As many of you already know, the men’s shapewear industry has exploded recently. It seems like everyday I read an article covering one the more recognizable men’s slimming undershirt brands, but you don’t too often hear about the others in the space.
In fact, many of these lesser-known brands have been in the men’s shapewear business much longer than the big guys, but with limited marketing and promotional budgets, they don’t get the love. Well they will here on UndershirtGuy.com!
A Bit of History
Back in November 2008, a reader wrote in to ask if I knew of any “compression” tank tops. He was looking for one to help flatten his chest because he has, like millions of other guys, nipples that pop-out more than he’d like them to.
The condition ranges from minor puffy nipples like I have, to nipples that pop-out, to full on gynecomastia (man boobs). That article has since become one of the most viewed on my site, and has been transformed into the most comprehensive list of men’s shapewear on the internet.
At the time I initially wrote that article, there were only a couple of companies that offered compression tanks for men, and GC2 Compression was one of them. I think the issue at the time was that most of these compression tops, with the exception of under armour, were marketed as gynecomastia undershirts.
Whether we like it or not, buying a “man boob” undershirt or tank top is a lot less appealing to a guy than buying a high-tech compression undershirts. And essentially, they offer many of the same characteristics when it comes to compressing or flattening our upper body.
I originally found the CG2 compression undershirts and tanks on eBay when doing research for the article. At the time I had categorized it into “other” undershirts to consider, not knowing that the compression undershirts and tanks from this company are truly equal in quality and effectiveness as the higher-priced, “high tech”, men’s shapewear undershirts that currently invade articles around the globe.
Now, while these undershirts are still marketed as gynecomastia compression undershirts, they really are an equivalent men’s shapewear/scupltwear product, and should be given equal consideration as the other bigger brand products like equmen, ript fusion, spanx for men, and sculptees, along with the many others now in this category.
I didn’t hear much more about GC2 until I reader wrote in looking for a tank top that had chest compression, and I recommended that he try GC2 along with a couple others. After some evaluation, the reader wrote back in to say “Gc2, Flattens out my chest the most for nights out on the town with more fitted clothes“.
GC2 Founder Contacted Me
Shortly after that article was published, I got an email from the founder of GC2 and he agreed to send me a couple of their tanks for review.
Here’s his story:
My wife is a fashion designer and we developed this product for my own personal use about seventeen years ago. Without all the web-sites and blogs I had no way of knowing how many people suffered from gynecomastia.
I thought it was just my brother and I and really overweight kids. So I wore the shirts for many years myself before ever thinking about selling them.
GC2 sent me two tank tops:
- Gyne (Chest Compression) Compression Tank – 70% polyester / 30% Spandex. Price: $19.99 each (discounts for large packs)
- Men’s Bodyshaper (Waist Slimmer) Tank Top – 79% Cotton / 10% polyester / 11% Spandex: Price: $23
Outside of the obvious fabric differences between the two tanks, they are cut slightly different which allow each of them to focus on slimming/shaping different areas of the body. The chest compression tank is narrower in the chest measurement (underarm to underarm) area to allow for more chest flattening.
The waist slimmer is a little wider in the chest area, but a couple of inches narrower in the waist area to allow for more shaping/slimming in the midsection area. I didn’t ask why they chose to use different fabrics for the two different tanks, but I assume they had good reason.
I got the chance to wear both tanks last weekend. I started off by wearing the waist slimmer for about 5-6 hours while out running a day of errands with Mrs. Tug. Then, I decided to wear the synthetic-smooth chest compression tank as my base layer (under an undershirt) when the Mrs. and I went out to a few night clubs with some friends.
As with other slimming undershirts, I didn’t see much in the way of cutting inches off my waist with either tank top. They both offered excellent smoothing, shaping, and chest flattening and I’d say they compare favorably to their more-than-double priced counterparts.
Neither were too difficult to get on or off, and although I really enjoyed wearing them both, I’d have to say that I think I prefer the chest compression tank over the waist slimmer mainly because the fabric feels a little silkier on my skin and the bottom didn’t roll up as much as the bottom did on the waist slimmer (cotton-based tank).
Now, one thing that is interesting about these two tanks is that the shoulder straps on both the tanks are cut wider then most other tanks. As such, they don’t look as “fashionable” as a regular tank top (or some of the other slimming tanks).
