch is as big as the other two, the tightness of the elastic pulls it in closer, restricting the amount of space. It’s still more spacious than most underwear but much tighter than ideal. The waistband is tight and narrow enough to dig into your skin, and the overall cut creates more friction against the inner thighs while walking around. In addition, the backside is rather unstable. The CX16N isn’t ideal for daily wear, but I did like it as a superior alternative to a jockstrap: The lack of strap attachments behind the pouch allows it to lie flatter and be much more comfortable against the body. I would definitely recommend the CX16N for people considering a jockstrap for workouts. 6/10

 
Aesthetics: I think part of the appeal of the pouch on the CX01 and CX01BD is that it’s supposed to make your bulge look bigger and more conspicuous, but it’s not very flattering in that regard. The minimalist approach to the tags/branding is welcome. The CX01BD’s two-color scheme looks good, and will please those who enjoy lively and unique color schemes. The CX01’s toned-down look is more of my style. From the front, the CX16N looks like a jockstrap. It’s not a bad look. The stitching around the angles in which the different parts of the item comes together looks a little rougher (but doesn’t indicate poor quality in this case). The CX01 and CX01BD (and arguably the CX16N) have a low enough fit that people who wear looser pants or shorts shouldn’t have to worry about the top of their underwear being visible under their pants. 7/10

Overall score: 7/10

Big enough? I could make the CX01 and CX01BD work, with some adjustment. They have bigger pouches than most underwear and can be worn low for comfort. The CX16N offers enough space for workouts, but not for prolonged usage.

Monday, July 3, 2017

Ergowear EW0334 X3D Suave Bikini

 
Ergowear is a Chilean underwear and swimwear company that utilizes innovative, unique designs. Since their products have some of the biggest pouches available on the market, they’re of keen interest to this blog. I’ve reviewed them before and was impressed with what I experienced. The EW0334 is the first bikini brief I’ve tried from the brand, and I was generally pleased with what it had to offer overall. 

Materials and construction: The “SuaveMicrofiber” is listed as 95% polyester and 5% spandex. It’s a thin artificial material, which is moderately stretchy and dries fast, but is a little warmer than other fabrics found in high-end men’s underwear, such as modal fabric. The pouch, which is fairly large, is effectively smaller than the pouch on the MAX Light Boxer due to the less stretchy material, and it lies comfortably downwards. The narrow strips of material on the sides of this item are well-stitched and stay more secure and flat against the body that I had originally suspected they would. This garment has kept its shape after washing it numerous times, although the material has gained a bit of a fuzzy texture, which indicates that it will not last forever. 7/10 

 
Comfort and usability: I have only tried wearing bikini briefs recently, looking for something to help keep me cool during the hot weather. Despite my initial reservations, I managed to enjoy the fit after a little adjustment. The lack of waistband and very low cut results in a few differences from other briefs: First, that the pouch, which is a little smaller than ideal, could fit simply by wearing the item lower on the hips; second, that this vertical narrowness means the item can be quite cool if you need to wear warm clothes (such as a business suit) outside on a summer day, and third, the drawback that the lack of waistband will mean that the waistband of your pants will rub against your skin, which might be uncomfortable, depending on the pants in question. As leisurewear and with light exercise like walking, it stays in place most of the time, although when it does get out of place, it gets quite uncomfortable and will have to be fixed. For that reason, I can’t recommend these for intense exercise. The downward position of the pouch will give you a less conspicuous bulge than you’d find in a Cocksox bikini brief or even an Obviously Anatomax item. 6/10

Aesthetics: The lines, especially the horizontal line across the top, are a little more tastefully subdued than many bikini briefs. In person, the color is a pale purple, not far from white, and although it has a mild shine to it, it’s not too gaudy looking. 5/10


Overall rating: 6/10

Big enough? It’s a variable fit. I’d prefer it to be bigger, but it can be worn in such a way that it is comfortable.

Friday, March 24, 2017

Sukrew Full Brief

 
Sukrew is a British underwear company founded in 2013. Their offerings are divided into “Full Styles” and “U Styles,” and the big pouches in the former made me curious to test them out. Sukrew obviously puts a lot of effort into engineering unique, high-quality items. While I think there were some fit issues with the Full Brief, I still was impressed by what it had to offer, and suspect that the longer varieties of Sukrew’s items (the Full Trunk and Full Sprint) might be even better.


Materials and construction: The Full Brief I tried is listed as 80% polyamide and 20% elastane (spandex). This fabric blend dries fast and is stretchier than the typical blend of cotton and spandex. The cut is a fairly sleek one, but not quite shaped ideally for staying in place (more on that below). The pouch is one of the biggest pouches on the market, but positioned more downward and less to the front than a comparably sized pouch, such as the Obviously AnatoMAX. Overall quality is good: After numerous washings, I’ve seen no signs of deterioration. 8/10


Comfort and usability: My biggest complaint about the Full Brief is that its proportions aren’t quite right: If you pull the waistband up to where it should be, the material in the back will ride up, since the material in the back isn’t tall enough. The large pouch is quite comfortable. It’s positioned further down than most pouches. I found it to be perhaps the most comfortable pouch I’ve worn while sitting down, and the most comfortable pouch for my testicles overall. The downward position of the pouch will make this less conspicuous under pants than other large pouches, but might make exercises like sprinting less practical due to the pouch’s proximity to the thighs (depending on personal body shape, of course). The waistband is comfortable and firm. 6/10

Aesthetics: Above the pouch, there’s a white stripe that reaches up to the waistband, which creates the visual impression of increasing the pouch’s height. It’s just one of a few unique touches that makes the Sukrew Full Brief look great. 8/10

Overall rating: 7/10

Big enough? Yes, this is one of the biggest pouches available.

