The Best Men’s Underwear
The best underwear stays out of sight and out of mind throughout the day, doing its job without a fuss. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t put some thought ahead of time into choosing the right features for your needs. Trust us—it’s worth it.
We know it’s not always easy, though, so we’re here to help. Below, we outline what you should look for in a good pair of underwear, from fundamental differences to advanced features. By the end of this article, you’ll feel confident and ready to pick the perfect pair for any situation.
How To Know What Underwear Is Best For You
Before we jump into the details of different styles and features, it’s important to know what we’re looking for. This starts with understanding your needs, so knowing the context you want to wear each pair in can go a long way towards making the decision clear.
We also want to get down to the fundamentals, breaking down the benefits of the various fabrics you could choose from. Finally, we’ll keep advanced features, such as moisture-wicking properties, odor prevention, and sustainability in mind, as they can really set a pair of underwear apart. Let’s move into some details below.
Context is Key
The first question to consider is what kind of situations you’ll be taking your underwear into. Are you looking for pairs to wear for exercise and fitness, for everyday activities like work and outings, or to wear around the house for leisure and sleep?
While the best underwear is versatile, serving faithfully in any scenario, there are certain features and fits that work best for different situations. In general, boxer shorts are ideal for leisure and lounging around the house, men’s briefs are the perfect performance underwear, and boxer briefs find the middle ground for everyday wear, with the added benefit of wearing well under formal attire or slimmer fitting pants.
Fabric and Material Matter
Finding the best fabric and material is fundamental to success. Fabric goes beyond feeling soft— it can determine the longevity and reliability of the underwear and make or break your choice when it comes to functional features. Run-of-the-mill underwear might use cheap cotton or synthetics like nylon and spandex. Each of these has a number of downsides, though, that are important to consider in both your underwear and your undershirts.
Regular cotton is prone to shrinkage and often loses its shape. Plus, it’s not the best at releasing moisture or preventing odor, both of which are crucial in a good pair of underwear.
While synthetic fabrics are better at moisture-wicking than pure cotton fabrics, they aren’t great at odor prevention, and the feel is often less than amazing. They’re also not the best for breathability, so if you wear synthetic trunks to the gym or on the golf course, you may end up sweating a lot more than anticipated.
The best fabrics, such as our Tasc bamboo and organic cotton mix, achieve excellent moisture-wicking properties and odor prevention, hold their shape, and feel super comfortable. On top of all that, a sustainable, responsibly-produced fabric ensures you’ll feel great in your clothes and great peace of mind.
Tech and Features
Different styles provide different benefits, each of which can cater to a certain range of needs. Boxers, briefs, and boxer briefs, while all versatile, have unique benefits. No matter which you select, thanks to our bamboo-cotton fabric, you can rest assured your underwear has all the essential features.
One of the most important of these is moisture-wicking. It’s important that your underwear helps keep you dry and dries out well itself—something bamboo fabrics excel at. While synthetic fibers can trap odor from sweat over time, the best fabrics, such as bamboo blend fabric, resist the bacterial growth that builds up lasting odor, so your underwear stays fresh through it all.
Boxers
Known for their free, loose, and comfortable fit, boxers are a classic choice. What they lack in support, they make up for in comfort, thanks to the looser cut and longer inseam. Not only are boxers easy to wear, but they’re also easy to size compared to other styles that have a tighter fit. If you’re looking for an easy-going, loose style, boxers are the one for you.
Loose Fit
Perfect for leisure and lounging around the house, boxers serve their purpose without adding too much restriction, so you can feel completely comfortable and relaxed. Even with the looser fit, high-quality fabric and a durable waistband are important. Moisture-wicking and odor resistance are excellent added benefits that can make any good pair of boxers great.
Leisure and Sleeping
Many men prefer boxers when sleeping as well, for the natural, free feel their fit provides. The fit is especially useful to avoid readjusting in bed, so you can relax and get to sleep without any worries.
While boxers are an easy choice around the house, if you’re looking for underwear to wear in more active settings, such as out on a hike or to a workout, you might prefer the support and shape of briefs or boxer briefs. Likewise, if you’re looking to dress up for a day in the office or a night out on the town, consider the benefits of other styles as well.
Briefs
Briefs are a classic, time-proven choice because of their superior support and comfortable feel. With a tighter fit and no length along the thighs, briefs are minimalist in look and feel, but by no means minimal in the function and support they provide.
Tighter Fit
The tight fit of briefs is ideal for life situations that need support or compression. Many men prefer the comfort a tight fit provides, especially when your day includes lots of movement and a loose fit is less ideal.
Superior Support
Briefs strike the perfect balance between shape and freedom of movement, leaving the thigh exposed but still providing support where it helps most around the waist. Finding the right size and fit for you is especially important with briefs to ensure you feel snug and confident, and to avoid potentially excessive grip or chafing.
You may also be able to find versions with a specialty supportive contoured pouch so that you can work out or take a jog without worrying about discomfort.
Active Lifestyles
The benefits of briefs align well with an active lifestyle. Take your briefs out on the field or court on game-day with confidence. Versatile as always, briefs also fit the working life, so you can wear them comfortably to that meeting or conference, keeping your focus on what’s important for your day.
Boxer Briefs
As the name suggests, boxer briefs are the middle ground of boxers and briefs, and in many ways, bring out the best of both worlds. With legs that run part-way down your thigh, boxer briefs also help keep moisture off your legs and prevent chafing if you’ve found that to be an issue in the past with briefs. Boxer briefs even offer different leg lengths, depending on your preferences.
Medium-Tight Fit
Boxer briefs offer a medium-tight fit that combines solid support balanced with a relaxed, comfortable feel. If you’re looking for the middle ground between the looseness of boxers and the tight fit of briefs, look no further. You can expect this supremely versatile style to work for you equally well out on a bike ride, in the office, or at home on the sofa.
Substantial Support
While not as focused on support as briefs, boxer briefs still hold their shape well and keep you comfortable through an active day. Like briefs, it’s important to find the right fit for you. That way, you can avoid any need for frequent readjustment during the day.
Jeans And Dress Clothes
The shape of boxer briefs is also beneficial to almost all kinds of attire, as they can seamlessly disappear under a suit, pair of slacks, or jeans. Performance boxer briefs are especially versatile, whether you’re rocking t-shirts or a suit.
tasc Underwear
If you’re looking to pick that perfect pair, take a look at these options, which combine all the criteria above for fit, comfort, and function, giving you a perfect option for any situation.
BamBare Bamboo Comfort Boxer
The ultimate comfort underwear, our bamboo-cotton boxers offer a relaxed fit without cutting out any of the great tech features you need. Pair them with a v-neck undershirt, and you’re all set for a day lounging around the house.
BamBare Boxer Brief
Lightweight and highly functional, you’ll find this bamboo-cotton style to be everything you need. We recommend boxer briefs, especially for those with an active lifestyle.
Sources
What is Sustainability? | UCLA
Find Out All You Need to Know About Organic Cotton | About Organic Cotton