Too Tight to Review 3: Supawear Supanova Hip 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.

Supawear is an Australian company that makes men’s clothing. They have some cool-looking designs, so I decided to order the Supanova Hip Brief to see if it would offer a comfortable fit. They do utilize a proper pouch, separated from the rest of the garment like many of the most comfortable pairs of underwear I’ve tried, so I thought I might have good results. When it arrived, I noticed that the size looked as if it would wear a bit small, but that hasn’t always been an issue. Quality looked decent. Putting it on, I immediately realized that the space allotted for my genitals wouldn’t be nearly enough. The experience I’ve had with constricting pouch underwear is that pouches are only a benefit for comfort if they’re big enough. If they’re not, they merely force the genitals into an insufficient space and become worse than a more generic underwear design. Supawear isn’t an option for me. 

Andrew Christian Black Boxer Briefs

 

Andrew Christian’s Black Boxer Briefs are another one of their more subdued styles. Available in briefs and boxer briefs and in three simple colors (black, blue, red), this collection is not as attention grabbing or innovative as many, but is well constructed and solid enough for me to enjoy wearing them. (Note: Apparently the item in review, purchased a few months ago, is not identical to the current version.) 

Materials and construction: The material is a rayon/spandex mix. It’s comfortable and stretchy, but after a few washings (air dried each time), the body of the underwear has started to adopt a fuzzy look due to the degradation of the material. (The waistband still looks new.) The pouch is similar to the horseshoe-shaped attachment found on the Obviously Essence AnatoFREE Hipster Trunk, with the exception that the pouch on this item has more depth and has more material in the pouch, both of which increase comfort for the genitals. The leg holes don’t have much elastic material, and the garment as a whole doesn’t stay in place well as a result. There is a fairly long tag in the back, although it seems like the newest version has resolved this problem. 6/10

Comfort and usability: The overall fit is comfortably fitted around the waist and a little looser in everything below. The legs, given their minimal elastic, do slide up my legs quite a bit. For this reason, I do not think this boxer would be acceptable for exercise, although it is decent for leisurewear. The large pouch is rather comfortable in a sitting or standing position, and stays that way even when the material around the legs piles up, but the pouch’s inflexible seam makes deep squatting and crouching uncomfortable. 6/10

Aesthetics: With the thin yellow stripes on the waistband being a nice accent, the colors work together, but the overall visual appeal strikes me as a bland compromise between the playfulness that Andrew Christian is known for and a more conservative style. The way the pouch holds the genitals, while comfortable, is also unflattering. 5/10

Overall rating: 6/10

Big enough? Yes, although this is not among the best offerings from Andrew Christian.

Andrew Christian Air Brief

 
Now that we’re well into summer, it’d be a great time to discuss a recent item from Andrew Christian, one of the companies that offer the biggest pouches. The Air Brief is a mesh brief composed of 90% polyamide and 10% spandex. The colorful waistband has something of a retro vibe, but the simple black and blue colors on all of the material beneath give what is for an Andrew Christian item a rather understated appeal. All in all, it is a good and practical item worthy of the Andrew Christian label. 

Materials and construction: The pouch is similar to what Andrew Christian uses in their Almost Naked line: Considerably bigger than most underwear, but not as big as the Trophy Boy line. The elastic in the waistband is not very taut, but seems firmer around the leg holes. The polyamide/spandex blend is stretchy, but not quite as stretchy as the modal fabrics the company usually uses. Overall, it’s a design that’s pretty well oriented for athletics. There’s a tag in the back, and tagless designs are always preferred, especially for underwear that’s geared towards athletics. As a bonus, the mesh material dries very fast, although the waistband retains water as long as most underwear does. 6/10 

Comfort and usability: Being used to the biggest pouches that Andrew Christian offers, the Trophy Boy pouches, I was a little underwhelmed by the pouch in this pair, although it is by no means small. I managed to compensate by wearing the underwear a little lower than I usually do, which was manageable and comfortable due to the relatively slack waistband. Support is great, and with the strong leg holes, I found this pair great for athletic sessions and time outdoors in the summer heat, but for the longer periods, I still find the Trophy Boy offerings ideal. 7/10 

Aesthetics: If you like the feel of Andrew Christian but not the eccentric styling, this might be what you’re looking for. The colors and patterns work together well, and there’s a bit of an old 80’s retro vibe to it. Still, I find this one a bit uninteresting visually, which is something that can’t usually be said about Andrew Christian items. 5/10

Overall rating: 6/10

Big enough? You could find bigger pouches, but I find it appropriate for trips to the gym and summer walks. 

Icebreaker Anatomica Briefs

Icebreaker is a company from New Zealand that produces outdoor and athletic clothing. The Anatomica Briefs represent their effort at making men’s underwear with their signature merino wool, which is marketed as a versatile, lightweight fabric. The overall design stresses innovation, but as I emphasize below, the ambitions far outstrip the results. 

Materials and construction: The Anatomica Briefs are 96% merino wool and 4% lycra. The alleged sweat-wicking quality of the fabric is legitimate, and it does breathe better than I expected from wool. On the other hand, this material is somewhat lacking in flexibility and thoroughly lacking in softness. The pouch is interesting: Supported by an diagonal, asymmetric seam, it is unlike anything I’ve seen before. However, given the lack of stretchiness in the material, the pouch should be much bigger than it is. The worst design flaw is a very long tag attached to the seam on the inner left side, which must be repeatedly tucked back into place when it comes out of the leg hole. I give some credit for innovation, but the full package is not ultimately a good design. 3/10 

Comfort and usability: The material felt scratchy and unpleasant. The small pouch and rigid material made it much too constricting, so I had to rearrange myself numerous times throughout the day for it to stay tolerable. The sweat-wicking qualities of this brief would point to an athletic function, but I couldn’t figure out any way to make it comfortable enough to wear in any situation. 2/10

Aesthetics: This is the area where this item does the best. The grey stripes, the excellent stitching, and the diagonal seam across the pouch all contribute to a unique, impressive and understated look. 7/10

Overall rating: 4/10

Big enough? No.

Too Tight to Review 2: Lacoste Pique 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.

 

Lacoste is a French clothing company best known for their polo shirts. I’ve had good experiences with the Lacoste clothing I’ve picked up, so I decided to give the Lacoste Pique Brief a try. The item in question has a pretty basic design, made with the same material used in their famous polo shirts. The mix of visual textures and patterns, especially on the waistband’s logo, looks good. The material has the benefit of good breathability, and doesn’t feel bad on the skin. On the other hand, the material is not especially stretchy, and it has a double layer in pouch region, which makes it quite inflexible and uncomfortable. A fairly large tag sewn into the left side is another questionable design choice that decreases comfort. I couldn’t wear these for more than an hour before I started to feel pain in my groin.