Ginch Gonch - Live Like a Kid!

Kasey is a new contributor to the site.  Please give him a warm welcome and feedback.

Do you own, and actually wear, boxers that feature a print of SpongeBob SquarePants, a strategically placed elephant trunk, or a douchey saying like “Place lips here?” If so, please burn them and delete my number if you have it.

Kasey in Crotch Rocket briefs.

Clearly, you wear these atrocities because you have a sense of humor. I commend you for that. Aside from obscene amounts of wealth and a home in Manhattan, a solid sense of humor is the main thing I look for in a man. But the manifestation of that sense of humor can make or break the situation.

If you want to wear something under your skinny jeans that makes you chuckle to yourself knowing what lies beneath, I have a two-word suggestion for you to replace those “Who’s your Papa?” Smurf boxers – Ginch Gonch.

Kasey flashing his I Love Paris undies.

This Montreal-based company has been around for almost 10 years now and they have perfected the combination of humor and sexuality. Tongue-in-cheek designs printed on comfortable, fitted, and durable briefs, boxer-briefs, and more.  According to their website, “[Ginch Gonch] was the first of its kind to successfully combine humor and sexuality with funky, fashion-forward designs, and has completely reinvented the underwear industry through the unconventional ways it sets the trend for the rear end.” Hear, hear!

Indeed, with design titles such as “Wiener Eater,” “Crotch Rocket,” and “Eyeful Tower,” as well as the option of a fantastic low-rise fit, this company allows you to have a childlike laugh while still feeling like your boys and your buns are supported and sexy.

I Love TV briefs.

Their recent “I Love…” collection is wonderful (though disappointingly devoid of jockstraps) and has only left me with baited breath to find out what’s coming next! This collection has something for everyone: I love London, I love Paris, I love Tokyo, I love Bacon, etc. (I currently own all of the aforementioned designs as my way of manifesting the man who will have homes in each of those locations and feed me bacon every morning.)

So to recap: Bounce the boxers and give in to Ginch Gonch. Look good, feel good, and live like a kid!

Smooches, pooches. Thanks for reading!

Ginch Gonch Reworked - A Review

Ginch Gonch was one of the pioneers in the men's underwear world of, for lack of a better term, what I call "funderwear".  In other words, they were one of the first brands out there to create fun underwear for men.  They take child-like themes of tractors and hot dogs and make them adult with names like "Wiener Eaters" and "Shaft Blaster".  

I reviewed some Ginch Gonch low-rise briefs in the past.  But since then, they've undergone a lot of changes with new owners and new designs.  So I thought it only fitting that I finally post a review about some of their new stuff.  Today I am going to write about the "I Love London" series "Skid Vicious" briefs (regular rise).  Now unfortunately this brief is currently out of stock at Ginch Gonch, but this review should also apply to all of the briefs in the "I Love" series (except for, of course, the style section of the review).  Or if you like, it is also available at I Want Pants. 

Now for the review.  First I want to say that I love that Ginch Gonch finally added an x-small size to their lineup.  Now I am right on the cusp between x-small and small.  I'm a 28" waist and the x-small is 26-28 and the small is 28-31.  So theoretically I should be able to wear both.  I went with the small. Right out of the box they were a little too big.  The pouch was just a tad baggy and the leg openings weren't quite as snug as I would hope.  While this may have been alleviated by choosing the x-small, I am not sure.  Anyway, I was able to throw them in the washer AND dryer once or twice in order to shrink them to size.  Now I definitely recommend that you try them first before doing this and proceed with caution as you don't want to ruin your brand new undies.  After the shrinking, these things fit fine.  The legs are still a little loose and there are moments I am afraid I might fall out of them, but I have not yet done so.  As I have mentioned, these are full-rise briefs.  So that takes a little getting used to.  I still do, however, feel like there's a little too much extra space going on in the pouch area.  But overall they fit well with enough room for movement while not feeling like you're old and without style -- of course the colorfulness of these briefs helps with that.  

