Quote from: Miniar on July 27, 2009, 07:04:43 AM
To solve that, I pulled the bottom edge up over the shirt itself and pinned up, making the binder lay double. Even more compression where I want it that way and no pressure on my abdomen.

I tried that but couldn't do it.  A friend eventually made some modifications to it so I could eat and otherwise function like a normal person.

The big brother binder program is more simple than they make it out to be - I got a t-kingdom binder from them and all I did was send off a simple email explaining that I didn't have much money and was just beginning my transition and they were fine with that. He was really nice and ended up putting 5 dollars in with the binder to apologise for it taking longer than he said it would. Only by a few days too I was really surprised, he could have taken as long as he wanted - he was the one doing me a big favour.

Quote from: Mister on July 27, 2009, 11:00:11 AM
I tried that but couldn't do it.  A friend eventually made some modifications to it so I could eat and otherwise function like a normal person.

Sounds to me as if you needed a larger size.  I have to admire you for being able to get it on in the first place if it was that tight! 

Also, Underworks redesigned some of its binders about 6 months ago, so that could be one reason that some people have had problems with them, while others haven't.  That, and of course, everybody is shaped differently.  After trying about half-a-dozen different binders, the Underworks double-front compression is definitely the one for me.  YMMV.

Does anyone know whether 998 or the cotton concealers (978, 974) provides better compression?  The cotton concealers have a layer of nylon spandex and a layer of cotton, whereas 998 has a layer of nylon spandex and a layer of something called powernet.  The website says 998 has "extra compression," whereas the cotton concealers have "extreme compression."  Makes it kind of hard to distinguish between how much compression they provide...

I think they have a few charts to help compare binders and assist the buyer in choosing one that works best.  At least, I thought I saw one.  It shows varying comfort and binding levels among other things.

I've not tried the regular cotton concealer, but my experience was that the ones I've tried with "power net" (tri-top and double front) work very well, while the one I tried with nylon spandex (the muscle shirt) didn't.

Quote from: Jamie-o on July 29, 2009, 08:08:23 PM
I've not tried the regular cotton concealer, but my experience was that the ones I've tried with "power net" (tri-top and double front) work very well, while the one I tried with nylon spandex (the muscle shirt) didn't.

I liked the cotton concealer because of my allergies to synthetic fabrics. The concealer has a 90% cotton shell; I would turn the binder inside out and wear it that way.

When I first starting binding regularly (about six weeks on T), I still had to wear an A-shirt underneath the binder because that 10% spandex drove my skin nuts. A few more weeks on T, and my skin was sufficiently tough for me to do without the wifebeater.

I was hoping that the eczema problem would go away entirely, but alas, no. I've got a roaring outbreak at the moment. Must be stress. Or the weather.

Anyway, the cotton concealer is comfy, but it's not as effective as some of the other binders. I usually wore two.

I own two styles of underworks binders, and one t-kingdom binder. To give a little background I am a very large chested guy (F) with hips. I have an underworks 997, and a tri top and the full length T kingdom binder. All of them have their plus sides and flaws, some have more flaws, some have more pluses...

I have tried the cotton concealer and other underworks binders only to return them. In all honesty, if you are looking to really flatten yourself out you want the 997 or the tri-top.

Since I have hips I like the 997. It compresses my chest fairly well, the fit is pretty darn comfortable even though it rolls up.

The tri-top is good since it does more compression, but since I'm large there's a point where compression comes to near suffocation. The tri-top binds too much for me, and the fit is weird. In the front there's a big gap between my skin and the binder. In the back it rolls up at my waist. It digs in a bit in the arm pit.

The long T-kingdom binder I have is pretty comfortable with velcro on the side. The fit doesn't work for me at all. I'm a short but chunky guy so it could just be for me. The straps are too long and put the binding material too long. The binding material doesn't cover enough for me. It doesn't bind anywhere near good. I think a frog bra would do better. Also, the seams on mine ripped and dig in a bit much.

For those asking about big brother's binders:
If you identify as a guy you can get a binder. It's a matter of who (in theory) would need it the most.