In saying that though, I did find one unexpected benefit. GC2 hemmed the shoulder seams to lay pretty flat, so you don’t get as much of a tank outline showing through your shirts as you do with tanks that have more prominent collars and shoulder trim.
Sizing & Final Thoughts
Sizing is pretty standard. If you normally wear a medium undershirt, buy a medium sized GC2. If you’re on the cusp between sizes, I think you’d be pretty safe in sizing down if you want more slimming/compression/shaping. If you’re uncertain of what size to buy, I’d recommend emailing GC2 with your chest and waist size and I’m sure they’d be able to recommend the perfect size for you.
From a Fit, Feel, Function, and Affordability point of view, I’d have to say that the CG2 Compression is dollar for dollar, one of the best values in compression tank tops I have tried so far.
the company used to make good shirts between 2007-2013. Somewhere in 2014 they started making them differently and more cheaply done… fall apart after ONE wear.
AVOID!
sorry to hear that tom.
if you’re looking for an alternative compression/slimming undershirt option, check out underworks.com or gyneslim.com.
Taj rules I’m a lean my problem is a little puffy nipples no gynecomastia only problem is that the nipples and I want to flatten it completely without surgery may harm rather than benefit if you put that over time it can get fixed I no undershirt?
I bought i GC2 Tanktop, to bind with …it DOES NOT BIND AT ALL!! :( someone please help me understand why this doesnt bind…
heya madison, what do you mean “bind”?
i’m sure someone from gc2 will see your comment here and be able to help out as long as you can better describe what you mean or what you were hoping for.
Thanks someone did reply super fast..and its doesn’t flatten me at all
Can someone from gc2 email me?
We can communicate at [email protected]
Kim
GC2 Customer Service.
heya bk, did someone from gc2 get in touch with you?
Hi I wanted to know if the results are saved ???
We can communicate at [email protected]
Kim
GC2 Customer Service.
heya amit, what do you mean?
Are the results are saved without vest after a while or is it temporary?
ah, i see.
only temporary. no slimming undershirt can offer any type of permanent flattening results that i am aware of.
i’ve been wearing them (slimming / shaping shirts) on and off for 8 years and have never seen any permanent results from my own personal use.
Taj rules I’m a lean my problem is a little puffy nipples no gynecomastia only problem is that the nipples and I want to flatten it completely without surgery may harm rather than benefit if you put that over time it can get fixed I no undershirt?
reply
well, i think i know what you’re asking — you’re wondering if there is anything that will flatten puffy nipples permanently, without surgery.
as far as i know, and with everything i’ve read, there is no way to flatten puffy nipples permanently without surgery.
if you are in your teens, you will likely grow out of the condition. if you’ve had it a while, it won’t likely go away on its own.
there are some ways to temporarily flatten puffy nipples (for 1-3 days) without surgery and without a compression shirt. but, it’s purely a hack that you may or may not want to try.
email me for the hack, and i’ll share it with you over email.
Hey judging by your panic I’m guessing you’re not cis, so maybe you could help me out I’m thinking of buying one of these for compression not binding, I don’t really need to bind just keep things in place at the gym
what size are you wearing?
i got a small…it didnt help at all for me
Hello there. If you want a tee shirt that binds try GC2b.co our subsidiary .
I just thought I would pitch in my 2 cents… these shirts are awesome for me… I have gyne and they are not the puffy nipples, my whole breast is bigger than it should be and I found this thing online on a whim.. I had used like under armour brand stuff in the past and they did a decent job but these things work a lot better and are more comfortable. It definitely gave me a boost in confidence and allows me to think about other things rather than dang I hope these people cant see my boobs from this angle lol great product made in the USA from a gyne sufferer so yea its great.
i recently(2days ago) bought gc2 compression but i made a mistake was that i ordered a medium size (38-40) and today i measured my chest size it was 36 ..so will there be any problem with the compression and sizing with that please help …
hey mohit — not sure exactly because it all depends on how much compression you were looking for. at 36″, your chest is pretty small — so are trying to get some chest flattening (for protruding/puffy nipples), or do you really need compression?
i know i’m about a 39″ chest and my medium sized gc2 is pretty tight. i probably would be ok with a size large, so you might be ok with a medium.
i think you need to contact the company and ask them directly.
