Hiking underwear is vital gear for better performance during hiking and outdoor adventures. Properly designed underwear for hiking meet some basic standards and excel on different metrics. We have shortlisted and reviewed the best hiking underwear available in the market. The reviews are based on our comprehensive research, personal experiences, and fellow hikers’ feedback based on various metrics, which we discussed in detail below.
With the convenience of quick drying, breathability, and odor resistance, your washing time will reduce significantly to focus more on your adventures. However, these underwear are more expensive than regular underwear, so everybody doesn’t invest in them and later suffer while traveling and backpacking. However, our list includes all-around undies that are top-quality and budget-friendly.
Best Overall Hiking Underwear
1. ExOfficio Give-N-Go Boxer Brief
The ExOfficio Give-n-go Boxer Brief is excellent all-around underwear for all hiking adventures due to their versatility. This is a super comfortable, breathable, and flexible underwear that we tested and reviewed. They come with a combination of comfort, stretch, and quick drying, and they are easily washable that you can wear them all day on your backpacking trips in the mountains.
Additionally, this underwear comes in various colors and sizes that fit comfortably for all waist sizes. Generally, cheap underwear feels terrible after a few hours of wearing them, especially in summer, but the material ExOfficio uses is terrific. That is soft, durable, and does not create a smell even if you wear it for days.
Chafing is common among hikers, especially newcomers, who don’t prioritize proper attire before heading out for the adventure, but ExOfficio prevents chafing even during uphill or downhill hikes due to the material flexibility. We caught up in heavy rains and got wet many times during walks, but these underwear dried up so quickly that we did not feel like changing them either. If you are new to brief, then give a bit of time to break in these, and you will never go back to your regular cotton underwear.
They are a little pricey, but they stand out in all the metrics that are required to do the job in the mountains. The color also tends to fade with time, but that is unavoidable with any top underwear. If we have to pick one underwear for four seasons of hiking, we will pick these ones.
Best For Hot Weather
2. Adidas Sport Performance Boxer Briefs
Feeling like your underwear is the wrong size? Not feeling like it’s made of the right material? The Adidas Sport Performance Boxer Briefs Underwear comes in a pack of 2, and they’re made of 91% polyester and 9% spandex. Machine washable, these boxers are perfect budget-friendly underwear for backpacking.
While walking, these Adidas briefs are designed to keep you cool, dry, and comfortable. They come with a no-ride-up leg construction to keep fit consistent and prevent bunching so that you can enjoy the benefits of updated underwear for all your active endeavors.
And the Adidas Performance Boxer Briefs offer better flexibility than just about any underwear here, and they fit fine under hiking shorts, hiking pants, also jeans. They fit snugly but not to the point of feeling too tight or uncomfortable.
What’s more, we love the material, which doesn’t bunch up or cause rashes under wear lines, and the strap stays in place. They keep cool during summer, and the quick-drying feature wicks sweat away to dry them quickly. Not that just that, they are durable and withstand years of hiking and outdoor adventure abuse.
The biggest issue is the waistband elastic quality and fits that many wear out with long hikes and treks. Thus, it can fail to provide the value for the money. The cargo and rear pockets all have top security flaps, and getting items out is hard. Even so, these underwear are still highly practical and affordable. These boxers are great for those who prioritize comfort, practicality, and ease of movement during hiking or trail walking.
Best Value For The Money
3. Saxx Men’s Underwear Vibe Boxer Briefs
Saxx Underwear Vibe Boxer Briefs are all about style and comfort with a fit for everyday wear. These boxer briefs are designed to look sharp and feel even better, made with a stretchy cotton blend and fitted with an elastic waistband for added support. Like ExOfficio, Saxx underwear gives you superior performance and fit, whether you’re on the couch or on the go.
What’s more, They come in many styles, colors, and sizes, which is an added advantage for choosy people who cares about the tiniest features.
On hot summer days, when hiking attire seems to pull you away from the trail, pull on the Vibe boxer briefs. They are highly breathable, soft, and lightweight. When we sweat on the trails, it used to take ages to dry our undergarments which used to cause discomfort but not anymore with the Viber boxer brief. Their dry time is way less and provides quick relief from sweat to keep us on the trail.
The weak point of these boxers is that the fabric is lightweight and seems that it might wear out with rigorous hiking. They are not the most affordable option on our list, and the extra price tag, considering the durability, is probably the biggest setback to purchasing them again. But that being said, they even fit better than Adidas briefs and feel much more comfortable on the skin.
Best Smartwool Option
4. Smartwool 50 Boxer Brief
The Smartwool Merino boxer briefs are a great base layer option. They’re designed of a Merino Wool and Polyester combination for extra comfort since the Merino wool is much softer than any other material. Wool regulates temperature, keeping you warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Flatlock seams are used across Smartwool, reducing the likelihood of chafing. They also have a wide, merino-lined waistline. Because of its form, the waistband won’t rub and chafe your back muscles under the weight of your pack, as many boxers’ waistbands do. They’re easy to care for because they’re machine washable and tumble dryer-safe. The boxers have an open fly and a usual loose fit. If you want to choose the best wool underwear, You should go with this one.
After a few backpacking trips in the wilderness and mountains, we were very impressed with these boxers as they provide good breathability, odor control, and stretch. We loved the traditional look, and the design and material performed well during the winter as well.
However, after a few months of wear and washing, they show some wear, unlike cotton underwear, but they still don’t cause the discomfort and performance issues that make them stand out among different boxers options.
