DIY or pre-fab? Jock-style leg straps or no straps at all? With a variety of packing harness products on the market, finding the right solution for you can take some trial and error. However, trying out every iteration of packing gear isn’t very practical, or necessary if you have some “base line data” to operate from. And that’s where TransGuys.com can help.

Every day this week, TransGuys.com is publishing a review of a product designed to hold your packer securely in place, so you can confidently move through your day (and night) without having to think about “jock logistics.” Tune in daily for the latest installments in The Great Packing Harness Roundup!

• Monday: The Full Monty
• Tuesday: ASLAN vs. ASLAN: A Packin’ Harness Shootout
• Wednesday: The Tool Belt STP-Friendly Packing Harness
• Thursday: TranZwear Packing Underwear
• Friday: Shock Jock Enhancing Underwear
• The Great Packing Harness Roundup Finale

The Choice for DIY Enthusiasts

The Full Monty Packing Harness is a common design that you’ll find out there in a few variations. It’s inexpensive and easy to make if you have some basic sewing skills, plus there are a few vendors who sell ready-made versions of this popular harness style.

To make a Full Monty Packing Harness, follow these simple instructions. For supplies, all you’ll need are some lengths of 1/2″ and 1/4″ elastic, and sewing thread, both of which you can find at a fabric store for less than $10.

A couple of years back, I bought a Full Monty-style harness for $15 USD from the now defunct, FTM Solutions. The harness is comfortable enough, though I find that the leg straps sometimes get twisty, leaving me aware that I’m “strapped.” I like that I can feel the packer next to my skin with this harness, and that it feels well secured. After minimal use though, I noticed that the stitching connecting the waistband together was coming loose, which made me nervous for fear of it coming apart and causing an embarrassing situation. So, if you’re making one of these for yourself make sure your stitching is pretty heavy duty.

Also, a warning for those who don’t STP: be careful when you drop your drawers that you don’t also pull down the harness. In other words, whiz with the harness in place because if you accidentally pull the harness down too, you’re likely to lose your packer to the floor. Uh oh!

This harness style works particularly well with the lightweight Mr. Limpy packer, while other packers are just too heavy for the design. Mr. Limpy will stick straight out when you put it in the harness, but your pants should squish the soft elastic polymer down so your package appears less, ahem, excited.

Whether you’re taking the DIY route or buying a pre-fab version, the Full Monty Packing Harness is an inexpensive solution that works well, especially when paired with the affordable Mr. Limpy packer. Together, these make very decent packing package that’s also STP-friendly.

Where to Buy

With FTM Solutions now gone, I’m not aware of a vendor selling the original Full Monty design, but there are a few variations available out there:

• Motivational Transguy, aka JustAdamFTM on YouTube, is a guy from Canada who sells a Full Monty style harness for just $5.50 CAD. See his website for details.
• The Stand-To-Urimate Packer Holder is a similar design but without leg straps, which might mean this harness could ride up a little. At just $4.99 from Urimate.com, it’s worth a try!
• The Bunn-G is a cock ring/thong for non-trans guys that looks like it could work equally well for packing trans guys.
• DIY buffs looking to create the Next Big Thing in packing, might also want to look at this design for inspiration, International Jock’s Bulge Booster.
• The February 2009 edition of the FTM Australia newsletter, Torque, suggests another low-budget harness design using a stocking that holds the packer and ties into modified briefs. No sewing required, and supplies can be “obtained” from your mother’s dresser drawers!

Notes: Unless otherwise noted, prices are in USD. For obvious reasons, the harness is shown worn over underwear though most will prefer it worn underneath.

If you know of other places where you can buy the Full Monty style packing harness (is anyone on YouTube selling them these days?), if you’ve tried this style of harness, or if you have another DIY design you favor, please share your comments below.

The Great Packing Harness Roundup

• Part 1: The Full Monty Packing Harness
• Part 2: Aslan vs. Aslan – A Packin’ Harness Shootout
• Part 3: The Tool Belt STP-Friendly Packing Harness
• Part 4: TranZwear Packing Underwear
• Part 5: Shock Jock Enhancing Underwear

For many transgender men, being able to stand to pee (STP) is an important rite of passage that can help relieve some of the emotional and physical dysphoria of being trans. Adopting this socialized male behavior can be liberating and make one feel more whole and complete.

