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January 2013

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In International Jock

Review – John Sievers Cotton Natural Pouch Brief

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I’ve always been interested in trying what the market has to offer when it comes to  “Anatomical” or “Natural” pouches. Thus, I’ve come to one of the perhaps lesser known brands is John Sievers, who seem to want to make their name on what they term their “Natural Pouch” design. So I bought the John Sievers Cotton Natural Pouch Brief (in “Orchid”) from InternationalJock.com and wanted to review it for your consumption.

This particular brief is made of 95% cotton and 5% Lycra and features a logo waistband. For the most part it is a comfortable pair of briefs that run fairly true to size. My pair was a Large which is labeled for size 36-38 waists and fit my 37-38″ waist  comfortably. It is important to note that this brand “jumps numbers” on its size chart and if you are one of the odd numbers out (31, 35, 39) I would recommend sizing up.

As I said these briefs fit my waist well, and the cotton is certainly high quality which provides a nice, non-stretch fit throughout the day. In terms of overall fit, these briefs fit like most low-rise bikini cut briefs do. They are made to fit low on the hips with high cut leg openings and full coverage in the rear. The “Natural Pouch” fits how you would expect it to, but for men who are more well endowed (as I am), the cotton pouch isn’t as big as I would like it to be and that caused some various sitting-to-standing problems during the day.

Construction wise, this brief is fairly sound. The “Natural Pouch” is created by additional material held together by an additional seam or stitch that falls just behind your package, but the cotton does create a less mold-able pouch compared to its Rayon or Modal counterparts. The Color Vibe Brief from Andrew Christian is another cotton brief that features a natural pouch and gets this design right as the pouch is larger, as an acknowledgment of cotton’s limitations. That is not to say that this pouch isn’t comfortable, I wore them for an entire day with hardly any discomfort.

The style or look of this particular pair is honestly what attracted me to them. This brief comes in at least seven colors from standard blacks and grays to this Orchid color. Aside from the color, I like the fact that this is designed much like a traditional y-front, with the contrast white piping. Outside American Apparel, you don’t see many designers sticking to the traditional version of this design. It’s nice to see a hybrid of a traditional looking brief with a new design (a contour or natural pouch) aspect.

I would recommend this particular brief to everyone, but particularly men who like anatomical or natural pouches. Additionally, this brief given its use of cotton would be especially good for those men who enjoy how such pouches let them hang, but don’t necessarily have the endowment to fill those pouches out. While I probably won’t buy another pair, I will certainly come back to this brief when I want a change of pace.

Pros:

  • Good Fit
  • Solid Construction
  • Stylish

Cons

  • “Natural” Pouch could be slightly larger

Ratings

  • Fit – 4.5
  • Materials – 5
  • Construction – 4.5
  • Style – 5
  • Daily Wear – 4.5
  • Overall – 4.7

Find this pair at International Jock

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In Joe Snyder

UNB Interviews Joe Snyder

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Joe Snyder has been around for over 30 years. They are still going strong and we got to ask them a few questions about the history of the company, best seller and whats in store for the future! We hope you enjoy!

How did Joe Snyder get started in the men’s underwear industry? 

In 1958, Mr. Jesús Vargas Abín established in México “De Vargas”, a store where he sold shirts, trousers, suits, ties, underwear, accessories, etc. In 1977 Mr. José Vargas Snyder started working with his father. He continued offering the same products until his father died in 1977.
In those days men underwear covered men’s virility, failing the objective to support men’s virility. 
The customers were looking for sensual underwear; Mr. Vargas Snyder noticed people’s needs due his vast experience in men’s clothing. He produced the exclusive Exclhom (Exclusivo para hombre – Exclusive for men) design, a garment made of Polyamide Elastane, which perfectly fitted men’s anatomy. He manufactured and sold the product in his own store. The customers bought the underwear since the first day. Proving he was right.

Joe Snyder is known for their bright colors, how do you choose the colors? Is there a color you would like to do?

The colors are chosen because at Joe Snyder we like to make things differently and in an original way. Starting with the fabric used (80% polyamide – 20% Elastane) and by choosing bright and original colors that cannot be found in other brands. Our idea is to keep a fresh, modern, fun and versatile image.

We’ll certainly be bringing some exciting new colors and have already some in mind but we’d like to keep the mystery! We never want to stop surprising our customers

What has been your most popular style over the years? Also what has been the best selling color? joe_snyder_pride_frame_blue2

The best selling item is the Bikini 01, the first style ever made. The best selling color of that Bikini is in black.

