First came manties.  Then came mantyhose.  Now, Nike has launched Ript Fusion, “a new body-sculpting undershirt designed to support a man’s core, shave inches off his belly and enhance his posture.”

Translation — it’s a mirdle, a girdle for men, albeit a much more masculine version that looks more like a spandex undershirt.  But it’s a chub compressor all the same.

Didn’t Nike learn from the Seinfeld episode where Kramer came up with the brilliant idea of the Bro a.k.a. the Manssiere (the bra for men)?  The idea failed on TV in the 90’s, and despite the subsequent metrosexual movement, a similar concept to support excess flab will most likely fail now — at least for the masses and for Nike’s customer base of athletic men (even if they tout the product as a “compression garment,” which has “long been a staple in athletes’ locker rooms”).

While men are increasingly attuned to improving their looks, the masterminds behind Ript Fusion seem to have forgotten one thing — men abhor anything remotely uncomfortable.  This is an extra layer of clothing that many younger men already have shed (how many young men wear undershirts, now?), and one that most likely won’t make your stomach feel free and weightless after eating a hearty meal.  Combine that with the hefty price tag — $58 — and we’re betting more men flock to get the Bro before Ript Fusion.

But don’t take our word for it.  We want to hear your thoughts.

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Photo Credit:  Cover Image – PRNewsFoto/RIPT FUSION