Keeping it Brief: The Best Men’s Underwear, as Tested By Our Editors

Keep your boys high and tight...but not *that* tight.

BY: Patrick Varone
Update: March 18, 2024

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We’re clearly not models around here, but if it’s one thing we know about it’s testing products and pretty much only recommending things we love (and use). This time around we’re totally ass-out and coming up with a short list of our favorite underwear we sport on the regular.

When the waistband is busted or your name is still written on the back tag it’s probably time for an upgrade. Toss out those dull tighty whities and dare to go bold in stripes or a variety of floral patterns. Relax, it’s just underwear so you can handle it. Odd science has proven that women and men judge your sexy-factor by the style of underwear you sport. Gotta go with boxers? Do it, just take a little risk and make sure they’re not too “boxy.” Whether you’re a briefs guy or can’t get out of the boxer-briefs vacuum since 1998, men’s underwear has come a long way.

We’ve Google’d so many different lists and, lately, we’ve noticed that everyone is giving you like 20 pairs of underwear to choose from? How is that helpful?! So, we’re keeping it short and providing you a list of the best picks based on what some of the editors here at Brostrick actually wear. Here’s the criteria when it comes to how we tested and chose the best.

BROSTRICK'S TESTING CRITERIA

COMFORT

How comfy is it to actually wear these undies? Truly comfortable underwear should feel snug but not too tight, and it should not chafe or irritate your skin. Our testing for comfort involved wearing the underwear for extended periods to see how it feels throughout the day.

THE FIT

We feel like it should fit well and provide adequate support without feeling constricting. It should stay in place without riding up or slipping down, especially when you’re walking, running, at the gym.

MATERIAL

The material of the underwear is obviously vital for ultimate comfort and overall performance. Breathable fabrics like cotton, modal, or bamboo are often preferred as they help wick away moisture and keep you cool and dry in all the right places. Our testing involved assessing how well the material breathes and how it feels against our skin.

DURABILITY

We feel that good underwear should be able to withstand regular wear and washing without losing its shape or developing holes. Our testing for durability involved washing the underwear multiple times and checking for any signs of wear and tear like stretching, loose threads, waistband ripples, etc.

Outside of our top 4 testing criteria, we also looked at areas we’ve deemed important like:

Moisture-Wicking: Moisture-wicking properties are essential for keeping you dry and comfortable, especially during physical activities like going on runs, hitting the gym, etc. Testing involved assessing how well the underwear absorbs and evaporates moisture.

Odor Control: Good underwear should also have odor-resistant properties to keep you feeling fresh throughout the day. Testing involved wearing the underwear for an extended period (like the whole day) and evaluating whether it retains odors.

Seams and Stitching: Smooth seams and sturdy stitching are important for preventing irritation and ensuring the underwear maintains its shape. Testing involved inspecting the seams and stitching for any signs of weakness or roughness over a period of time, including after washing.

Waistband: The waistband should be comfortable and secure without digging into your skin or rolling down. Testing involved assessing how well the waistband held up throughout the day.

OUR BEST UNDERWEAR WINNERS

Saxx Droptemp Cooling Briefs

best underwear overall

PROS

CONS

Saxx may be the underwear brand you haven’t heard of, but one that you need to know about. Famous for their “ball pouch” these odor-controlled, temp dropping, moisture-wicking briefs feel oh-so buttery soft, keeps your boys in place, and sits nicely at your waist without squeezing too tight, which kind of keeps your ever-growing muffin top in place without spilling over (in most cases).

If you’re a hot sleeper or just a big sweater during the day, these will probably be your best bet. Personally, I even wore mine during a 2.5 mile outdoor run during the day and while I was certainly a sweaty mess it kept my boys from bouncing around and kept me pretty dry. A total plus if you’re a swamp-ass kinda guy. No judgement.

SPECS:

Tommy John Cool Cotton Briefs

most innovative fly

PROS

CONS

We’ve seen Tommy John ads for a while, especially back in the day on Facebook, so we wanted to give their famous briefs a try.

These fit us perfectly in all the right places and even hugged out butt so kind of hold everything in place. We felt it made our butt look slightly flatter (that’s flatter) than it is so just a heads up if you normally like to showoff your assets.

