We’re excited to announce the 2024 UNB Reader/Listener Survey! Your feedback is crucial as it helps us shape our content, including the podcasts and blog posts you love. This year, we’re particularly keen to learn about your undies buying preferences and your social media habits. The survey only takes a few minutes, and I personally read every comment—it’s super important to me to hear from you. If you’re passionate about undies and crave more incredible content, please take a moment to fill out the survey. Your input truly makes a difference.

Today we almost wrap up our results! We get to the social media section of the survey. This year I asked a few more questions in this section due to the uncertainty of Twitter and the TOS violations.

We asked where do you follow the brands you love on social media. Most of you don’t follow brands on social media. But when you do you go for Twitter and Instagram. I think Twitter is the more popular one since it’s not as tame as Instagram.

We are curious if you share your love of underwear online. If you do, do you share it on a main account or an “alt” account. Most of you share it on an alt account so you can be more free to share what you want including pics and have underwear conversations.

Social Media doesn’t come without its issues. We are going through a transition time on social where Twitter is up in the air and we aren’t sure where to go next. The biggest issue on social media is unsure where to go to connect with others. I hope this will get cleared up as we go through the year. But currently IG and Twitter are the two places where we can connect to like minded guys. The second issue is one we all face, the unclear TOS rules, when we violate a rule they aren’t applied evenly. It’s frustrating if it was an automatic violation or a report of the post. That leads to the third issue getting posts violated. It’s a pain and the appeals process is just as unclear. One day the post will be reinstated and the next it’s not. I had one post hit with a violation and I appealed and IG said, it didn’t violate the TOS then the very next day they removed it again without any appeals process. Last two are getting your accounts deleted and having to start over and loosing touch with friends.

We wanted to know what social media sites you have joined since issues with Twitter and the rules on IG that won’t show anything remotely sexual.

Hive was a social media site that guys went to for a hot minute. I thought it would take off more but it peaked early and has pretty much leveled out and not so many guys are using it.

I personally like Mastodon but for the average guy I think it’s a lot of work to join and find people. I know people get frustrated and give up on it. It has potential but we need something a bit easier to use for those who are not technical.

No it’s not 2008, Tumblr is back and now allows some “adult” content. Meaning they allow nudity just not sexual content or such. Most of you guys don’t use and haven’t joined.

BlueSKy is one I have high hopes for, no one has joined because it’s invite only. As more get on it I think we will see a lot happen on it. I’m on a waiting list and hope to get on soon.

This is a topic we will definitely explore this year more and more. It’s a very important issue in men’s underwear and we need to find a place that is friendly for us to share and build a community. We are growing and expanding but we keep getting kicked off platforms. We will keep you posted on what is happening and if we see guys moving to a new platform.

We bring you guys back to our regularly scheduled posts. I”m feeling better, but I was down for the count two days there. But today, we bring you the fetishwear and real guy results.

The fetishwear slide always amazes me that almost half of you guys don’t like something considered “Fetish.” I pretty much like everything on this list. But most of you are just into underwear and swimwear. The largest group is Spandex Gear, followed by lace. Lace has taken off increasingly in the men’s underwear world, as has men’s lingerie. And tied for third are harnesses and singlets. I am curious if the 42 percent haven’t tried or had the opportunity to try. They could be just not interested.

For those of you who buy fetish gear, you buy from an online specialty store or a regular underwear store. Fetish gear stores are rarer than underwear stores. I know we have one in Atlanta, SF, and, I think, Chicago.

This slide is always the same. You guys want to see a variety of guys. I agree, but for us to show guys, we need to know about brands sharing non-traditional models and for guys to send in pics. I want to bring back Fan Friday on the blog, where we show one or possibly a few guys who love undies. Please share a little about him and links to his social media.

This slide backs up my idea for Fan Friday. We can profile them, but the most important thing is we need you guys to participate in the program. We have a result coming that I think will shed light on this, but in the meantime, one of the upsides, you can meet new guys and make new friends.

We used this slide when we did our shots. We tried to use mainly up-and-coming models and real guys. We had a variety of guys over the years. I hope to finally get back to doing more shoots featuring a diverse group of guys.

Here is the result I mentioned earlier. Almost 60% of you guys wouldn’t participate in a real guy segment. We need guys to participate and send in pics. I hope once the program is up and running, many of you will change your mind. The more guys we have, the better.

Up next is our social media segment of the survey. We extended this with all the craziness going on with Twitter.

Introducing the gymwear section of the UNB Reader Survey! As the popularity of spandex continues to rise, we have decided to include this relatively new section in our survey. And rest assured, as the demand for gymwear increases, we will continuously expand and enhance this section to provide you with the latest and most comprehensive insights

We are pleased to present the gymwear section of the UNB Reader Survey, which aims to gather insights on the use of spandex among our readers. One of the questions we asked was about running attire, specifically inquiring about the preferred choices of our participants. While a substantial number of respondents (approximately 50%) indicated that they incorporate runners or spandex shorts into their workout outfits at some point, we were hoping for a more significant portion. It’s important to note that participants had the option to select multiple responses. We appreciate the feedback received so far and will continue to explore this area in future survey editions.

Let’s highlight a significant statistic from the results: a noteworthy 6% of respondents are embracing singlets as their gym attire. It’s encouraging to see an increasing number of individuals sharing pictures of themselves in singlets from their gym sessions on Instagram. This trend brings me joy. However, it’s worth noting that gym shorts continue to dominate, as they remain the preferred choice for the majority. Initially, I questioned whether I had copied the incorrect results since the combined percentage for singlets and gym shorts stands at an impressive 61% across both slides.

