My EHPHD is not too terribly tight. At least it was not when I last used it. I suspect that it will be just a tad tighter now. I wear a size 58. Even when I was a little guy, 260 LB, I wore a 58. I do not like a super tight shirt. I generally get some bruising, but nothing that I cannot live with. My only suggestion for getting on a super tight poly would be to use some baby powder. To get the weight to your chest, I do not know how wide your competition grip is, you might want to try a wider grip. I did this and it worked wonderfully. In my opinion, the denim is much much more comfortable and easier to use. And for the answer to your last question...yes I have velcro...it is the only way to go.