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

Andrew Christian Spree Brief Review

So, I have to completely honest. I just bought this pair of briefs today and could not help but put em on and write a review. I've become a very regular customer at this men's boutique here in Alberta, Canada and have been having a lot of fun with shopping and having access to a lot of different brands all under one roof. So this boutique always has a lot of Andrew Christian and for good reasons - it has a broad audience they make a lot of different color, style and fabric combos.

I first fell in love with Andrew Christian when turned 18 and went to my first adult convention where I happened upon a booth with some Andrew Christian for sale. I was immediately drawn to the thongs and had my friend help me pick out the right one. I like to think this is the point in my life where I became an underwear fanatic, this was the tipping point and as such, Andrew Christian has a really close place to my heart as the reason why I fell in love with underwear. I still compare the quality of all of my thongs to the first one I got from AC. Now, onto the review. I will be reviewing the Almost Naked Spree Brief (with Snuggle Pouch).

I want to start with the sizing first because this is the first time I have bought an extra small (26-28) from AC. I usually buy a 28-30 in most underwear because that is usually the smallest size available and the same has been true with AC until recently. I'm rather glad I did just to try out an extra small, but also because I have a small waist (about 27) and the fit of these as you can see is very low in the front. Even though I do have a small waist, my legs and butt aren't small. The leg holes are a little tighter and I can certainly feel that when I put them on at first in the morning but I don't have a problem with them being too constricting; they move with my body. You should consider buying a size bigger if you are a 28 waist to have some more leg and butt room. Of course you may not need to worry about this if you plan to wear these to be flirty and they are coming off quickly.

As for the fit, they can be summed up with tight and bright. I'm a huge fan of tight-fitting, so this really hit the mark for me. At times I did find myself adjusting the back by pulling it up onto my waist, it didn't feel too skimpy or ill-paired with my regular dress clothes though. I felt really naughty wearing something so lightweight, barely there, so low rise and flamboyant - but that's what really attracted me to these. I would be careful, however, about wearing them too long since they are such a tight fit on the legs. But as I previously mentioned, if you are aware of your size you shouldn't have to worry about that and can enjoy the tight and bright feel of these briefs.

The construction is probably the most intriguing part of these briefs and they are expertly designed. The construction is very specific and it really shows in three aspects of these briefs which are as follows:

1. The waistline is not the typical elastic Andrew Christian logo style. Instead it is a simple single-color waistband that AC calls a crisscross band. The band dips down lower than an average brief showing some more skin in front.
2.  The pouch is designed as (again I'm going with what AC calls it) a "snuggle pouch" which holds everything in place a little higher up and out from the body instead of tucked in. This added push up caught my attention and I did see a difference through my pants - these were doing what they were designed to do. 
3. There is a well placed rear seam that is accents the butt and gives definition to each cheek. 

So overall, the construction is well done and some of the best I've seen.

The AC site shows some of their briefs in action on their models with a bounce test about how they fare for jiggling and moving and I have to agree from my own experience with what the videos show. There is virtually no moving/bouncing or discomfort when moving in these briefs, everything stays in place separate from the rest of the body. Even though these are not the most covering briefs, I would love to hear how these work for other guys at the gym. I haven't had a chance to wear to the gym yet but would like to see what others might think. These would actually be really fun to wear out or on stage at the bar because as AC site says, the neon colors will glow under black light. Perfect for under your white pants. ;)

The fabric is another thing to note about this brief. They come in three colors: white, royal and black. They are made in a cotton-spandex blend while the yellow is made in 100% polyester. This is done once in a while and keep in mind I am reviewing the cotton-spandex blend in blue/pink. Online this fabric does look almost velvety, and at first I was hesitant about that, but in person it is a lot softer. Both the body of the brief and the waistband are made from the same material, so it does all feel like one piece of fabric which is very comfortable down there.

My last comments about this brief is actually a con, and that is that these are a LIMITED EDITION brief and this will be the only time you can get it!! I recommend you get it while your size is still available. And one other thing, they are ~$27 on the AC website so also a little pricey but in my opinion, these are the kind of brief that you would want at least one of to try.

MY RATING: 9.6 (out of 10)

Recommended for: feeling naughty and flamboyant. 

COMFORT: 9.5

CONSTRUCTION: 10

DURABILITY: 9.5

DESIGN: 10

APPEAL: 10

VALUE: 8.5

Croota Review - Sprinkles! (Part 1 of 2)

I've told UMan about that I don't wear boxer briefs often - I prefer to have underwear that is fun, revealing, tight fitting and even daring. You don't often find these qualities in a boxer brief but, I was pleasantly surprised with what came across my underwear drawer recently. I was given the chance to review two new Croota products, both of which are boxer briefs. One is a trunk style and the other is a more traditional length. 

So, here's the first review. For the second review, keep your eye out for the All The Pattern review (coming soon).

First up is Sprinkles!