Of course it’s certainly acceptable to opt for a stall instead of the urinal, and lots of cis gender men sit to pee, especially at home. However, they have the option of whipping it out at a urinal when the need arises. The simple fact is that not all men’s rooms have a suitable stall. You’ll often find it in a sorry state of disrepair, with the door precariously hanging off a single hinge, or worse, no door at all. This can be extremely distressing for the trans man who doesn’t STP.

Thankfully, there’s a wide range of products that trans men can use to STP. These range from do-it-yourself solutions that cost nothing to more elaborate pack ‘n’ pee prosthetics. This is a fairly individualized art and learning to STP usually requires a little training at home and sometimes trying out several products before you find one that gets the job done.

There are a few downsides to trans male STPing, such as the expense of buying STP devices, jockstraps, sock jocks, suspensories and other harnesses, having to keep your STP device clean and preventing urinary tract infections, and for some, switching to briefs. Also, depending on physiology, skill and focus, STPing can be unhygienic. Don’t believe it? Just ask the Mothers Against Peeing Standing Up whose mandate is to “prevent unnecessary urine stream fragmentation.”

So, why do men STP anyway?

Well, squatting in a urinal would surely get some looks.

There’s a Baptist Pastor who claims that men in the Bible are specifically identified as people “who piss against the wall,” distinguishing them from women. It’s dictated by scripture people: STP is a god-given right!

Even though many cis gender men sit, and the men’s room is not a particularly discriminating venue, there’s a certain segment of society that thinks sitting to pee is effeminate and not what “real men” do. In Standing While You Pee: The Last Bastion of Masculinity? Klaus Schwerma asks,

Is standing-while-peeing an act of masculine identification, a symbolic exercise of power, an exercise of patriarchal power against women, a demonstration of the claims of masculinity and (phallic) male fantasies? Is standing while you pee an expression of masculinity?

Feminists have weighed in on the subject of STP too. Ten years ago, women in Sweden, Germany and Australia pushed to have all urinals removed from public restrooms. This was due in part to concerns about hygiene but “more crucially because a man standing up to urinate is deemed to be triumphing in his masculinity, and by extension, degrading women.” Oy!

Unraveling the ties between STP, masculinity and feminism is outside the scope of this article though, so let’s proceed.

How to STP

Perhaps the first place to start is seeing if you can STP without a device. Nathaniel of transboys.info has preserved a helpful brochure on the subject. Check it out here: How to Pee Standing Up.

Learning to STP with a device takes some practice, and it’s a good idea to master the technique before strutting up to a public urinal. Start by practicing in the shower or while standing in your bathtub. When you’re leak-free and confident, move your training to the toilet. For those who aren’t using an STP packer, think about how you will carry your device, how you will discreetly setup with it, and how you will clean it when you’re done. Be patient. As vlogger and blogger charlesasher explains, learning to STP can be frustrating.

STP Devices

DIY STP Devices

The “Coffee Lid” STP is a free, simple and convenient solution. Simply take a large plastic coffee can lid or equivalent (ie. lids from yogurt, cottage cheese, etc.) and trim the edges off so that you’re left with a flat disk. For smoother edges and more comfort, you can sand the edges with fine grain sandpaper. When you’re ready to use it, roll it into a funnel and simply pee through it. Urine will bead up on the plastic so a vigorous shake will render the disk dry enough to slip it into your back pocket. Free, simple, convenient, though not entirely urinal friendly and perhaps better suited to STPing in a stall.

The Medicine Spoon is a cheap and effective plastic device you can buy at any pharmacy. You’ll find several designs with different sized spoons and tubes and varying plastics, but they all work the same way. You pee into the spoon end. Cut the other end off to provide a hole for the stream. The Medicine Spoon is small enough to fit into your pocket, cheap and is the basis for most STP packer designs, meaning: master the spoon and you’ll master most STP packers.

