The bottom Line
The McDavid is one of the best waist trainers for men that cushions, compress, and supports your lower back and abdominal muscles while retaining therapeutic heat with thermal neoprene fabric technology. With an adjustable Velcro, the McDavid Waist Trimmer fits up to a 40-inch waist. Like many other waist trainers, it provides back support, relieves minor back pain, and enhances weight loss.
At a Glance
Fabric: Neoprene
Sizing: Men’s One Size (Fits up to 40-inch waist)
Closure: Adjustable Velcro
Colour: Black
Developed and sold by McDavid, a leading brand in fitness accessories, the McDavid Waist Trimmer functions similarly to a corset in compressing the midsection but also provides a secondary function of heat insulation through its neoprene material to promote blood circulation and increase perspiration. Designed for multiple functions, the McDavid Waist Trainer can be worn in different circumstances, whether exercising or just during daily life.
You can consider purchasing the McDavid Waist Trimmer if you look to tone your waist, lose water weight, relieve back pain, prevent back injuries or improve posture. While simple to use, this waist trainer can provide many different benefits.
While waist trainers are a popular fitness accessory among women, men can also experience similar benefits.
About The Brand
Founded in 1980 by Dr. Robert F. McDavid Jr., who created the first widely used knee brace for American football, the McDavid brand is an American brand that develops and sells a wide range of products to increase performance and recovery and prevent injuries.
With over 40 years of history and available in over 65 countries worldwide, McDavid is a widely recognized and utilized fitness accessories brand. Their other products include pads, braces for joints, compression sleeves, and specialized accessories for specific sports, such as soccer, tennis, and basketball.
McDavid products are endorsed and used by some top professional athletes in the United States, such as Dwayne Wade of the NBA and Dee Gordon of the MLB. The company claims that over 90% of NBA teams utilize their products.
How to Use
The McDavid Waist Trimmer is very straightforward to use; simply wrap it around your midsection above your hips and use the adjustable Velcro to tighten until you can feel noticeable compression. The adjustable Velcro allows users to freely select the amount of compression according to their comfort levels.
The McDavid Waist Trimmer should be worn under your clothing and in direct contact with your skin to maximize the heat retention effect for weight loss and muscle recovery. If you only intend to use the McDavid Waist Trimmer for back support and relief, you do not have to use it in direct contact with your skin.
Functions and Use
The McDavid Waist Trimmer primarily functions as a lower back and abdominal support device by compressing your midsection. Designed as a thermal insulator, the McDavid Waist Trimmer helps you retain heat to increase perspiration while exercising and promote blood flow for recovery.
Compression that the McDavid Waist Trimmer creates tones the shape of your waist. It also has the effect of reducing appetite as it compresses your stomach. You can also wear it under your clothes when going out to show an artificially slimmed waist.
It also functions as a back support device for people suffering from mild lower back discomfort or injuries. The compression helps engage your abdominal muscles and helps to properly align your lower spine by keeping your midsection tight and straight, which relieves pressure from your lower back.
The McDavid Waist Trainer helps speed up muscle soreness recovery after strenuous back and core-related exercise, as it relieves tension in your abdominal and lower back and can promote blood circulation to your midsection.
Through activating your core and aligning your lower spine, the McDavid Waist Trimmer may help to improve posture. As highlighted in an article by My Fitness Pal, there are many health benefits related to improved postures, such as better digestion, increased energy levels, and improved joint health.
The posture-related benefits of wearing the McDavid Waist Trimmer can be helpful for men who work long hours in office jobs by reducing fatigue and improving focus. Additionally, if your primary concern is poor posture, you can also consider investing in a posture corrector, which would be more effective in this regard.
The McDavid Waist Trimmer can also be used as a back brace when lifting heavy objects, such as moving furniture or working out. This product may be helpful for men in professions involving manual labor such as construction jobs. Through its back support and abdominal activation, it can reduce the stress on your back, helping to minimize muscle soreness and chances of injury.
Design and durability
Neoprene is an ultra-lightweight material with high tensile strength and has good resistance to chemicals, water, and heat. It is the same material used in wetsuits to help retain heat and block moisture. Being made from 100% neoprene, the McDavid Waist Trimmer is overall light and durable to sweat, water, and stretch.
While the neoprene will likely retain its shape and durability after extensive use, you may experience issues with the stitching, especially where the Velcro is attached. This area will experience a lot of stress.
The McDavid Waist Trimmer only has one Velcro strap in the middle and is the only way to adjust its tightness. There is no ventilation, moisture absorption, or quick-dry technology designed into the McDavid Waist Trimmer.