Thanks sir for your fast reply . what i need compression is for puffy nipples only .so will it be okay …
i tried to contact them but i didn;t get my reply
GC2compression.com is great for puffy nipples.
well i got a fast reply from the company ..thanks .great customer satisfactory
I just recently ordered and received the V neck t shirt and chest compression tank. I ordered a 2XL based on the guidance here and on their website to order the same size that you would normally wear for any other t shirt or undershirt … but for the life of me I can’t even come close to getting these shirts on. My chest measures about 51-52 inches. I always wear a 2XL. I can’t believe no one else encountered this problem. I know their sizing says 2XL is “48-51” inches, but one of the reviews actually said you might be able to get away with going one size down! No way. I’m thinking I’ll have to go 2 sizes up.
hey there, thanks for stopping by and posting your comments about gc2 undershirt sizing.
it’s been some time since i got my gc2 compression undershirts, so it’s possible either the sizing has changed, or it’s just different in the larger size ranges.
hopefully you’ll get a response back from gc2 soon and they can recommend a size based on your chest / waist size.
i would suspect they’ll be happy to assist you with your exchange.
Hey,
loved the review of gc2 compression shirts and was considering ordering. However, the issues with communication and receiving the shirt and, more importantly the response of the company representative, raises serious issues for me. Your comments to them were spot-on, it is more than the product that counts when it comes to whether or not I will buy from a company, online or brick. I will seriously think about dealing with gc2 and continue my search for a good compression undershirt. Thanks for your reviews!
hey malachi, fwiw, i had a back channel email exchange with the company regarding this. they have always been receptive to feedback and pretty responsive to my inquiries.
i’m not exactly sure where the root cause of the perceived or experienced “communication” issues come from, but i can tell you that gc2 has been in business a long time, and has a good overall reputation. it’s unfortunate there are some communication complaints here, but the company makes good, reasonably priced products, that do what they are designed for.
the people i deal with there are super nice, so i want to make sure that’s clear to anybody considering gc2 products.
hopefully whatever the root cause of the issues are, they’ll work themselves out and people will come here to praise the level of service or products provided by gc2.
i have huge man tits even with these shirts i cant hide them when i sit down it looks like im a woman because the chest part of the shirt pops out
hey chris, maybe you should try a different compression top. check out underworks as they might have something that provides more chest compression.
I ordered 2 shirts for my son and husband on July 2, 2012. Have been trying to contact you through phone number listed in your contacts. Have left several messages but still no response. I am trying to find out when I should receive my shipment which was purchased through paypal. Thank you.
tammy, this is a blog article about the gc2 product from may 2010, i am not affiliated with the company. i just wrote about the product.
i do hope though that the folks from gc2 get back to you. i am pretty surprised to see these recent comments about lack of response from gc2, and shipping delays. that’s not good business and doesn’t leave folks with a first good impression.
let me know if you hear back from them.
Thank you so much. I am so disappointed about not receiving my shipment. I will keep trying.
I too ordered the GC2 Compression Dual Compression Body Contouring Shirt. The communication at this place is absolutely dreadful. I ordered it last week and have been provided with no updates on shipping.
They are virtually unreachable by phone. All you get is an automatic forward to their voicemail and they don’t answer e-mail. Is this a real company or a scam? I make many online purchases and have not seen this type of miserable customer service before.
Unless the shirt is incredible (if I do get it. if I don’t, I’ll make sure to contact the appropriate scam authorities), I’ll never make another purchase from there again.
Any help would be appreciated.
heya aac, i’m super sorry to hear about your experience with gc2. the company reps have always been pretty responsive to my inquiries, but there have been a handful of other folks complaining about gc2’s response time.
i’ll send an email over there and see if anyone from the company can respond. if they do, can i give them your email address so they can follow-up with you directly?
Thanks for the quick response. That’s pretty refreshing. And absolutely, please do give them my e-mail. I’ve provided them with it in my e-mails to them as well.
