The Best Boxer Briefs for Men of 2023
There are many styles of men’s underwear, but none offer supportive comfort quite like the boxer brief. Snug in the leg and nurturing of the package, boxer briefs give you the best of both worlds. Many brands now make underwear using fabrics other than the typical cotton, blending materials nylon for durability and moisture-wicking and super-soft micro modal (a type of rayon) for all-day comfort.
To find the best boxer briefs, we put 13 highly rated pairs to the test. The Adidas Men’s Sport Performance Boxer Briefs
(available at Amazon)
was our top pick for its versatility, moisture-wicking ability, and comfortable fit. For a premium upgrade, the Ex Officio Give-N-Go 2.0 (available at ExOfficio) offers a snug design, quick-drying and breathable mesh fabric, and odor-proofing that makes it great for travel.
Credit:
Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar
The Adidas Sport Performance boxer brief is as good for fitness as it is daily wear.
Best Overall
Of all the boxer briefs we tested over the five months, no pair was quite as versatile, comfortable, and durable as the Adidas Performance. During my time wearing them, I I hardly noticed I had them on, no matter my daily activities—and this is not something I could say across the board. They didn’t bunch up while I walked around—even on the most humid days—they never rode up my legs while I worked out, and the waistband stayed put all day. They’re made of a stretchy polyester/spandex material that wicked away moisture and clung to my legs without feeling too tight or too loose. While sitting in my office chair for work, I found the fabric to be highly breathable—a true blessing. For their value, airiness, and fit, the Adidas Performance boxer brief is worth every penny.
If I had any negatives with this boxer brief, it’s that they could feel softer to the touch. Polyester isn’t the coziest material, but it is useful for wicking moisture—hence why it’s a favorite fabric for athletic apparel.
The boxer briefs come in men’s sizes S to XXL in three two-pack color combinations: black and black, red and black, and grey and black.
Mục lục
Pros
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Breathable
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No ride-up or chafing
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Great moisture-wicking
Cons
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No fly
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Could be softer
Buy now at Amazon
$31.57 from Walmart
Credit:
Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar
ExOfficio’s Give-N-Go 2.0 boxer briefs are durable, odor-proof, and highly breathable.
Best Upgrade
If there’s one boxer brief I would recommend to any person on the planet, it would be the Ex Officio Give-N-Go 2.0. It’s pricier than your typical pair of boxer briefs, but if you’re willing to invest in incredibly soft, super durable, odor-free, and stay-put underwear, these are the premium choice. Similar to the Adidas Performance, these are made with a stretchy mesh fabric that’s highly breathable and great for all-day wear and exercise alike. However, unlike the Adidas Performance, the Ex Officio Give-N-Go 2.0 feels more pliable, tougher—they contain nylon instead of polyester—and has an awesome fit. They have a fly and, thanks to their porous texture, even look texturally interesting.
When I packed these for an international trip, I was able to wear them for three separate days without wash and saw no moisture build-up that caused my luggage to stink. While hiking up a mountain in Mexico, I didn’t experience ride-up, chafing, or any ill-fitting issues. Furthermore, during our laundry tests at Reviewed’s lab in which we machine-washed and tumble-dried all the pairs (because that’s what most people would do), we found that these shrank the least of any other boxer brief on this list, despite care instructions telling us to line-dry.
The boxer briefs come in men’s sizes S to 2XL in two-packs of black and gray.
Pros
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Silky soft
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No ride-up
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Quick-drying and odor-proof
Cons
-
Slight excess fabric
Buy now at ExOfficio
How We Tested Men’s Boxer Briefs
The Tester
I’m Kevin Cortez, style staff writer at Reviewed, and I spend the majority of the year dressing for cooling comfort. As a lifelong Floridian, it’s essential that I wear clothing that keeps me airy and dry, so I can look and feel good all day. With that in mind, underwear is the foundation of me staying cool and comfy—not sweaty and swampy. I find solace in undergarments that don’t cause chafing, help wick away moisture, guard against odor, and resist bunching up my sweaty thighs. When looking at these rankings, keep in mind: The top choices survived this most humid of states.
