Boxers that also work as shorts

[Charlie W]

I happen to like merino as underwear for various reasons. And on a hot day I like to wear as little as possible without causing offence. Unfortunately, the single bright button on the fly of my Ibex merino boxers is a clear social signal indicating underwear.

I recently discovered Icebreaker Sonic 5" Running Shorts. If you cut out the liner, then you have a wonderful pair of merino boxer underwear that can be worn alone as shorts. It's not see-through (even with the liner removed) and the decorative orange strips on the side clearly signal running shorts rather than underwear. The length is a perfect compromise between 70s shorty shorts and today's over-the-knee, fat-guy-on-vacation shorts. They protect your modesty unless you are getting very long in the scrotum. Leave the liner in if you don't like to swing free while hiking. They probably aren't the right choice if you prefer having your balls tightly compressed (but in that case why are you reading a thread about boxers?).

Like all merino items these are listed for something like $80 but can be found for $40 if you are odd sized (S or XXL) and/or patient. New XXL are $32 on ebay as of this writing. The waistband is comfy merino against skin and substantial enough that I removed the tie strings (S fits my 31" waist and maybe up to 32").

(Apologies to anyone offended by my use of the words fat, shorty shorts, scrotum or balls.)

[Joe S]

This title reminded me of the college ski trip I took to Killington, and we decided to go to the hot tub, but no on had a bathing suit. I outfitted 5 of my buddies and me with boxer shorts. Problem solved.

[Gerry B.]

Charlie,
How quick are these Icebreaker shorts to dry after being washed? Some merino wool, particularly the Rab Meco with polyester, dry super quickly. If these dry quickly, IMHO, they'd be a homerun!

[Charlie W]

Slow reply…

It's 150 merino (double that with the liner). So not particularly fast to dry.

[Nick Gatel]

I have been using 5" Patagonia Baggies with the liner cut out on most trips for over 30 years.

[peter tooke]

nm

[Justin Baker]

I think you will have issues with the shorts wearing out from sitting down. Merino wool isn't very durable.

[David Thomas]

These aren't wool, but they are wicking, dry faster and are cheaper. They call them boxers but they fit snugy. Usually I don't like that, but these work for me:

Google "Jockey 2-pk. Sport Microfiber Sport Boxer Briefs" and they pop up all over at $24 for two.

In black they look almost entirely like bicycling or exercise shorts. They'd double as a swim suit really well because they dry so quickly. The waist band say "JOCKEY JOCKEY JOCKEY" in grey letters, but a sharpie marker fixes most of that and if you wear a t-shirt or any shirt loose over it, you can't see the waist band.

Mine are a little older version before they went tagless and with a different style printing on the waistband. They are 2.75 ounces / 77 grams which is pretty good for hiking shorts + UW + swim suit.

[Anonymous]

Interesting concept. I've thought of something like this, but sewing a rectangular piece of fabric on the front as a hanging flap to preserve some modesty. Not sure what underwear i would use for said purpose, but heck, the cheap, ubiquitous thin 55% cotton 45% boxers might work ok in general in all but the hottest and most humid weather.

But for the creme de la creme, the new Under Armour Iso-chill (mostly nylon) boxer jocks are pretty nice.

And yes, i would actually do this, i'm that kray-kray.

[Jim C]

What about doing the opposite: using shorts that double as boxers? That's what I've got planned for a week long trip this summer, and tested out for brief (ha!) periods of time around home and on a weekend trip.

The shorts I'm using are Smartwool running shorts. I got mine from Sierra Trading Post at a good price, thanks to a BPL post, but unfortunately, they only have the long seam in stock, which probably wouldn't be the most comfortable under pants. Leftlane Sports has the shorter inseam in stock in size large only. Both places have plenty of the women's shorts in stock (checked for my fiancée).

These are nice because they have a wool liner (which helps with the funk) and a synthetic, fast drying outer. Worn alone, I've found them very comfortable, and under pants, they seem about the same as normal boxers, though I haven't yet hiked far in them.

Probably any short inseam running shorts with a liner would work.

Edit: Perhaps I should have read the original post more clearly, as that's essentially what you're suggesting, other than cutting out the liner.

[Nick Gatel]

Those will work. Cut out the liner and they are lighter and you are good to go.

[Jim C]

Nah, I was a bit confused. With the Smartwool shorts, only the liner is merino wool, so if you cut out the line, you'd just be left with a pair of synthetic shorts. The Icebreakers would be better for this purpose.

For me, though, I plan on hiking in shorts most of the time, and only putting on pants when bugs, brush, or sun are a problem. So, to avoid revealing more than I intend to when sitting down, I think it's best to keep the liners in.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

OR… you could just use shorts and no underwear. It's the manly and masculine "going Commando" style. ;o)

[Bean]

"I recently discovered Icebreaker Sonic 5" Running Shorts. If you cut out the liner, then you have a wonderful pair of merino boxer underwear that can be worn alone as shorts. It's not see-through (even with the liner removed) and the decorative orange strips on the side clearly signal running shorts rather than underwear."

I'm giving this a shot, I want some wool running shorts for odor reasons and I would cut the liner out anyway. As well, I want something for mixed company backpacking trips, so I'm not walking around in what is clearly my underwear.

A more embarrassing reason I like this idea, is I misplaced my pants once and panicked I'd be hiking a crowded trail to the car in my underwear. Found them under my sleeping pad after several anxiety ridden minutes of searching. So, it may quell some of my nightmares, if I know I'm sleeping in shorts.

Just need to watch out I don't gym teacher flash my friends with an up the shorts shot.

By the way, cutting the liner out was cake. Day hiking with them under pants is not a problem (sans a pack). There is a little bit of a concern I have with the thickness at the waist, which makes me worry how comfortable it will be long term. I guess I'll see how they work on my next trip, and bring along underwear just in case it is a complete failure for me.

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