The comfort of these is what I would call average.  The fabric is not nearly as thick and heavy as previous Ginch Gonch styles.  While this makes for a lighter feel, you also lose that ultra plush softness that Ginch Gonch had before.  Also, the waistband is now quite thin, making it fit better under pants.  But once again, it is not the thick, soft waistband that they used to have.  So it is a trade out.  You lose the super softness in favor of a more sleek, streamlined fabric.  One isn't necessarily better than the other, they're just different. 

As for the style.  These things are just as fun as ever.  They've dropped the innuendo in favor of less provocative names like "Skid Vicious".  But they still have an image of Big Ben splashed prominently across the pouch in what can only be considered a suggestive manner.  I love the fun and funky colors and the urban grunge feel that they have.  And what's more, they have a unique feature that I haven't seen anywhere else (which is a lot coming from me).  And that is the printed waistband.  On these briefs there is a plaid, printed waistband with the logo printed over the plaid.  It's very unique and very fun and it will definitely turn heads peeking above your jeans.  I also love the use of different colored elastic on the banding (purple on the legs, black on the pouch) in a continuation of that urban feel. 

As for the quality of these things.  I do want to point out that previously Ginch Gonch encouraged you to hand-wash all their undies.  While that was a pain in the you-know-where, it did help preserve them.  Now they are encouraging you to machine was them.  While this is much more convenient, it definitely does seem to take a toll on the bright colors.  The blacks fade to gray after a few washes, which is not the end of the world but is a little annoying.  On this particular pair though, the fading just kind of adds to the whole urban aesthetic.  

Overall, I feel like Ginch Gonch has changed their stuff a lot.  They've gone from super small, hyper-sexual, and hyper suggestive names and styles with super soft fabric to more mainstream cuts and mundane names using an average fabric.  So now Ginch Gonch isn't just for the super out there and sexy, but is trying to appeal to everyone.  While this is probably good in terms of a marketing strategy, I feel like this may have lost them some of their original followers that helped them to build their caché. 

MY RATING:
Overall, I give the Ginch Gonch Skid Vicious Briefs a total score of 7 based on the following criteria:
FIT -- 8 (out of 10) - Needs to be shrunk initially.  Still a little roomy. 
COMFORT -- 8 (out of 10) - Average with a more average fabric. 
STYLE -- 10 (out of 10) - Out there and in your face fun.  A little less innuendo than before. 
QUALITY -- 8 (out of 10) - Not as soft fabric as before.  Fades after a few washings.    
VALUE -- 7 (out of 10) - A little pricey, especially for something that will fade.  But they do have good sales. 

**********8

Tony's Gift Guide

Fa la la la ladies. It’s that time of year again to get the man in your life something that will light up his tree.  What better way to spark that yuletide spirit than to give the gift of love in a pair of sexy men’s boxers or briefs?  The boxer and brief argument stops here. Both have their benefits but the old stodgy image of B&Bs is a thing of the past and belongs in an old black and white movie, something Jimmy Stewart might have worn in “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

Ginch Gonch Blue-Ball Berry.

You can make your man’s life wonderful with a whimsical pair of sport brief underwear from the Ginch Gonch collection. With colorful refreshing styles, like Fruit Juice / Banan-Appeal, Blue-Ball Berry and Melon Balls, your man will have a hard time resisting squeezing into a pair. Designed with 4-way stretch cotton, your man will walk sprightly in comfort, while you smile at his swagger in an enticingly vibrant pair of underwear that is quenching to the eye.

Poor Scrooge was a cranky old sod with “his knickers in a twist” up the arse. If only his secret Santa gave him a pair of Timoteo Red Boxer Brief Quakes, it might have been enough to shake that sourpuss look from his face and avoid a night of soul searching through the cosmos with the three ghosts of Christmas past.  

Timoteo Red Quake Boxerbriefs.