The Tests
To choose which products to test, I shopped the internet for the top-ranking and best-selling boxer briefs. With the help of our fabric expert, Jamie Ueda, I put together a scoring rubric for the underwear to evaluate fit, quality, and comfort based on both objective and subjective tests.
I wore each pair of boxer briefs at home, noting how they performed during my day-to-day routine of working at my desk, exercising for an hour—typically long walks and hundreds of kettlebell swings—and being a nightly couch potato. I also took note of how each pair held shape after three laundry cycles. Meanwhile, at our Cambridge offices, senior manager of lab operations Jonathan Chan took measurements of each pair before washing them three times and noting any visible defects concerning pilling, coloration, and shrinkage. He then washed each pair an additional seven times and noted those differences as well, totaling 10 different wash cycles.
I then took the top five boxer briefs on a two-week-long trip to Mexico, during which I had no access to laundry, to make my final decisions on the top picks.
What You Should Know About Buying Boxer Briefs
Credit:
Getty / creacart
Boxer briefs should fit snug in the leg with some slack near the crotch.
What Are Boxer Briefs?
As its name suggests, boxer briefs are a combination of two styles of underwear: briefs and boxers. While briefs are short on the leg and snug around the thighs and crotch, boxers are relaxed throughout the leg and crotch like a pair of shorts. Boxer briefs combine the best of both of these styles. They carry the snugness of briefs around the thigh and crotch and the extended leg of boxers. Ideally, these stay put—no bunching or rolling—while still fitting semi-relaxed.
How Should Boxer Briefs Fit?
With boxer briefs, look for a pair that’s comfortable and allows you to move freely while maintaining a snug fit around your legs and package. But don’t confuse snug with tight. Avoid any boxer briefs that bunch up around your thighs or don’t feel breathable, which can cause chafing and bacteria build-up that leads to unpleasant odors. There should be a good amount of fabric in the crotch area to feel supportive, not constricting—but not so much that it bunches up around your delicate bits.
When sizing for men’s boxer briefs, it’s useful to measure your waist in inches and compare that to sizing charts. Sizes vary from brand to brand, so taking your normal pant size of, say, a medium, won’t always align with a medium-sized pair of boxer briefs. If you’re between sizes, it may make sense to size or down in accordance to your body type, going bigger to accommodate a larger waistline or smaller for a tighter fit around slim legs, for example.
As for the best fabric for boxer briefs? Synthetic materials like polyester, nylon, or spandex are quick-drying, pliable, and sometimes odor-proof. Cotton, on the other hand, is often cheaper but more prone to shrink in the wash and isn’t the best when buying for comfort—the material can’t wick moisture as well as synthetics and can become soggy with sweat, leading to odor and chafing.
Other Boxer Briefs We Tested
Saxx has many underwear styles that feature its patented Ballpark Pouch design—a set of supportive micro-mesh panels that hold your package in place and keep it cool. But it was the company’s Hot Shot model that truly impressed me. These were the breeziest pairs of boxer briefs I’ve tried, and it’s all due to rows of perforated mesh stripes that run throughout the body.
Made of recycled polyester and elastane, the Hot Shots performed well on humid days in Florida, and they fit just right in my usual size, with no annoying waistband rolling or tightness around the legs. The stitching and construction are solid, and I never had to adjust them while in motion.
With minor shrinkage and tough fabric that ensures these won’t fade over time, these are your best bet on those warmer days—although I wouldn’t wear these when working out because they’re not tight enough to stay put during a run or gym session. (Saxx has a Sports line with added compression for that.) Saxx’s only setback is a monetary one—a single pair is nearly double to many multi-packs on this list.
Saxx’s Hot Shots come in men’s sizes S to XXL in three solid colors and an array of rotating seasonal patterns.
Pros
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Terrific fit
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Awesome moisture-wicking
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Cooling and supportive
Cons
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Not fit for working out
Buy now at Saxx
Buy now at Amazon
$28.46 from Backcountry
These Target bestsellers are a solid alternative to Saxx in terms of breathability, and they fit similarly but without the company’s Ballpark Pouch design to keep your package in place. They’re made of polyamide and spandex, and the entire piece is perforated throughout—like a basketball jersey—helping air out the legs and crotch. Silky smooth to the touch and ultra-comfortable, these offer a great value pick for anyone wanting a set of reliable boxer briefs that are great for all-day comfort.