Thank you for your order and I’m glad we had a chance to speak since this post. We did receive this order Friday. We ask for 2-5 business days for orders to process in our terms. Monday was a holiday, you left a message on Tuesday, we spoke Wednesday. We responded to your Ebay message within the hour. Your shirt has shipped now (Thursday). Posting defaming comments and threats without giving reasonable consideration is not the way to handle business. We understand we make a product that customers are anxious to receive due to there condition but please read our terms and reviews before making unfounded posts. We have a 5,900 and counting positive feedback on Ebay with our 5 star power seller rating also. Please read our reviews
http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=gc2compression&ftab=AllFeedback
My concern was not the fact that I hadn’t gotten my order yet, it was that I was unable to contact anyone for any informaion. When speaking of business, being able to contact the business is a key attribute.
As mentioned, all phone lines went straight to voicemail. I understand there were apparent phone issues, but how is the customer supposed to know that. Any how is the customer supposed to know they aren’t being scammed when they can’t get through to the business they just submitted money to. There are so many untrustworthy scams out there and I know this is not one of them. But initially, you can’t fault the customer for considering it.
I do appreciate the call-back, but a customer’s top priority in business will always be their money and communication around the service. The communication was lacking, so I did some research and found this site and inquired. And with nothing saying ‘please allow for 2-5 days to ship’ (I can’t find it on the website or in the e-mail confirmation), a customer can’t help but wonder initially.
Thanks again for the response.
heya karen, i’d like to offer up some unbiased feedback if i may.
in looking back through the comments here, there have been approximately 4 or 5 people complaining about lack of communication/expectation setting from gc2’s side within the last year. they aren’t saying anything other than they just don’t know what’s going on with their order and they can’t reach anyone to find out.
while that number does not seem that high, the rule of thumb is for every customer who takes the time to complain publicly, there are 5x – 10x who feel the same way that do not.
from gc2’s pov, you say you ask for 2-5 business days for orders to process and that you have a positive feedback rating on ebay. while that is fine and good, there is obviously a breakdown in communication somewhere leaving your customers feeling uneasy.
some issues i see are:
1. if your system sends out an email notification confirming after an order is placed, then maybe it doesn’t have the time/order processing information in a conspicuous place where they know what’s going.
2. maybe they did not get the email? does it go into a spam or junk mail folder?
3. if your system doesn’t send out an email, then it should
4. you shouldn’t rely on your customer to have to look at your feedback rating for them to assume they’ll be taken care of. when you put the burden on the customer, that’s a not-so-good experience.
5. when customers email you after hours, do you have an auto-responder telling them that their message was received and that they’ll hear back from someone during normal business hours m-f, excluding holidays? if not, maybe it’s worth adding one — it takes 5 minutes to do that.
6. is all this information in your ebay help section? on your website help section? in the shopping flow somewhere? help customers find it.
it seems like it would be pretty easy to make a few minor changes in your documentation and customer communication to alleviate any of these negative comments. maybe all of the above information is somewhere, but these customers don’t seem to know where it is, so they take the time, find my site, and post a comment here. that’s a lot of effort on their part just to try and get some acknowledgement that someone is listening.
instead of taking a step back and really *listening* to what these customers are feeling (uncertainty about their order), you seem to be trying to justify that gc2 was in the right and you followed a professional protocol and the customer did not. it’s your right to take that position as a business owner, but i doubt that leaves the customer with a good feeling about making a purchase with gc2.
you’re never too big or too established to stop listening to customers. by doing just that, you might find an opportunity to improve that will pay large dividends in the future — both to gc2 and your customers.
anyway, just a little food for thought (:
Karen,
I strongly suggest you take Tug’s advice. Getting defensive towards your customers is NOT the way to go on this. Yes, you have plenty of good reviews, but obviously there are some communication issues. No doubt some will over-react to a small delay, but over-reacting with your reply will not win you any new customers. I came here to read these reviews because I’ve been waiting for a few days to get a reply to an email about shirts that I received (very timely, thank you) that don’t fit. I was just curious if anyone else had issues with fit or with communication. I’m certainly not ready to panic and I’m not upset, but I felt compelled to comment after reading this.
I looked and compared a number of name brands from spanx to that ript, to aqua, even that that commercial on tv. GC2 seemed to have the best reviews with comfort and results.
Now im’a man with about 15 lbs hangn off the gut. Though I suck it in mostly so eh. Anyway this shirt doesn’t really mash the gut in. But it does suck in those lil fatty side handles if ya got em. So the sides are shaped nicely.
