Review: Homemade/DIY: Elastic Back Brace: Noah C. Meeks

Review by Noah C. Meeks

Product name: Elastic back brace, Meijer brand

[Price: $17]

Manufacturer’s website: Meijer.com, but it’s not available online

Cup size at time of use: 34A

Ratings:

Comfort: 4/5

• With a few modifications, mainly removing the plastic “support” bits, it’s very comfortable. it’s also quick and easy to get on and off.

Effectiveness: 4/5

• it gives me a nice flattened chest, but loses a point because the two separate panels of elastic can be problematic. I have them safety pinned for now, will probably sew them together later.

Discreetness: 3/5

• I can generally get away with wearing this under a snug t-shirt, especially if I wear an undershirt over it to smooth out the edges and mask the whiteness. it tends to show a little in the back, but I doubt anyone who doesn’t know or suspect I’m trans would know what it means. it also loses a point because it has a tendency to slide down and need frequent adjusting if I’m very active, though I’ve never known it to actually come off.

Overall: 3/5

• I haven’t tried Underworks or any of the other official binders, but this works extremely well for me, and is easier on the budget. I’m giving it a 3 only because it took quite a bit of modification to be really workable. the one thing that remains to be tested is how long it will last.