As we delve into the realm of cardio exercises, an interesting trend emerges: the dominance of gym shorts becomes even more apparent, accounting for a significant 65% of reader’s preferred attire. It’s safe to say that when it comes to cardio workouts, the trusty gym short remains the go-to choice for the majority of individuals. This finding reinforces the notion that gym shorts have established themselves as a staple in the fitness wardrobe of our audience. Their versatility, comfort, and practicality seem to make them the preferred option for staying cool and unrestricted during cardio activities. With such a high percentage in favor of gym shorts, it becomes evident that they have truly solidified their position as the preferred gymwear among our readers.

rossFit is a high-intensity fitness regimen that combines elements of weightlifting, cardiovascular exercises, and bodyweight movements. It focuses on functional movements performed at high intensity, aiming to improve overall fitness and strength. CrossFit workouts are designed to be varied and constantly challenging, incorporating elements from various disciplines such as weightlifting, gymnastics, and endurance training.

In the CrossFit community, gym shorts have emerged as the most popular choice of attire. This preference can be attributed to the demanding nature of CrossFit workouts, which require a wide range of motion, agility, and flexibility. Gym shorts offer athletes the freedom and mobility needed to perform explosive movements, such as squats, lunges, and box jumps, while keeping them cool and comfortable during intense training sessions. With their lightweight materials and non-restrictive design, gym shorts have become synonymous with the CrossFit culture, reflecting the focus on performance, functionality, and practicality.

When it comes to yoga attire, it’s interesting to note that both gym shorts and yoga pants are popular choices among our respondents. While gym shorts maintain their dominant position, a considerable number of individuals also opt for the flexibility and comfort provided by yoga pants during yoga sessions. Surprisingly, the percentage of men wearing yoga pants or spandex gear isn’t as high as initially expected, indicating that other options still prevail. Nonetheless, the presence of yoga pants in the mix demonstrates a growing acceptance and appreciation for their functionality in the realm of yoga.

This slide has really changed over the years. I asked “Are you confident in just wearing spandex to the gym (such as a singlet, full-body suit, UA shirts, and runners? No cover-ups) ” Only 25% of you said Yes you are but almost 50% said no, but almost 20% said they wear something over it. Yeah I forgot to convert to percentage! I want to grow this number to over 50%, that is my goal

Unlike Underwear, gymwear can be pricy and some pairs I have seen for $100+, next year I think we will have to up our prices. But most of you pay 21-50 bucks on gymgear. I think we need to ask what gym gear do you buy each year. I would love to know your thoughts.

This wraps up the gymwear section. I had a bad day when I wrote this so it was super bitchy so I had to run it through ChatGPT to rewrite it. All but the last two sections were rewritten so if you ask “hey did you hire a writer?” nope chat GPT can do miracles!

We will have more for you on Friday!

Today we go over the UNB Reader Survey swimwear results, appropriate since we are in swimwear season. Here are what you guys love and wear and what you are wearing this year.

We’re always curious about your summer wardrobe choices. We inquired about the swimwear styles you’ll be donning this season. Without a doubt, briefs have emerged as the popular choice this summer! Although I must admit, I was slightly taken aback to discover that thongs accounted for only 22% of the responses, trailing behind swim shorts and trunks. The good news is that board shorts are the least favored option for swimwear.

Over the past few years, thongs have experienced a noticeable surge in popularity among men. It’s intriguing to observe whether you choose to embrace or eschew this particular style. Surprisingly, one-third of men have actually worn a swim thong, while another third have expressed no interest in trying them out. It appears that when it comes to thongs, it’s a matter of clear preference – either you’re inclined to wear them or you’re not, with little room for middle ground.

While we have a wishful desire for every guy to have the option of purchasing swim briefs or thongs, we acknowledge that it’s not a realistic expectation. Each year, we inquire about the swimwear choices you intend to purchase for the upcoming swim season. Once again, briefs have emerged as the most popular selection. However, it’s fascinating to note that, apart from board shorts, there seems to be an inclination among you guys to consider a variety of swimwear options this year.

Including your favorite color as a survey question is a recent addition for us. While we have been inquiring about underwear color for a while, we inadvertently overlooked asking about swimwear color. The survey results revealed that the top three colors for swimwear are blue, black, and red. The popularity of black doesn’t come as a surprise, as every guy needs that classic black swim brief. However, I personally wasn’t anticipating blue to be a prominent choice. I tend to lean towards vibrant and bold colors for swimwear, but everyone has their own preferences.

uring a recent podcast, I expressed the belief that every guy should acquire three fresh pairs of swimwear each season. Interestingly, the survey results indicate that 46% of you share the same sentiment. However, it seems that most of you aren’t inclined to go beyond the three pairs. Instead, it’s more probable that you’ll settle for just one pair rather than accumulating four or more for the summer. Personally, I don’t believe one can ever have too much swimwear.

Traditionally, swimwear tends to be pricier compared to underwear. Nevertheless, with the recent surge in underwear prices, the price gap between the two may not remain significant for much longer. The preferred price range for you guys seems to be between $20 and $50, which is quite reasonable when it comes to swimwear. However, I’m genuinely curious about where you guys are finding swimwear under 20 bucks; do let me know! On the other end of the spectrum, it appears that some of you are willing to spend up to $65, but beyond that threshold, it seems that only a few are willing to invest in more expensive options.

Let’s delve into the more interesting aspect of this survey – your comfort levels when it comes to different swimwear choices in varying situations. First up, we have the scenario of a public pool. The majority of you guys prefer to wear swim shorts as your go-to option, followed by briefs. I believe this is the most conventional response among you guys. After all, only 3% of you are bold enough to sport a thong at a public pool.

Moving on to the next scenario: the lake. Interestingly, the preferences here are quite similar to those at the public pool. It seems that the public aspect influences you guys to lean towards more conservative choices. However, there’s a slight increase in daringness, with 8% of you willing to embrace a thong at the lake. It does make one wonder what kind of lakes people are venturing to.

Let’s move on to the third scenario: a public beach. The preferences here are almost evenly split between swim briefs and shorts. It seems that you guys are a bit more adventurous when it comes to beach attire compared to pool settings. Based on what I’ve gathered from many of you, there’s been a growing interest in wearing briefs and even thongs at the beach. Personally, I find it a bit disappointing that board shorts have remained quite popular, but on a positive note, the percentage of those embracing thongs has increased to 14%. It appears that you guys enjoy flaunting it all at the beach.

