Hiking Underwear & Shorts (Guides’ Notes)

[david kosins]

I prefer my briefs in a dark color, so that after their morning rinse in a stream/lake, they dry faster when fastened to the top of my pack with diaper pins during the next morning’s hike.

[Ian]

My hiking undies du jour are Ex Officio boxer briefs but I’ve found that since I have thunder thighs, I have to go with the 6″ inseam.  The 3″ inseam version tends to ride up on me resulting in some chafe.  It was mildly awkward on the trail this weekend when I was elbow deep in my pants pulling my underwear down (for the 12th time) and a stealthy hiker walked around the corner.

My only requirement for my clothing is that it mustn’t stink worse than me, and the Ex Officio meet that criteria.  They hang dry quickly so assuming I do my best to wring them out after washing them, they are mildly damp the next morning and are fully dry within the first hour of hiking.  This also works well when I’m traveling as I only tend to bring a carry on and one, or at most, two changes of clothes in the carry-on bag.

I also like the Under Armor boxer briefs.  I bought some a few years ago that are mostly (all?) spandex.  They are also comfortable and I still wear them in the front country.  I bought a pair within the past year and noticed that they have gone to a fabric that’s eerily similar to what Ex Officio is using, to a point that I think they are trying to emulate them.

[Jared M]

Great point. I am always looking for more innovative blends, but most brands want to keep shoving the same stuff down customers’ throats. Many people think bucket polyester and nylon are in the same synthetic category but very different. I would never put polyester anywhere close to my nether regions because of its links to male infertility and because it traps of heat. Nylon/spandex blends are my go-to. I love Real Men Apparel V-Fly Boxer briefs. They have them in both modal/spandex and Nylon/Spandex. The V-Fly is super convenient. You can pick them up on Amazon or directly here Real Men Website

[JG H]

Since Jared has raised the dead here, I’ll chime in, too.

I have stout thighs and suffer chaffing when I walk/hike for any extended time. I bought a pair of 2Undr briefs a while ago on a whim and now they’re all I wear as I have zero chaffing issues in them. They have a “joey” pouch that cradles your wedding tackle and it actually works. Super comfy!

(note: i have no idea what synthetic blend they’re made of, and since I’m 56 tears old I don’t care bc infertility to me is a bonus)

[JCH]

From the 2Undr website: “84% Poly, 16% Elastane”.

[Jared M]

Resurrecting the past happens when one cruises forums after midnight. 2Undr is a great brand with good designs / construction and a lot of their products are nylon/spandex. Part of the preference comes down to feel. Nylons are cooling and can feel a lot more silky smooth versus polyester.

[dirtbag]

Me Undies

[Jared M]

MeUndies does have a range of products but a range of materials so you have to be diligent. But if you find what you want the prices are generally very competitive for the quality.

 

[Haakon R]

I read the article and the full first page of this companion thread before I realized how old it was. Anyway, good topics never expire, so it was still interesting.

For the most part I’ve settled on regular length merino boxers. It’s comfortable and feels much less grose when worn for multiple days.
I’m not really bothered by the lower wear resistance, they still last me a good while and long enough that I’d consider changing them anyways.
For a garment that is worn so close to damp areas of my body pretty much 24/7, undergoes more wash cycles and a higher replacement frequency than most other garments, I think there may be both health and environmental benefits to choosing natural fibers. Both for socks and underwear this typically equates to wool for hiking and travel and cotton for almost everything else.

That said it’s a never ending dilemma to come up with the perfect combination of underwear, shorts and pants combo for summer hikes.
I like the all-in-one running shorts with integrated boxer liners for how well they stay in place. I have a skinny a… lower back so regular shorts and pants have a tendency so sagg. But I’m also a fan of modularity, and separate boxers, shorts and pants makes for a much more flexible system, especially when taking into account washing on trail, using my underwear as makeshift swimming wear for the occasional bath/cool down and switching from shorts to pants (summers aren’t that hot around here, so pants are usually required for the evening section).

So for the convenience of having shorts that stay on I use all-in-ones when it makes sense, usually day hikes.
I also have Brynje Arctic long boxers with wind resistant material covering the crown jewels. Great for early / late winter skiing when the high temps are to high to warrant WPBs, but when you can get seriously cold winds in exposed areas and cold drafts when descending down the mountain in chill afternoon temps.

I guess I’m quite set in my ways at this point, but a couple of takeaways from the article is to have more black underwear to promote quicker drying times, as well as looking into some underwear that can pass as short tights in a pinch.

[John D]

Lately I have been using for T8 Commandos for three season hikes.  Very light and breathable.

https://t8.run/en-us/products/m-commandos?variant=39881947381825

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