Extreme Collection Now Available

The Extreme crisscross is a sizzling new collection available at Undergear.  This collection combines the perfect hotness-factor with minimal coverage to battle the summer heat.  The signature of the collection is the crisscrossed waistbands in contrasting color.  It comes in bikini (shown), thong, short, and trunk styles.  All styles come in both red and white.  While these things are so sexy you're going to want to show them off to everyone, be careful because you could end up with some funky tan lines!

Shielded - A Review

ES Collection is a brand based in Barcelona, Spain.  All their fabrics and designs are made there, but they are quickly expanding in popularity to all parts of the world.  They are noted for their unique cuts in both swimwear and underwear.  Today I am going to be reviewing the Shields briefs from their winter collection; however, I believe for reasons listed below that this piece is more suited to summer wear.  Stay tuned for a review of swimwear.

The fit of these briefs is what I would call skimpy to say the least.  At first glance they don't look it because they are so well designed.  But  upon closer inspection, they are quite small.  They just cover all the essential parts.  The legs are very high-rise making for only a few inches of fabric on the side.  The pouch has a unique, u-shaped top opening that seamlessly integrates with the rest of the brief.  The only seams are on the sides.  

These things are really comfy!  Usually briefs that are this small ride up or ride down causing discomfort.  But these stay in place and keep you comfortable.  They are made of a light-weight cotton blend and are perfect for the summer.  The cotton breaths well and isn't too heavy for the hot weather.  Also, the skimpy fit makes for minimal coverage - also a good thing in the summer.  While they are part of the winter collection, I think they are perfectly suited to summer wear as well.

ES Collection is really all about the style.  These things scream stylish.  From the skimpy, Euro-fit to the unique pouch.  The fly is more stylish than it is functional, but that's okay because no one really uses them these days anyway.  The brief is mostly white with shields printed on it in honor of the Olympics.  There are black bands that accent the white on the legs, fly, and waistband.  My only complaint about the style of these is that I'm not a huge fan of the print and wish that they made this same design with other prints.  

These briefs are well-crafted and still look as good as the day I first got them.  The print, while not my favorite, does not fade even after repeated washings.  The elastic waistband remains crisp and does not fray like many often do.  These, however are really expensive at 40 Euros (roughly 50 USD).  It does not help that the dollar is so weak right now.  If you have the money they are definitely worth it.  But it would be worth waiting for a sale or going to Europe to get them at a better price. 

 

MY RATING:
Overall, I give the ES Collection Shields Brief a total score of 8 based on the following criteria:
FIT -- 9 (out of 10) - Skimpy.

COMFORT -- 10 (out of 10) - Comfy and light-weight.  Great for the summer. 
STYLE -- 9 (out of 10) - Very stylish.  I wish they came in more varied prints. 
QUALITY -- 9 (out of 10) - High quality, will last you. 
VALUE -- 6 (out of 10) - Quite expensive with the weak dollar.  If you have the money, they're worth it. 

**********8

Memorial Day Sales Round-up

This long weekend is a time to lay back and relax. It's a time to grill hot dogs and get your tan on at the beach. This Memorial Day is about being patriotic and remembering those who have fought for our country.

While you are relaxing this weekend, don't forget to check out the many online sales going on. There are some great savings. Below is a round-up of the sales going on this Memorial Day weekend:

Banglads - Up to 30% off your favorite brands until June 1.

Ginch Gonch - Get some savings for your flagpole this weekend. 25% off your online purchase with coupon code 'FLAGPOLE'.

Jock Boy Locker - Save 10 - 50% off select brands in the Memorial Day Sale until June 1. Includes C-In2, Obviously, Ed Hardy, Ginch Gonch, 3G, Clever, and more. Also get 10% off your order with coupon code "BULGE" until June 15.

Jockstrap Central - Free shipping to North America on all orders $50 or more until Monday the 31 at midnight.

Malestrom Online - Save 5% off your purchase through May 31 with coupon code 'MEMORIALDAY2010'.

Nuwear - Take 20% off site-wide all weekend long. Also free shipping to the US on orders $75 or more.

Undergear - Take an extra 20% off clearance merchandise with coupon code 'UGME20' until May 31.

Wyzman - 20% off store-wide until May 31.

New Brick and Mortar Store in Hollywood, CA!

Trendy underwear designer Andrew Christian has just opened its flagship store in West Hollywood, CA. It is located at 8943 Santa Monica Blvd. There is a grand opening party tomorrow, May 29th! So if you are in the area you should go check it out. And if you get there between 8pm - 11pm you'll get 25% off your purchase. Also, follow AC on Twitter because he's going to be putting up a secret word on his account around 7. The first 100 with the word will get a goody bag on their way in. Andrew Christian himself will be there to help get the party started.