The top fly pouch is really a nice touch because you never have to worry about accidentally flopping out, especially if you’re out for a run or at the gym. That can certainly be embarrassing.

Our skin can easily get irritated especially if we’re wearing something when we’re on the go so we’re prone to chaffing, red marks, etc. Tommy John is a tagless brand so you won’t have that stiff paper tag rubbing against you with every move.

SPECS:

Tommy Bahama Knit Boxers (2)

favorite boxer shorts

PROS

CONS

No one around here is really a fan of boxers, but we wanted to try some different boxer brands to see if we could figure out what feels good. Many of the brands we tried felt like stiff paper and were so “boxy” that is felt like we were wearing a pair of actual shorts underneath our pants. It was like double pants!

This pack of 2 from Tommy Bahama fits us really well, wasn’t too boxy, and was actually really comfy. If you’re not a regular wearing of boxers it may take a little time to get used to because you kind of feel “out there.” We certainly wouldn’t recommend to wear these when you’re out exercising or may be in a situation where extra support is required. You know those times.

SPECS:

Calvin Klein Micro Stretch Underwear (3)

most affordable

PROS

CONS

There’s nothing more classic when it comes to underwear for guys than Calvin Klein. Historically these are usually pretty expensive, but we loved that these briefs came as a pack of three for under $30, which is a great steal.

These felt like our favorite pair of Jersey sheets that we sleep in (minus the waistband) and the front pouch feels like it’s tailored specifically for our boys to keep everything in place. High and tight, my friends! Don’t worry, it’s not too tight – at least for us.

Because this is a great price, unfortunately, there aren’t additional colors or patterns to choose from and they only carry S – XL sizes.

SPECS:

MeUndies Watermelon Boxer Briefs

most fun boxer briefs

PROS

CONS

MeUndies is probably the most fun underwear brand we’ve seen in a while. They actually offer a membership program so if you sign up for that you get crazy discounts per pair of underwear you buy.

From a review standpoint, these boxer briefs are oddly soft and super comfortable. We typically aren’t huge fans of boxer briefs because the legs usually stretch and roll up but, so far, these have really stayed in place nicely. The leg is slightly longer than what we’re used to, but the comfort of them trumps that length issue for us.

SPECS:

Under Armour Performance Boxer Jock

best for workouts

PROS

CONS

These will officially be our go-to for anything workout related. This pair of Under Armour boxer briefs really checked all the boxes for us when it comes to moisture-wicking, super fast drying, comfort, and overall odor control. All these things, for us, are super important when working out.

They’re going to keep everything in place, won’t ride up on you and the leg length and fit fits just right. The only real downside is that they don’t currently offer a lot of colors to choose from and sizes come in and out of stock a lot.

SPECS:

Spanx For Men "Shaping" Boxer Briefs

best hidden secret underwear

PROS

CONS

Never did we think we’d be sporting Spanx but, truth be told, these are the real deal. If you have a little trouble in your mid area and could use a little help holding things down, making it flat, and keeping everything in place these actually do the job brilliantly.

They’ve incorporated moisture-wicking and odor control into their boxer briefs so not only are they fully functional and fit well, they help keep you dry and smelling fresh (as much as possible) throughout the day and night.

Because we’ve never worn these before it did take a little getting used to because of the high waistband. Although, after wearing them for a week or two we really like the feeling of it sucking everything in. Sure they’re expensive, in our opinion, but it may be good to have a pair or two on hand for special occasions or just when you feel like you want a flatter looking appearance.

SPECS:

Now that you’ve got your undies covered, take a look at our picks for some of the best men’s jeans, sunglasses and, of course, colognes.

Patrick Varone

Patrick is one of the founding members of Brostrick.com, starting back in 2014. Since then he still runs the show around here, focusing on men's style and grooming trends, fun product reviews and the occasional gift guide or two. That's 10 years of experience and counting! Some of Patrick's writing can be found on BestProducts.com, Trendsicle, and Giftsicle.com. Read full bio.

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Keeping it Brief: The Best Men’s Underwear, as Tested By Our Editors

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