And the most important part. Yep ive got moobs. Not to big but always annoyed me none the less. Damned if this shirt didn’t vanish those suckers in one swoop. So I’m pretty happy with it. My waist and chest were around 41 which fell into large but I went with medium. And it was a good call cause I had no problems getting it on or off.
More then long enough to go on and tuck in your pants as i’m about 6’1″ 215 lbs. Though I went with the http://gc2compression.com/GC2-Compression-Dual-Compression-Body-Contouring-Shirt-DCBCS-W.htm
It was about 10 bucks more but it looked better. And i’m satisfied. Gonna get another. I went with white and I found that unless it’s a white shirt you can’t even see the tank outlines or white under near any color. light blue, black, grey, red. And with an undershirt over it can’t make it out in white either.
Really liking the feel to. It’s like… being hugged. But it doesn’t make you sweat. Feels almost relaxing heh. I even has it on as I was chopping through rocks and clay in the yard with the pick axe in shovel. Really easy to bust your ass work in and it doesn’t soak itself in sweat. Not sure where it goes but it doesn’t hold.
Hope this helps anyone deciding in that sea of brands.
hey dewars! thanks for stopping by and posting your comment.
so, what was the aqua product you were talking about? that name doesn’t sound familiar, so i wanted to find out more about it from you.
Ordered my compression tank a week ago and haven’t received it or any email notifying me it was shipped..
Hi Yankee21 I am having the same problem. Did you ever resolve this issue? Did you get your tank? Please advise. Thanks.
whats the proper way of washing a gc2 shirt and how often can i wash it?
greg, you’ll have to ask gc2 that information.
me, i just throw my gc2 in the laundry with our other whites and don’t do anything special to care for mine.
thank you USG
Purchased shirt on 4/16/2012 and have not received it nor any email indicating item was shipped. Cannot reach customer service by email or phone.
hey annoyed, sorry to hear about your experience with gc2. not at all common for them. i will email the owner, point him to your comment and let him know you’re trying to reach him.
hopefully you’ll hear from him soon!
Did get a reply today after posting comment. Apparently Post Office is having difficulty delivering for some reason and I received no notification. Not the fault of GC2 but I did email a few weeks ago and try to call customer service and received no response until I emailed today and posted comment.
awesome! sorry to hear about the missing notifications, but glad to hear things are back on track now!
Just purchased the 3 pack undershirts ( $56 )and works perfectly! High quality material and does the job. Will recommend GC2 ! I wished I had seen this site a few years back and stopped the embarassment . Will definitely buy more. Thanks alot!
I wanted to give another recommendation for the GC2 compression shirts. I recently got a tank top and a t shirt and I think they are great. This is the first time I have had a compression shirt so I can’t compare them to anything else, but they really do what they claim. I used to wear a slightly too small undershirt to try to smooth out my chest area, but these shirts are so much better. I like the t shirt better than the tank top as it looks more like a normal shirt than the tank top. It just looks like one of those compression shirts for working out. I wish I had known about them sooner.
hey random guy, thanks for stopping by sharing your experience about gc2! i just got my new dual compression tank from them and it works pretty well!
Just bought the GC2 19.99 shirt. Love it!
awesome! thanks for letting me know staffingguy. after you get it and try it out, come back here and let me know what you think!
the t-shirts and tanks works perfectly for their purposes, and the material seems to be high quality. One of the best purchases that i made online Thanks.
good to hear! thanks dantex!
How should I decide what GC2 tank to get? I am a teen who has moobs, and have discovered over the years while trying to hide them I have now ruined my posture as well. Right now my toss up is between the GC2 Compression Tank, which I understand is just specifically for the flattening of the chest, or the GC2 Compression Dual Compression Body Contouring Shirt, which helps flatten the chest and take away from the midsection a little, and I mean who wouldnt want that also? But my dire area is my moobs, but if they both restrict the chess the same then why not get the GC2 Compression Dual Compression Body Contouring Shirt that does that and slims the midsection. Please help me decide ASAP thank you. (:
hey drew, thanks for stopping by and posting your question!
in looking at the ones i reviewed a year ago, i believe the one that was priced at $19.99 is now the “gc2 compression tank” (formerly the gye chest compression tank) made from polyester/spandex. i don’t believe the new “dual compression body contouring” was around at that time, but it seems close/similar in fabric to the “body shaper” ($23) i tried back then because it contains cotton. looks like they may have changed the polyester to nylon, may have changed the blend percentages, and even may have changed the design (but that is hard to tell).
