TLDR; good option for trans men who have a small chest and experience breathing issues due to anxiety.
I spent a long time looking for an alternative to binders since I have an anxiety disorder and wearing tight compression shirts or binders resulted in me having anxiety attacks and difficulty breathing regularly.
This compression shirt might not be ideal for other trans men, depending on needs and bodytype so I will share details of personal experience.
I have been wearing this as an undershirt for two weeks now almost daily for a full day. I worked in it for the first week as a barista, so I had to move around quite alot and I didn’t have any breathing issues. And the second week I traveled and I didn’t experience compression/binding related discomfort. It would be nicer not to have to wear a binder or compression shirt ofcourse, but this is by far the best option I have tried. I have tried: spectrum outfiters half lenght binders; gc2b full lenght binder; underarmour heatgear compression shirt. Gc2b is best for a flat look, followed by underworks.
Overall this GS compression vest gives me the most confidence, because of how it compresses my whole torso and not just the chest specifically. It creates a more overall balanced bodyshape
I would not wear just the compression vest infront of others, because it does not flatten my chest fully and I still need to layer a tshirt and a shirt usually. With a gc2b I would be confident enough to wear just a tshirt, but I couldn’t wear it for long, and the tightness of it makes me think about my torso more than I would like to throughout the day.
Again. This is from a perspective of a small chested trans man. I imagine for cis guys it will be a completely different experience.
I got a black size M tank top and these are my measurements:
- [ ] Waist: 86cm 34in
- [ ] Chest: 91cm 36in
I usually go for size xs-s T shirts