If you're thinking this store is just going to be a bunch of Andrew Christian gear, you're wrong. The store also features a number of hand-picked brands that compliment Andrew's design philosophy. Also, stay tuned because Andrew Christian will be opening two more stores in West Hollywood this summer!

Baskit Winners - Final Part

This is the 7th and last installment of the Baskit contest winners. This is Ned K. from Fort Wayne, IN.  He won on 2/10/10.  In his winning photos he is sporting a pair of American Eagle trunks while in the shower:

He also sent us some other pics of him in the same undies in the shower.  Enjoy!

All Summer Thong

Obviously Thong.

Hey boys! Guess what? Summer’s right around the corner. And with summer comes the heat, and when it gets hot people get frisky. Wink. Wink.

CK Steel Thong

Summer for me means one thing: time to haul out the thongs. Now, I live in the upper Midwest, so year-around thonging is pretty out of the question for me, especially during the nasty subzero winter months. So when May rolls around, I’m so ready to break out the flip-flops and skimpy underwear.

I think the thong is one of the most misunderstood male undergarments. Men I’ve interacted with think it is either not masculine or uncomfortable, but usually both. I’m writing to clear up those misconceptions and get you lovely readers to at least try one this summer (if you don’t wear them already).

True, thong underwear is not in the mainstream of typical male undergarments. However, take a quick jaunt through any major department store men’s underwear department and you’ll see them beside boxes of other cuts of underwear. It’s a reflection of the growing acceptance of this garment as a viable and enticing alternative to your usual boxers or briefs quandary. Additionally, they come in myriad styles and are made from a wide range of materials from cotton to microfiber, to the latest in eco-friendly fabrics. You can find a pair that will reflect your personal style and can be as masculine or crazy as you like.

Thong underwear, for my purposes, is divided into three distinct categories: thongs, y-backs, and g-strings. A thong has a thicker back which tapers into a triangle before it meets the waistband in the back. A g-string, on the other hand has a thinner back and remains the same width when it meets the back of the garment. The y-back is a hybrid, where the triangle in the back is actually a string on two sides of the triangle.

Hom Plume

Wearing a thong is an experience in itself. I recommend easing into the garment; wear it for a couple of hours, then progress to half a day, and then try it for the entire day. You want to make sure you when you put it on that the pouch of the garment is situated to go as far back as it was designed to. The uncomfortable feeling begins when the string is too far in front. After a couple of minutes, it should feel like you’re wearing nothing at all if fitted correctly. This is the beauty of wearing a thong; you’ll have the freedom and breathability of wearing nothing, but the support you need for your boys up front.

Interested yet? Good.

Since thongs are minimally designed, a good fit is essential. As I described above, a poor fit will result in a less than optimal wearing experience. I would recommend, therefore that you invest in a quality garment that is well designed and made out of materials that you like. Here are some recommendations for all three kinds of thongs:

Thongs:

1. The Calvin Klein Steel Thong. I highly recommend this thong for all the newbies out there. The CK brand is a familiar one to most guys and the fabric is very soft. The wide vanity waistband is stylish. Overall, the CK steel thong is a very approachable and wearable garment.

2. Obviously for Men Thongs (see above image). I’m wearing a version from the original line, but recent lines offer the same comfort, same comfortable, anatomical pouch and the same ultra thin material. Again, the thongs from Obviously are very masculine looking and very approachable.

3. The Hom Plume. When I first started reading the underwear boards, men from around the world crowed about the Hom Plume. It is truly one of the best thongs out there. The sides of the garment are strings, but are very stretchy. The material of the garment is thinner than paper-thin and mold to your body. It truly feels like you’re wearing nothing.

N2N Tropic String

G-String:

1. N2N Bodywear Tropic String. The now discontinued tropic line featured a rayon blend that yielded an ultra light fabric that was supple, super stretchy, and soft all at once. This g-string is made exclusively of that material. Though, the back is super skimpy, the front features that infamous N2N pouch that provides enough coverage for your manjunk.

The N2N “Mojave” line is made from the same fabric but in different colors.

N2N Waistband Y-Back

Y-Back:

1. N2N Signature Waistband Y-Back Thong. Stylish, cotton garment that features the y-back. The N2N Signature Waistband Y-Back Thong is again, a stylish garment that is both masculine and sexy.

So, men, I hope I’ve given you some food for thought and that you’ll join me in "thonging" this summer.