Let’s explore our fourth scenario, where we shift towards a more private setting. We posed the question of what you would wear at a private resort, and the results revealed that a majority of you opt for swim briefs! Interestingly, the swim thong takes a significant second place at 33%, surpassing swim shorts for the first time, with shorts landing in a distant third. Additionally, it’s worth noting that board shorts have experienced a decline in popularity, dropping from 18% to 10%. This presents some positive news for those seeking variety in swimwear choices at private resorts.

Have you all observed a recurring pattern in this series? It seems that as we delve into more private settings, your swimwear choices become increasingly daring. When it comes to a private pool, the majority of you opt for either a brief or a thong. While briefs remain the top choice, it’s notable that the thong has come close to challenging briefs for the first-place position. The other swimwear styles are not even in the same ballpark. I must admit, I wish we could see a similar trend at public beaches, but we’ll get to that point soon enough.

ChatGPT

Moving on to our penultimate scenario: private tanning. This encompasses tanning by a private pool or on a deck. Here, it’s apparent that you guys have two primary choices that appeal to you. It comes as no surprise that briefs dominate the top spot, with thongs trailing just 2% behind. It seems that you guys are seeking those alluring tan lines, opting for the two styles that provide just that. It’s important to remember to protect your skin and make sure to use sunscreen for a safe and enjoyable tanning experience.

In our final scenario, we explore the most private setting of all: the tanning booth. It appears that while you guys may not be quite ready to wear a thong in public, you’re definitely interested in achieving that thong tan line while inside the tanning bed. By far, if you choose to tan, the thong is the preferred option, with the brief making a strong showing for second place. I can’t help but wonder who would wear board shorts in a tanning booth!

We have more results coming soon, with a focus on gym gear and possibly even some spandex. Stay tuned for the upcoming findings!

Where do you guys buy? It’s a great view into what stores you love. I don’t know if we will have any surprises in this section but next up is swimwear!

Shopping brand sites isn’t a surprise. There are several brands, notably N2N Bodywear, that you can only get their gear on their site. Plus a bonus shopping on their site is they carry everything they make and it should all be in stock.

When we say internet underwear stores we are talking International Jock, UNB Store, and the like. Stores online that just focus on underwear. Not bigger stores that sell everything. I think we all have our favorites we check out often and 50% always or shop there often.

This is a slide I wish was higher, but I totally get this one. Not everyone has access to an underwear store in their area. I wish we had more of them around the country. Unless you are in a large city. Keep your fingers crossed we will get more around the country.

This has changed over the years, less guys shop department stores than before. I think this is because what guys who reaad the site and what is offered in department stores are two different things. Guys want the skimpy designs and I feel like department stores did a shift to the general public.

Very smillar to department stores, Close Out stores have really changed what they offer. I was in a Marshalls a few weeks back and it was just about all boxer briefs. Before they used to sell, thongs, jocks, bikinis and really fun stuff. I don’t know why they shifted but I bet it’s due to money. I can remember scoring some major finds at these stores. Now i barely look at it when i go.

Again, why are so many retail stores behind the trends of men’s underwear. The Discount stores, aka Target, and Walmart. We have so many stories on the podcast that guys got their first thongs or pairs at these stores. I hope they bring them back

More of you guys are shopping Amazon, when I first started the survey, Amazon was known for cheap China knock off undies. Now they are selling many different brands including some ones like Kingsly that you guys love.

Now we bring you what factors encourage you guys to shop and buy. It should come as no surprise that sales are reallly important for shopping, I mean great sale does tend to get me buying.

This is what I call the Amazon effect, most people want free shipping along with their orders. This is not just in underwear but in all online shopping.

We all like choice, and the more brands the better. We can shop for our favorite brand without visiting several sites. If we find a good store with great service you can shop there often. This I think is one of my favortie slides because we all want vareity.

The number of new styles and lines is one of my personal favorites. I mean you don’t want to shop a site that doesnt’ have the newest undies line. We all want something fun and sexy to wear. Plus we want that line that none of our friends have as well.

I know we have guys who read UNB who are either new or on a budget. Clearance sales are a great way to try brands you couldn’t try at full price. There is no shame in being a clearance shopper. It’s always good to score a deal. But you guys love a clearnace sale.

Next up will be the swimear.

Underwear is an interesting subject on what influences guys buying. It’s not exactly what you would expect at times but I hope one particular reason will be changing over the next few years. I think I may revamp this some next year but haven’t determined it yet, if you think we need to add something let me know.

This one doesn’t shock me, your significant others (if you have one) have little effect on what you buy. I think it’s always best to have a partner who at least appreciated your underwear and participates some times.

They say email is dead, but obviously not, While not a major factor in buying, I think joining your favorite brand’s emails, such as N2N Bodywear, will let you know when new styles and lines come out. I have even started to go back and subscribe to brand’s emails because I don’t see them on social media anymore and when I do it’s random. If you love a brand, join the email list so you will be first in the know.

I believe this one has gone down over the years. It’s not surprising to me that the readership of blogs has gone down a little. More people rely on social media than going to blogs. We still have a healthy readership, but it’s not what it was in our heyday. Thank you, guys, for reading the blog still!

This is the one area we hope we have a positive effect on, friends’ influence. I hope that with the Brief Talk Podcast, we are building a community, and we can have you guys meet new people and get to know them. The men’s underwear community is amazing, and some of the best guys out there. This one will change 🙂

You guys like reviews, and that is something we have been lacking for the last few years. I hope this will change and we have some things in the works to get back to doing reviews on a regular basis.

This one does and doesn’t surprise me. I think Influencers do have a place in the underwear world, and we will see pairs on them and go what is that? They do expose us to new brands and styles. However, sometimes influencers can be after the thirst trap and not the underwear, and that’s fine, but it’s frustrating when they wear something and you can’t find out who it is, they didn’t tag or mention the pair. I had one of those, he wore a singlet I wanted but never answered comments or DM’s.