The big downside worth noting is the durability, which is not as good as it should be considering the price tag. Also, the weight is slightly higher than the synthetic material since wool is slightly thicker as compared to synthetic material, but it provides better support during winter.
Best Budget-Friendly Option
5. Under Armour Tech 6-inch Boxerjock
If you are looking for budget-friendly underwear and exceptional value, then we recommend Under Armour Tech 6-inch Boxerjock. The under armour is the perfect combination of comfort and performance, which you need for Hiking and trail running. It’s made with cotton fabric that moves better in every direction for unrestricted movement without sacrificing support.
The Charged fabric also moves moisture away from your body to keep you dryer and more comfortable while working out. It’s also made without any seams on the side or back, so it is considered the best boxer brief for men. Also, the waistband seems more comfortable and durable than the other underwear we reviewed, and it stays firmly in place for better movement. They don’t rub on sensitive areas while running due to their clever and well-thought-of design as stitch patterns keep seeming away.
With such an affordable price tag, they are way more durable than many of the boxers we reviewed. Plus, they are machine washable and dryer-safe for quick drying. They enhance the walk performance due to better flexibility and don’t pull legs to provide ease of movement. With their excellent moisture control and breathability features, they are sure a good option for repeat buying and gifts.
After wearing it a few times, the stitching seems durable and can handle the abuse of outdoor use for a few months of trail running easily, but it can extend the durability with normal hikes or daily walks. All in all, they are still a top option when it comes to the combination of price, performance, and durability that these boxers provide.
Hiking Underwear Buying Advice
What Defines a Hiking Underwear?
There is no hard rule on underwear or hiking attire. Do you feel comfortable in your clothing while hiking? That’s all matter. However, when discussing comfort and ease of movement during hiking, having proper underwear makes a huge difference. Hiking underwear is a comfortable, flexible, quick-drying, and, most importantly, anti-chafing undie that supports your hiking performance.
Depending on the conditions, they provide excellent support and ease of movement during walks. That said, If you’re looking for the best-performing hiking attire, hiking underwear is one of them. And there’s something for everyone in the market, and we have already reviewed the best option in this article.
Material
Material plays an important role in hiking fabrics, more so than regular clothing. You need to choose a breathable and comfortable material for underwear. It should have moisture-wicking properties to avoid chafing.
That’s why cotton is bad for hiking—it is neither breathable nor good at moisture-wicking. We always go for synthetic and merino wool underwear, as they are more breathable and comfortable. Synthetic fabrics are durable and quick-drying.
However, we’ve noticed that they retain odor, though. So, you’ll want to wash them if you plan to spend a few days on the trail. Merino wool is another excellent option for underwear because it’s soft, odor-free, and great at moisture-wicking.
Merino wool underwear is our first choice, followed by polyester underwear. Wool underwear is expensive, but it is worth it. It’s not as durable as polyester underwear, so it’s blended with other materials like nylon or spandex for durability and flexibility.
Odor Resistance
If you want to spend days in the backcountry, you’ll want to spend extra bucks to get quality underwear.
Merino underwear is highly efficient in controlling odor, and you can wear it for days without being bothered by the smell. This saves you time washing them in the backcountry. Cotton, on the other hand, retains odor and is not recommended at all for hiking clothing. Synthetic fibers also hold odor, but not as badly as cotton.
Some manufacturers use coatings on synthetic fabric to control odor, which helps initially. However, with repeated washing, the effect fades away over time. The good thing about synthetic fibers is that they dry quickly, so it’s easier to wash them in the backcountry compared to other materials.
Having said that, if you want to wear underwear for days without washing, merino wool underwear is highly recommended.
Quick Dry
Choosing the right hiking underwear can be a difficult task. You want to ensure you have a good fit and that the materials will not cause discomfort, but what else is most important? Let me ask a simple question. Have you ever washed your clothes in the backcountry and waited hours for them to dry?
Quick-dry is also one of the essential features to have for backcountry gear. If you want to backpack light, you cannot carry multiple underwear with you. Otherwise, you might not be able to travel far, and your backpack will weigh you down. If you have to wash them, you expect them to dry quickly, regardless of the weather condition.
ExOfficio Give-N-Go Boxer Brief performed well in this metric, and they dried up quickly, even not on very sunny days. On the other hand, since wool is a little thicker, it takes a bit extra time to dry, but they are better at odor resistance, so you don’t need to wash them repeatedly.
Breathable
When it comes to choosing fitting undies, breathability is also vital. Without that, you will suffer during long hikes and walks. This component is crucial for a variety of reasons. The more air that can enter the undergarment, the faster it dries. The quicker it evaporates, the less likely you’ll be bothered.
Moreover, the more breathable your underwear is, the more liberated and light you’ll feel inside. Your skin will be grateful to you for assisting it in regulating your body. Likewise, each pair performed relatively well that we reviewed.
The mesh material that runs throughout the fabric provides better breathability and hence dries up quickly. Smartwool Merino boxer underwear provided little less breathability when compared with the other models that we reviewed.
Conclusion
Proper underwear is a vital hiking gear that provides better performance and much-needed flexibility, movement, and breathability. Based on these metrics, we shortlisted the best hiking undies to ensure you can walk freely and long without worrying about chaffing and odor in your undergarments. We hope our guide helps you to make a wise purchase decision from the top underwear for your next adventures.
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