Timoteo Red Boxer Brief Quakes will make your guy tremble with joy at the comfortable feel of this low-rise boxer brief, available in Red-White-Black Logo Waist Band with Red Boxer Brief. Your Christmas will be merry once your man slips into a sharp looking pair of cotton spandex boxer briefs. I won’t even talk about starting the New Year with a bang. 

The Grinch turned green with envy because he didn’t find a pair of Pipe Gold-Boxers last year under the tree. But your man won’t feel underwear envy this Christmas when he receives a trendy pair of Pipe black and gold boxers. Despite the state of his 401K, your man will feel like a million bucks while downhill skiing or shooting hoops. He’ll always be in his comfort zone in a pair of Pipe Gold-Boxers. The pipe dream lives on.  Not sure what to put under the tree. Give your man a Pipe Gift Card, which comes in various amounts.

$10 Jockstraps from Ginch Gonch

Ginch Gonch is having a special pride promo on all jockstraps.  They are normally $22 each, but now they are only $10 each.  And if you order 3 you can get them for $25 with promo-code PRIDE.  So if you play your cards right, you can get three brand new jockstraps for just a little more than the price of one.  What a deal!

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.

Ginch Gonch Winner

Congratulations to John L. from Columbus, Ohio. He is the winner of our Ginch Gonch I LOVE LONDON contest and will be receiving..... He sent a number of entries. Here are some of his best:

• I love London because I can pose with my favorite celebrities at Madame Tussaud's.
• I love London because riding the Tube is so exciting. You can pop anywhere in the city!
• I love London because I could look at the crown jewels all day long.

Coming Soon: I LOVE London + Exclusive Giveaway

Today we give you an exclusive sneak peek at the upcoming styles of Ginch Gonch's I Love collection. The next styles are called I Love London and feature London iconography printed all over. I am excited about this new collection as with it they are bringing back some of the old spirit of Ginch Gonch with more obvious double entendres such as Big Ben splashed across the pouch area. They are also introducing the boxer short fit with this collection - so we'll see how that works out for them. The collection also features the new re-worked waistband, this time with a plaid print, which I think is a really fun addition.

As a special for Men's Underwear Blog readers, Ginch Gonch will be giving away three pairs of this new collection to one lucky reader (a trunk style, a brief style, and a long john). In order to win, all you have to do is send an email to underwearblog-at-gmail.com with a reason why you love London and you'll be entered to win. It's that simple. The subject line of your email must be "I Love London". If your email does not include this subject line your entry may not be counted. Entry period is from now until Sunday February 21, 2010 Friday February 26, 2010 at 12 (midnight) EST. Like always, you can send us more information, creativity can help you win! Here's some more details:

-1 entry per day
-Entry times will be calculated off of EST.
-The entry period 2/16/10 - 2/21/10. extended to 2/26/10
-Decisions of the judges are final and are subjective.
-Your entries will become the property of MUB and Ginch Gonch and may be posted on this site even if they do not win.
-There will be one winner
-MUB and Ginch Gonch reserves the right to change the rules as needed.

click images to enlarge

New Collection: I LOVE - by Ginch Gonch

Ginch Gonch has done it again! The new Ginch Gonch collection is called the I Love collection and will include 12 different things that we all love. They will be launching a new style every month. First up is the I Love Boys and I Love Girls styles (whichever you prefer). The new collection includes a fun, new re-worked logo waistband that is super soft and comfy. The next style in the collection will be launching soon, stay tuned for a very special sneak peek and a chance to be the first to get your hands on the new Ginch.

25% off at Ginch Gonch

This Black Friday weekend get 25% off your purchase at Ginch Gonch by using coupon code "gobblegobble2009". Sale ends Sunday the 29th. This graphic came to me by email and I thought it was cute so I included it, sorry for the poor quality.