My qualms with them, however, stem from a sizing issue. I tried these in my usual men’s size large, and while they fit well around my legs and hips, they feel a tad too loose around the groin. Those wanting something more supportive may have to size down. And although they’re excellent moisture-wicking pieces, they’re not the best for working out as they will ride up the leg during a run or gym workout.
The Pair of Thieves come in men’s sizes S to XL in two-packs that include one solid color and one pattern or two solids.
Pros
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Great fit
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Comfortable
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Cool fabric
Cons
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Not very supportive
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Not great for workouts
Buy now at Pair of Thieves
$24.99 from Target
$23.99 from Walmart
I loved these Tommy John boxer briefs for lounging around. When I tested them, I found them to be buttery soft, pliable, and snug in just the right places. The hugging around my thighs felt amazing on my skin, thanks to its fabric blend of micro modal and spandex. I appreciated the extra fabric pouch near my package. The material is slightly see-through when stretched, which helps with breathability and airiness, and the stitching and construction feel top-notch. When testing, I didn’t need to adjust the briefs or yank them down from my leg, and the thick and sturdy waistband never rolled down onto itself. The Tommy Johns also impressed during lab testing, where they shrank by only 1% and didn’t show any signs of pilling or color fading.
The only cons holding this pair back from the top spot are its higher-than-many price and its comfort during exercise—despite being a synthetic, the material is not very moisture-wicking.
The boxer briefs come in men’s sizes S to XXL in 13 colors.
Pros
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Buttery soft
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Snug fit
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Pliable
Cons
-
Not moisture-wicking
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Pills at seams
Buy now at Tommy John
I was shocked at how good these Calvin Kleins felt when I first put them on—they’re similar to the plushness of the Tommy John ones but made of a blend of nylon and spandex instead of micro modal. If you’re looking for a casual boxer brief, these are an awesome choice for short-term wear and cooler climates. They’re pliable and snug, with a tighter fit, especially in the leg. That sleek silhouette made me feel, uh, kinda cute while I wore them, too.
However, the fabric just isn’t as breathable as our top picks. I found them uncomfortable when worn for long stretches in Florida’s humid temps and when working out. We also found that pilling was a major issue with these—the fabric pilled after just four washes.
The Calvin Klein boxer briefs come in men’s sizes S to XL in five colors.
Pros
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Soft fabric
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Thick waistband
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Attractive style
Cons
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Easily pills
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Not breathable
Buy now at Amazon
The style and fabric of Mack Weldon’s 18-hour boxer briefs are superb. They’re made of a blend of cotton, modal, and spandex, so they feel soft—but not smooth—against the skin with a bit of added stretch. The stitching and construction appear solid as well.
It’s the fit where I had issues. Although I tested a pair in size large (my usual), these fit more like a medium and didn’t give much slack around my thighs. They felt tight to the point of making me uncomfortable. The waistband also rolled down my stomach, which to me, is a dealbreaker. If you’ve got thinner thighs and legs, you may have luck, but those with a thicker build should look elsewhere.
The boxer briefs come in men’s sizes S to XXL in 10 colors and seven patterns.
Pros
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Plush
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Good construction
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Variety of colors
Cons
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Annoying waistband
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Tight around legs
Buy now at Mack Weldon
After years of hearing about MeUndies on podcast ads, I was excited to try them out for myself. The brand’s boxer briefs are made up of a similar micro-modal-and-spandex fabric as the Tommy John ones, but the proportions differ, with more modal to less spandex. This ratio makes a huge difference in their construction: Where the Tommy Johns feel sturdy and reliable, MeUndies’ showed pilling, as well as unraveled stitching, after a few washes at home. Although they’re silky soft, I doubt MeUndies’ boxer briefs will last in the long run. It’s a shame considering the fit and style are so solid.
The boxer briefs come in men’s sizes S to 4XL in seven colors.
