JOCKSTRAP
The Jockstrap (also written as jock strap or jock) is the heart and soul of our company and our love for this style of underwear is why we starting Jockstrap Central in the first place. In case you're new to the jockstrap world, here’s a bit of history about the jock:
There's a few variations and depending on who you ask, there’s a debate between who invented the jockstrap. The first being Parvo Nakacheker of Finland. This gentleman, apparently an athlete from Finland, claims to have done much of the pioneer work in developing the original athletic supporter and "devoted much time to the study of pure anatomy and the special demands of such an item." The second and most popular and seemingly most likely jockstrap creator was the BIKE Web Company; who in 1874 invented the athletic supporter, quickly becoming known as the" BIKE Jockey Strap." due to the fact that it was designed originally to support and protect the genitals of the bicycle jockeys who rode the cobbled streets of Boston at that time. Over the years it has come to be known more commonly as the jockstrap.
Shortly after, a company called Martin Inc. created their version of the jockstrap under the Flarico brand in the late 1800s. Both Bike and Flarico are still making jockstraps today and to many, they are still the best out there. Both offer regular or 3 inch wide waistband versions and swimmer or one inch wide waistband versions of their jockstraps with woven moisture wicking fabric pouches making them excellent for sports and athletic activities.
Back in the day, jockstraps were solely used for support and athletics but in recent years they have joined the ranks of briefs, boxers, boxer-briefs, thongs and g-strings and have become a valid style of everyday underwear - many guys favoring them as they keep everything in place and unlike boxer-briefs, jockstraps don’t ride up or give you a wedgie. These fashion jockstraps were first made of cotton but now are being made from all the modern microfibers designed with comfort and fit in mind.
Part of the popularity today can be also attributed to the gay community, with the jockstrap being an obvious and convenient style of underwear to wear during gay sex. The masculine connotations of a jockstrap has also garnered it status linking it to sports, athletic activities and locker rooms.
Today, following in the footsteps of the whole underwear industry, jockstrap design and creativity has exploded giving us hundreds of styles using the best technology for better comfort and support using phenomenal fabrics and even taking elements of the jockstrap, whether it’s the pouch or the supportive leg straps and melding them with traditional underwear styles creating new wild and wacky designs like the trendy jock-brief or including gizmo's and gadgets to increase or enhance your bulge.
Here at Jockstrap Central, we not only love the classic styles but also think the new hybrid jockstraps are also pretty brilliant. With so many styles and designs to choose from, it's easy to be overwhelmed but we've done our best to organize these jockstrap styles into basic categories (although some of the newer more creative jockstraps are very hard to categorize and some defy categorization). Take your time and browse our categories to fully appreciate the diversity of the jockstrap today. Either use the menu on the left of any Jockstrap Central page, or use these handy links below to explore all the jockstraps we offer: