+

[shattered-vase]

Thanks for all the feedback; the tri-top does seem much more reasonably priced, and since I'm a C and the friend I'm trying to locate something for is a B, it makes a bit more sense to go with that.

And if I loop my other friend into this, I don't even have to worry about shipping costs....

Thanks, everyone!

[Axelai]

Originally Posted by Kelley

@Axelai, the right size will make a huge difference. I've tried on a friend's binder that was too big and it just hung off me - the one in my size is completely different and works.

I would get the tri-top. It's the most effective binder on the market, that I've found. I'd love to know more about the one you've linked to - but it's much more expensive than the tri-top, which is PROVEN to work on large and firm breasts. Just make sure you measure the right way - over fullest part of bust added to the measure of your rib-cage under your breasts divided by two.

Possibly... but that binder just bothers me. The material is pretty much a spandex, and its just... I don't know. Thin? Cheap? The LoveBoat binder is pretty much a sports bra that binds well. It looks thick and like i could wear it normally and comfortably.

Not to mention some reviews saying its thick enough to wear in the water. When i put on the Tri Top, it was so thin... it kind of weirded me out.

I'm debating between getting something I know will work (but being thin and uncomfy) or this one, which from the pictures seems comfortable. But I'm not entirely sure if it'll work...

[Rose of Battle]

Originally Posted by Ichigo Knight

I'm a 12 C, and I was wondering if there was any other ways of getting relatively flat, without buying the tri-top binder? I would buy it if absolutely necessary, but I'm rather short on funds right now, so I'd rather look for other ways

I have a friend who's a C and she uses two tight sports bras.

[Kelley]

@ichigo_Knight, I'll see what I can do to fix it. I'm not sure where the originals are, though so I might have to make new ones. D:

@Axelai, the Underworks binder's fabric is actually much more effective for binding than any sports' bra or sports'-bra-like material. It's actually much, much more heavy duty.

The tri-top is an undershirt. It's thicker than most undershirts guys wear, and about the same as a training bra. I wouldn't wear that Loveboat one on its own in water, either - I mean, even with multiple layers, it's still white and I would have HUGE doubts and insecurities there.

If you need something for swimming, make a cover - neoprene would be a good choice and very forgiving.

I don't think the tri-top is "uncomfy" and most people forget they're wearing it. It might take some "breaking in" - but that's just because the fabric is MORE heavy-duty. You're taking a chance with the unproven one. I'm not sure why you think the tri-top is uncomfortable, if you haven't worn one in your size or anything O_o, and it's, to me, the safer option that's almost sure to be effective and comfortable.

You can take a chance with this other one, and it might work out.

[belligerent]

Axelai: The tri-top is also more heavy duty in front than the one your friend had, which sounds like a double-front compression shirt (or whatever variation of those words the name actually is, if not that) if it was one of the long ones. The tri-top has three layers of material in front. The back has only one layer but it's not necessary to compress the back.

It sounds like you already made up your mind, regardless, but the tri-top works pretty well. The only people I've seen on here that have issues with it are people who bought the wrong size.

[kumi-kun]

After reading this thread I decided to buy the tri-top from underworks last week. It arrived today and I'm very satisfied with it! I never thought my chest would get so flat. I'm a 32DD btw and ordered a M size btw and I think this size works pretty well.

For non-us buyers: their shipping method is super fast and safe, I even had to sign and immediately got an email saying it had been delivered : )

So thanks for this awesome and useful thread people <3

[DemonChibiPanda]

besides the problem about the double front compression shirt rolling up, does it compress as well as the tri top? im a bigger-ish 34 C and im not sure which to get. also would the rolling up problem be solvable by pinning it to your underwear or something like that?

[Axelai]

Originally Posted by Kelley

@Axelai, the Underworks binder's fabric is actually much more effective for binding than any sports' bra or sports'-bra-like material. It's actually much, much more heavy duty.

The tri-top is an undershirt. It's thicker than most undershirts guys wear, and about the same as a training bra. I wouldn't wear that Loveboat one on its own in water, either - I mean, even with multiple layers, it's still white and I would have HUGE doubts and insecurities there.

If you need something for swimming, make a cover - neoprene would be a good choice and very forgiving.

I don't think the tri-top is "uncomfy" and most people forget they're wearing it. It might take some "breaking in" - but that's just because the fabric is MORE heavy-duty. You're taking a chance with the unproven one. I'm not sure why you think the tri-top is uncomfortable, if you haven't worn one in your size or anything O_o, and it's, to me, the safer option that's almost sure to be effective and comfortable.

