The best boxer briefs in the universe

December 9, 2010 9:18 AM

I'm looking to buy new men's boxer briefs. Please recommend me some fantastic ones that are comfortable on someone who (sorry for the image) tends to sweat a good amount and has a fair amount of hair on the parts involved.

The cotton ones I have now sometimes feel wet. I also have ones that are 90% cotton and 10% spandex, which aren't all that comfortable, as they grab on to my thigh hairs. So please let me know if you think your recommendation has a spandex-like texture.

Has anyone tried the Ex Officio Give-and-Go boxer briefs I'm always hearing about?

Another person on another AskMe post said Patagonia active underwear was the way to go. Can someone else confirm?

Any tips on how to get them cheaply would also be appreciated.

posted by Busoni to clothing, beauty, & fashion (16 answers total)

I have no personal experience, but a few years ago my brother-in-law bought about a dozen different brands to test them all and his all-time favorites are the Under Armour brand.
posted by shornco at 9:37 AM on December 9, 2010

I love the Patagonia ones, and I keep meaning to try out some of the merino wool options from companies like Ibex and Icebreaker.

To get 'em cheaply, keep an eye out for discontinued colors from big outdoor sellers (Altrec, Backcountry.com, REI Outlet, etc.), use Google shopping to see the offerings from smaller retailers, visit the manufacturers' websites for sales, check out Sierra Trading Post and keep an eye on eBay.

Even after you do all this, they'll still be relatively expensive. But they'll last a very long time.
posted by box at 9:48 AM on December 9, 2010

Sierra Trading Post has a small selection of boxer briefs with user ratings about stuff like moisture-wicking. They are usually a good source for discounts on good brands.
posted by crush-onastick at 9:50 AM on December 9, 2010

I love the Mansilk boxer briefs personally.
posted by brand-gnu at 10:01 AM on December 9, 2010

ExOfficio boxer briefs are the most comfortable underwear that I have ever worn.

I spent a very sweaty month wearing them in Spain and Morocco. The daily temperature varied between 35 and 48 degrees Celsius (95 to 118 degrees Farenheit) and I can confirm that the underwear performed admirably. I purchased them for travel, but I like them so much that I find myself favoring them for daily use.

Magellan's currently has them on sale for $18.75, but I don't know if it is a particularly good deal.
posted by nobodyyouknow at 10:20 AM on December 9, 2010

Wicking means polyester, generally. I've had these and quick-dry ones for travel and sink washing, and they get swampy. I can't imaging wanting to wear them for daily use. I'm fairly sweaty and hairy as well.

I like the Hanes boxer briefs from Target. They come 2 to a pack pretty cheap, and they are cotton with some stretch fabric added.
posted by jeff-o-matic at 10:45 AM on December 9, 2010

I don't wear anything except Ex-Officio, unless it's laundry day.

They're worth every nickel.
posted by phoebus at 11:08 AM on December 9, 2010 [1 favorite]

I have done the research and these are the best IMHO.
posted by silsurf at 11:22 AM on December 9, 2010

Ha, we all have our own swear-by brands for this. Mine is Grigioperla. "Comfort Line Boxer Brief" is what they call it. They are extremely thin, and have a component of being spandex-like, while being cotton, because, EW. But they'll feel far less bulky compared to Hanes et al, and so they are very very light and I do not really notice I'm wearing underwear? And I certainly never get... sweaty in them.
posted by RJ Reynolds at 11:37 AM on December 9, 2010

My husband wears Lululemon boxer briefs. He got one pair to try because I kept on dragging him in the store for myself. Now, he has a lot of pairs.
posted by spec80 at 11:56 AM on December 9, 2010

Under Armour boxerjocks. I like the longer-legged varieties. I won't wear anything else anymore.
posted by willpie at 12:01 PM on December 9, 2010

ExOfficio's are great and last forever, which makes up for the price.
posted by smokingmonkey at 12:15 PM on December 9, 2010

ExOfficio's are nice, though I'm more partial to Icebreaker's beast boxer briefs. A friend and I did some extensive traveling some summers ago, he with ExOfficios and me with Icebreakers. This was across the southern American states, and there was infrequent showering. Both boxers held up rather well, though the Icebreakers took weeks to start to smell, whereas he complained about his after a week. Another thing to note, though the Icebreakers are made of wool, they're not hot. They're perfect. They're all I wear.
posted by daboo at 12:32 PM on December 9, 2010

Not sure about boxer briefs, but I do like Ex Officio boxers for their comfort and odor resistance. Patagonia are overpriced and odoriferous in my experience. Another interesting option is Five Bamboo, especially if you care about sustainability. I've just bought some of their boxers and boxer briefs, so I can't give long-term results, but I'm liking them initially. Note that you can probably go a bit smaller than their sizing guide indicates.
posted by Cogito at 1:10 PM on December 9, 2010

I only wear nylon socks or briefs, because cotton holds moisture and is very uncomfortable.

Also the cotton briefs are too small and tight.

Nylon is good, as it has very little friction, is breathable, and doesn't hold moisture.

The last time I checked, the W had comfortable nylon briefs for $6 each.
posted by johnlvs2run at 8:42 PM on December 9, 2010

Ex Officio has changed my life That's all I'll wear.
posted by flowerofhighrank at 10:27 PM on December 9, 2010