INTRODUCTION
I get a lot of questions about underwear (of course) and there are always interesting things people want to know about one brand over another. How do they fit? is probably the most common question followed by something along the lines of I need features of a, b, c etc. in my underwear and what is going to work best for certain wearing conditions. I try my best to give useful answers and of course it’s often very subjective. Not only does each man have a unique anatomy he’s also going to have unique preferences for fit either ingrained by experience or socialization. Lately a lot of questions have centered around specialty designed pouches, lifters and engineered underwear designs that are currently on the market including how they work and the ways that they all compete or compare against each other. A while back I wrote up an article on enhancing underwear but I think a lot of guys who haven’t had the opportunity to try out some of the styles still have a lot of questions about how the designs work.
This is a significantly expanded guide on the same subject with plenty of reference images as well as illustrations to help anyone who isn’t familiar with the construction or methodologies of enhancing men’s underwear. The illustrations are NSFW so keep that in mind when reviewing the article, as a result of the detail illustrations, you will hopefully get a clearer idea for how things work for underwear enhancement.
FLAT FRONT: NO ENHANCEMENT
There are 4 major types of underwear enhancers on the market right now: c-ring slings/straps, fabric panel c-rings, enhancing support pockets and special enhancement pouches. Each type of mechanism has its own engineering and variations each with pluses and minuses for helping to boost your profile. Before we get to all the ways underwear can be engineered to help you “stand out”-let’s start with how things work without any of the extras. Starting out with the baseline design, a typical men’s underwear brief without any specially constructed pouch will tend to compress your package in a way that the majority of what would make up the look of a bulge will fall between your legs. Although not uncomfortable, this tends to leave a minimal profile to your underwear package. For the longest time this was essentially the only style of men’s underwear. More often than not, this “flat-front” design makes a guy seem slightly diminished for all but the most endowed individuals.
C-RING SLINGS AND STRAPS
With the male anatomy one of the best ways to enhance your package profile is to pull your balls outward away from between your legs in order to round out your package and cause it to protrude more prominently out in front. Cock rings (more politely called c-rings) have been around for a long time as standalone rubber rings, adjustable leather snap rings and other material combinations as a means to encircle the base of the penis and balls and “bundle” them together to create the pronounced package look. Integrated c-rings have traditionally been relegated to more risque or adventurous underwear manufacturers/designers including California Muscle.As a pioneer in enhancing underwear designs California Muscle should be commended for offering underwear with built-in c-rings and straps for many years before C-In2 mainstreamed the concept with their “sling” design underwear. Underwear designer Andrew Christian followed suit shortly after C-In2’s introduction with almost all of their first underwear releases sporting a built-in snap c-ring.
Interestingly enough, Andrew Christian later decided to remove the show-it c-ring technology from all their underwear so you’ll have to track down only the first edition releases in order to find the interior c-ring technology.
“Though the line initially helped secure Andrew Christian a place on the fashion map, Show-It Technology was discontinued just a few short months after its launch. Christian says that despite the “technology” helping to broaden Andrew Christian’s fan base, it ultimately scared a certain sect of its constituency. “Seems like [Show-It] freaked out some people who are a little more conservative,” he admits. While Christian hopes that eliminating Show-It from his underwear will help generate a greater acceptance of the line, it doesn’t mean that he has abandoned all attempts to innovate. Just the opposite is the case. Taking what he learned from his initial outing, the buff designer will launch a new feature in the near future. ” -Andrew Christian: From rags to britches by Michael A. Knipp, Gay 7 lesbian Times December 20th, 2007 Issue 1043The way the integrated c-ring mechanism work is via a ring of stretch fabric (or elastic) that is attached on the interior-front pouch (usually at the waistband) and encircles the base of a man’s penis and balls. The end result of this ring is that it causes the entire package to move out from between the legs and thus create a more pronounced profile. This is one of the most effective methods for visual enhancement as it truly makes your package look significantly bigger vs. no c-ring mechanism. The downside of wearing a c-ring is that this method can be a somewhat uncomfortable wearing experience for more than a few hours at a time depending on how you adjust to the fit and feel of the straps and ring. It’s important to note that a c-ring will only be effective if it is paired with a well-designed pouch to provide the necessary room and support. A c-ring design with a flat-front pouch will only give you marginal improvements and can be quite uncomfortable as the tension to flatten your profile out conflicts with the push-out function of the c-ring.
