What are the best men's boxer briefs?

August 4, 2015 7:10 AM

It's time to live my best life and the current rotation of boxer briefs isn't cutting it. I'm looking for recommendations to restock my drawers drawer.

I'm a guy of standard/slim build. I wear boxer briefs under business clothes, casually, and while running.

I'm looking for how you've optimized:

a) Fit. I'm averse to tight feeling, squeezing, riding up feeling boxer briefs. I like a touch of looseness. Complicating factor: Waist size 31. This tends to be in between S and M sizes.

b) Material. I'm okay with the feeling of cotton, but it has a tendency to get muggy. Are synthetics better?

c) (At some level) Cost. I know that the better ones are pricey and I'm okay with that. However, it'll be harder to overhaul the undie drawer at $25/pair.

My standards are Hanes. I've also tried Target's Mossimo brand, J. Crew, and the Calvin Klein line at Costco, but they bunched and rode up and left me feeling clammy. I do have a pair of Ex Officio boxers (not briefs), which are more light and airy. They're what inspired this question.

Thanks for your help!

posted by Mr Yak to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (23 answers total)

These are my day-to-day. Not sure if they're the same as the ones you got from Costco but I haven't had any trouble with them. I also have some 2xist that I like but I think the specific style is discontinued. Finally, when I need something extra breathable I wear Under Armour Heat Gear. I have a few of the Ex Officio too but I like the UA a lot better.
posted by primethyme at 7:17 AM on August 4, 2015

You should give Uniqlo a try.
posted by neroli at 7:23 AM on August 4, 2015

Seconding Uniqlo for cheap and comfortable briefs. Most of their stock seems to be cotton or cotton blend, but some of the Airism line is synthetic.
posted by .holmes at 7:25 AM on August 4, 2015

I use ExOffico Give-n-Go. I only own two pair. Every morning wear the pair I'm wearing into the shower and hand wash it. Hang it up to dry. Put on the pair I washed the previous day and go about my day. Repeat back and forth Ad infinitum. Also keep some cheaper cotton pairs on hand just in case the schedule gets disrupted.
posted by kpraslowicz at 7:26 AM on August 4, 2015

i just switched to the hanes x-temp. it has been transformative. they feel great. no riding up. no bagginess. available everywhere for reasonable.
posted by chasles at 7:34 AM on August 4, 2015

Under Armour. Made of two different styles of synthetic material, one for the main body that grips your legs to prevent riding-up and a looser one to gently cup and support your bits. $20 on amazon if bought singly, can get multi-packs to make them cheaper. They are the greatest
posted by fatfrank at 7:52 AM on August 4, 2015

Seconding Under Armour. The model is called BoxerJock. It is all I wear; literally a drawer full of them. They used to have 3 lengths (I think 9, 6, and 3-inch). I wear the 6. The 9 was too much like tight shorts and the 3 rode up to the point where it was a brief instead of a boxer brief. They are comfy, flattering, not at all muggy, and have lasted a long time. $20 a pop. Worth it.
posted by milqman at 8:00 AM on August 4, 2015

Yes Uniqlo. I have one pair that I save for especially hot and/or humid days.
posted by supercres at 8:19 AM on August 4, 2015

Fourthing Uniqlo. I've only worn their "Airism" ones but they're very light and comfortable.
posted by ghharr at 8:20 AM on August 4, 2015

2Xist are nice but pricy. I have some Ex Officio boxerbriefs and was disappointed by the look and fit - it's nothing terrible but not worth the premium price except for the times that the ultrawicking fabric really pays off.
posted by Candleman at 8:27 AM on August 4, 2015

a) Fit. I'm averse to tight feeling, squeezing, riding up feeling boxer briefs. I like a touch of looseness. Complicating factor: Waist size 31. This tends to be in between S and M sizes.