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Too Tight to Review 8: Jack Adams Relay Brief

 
The “Too Tight To Review” series covers the pairs of underwear I’ve tried on that I couldn’t wear long enough to give a fair review. If I can’t keep a pair on for at least the length of the day, I’ll leave a few brief thoughts rather than a full review.

 
Jack Adams is an underwear company that I have heard mentioned a few times in terms of comfortable underwear, so I decided to give them a try. The first thing I noticed is how small the overall garment is; even though I followed the size chart on their website and ordered a size up from what I usually get, it still felt extremely small, the backside was too short (a complaint I rarely have), and what little extra fabric it had where a pouch should have been would be far better as an actual pouch. I had to take it off after a few hours. The Jack Adams Relay Brief is not an outrageously bad item, but I certainly can’t recommend it as a comfortable one.

Friday, January 27, 2017

Obviously Downtown AnatoMAX Brief

 
Obviously is an Australian clothing company that makes high-quality underwear and undershirts for men. I’ve reviewed them a few times before, and am consistently impressed with their quality. Their AnatoMAX line offers some of the biggest pouches on the market (“Downtown” is just the colored versions), and the AnatoMAX Brief is a higher-quality, bigger-pouched item similar to the first Obviously item I reviewed, the AnatoFREE Brief. The AnatoMAX boxers will be reviewed in future posts. 


Materials and construction: The Obviously Downtown AnatoMAX Brief is made out of a micro modal/lycra fabric blend. The pouch is similar to that of the AnatoFREE Brief, but bigger: Instead of just extending out towards the front, it extends to the front and down (see the photo). As a result, it gives you less support and more flexibility, allowing you to hang comfortably. The fit on the entire garment is more relaxed than most briefs, while still being form fitting. The item holds up well after getting washed numerous times, and the minor deterioration I’ve started to see in the waistband of the AnatoFREE Brief hasn’t shown up. I expect this to last a long time. Overall, if you’re looking for underwear with big pouches, the AnatoMAX line should certainly be on your radar. 9/10

 
Comfort and usability: The comfort of the AnatoMAX pouch in this brief is among the best I’ve encountered: Very comfortable and flexible, and the fabric feels very soft against the skin, especially after a few washings. The main issue I had with the AnatoFREE Brief was that it started to ride up in the back when I was wearing it with a tucked-in shirt and a belt. This is also true for this item. I usually wear suspenders with my suits, and there is no riding up with this arrangement, or if I wear a pear of pants with an untucked shirt. The relative lack of support does not make this a great item for vigorous exercise, and there is more vertical flexibility than the AnatoMAX’s biggest competitor, the Andrew Christian Trophy Boy Brief, which tends to hold your package straight down. Another thing to keep in mind is that this item will not hide your bulge at all. Overall, I think this item is best suited as leisurewear, and it’s very comfortable for that. 8/10  

Aesthetics: Obviously doesn’t do much flamboyant or flashy, instead sticking with a more conservative aesthetic. The Downtown colors are about as flashy as this company gets, and it’s a welcome change. The blue color looks great in person, and the two varieties of blue on the waistband’s logo has a high-quality, textured look to it. 7/10  


Overall rating: 8/10

Big enough? Yes. 

Saturday, October 8, 2016

Andrew Christian Trophy Boy Brief

 
Andrew Christian is an underwear company whose Trophy Boy line has excellent, large pouches. Their frequent changes in inventory make it confusing to simply refer to the name of an item, and the item in this review seems to be going on sale to be discontinued already. (Since I like to keep and wear my underwear a while before posting a review, I can rarely keep up with Andrew Christian’s current lineup.) Nonetheless, it represents a number of improvements over some past Trophy Boy offerings from the company, and I thought they were worth mentioning in a review. 



Materials and construction: The item is 97% rayon and 3% spandex, which is a standard blend for Andrew Christian. It’s constructed in much the same way as many AC Trophy Boy briefs are, with the exception of two changes. First, this has been designed without the tag in the back that older AC items used to have. This is always a good thing. The other change is in the waistband. Some of the older waistbands from the brand (especially those with a shiny/glittery appearance) fell apart quite quickly after being washed a few times. This item held is holding up rather well, although the thin material should be handled with some care. 8/10 


Comfort and usability: The Trophy Boy underwear line is definitely among the most comfortable varieties of underwear on the market today. The pouch is both large and stretchy, and will accommodate however much space you need. While it doesn’t feel restrictive at all, it is still supportive, and will keep you consistently in the same position as you sit, stand, walk, and even jump. Since the pouch lets your package hang close to your thighs, this is probably not a good item for running, and seems to be more geared towards leisure than athletics. The thin material breathes well, which makes it ideally suited for warmer weather. Also, keep in mind that this underwear will not hide your bulge under your pants. 7/10 

Aesthetics: If you’ve read many of my posts, you might realize that the waistband is the same as the first item I reviewed. It looks good, and matches with the blue body and black elastic around the leg holes.  8/10


Overall rating: 8/10

Big enough? Yes.