I'm actually really in love with the Sprinkles pair because they automatically popped out. The concept is something I've never thought about, kind of like a combo of a polka dot with a retro twist. I can't get over the name too, it just sounds fun! I had no idea what two pairs I was getting so it was a surprise that these were included. I immediately decided these were first to put on. I got the grey pair (I am modeling above) which has a simple white band, contour pouch and a short leg. The stitching on the legs gives the trunks a classic feel and paired with the colorful sprinkles pattern is really fun and nostalgic. So these definitely fit in the category of fun and flashy.

The sizing for the sprinkles pair I got is 27-29, small which worked nicely for me (I'm about a 27). I do appreciate having a sizing that goes below 28 because it is so difficult to find something that is tight fitting enough to not get too big through the day. Not many brands do go to a 27 or even a 26 and it definitely makes a difference. They fit me nicely in the waist, the junk and butt area.  The legs fit a little big in back right beneath the butt though. I suspect this is simply for comfort while walking or for shape while sitting as well as me being a 27, the smaller end of the sizing. The pouch is seamed on the sides and once down the middle to slightly contour, though the trunks hold everything comfortably snug. 

Croota uses a simple fabric blend of cotton with an elastane for stretch, so there isn't anything really special for these in that department but this works as an advantage. These are definitely not meant to be anything kinky or daring so a simple fabric choice is good for comfort and to get guys to try out something different in their comfort zone.

I've worn these to work, school, and to lounge at home and found it was comfortable, moveable and functional. They do, as I mentioned, have a little more room (as you can see in the picture above) in the legs so watch for bunching under slimmer pants. This is certainly where my love for jocks and thongs comes from, I simply don't like fabric that feels like it doesn't need to be there. 

I really wish they would make some more colors of this style. I love nice neutral tones with pops of color, it's fun and different but also realistic for the average guy too. I could also really see these in an inverted color scheme like bright pink with chocolate sprinkles or white, grey and black. There's definitely a lot of potential for this boxer brief.

MY RATING: 8.25 (out of 10)

Recommended for: Comfort and showing off (whatever that may be ;) )

COMFORT: 9

CONSTRUCTION: 8

DURABILITY: 7.5

DESIGN: 8.5

APPEAL: 8.5

VALUE: 8

Stay tuned for the next part where I will review the All That Pattern boxer brief.

CIN-2 Grip Jock Review

CIN-2 is hands down one of my favorite brands so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I decided to review their Core Grip Jockstrap. 

This jock doesn’t look very similar to other styles, it has a different strap design and the pouch is contoured with side seams as opposed to a central seam found on many other styles of underwear. I find this front seam can be unflattering or distracting but these side seams flatter while also providing the same if not superior pouch contour and support as other brands.

This jock was definitely designed with the active guy in mind, it wicks away moisture and provides great support. The straps connect to the front pouch and I find this helps in keeping everything in the right place for the day. The downside to the fabric is that you can’t use a fabric softener while washing so you do require some extra care for this Jock.

While it is obvious this was made for the active guy, I’ve worn these for many different reasons. They’re great for warm summer days, running, and I’ve even worn these underneath a full suit on an active day. So consider this no matter your lifestyle.

An added bonus about this jock is that the Grip line is an ongoing collection by CIN-2, it is redone every once in a while in more colors keeping you up to date with new looks but the same quality. If you enjoy working out in style, you are going to have luck with this being available in many colors including a new season of colors that was just recently released. 

If you aren’t much of a jock kind of guy the Grip line is also available in other styles offering more coverage. This jock leaves very little to the imagination but the waist moves easily and adjusts nicely. 

MY RATING: 9.25 (out of 10)

Recommended for: Comfortable (and stylish) working out. 

COMFORT: 10

CONSTRUCTION: 9.5

DURABILITY: 9

DESIGN: 9

APPEAL: 9.5

VALUE: 8.5 They are a little expensive, but worth it in my opinion. 

New Contributor: Introducing Leo

Uman says: I'm please to introduce our latest member to the team, Leo. He will be posting regularly about his thoughts on underwear as well as reviews and pictures of his collection. Here's his intro.

Leo's C-In2 Zen Slider Brief

I've been blogging for the past three years. The name Leo is a nickname and developed from ones I've had in the past, I go by Leo on most social media because I don't really like my name. I've run a personal and fashion blog for three years and recently began an underwear and swimwear appreciation blog. Clothing of every sort interests me but I think you can understand that men's suiting and underwear are the most heavenly things and get me all hot and bothered. Now I'm going to be posting here with tips, reviews and appreciation of all things underwear and swimwear.

My addiction to underwear is overwhelming at times and while I've never been bankrupt because of it, I wouldn't be surprised if one day I was. Being a really skinny guy, I prefer more fitted, sleek and revealing styles like thongs, jocks, low rise and bikini briefs not to mention everything mesh. I currently live in Edmonton, Alberta Canada and go to University as a Science student. If you have any comments or questions, feel free, they are definitely allowed.