As I stated above, readership has dipped a little but we still have a core audience that reads UNB. I have had to redo the content mix over the last few years, but it’s still fun to do the blog after so many years. It’s always been a roller coaster in emotions. But with the podcast, I have been riding the highs.

This is a no-brainer, if it’s a good price, you will buy. Especially a good sale! One thing I’m curious about and may add is the design. I love flamingos and bought the new swimwear from N2N bodywear because it was flamingo, Could be interesting for next year.

Again another basic question we have to ask, but it’s no surprise you guys are spurred to buy by a great sale. Sometimes even an ok sale will make you buy it.

With great power comes great responsibility. Sorry, I had to say it!! But I’m always curious and amazed we influence you guys. Most times when I’m doing the blog or podcast I feel like I’m doing it for a group of friends rather than for so many of you guys. It still amazes me how many readers we have had over the years and how many brands I have exposed you guys too.

I mentioned reviews, and I have a plan to get back on that soon. I promise, but there have been reasons for this. Some of it was on my end, and some of it has to do with the rise of the influencer. I’m not going to do a deep sociological study on it but say we are going to reach out to bands and maybe a few more things. One thing that blows me away is how popular and how much the Brief Distractions influence you guys. Honestly, years ago I did it as a not-so-subtle way to get traffic. But it’s a quick hit that I can profile a pair or brand and not have to write an entire post. One thing that makes me super happy is that the Podcast hit the top 5 this year. I hope this grows because I have so much fun doing the podcast and think it hit at the right time. We are not stopping anytime soon.

Thanks, guys, I’m working on a big master plan to compare results from 2016 till the present to compare. 2016, I think it goes back till then, it may go even further. I changed the survey from How are we doing to more of what do you guys like, and I think it has really been a success. I’m not going to say when this will be out but…I’m going to work on it.

Today we go over the factors that go into choosing undies! There is a lot in this section, I prob should have broken this into two sections, but here we go.

We asked you guys what your favorite color is. It’s no surprise that blue reigns supreme. I am surprised that black is a close number two. We hear so many guys who want a color that this one threw me off. Rounding out, the top four are Red and white. So we have two primary colors at the top. I was a bit surprised pink wasn’t higher.

This is a slide I first had to redo and then double-check. I first had solids on it twice, and then the prints and stripes were the same amount. I thought it was odd that both are 35%. This will take some further investigation.

This is one of my favorite questions in the entire survey. This changes every year, and it’s more of a “What annoys us this year.” Sizing issues are by far the most annoying thing. Sizing is always in the top 5. Labels/tags are second, Pouch too small is third, and tied for fifth are construction issues and pricing. There are many issues you guys have, but sizing is the biggest this year.

This is always a big question what do you do with undies that you no longer either can wear or want? We can’t all be like Patrick and break the law and throw them away. But it appears I’m wrong! Most of you throw them away, but a few put them into storage or give them to a friend. Very few sell online because it’s a pain, in my opinion.

It is no surprise that most of you think Material is one of the most critical factors in choosing underwear. Nothing worse than bad fabric to rub you the wrong way.

You guys aren’t going out to buy just anything. You have to get the cut that fits you best and makes you feel amazing! Or why wear it?

Similar to above the undies have to fit you have to have a pair that fits you well, In the Pouch, butt, and waist.

Pouch issues are twofold, the first is it’s not big enough, and the second is it’s too big. Either way, it’s not good to have an ill-fitting pouch. I like mine to be tight and hold everything in place, And one that is on either end of that spectrum will annoy the F out of me.

Sizing is a beast we will never tame. To do this, we need a worldwide standard which I don’t think we will ever get. It’s important to pay attention to the sizing chart (but it’s not always right), or ask the underwear community. I may do a sizing survey, have you guys weigh in on all the brands, and keep it open so new guys can update it. HMMM

A thong guy wouldn’t be happy with a boxer brief, and a brief guy may not love a thong. Getting what you love and feel great and sexy in.

I’m surprised color isn’t as important to you guys. To me, it’s one big factor, and there are certain colors that I don’t want as underwear.

Price isn’t a big factor, especially if it’s something you want. But I’m surprised more of you guys didn’t do very important. Now that pairs are topping $40 a pair, I think we will see this change.

I won’t say much about this result because I had a very interesting conversation with someone about this issue and he opened my eyes to a new way of looking at this issue.

What is fashion in men’s underwear? I have had this question but it makes me wonder, I’d love your thoughts on this question.

No one wants poorly made underwear. We have all bought underwear that fell apart after a few wears/washing. I mean, we spend good money on this and want to make sure we get our money’s worth.

You guys, I knew you would answer this one this way. The higher the percentage, the better the sale, well, for the most part. I think 30% or greater is one that really cuts down profits on underwear retailers. I have to put my store owner cap on for this question. I mean, I love a 30% off sale myself, but the margins are so low on men’s underwear. Most of the 30% off sales I have seen have been on retailers who are owned by brands. Remember to support your smaller stores.

Welcome to part 2 of the UNB Reader Survey for 2023. I forgot to mention that this year I did the report fully in Apple’s Keynote. In years past I have done the graphs in Canva and put them in the presentation. Now, I found that Keynote was just better and easier to manage. (This tip is for those numbers/presentation geeks out there.

Today we have what we buy and what we wear.

Shopping for underwear is not cheap. It seems lately that each month the cost goes higher and higher. I have seen undies for as much as $40 regular price!!! So getting a deal is a good thing, but we asked if you shopped on sale, regular price, or both. It comes as no surprise you guys do a mix. There are several brands you guys will pay full price just to have in your undie drawer. But 1/4 of you shop on sale and only 5% just shop full price.