If you’re good with your hands, consider making your own STP packer. You’ll find complete instructions and helpful tips in the video Make an Ee-zee Pee-zee STP Packer as well as Charles’ Take on STP Devices:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Buy FTM Packers Online

Trans guys on YouTube have posted a ton of videos on DIY STP methods and designs using a variety of materials such as latex tubing, laboratory pipettes, and silicone baking sheets. Watch this Playlist of DIY STP videos for more details.

Also check out these guys’ pages for other DIY STP ideas:

• BMX3r.com: Describes STPs made with medicine spoons, the Uspoon, TravelMate and Whizaway devices.
• FTM.dreamwidth.org: Simple and unique medicine dropper.

Commercially Available STP Devices

The Magic Cone is a disposable, biodegradable, waterproof cardboard cone that’s quite portable. 3 for $3.95 or 9 for $11. Note: You can get lower bulk pricing on the Magic Cone when you buy direct from the manufacturer.

The TravelMate is similar to a medicine spoon. This is a reusable, inexpensive and popular STP device that’s often used to make STP packers. Winner in the 2001 Medical Design Excellence Awards competition. $8.95 each or 3 for $23.00.

The GoGirl is an unfortunately named STP that’s very portable and inexpensive. The soft silicone does call for extra care during use to prevent leakage. $12.95 Want a free one? Read on…

The SNEE-KEE is a reusable and portable plastic STP. Skin tones aren’t available yet. $12.95

There are a number of STP devices that work well and are easy to use but aren’t particularly portable. You can carry them in a knapsack, but not in your drawers. As such, they offer limited value to trans men. They’re included here for completeness, and also to help give you ideas about making your own devices.

• Lady J – $7.99
• Urinelle (disposable) – $8.85
• Whizzy (disposable) – 10 for $10.95
• SheWee – £7.50
• pStyle – $12
• The PEE-ZEE – $12.75
• Sani-Fresh Freshette – $19.99
• The Whiz Easy – $24.95 (Canadian orders, UK orders)
• The Freshette – $34.95

Read a comparison review of the pStyle, Whiz Easy and GoGirl.

STP Packers

The Stand to Pee by Home Grown is a medicine spoon with latex tubing that will fit into your packer. It’s not clear on the website but it appears that the packer is not included. Ships from Australia. $30.

The FTM STUD is another STP packer design that comes in two dick sizes, as well as three varying sizes for the spoon. Unlike other similar STP packers, the FTM STUD’s spoon is coated with a special rubber coating for comfort. The FTM STUD uses latex tubing for a softer appearance to your package. $40 – $45. (Unavailable until July 1, 2010)

The Pissin’ Passin’ Packer by DJ Knows Dick is a popular STP packer that features a medicine spoon, tubing and packer. $50

The Mango Pack and Pee is another popular STP packer with a unique spoon shape, tubing and packer. $69.95 – $74.95 (Unavailable until July 1, 2010.)

Do you STP?
Get the STP T-shirt!

STP Packer Reviews

• Read The Trans Consumer Mango review.
• Watch charlesasher’s video review of the Mango, the Pissin’ Passin’ Packer by DJ Knows Dick and the FTM STUD.

Conclusion

Whether or not one STPs is certainly no measure of the man, but for those who want to, or find themselves in situations where they have little choice, the wide range of STP products available can help solve the logistical problems while also alleviating some of the anxiety that many guys feel around public bathrooms.

We’d love to hear from you if you have suggestions for STP designs or techniques, comments on the devices you’ve tried, and especially if you’re aware of more International options for buying STP devices and STP packers. Please leave us a comment below!

Want a FREE GoGirl? Simply leave a comment below and include “GoDude!” with your comment and you’ll be entered in a draw for a free GoGirl GoDude. Contest details. Contest ended July 22.

Further Reading

• FTM Guide: Men’s Room Etiquette and Safety
• safe2pee: Bathrooms for Everyone
• Trans-Can-Scan: The British Columbia Trans Bathroom Directory
• The Packer Showdown

Unless otherwise noted, all prices are in USD. Convert to your currency with xe.com.