At around 5.83 inches in height, the McDavid Waist Trimmer is not particularly tall. Its small size makes it more compact and more inconspicuous. Competing products, like the Active Gear Waist Trimmer with a height of 8.27 inches, are better for taller people looking for a more robust back support.
Risks
Designed to be used under your clothing in direct contact with your skin, the McDavid Waist Trimmer is not suitable for people allergic to neoprene. As it’s 100% latex-free, people with latex allergies will not have allergy-related issues with this waist trainer. This product may also not be suitable for people with sensitive skin, as the product may cause friction against your midsection when worn during exercise.
As published by Healthline, there are potential health risks related to wearing waist trainers. The compression may also impair breathing, especially if you suffer from respiratory issues such as asthma.
While the McDavid Waist Trimmer can promote blood flow around the midsection from short-term use, extensive use may eventually restrict blood flow from the prolonged compression of muscles.
What We Like About the Product
The McDavid brand is a pioneer and leader in sports protection and sports medicine products. It is a trusted brand with reputable design and quality.
This waist trainer is lightweight, compact, and adjustable, an important feature for fitness accessories as you don’t want the product to hinder your movement. Being water-resistant is also helpful as you are likely to sweat a lot during workouts, especially with the heat retention of the belt.
The adjustable Velcro means you can keep using the product even after slimming down. The product is also straightforward to use and easily fits under your clothing.
This product can also function as a lower back and abdominal support aid when not used for exercise. People who work long hours sitting down can use the McDavid Waist Trimmer as a back support device to improve posture and relieve back pain for muscle soreness or injuries.
The McDavid Waist Trimmer is also relatively compact at 5.83 inches in height, making it easy for storage and traveling. Being on the smaller side, it’s also less noticeable than larger competing products, which can be beneficial if you want to wear it in public without drawing attention.
What We Dislike About the Product
The McDavid Waist Trimmer only comes in one size and is only optimally designed for up to a 40-inch waist which may be too small for many people seeking weight loss products. With only one Velcro strap in the middle, it may be difficult to adjust the compression if you feel discomfort on one side of your midsection.
According to the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, the weight loss effects of waist trimmers are not long-term. A large part of the supposed “weight loss” generated by waist trimmers is primarily water weight through the increased sweat caused by the thermal insulation.
The compression from waist trimmers may also cause health issues if worn too tightly and too often. Users should be aware that this product may not produce long-term weight loss results.
As there is no ventilation designed into the McDavid Waist Trimmer, the increased perspiration caused by the thermal insulation may get trapped and build up between the product and your skin when worn for an extended period, resulting in an unpleasant odor and skin irritation.
There is not much distinction between the McDavid Waist Trimmer and competing products. The McDavid Waist Trimmer does not have any noticeable advantages over other similar waist trimmers.
Comparison Table
Waist trimmers are relatively simple devices, so there aren’t significant functional differences between competing products. The biggest differences between the McDavid Waist Trimmer and competing products are available sizes and color.
| Features | McDavid Waist Trimmer | Active Gear Waist Trimmer |
|---|---|---|
| Fabric | 100% Latex-Free Neoprene | 100% Latex-Free Neoprene |
| Size | One size (40 inches) | Medium (48 inches) and Large (52 inches) |
| Color | Black | Blue |
| Closure | Adjustable Velcro | Adjustable Velcro |
| Height | 5.83 inches | 8.27 inches |
If you are looking for a back support product more than a weight loss product, the McDavid Back Stabilizer can be a better option. While similar in design, the McDavid Back Stabilizer has increased support through six strategically positioned steel stays for maximum support. The McDavid Back Stabilizer also has vented side panels for increased breathability and comfort for long-term use.
| Features | McDavid Waist Trimmer | McDavid Back Stabilizer |
|---|---|---|
| Fabric | 100% Latex-Free Neoprene | 100% Latex-Free Neoprene |
| Size | One size (40 inches) | Small (31 inches), regular (38 inches), and Large (50 inches) |
| Color | ||
| Closure | Adjustable Velcro | Adjustable Velcro |
| Height | 5.83 inches | 5.4 Inches |
| Support | None | 6 Steel Stays |
Conclusion
The McDavid Waist Trimmer can be a valuable product for people looking for a basic back support device that’s light, durable, and easy to use. It can also be helpful for people looking to quickly shed water weight or appear slim under clothing, especially for men who prefer a discrete training accessory while exercising.
There are no bulky flaps or unnecessary extras. It offers a full range of movement and flexibility, and its insulating properties ensure that you definitely will sweat during your workout!
However, if you are looking for long-term weight loss, you may want to consider other fitness products.
There are also minimal functional differences between the McDavid Waist Trimmer and competing waist trainers. If you are interested in the McDavid Waist Trimmer, the key factors to consider are whether the size is appropriate and whether you are allergic to neoprene.