As I mentioned above this particular question will change in the next survey. This has been a standard question for years, but with the increasing prices, we will have 30 & 40-dollar levels for the next one. I think I forgot to update this question, There was one I meant to update but I forgot which one it was.

We love to ask what you guys love to wear. Note this is for super underwear fans! It’s no surprise that the thong reigns supreme with 32% of you loving it. However, my personal favorite the bikini was a second, and a close third was brief. DOH the labels didn’t come through but they should be Bikini, Boxer Brief, Brief, Jockstrap, Thong, Turnk, Jockbrief and blank

One of the most interesting parts of the survey to me is the “What do you wear?” You can see in this slide that guys are pretty evenly split. 1/3 never or rarely wears thong and 40% almost always or always wear a thong. You guys like and don’t like thongs. Remember every pair of underwear isn’t for everyone wear what makes you feel sexy.

This one really surprises me that almost half you guys rarely or never wear a jock? WHAT? We need to get you boys in a good jockstrap. But at least another 1/4 say they sometimes wear.

You guys are the brief guys. Over half of you sometimes or almost always wear briefs and 20% says they always wear them. It shows that undies guys love them some briefs. I think everyone I know have some briefs in their drawers.

You guys made me happy. The bikini is my personal favorite style. It has been for as long as I can remember and you guys showed strong positive results in this style. I think we need more exposure for bikinis because they used to be super popular.

This should come as a shock to no one that over 1/3 never wears boxer briefs. As I suspected you guys are not fans at all of the style. I like the ones like in the image above long and spandex but the rest, nope.

For the slide for trunks, I had to double-check the data because it’s almost identical to boxer briefs. I figured for sure that you guys would like trunks way more than boxer briefs but I was wrong. You guys are not a fan of anything bigger than a brief.

Ok I totally forgot to take Jockbriefs out of the line up this year. I had it in my notes from last year and well, I failed. I think we have passed the popularity of this style, they are still for sale but seems less and less of you guys wear them.

We will have another set of results tomorrow. If you are a Patreon Member I am going to do a special podcast going over the results in a video format. You can watch or listen to the show, the choice is ours.

We have the results of the UNB Reader Survey! I think this is record time. I picked up a few Excel tricks and drew so many new pics (luckily, half already). Today we are going to go over the demographics. Let’s talk undies guys.

The ages of the guys who read the blog and listen to the podcast have consistently been in the 25-54 range. I”m not surprised we had such a low turnout in the younger demographic but I hope that will rise with the podcast.

It should come as no surprise that we are over 90% men. The other 9% didn’t answer the question. One change I am going to add next year is trans and non-binary. I don’t know why I didn’t add it this year, and I had a few comments about this question of sexual orientation.

The largest group who read and listen are gay men. I know that’s shocking information but our straight and bi seem to fluctuate every year. These two groups have been over 20% the last few surveys and the straight guys have been in the upper twenties to low thirties. I think this is where we will add the non binary and sucy. If you have feedback let me know

A lot of you are married. It always surprises me how many of you are married and dating. But glad you are here and hopefully your significant other likes your undies and participates in your love of undies. I have heard from many of you that they are good with it.

We are bringing the series of averages with this survey, and the Medium is the most worn size then comes large. I was hoping we would have some larger sizes in the mix but not as much as I would like.

Over the last few surveys, we have been overwhelming US readers and listeners. I would love to branch out to other countries and have brought on different perspectives from South Africa, Japan and hope to bring more this year.

We have two types of guys. The first has a good solid collection of 21-40 and those who have over 150 pairs. This means we have guys just starting out their underwear journey and those who I enable to buy underwear!

The last in this series is how often you buy undies. It’s held pretty steady that most buy every few months. While others do monthly or bi-monthly. And for that 3% who buy weekly needs to be my new best friends. If you are one of those guys hit me up!

Stay tuned for more results this week!

Welcome to the 2023 Reader Survey. There isn’t much changed to this survey except an expanded podcast section and a deeper social media section. We have grown the podcast a lot over this last year and I want to see what you guys want to hear on the podcast. I have a paragraph section where you can write as much as you would like.

Also, the social media section is a little richer than in years past. I think we have all had an interesting year with social media and things are a little unsure in the men’s underwear world. I want to see where you are, what you think about the situation and a little about the future. I’ll leave this up for about two weeks and then calculate the results and share them by May! (I promise this time)

Take the Survey – Remember it’s several parts!

We bring you the final results of the UNB Reader survey. It was a great survey and gave us some really interesting insights into you guys and across a spectrum of guys. The last few slides are about challenges we face and media from UNB.

One thing this slide tells me is that guys across the sexual spectrum have different issues. A gay guy will have different issues than a straight guy, and a bi guy. This is an area that can be explored much further. One a podcast we have coming up it gave me insight into a bi guy who loves undies but the women he dates either don’t care for his choice in undies or are negative. On the gay side we have come a long way and when you see wild and fun undies most everyone says or things in society “only gays would wear that.” I am going to do some posts and podcasts over this slide this year.

Again see above to some extent but a supportive partner is key no matter your sexuality. I have had partners who didn’t get it, didn’t want to get it, and thought it was strange. Mix in social norms on the straight side and it can be a whole questioning the person you date. It shouldn’t matter because it’s just clothing but it does. If a woman comes home in a thong the guy usually is like “Oh yeah.” but I have heard stories when a man comes home in a thong the woman is like “what is that”

Ok, I left the Excessive part off this slide! Does your partner think your underwear love is excessive? Glad to see the majority of guys’ partners say no, but we have a very large maybe!

Our podcast has grown over the last year. We have crossed the 25K downloads mark, which is massive for a podcast. I know we have listeners who don’t read the blog and blog readers who don’t listen to the podcast. I really have taken a new passion for the podcast and have enjoyed expanding it since 2018. It’s given me a new creative outlet with underwear and gear. It’s also a lot more work. To write a post you just think it up, find pics, and bam you’re done. In a podcast you have come up with an idea, schedule people, record the show, then edit the show, then put it out. The bonus to this is you hear directly from a guy’s mouth his story. What he has to say and feel. I love interviewing regular guys telling how they discovered their love of undies. Or a group show where we talk about ideas and share our stories about a topic. If you haven’t listened go listen I think you will enjoy it. We will have more thong shows and more shows this year! I’m working on so much!

