New favorite underwear

It sounds like you have found your U-trou sweet spot, Justin. I have always just set aside my Jockey briefs when they get softer (and lighter) after 20-30 washings, and I use them for backpacking. I’m usually only out for 2-3 nights, so a single pair works without too much funk. Then, 2 years ago I got into merino boxer briefs and I doubt that I’ll ever look back. Then in my typical ‘anal’ manner, I’ve been stockpiling more and more of them. I even talked a lady friend with a sewing machine into shortening (therefore lightening) my unused BPL boxer “not so brief” shorts. Also, I’ve been snagging another pair whenever they are on sale (like during the current REI 20% deal). The jury is still out as to which brand I like best. I have some made by Ibex, Icebreaker, and Smartwool, which I am rotating to evaluate. They all weigh about the same, averaging 3.0 oz. each. The lone exceptions are one hideously orange pair of Icebreakers that come in at 2.1 oz. (same as my Jockey briefs – it must be made from a lighter grade of merino), and also those BPL boxer briefs, which the surgery brought down from 4.2 oz. to 3.5 oz. (thanks also to removing all tags and the unnecessary drawstring). So yeah, I think I’ve found my own U-trou sweet spot.

btw, what’s up with all those </div> thingies in your post?

Ive been in to Saxx brand. 🙄I know.

Seems like a gimmick but 4 out of 5 Bros I know agree. We were all laughing, but we wore them and like em. ‘Cept one guy. Hes hairy. Maybe that makes a difference?  (Fwiw hes weird, so him thinking that they are weird doesnt mean much) (Not being mean- its my bestie, hes just weird. Lol)

Everybody knows justin likes to be </div>issive.   ;p

For me, the # 1 underwear consideration, above all others, if the prevention of chafing. The Ex Officio “give and go” briefs work well when they are new, but after a season or so they start to fail and the chafing starts. I don’t know if it is the elastic that loosens up, or whether the fabric starts to thin-out, but, it can be a show stopper on a hot day.

The kind of chafing I am referring to is not my thighs rubbing together, its my private parts rubbing against my thighs. So, both get raw and it is at the level of an emergency since walking becomes almost impossible.

Brutal !

I challenge and raise the OP with Uniqlo Airism Mesh!

My Ex Officio Give n Go boxer briefs wick pretty well from my experience. I’ve worn them hiking in desert summer as well as running the marathon and never felt moisture accumulate. As for chafing, I just use Body Glide.

EO Give n Go Sport Mesh are my favorites. I’ve found them to be quite durable and they’ve got excellent wicking properties in my opinion.

When I backpacked with ex-officio’s sport briefs I would get chafing after awhile. Only with that underwear, non-boxer version, same balls-n-thigh spot. Crippling indeed Paul! I tried them again after two such incidences (I’m slow sometimes) on a 9 day hike, and on day two decided I was hiking commando for a week, which actually wasn’t that bad. The underwear was the problem, not my skin. Wish I’d figured that out the first time!

I really like saxx brand too. I find the models I have used stretch out after a day or two, making them less than ideal for backpacking applications, though. I also really like the EO give-n-go 9-inch boxer briefs. I haven’t tried them on any multi-night stuff yet though, but I’m optimistic.

I’ve found that wrapping my privates in butterfly wings really helps prevent chafing. It’s colorful too.

Removing them entirely will also address that problem. And maybe help alleviate overpopulation.

Re: Butterfly wings- That’s just Doug’s excuse for having dusty balls.

…maybe that’s moths, not butterflies…

Gives new meaning to the term “The Butterfly Effect.”

“Removing them entirely will also address that problem. And maybe help alleviate overpopulation.”

No worries, my personality takes care of that…

UnderArmor Boxer Briefs.  They come in various inseam lengths to prevent chafing as needed.  There are straight synthetic/spandex ones but also versions in various fractions of cotton, which are more comfortable but do have the cotton problems.  Both hold their elasticity well.

‘No worries, my personality takes care of that…’

Called it!

Ive tried verious brands of boxers, trunks and briefs as Im not really partial to any one style, I just want something comfortable and performs well. I like arcteryx briefs ,under armor boxers, hanes makes good boxers too, I usually pack a variety of cuts so I have the whole range of commando to briefs to trunks to boxers to long johns (if needed) that way I have plenty if clean stuff to change into and I can try to pick what is most comfortable at what time

Used to use the Ex Officio mesh, but didn’t like them long term. Have used Adidas Climacool boxer briefs for the last couple of years and really like them quite a bit. Favorite so far.

“UnderArmor Boxer Briefs.  They come in various inseam lengths to prevent chafing as needed.  There are straight synthetic/spandex ones but also versions in various fractions of cotton, which are more comfortable but do have the cotton problems.  Both hold their elasticity well.”

Do they solve the balls-against-thigh problem, or just the thigh-to-thigh? Thigh-to-thigh is not the problem I have, it’s the former one.

To the guy above me you can wear briefs to fix that or you can get boxers or trunks with a little pouch that separates you inside

Hi Gary,

Glad you have found your  U-trou sweet spot as well.  I have a pair of Merino underwear that I sometimes use in winter.  As far as “div” thing–I was having computer issues and instead of directly writing on the BPL format, I wrote it on my email because it automatically update saves what I’m writing, and then I copy and pasted it to BPL. I imagine it has something to do with the copy and pasting from a different platform.

For anyone interested, I weighed a pair of the previous mentioned Fruit of the Loom boxer-briefs and a medium weighed 1.3 oz on my scale.

Jeff, the Saxx stuff looks pretty nice, but it’s well..um.. a little too high falutin for my tastes–for one pair of regularly priced Saxx, I can buy about 6 pairs of Le Fruta Da Looma. Actually, the majority of the time I try to be more so uni-isive, but since I’m towards the weird, sometimes it doesn’t work out that way in practice.

. Men’s Performance Underwear for Hiking and Backpacking .

. Introducing the ZipAll || REI .

Wicking is really easy to test. A well wicking fabric will immediately, or near immediately, absorb and spread water that’s put onto it’s surface. It’s been awhile since I’ve tested any of classic Ex Officio Give N’ Go boxer briefs, but previously every one I tested failed miserably at the above. Most likely they used unaltered nylon fibers. I haven’t tested the other kinds like Sports Mesh.

With synthetic fibers, you have to either alter the shape of the fibers or add a chemical treatment to make them well wicking. Nylon can be made to be just as wicking as ubiquitously wicking polyester, but it’s been late to the wicking train–though it’s starting to become a bit more common than in the olden days.

I also have a pair of Underarmour boxer briefs that are also mostly nylon (with 10% elastane), well wicking, very light and breathable, supposedly used a more cooling fabric (flatter yarns), and has anti-microbial treatment (don’t think they sell it anymore).  Great underwear, but I think I paid 20 dollars for one pair and also no fly which is a – imo.  Price point factor mostly.

. Introducing the ZipAll || REI

Hmm, well I did some digging around and turns out that Jack O’ Lope Faux fur is never quite truly “ethical”  nor fully recyclable.  What kind of world do we live in?!

I’m awaiting a DCF/Cuben WPB variant in any case, (I’m looking at you Zpacks).

Well, Justin, you should be wearing The French Wedge Steve Climber does!