Underwear Guy Review: California Muscle Basilisk Thong
Designer/Manufacturer: California Muscle 
Website: www.californiamuscle.com
Price: $39.00

Continuing the thong reviews here is a high-end entry from California Muscle: The Pleather Basilisk Thong. As with most California Muscle underwear and swimwear this thong includes an enhancing feature in the form of what they term a “C Slider Ring” although you could also call it a noose as its form and function are similar. More on that later though, first off we have the material which is a synthetic blend of 80% Nylon and 20% lycra that is coated on the outside in Urethane to give a leather-like finish and feel while maintaining the stretch and wear of fabric. The material is also slightly padded to allow for the quilting affect which is a very nice design feature with stitching lines running diagonally down the front pouch accented with a section that is sueded rather than smooth and a white highlight stripe in light-metallic gray. The construction of this thong is really superb considering the complexity of the materials and design. All the seams were even and very straight which is no easy task considering the overall thickness of the material especially when it is folded over for the finished edges. There is no waistband on this thong just about a 1/4” of the material doubled over with the stretch of the pleather providing the fit. Speaking of fit this thong fits true-to-size with the mediums working well. As California Muscle states on their web site their underwear is cut a bit more on the snug side and this pleather material is meant to be body-hugging. Overall I think you can stick to your normal size range when ordering.

The thong back strap is about ½” at its thinnest width and is comfortable for every day wear. There is a wash and care tag attached to the interior back of the waist which isn’t going to win any design points as it’s just plain printed text on a fabric tag but it does the job of conveying the information. The front pouch of this thong is designed very nicely with plenty of room in an enhancing shape. The structured nature of the quilting makes this thong operate almost more like a codpiece but you’ll still find there is support and comfort. One of the other unique design features of the pouch is a functional zipper running down the center seam from about 1 ¼” from the top all the way down to the base. This zipper is somewhat tricky in that the interior facing isn’t especially smooth or enhanced with additional material to protect one’s self from the teeth so comfort takes a small hit due to the design. To reiterate, when zipped up the pouch is fine but be extra careful when unzipping! Returning to the Slider C Ring noted at the beginning of the review, this thong has an elastic loop about ¼” wide that is anchored at the front-top of the pouch on the inside with a small sliding toggle that can be adjusted for lift and comfort. I found the function and form to be good although the mechanics of maneuvering your package through the loop is a bit tricky. On the plus side the ring is entirely optional so if it doesn’t seem necessary to you, just don’t use it.

The Grades:

Fit:	A-	Thongs can be tricky to get a good fit but this California Muscle item proved very good in this category. I’m giving just a slight “-“ for the zipper which could have used some improved treatment to ensure maximum comfort on the interior of the pouch but it’s not a deal killer by any means.
Design:	A+	Major plus for this thong is the complex design with the unique quilting and markedly masculine look it’s a very cool concept. The Slider C Ring and the zipper are also fun additions to the design.
Material:	A	This particular pleather is really top-notch with a very realistic leather look but maintaining the comfort of fabric.
Construction:	A-	Given the complexity of the material elements I think California Muscle did an excellent job here. I am knocking the score just a bit because there were some loose threads here and there that should have been taken care of in production.
Overall Grade:	A	Although this is definitely not an inexpensive thong running at nearly $40 for a single pair, the unique materials and design combined with a good fit justifies the price.
Would I buy another pair? This is such a unique item that there really isn’t a need to buy more than one but maybe if there were other colors then yes, I’d be inclined to order another.

Where To Buy:
Although I was able to track down the Brief version of this underwear at a couple of places: ABCUnderwear.com: Product Page, Erogenos.com: Product Page, it looks like you’ll have to go straight to the source for the thong at CaliforniaMuscle.com: Product Page

Wear Recommendations:

All-day Wear	Loungewear	Athletic	Sleepwear	Office Wear	Special Occasion	Bedroom Wear