This has been a desire of mine for so long. I have mad video skills and want to put them to use. This one is even more difficult than podcasts. We have to find a willing guy to be in his undies, then film, edit, and release. We can’t release it on YouTube due to its nature and Vimeo has had some issues as well lately. I think this would need to be self-hosted and on our platform, which gives us 100% creative control but lacks audience discovery on YouTube. The one compromise is to do teasers on YouTube and drive them to the blog. One of my big goals is to do a documentary. I have so many ideas for this and just not the time or money for it. Maybe I’ll do a go fund me or something to get the money to do one. I need to put together a budget to shoot an underwear documentary and see what it comes to and see if I can make it happen. I have one topic I would love do and another on the back burner. But a regular series explaining new undies and sort of a 101 series would be awesome too.

One of the last things we always ask on the survey is what kind of guys do you want to see on UNB. We get an overwhelming response that you guys want to see more realistic guys. This includes real guys, amateur models, body-positive models, and more. As much of a great response we have received, we do get comments from a few guys who want to see more professional models in undies. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and what they like, but the majority of guys want to see real guys on the site.

Almost 80% of you guys want to see guys of all shapes and sizes on the blog. This tells me that you guys really want this as a high priority. We have a few things in the works with guys. I hope they come to pass but it’s not easy finding guys to model underwear. Even the fittest guys go “Oh no, I can’t wear that, I need to work out a few weeks first.”

You guys want to get personal with the real guys. I would LOVE to have more guys sharing who they are and how they fell in love with undies. Either on the podcast or on the blog. We need guys to step up and share! It’s super easy and I’m going to post the Brief Tale questions and email to have you guys fill it out and submit it. Also, we need to resurrect the Fan Friday. Instead of doing it on Instagram, we need to do it here.

Lastly, we asked if you guys wanted professional models, up-and-coming models, or real guys. You guys want to have a mix of all there. As it stands we profile mostly up and coming and professional models. If you are in the Atlanta area and want to model reach out. We always need guys to model and do videos.

These are the results and we’ll have more on this topic in the next few weeks .

I have tabulated all the results in the UNB Reader survey and over the next week or so I’ll be putting out the final results. I have gotten the reporting down to a science and can do it on my own, just don’t expect it very fast. After a few hours in an Excel Worksheet, my brain starts to numb and I have to stop. All those numbers start to mesh together.

I double-checked this section and I have come to a realization. You guys aren’t into fetishwear as a whole. Some of you may like it but overall the numbers in this section are pretty low on who is wearing it and such. Plus a lot of these we never cover on UNB. Expect to see the entire Fetishwear section down to a single question in next year’s survey. It will cover what you like and not go into more detal. This is totally fine it gets me to cut down the survey more and add in questions that need follow-up. One I want to add is why do you like thongs. This means the thong section will be expanded a little for next year.

The only things fetishwear we will cover are harnesses which are gaining in popularity. And, Singlets, which are my personal favorites, and more of you guys are wearing them. Which is awesome. Also, we will be reporting on lace as always. Lastly, I don’t have many fetish pics drawn so I had to use real pics from previous shoots.

I think this pic sums up what I was saying earlier. Over 40% of guys marked they didn’t like any fetishwear.

Lace is prob the biggest response we had to the fetishwear section. It is about 20% or more who wear lace and like it.

I had to include leather since it’s the king of all fetish wear. About 15% of you wear it to romantic nights or the bedroom. But a few wear it every day. I think leather is one of the few you can wear every day.

In the slides below there isn’t much to say other than as you can tell Spandex gear is popular, which we will continue to cover. And many of you love harneses. Underwear companies keep coming out with more of them. The other numbers are so small there is no point in asking about them in the future or covering them on UNB.

I know some of you fetish guys are like “Wait a minute.” Don’t worry this doesn’t mean we won’t cover areas of the fetish world. There are times when things come out that I think are cool and will share, Especially on fetish Fridays. This means we won’t cover them weekly. Fetish wear very much has a place on UNB but it’s not the main focus, underwear and swimwear are the main focus. This just proves that what I was focusing on was the right decision.

Again, fetishwear isn’t disappearing off the site. I just was surprised by the numbers. I figured we’d have more gear guys out there who loved more and different things.

One of the newer questions is, what do you guys wear when working out? I was curious to see if you guys were wearing more spandex or it is still traditional. First up, we asked what you wear when you run. Most wear gym shorts or running shorts. However, a good number wear spandex runners or shorts. As a side note, I don’t know why I put singlets in this section other than I love them. Other than lifting, I don’t know when most guys would wear them.

Ok, you guys shocked me on this one. I knew for a fact that spandex runners would be up there for lifting. I wore them when I did lift (a long time ago) for extra support. But you guys wear the gym shorts by a super-wide margin. WOW, guys! That’s all I can say.

You boys love your gym shorts—again, another blowout when doing cardio. I personally think we need to make spandex more popular than it currently is with you guys. Maybe we need to do a spandex giveaway.

This wasn’t even close to anything other than gym shorts for Crossfit.

Yoga had more spandex than many of the other pairs. But again, almost 50% I gym shorts. Guys, I have my work cut out for me. Before the next survey, we need to spread the word on why you should wear runners or spandex shorts. I never guessed that you guys would be such hard-core gym shorts, guys.

Ok, now to the good stuff, what styles do you guys wear in each situation? This is one of my favorite questions of the survey. I think I’ve worn briefs to everything on this list. But to start, we asked about a public pool; most of you wear swim shorts, some do rock a swim brief, but very few wear a thong. I was hoping that the briefs were more than what you guys answered.