Lace in men’s underwear has been popular; Joe Snyder was one of the first to include it, what made you use lace? 

Like previously mentioned, in Joe Snyder we like to do things differently and provide new options to our customers. To be honest with you, Mr Snyder had the idea to release a lace collection since about 15 years ago but thought that the market was not ready for that at that moment..untill recently.

The last release was the Pride Frame. I Love this line, how did the design come about? 

As we are always trying to make a difference, many samples and ideas where developed and shared amongst the Joe Snyder’s design team.

Also, we listened to our customers and after combining our ideas and the customer’s opinion; the result was the Pride Frame. The idea behind the name is literal… to put a frame around what a guy is most proud of!

Are there any plans to add more lines or colors soon? 

We are constantly in search of new ideas to create original designs and colors. In the 2nd trimester of 2013 we’ll bring a new collection that will be where classic meets sexy and functionality.

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In Baskit

Baskit $12 Tuesday

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R1400_Ribbed_F_BlancDeBlancWhite_1Today is Tuesday that mean’s its Baskit $12 Tuesday. This week’s pair is the Ribbed Low Rise Trunk. You can get this on the Baskit Site for just $12 today only. While there make sure you check out the Body Art, Pure and Light lines on sale as well! You can stock up and get a few great pairs! Just go under the specials on the Baskit website

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In Candyman

Review – Candyman Jockstrap 9656

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I was really excited to hear that I was going to be able to review this jockstrap. I had been eyeing it for some time and while Candyman in general, doesn’t suit my style I am a bit of a “Red White & Blue” fan which made this particular jock desirable.

The jockstrap I am reviewing is the 9656  from Candyman and size XL (34″-36″). When it comes to fit, this jock fits plenty large for its size chart waist description. I have a 37″ waist (might have gotten to 38 after the Holidays) and the XL fit me more than comfortably. The jock is made of 93% polyester and 7% spandex.

I decided to wear them all day and for a 2 mile run after work just to test how they held up as athletic wear. Not to my surprise, the unique design-which attracted me to the jock in the first place made for comfortable wear in both the daily and workout settings. The uniqueness in the design of course, is that the support straps that make jockstraps what they are, happen to be the exact same width and material as the waistband of the jock. The added width of the support straps made for very comfortable wear, but because it was the same construction as the waistband, problems with over-elasticity became apparent towards the end of my run.

Like most underwear this jock’s waistband stretches with you throughout the day but doesn’t ever lose its hold. Theoretically this should be the case with the support straps of this jock, since they are identical to the waist band. However, the construction of the jock overall is probably the culprit of the over-stretch during my run (I can’t imagine how stretched they’d get during circuit training-which is my preferred work out method). It’s clear that Candyman was going for all-day comfort and wearability instead of functionality when it comes to construction and design of this jockstrap. That’s OK in theory, but I think I speak for most jock wearers when I say we’d expect a daily-wear jock to function properly at the gym as well. That’s not to say this jock isn’t serviceable in that respect, it’s just not great.

On the positive side, the pouch is long and the cut is very well-suited for men with athletic frames (me). While the pouch could have been slightly deeper or more contoured, my boys never felt cramped or squished. Another good aspect of this jockstrap is its style. The idea to incorporate waistband support straps makes the jock look somewhat neat and the two-toned color design of the pouch is a nice touch. While it certainly isn’t the most stylish jockstrap out there, it is far from boring, which earns it positive marks.

Despite the drawback of its functionality as a jockstrap for intended jockstrap use, such as the gym or the street/sidewalk, I would still recommend you give this one a try simply because it is incredibly comfortable despite its drawbacks, especially for daily wear. I would recommend that if you are the size in the middle of the size chart (e.g. you have a 35″ waist and XL is 34″-36″) that you size down, regardless of your measurement as I’d guess these run about an inch and a half large.
Check them out! You can find them wherever Candyman is sold.

Pros:

  • Very comfortable
  • Stylish but understated design

Cons:

  • Poor athletic functionality 
  • Sizing might be a hassle

Ratings:

  • Fit – 4
  • Materials – 5
  • Construction – 3
  • Look – 4.5
  • Daily Wear – 5
  • Overall – 4.3

Candyman furnished this pair for review.