All Full of Piss & Vinegar - New Brand

Today we bring you a new brand, Piss & Vinegar. The brand is a take off on the expression "full of piss and vinegar"; the brand is all about following your passion. Piss and Vinegar is the brain child of Jason Sutherland, the man who brought you Ginch Gonch in 2003 (the brand has since been sold). And he's back again to bring you more "fun-derwear".

Piss & Vinegar is more grown-up than Sutherland's past creations. The underlying message is to encourage guys to live life to its fullest and appreciate all that it has to offer. The idea is to "grab life by the balls".

The first collection that they will introduce is the "I Love..." collection which includes the "I Love Jesus" design (shown above) and the "I love girls" and "I love boys" (shown below) designs. In the words of Sutherland, "When living life with Piss & Vinegar, it doesn't matter who you love, only that you love with everything you've got."

Designs will be available at major department stores, select independent retailers, and online in briefs, boxer briefs, low-rise briefs, and jockstraps. Stay tuned for more info on this hot new brand.

Harlequin Bromance - A Review

Today we welcome back Brflines as a full-time contributor to MUB. Here's his review of the new Ginch Gonch low-rise briefs. I reviewed the older version a while ago here. And yes guys, the photo with the guy in the shirt is of Brflines. I tried to convince him to post a shirtless version but he was a little shy. But I'm sure we can convince him in the future. - UMan

A couple of years ago, briefs became cool to wear again. Accompanying this trend was the explosion of colors, patterns, and prints that provided men (and women shopping for their men) with a huge variety of styles and brand names to choose from.

At the vanguard of this move towards more varied patterns and colors was Ginch Gonch. The Canadian company brought a refreshing, tongue-in-cheek take on men’s underwear. True to their motto, “Live Like a Kid”, Ginch Gonch brings a nostalgic and playful aesthetic to garments that tends to be monochromatic and utilitarian.

Today I’m reviewing the “Tiger’s Wood” low rise brief.

Sometimes, I like to fantasize about what it would be like to be one of those New England-Nantucket, pink pant wearing, cable knit sweater thrown over a polo shirt prep. You know the type, the ones that go by names like “Biff” and “Trevor”. That’s what these briefs look like: the underwear version of preppy.

If you’ve never worn a low-rise brief from Ginch Gonch, it’s an experience in itself. True, they can get pretty wild, briefs covered with roosters (“Jolly Cocks”), hot dogs (“Wiener Eaters”), and dirt bikers (“Rim Jobbers”), but with this style you’ll be coming in at the more conservative end of the collection.

Know that Ginch Gonch doesn’t fool around when they categorize these briefs as low rise. They literally cover just enough of your boyzone to be considered decent. The garment fits true to size; the medium fit me just fine and would accommodate what I would consider the waist sizes generally accepted as a medium in North America.

I wore these bad boys all day to work. When I slipped them on in the morning, I was kind of nervous because they barely covered everything. The back coverage was especially stingy, with the waistband struggling to come to the top of my butt. That’s the great thing about these briefs though, the coverage is a constant reminder of how naughty you are being and that there’s a constant party in your pants. I was comfortable sitting in these all day at my desk job in an office, but if you’re shy about not having substantial coverage, or work in a job where you’re bending over all day, you may want to pass on these.

More about the brief: the waistband is super comfortable. The elastic feels substantial and well made. The contrast piping is black, with contrast stitching in white thread. Black, teal, grey, and red diamonds cover the brief in a playful, yet masculine, argyle/harlequin pattern. These are straight up attention getters. Everything about the brief is cool, even the tag in the back is stitched fabric, as to minimize the irritation that paper and other lower quality tags tend to produce.

My biggest beef with the “Tiger’s Wood” low rise brief is that the front is not comfortable at all if you have a lot of junk. Since there is barely enough room to accommodate a normal dude’s anatomy, I can imagine what a challenge it would be for someone more endowed.

I would definitely recommend the “Tiger’s Wood” low rise brief if you’re looking to try Ginch Gonch and want to start on the more conservative end. They’re great for just normal wear, probably awesome if you’re going out to a club with the expectation that someone else is going to be uncovering your man treasure, but probably not so great for a work out or a half marathon.