I’m not the biggest fan of lakes. Long story, and I won’t bore you with it, but the beach is way better at the lake if you’re in Chicago. Again you guys wear swim shorts, and the one surprising thing is swim briefs and board shorts are tied! Here in Atlanta, we have Lake Lanier and the gay cove where the boys go in speedos and thongs and hang out on boats. But it looks like most of you go conservative to lakes.

Now, I thought that the brief would overtake the shots for the beach but nope, you guys wear swim shorts to the beach, but the Swim briefs are growing. More beaches are very swim brief friendly. More guys need to rock them at the beach.

We finally have swim briefs on top. If you go to a private resort, such as a gay resort, one in Mexico, etc., you will break out the swim briefs and have fun. This is by a large margin too. I am super happy to see this result. Also, It’s one of the first places guys wear swim briefs; we have heard from several people that they felt comfy and rocked them there and kept wearing them after.

Private pools are pretty much anything that goes: the brief and the thong rule. Depending on the pool, if you are like some of my friends, you start in swimwear and then lose them throughout the day. But, I think more guys are comfortable wearing smaller styles around their friends than in public.

Lastly is private tanning. That means by yourself or in a tanning booth. More guys wear a brief or thong. You guys want the excellent tan lines. I personally love a swim brief tan line, but I can see more of you want that thong tan line.

We asked first what styles do you normally wear each summer. If you are like me, you wear different swimwear for different situations. For example, if you have a family get-together, most of us won’t wear the hottest swim brief or thong. The three main pairs you guys wear are swim briefs, Trunks, and swim shorts.

Thongs have gone incredibly popular. More guys are wearing them all over. You used to see them on the beach in Miami, but now it’s springing up everywhere. Guys want to wear thongs to the beach! So we asked who has worn thongs, who wants to wear them, and who doesn’t. A good 30% of you have already worn a swim thong, congrats guys. Another 30% want to wear a swim thong, and 35% have no interest in wearing a thong. Again, there was no right or wrong answer to this question, do what you feel is best for you.

So what are you guys buying this year? By far, you guys are planning to rock the swim briefs. Almost 60% of you will be buying them. One question I need to ask next year is what are your favorite swim brands! Don’t worry; I won’t be adding a ton of new questions.

I know not everyone has an addiction like I do and get 8-10 pairs of swimwear a year. But most of you guys plan on buying 1-3 pairs of swimwear. That’s a respectable number. But shout out to those buying 11+ swimwear. It’s like you’re my brothers in gear.

When you guys are shopping, what factor makes you buy when on a site or in a store. The first was The % off of a sale. There are many types of sales, from 10% to 50%, and the amount of the sale really influences you guys. I would say prob the bigger the discount, the more you will buy.

When you guys are shopping online, Free Shipping is a major influencer to buying. Going into the UNB Store, I knew I had to have free shipping at a good level for you guys and me. Many sites offer flat shipping, but more have like the UNB Store where you buy, and at a certain level, the shipping is free.

I thought this would have more of an influence if a store had more brands. While it’s somewhat important, it’s not a major factor in guying. I personally like a store with a good selection and not just—a few lines. But, sometimes, you guys know exactly what you want and get it.

You guys love new undies! You want the new next thing! If you read the blog, we are the only guys who can pick out this year’s lines. It’s a gift, but we are moving to a cycle where we no longer get new pairs in Feb/March and Aug/Sept, and it’s being spread out over the year. Just look at the business model for N2N Bodywear.

Most of you don’t shop on clearance. I know we have a core group who do, and you can find some amazing deals out there if you look. I say clearance is good for trying new brands. Especially if it’s an expensive brand, try it on closeout and see if you like it, if you do spend the extra money.

Ok where do you guys buy your undies. Going into this I would place my bets that online stores were king along with brand sites. I know Underwear stores are not prevalent outside of major cities. But I always love to hear where you guys like to shop. You guys do shop brand site pretty often.

See, you guys like Online stores as well. This one is very question that very few are going to answer always.

Specialty stores I consider underwear stores. Like I said, its not something most guys have access too. I wish this would change so the lower numbers don’t surprise me. I mean if all guys had a Skivies in Dallas, we’d all be in heaven.

Back in the 90’s and such Department stores had some great brands. However, flash forward to the 2020’s and outside of CK, the underwear at most department stores are kinda basic in my opinion. They cater to the masses and we aren’t the masses. They don’t have a lot of thongs or bikinis.

This is another area that is not what it used to be. TJ Max and Marshalls use to be a haven for amazing undies. I remember scoring some CK thongs, and bikinis back in the day. However now it’s mainly boxer briefs and tighty whites.

This slide made me happy. Not many of you buy your undies from discount stores, like Target, etc. Granted sometimes Target does have good undies it’s hit or miss.

I’m surprised more of you guys don’t shop Cheap undies or other deal sites. I think the most consistent deal site is Cheap undies. Others have come and gone.

This is an interesting slide because I was curious who buys undies from Amazon. It’s more than I thought. They have such restrictive rules for undies. Most of the more sexy pairs have to be shown without a model. It’s annoying, it’s why I like to stick to other online underwear stores

Ok guys what or who influences your buying? The first thing we asked was does your significant other influence your undies? Well, almost 50% say NOPE! I think most partners don’t really get into undies as much as we do ourselves. There are a few who love it and get it but I think we wear what we feel sexy and not what our partners think is sexy.

I’m always curious if brand emails influence you guys. I subscribe so I can find out what’s new on the market. It’s prob my top way to know when things are happening. If you have a favorite brand I suggest getting on their email list so you get word of new things, even if you buy it from an online store.

We do news write ups and we have them long and short. I’m just always curious what you guys think of them. Glad to see they are some what useful. but the majority of you guys find a little less value. So it has me thinking the content on the site. This will definitely impact going forward.

This one makes me sad more than surprised. It reaffirms that you guys don’t talk undies with your friends. I have several friends I regularly talk undies. I think we need to work on this and have it so guys are comfy talking about the undies they love or a new pair coming out.