Quote from: Nygeel on August 03, 2009, 01:22:35 AM
In the front there's a big gap between my skin and the binder. In the back it rolls up at my waist. It digs in a bit in the arm pit.

These are exactly the same gripes I have with the Tri-top, which is why mine gets very little use.  However, it does do a better job of keeping the extra flesh from spilling out the armpits.

I've been reading alot of what you guys have been saying, over various binding threads. I've tried to no ends wits to bind, no vail with bandages (by the looks of things, that was a good thing then, despite how annoyed I was that I couldn't pull that off.) to tight tops and sports bra's. I'm currently using a sports crop/bra to try and flatten everything out as much as I can, wich I wash the reglally to get them to 'spring back' and tighten for a firmer/flatter finish.

However I've always wanted binding, as soon as I started to develop the doombags, even as they were starting to develop, I tried everything I could to 'Push them back into my body' without avail (Of course they didn't travel south instead either -Sigh- oh well. LoL). I was told by a few family members that this was bad during development, mainly, if I wanted a smaller chest in comparison trying to compress them would make them develop more, as a rebelion, kinda like bonsai *bad example* but without the trimming...Ok. Really bad example, I can't think of a better one, but I hope you get what I mean. Anyway, I'm curious if that is possibly true or not. Or it is just (for us) bad luck and mainly hereditary.

*Main point* I'm (33") 12-14C, 5'2" 50-60kg (Last time I weighed) and looking into the (after compairing) getting a T-Kingdom 1300, or the 1700. Hopefully, I've judged right and that would *seem* to be the right one for me (only one way to really found out though, I suspose) But also thinking of the Double Compressor from underworks. I might end up getting both and taking them for a test spin. (Eventually both, have to get the one frist at least LoL.)

I've not noticed anything like it in the other threads, but I was wondering how tight a compressor actually feels, as I can see how they look. But I'm curious how to one feels, if it can be described.


Thanks.

- Laf

A T-kingdom binder is pretty much only good for thin, small chested people. Here are some comparison pictures:
IMAGES REMOVED
Underworks 997 (very old, and worn)

The T-kingdom binders aren't worth the money.

As for how it feels: the t-kingdom ones feel like a neoprine waist trimmer or one big elastic band around your chest that slips around and isn't quite long enough.

The underworks ones roll up, and in general feel like you're wearing a tight piece of clothing.

I'm curious as to what thin and small chested means?
They don't exactly give any information regarding exact cup size vs. binding capacity, which would be a very good thing, I imagine...  I am probably a small B.  Lost some size with weight.  But I'm not sure what "thin" even means.  It's probably pretty individual.

Maybe small framed is the better phrasing? A B cup might be okay, but it really won't bind very well.

Really?  I can look pretty flat-chested with the proper shirt.  Perhaps it is the binder itself rather than whether it comes from T-Kingdom or Underworks?  I'm contemplating buying a binder from each, now.

Nah. The fabrics are completely different and the cuts are nowhere near the same. T-kingdom material just doesn't have the binding power and feels like an elastic band around my chest.

I also bought it a size too small (which was an XL) and it didn't do much. Seams split:

More pics?
IMAGES REMOVED

Here are some comparison pics I've taken in the past:

Before reference:


Underworks Double Front Compression


UW Muscle Shirt


UW Tri-top (with underarmor underneath)


T-Kingdom 1700

That Underworks binder sure is flattering on you, Jamie-o.  Does a great job.

I will try one of each, see which works best for me.  Seeing as some say "T-Kingdom is much better" and others say quite the opposite - I need to figure out for myself.

But all these comparisons are fantastic.
We should get a reference that shows comparisons for differently framed guys, with different binders.  That could be extremely helpful for just about anyone who wants to buy a binder.

However, what is the comfort of the double front compression shirt?

Quote from: Adrian on August 04, 2009, 07:40:16 PMHowever, what is the comfort of the double front compression shirt?

I find mine really comfortable, the only time its really uncomfortable is when it rolls up.

Double front is fairly comfortable. I let mine roll up at the hip since I know it's not worth stressing over. If you have a smaller bum, and less hips it won't roll as much.

So you could roll it up so it wasn't pressing against your stomach?  I don't know how I feel about that.