New guy here, with a question about compression shirts

[maineguy79]

Hi all,

I'm contemplating buying a compression shirt, in order to help make my chest look flatter. The products from Underworks seem to be popular, so I checked out their site, and these products look like they might be what I'm looking for:

http://www.underworks.com/996.html

http://www.underworks.com/988.html

http://www.underworks.com/998.html

Questions:

1. What size should I get? I measured by chest and it appears to be about 42-43 inches. Should I get the large, which is recommended for 40"-44" chests, or should I get a size smaller?

2. If you are familiar with the above products, which one is your favorite? Which one does the best job of flattening the chest?

3. Do these shirts get hot? I sweat easily, especially when it's humid... are any of these going to make me drenched in sweat?

4. How comfortable (or uncomfortable) are these shirts, or other similar compression shirts? Am I going to be squeezed so tight that I can't breathe?

5. If you're not familiar with the ones above, do you have one that you recommend? I can't afford to spend more than $40 at this time.


Thanks! 

[maineguy79]

What about something like this?

http://www.underarmour.com/shop/us/en/mens/apparel/tops/heatgear/pid1201165-Men-s-HeatGear-Sleeveless-T/1201165-600

Would this offer enough compression to flatten my chest?

[headheldhigh01]

they're meant to be somewhat flexible by design, so it'll just depend on how big your case is vs what size you get.  you might be able to find some somewhere you can try on directly instead of ordering online.  it looks like the second is especially designed for the sweat issue you mentioned, they promote the breathability and odor resistance aspects, though the first one is artificial fiber too and therefore probably somewhat hydrophobic too.  just keep it to that and the shirt if it's possible. 

[maineguy79]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions, guys!

I was looking at the 973 and the description does make it sound like it might be more comfortable than the others. It mentions that it's a cotton-spandex blend, which sounds great in theory (who doesn't love cotton?)... but I wonder if it would eventually get stretched out after a few wearings and washings. That's my biggest concern; I don't want to spend $30-$40 on one of these things, only to have it become useless after a couple of months. My budget is extremely small, and I'm lucky if I have $20 left over after I've paid all my bills and bought groceries.    So, if I buy something like this, I just want to be sure that it will last a while.

[Grandpa Bambu]

I wonder if it would eventually get stretched out after a few wearings and washings. That's my biggest concern; I don't want to spend $30-$40 on one of these things, only to have it become useless after a couple of months.

Yeah, I've read that they loose their compression effectiveness rather quickly. 

GB...

[maineguy79]

Yeah, I've read that they loose their compression effectiveness rather quickly. 

Does that apply to all compression shirts, or just the ones that are cotton blends?

[Grandpa Bambu]

Ah dude, I don't know about that my man...

The posts that were made about loss of compression were very general. No mention of type of materials... at least not that I can recal...  Sorry dude...

The Underworks compression shirts are two layer... top layer (shell) is 90% Cotton / 10% Spandex and the (lining) inner layer is 80% Nylon / 20 Spandex

GB...

[Grandpa Bambu]

I've got an Underworks 974 Medium that I only put on once (for 2 minutes) to see how they fit and what sort of compression they give...

If you want it to try out... you can have it dude... Just wire some cash for shipping and I'll send it out to you.

PM me with your snail mail addy if you are interested... 

GB...

[maineguy79]

What did you think of it? I'm guessing you weren't a big fan, since you never wore it again. 

[Grandpa Bambu]

Yeah, I've read that they loose their compression effectiveness rather quickly. 

Does that apply to all compression shirts, or just the ones that are cotton blends?

Ah dude, I don't know about that my man...

The posts that were made about loss of compression were very general. No mention of type of materials... at least not that I can recal...  Sorry dude...

The Underworks compression shirts are two layer... top layer (shell) is 90% Cotton / 10% Spandex and the lining is 80% Nylon / 20 Spandex

GB...

[Grandpa Bambu]

What did you think of it? I'm guessing you weren't a big fan, since you never wore it again.  

Naw dude... I bought it after my surgery just to see what the shirts were like... Just to satisfy my own curiosity...

It felt great... very snug!  Not easy to get on tho let me tell you! Not good for post-op compression care.

GB...

[moobydo]

for those thinking of getting underworks, try the coupon code UNDER10 for 10% off.

[throughmyeyes]

the one i was given by the surgeon is this big darn off wrap with the most annoying and itchy velcro stitching going all the way through the middle.
i hate it.
ahhaa

[maineguy79]

I found the Under Armour shirt on sale for $10, so I grabbed one. So far, so good... it's very tight, but comfortable. (I got the Medium, even though the sizing chart suggested a Large.) It doesn't flatten my chest, but it does make it a bit less noticeable and stops the jiggling/bouncing. The material is definitely breathable and has not made me feel hot or sweaty. And I haven't had any problems with it yanking on my chest hair, as another forum member experienced. Not bad for 10 bucks.  I just hope it doesn't become stretched out and useless after a few uses.

[Grandpa Bambu]

Glad to hear that you found something that you're happy with and that fits your budget... 

GB...