Binding and Packing

[LittleBoyBear]

Good morning.
So, a little background...
I just acknowledged to myself (and starting to with others) that I'm trans. (Keep saying it, its not a dirty word!)
I have lived as a "tomboy", "butch" "masculine woman" "queer" for years. I mean, I didn't know what the word queer meant till about three years ago, but when I discovered it, I was like "Oh, thats me!"
I just saw the Gender Therapist yesterday for the first time. I hope she can help me get started moving forward with top surgery and possibly HRT.
Okay, moving on...
I bought my first strap-on ages ago, when I thought I was "Just a lesbian". About 5-6 years ago, I discovered soft packs. OMG, what a game-changer. I ordered it and started wearing it from time to time. I have worn guy's underwear for ages, so I didn't have a problem with it fitting, etc. I wear it more often now, but still not on a daily basis. My only problem with it is that, when you have to pull your briefs down to pee, you have to be really careful about it falling on the floor. To try and curb that, I got a jock strap and put the pack in the space the cup is supposed to go into. Problem there is that it holds the penis straight up. I've been with a handful of guys and their junk never sits that way. When I just wear it in my briefs, I dress it to the left. I have been thinking of cutting a hole in the jock strap pouch to get it to sit more naturally, but I also heard about harnesses you can get. I can't for the life of me remember the website I got it on, nor the brand name, etc.
I am sure I am not the only one who's had this issue. Any solutions out there?
I have to say, I really LOVE packing. I know its not for everybody. But it's FOR ME. I feel 100% different when I do it.
Moving on, again...
Binding. UGH. Okay, I am 5'2 135# and I have C cups. They are so irritatingly large, and I CAN'T STAND THEM ANYMORE. Furthermore, I used to be severely overweight, so they stretched out and now they hang so my nipples point straight down. They are just the worst thing about my body. I have worked hard to get in good shape and I want to wear tighter clothes and show my body off, but then there's these THINGS on my chest. UGH. So, I bought a binder and it kinda sucks. Bewbs still very much noticable and with zero support, like the worst sports bra, ever. I reached out here just the other day and several people made suggestions. Tuesday I ordered a TriTop and I can't wait till it gets here!!! Thanks guys!

So, the point..
Do you bind? Do you pack? Which do you do daily? Which do you prefer? Do you have any tips or secrets about getting either to be more comfortable? Just trying to start more of a insights thread than asking for advice. I'm really curious to see what others prefer, and what methods they're using.

Looking forward to everyone's thoughts!
-Bear

[LittleBoyBear]

Read 18 times and no responses
Did I do something wrong...?

[captains]

Nah, man. Probably just seen by 18 women. I'm new-ish around here, but it seems like a lot of the guys hang out on the FTM sub board. Not me, though. I like the Transgender Talk area.

I'm kind of like you, tbh! New to all this, just started identifying this way. Like you, I actually bought my first packer waaaay before I started to call myself trans. I was just sorta ... into it, idk. I liked the way it made me look, the way it made me feel. These days I bind and pack on occasion, but as I'm not out to the people around me, it kind of freaks me out. So like, if I'm gonna have an Official Dude Day (usually when I'm in a different part of town), I'll do both. Sometimes, I'll just bind. The packing feels more natural to me, but I also feel like if I don't have a packer, I've got plausible deniability re: my gender if someone asks. Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm the worst. Time to come out.

I love the Tri Top. I just got it. Usually, I'll do the double sports bra thing, which is comfortable, but definitely not like "passing as male flat." As for the jock, I bought one from American Jock and I think it holds my dick pretty naturally? It's got a little scoop, haha. I'll come back and link you when I can.

[Foxglove]

Hi, LittleBoyBear!  I'd seriously advise you to post a question like this on the FTM Transsexual forum.  I think it will get a lot more attention there.  I've found your story very interesting, but sorry, I can't help you myself.

Live long and prosper!
Foxglove

[LittleBoyBear]

Okay and thanks.
I had avoided the FTM place since it specifies "for people undergoing medical transition". Since I haven't done anything medical yet, I wasn't sure that was the place to go and have just stuck with "Transgender talk", since thats really all I've been doing. I'm really lost on here as far as what boards to go to, etc

[jamesdoran]

We won't chase you away just because you haven't started medically transitioning! Come on over!

[LittleBoyBear]

We won't chase you away just because you haven't started medically transitioning! Come on over!

ok

[NathanielM]

I bind everyday. Although I do take it of or change it for a looser one when I'm home alone, sometimes when I'm at home with my family (generally covered in one of my brother's sweaters). I totally get your frustration with those things, I used to wear DD bra's Now binding intensively for over a year , it's a little bit easier because they've sort of deflated somewhat. But it's still frustrating, even with the binder layering is necessary to not make it obvious. I can't wait until summer, when I should have surgery

I pack about half the time. I have an stp which I love, because it makes me feeler safer in the restroom. Kinda think it's funny when I walk in and a guy looks a bit strange at me because I don't always pass and then I go straight for the urinal. It's like 'HA', I'm totally a dude :p I don't pack all the time because 1) I sometimes wear pretty alternative pants and when I pack with them it's so obvious. 2) I forget :p

[LittleBoyBear]

Well, the roommate I'm not out to (complicated poly situation) took my stuff out of the dryer, so she saw my jock strap.
Awkward....

