Donnie Thompson Casual Bowtie

Name: Donnie Thompson Casual Bowtie
Brand: Spud Inc.
Rating: 4.42 (12 reviews)

The Donnie Thompson Casual Bowtie is a posture-support tool developed by powerlifter Donnie Thompson and Spud Inc. An elastic-webbing harness rests across the shoulders and compresses the shoulders and lats, giving an immediate physical cue to pull out of a rounded, forward-shoulder position. It’s built from a softer, more flexible material than Spud Inc.’s stiffer Formal Bowtie, which trades a bit of correction strength for comfort during extended wear at a desk, while driving, or as a pre-workout posture warm-up.

Independent coverage from Massenomics praises the stitching quality and the immediate “oh, I get it now” compression sensation, while noting that sizing has to be precise – going too large noticeably reduces the effect. Reddit and YouTube reviewers are split: powerlifters and desk workers who wear it daily report a lasting postural “muscle memory” even after taking it off, while several posture- and physical-therapy-minded commenters argue it only relieves symptoms rather than fixing the underlying mobility and upper-back-strength deficits that cause rounded shoulders – most reviewers who like it recommend pairing it with real corrective exercise rather than using it alone.

Sizes	XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL
Made in	Columbia, SC, USA
Designer	Donnie Thompson
Material	Elastic webbing, softer/more flexible than the Formal Bowtie
Size range	15" (XS, 100-125 lbs) to 33" (4XL, 310+ lbs)
Manufacturer	Spud Inc.
Sizing basis	Chest/shoulder circumference (outside shirt) divided by two

What is a Miscellaneou?

What’s in Miscellaneous

This is the catch-all for the conditioning tools and accessories that don’t fit a single equipment class — weighted vests and plate carriers, medicine and slam balls, plyo boxes, ab mats, and the odds and ends that round out a garage gym. Items land here because their job (loaded carries, jumps, core work) cuts across the categories rather than sitting neatly inside one.

Who it’s for

Anyone filling in the gaps around the big pieces. If you already have a rack, bar, and plates, this is where you find the vest for rucking and weighted push-ups, the ball for slams and wall throws, or the box for step-ups and box jumps. Match the tool to the training you actually do — a plate carrier for conditioning and rucking, plyo boxes for explosive work — rather than buying the whole shelf.

How it compares

	Donnie Thompson Casual Bowtie	Heavy Mug	Anchor Loader	Mini Bar Deadlift Jack
GymRadar rating	4.42/5	4.42/5	4.42/5	4.43/5
Price	$59.99	$110.00	$105.00	$54.97
Sizes	XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL
Made in	Columbia, SC, USA
Designer	Donnie Thompson
Material	Elastic webbing, softer/more flexible than the Formal Bowtie	304 food-grade stainless steel		11-gauge steel
Size range	15" (XS, 100-125 lbs) to 33" (4XL, 310+ lbs)
Manufacturer	Spud Inc.	XMASTER Fitness		Titan Fitness
Sizing basis	Chest/shoulder circumference (outside shirt) divided by two

4.4/5 · 12 GymRadar reviews

Reviews by source

Expert	4.42/5	12 reviews
Retailer	3.9/5	132 reviews
Youtube	4.2/5	2 reviews
Reddit	3.2/5	5 reviews

The Casual Bowtie delivers what it promises — a lightweight, elastic-webbing posture cue that pulls the shoulders back and gives immediate proprioceptive feedback when you round forward, whether at a desk, driving, or warming up for squats. Build quality is the standout: Massenomics calls out careful stitching and a snug, precise fit across Spud Inc.’s eight-size chart, and Reddit’s r/powerlifting thread has daily wearers praising the compression and lingering “muscle memory” effect after removal. Functionality is more contested — several posture-focused and physical-therapy-minded commenters on Reddit push back that it treats a symptom (rounded shoulders) rather than the underlying mobility and upper-back-strength deficits, so value depends heavily on whether it’s used as a standalone fix or, as reviewers who like it recommend, alongside real corrective work.

+Build quality: careful stitching and consistent webbing construction across an eight-size chart from XS to 4XL (Massenomics)
+Functionality: immediate proprioceptive cue that pulls shoulders into an upright position, described by reviewers as an 'oh, I totally understand why this is a thing now' sensation (Massenomics)
+Versatility: usable at a desk, while driving, commuting, or as a pre-workout warm-up cue, not just during lifting (Massenomics; YouTube: FitLabDeepCreek)
+Value: reasonably priced at $59.99-62.99 for a purpose-built compression tool, with r/powerlifting reporting a lasting 'proprioception' benefit even after it's removed

−Functionality: multiple Reddit commenters (r/crossfit, r/TMJ) argue it only relieves symptoms and can't 'create muscle memory' or substitute for actual upper-back strength and mobility work
−Durability: Massenomics notes limited long-term durability data was available at review time
−Value: the Casual model is explicitly the lighter, less-effective version — Massenomics found the stiffer Formal Bowtie more effective, though only the Formal was directly tested
−Functionality: sizing must be precise — going too large noticeably diminishes the compression effect (Massenomics)
−Build quality: several r/crossfit commenters flag that Rogue's on-site star ratings are seen as curated and not a reliable independent signal

$59.99

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