Have fun!

Baskit Winners Part 6

Our second to last Baskit winner was John T. from New York for 2/9/10.  He recently bought a pair of briefs after not wearing them for many years and absolutely loved them.  But as a poor college student he cannot afford to buy any more.  Here at MUB we can sympathize with John's predicament so we thought we could send him a pair to help him out.  Plus we couldn't resist his cute ensemble. 

Get an Actor's Pants! + Exclusive Photos

Minnesotan actor Paul Cram is giving away his pants again. This time he got a whole shipment from aussieBum for the exclusive purpose of giving them away to his fans. So there is a range of sizes and styles. All you have to do to win is correctly answer six questions about his career. The first 12 correct entries who's sizes match those available will win on a first come first serve basis. So act quickly.

Just head on over to Paul's website and fill out the quiz form. Also be sure to check out the photos of him in his underwear for a preview of what you could win. Thanks to Paul for the exclusive photos in this post - you won't find them elsewhere.

Break A Sweat - A Review

Sweat Undergear is all about things that make you sweat.  From their hot models to the places where you will wear their underwear, everything about this brand begs you to sweat.  Sweat underwear is meant to be athletic and fashionable.  Their primary goal is quality underwear that keeps masculinity as a priority.  For the purpose of today's review I tried out the Sweat Trunks in white.  

The fit of these trunks - true to Sweat's goal - is very masculine and traditional.  There are no surprises here.  But they are very stylish and hip: you won't confuse these with your father's underwear.  They are a mid-rise and have a relatively short leg that hits just about even with the pouch.  As Sweat puts it they have "a waist low enough to be sexy, but high enough to leave your butt crack hidden safely inside". They come in black or white and the waistband matches the rest of the trunk with contrast logo writing.  There is no additional elastic on the legbands, they are just rolled over fabric.  The butt is a little different with a U-seam below to help give shape and a center seam that accentuates your anatomy.  The pouch is two piece with a center-seam and is only a single layer (most pouches these days are double-lined).  They fit true to size.

In terms of comfort, I honestly forget that I am wearing these things.  They really become a part of you during the day.  The pouch is a little strange as it is a little unnecessarily roomy.  I wouldn't say that it is too big, but it isn't as tight as most pouches are.  When the underwear is pulled tight, especially with the white pair, your goods are clearly accentuated through the single layer of fabric.  This one layer also makes them more comfortable for working out in as there is no excess fabric to make you sweat faster.  It is hard to tell, but I believe that the legs do move up and down a bit during the day.  But the legbands (or rather lack there of) are such that this does not cause discomfort.  One interesting thing to point out is that the elastic waistband is not as stretchy as the rest of the trunk.  While this does not cause any problems while wearing it (it stretches enough to accommodate your movements), it feels a little strange when pulling them on because you expect the waist to stretch more. The waistband, however, is almost the same thickness as the rest of the fabric making for added comfort. 

These things are really well put together.  The seams are very crisp and show no signs of unraveling even after many washings.  My only real complaint is that the bottom of the legs do stretch out during the day.  But this does not cause any discomfort, it just looks a little strange.  I imagine though that this may not be a problem if you have larger thighs.  Overall, these are very well made and hold up well.  At $27 a piece they are on the more expensive end, but they are a great option for working out.  While they do not contain any special wicking properties, the soft fabric and minimal coverage will make these comfy enough for the gym, but also stylish enough to transition to the rest of your day.  If you sweat a lot though, you might want to grab yourself a second pair for the rest of the day.

Sweat Undergear can be purchased on their website for $27.  Also be sure to check out their blog for lots of hot photos that will make you want to sweat.   

MY RATING:
Overall, I give the Sweat Trunk a total score of 8 based on the following criteria:
FIT -- 9 (out of 10) - True to size.  Unique seaming on the back.  Roomy pouch. 

COMFORT -- 9 (out of 10) - Very comfy.  Transitions well from gym to work. 
STYLE -- 8 (out of 10) - Very masculine and traditional, but also stylish. 
QUALITY -- 9 (out of 10) - Good after many washes.  Legs stretch during the day.
VALUE -- 8 (out of 10) - Well made,  a little pricey. 

**********8

New Timoteo Sport available for Pre-Order

The new Timoteo sport collection.

Click to enlarge.