C-RING SLINGS AND STRAPS: WHO THEY’RE FOR
You want a guaranteed level of enhancement and enjoy a variety of cuts, colors, fabrics and designs to choose from. You would like an adjustable fit and would like to forgo the enhancement for times when you don’t want to deal with wearing them. You want fairly aggressive profile enhancement that stands out to provide some of the best results. You don’t want an enhancement technique and mechanism that can remain hidden from easy detection.ENHANCING C-RING UNDERWEAR MANUFACTURERS AND WHERE TO BUY
C-In2www.cin2.com
Notes: Fits true-to-size although sizing up works if you like a less snug fit in the pouch
California Muscle
www.californiamuscle.com
Andrew Christian
www.andrewchristian.com
Note: Fit varies from line to line, often sizing up is recommended
NDS Wear
www.ndswear.com
BodyAware
www.bodyaware.com
FABRIC PANEL C-RINGS
Although perhaps less visibly marketed at the mainstream level, an effective variation of the c-ring strap is the c-ring fabric panel. The mechanics and operation of the fabric c-ring panel are essentially the same as a regular c-ring strap in the way that your balls and penis are supported outward from your body for a better profile. The main difference employed in this variation of enhancement is that a panel of fabric with a circle cutout is layered on the inside of the pouch which you pull your package through. Fabric panels are not adjustable like regular straps so there’s generally a more one-size-fits all approach that occurs in this type of underwear. Your results from the c-ring panel will vary more widely than a traditional c-ring strap given the lack of customization options on the fit. The process of pulling your anatomy through the panel can sometimes be more complicated and tricky than using a c-ring but the results are nearly equally effective and often more comfortable than a restrictive strap.
FABRIC C-RING PANELS: WHO THEY’RE FOR
You want all-day enhancement and you don’t need the option of wearing the underwear without the c-ring effect. You are willing to give up customization of the ring in favor of something slightly more comfortable to wear throughout your day. You don’t mind if the construction or enhancement technique of the c-ring might be visible to others (depending on style).FABRIC C-RING UNDERWEAR MANUFACTURERS AND WHERE TO BUY
California Musclewww.californiamuscle.com
Notes: Generally fits true-to-size
Go Softwear
www.gosoftwear.com
Notes: Fits true-to-size / 90% cotton 10% spandex
MANstore
Notes: Generally best to order a size up / Cut to fit tighter than North American underwear including in the pouch
NDS Wear
www.ndswear.com
ENHANCING SUPPORT POCKETS
Working from the same principle of the c-ring, AussieBum pioneered the concept of the built-in support pocket within the underwear pouch. This method of enhancement also operates under the lift up and out method that the c-ring relies on but instead of a ring encircling the base of the penis and balls all the way around, a cup-like pouch provides the same effect without creating a tight, uncomfortable feeling. The lower half of your package is pulled away from your body with your balls being supported by the pouch. The end result of this design is the visual enhanced look of a c-ring but executed in a manner that can be worn for the entire day with a lot more wearability and versatility. The pouch design is effective because it works for almost any size man and works very well in both side profile and front view. Once AussieBum established how popular and successful the pouch design could be with male consumers, a few other manufacturers got on board the with similar designs including Udy and OBoy underwear. It is possible to wear this style of underwear with the enhancement pouch not in use although the extra fabric from the pocket can be distracting if not actually being used.
ENHANCING SUPPORT POCKETS: WHO THEY’RE FOR
You like the idea of visual enhancement but the fit and comfort of a regular brief. Slings and straps are not comfortable enough for your all-day-wearing needs so you want something that is the best of both worlds: lift and comfort. Unusual colors, fabrics and styles are not important to you and you prefer a more traditional style of underwear and material. You don’t mind a slightly snug fit to your underwear pouch. You want underwear that doesn’t reveal the mechanism or techniques of the enhancement effect.ENHANCING SUPPORT POCKET UNDERWEAR MANUFACTURERS AND WHERE TO BUY
AussieBumwww.AussieBum.com
Notes: Fits true-to-size / 100% Ribbed Cotton
Udy
www.udy.es
Notes: Fits generally true-to-size with just a slight snugness to the cut / 92% Cotton 8% Elastan
ENHANCEMENT POUCH UNDERWEAR
I think we’ve all noticed a stream of new men’s underwear products featuring “power” pouches (as Tulio refers to them) or “swing” pouches (as Pulse Underwear refers to them). The images are all very impressive and quite revealing showing a visible outline and a protruding pouch. These lines of underwear have been around for a while but only recently have so many manufacturers started turning out jocks, briefs and boxerbriefs with these extended pouches. The primary engineering concept is that the cut of the pouch is made larger and modeled more closely to a guy’s anatomical shape in order to allow the package to be “wrapped” and not confined in any way. I’ve found these designs can be a bit hit or miss and it really depends a lot on your “size” to fill out the pouch. This category of underwear typically lets your balls hang lower in the pouch and as such will provide a better side profile. Due to the lower hanging pouch the look of your package from the front view may appear a different shape than you’re used to seeing, one that is thinner and longer. If you are of the proportions that can make these designs work you’ll enjoy a provocative and eye-catching profile.