I'm a 30/31. I wear the small Ex O boxer briefs, and they are snug at the waist and on the legs, but they do not ride up, and the 'cargo' area is very roomy. So, it's like my upper legs are getting a nice hug, but the foyer area is roomy and not at all constrictive. Not sure if that's the tightness you're averse to but I wanted to share.
posted by ftm at 8:34 AM on August 4, 2015

Patagonia Silk-weight Boxers. I've worn them almost every day for the past two decades. They're extremely hard-wearing (like 10 years per pair). They're by far the most comfortable I've ever owned. They breathe very well. Roomy but not baggy. They don't sag or lose shape. Don't smell like some synthetics can. Work well from -40 to +40 C.

For travel or field work, they have the advantage of also being very easy to hand wash and dry overnight, which has saved my bacon a number of times. When I travel now, I make sure that I just take the Patagonia ones.

I've tried a bunch of other kinds over the years, including many mentioned above, but I keep coming back to the Patagonias.
posted by bonehead at 8:44 AM on August 4, 2015

Mack Weldon boxer briefs are indeed $25/pair but they are fantastic.
posted by nicwolff at 9:04 AM on August 4, 2015

What you want to do is shop where us gays shop. We have Opinions about underwear, and many are targeted specifically at fit bodies. Brands you're looking for are 2exist, Andrew Christian, Aussiebum, and Ginch Gonch. I'd suggest flipping through Undergear or Priape to see what you like (both sites NSFW).
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 9:20 AM on August 4, 2015

2exist is good, and they also make (or are involved with the marketing of) a downmarket brand called Evolve that is available at Target. I tried Under Armour, and it's great, but the Evolve brand, to me, is the same quality at half the price.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 9:29 AM on August 4, 2015

Ex Officios are fantastic for any athletic activity since they're so great at wicking. They're also perfect for travel, and since they dry so quickly if you have to wash them (almost always dry by the next day). The best selling point is that they wear like iron; my partner has a pair that has to be at least 10 years old by now that still looks like new, aside from a little fading. Partner also hates boxer briefs that ride up his legs but the Ex Officios don't do that to him (ymmv, of course). You can usually find them a little cheaper at Amazon than at the fancy outdoor stores.
posted by dialetheia at 9:39 AM on August 4, 2015

I wear the Hanes "labelless" version, and I find them a bit of hit and miss, as some of them seem to lose elasticity after a few washes, but not all.

THere's a lot of radio ads about meundies.com, and they want $20 for a single, (5 pack for $89) but supposedly it's great. Way too rich for my blood though.
posted by kschang at 10:04 AM on August 4, 2015

Bia Boro.
posted by Jawn at 10:38 AM on August 4, 2015

Another vote for Uniqlo, specifically the Airism stuff (try the undershirts too!). I'm in between the large and medium sizes. My first pair were a large and they fit just fine, then I got a pair of mediums and they fit a little better. They're very stretchy, the fabric is this and smooth, and they breath well so they're tighter and stay in place better without actually feeling like they're tighter.
posted by VTX at 11:03 AM on August 4, 2015

I'm a size 31 and bought some Uniqlos and absolutely hate them because they ride up my leg nonstop. I got size small so given the favorable reviews here, you might want to size up. For me, Gap size S has been my go-to brand for the patterns and longevity. Though I tend to like a slightly snugger fit, so you may want to try a M there as well...
posted by homesickness at 1:49 PM on August 4, 2015

Old Navy. Good enough and super cheap.
posted by monospace at 6:04 PM on August 4, 2015

Thanks for these suggestions! I appreciate the enthusiasm and reviews. I've started to browse and I'm excited to try them out.
posted by Mr Yak at 8:32 PM on August 4, 2015

The Uniqlo boxer briefs in Tencel feel almost as good as the Airism, but hold onto odors less and are half the price. The fabric is more cotton-like, has less poly and stretches less than Airism; if Airism S feels too small, Tencel in M might be a good fit.

Also this review of four performance boxer briefs also popped up in my RSS reader: Gear Junkie: Men’s Underwear Redefined.
posted by meowzilla at 12:48 AM on August 5, 2015