International Jock

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Review: Tribe is at the Top

What a joy it is to wear great underwear. This is, after all, why I write about it. Tribe Underwear is an example of some truly great underwear. In fact, their trunk brief earns a perfect score from me. Jameswinston Co. is the only other brand to earn a perfect score from my drawers, and since they are no longer in business it's fair to say that Tribe offers some of the best underwear out on the market today. Need I say anymore? Well I guess you would like to know for what reasons I give the Tribe trunk brief such high ratings. (For more information about the brand read my brand profile). For the purpose of review I am wearing Tribe's trunk brief in cobblestone print.

Tribe just knows how to make underwear that works. This is the type of underwear that every man wants to wear. The trunk brief is a cross between a trunk and a brief as the name implies. When you look at it you realize it's not quite a trunk as it doesn't really have any legs, but then again it's not really a brief because the sides don't go up. The sides come down to just above the pouch area, but they go pretty much straight across like a trunk and do not dip up like a brief. The coverage is quite minimal.

Like most underwear of this design there is no fly. Instead, there is a well constructed pouch. It's not too roomy as some are, but it has enough room to allow your junk to stay comfortable. And if the superb shape of the pouch isn't enough to make you comfy, then the super-soft lining inside the pouch will be. Many pouches are lined these days, but none quite like this. Usually they just use the same fabric as the rest of the underwear. But with these undies Tribe uses a different fabric that is ultra soft and they make sure to face the softest part in towards your manhood.

The construction involves minimal seams with one seam up the middle of the back, one on either side of the pouch, and one down the middle of the pouch. There is no visible branded waistband elastic, rather the waist is made by rolling the top fabric over a thin elastic strip. This makes for a very sleek, streamlined appearance that fits nicely under your pants. The waistband is also just as comfy as the rest of the underwear as it is made of the same fabric and there are no issues with cutting as it simply moves with the fabric. On this particular pair, there is no ostentatious branding on the outside (as is a big trend). On some pairs, there is however a small, classy logo centered above the pouch.

While the cut is fairly simple and basic, it is edgy enough to show that you have style. And the fabrics that these come in are just fantastic! I personally really love the cobblestone print that I have, but there are many other great fabrics to suit anyone's personality ranging from more daring, sheer prints to more minimal, opaque ones.

As for the quality of these undies? It is just superb. Really, you already know that I gave them a perfect score, need I say more? These trunk briefs are well crafted with great attention to every detail. I have washed them many times and they are just as good as new. They vary in price based on the fabric (some fabrics are on sale right now) and prices are in AUD which means a good conversion for US buyers. But really, no matter the cost these are a great investment because they are simply superb and will last.

I just want to end this by saying that every time I wash my underwear (when you have as many pairs as I do, it's not that often), these are always one of the first I want to wear again once they're clean. That's saying quite a lot coming from me.

EDIT 3/24/10: As a special to sweeten the deal, Tribe would like to offer all MUB readers 25% off their purchase for the next week using coupon code MUB025 at checkout. Also, if you order 3 or more pairs they'll throw in a special wash bag, which is great for keeping your Tribe underwear (and any underwear for that matter) in top shop.

MY RATING:
Overall, I give the Tribe Trunk Brief a total score of 10 based on the following criteria:
FIT -- 10 (out of 10) - Fits like a glove. Unique and edgy cut.
COMFORT -- 10 (out of 10) - Moves with you, does not ride up. Super soft pouch interior.
STYLE -- 10 (out of 10) - Edgy cut; fantastic fabrics.
QUALITY -- 10 (out of 10) - Like new after many washes.
VALUE -- 10 (out of 10) - Well made, worth the investment

********** 10

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi UMan,
Just wanted to say thank you for the review , a perfect 10is a wonderful recognition for all the hard work we have been doing over the last 18 months , we have tried to offer a new style and level of comfort right across our range of Underwear and now Swimwear and customers are starting to take notice of the differences especially with the fit and the use of covered waistbands which do not cut into you. We understand we are slightly more expensive than most but we wanted to stay true to our "Australian Made " and concentrate on offering our customers a level of quality that would stay with them long after the extra few dollars are forgotten.
Thank you again for your ongoing support.
P.S Dont forget we are also the only company that offers washbags to make caring for your underwear easy.

Kind Regards

Tony Hall
TRIBE
Director

JayToday said...

I still think they look cheep.
I don't know if it's just the photography or the fabrics they use but I have yet to be inspired to run out and get me some.

UMan said...

Trust me Jay, they don't look cheap in person. I've had the opportunity to try a whole bunch of different fabrics and they all look very good (and expensive) in person. I would highly recommend that you try some for yourself.