[LittleBoyBear]

Ooh, in better news, my TriTop shipped!!!!! 

[Mitchell the Deathbell]

I haven't done anything with packing as of yet, but I have been binding for quite a while now, Maybe over a year or so.
I wear two, just because one wasn't enough to strap down my chesticles completely. Heck, two still isn't really enough,
but I don't want to wear three binders everyday, now do I?

And hooray, I hope your new binder suits you better!

[2fish]

Hello

To answer your questions:

Binding: Yes! I use a tri-top. I have 2. One got stretched out and I use that one when I'm home. And the tighter one when I go out. Make sure to hand wash them and I personally dry them in the dryer, but that's me. My first one got stretched out more from washer & dryer. Now I just hand wash and use the dryer. Wash Your Binder! Very important! So if you can have at least 2 of them.

Packing: Yes, but only with an STP. I use the gogirl. I got it off of amazon for like $10 and it's the green one. i "pack" with it. If you keep it in your undies it folds upward causing a small yet noticeable bulge. I use it all day and have even fallen asleep with it and don't even feel  it. It's good cause it's easy to clean and comfortable to wear. I live at home and don't like to "leave it around" since I'm not out. It works really well and I don't have to drop my pants or undies to go pee. If you use the stall anyways you can easily rinse it in the sink or carry one of those mini packs of wet wipes in your pocket so you can clean it. I've even used regular toilet paper to clean it and it worked perfectly without a problem.

[makipu]

Hi,
I bind everyday upon waking up and until I go to sleep. I feel like I have to get rid of the extras on my chest first to gain something extra on the bottom so no packing for me.

[aleon515]

Okay and thanks.
I had avoided the FTM place since it specifies "for people undergoing medical transition". Since I haven't done anything medical yet, I wasn't sure that was the place to go and have just stuck with "Transgender talk", since thats really all I've been doing. I'm really lost on here as far as what boards to go to, etc

I definitely won't chase you away. I hate anythign that smacks of "trans enough talk" (and others do too). I think the guidelines are a little old fashioned tbh.

I like packing with a jock strap. Easiest (and relatively cheap).


--Jay

[Pim]

At the moment, I'm doing both, but that doesn't happen too often as I'm also in the early stages of being out.  I pack most of the time when I'm at home and occasionally when I'm just nipping out for something.  So far I've only been out binding once - I live in the same building as the uncle of friends of mine, so wasn't too keen on coming across him in the stair!  I'm now out to the friends though (and they were lovely!) so not so worried about that now.

Sometimes I pack loose in underwear, but I also use a harness made of the elastic of boxer briefs and a bit of the fly bit and a cock ring.  It's fairly comfortable and means you don't have to worry about it falling out!

[LittleBoyBear]

Morning everybody. As for what boards to post on, I didn't really look at guidelines because I'm impatient. I looked at the new posts, what people were posting and where, and looked at the general description of both. I figured this was "trans talk", since its not about surgery, etc. But, I do understand that both MTF and FTM will end up seeing posts here. So, can anybody clarify the big difference in the two boards? In general, I've been trying to look for the right place to put questions, etc, but the site is a bit overwhelming!
-Bear
Back to the original subject: I pack MORE than I bind, since I have a really full chest and, like I said before, my binder just isn't up to the job. Can't wait for my TriTop! I got my pack years ago, though, and have packed on occasions where I want to feel "like a boy" even without binding, just to feel it. So, I have packed way more. I wonder what that says about me?

[NathanielM]

I think the FTM board is for when you think your question is more specific to ftm people. Like I guess binding and packing is. That way if you have a question it's more likely to get answered by someone who knows about it. Same for mtf boards. And trans talk is more about topics less specific to either ftm or mtf like coming out, dealing with discrimination, telling partners... because then everyone can add something. It's not straight lines though, more what you feel I think.

[LittleBoyBear]

Got my TriTop today and boy, is it hard to breathe! Which is good, cause the other one was way too comfortable. How long do you usually wear it when starting out? How do I attach the picture here?

[MacG]

You've got to post the pic somewhere else first, at an image hosting type site. Then you grab the URL and put it between image tags.

I bind everyday with an underworks 997. I pack more and more. I'm going to have to get real packet since socks aren't the best haha!

If you have trouble breathing, your binder is probably too small. It should be snug, but not cause ANY breathing issues. I started binding just a few hours a day, and now bind all day, but usually take off the binder at home in the evening.

[2fish]

Got my TriTop today and boy, is it hard to breathe! Which is good, cause the other one was way too comfortable. How long do you usually wear it when starting out? How do I attach the picture here?

Its really tight at first but you'll get the hang of it.

Start off wearing it at home for an hour and build up slowly each day.
When you can wear it at home without taking it off for 8 hours then it's safe to wear it out.