You can take a chance with this other one, and it might work out.

I don't know, I said uncomfy because the one I wore that was too big for me was uncomfortable... and it was my friend's size (according to measurements) and she couldn't breathe in it. So she had to order a new one in a size too big.

I just think the discomfort for me is in the fact my boobs are so firm, that compressing them like that hurts x___x So i guess any binder will have that problem, won't it? Gahh. I don't even know.

Though another big problem is just that... you know, my MOM is helping me order this. I showed her both and asked her opinion. She really didn't like the tri top because it looked... well, like a dude's undershirt. My mom is more comfortable putting me in a compression sports bra because its more girly. Though I disagree with that, its still something to put into consideration. My mom was also against the tri top just because of that... though she did enjoy it being cheaper.

Originally Posted by belligerent

Axelai: The tri-top is also more heavy duty in front than the one your friend had, which sounds like a double-front compression shirt (or whatever variation of those words the name actually is, if not that) if it was one of the long ones. The tri-top has three layers of material in front. The back has only one layer but it's not necessary to compress the back.

It sounds like you already made up your mind, regardless, but the tri-top works pretty well. The only people I've seen on here that have issues with it are people who bought the wrong size.

I haven't made up my mind, I'm just leaning towards the Loveboat one. Since the one compression shirt I came into contact with was kind of... bleh. I don't know, I have a thing about quality. And it really seems... low quality, i guess? I don't know.

If it has three layers, is it still partially see through? Since thats a huge issue for me x__x If its not, I guess I might go with it instead, but... I really don't know.

[lightwave]

So I am heavily considering getting the tri-top but I'm not sure what size to get. Based on the ftm page my "average" chest measurement is 36.75", I wear B, and I have a slightly guyish/boxy figure where my bust is a little wider than my hips (but not by very much), though I'm not sure if that matters XD

Basically I'm not sure if I should go with the M or L, since their ranges are 34-36 for the medium and 37-40 for the large. I'm just worried that the M will be too small, or the L will be too big and ineffective??

Any thoughts?

[RinoaLnhrt]

I was looking through this thread and the old one too for ideas on how to get my chest flat enough for my Grell cosplay, and I was going to try the sports bra and elastic method mentioned somewhere in here. I don't have enough money to get the tri-top even though I realllllly want one so I figured I'd experiment.

So I went to Wal-Mart and tried on a few sports bras, then found a waist cincher on clearance for $7. I'm a 36D, and it got me almost completely flat! ^.^ I just hooked it on over my chest in the front, and then adjusted down and to the sides so it'd look more like a guy chest than a weird blob, and when I put my t-shirt back on you couldn't tell I had a girl chest at all.

http://www.cupidintimates.com/cupid/...t-cincher.html this is the one I got. It's comfortable, I can move and breathe easily, and it just feels like I have some sort of tight strapless sports bra on.

[DemonChibiPanda]

i just got my tritop in the mail today. ive been wearing it for about 3 hours now to test how it feels/works and im very pleased. im a 34D and it got me pretty flat. its not completely flat but i just look like a slightly more muscular guy. i got the small btw and its very comfortable. i keep forgetting im wearing it. i also found that it works better without a bra and i might try putting another tight sports under it to see if it gets me any flatter. ill post pics when i get the chance!

[Kelley]

@Axelai, Well, you've probably already decided by now. :P

I guess we have different standards for what is "quality". I don't think that the "sports bra" type binders are very high quality since I've never met one that's particularly great at actually binding when it comes to hard-to-bind breasts, especially (I have them, so I know all about it :P ) - if you get that one and it does, let us know ! The tri-top actually has material that can bind well and to me that makes it much higher quality because someone actually cared to develop a fabric that didn't suck and works much better than standard "sports bra" material. Form follows function - I don't care if a binder no one is going to see looks like a pretty bra, I just care that it actually works and works well.

ANY binder can come in the wrong size. Did she measure the right way ? It's not 100% going to fit according to the guide for everyone, but there are a lot of things you can do to ensure the best chance at good fit before ordering.

If your mom isn't comfortable with you crossplaying, well, that's between you and her, I don't know what to say. o:

They're both likely going to be partially see-through since they're white. If that's an issue, get a completely opaque tank top to wear over it (I wouldn't count on either of them being 100% opaque). Both are likely going to be just as see-through as a white bathing suit or a white training bra.