UPDATE, 12/26/09: Congratulations to our winners!

• Wolf
• Jayse196

TransGuys.com and Lola.Jake have teamed up to giveaway TWO Billy packers!

Billy is a premium prosthetic made from Lola.Jake’s blend of five platinum silicone materials. Billy is the heavyweight of packers, measuring 5″ in length and 4.5″ in girth, and weighing in at 9.25 oz. The glans is large with a prominent ridge, and the balls are substantial and round. Billy has a hand painted glans, and the shaft is also subtly detailed with veins. Billy is priced at $195 USD.

There are three ways to enter:

1. Leave a comment below and tell us why you want a Lola.Jake Billy packer! (ps. Make sure you enter a real email address so that we can get in touch if you win!)
2. Twitter: Tweet this to Enter!
   @transguys I want a Lola.Jake Billy packer! http://transguys.com/u/billy #lolajakebilly
   (ps. Your tweet MUST include the #lolajakebilly hashtag!)
3. YouTube: Leave a comment on this video and tells us why you want a Lola.Jake Billy packer.

Good luck!

And don’t forget to check out The Packer Showdown. We reviewed The Packy, Mr. Right and Lola.Jake’s David.

Contest Rules

Registration Deadline: December 15, 2009. Drawing will be held on December 22, 2009.
Prizes: Two (2) winners will each receive one (1) Billy model packer made by Lola.Jake.
Eligibility: Entries much be received between 12:00 p.m. PST on November 29, 2009 and 11:59:59 p.m. PST December 15, 2009 (”Contest Period”). Only one (1) entry per person/email address; entries with duplicate email addresses or multiple entries using different email addresses for a single individual will count as one entry.
Selection of Winner: Winner will be randomly selected by TransGuys.com on or about December 22, 2009 (from among eligible entries submitted during the Contest Period). Winner will be notified by e-mail, Twitter reply, or YouTube message (depending on how the entry was submitted) on or about December 22, 2009. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.

TransGuys.com’s inaugural product review takes an in-depth look at three different FTM packers: The Packy by Fleshlight, Mr. Right by Vixen Creations, and David by Lola.Jake.

Packing is a pretty personal thing, and not all guys looks for the same qualities in a dick. For that reason, The Packer Showdown didn’t set out to find a “Best in Show” FTM packer. Instead, it simply highlights each of the packers’ pros and cons and lets readers to decide what’s important to them.

The Packy

The Packy is a generic packer that you’ll also find under the names of Soft Pack, Mr. Limpy and Mister Softie. It’s made from a realistic, proprietary elastomer (elastic polymer) blend called Real Feel Super Skin™ (aka Soft Skin, Cyberskin.) Regardless of the model and material name, these are all the same product, manufactured by Fleshlight. The Packy is available in four sizes (3.5″, 5″, 6.5″ and 8.5″ length, and all with 4″ girth) but sadly, only one color (pink.) Previously, tan and chocolate were also available, and some stores may still carry these discontinued models.

The Packy can be worn with a harness, or in tight briefs without a harness. It works particularly well with the FTM Solutions strap. It’s a little too small for the Aslan Packing Strap: because the balls don’t perfectly fill the Aslan pouch, the shaft bends over the front strap and eventually leads to wear of the packer. Despite this less than perfect fit, the Aslan is still a comfortable option.

At 3.5″ and just 5.75 oz, the small, lightweight Packy provides a comfortable and discreet bulge. The shape and detail of the glans is quite good, given the budget price. The symmetrical balls are detailed with creases but are not very realistic looking (the word “novelty” rings true here.) The material is sticky, but with a dusting of potato starch or baking soda becomes very soft. This inexpensive packer is a great choice for making a STP device with.

On the downside, The Packy’s squeeze is a little too squishy. The color can be inconsistent model to model: sometimes quite pale, sometimes overly pink. Also, there’s no variation in color between the shaft and glans, and the balls are flat-backed. You can find The Packy for under $15 at several outlets, but don’t expect it to last forever. The soft material can degrade pretty quickly, with regular use leading to small cracks within a couple of months.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Packy offers great bang for your buck. It’s a comfortable packer to wear and creates a bulge that won’t cause unwanted attention.

