# Jock straps **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 4, 2003, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jock-straps/216924 "2003-12-04T13:01:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lauramarlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a5b964/32.png) [@lauramarlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lauramarlane)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jock-straps/216924/1 "2003-12-04T13:01:36Z")
A recent thread (and the results it achieved) has inspired me! **Spogga** had a question about [thongs](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=226093&perpage=50&pagenumber=1) that resulted in him getting a deluge (well, a couple, anyway) of pictures of female dopers sporting the little things. I have to confess I’ve always wondered about jock straps–how comfortable are they? Do they feel sexy on–because they sure look sexy to me! Perhaps it’s all those frustrated, dateless adolescent years when I would daydream about the boys locker room all clouded in steam from the showers, and boys walking around in nothing but towels, or jock straps, or nothing at all… Anyway, tell me, guys, what’s it really feel like? Visual aids are always appreciated 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jock-straps/216924/2 "2003-12-04T13:21:04Z")
It certainly feels better than flopping around when you’re playing tennis or participating in some other activity. Pictures available upon request. ---
**Author:** ![lauramarlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a5b964/32.png) [@lauramarlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lauramarlane)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jock-straps/216924/3 "2003-12-04T13:31:51Z")
I guess I can relate to that–in a way. I certainly wouldn’t ever work out without a good, sturdy sports bra. But I have known some guys who just…um…powder the biscuits (so to speak) before any light activity and say that’s just fine, too. Are jocks more for protection than comfort? ---
**Author:** ![spogga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ab097/32.png) [@spogga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spogga)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jock-straps/216924/4 "2003-12-04T13:33:26Z")
Unfortunately \*\* lauramarlane \*\* I have never been able to wear jock straps, it appears that they do not cater for the ::ahem:: \* extremely \* well endowed male. I generally use a piece of string and just tie the bugger to my leg. ---
**Author:** ![lauramarlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a5b964/32.png) [@lauramarlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lauramarlane)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jock-straps/216924/5 "2003-12-04T13:34:22Z")
Well, I definitely want a picture of that! ---
**Author:** ![spogga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ab097/32.png) [@spogga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spogga)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jock-straps/216924/6 "2003-12-04T13:36:03Z")
…and BTW you do me an injustice, it was more than a mere couple. psst, anyone wanna buy any pics ---
**Author:** ![spogga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ab097/32.png) [@spogga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spogga)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jock-straps/216924/7 "2003-12-04T13:37:56Z")
You wanna pic of a piece of STRING? Takes all sorts I s’pose. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![lauramarlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a5b964/32.png) [@lauramarlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lauramarlane)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jock-straps/216924/8 "2003-12-04T13:40:30Z")
And here I assumed that jock straps would be made to accomodate all sizes! I’ve learned something new. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jock-straps/216924/9 "2003-12-04T14:06:51Z")
I hate jock straps. I don’t feel like I need support, I hate the way the straps feel, and I hate the binding. And they can make things worse. In college they insisted I wear one, and shortly thereafter I got a viscious fungal infection. It wasn’t from a dirty jockstrap, but I think wearing the damned thing changed by body’s climatic balance down there, or something. It was a bitch to get rid of, too. Haven’t had a recurrence since I lost the jock. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jock-straps/216924/10 "2003-12-04T14:08:25Z")
I find jock straps to be very uncomfortable. When I play sports, I usually wear compression shorts, or “sliding shorts”. They keep the boys in place, as well as support your hamstrings. In the case of the sliding shorts, they’re padded a bit from the sides of the ass to the upper thigh (the part that usually hits the ground hardest, sliding into second). Both hold an athletic cup in place as well as any jock strap. ---
**Author:** ![lauramarlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a5b964/32.png) [@lauramarlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lauramarlane)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jock-straps/216924/11 "2003-12-04T14:13:37Z")
I always thought athletic cup and jock strap were synonymous. What’s the difference? ---
**Author:** ![krisolov](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/krisolov/32/3724_2.png) [@krisolov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krisolov)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jock-straps/216924/12 "2003-12-04T14:18:20Z")
the cup goes inside the pouch in the front of the jockstrap. I only wore one when I HAD to wear a cup (football, karate). I think they’re damned uncomfortable and got by just fine wearing the tighty whiteys otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jock-straps/216924/13 "2003-12-04T14:19:25Z")
A cup is a piece of hard plastic shaped sort of a like a triangle with rounded corners. It fits inside the jock and protects your equipment in contact sports. Jocks can be worn by themselves to reduce the aforementioned flopping around, as can compression shorts. ---
**Author:** ![lauramarlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a5b964/32.png) [@lauramarlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lauramarlane)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jock-straps/216924/14 "2003-12-04T14:27:51Z")
Hard plastic?! Around your delicate areas?! That sounds uncomfortable–if not painful. But I guess if you’re into contact sports, going commando is not an option. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jock-straps/216924/15 "2003-12-04T15:00:49Z")
Far FAR less painful than taking a direct hit at high speed. Jock = container Cup = shield ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jock-straps/216924/16 "2003-12-04T15:15:26Z")
[This is a cup.](http://www.fitbuy.com/pd/cn1411.html) [He probably wasn’t wearing a cup.](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/world/2002/world_cup/news/2002/06/14/us_mexico_history/t1_lalas_vert_all.jpg) [This guy’s taking it too far.](http://members.cox.net/~shoehorn/euro/images/london_codpiece.jpg) As Jonathan Chance mentioned, it’s mildly uncomfortable at first (especially if it shifts on you as you’re running), but you soon get used to it and it’s better than taking a line drive or foot to the twig and berries. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jock-straps/216924/17 "2003-12-04T15:25:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by plnnr \* > \*\* Pictures available upon request. \*\* :::raises hand::: I hadn’t worn one in years until Halloween. I bought one to wear under the singlet I wore for my wrestler costume. Oddly, I started that night with one jock strap and ended the night with two, but that’s a story for another thread. I didn’t find it particularly comfortable or uncomfortable that night and have worn it a couple of times since, but don’t think I would wear one for my regular exercise routine. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jock-straps/216924/18 "2003-12-04T15:36:15Z")
I wore a jock in high school. It was uncomfortable, because the fabric was kinda rough. Plus the two straps in the backside were just weird. It was like some kind of freaky lingerie for men rather than real underwear. I wasn’t sorry to see it go. I have also worn a G-string when i did some figure modelling a few years ago (quite a few, actually ;\> ). I found it more comfortable than the jockstrap, but then I didn’t engage in vigorous activity while wearing it. ---
**Author:** ![Lockz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Lockz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lockz)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jock-straps/216924/19 "2003-12-04T15:48:06Z")
It’s been about fifteen years since I’ve worn a tradtitional jock, but I have experience with a larger kind. I played goalie in ice hockey for about ten years, and that requires its own jock. It wasn’t that uncomfortable, even though it’s about twice the size of a normal one. You just have to get used to it, and be thankful it’s there. Of course, I wore it over my underwear, and it seems like people here are using them AS underwear for some reason. Whatever works. ---
**Author:** ![lauramarlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a5b964/32.png) [@lauramarlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lauramarlane)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jock-straps/216924/20 "2003-12-04T16:05:21Z")
**Otto** , please do tell how you ended up with two! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jock-straps/216924.md?page=2)