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Underwear Guy Review: Calvin Klein Steel Thong
Designer/Manufacturer: Calvin Klein Underwear
Website: www.cku.com
Price: $16.00

Calvin Klein has always offered at least one thong cut in their men's underwear ranges and for the longest time the main go-to for a CK thong was the Body line thong. I don't know for sure but it looks like as part of the 2008 Body line refresh that's currently going on, the original thong has been elminated as an option so now we're down to just the cotton Steel line for purchasing CK thongs. The Steel line was introduced in late 2007 and is one of CK's flagship men's underwear lines with its signature metallic waistband and 2 complete fabric lineups available in a variety of cuts. The Steel cotton line is available in the prerequisite white and black as well as some fashion colors like gray-blue and green. Unfortunately I have yet to see the thong offered in anything but basic black, white and gray. The Steel cotton blend is 93% cotton and 7% spandex and is very high-quality with a very soft surface that becomes exceptionally touchable after a few wash/wear cycles. The material is medium-weight and allows for a medium level of stretch. The Steel line runs true to size with the medium of the thong cut working effectively for the stated 32"-34" waist range. The signature metallic waistband measures a substantial 1 3/4" tall and is a very soft and smooth microfiber with a good level of stretch for comfort except for the fact that CK did an unusual thing with the waistband and ran restrictive stitching all the way around the base of the elastic. The stitching has the unfortunate effect of tightening the waistband and preventing as much stretch and flexibility as it should have. I'm not sure why the stitching was done since it's not necessary from a construction standpoint but you'll find that after some regular wearing the stitching relaxes a bit and becomes less of an issue. On the outside of the waistband you'll see the over-sized Calvin Klein logo text is woven in contrast white centered in front. On the interior-back of the waistband you'll note that CK went without a tag and instead employed a printed logo with wash/care information. In general I prefer printed information like this (or at least a smaller fabric-based tag) for a thong as this method really works well so I'm pleased with this design decision.

The strap in back is 2 1/4" across at the join to the waistband and then tapers down to 1/2" for the main part of the strap. It's a little hard to tell but I'm pretty sure the edges of the pouch (and the strap) are covered elastic which helps provide reinforcement and of course keeps everything in place. The front pouch is double-layer material which is nice for a thong cut. The shape and structure of the pouch is very good with a nice balance between support, lift and shaping while not being restrictive or tight. If there's any slight downside in the fit engineering it would be that the strap length is just a bit too long which can allow for some "gapping" on the sides of the pouch but of course this is also going to vary depending on the individual and for the most part it's not too big an issue.

The Grades:

Fit:	A-	As thongs go I would rate this as one of the top picks for pouch engineering and overall fit. The waistband is comfortable and the back strap is nicely designed to not be an irritation point. As mentioned in the review just a slight concern about the length of the strap which allows for a little more looseness on the edges of the pouch than I'd like but otherwise a solid entry in the premium men's thong market.	Pouch Fit
Design:	A-	The Steel waistband is a strong visual element that helps to carry the overall look of this thong since there's not much else in terms of design. For a thong, the extra-wide waistband works very nicely to prevent too much "show" in back. The only thing that's a little disappointing is the lack of any color options given the rest of the Steel line's variety but it's not surprising since CK seems to be color adverse for their thongs.
Material:	A+	I'm a big fan of the Steel cotton blend as it has a very nice high-end feel that is durable and actually gets better after each wash.
Construction:	A+	Calvin Klein seems to always hit the high marks for construction and this thong is not exception with very clean seams, good stitching all-around and very refined edges on the fabric.
Overall Grade:	A	This thong makes it to the top of my list as wearable underwear. You'll find the cut and design works well for a broad variety of activities and the construction and quality lends a high level of durability.
Would I buy another pair? Yes, this is one of the few thong styles that I can endorse for all-day wear as well as athletic and even office wear thanks to the masculine and eye-catching Steel waistband.

Wear Recommendations:

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

Where To Buy:

This is one of the few men's thongs you'll find in regular department stores such as Nordstrom and Macy's. There are many online options as well including: InternationalJock.com: Product Page, Macys.com: Product Page, FreshPair.com: Product Page, HisRoom.com: Product Page, Skiviez.com: Product Page, MensUnderwearStore.com: Product Page, FigLeaves.com: Product Page, Dillards.com: Product Page, Audace.com: Product Page, IWantPants.com: Product Page, and of course direct from CK at CKU.com: Product Page.

Personality Rating

Sheer

Cut/Style

Fabric Stretch Rating

Stretch

Photos:

Search Category Codes

CKREVIEW001, THONG001, A001, REGULAR001

Excerpt

Underwear Guy Review: Calvin Klein Steel Thong Designer/Manufacturer: Calvin Klein Underwear Website: www.cku.com Price: $16.00 Calvin Klein has always offered at least one thong cut in their men's underwear ranges and for the longest time the main go-to for a CK thong was the Body line thong. I don't know for sure but it looks like as part of the 2008 Body line refresh that's currently going on, the original thong has been elminated as an option so now we're down to just the cotton Steel line for purchasing CK thongs. The Steel line was introduced in late 2007 and is one of CK's flagship men's underwear lines with its signature metallic waistband and 2 complete fabric lineups available in a variety of cuts. The Steel cotton line is available in the prerequisite white and black as well as some fashion colors like gray-blue and green. Unfortunately I have yet to see the thong offered in anything but basic black, white and gray...(Click the "More" link below for the rest of the review)

The Grades Snapshot Fit Design Material Construction Overall Grade A- A- A+ A+ A

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