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In Men's Underwear

Finding the Perfect Fit

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Here’s the second part in my series that’s all about helping you find a pair of underwear that fits you well – things I’ve learned from my own personal experiences. My first tip (click here to read) was all about sizing, best for guys who are fairly new to putting some thought into the underwear they buy. This next one offers a little more insight for those of you with a bit more buying experience.

TIP #2 – Do Your Homework

So you’ve got your sizing figured out and you’re now ready to get some nice new gear! You start browsing an online retailer and pick out a few sexy pairs that you think will look great on you… and if you get the right size they’ll fit you as well as they fit the model, right? Sadly, it can still sometimes be a bit of a shot in the dark. That’s why this week’s tip is all about helping you get a closer look at the gear you’re buying by doing some quality research.

Read Reviews: The past 5 years has seen a huge growth in the men’s designer underwear market – no longer are we gear enthusiasts few and far between. That means there’s a good chance somebody out there has not only bought the pair you’re thinking of getting but has also posted his opinion on it. And while most reviews offer some sort of rating system that give the underwear a positive or negative score it’s the comments that will really help you know if the gear is right for you. That’s because it’s there that the reviewer may point out a feature that’s important to you or is something you were hoping to avoid. For example, if the reviewer says the gear fits tight around the legs, and you know that you’ve got big manly thighs, then you can bet you’ll also be struggling to get the underwear past your knees. I remember when I came across my first Joe Snyder thong online, they looked great and I couldn’t wait to try one. I checked out some reviews and guys were complaining that it fit too small and didn’t provide enough coverage, lucky for me these were exactly the features I wanted and I was sold!

A great place to find reviews is, of course, the UNB reviews (posted regularly). You can find all of our previous reviews here. Have a look – we may have covered a pair you’re thinking of getting, or at the very least a similar style from the same designer! Another one of my personal favorite is Buzzillions, a review site that covers any product you can think of, including even the sexiest in men’s underwear. Again, if you can’t find the particular style you’re looking for search for a similar style from that same brand. Many retailers are also now including customer reviews on their websites. Here’s a summary of some of the best places to look:

  • UNB Reviews
  • Buzzillions
  • Underwear Blogs – Do a Google search with the Brand, Style Name and Review (eg/ Cocksox CS01 Review)
  • FreshPair (uses Buzzillions’ review enginge)
  • Skiviez

Check Out the Models: So if a pair of briefs that look great on a model is no guarantee they’ll look good on us, how are we supposed to trust any of the pictures we’re browsing through online? One trick I use is to compare how that same model looks wearing other brands or styles I already have in my drawers. If you know how a given pair of underwear fits you, seeing a model wear that same pair will help you get a sense of his body proportions. You’ll get to notice things like if he has a little more going on in the front or back, if he has wider hips, a shorter torso, smaller legs, etc. You’ll then get a better sense of how that first pair of underwear he’s wearing will fit you. You can do this by browsing multi-brand retailers that use their own models (rather than pictures provided by the designers). Sites that do this include MensUnderwearStore, InternationalJock and occasionally Nuwear. You can even search through several of these retailers to see how the same product looks on different models and from multiple angles, to further help you see how the style fits. Our UNB Buying Guides are also a great resource, providing you with pictures of numerous models wearing products from a variety of brands.

The Test Drive: Trying on underwear before you buy really is one of the BEST ways you can tell how a pair is going to fit you. Unfortunately, most US retailers have a policy that doesn’t allow this… they expect us to commit to buying an expensive pair of underwear without even getting to peek inside the box. In Canada, men’s underwear retailers such as Priape allow you to try on underwear over top of the underwear you’re currently wearing (they’ll politely remind you to keep your underwear on before you step into the fitting room). It really is just like trying on a bathing suit or even a pair of tight fitting jeans, so there really shouldn’t be a concern about hygiene. If you can find a retailer that allows this (some do exist in the US) I highly recommend it as a way to try a few different styles… even if trying them on over top of your underwear might not give you an exact idea of how they fit.

If you plan to go try a few things I have a few suggestions:

  1. Check out the retailer’s selection on their website beforehand so that you’re sure not to miss anything you would’ve liked to have tried.
  2. Wear a tighter fitting pair of bikini briefs that have a bit of a pouch in the front and a minimal waistband (boxer briefs are a no-go). This will help you fill out the pair you’re trying on closest to how you would if you were naked.
  3. Don’t over dress for the occasion… if you’re going to make multiple trips to the fitting room there is nothing more frustrating than having to take off multiple layer of clothing every time.
  4. Don’t forget to wash anything you buy before wearing them!
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In C-IN2

New Pop Colors from C-IN2 Coming

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Underneath

Are you a big fan of C-IN2? Well the Pop Color line will have some new colors soon! In the next month we hopefully will be sitting down with them and going over the new collection. This past years was a great one for them! We expect more great undies. The colors in the Pop line are always refreshed a few times a year. Here are a few any more you want to see from the?

