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Blast Boxers bomb-proof the family jewels

Blast Boxers could save troops' privates from IED blasts. I feel for the dummies who tested these.

Tim Hornyak
Crave freelancer Tim Hornyak is the author of "Loving the Machine: The Art and Science of Japanese Robots." He has been writing about Japanese culture and technology for a decade. E-mail Tim.
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Tim Hornyak

Does Kevlar also stop blasts emanating from the wearer? BCB International

There's nothing better than feeling invulnerable down there.

You'd think these would have been standard-issue for years, but bomb-proof boxers developed by a British firm are being sent to troops fighting Taliban forces in Afghanistan.

Blast Boxers from Cardiff-based BCB International are lightweight, Kevlar-lined shorts that can protect privates' privates from improvised explosive devices. The shorts are comfortable and machine-washable, it says.

British shoppers are snapping them up and sending them to loved ones, according to The Sun.

BCB has tested the boxers with IED-like explosives (check it out in the ad here). The company says they're rated for blasts of 230 meters per second under National Institute of Justice V50 ballistic testing criteria, but adds they don't offer complete protection.

Still, they may help reduce devastating IED injuries to the groin, upper legs, and femoral artery, which can bleed significantly if punctured and result in death.

Blast Boxers, priced at about $95, are undergoing trials with European defense ministries, according to BCB. They're a great idea; I just feel sorry for the test dummies.