You can get them for about $22 USD from the company’s website.

MY RATING:
Overall, I give the Ginch Gonch Low-Rise Brief a total score of 8 based on the following criteria:
COOL FACTOR -- 10 (out of 10) - cool, masculine design
WEARABILITY -- 7 (out of 10) - skimpy coverage, pouch can be a problem for "bigger" guys
QUALITY -- 9 (out of 10) - very well made garment with great attention to detail
HOTNESS -- 10 (out of 10) - attention getters; you will get laid
VALUE -- 5 (out of 10) - pricey, but a good first buy if you're looking to try Ginch Gonch

********** 8

7th Annual National Underwear Day

Tomorrow marks the 7th Annual National Underwear Day put on by Freshpair. In honor of the occasion they have a whole site dedicated to giveaways and sales. Including winning Calvin Klein, or 2(x)ist wardrobes. And their sales include buy one get one on Bjorn Borg, 20% off Ginch Gonch, 20% off Go Softwear, and lots more! Even though the National Underwear Day is just one day long, Freshpair will be celebrating for the entire month of August! So go check out their site for more info. Also, stay tuned to MUB for a very special giveaway.

3 days to save at Wyzman

For 3 days only get 15% off all JM underwear at Wyzman.  Also be sure to check out their clearance section - they have some deals you won't want to miss like Ginch Gonch and Punto Blanco!

Last Day: Save up to 60% off Ginch Gonch

Wyzman is having a huge sale on all Ginch Gonch (old and new designs) with up to 60% off. Today is the last day to save! No coupon code necessary.

Jocky Boy Locker Holidays!

Are you ready for the holidays? Well at JockBoyLocker.com their little elves have been working hard to get ready for the holidays just for you! With a great selection of men's underwear, men's swimwear and athletic apparel from brands like Ed Hardy (loungewear shown), Timoteo, Pistol Pete, N2N, Ginch Gonch and more.

Don't miss your chance to win from November 17th - December 15th, 2008 every order you place at JockBoyLocker enters you for a chance at a $100 Shell Gas Card to help you get "Home for the Holidays"!

10% off at Nuwear

For a limited time only get 10% off everything at Nuwear using promo code "GOT10". This discount applies to brands like N2N, Andrew Christian, C-In2, Ginch Gonch, Joe Snyder, and more! So check it out!

Wyzman Sales Rack

Check out the sales rack at Wyzman. They have lots of great stuff on sale, up to 50% off! Stock includes brands such as HOM, Udy, Ginch Gonch, Gregg, Chevignon, C-In2, and more! Check it out now, quantities are limited.

Free Shipping at International Jock

Get free shipping on all Domestic (US) orders from International Jock. Limited time only! Also check out International Jock's new arrivals for great new things from Justus Boyz, Ginch Gonch, Grigio Perla, and more!

New Advertiser: DGU + new brand Waxx

Welcome to our new advertiser Dead Good Undies. Dead Good Undies is child company of JustHOM. At Dead Good Undies you can find all sorts of great men's underwear and swimwear from brands like HOM, Sloggi, 2(x)ist, Bjorn Borg, Unico, Jameswinston, Obviously and many more including the new brand Waxx. You may be thinking that you've heard of Waxx before, but you probably haven't. Waxx brand underwear is not the same as Wax brand underwear. Waxx is a new underwear concept brand that although French in origin was actually conceived and developed in partnership with British designers. Waxx is also very well known for their sponsorship of extreme sports, thus their underwear is heavily influenced by urban trends and extreme sports themes. The prints are all very colorful and loud. Prints include money, butterflies, stars (shown), skulls, and more. It's very similar to the feel of Core-Point, or like Ginch Gonch on steroids. So check it out!

20-50% off Ginch Gonch

Get 20-50% off the entire collection of Ginch Gonch at Pacific Jock! That includes items from the new collection!