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In 2(x)ist

Underwear of the Week – 2(X)ist Essential Thong

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This week’s Underwear of the week, we decided to so something that is a classic. The 2(x)ist Essential Thong is one that has been a staple in the 2(x)ist catalog. This is one of the first thongs I ever bought. It also is a thong I will always have in my collection.

Several things make it the classic it is. The first is the Y back, which made it the first thong with the back. Second it was one of the first thongs made by a main stream company. In the late 80’s/early 90’s there were boxers, bikinis and briefs and the beginnings of Boxer Briefs. Then thongs for men came onto the market, and for a big company like 2(x)ist it was a big deal at the time. Before that to get a men’s thong you would have to order them out of the back of a magazine or catalog (No there was no real internet at the time).

Here are our reasons for making it underwear of the week

  • A classic in the world of men’s underwear
  • Has the Y-Back design that makes it disappear under clothes
  • Made out of 100% cotton
  • Available in black and white

You can get this thong on the 2(x)ist website for $14.00

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In Jockstrap Central

One Week Only Get 10% Off plus New Male Power Jocks at Jockstrap Central

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male-power-cobra-schoolFirst, the discount code. Between now and Wednesday, January 23rd, use discount code “jockingit” for 10% off your order at Jockstrap Central.

Secondly, just arrived: Male Power is showing their two sides with this latest launch. You’ve got the serious and sexy Black Cobra Jock but on the flip side, you’ve got the mesh plaid School Boy Jocks for a bit of sexy fun. Here’s the details:

BLACK COBRA JOCK

On a hot date? Be sure you’re wearing something seriously sexy like the Black Cobra Jock so when you’re ready to shed your skin, you’re sure to impress.

Leave it to Male Power to find a lush soft fabric that resembles black snake skin on the outside yet is even softer on the inside. Typical for Male Power, the pouch is not only stretchy but with ample room for those who need a little bit more.

SCHOOL BOY JOCK

Another sharp jockstrap from Male Power with a subtle but sexy twist. It’s a pouch with a sexy plaid fabric, a throwback to your private school days. Of course this is Male Power, so the plaid fabric is actually see-through but because of the pattern, it’s subtly sheer but will certainly inspire a closer inspection – always a good thing.

Unlike the Cobra Jock above, this pouch doesn’t have a lot of stretch, but as with most Male Power pouches, this one is contoured and roomy so can handle most guy’s goods.

Be sure to check out Jockstrap Central‘s models Adam Stray and newcomer Amon in the new Male Power gear and use the discount code above to pick up a few jocks for yourself

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In Men's Underwear

Fan-voted 2012 MensUnderwearStore.com Model of the Year!

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MensUnderwearStore.com released behind-the-scenes images of fan-voted 2012 MensUnderwearStore.com Model of the Year Kaylan Morgan on its Facebook page.

Morgan, of New York City, beat out tough competition from other 2012 MensUnderwearStore.com models including model and actor Rob Wilson of “The Price is Right” and Jay Byars of CBS’s “Survivor.” Morgan worked with MensUnderwearStore.com in January, 2012, and modeled swimwear, underwear and loungewear for the underwear retailer during his shoot.

Fans voted for their favorite models by repinning the image of their favorite model and, through doing so, were entered to win one of 30 Puma boxer briefs from MensUnderwearStore.com.

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In 2(x)ist

New 2(X)ist Love Collection

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hero2(X)ist just released the new Love collection for 2013. With Valentines just around the corner it’s time to be thinking of what underwear you should wear on your date night! One reason to choose the new line is they are made in two signature silhouettes, the Contour Pouch Brief and the No-Show Trunk. One of the best things about the pair is the specially designed paisley waistband.

The pouch on the other hand is an contour pouch made to show off what you have! 2(X)ist says “this will make for one big celebration.” The colors available are red and black. The Contour Pouch Brief retails for $18 and the No Show Trunk retails for $24. Find these on on 2xist.com

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