The Packy wins the TransGuys.com Best Head Award!

Buy online:

• Fleshjack – The Original Mr. Limpy $12.95 – $18.85 USD (4 sizes)
• Eden Fantasys – $12.95 – $14.95 (2 sizes)
• Early2Bed – $14 – $16 USD (3 sizes)
• Tool Shed Toys – $14 – $16 USD (3 sizes)
• Babeland – $16 – $22 USD (4 sizes)
• Come As You Are – $15 – $19 CAD (3 sizes)

More reviews:

• Mr. Limpy Small and Mr. Limpy Extra Small @ Jess I Am
• Packy Distributed by Early to Bed @ Testosterone Junkie
• Medium & Large Packy by Erin @ Early to Bed

Mr. Right

Mr. Right is a VixSkin™ silicone packer made by Vixen Creations. It’s available in pink, caramel and chocolate colors, and comes in one size: 6″ long x 4″ girth. Most descriptions of Mr. Right state the length as 4.5″ – 5.5″, but base to tip, my model comes in at 6″. There was a previous model that was smaller and softer.

Mr. Right weighs in at 7.5 oz and fits perfectly in the Aslan Packing Strap (which was designed for Mr. Right.) It’s a little too heavy in the FTM Solutions strap. The material is less sticky than The Packy, but still benefits from a light dusting of potato starch to make it softer. Mr. Right can be modified into a STP device, but the longer shaft and higher cost make it less suitable than The Packy for this purpose.

The bulge is more obvious than that of The Packy, due to the extra length, but not offensively so. The detail of the shaft is nice, but with Mr. Right it’s all about the balls: the detail of the scrotum, with it’s two differently shaped and positioned balls, is superior looking to anything else this reviewer has come across. Plus, the firmer silicone makes for a great squeeze.

The “pink” Mr. Right that I reviewed was more of a greyish, beige tone, and it doesn’t look realistic. The bland shape and size of the glans further suffers from being the same lifeless color as the shaft. Those fantastic balls are sadly flat-backed (though if you wear Mr. Right with the Aslan Packing Strap you wouldn’t feel round ones anyway.)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Mr. Right is a mid-market packer that’s durable and should satisfy guys looking for a mid-sized bulge. While the aesthetics of the cock itself are lacking, Mr. Right’s balls pack some serious punch.

Mr. Right wins the TransGuys.com Best Balls Award!

Buy online:

• Tool Shed Toys – $48 USD
• Mr. Right by Vixen Creations – $50 USD
• Early2Bed – $50 USD
• Babeland – $50 USD
• Eden Fantasys – $52.99 USD
• The Smitten Kitten – $56 USD
• Come As You Are – $50 CAD

David

David is a premium packer made exclusively by Lola.Jake, a 2-person owned company based in California. In 2007, their parent company Too Sticky bought out PNP Prosthetics and launched Lola.Jake as a manufacturer of custom-made FTM prosthetics. They corresponded with trans men for more than a year about the development of their product line, and continue to collaborate with customers on new features, such as 3D balls and foreskin.

All Lola.Jake models are made of a blend of five platinum silicone materials, the premium in prosthetic manufacturing. Each prosthetic is hand poured into a mold, cured for several hours, then carefully painted with details such as a darker glans and veins on the shaft. As much as 15 hours of work goes into each prosthetic. Lola.Jake is looking at automating some of this process, which would allow them to lower prices. Also worth mentioning is Lola.Jake’s exchange program which rewards customer loyalty with a 30% discount towards a new prosthetic for their returned model.

Lola.Jake currently have patents pending, and are poised to expand into a larger market. They continue to research and develop their product line with the goal of creating the ultimate prosthetics for trans men.