The new Timoteo sport collection is coming soon. It has, as the name implies, a very sporty feel. The sport jock is availble for pre-order from His Trunks for $22 and will be shipping 5/10/10. The sport jock is a very cool piece. Unlike most jockstraps that have sewed on straps, the strap is integrated and made of the same continuous piece of fabric. It is basically sewn like a brief but with the back cut out. Also, because it is made of fabric it should be much more comfortable and form fitting. This jockstrap reminds me of the ribbed jock brief from Baskit. The rest of the Timoteo sport collection should be coming soon, we will keep you updated with photos as they are released.

Sport Jock from behind.

Baskit Winners Part 5

The baskit contest winner for 2/8/10 was Andre O. from India. He's rocking some grey bikini briefs.

Here's a couple more images he sent us during the contest period:
And here's him in the Baskit brief he won:

Do You Have Your Summer Body?

I just came across this fun advertisement for Freshpair on the web. The moral of the story, make sure you're always wearing a fresh pair because you never know when it might come in handy.

Godly? Babygod Organic - A review

Today I'd like to review Babygod Organic briefs which can be purchased at Jacksies. First a little background on the brand. Babygod Organic is exactly what the title implies, it is made from organic fabrics. What exactly does this mean? Well traditional cotton farming is done using a lot of insecticides and pesticides, which takes a toll in the environment. Organic cotton is farmed without these methods and is much more environmentally sound. Not only is the cotton used in these undies organic, but it is also Fair Trade. So you can feel rest assured that your comfort isn't taking on a toll on someone else's comfort.

Now for the briefs. I want to say that these are just basic briefs. And they are. They are a pretty standard pair of full-rise briefs. They only come in white and they have a white waistband and fly front. But they do have a little edge to them. They come in two "colors". I put colors in quotes because they aren't really colors per say but color accents. The ribbing around the fly and detailing on the waistband is done in a contrast color - either orange or baby blue. The pair I tried was orange. As Jacksies describes them, they're "crisp white cotton with a flash of colour". I'd say that's a pretty accurate description. Without that flash of color though, these briefs would just be your everyday briefs.

The fit on these is very modest. They are full-rise and keep everything covered in the front and the back. The leg elastics stay in place and do not gape. There are no side seams or back seams, just a seam at the functional pouch. Unlike most pouches though, there is only a center seam and one on one side (where the opening is). There is not a seam on the other side. This makes for a strange fit in the pouch that does not completely form to your package as it should. Instead there is a slightly awkward bit of fabric in that area that cannot really be fixed with any amount of pulling. The pouch is double lined for extra comfort. The thick waistband stays in place and has no text on it. Instead there is just the Babygod logo in stylish silhouette.

As for the feel of these things. Don't be fooled, organic cotton does not mean that it is any softer or more comfortable than regular cotton. It simply means that it is organically farmed, and in this case fair traded. While these are not bad things to have in a garment, they don't make it any more comfortable. In fact, quite frankly the fabric is a little thick and can be a little too warm for hot days. And since they are 100% cotton they don't wick or dry well. Just like most underwear that is 100% cotton, these have a problem holding their shape after multiple washings. They hold up well for a few washings, but they do begin to get a little stretched out after repeated washings - something that exacerbates that pouch problems. There is also a slight problem with the color-fastness of the accent color. After a few washes, the orange bled a little bit onto the white. It is hardly noticeable and does not make a huge difference, but it is worth noting.

So are they worth it? These are briefs that I really want to like. They are basic and yet stylish and the type of thing that you can wear and just be comfy in but still look pretty. But with all the other companies out there competing for your underwear dollars are they really worth the $22? I want to say yes, but considering what else is out there your money might be better spent on something else. While these are comfy and stylish, they don't hold up as well as I would like. The main problem with these is that they are 100% cotton (which does not wash well). If they added 5% lycra it would greatly improve the quality of these briefs. If you are one of those people into organic and green fibers or you're like me and only wear a given pair of underwear a few times, these are a good option. If you do want to give these a try, they can be purchased at Jacksies for £14.95 (approximately $22 USD).

MY RATING:
Overall, I give the BabyGod Organic Briefs a total score of 6.5 based on the following criteria:
FIT -- 7 (out of 10) - Modest, full-cut fit. The pouch could fit better.
COMFORT -- 8 (out of 10) - These are quite comfy, go-to underwear. The organic cotton is not any more comfortable than regular cotton though.
STYLE -- 7 (out of 10) - Pretty basic, but with a small splash of color.
QUALITY -- 6 (out of 10) - Does not hold up after repeated washes, looses its shape a little.
VALUE -- 6 (out of 10) - Considering that the quality, they may not be worth the price.

********** 6.5

Happy May Day!

Celebrate this May Day with 40% off at His Trunks using discount code 'MAY40'.  Offer good now until May 5th!