@lightwave, I'm not sure - did you measure your chest when you were breathing in or out ? Would you mind sharing the individual measurements to see how they're "weighted" ?


@RinoaLnhrt, in 90% of cases, you do NOT want to be "completely flat". It's actually counter-productive and makes you look girlier. Not the biggest issue for Grell, but important to remember if you want to "pass" as a manlier character. XD


@DemonChibiPanda, I'm glad it worked out. ^.^ I was going to suggest just going for the tri-top since there really is no *benefit* for the longer one.

[Faiga]

Welp, I thought I'd pitch in my 2 cents.

I own the tri-top binder from Underworks since I'm sporting the boobs of a high-end Hooter's waitress. It's been more than a year and the binder has gotten loose. Too much wearing (10+ cons a year and photoshoots on random days). But, I don't want to go out and buy a whole new one while this one still works alright. So I decided to get bondage tape.

Yep, fetish-bondage tape from those porn stores. They come in many colors--I chose white. This tape isn't really tape but a vinyl that sticks only to itself (like car window sticker decals), it's water proof, and reuseable. What I did was put on the binder and then have a friend add the tape like ACE bandage people do. Basically you wrap it around and make a little tube top (as one of the helpful tips on the package told me). It's firm but moves with you to breath (since people obviously use it for sex purposes--it's gotta not kill them).

1 roll binds 2 people. Skin tone colors are cheaper online. NSFW when searching for the stuff, lol.

[Gypsyangelf4i]

I too am amongst the "too poor" to buy a tri-top. So I've been using the sports bra method, which works quite well. Not completely flat, but passable. I'm only a B-cup to begin with.

I also tried using the bondage tape over the sports bra and the only problem I found (besides it being difficult to do by yourself) was the bondage tape wants to wrinkle and that shows funny through your shirt. May take a bit more practice.

Also, the other day I was practicing the open shirt binding method with the clear Duck tape. It worked fairly well. My Duck tape didn't want to stick. Faulty Duck tape...who knew? :-/
Buuutt I then thought, hmmm how would this look with the sports bra over it? Success!! I was even flatter than before. Now if only I could keep the clear Duck tape from making the "crinkly" noise. LOL

[Faiga]

Originally Posted by Gypsyangelf4i

I too am amongst the "too poor" to buy a tri-top. So I've been using the sports bra method, which works quite well. Not completely flat, but passable. I'm only a B-cup to begin with.

I also tried using the bondage tape over the sports bra and the only problem I found (besides it being difficult to do by yourself) was the bondage tape wants to wrinkle and that shows funny through your shirt. May take a bit more practice.

Also, the other day I was practicing the open shirt binding method with the clear Duck tape. It worked fairly well. My Duck tape didn't want to stick. Faulty Duck tape...who knew? :-/
Buuutt I then thought, hmmm how would this look with the sports bra over it? Success!! I was even flatter than before. Now if only I could keep the clear Duck tape from making the "crinkly" noise. LOL

Is the tri-top binder really that expensive? It's only $33.74 when using a 10% off coupon code 'under10' during checkout. It's something that you'll always wear for crossplay so I feel like it's an investment. For me that's 3 hours of work, or one and a half blood Plasma donations, or saving the money by not getting lunch 4 times (and I could really lose the weight).

Having a friend really helps with getting rid of wrinkles. Plus wearing and white undershirt helps too.

Ummm, I think you mean duct tape. Or the brand Duck tape? Because they make other types of tape too so I'm trying to figure out what you used.

If it was duct tape, be careful of wearing it for extended periods of time (from the obvious rib breaking). But also, I had a friend whose pores opened up from the humidity of wearing it and caused the adhesive to melt. That lead to the adhesive to fill the pores and practically fuse with her skin. We has to peel it off bit by bit spray 'Goo Gone' to get it to go. She lost the top layer of skin (pink as a new born baby) and she kept screaming when we has to scrub her raw back to remove the leftover adhesive.
Bad news.
The worst part was her nipple area (with that much pain, there is not shame in asking for help). The closer on the breast you are as you go to your nipple, the thinner your cell walls are (near your collar bone=strong, at the areola=weak). Capillaries are right at the surface and so the skin was started shallow bleeding as we were taking it off.


I'm a little confused. You're doing open shirt binding but then you put a sports bra on top...doesn't that defeat the purpose of open shirt binding?