This is interesting. I swear that reviews were much higher in the past. Almost 40% find that reviews are either a good deal or very important in influencing decisions. It’s another one of those things that I wonder if it’s something guys like but don’t realize they like. hmmm

This is something I have felt for a while. In certain industries influencers generate traffic and sales but I don’t think that social influencers in underwear generate as much. Guys like to see hot guys in undies but does this translate into sales. According to you guys not at all.

Ok guys this makes me feel way better. You guys do read and like underwear blogs. I know a lot has gone to IG, and other social platforms. But I think a blog will always be around and guys will want to read and see what’s new in undies.

It should come as no surprise price does influence purchases. I know the whole sale vs regular price. Plus new pairs and line generally cost more than those out a while. If you are like me on a limited budget for undies you will see what’s out there and plan your money accordingly .

Last is sales. This was a no brainer to put in and you guys did what I think. If it’s a good sale you will buy. If it’s a bad sale you won’t. We had a brand years ago who wanted to do a promotion with us and suggested 10% off. I told them it won’t move the needle. They insisted and we ran it and there was one sale with the code, one I made! To really be effective it has to be 20% or more.

This slide makes me so freaking happy. I’m glad to know that I have influenced 70% of you guys to buy something. I LOVE undies and really want to share that love with you guys. SO it means a lot you guys feel like you have received some value from UNB.

Another hard to read slide! But see the umbers below. None of this really surprised me greatly

We all have our underwear quirks. Some of us really hate certain things about underwear. One of the biggest is sizing issues, followed by labels and tags. These two have always been in the top 10 of things that drive guys crazy. But there are so many things that guys hate. I know this slide is a little hard to read, so I am posting the info as well:

Are there any we left off the list? This is a pretty comprehensive list but if you think there are more things to add comment and let me know.

Today we are going to check out what are you guys top factors for choosing new undies. We asked you about several topics and here is how you guys answered. This was one of those long questions where you got to rate many different criteria.

This one was a no brainer. Material is very important to all of us. I think this was the only one to have no one answered “Not important.” Good material is a must for choosing undies.

This is how is the underwear is cut. Is it comfy, are the legs too tight or too loose. Again another very important thing for you guys.

Another important issue is the fit and how the undies fit your body. We all know that certain styles may not fit us as well as well like.

About half of you really think the pouch is very important. I fall in this camp. There is nothing worse than a pouch that is too big or too small. Or for that fact too loose. It has to offer amazing support or really what’s the point?

One of the biggest issues we hear in undies is how inconsistent sizing is across brands and countries. It’s also very important to you guys as well. You really need to know which brands run small and which run larger. Although it seems most run smaller. Also, which brands only go up to 36 inch waist!

We all have a favorite style, a thong, bikini, jock, brief. When choosing new undies we def gravitate towards those pairs and what’s new.

This is another one that shocked me. I thought more of you guys would be more concerned on color then answered. I thought it would be one the top criteria. But it’s prob in the middle of the pack.

Again another, huh? This one is by far, some what important, which is middle of the road. Some of you I know are not very price sensitive. If you want it you’ll buy it. But, a lot more of us are very price sensitive.

I think sex appeal is one of those depends on the situation. If we are getting undies for work, it’s more functional but if it’s fun or date night we want it to be super sexy. That’s just my thinking

Is the pair fashionable? Some of you do and some of you do and some of you don’t.

Last is the construction of the pair, basically how well it’s made. This is important for you guys just not what I thought you guys would like.

One of the most perplexing questions about undies I have seem to be answered by you guys. I have pairs of underwear that have been worn out or I just don’t like any more, so what do I do with these old pairs? Do I give them to a friend? Put them in storage? Sell them or get rid of them.

The overwhelming response is toss them. To be honest I wasn’t expecting this far of a spread. I can see getting rid of those pairs that wear out or get holes in them, but not for pairs that you don’t like anymore. But, you guys have spoken.

So if you have pairs you don’t want and worn out I say thow them out, if you have pairs you don’t like give to a friend or sell!

Color is always important in undies. We ask what your favorite colors to wear in each survey. You get to choose more than one color. We used to go with your favorite color but so many love so many different colors. The top three colors are Black, Blue and Red. By far they out do all the other colors. White and Green are liked by about 30% of you guys and the rest of the color round out.

Here’s the break down of colors from least to most popular.

Today we take a peek into the undies drawers of you guys. What’s in your drawers and what do you wear? We asked what was your favorite style and as you saw the thong is the favorite followed by the bikini. But today we asked what other styles do you wear. I love a bikini but that doesn’t mean I don’t wear a thong, jock, brief or such. I even wear the really long boxer briefs that are like bike shorts. Not often but I do find them sexy and hot to wear.

Here are the pairs you guys wear:

Like our favorite style, thongs are very popular. Even though 20% never wear them that leaves 80% of you guys who do wear the style.

This one did make me happy, I think briefs were the least of the “never wear”. I would say briefs are the most worn pair out of the bunch. I think most guys have briefs and wear them on a some what regular basis even if it’s not your main stye.

Jocks are interesting. I know they have a very specific audience. It used to be very much a gay pair but over the years it’s grown. I think more guys are wearing jocks for more than just working out. They have a cycle, every few years they pick up and then go out of popularity.

I thought we were going to have a huge bikini resurgence but the thong jumped the bikini. But guys are still wearing them and loving the style. My prediction is that they will continue to grow and gain more popularity.

This comes as no surprise. I didn’t expect to see a lot of you guys wearing boxer briefs. Most of our guys prefer skimpier styles. But, over 50% of you wear them some of the times.

I knew trunks would be a bit more popular than Boxer Briefs. Trunks seem to be more acceptable with our guys and I think they find them more comfortable. There isn’t as much material

Last is the Jock Brief. Not many of you wear the hybrid. Back when UNB Started we had a lot of guys who wore them but over the years it’s not a very popular style.

Stay Tuned to more of the Survey.