International Jock

Friday, January 30, 2015

New Brand Sheath + Review

So far I've reviewed some big names in underwear which happen to be some of my favourites. Now, I have for you a brand most of you won't be familiar with, Sheath. The pair I was sent is the Sheath 2.0 boxer brief.

Sheath has created a boxer brief with the active guy in mind. This is a very traditional cut and look for a boxer brief and while the design is simple the engineering and thought put into this boxer brief shows when you put it on. I did notice on the Sheath website that the boxer briefs are true and tested in some extremely active situations like mountain climbing, martial arts and yoga (and probably more).

Most guys are probably familiar with the pouch designs in active boxer briefs with the growth of the market all over North America. Sheath has created a pouch design that as you may guess is where the name Sheath comes from. It's a different design from 'keyholes' or lifting/enhancing pouches by a piece of fabric seen into the pouch that allows your stuff to sit into the pouch much like the lip of a cup [Uman says: reminds me a bit of the now-defunct brand Alio]. The fabric used is stretchable and lightweight enough to be comfortable and doesn't rely on any hardware or wiring inside the pouch to maintain shape. So this is a very gentle approach to underwear designed to separate and support your package. There is still some room for improvement in the pouch though, I found that as my package grew and shrunk in the cold weather that I would need to check and reposition myself.

The construction of the rest of the boxer brief is an obviously classic feel. A lot of modern underwear and pants for that matter have been lower rises including other athletic/active underwear. So this does stand out because of the higher rise. Other than the signature sheath pouch design and the higher rise, the construction is simplistic and minimalist. This includes the waistband which is a hidden fabric covered waistband with a small tag on the front that has the logo and brand Sheath. A great thing about this type of support in boxer briefs is the freedom a lot of guys are crazy about doesn't come with slipping out of one of the leg holes and for some this can happen constantly. So, if not for the construction for athletic needs, this is a great price for holding everything in place so you aren't slipping and falling out of your underwear.

If you aren't already familiar with my size, I am about a 26-28 waist and just under average height. So, when possible I try to go for the smallest size available from a retailer. The 1.0 is made in a boy's sizing 26-28 as the smallest size and the 2.0 is a 28-30. I was sent a 28-30 for this review and I was a little sad when I put these on that they were just a little big. I wasn't surprised but the higher rise did move and shift on me because of the sizing. Now, this is mostly just a heads up for the smaller guys who may be too small for these. But for every other guy who isn't a 28 these should fit great. Especially since the target audience for these boxer briefs is guys who have some more muscle, you should be fine to order the same size as your jeans. As for the leg size, these were perfect, not too tight and not to small and with a little stretch should stretch perfectly.


The fabric choice is also something most guys will be comfortable and at home with. This is a 95% cotton and 5% Elastane blend with average stretch. The 2.0 design was made to be more lightweight than the original design and as such will be more breathable and have a more natural/barely there feel. There isn't much to say about the fabric choice as it felt while I was wearing these because it is a simplistic blend. Throughout the day these moved with me and didn't require constant adjustment or shifting from moving but as I mentioned with the weather, I would slip once in a while.

Design is simple with the brand Sheath. I assume because the point of the underwear is to provide support to active people they've made a minimal design to keep the price for the consumer low and to allow for a lot of testing and designing newer designs. So, keeping all that in mind, as I mentioned before, we have a classic boxer brief that has a high rise and short length legs. This boxer brief does come in five colors (black, grey, white, blue and red) which is quite typical of many active wear brands.



It is worth mentioning that on the website there are close up pictures of the 2.0 design which shows a close up of the inside cup design and at the time of me writing this the 1.0 design is on sale.

UMan says: The folks at Sheath have generously extended a 20% off offer to MUB readers with coupon code MUB.

MY RATING:  6 (out of 10)
Recommended for: Active and bigger guys. 

COMFORT: 9
CONSTRUCTION: 7
DURABILITY: 7
DESIGN: 5
APPEAL: 5
VALUE: 7


Friday, January 23, 2015

Is Commando the New Trend? (NSFW)




Is going commando the new trend? Rick Owens sure seems to think so with his latest runway show for Fall/Winter 2015. The Paris Fashion Week show that is now the talk of the town featured male models in long, flowing garments wearing now pants, no underpants and with just a bit of penis peeking out as the models moved down the runway (some more than others). 


The provocative fashion show has lead people to use the hashtag #DickOwens and tongue-in-cheek captions like "just the tip" when talking about the show.

The question is, is this pure runway couture or is it sign of the future? Is it really reasonable to expect men to go commando with little coverage, and in the middle of winter at that? 

It's probably unlikely that we'll all just go commando tomorrow, I think underwear is here to stay. But these provocative styles from Rick Owens may play a new role in the underwear world with men's fashions that are more revealing so that your underwear becomes an integral and visible part of your outfit. 

What do you think? Sound off in the comments below.


Thursday, January 15, 2015

Smuggling Duds January Sale


Get 25% off all online orders at Smuggling Duds this January with discount code – JAN15 

This includes multi-pack deals from the Stealth 2.0 3 pack to the International Collection 8 pack that already have up to 33% off! Offer ends at midnight 1/31/15. Get yours today! 

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Winter Clearance Sales

UMan says: I'd like to introduce you to our newest contributor, Michael. A 23-year-old recent college grad, who has been interested in mens underwear for quite some time now. He is very excited to be writing and expanding his already generous underwear collection. Here's his first post.   
Even though winter is just now getting underway in many parts of the U.S, many online retailers are already having "Winter Clearance" sales. This is a great opportunity to stock up on some basics, or even branch out of your comfort zone, without emptying your wallet.

Their winter clearance has a wide assortment of items, ranging from long underwear, to multi-packs, undershirts, and even some swimwear. Some of the items are up to 60% off. 


If you've always wanted to try out Andrew Christian, now would be a perfect time, with certain styles of underwear less than $13. Many clothing items ( shirts, shorts, etc) are 60%, and some are even 80% off. Also if you spend more than $100, you can get 25% off with code 100GET25OFF.  
Writer's pick: Color Vibe Sports Boxer  

Although it isn't necessarily "winter" clearance, Undergear's clearance section is still included here. They have many more options under $10, ranging from basics, to sporty, to the ultra scandalous. 
They also have free shipping everyday on all orders.  
Writer's Pick : Body Tech Team Mens Trunk 

Nasty Pig caters to a very specific market and is based out of Chelsea, NYC. With a very brand-specific style that carries through jockstraps, shirts, pants, and more. Their "Last Call" sale is a great chance to snatch up some awesome deals. They have free shipping on orders over $100. 
Writer's Pick: Crush Swim Trunk-Red 
 


A sale that is meant for you to stock up on basics, with Ringer Briefs, to their "Day of the Week Underwear", you are sure to find something. Many pairs are less than 8$, and Free Shipping.





Sunday, January 11, 2015

Sale at Charlie by MZ


Renowned swimwear company Charlie by MZ is having a phenomenal sale right now. If you're going on a cruise this January or just want to stock up for summer, now's the time to do it! 

They're offering up to 85% off their collection, plus an additional 25% off a $250+ purchase (use coupon code extra25). This sale is not to be missed for swimwear fanatics, it lasts from now until January 18.