Too Tight to Review 1: Andrew Christian W/ Show-It (2 items)

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 one day, I’ll leave a few brief thoughts rather than a full review. 

 

“Show-It” technology is a feature found on many pairs of Andrew Christian underwear. According to their website, its “maximum frontal support adds up to 1.5” (3.8cm) onto your current frontal measurements."  An elastic band supported by a sheet of fabric is designed to go behind the testicles, raising the entire package up and forward. I thought the feature might be useful for keeping my package from falling between my legs while sitting, so I decided to order the CoolFlex Tagless Brief W/ Show-It.

When briefs arrived, I realized that the pouch is rather small for an Andrew Christian brief, even without taking the Show-It feature into account. I slipped them on and immediately realized these were far too tight. They put more uncomfortable pressure on my testicles than any other pair of underwear I’ve tried, and after about ten seconds of adjusting in vain, I had to take them off.

Suspecting that the small overall pouch size on the first pair I tried might have been responsible for my discomfort, I decided to try out a Show-It item from their line with the biggest pouches: Trophy Boy Link Brief W/ Show-It. Trying this on just confirmed that Show-It pouches were unusable for me.

Diesel "Kory" Boxer Briefs

Diesel is an Italian fashion brand that makes a variety of clothing items for both sexes. While the company is probably best known for their denim, I’ve found their underwear to be perhaps the most comfortable I’ve tried that is made by a major fashion company rather than a dedicated underwear brand. The “Kory” boxer brief, the item on hand today, is a simple design that works well.

Materials and construction: The material is listed as 95% cotton and 5% elastane. The simple design is form fitting while still being fairly relaxed. This pair doesn’t include the sort of pouch that is found in most of the items I’ve reviewed on this blog, but it is constructed to leave some extra room where the pouch would be. The overall design provides a good balance of support and flexibility without being constricting or tight. 7/10

Comfort and usability: The design is very comfortable. While I wouldn’t use this for activewear, everything generally stays comfortably in position both while sitting and while walking. The looser fit mediates cotton’s tendency towards warmth. If it wasn’t for cotton’s limited stretchiness, I’d name it as my favorite fabric, just because of its balanced feel and function. I think this garment portrays those advantages very well. 8/10

Aesthetics: Very basic, but there’s nothing wrong with that. The bold white stripe and “DIESEL” lettering works well on black waistband. The relaxed aesthetics work well with the design of the boxers. 6/10

Overall rating: 7/10

Big enough? Yes, I find it comfortable.

Calvin Klein Steel Micro Trunk

The Calvin Klein Steel Micro Trunk is an offering from Calvin Klein that is listed as being 89% nylon and 11% elastane. It’s short, tight and pretty straightforward: The garment’s value is in its quality, not any gimmicks. The version I tried had a silver waistband with red brand lettering, and the body was blue with horizontal red stripes. 

Materials and construction: This pair gave an initial impression of being impeccably well-constructed, but after only two or three washes on the gentle cycle, developed some conspicuously loose threads. I don’t expect this pair to fall apart at any moment, but that was a surprising development. Not only is the main material quite stretchy, but all of the seams on the pair are very flexible, which is an advantage that it has over most pairs of underwear. The pouch is enclosed and supported by U-shaped seams. There is no attached tag, but rather words printed on the inside of the waistband, which is always a nice feature. 6/10

Comfort and usability: Putting on the pair leaves me impressed with the feeling of a well-proportioned and wonderfully supportive fit. The feeling of the fabric is probably as comfortable as any other pair I own. It’s tendency to hug the skin makes its flaw almost immediately obvious, though: the pouch is not big enough. Wearing this for the full day that I feel is necessary for a review left my package feeling somewhat abused. Still, it feels great on the skin and support means that it can be used for short periods as workout gear when I need my package to stay firmly in place. 6/10

Aesthetics: The brand name stitching looks great, and the color combination works well. The textured metallic shine of the waistband looks great. This is one of the best-looking pairs of underwear I own. 9/10.