for me personally, i liked the slick feel and look of the polyester/spandex (gc2 compression tank) more than i did the one with cotton and it’s the one i wear fairly regularly to the gym. i liked that i could use it for regular wear and for the gym. the one with cotton wouldn’t be as great to wear to the gym.
if your main focus is chest compression and posture improvement, i think you’d be pretty happy with the $19.99 chest compression and since it’s $9 less expensive, it would be a good place to start. if you had the budget to buy both, i’d recommend buying one of each because you will only have to pay shipping once, so your shipping cost per shirt will go down.
hope that info helps! let me know how it goes drew!
They are great. I have always had moobs. One time inn fifth grade, we had to take our shirts off in gym and a kid actually yelled, that boys got tits. Even the teacher laughed, it was like a horrble nightmare. I feel so confident with these shirts, just order a three pack in black. I wear them when I run, bike, and go to work. they are affordable and work, now don’t raise the price because they are getting popular!
thanks for sharing matt! yeah, i do like my gc2s.
I bought two GC2 Compression Dual Compression Body Contouring Shirts and I am overwhelmed at how well they smooth the torso. I have purchased body shaper singlets from Equmen and Spanx. Neither of those shirts can compare to GC2. First because I was able to buy an extra-small. I’m in my mid-forties, 5’7″ about 130 and I wear a 36 in a blazer. I’ve kept myself in reasonably good condition but the effects of time cannot completely be avoided. I just don’t look as tight as I used too and I wanted that look back. The ‘small’ sizes from Equmen and Spanx are both far too large to have the effects promised by their adverts. GC2 has given me the effect I wanted: a smoother looking torso under close fitting shirts and they are much more reasonably priced too! I look slicker and stand taller. (The best on and off is accomplished using the step-in and roll-down method.)
thanks for stopping by and providing your feedback on the gc2 adam! that sizing information will be great info for other folks too.
Hello! As a female crossplayer, I’d like to know how well the Gc2 tank top actually managed to compress things. I’d like to get as flat a chest as possible. (34B here.)
we’re checking into it lisa! hopefully we can get gc2 or another slimming/compression undershirt company to post some thoughts here.
Undershirtguy, thanks for your very helpful and informative website. I stumbled across it while researching Spanx products. Just wanted to say that I own both the GC2 tank and T-shirt products. They do a great job of slimming and masking my man boobs. My only complaint is that they don’t allow the body to breathe and they retain heat, which is especially uncomfortable during the hot summer months in Arizona (where I live). Overall, a good product, though.
hey p! thanks for your feedback about gc2. for what it’s worth, i regularly wear my gc2 at the gym and even sometimes out on the town and i don’t seem to notice any problem with heat retention, but i will say that we live in a much cooler climate than arizona. we did have a couple of really hot days (100+) this past summer, but for the most part temperature stay a mild 60-70 degrees fahrenheit.
hey flex! thanks for sharing that testimonial. i’ve forwarded it over to the folks at gc2 as well. glad you’re enjoying your gc2 compression top!
they truly changed my life, i am so much cofident, i could wear all the shirts ive always wanter to wear all my life, i dont have to dress baggy any more ! thanks gc2 !
This review is the sole reason I decided to go the cheaper route with GC2 chest compression crew neck and I am sitting here at work my first day wearing it, im having a hard time keeping my ego in check lol…my confidence is through the roof today, i feel amazing, i put on an express polo that used to give me unsightly moobs, but today i look lean and mean…thank you so much undershirtguy, you just created a monster lol
glad to hear michael! yeah, it’s amazing how much more confident you can feel when wearing one of those slimming undershirts. in fact, i actually wore a tight fitting ribbed tank (aka: “wifebeater”) on sunday when mrs. tug and I went out, and surprisingly enough, that too boosted my confidence a little because i felt more “pulled in”.
wow! had no idea this was such a deep topic! Thanks for all your info! Makes shopping for my husband soooo much easier!
I have a couple of these and the are just as good as the high priced brands. I think in some respects better. The tee shirts look pretty much like a regular undershirt.
thanks for the input and validation pat! yeah, the folks at gc2 have done a nice job in making very affordable compression undershirts and tanks!