Pros
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Smooth
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No-roll waistband
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Great fit
Cons
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Rides up leg
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Pills easily
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Poor stitching
Buy now at MeUndies
Of all of the 100% cotton boxer briefs I tested, Jockey’s Classic boxer brief is by far the best—which, unfortunately, isn’t saying much. Although cotton shrinks, I didn’t find that to be a bad thing here. In fact, shrinking felt like a necessary step for Jockey’s boxer briefs to fit better. Before washing them, these were loose around my legs and felt more like boxers than boxer briefs, unsupportive of my package and just too relaxed. After washing, however, they felt snugger around my legs. They aren’t as supportive as I prefer boxer briefs to be—and the bits of excess fabric around my package were annoying—but these are just fine for what they are: no-frills, soft, and pliable cotton undies.
These Jockeys come in men’s sizes S to 3XL in multi-packs of various colors.
Pros
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Easy fly
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Quality cotton
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Wide size range
Cons
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Wonky fit
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Slightly loose
Buy now at Amazon
$29.50 from Target
$29.50 from Walmart
The Champion Elite X-Temp boxer briefs weren’t comfortable at all. During active exercise, they constantly rode up my legs and bunched up. Whenever I sat down, they shot up my thighs and begged me to fish them out of my crotch. The only time these were wearable was when walking after I had already pulled the fabric down my legs a few inches. The fabrics blend of polyester, cotton, and spandex helps them wick away moisture while on the move and offers some flexibility, but the amount of shrinking that occurred during our lab wash tests, alongside poor stitching, makes them feel like they’re built to be replaced after minimal use. I’m not a fan.
The boxer briefs come in men’s sizes S to XXL in a four-pack of black/red and blue/grey.
Pros
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Moisture-wicking
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Stretchy
Cons
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Awful sizing
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Poor quality
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Shrinks
$13.34 from Amazon
Straight out of the packaging, the American Eagle pair had my favorite fit of every boxer brief on this list. Unfortunately, that changed after washing. These shrank more than 25% of their original size after 10 wash-and-dry cycles. Even when I line-dried them, they shrank an entire men’s size, tightly grasping my waist and legs. They’re advertised online as 96% cotton and 4% elastane, but the pair of boxers I received was 58% cotton, 38% polyester, and 4% elastane. The anti-roll waistband and flatlock stitching—which helps prevent seams from showing under bottoms—are both cool features but unusable for me as I could hardly pull them on after washing. Although they looked flattering style-wise on first wear, the amount of shrinkage made them nearly unwearable thereafter.
The boxer briefs come in men’s sizes XS to XXXL in an array of graphics and patterns.
Pros
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Anti-roll waistband
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Flatlock stitching
Cons
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Heavy shrinkage
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False fabric makeup claim
Buy now at American Eagle
There are your run-of-the-mill cotton boxer briefs… and there’s really nothing I can say about them that I liked. They soaked up my sweat without wicking it away, the cotton fabric is paper-thin and rough, and the fit is horrendous. As soon as I took them out of their package, they looked enormous and cheap. A few washes later and put on my body, they didn’t feel softer or fit better at all. They shrank during our lab tests by nearly 9%. A glance at the stitching along the seams also shows fraying, looseness, and poor craftsmanship. I’ll be glad to never wear these again.
The boxer briefs come in men’s sizes S to XXXL in six-packs of various colors.
Pros
-
Available in bulk
Cons
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Rough cotton
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Major shrinkage
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Poor quality
$21.98 from Amazon
$23.99 from Zappos
$21.98 from Walmart
Unsurprisingly, Fruit of the Loom is much like Hanes in the cotton boxer-briefs camp: cheaply made and uncomfortable. The cotton on these is rough and feels poorly constructed. On the body, I found them to have a wonky fit. They’re too loose around the leg and package, even after shrinking over 10% during our wash tests. I also found them generally unsupportive. The fly has a mesh polyester window to help moisture control, but it was useless amidst the absorbent cotton. Not a fan.
The boxer briefs come in men’s sizes S to XXL in seven-packs of various colors.
Pros
-
Bulk buy
Cons
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Coarse cotton
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Bad construction
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Unsupportive
Buy now at Amazon
$23.98 from Walmart