Overall rating: 7/10

Big enough? Not for daily wear. I’m keeping this and might pull it out occasionally as workout gear. If there was a version of this with a big pouch, it might be among my favorite pairs of underwear. 

Obviously AnatoFREE Brief

Obviously is an Australian clothing company that makes high quality underwear and undershirts. They’ve designed some of the most comfortable pouches available for their products, so they’re of great interest to this reviewer. The AnatoFREE brief is part of their basic Core collection. It is comprised of bamboo rayon and lycra. 

Materials and construction: The bamboo rayon/lycra material is thin and very stretchy. The elastic bands around the legs are not very tight, and the body material is rather loose, but the waistband it taut and will stay firmly in place. The pouch is well-designed, and, unlike the design on the trunks and boxer briefs, the seams which surround the pouch on the sides are far apart, creating a less constricting experience. There are no tags, opting rather for such information to be printed on the inside of the waistband. Other than the great pouch design, this garment is a pretty standard (but high quality) pair of underwear. 8/10

Comfort and usability: The pouch design, in conjunction with the stretchy material, feels quite large, which is the main thing I look for in a pair of underwear. The loose material doesn’t quite lay flat against me, and the weak elastic on the leg holes results in the garment riding up. While wearing this with a pair of jeans with an untucked shirt, this tendency could be ignored, but when I tucked my shirt in, it the shifting became a little obnoxious. The seams that surround the pouch are not very flexible, but that did not do much to compromise the comfort I experienced in wearing this brief. The material seemed to retain odors a little more than most underwear, so someone who uses this brief while exercising or spending time outdoors on a hot day might want to change when they’re finished. 7/10

Aesthetics: Obviously’s designs tend towards the more conservative, favoring function over flashy a flashy appearance. That’s not to say they’re bad, though: The construction, streamlined shape and blue color all look pretty good. Nothing offends the eyes, but the repeated “OBVIOUSLY” logo on the waistband looks a little cheap compared to the logos used in the AnatoMAX and premium ranges. 6/10

Overall rating: 7/10

Big enough? Yes.

PUMP! Sonic Brief

PUMP! Underwear is a Canadian company that produces workout-themed attire, primarily underwear. The item in this review is the Sonic Brief, a black brief with neon accents on the waistband and pouch. It’s constructed from 67% nylon, 19% cotton and 14% spandex, and the mesh body and tight (but flexible) elastic bands around the leg holes express its function as workout gear. Though I didn’t ultimately find this garment comfortable on my body, it did impress me enough that I’d be enthusiastic to try a new design with a bigger pouch if such an item is ever released. The size runs rather small, so potential customers should consider going up a size. 

 

Materials and construction: The nylon/cotton/spandex blend feels great on the skin. The mesh body is especially flexible, and it would have been a mild improvement if the pouch used this same mesh material.  Everything on the item is pliable without losing shape or support, which is an excellent asset on an item made for athletics. The construction quality is the best I’ve seen in a pair of underwear, although this design does not give much extra material in the pouch at all. There’s a tiny tag of one square inch, and most of the printed information is on the inside of the waistband.  9/10

Comfort and usability: This garment does its job as a workout item: Jogging, squatting and jumping, this kept everything in place and did not shift position. The mesh material helps keep me cool during exercise. One additional benefit I’ve found is that this garment does air dry faster than most of the underwear I own. Since the brief does not have much extra material in the pouch, it is rather unforgiving to my anatomy. No matter how I rearrange my package, I can’t get through a day without my testicles in pain and my penis feeling squeezed. 6/10

Aesthetics: The brief is black with neon blue and neon green accents. Like most aspects of the garment, everything is top notch. The integration of the varied materials (the mesh body, the waistband, the material around the crotch, and the elastic support on the leg holes) looks sleek and excellent. The photos don’t do justice to the item. I have no complaints here. 10/10

Overall rating: 8/10

Big enough? No, but I was impressed with the quality and style enough to order a PUMP! boxer and jockstrap to try. Stay tuned for future reviews.