Like all Lola.Jake models, David is available in four colors: vanilla, caramel, coco and espresso. It’s a smaller packer, measuring 3.5″ long with a 4.75″ girth and weighing 6.5 oz. David creates a nice bulge that’s not too big and not too small. It’s slightly larger than the bulge of The Packy, mostly because David’s shaft rests directly on top of the balls, while The Packy is more easily adjusted to the left or right. The weight of David feels perfect.

David comes with a tab that enables you to affix the packer to your skin with a medical grade adhesive. This tab is not ideal if you plan to wear David with a strap: it creates a bit of an awkward bump above your bulge. However, Lola.Jake can easily customize this on request and create your David without the tab. Just ask!

David’s silicone blend creates just the right amount of firmness for a top notch squeeze. Worn in the FTM Solutions strap, you can feel David’s 3D balls swinging slightly against your inner thighs. You won’t get this sensation from a budget packer! The connection between the balls and shaft looks durable and feels amply thick. David has a larger head than both The Packy and Mr. Right, with a nice ridge. More importantly, David’s glans is painted a different color from the shaft.

You could turn David into a STP device (and there’s a 2″ hole already started in the back from the manufacturing process) but it’s a rather expensive model to start poking holes in. Ask Lola.Jake to customize your order with a longer hole if you plan to convert David into a STP device.

At first, I was taken aback by David’s shininess. Applying potato starch didn’t help—the starch just streaked the shiny surface with powdery smears. Apparently, the shininess goes away with time though. As for color, I have yet to find a packer that is realistic in this regard. Like other packers, David is lighter in color than your average dick, which is usually several shades darker than the skin on the inner thigh. Despite the subtle hand-painted detailing, the texture of the balls lacks the realism of Mr. Right’s superior looking scrotum, and the shape and size of them are a little too symmetrical.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Lola.Jake’s David bridges the world between toy store novelty packers and medical grade prosthetics, and has features you won’t find on other packers. Price wise too, David sits somewhere in the middle: more expensive than the average packer but significantly less than other prosthetics. When you’ve already tried the cheaper packers, consider graduating to a David to experience the swinging round balls and the unique, lifelike firmness, and get the customization you can only get from a company that makes FTM prosthetics to order.

David wins the TransGuys.com Best Squeeze Award!

Buy online:

• Lola.Jake – $355 USD

Other Packers and Prosthetics

Good Vibrations “Sailor” Soft Pack
Super-realistic looking and feeling, the Sailor Soft Pack has slightly firmer inner core that allows for more rigidity to the shaft, resulting in a more realistic feel. It’s available in two sizes: 4” long, 1 3/8” in diameter; and 5” long, 1 3/8” in diameter. Plus, there are three colors to choose from: Vanilla, caramel or coffee. Buy it online from Good Vibrations for $24 USD.

Bella
Bella by Vamp is made of 100% medical-grade silicone. It’s available in two sizes: 6″ long with 3″ wide balls, and 4″ long with 2.5″ wide balls. You can choose from four colors, including “ruby red.” Buy it online from MyTulip or Smitten Kitten for $50-55 USD.

Pack Man
This is an affordable, durable 3″ packer that’s available in three colors. Buy it online from Come As You Are for $40 CAD.

Home Grown
HG has several models to choose from in sizes ranging from 3.5″ to 6″. These are made in Australia.
www.hg-prosthetics.com

Like Real USA
Like Real has manufactured medical grade prosthetics in Germany for a while, and have recently started making them in Chicago, IL as well. Watch demo video. $225 – $950 USD.
www.like-real-usa.com

Tyron2 Prosthetics
Tyron’s medical grade prosthetics are hand made in Germany. $1209 EU.
www.tyron2.net

FTM Prosthetics
Made in Australia, FTM Prosthetics are the only medical grade prosthetics for trans men made by a professional prosthetist. They are available in flaccid, erect and “dual” configurations. $730 – $1500 AUS.
www.ftmprosthetics.com

REELMAGIK
High quality medical prosthetics made by special effects professionals in the US. Each penis prosthetic is sculpted, molded, casted and hand painted. Available with or without an insertable rod. $349-399 USD.
www.reelmagik.com

Related Links

• Packing Cocks 101 – Sugarbutch Chronicles
• The FTM Guide to Packing