Your Personal Results May Be Different
One of the interesting side-effects of large pouch-size underwear is that the pouch operates more like a “skin” for your anatomy rather than a lift and support garment so the visual results will be unique and more reflective of the wearer’s endowment than many other types of underwear. The size of your package is going to more clearly affect the shape of the pouch in these briefs as well as the proportion and natural resting location of your balls in comparison to your penis. Keep in mind that these pouches often work very well for guys that could use the extra room up front as they provide needed room but still offer support.
Unusual pouch shapes
Probably one of the more inconsistent factors of enhancement pouch underwear is how the shape of the pouch will end up looking. Since the cut of the pouch is more generous it’s not going to create a “packaging” effect for your entire profile and thus the length and shape of your member as well as the size and arrangement of your balls will strongly influence the look of the underwear. In some cases you may get a “golf club” look or a “bird beak” result from the underwear. Neither of these are a given since it’s very much the result of the individual wearer’s proportions but here are a couple of interesting examples where the extended pouch results in some slightly unusual profiles:
ENHANCEMENT POUCH UNDERWEAR: WHO THEY’RE FOR
You care more about shape than lift in your underwear, you want an extreme profile and look to your package and you like variety of style, fabric and color in your underwear cuts. You like to show-off your assets and want to be seen and noticed. You can pull off the extended pouch look with your endowment and can properly fill out the package shape.ENHANCEMENT POUCH UNDERWEAR MANUFACTURERS AND WHERE TO BUY
Obviously Underwearwww.obviously.com.au
Notes: Generally fits true-to-size / Micromodal Fabric
Gregg Homme
www.GreggHomme.ca
Notes: Fits true-to-size
CockSox
www.cocksox.com
Notes: Be sure to check sizing ranges / 92% supplex and 8% lycra
Ergowear
www.ErgoWear.com
Notes: Generally fits true-to-size
Undergear
www.Undergear.com
Andrew Christian
www.andrewchristian.com
N2N Bodywear
www.n2nbodywear.com
Notes: Generally fits true-to-size
Tulio Underwear
Notes: Generally can size up
Pulse Underwear
www.PulseUnderwear.com
Notes: Fits true to size
Joe Snyder
www.joesnyder.com
Notes: Fits true-to-size
PADDED UNDERWEAR
Padded underwear seems to be marketed and talked about a lot less frequently than other types of enhancing underwear. Perhaps there’s an extra “taboo” or implied sense of embarrassment in going that one step further to using padding to enhance your profile. I personally think guys should be happy to try out any kind of underwear and enjoy whatever level or type of enhancement they want to see. Padded underwear is less common compared to the other enhancement techniques with the premiere designer and manufacturer being Gregg Homme with their complete line of “Push-Up” padded underwear ranging from thongs to boxerbriefs. The Padding is achieved with an interior pocket where a foam shaped insert can be slipped in which provides extra contouring and shaping to your package making things seem bigger and more rounded. Because the padding is going to create a somewhat “smoothed” look to your anatomy it’s going to reveal itself as a form of enhancement more readily than some of the other options featured in this article. The upside to padded underwear is that it’s very comfortable and easy to wear for all-day activities. Other labels including Undergear and Go Softwear have sewn padding into the pouches of the underwear designs which makes going without the enhancement not an option.
PADDED UNDERWEAR: WHO THEY’RE FOR
You want all-day visual enhancement under clothes and won’t be seen wearing in your underwear by anyone who you don’t want to know you’re getting and extra boost. You want to have the look of a fuller package that is still supportive, shaping and suitable for a variety of activities.PADDED UNDERWEAR MANUFACTURERS AND WHERE TO BUY
Gregg Hommewww.GreggHomme.ca
Notes: Fits true to size
Undergear
www.Undergear.com
Go Softwear
www.GoSoftwear.com
Kiniki
www.kiniki.com
Prevail Sport
www.prevailsport.com
CONCLUSION
If there’s one thing that the process of researching and tracking down this exhaustive inventory taught me it’s that there are now a plethora of options for men who are looking for ways to enhance their profile. It’s amazing to see how many options their are on the market today compared to just 5 years ago. Slings, rings, straps, snaps, pockets, pouches and padding are all available in a variety of colors, fabrics and styles. Clearly men’s underwear is coming into its own as a fashion item and I can only imagine it getting more interesting and more fun down the road. I hope this guide has been interesting and perhaps useful for your underwear purchasing adventures and thanks for reading!www.mensunderwearguy.com/guide-enhancing-underwear.htm
