 I wanted to know what the best choice in underwear was for guys. Like with shoes, the male wardrobe doesn’t require the range of options that women do. Fortunately for everyone involved, there is no need for guys to wear a thong under any circumstance. But, are boxers, the reigning champs the best options for men? Is this a one-horse race? I’ve said no for years, that boxer-briefs provide the benefits of boxers (length, full coverage), with the support of briefs. Not everyone agrees, so as a service to guys, Be Better Guys is reviewing multiple pairs of underwear to decide this matter.
Why revise the whole underwear debate? It’s the tyranny of the boxers. For years, I’ve believed that men, in the dark recesses of their hearts, wanted the loving embrace of a pair of briefs, tighty-whities, banana hammocks. But, women began ruling on what was sexy on men (an added effect of the sexual revolution), and we bit, hook, line, and sinker. If in Europe, it’s a pair of bikini briefs, in the USA, it’s boxers that turned women on; at least that’s what I was told in high school, the fulcrum of all bad, opposite gender-related information. Then, in the 90s comes the boxer-brief. In general, the boxer-brief has an athletic look to it, like you’re hitting the gym or hopping on a bike after work. They were much sexier than briefs, hold the jewels like briefs, but are longer, like boxers. The material is invariably more comfortable (save for silk boxers). It was a perfect compromise to the briefs that weren’t quite right (in my mind) and the boxers that kept getting twisted in all of the wrong place. And there was the occasional incident of the livestock leaving out the barn door, if you know what I mean. It could be potentially embarrassing in the wrong circumstances. I looked at several brands and rated three pair of boxers and boxer-briefs each. Each pair was worn multiple times, washing repeatedly (yes, after each wearing), and judged on comfort, how they worked with different types of clothing (jeans, tailored pants, shorts). Here are the results:
Nautica (ranked #2 for boxers, #3 for boxer-briefs)
Nautica has branched out into so many aspects of men’s wear that drawers were only a matter of time. So I tried the traditional boxers in the Easy-Care woven cotton. The description touts double needle stitching, a higher rise, and fuller cut for more comfort. I was thinking bunching in my pants at the leg and crotch. I was pleasantly mistaken. The cut was roomy in the leg and the seat, the rise was comfortable, and the open fly was easy to access, but not too easy as to cause for an awkward moment. The waistband held firm, while the material became softer to my delicate butt with each washing. No bunching up when I wore them with jeans. Like I mentioned, I’d been a confirmed boxer-brief guy for a while, so enjoying the trad boxer was a bit of a revelation.
The boxer-briefs have the Nautica tag outside on the front of the waistband, like real boxing shorts. That was more comfortable than the scratchy band in the back that we’ve all encountered. Besides, since some people are still wearing their pants too low, why shouldn’t Nautica get a bit of free advertising in? I was ready for them to live up to their end of the bargain. Well, I was kind of let down, to tell the truth. First, the rise is a bit uncomfortable. While the fit should be snug to hold the boys in place, the pouch of the boxer-brief (a strip of fabric that runs up the middle from one waist band to another) doesn’t hold the boys as much as tie them down. Second, I didn’t like the fit everywhere else either – it’s the strip. The 1 x 1 ribbed cotton felt nice, but a bit of stretch would be beneficial, especially after a full day.
So a big up to the boxers, but not so much to the boxer-briefs. $15 for the boxers and $18 for the boxer-briefs at stores nationwide. O Boxers (ranked #1 boxers)
Two women from the Bay Area get the idea that men should have underwear as nice as women have. They test a blended fabric featuring modal, a type of micro-fiber that resembles silk in feel and texture, find out it works really nicely, breathable, wrinkle resistant, and soft to the touch. Add a strong logo “O” and you might have something. Just to let you know, Analisa Shah and Cyn Kwon have something.
I only tried the boxers, but they make their O Boxers in boxer-briefs, as well as a boy-short boxer-brief for women, too. The company recently made changes to the original boxers, with a more comfortable waistband. The original band scratched at your stomach like a bad rash. It almost negated the comfort of the fabric (modal, cotton, and a bit of Lycra). With the new one, the band is just fine. One of the issues I’ve had with boxers is the gaping at the fly. O Boxers takes care of that with a single button fly. I’ve worn these boxers with a pair of jeans and with formal wear and they always work like a charm. No bunching or twisting, even after multiple washing. They are my go-to undies for formal wear, too. $20, online at O Boxers.
2Xist (ranked #3 for boxers, #1 for boxer-briefs)
I’m a fan of this brand because was the design of a cup in the boxer-briefs that allowed for support of the boys without them feeling constricted. They are a cotton/modal blend, maintaining their shape well over the course of a day. I tried their extra long model (mid-thigh), traditional fit, with buttons, and with a cross-over fly. Loved them. The key was design of the pouch, which didn’t leave the boys all crowded, while giving them the support I wanted. It looks like a codpiece and if it were red, I could pass for Larry Blackmon of Cameo. Try not to linger on that image. 2Xist has a boxer style, using a 100% Pima cotton. With a button fly, it was comfortable and safe. The rise was fine, no cutting or twisting. No funky colors or patterns, just boxers. Overall, 2Xist has a good product, even though the packaging’s inferior compared to the other, but I don’t wear the packaging. Besides, it’s a bit too fascinated with the models for my taste (shaved chests, prominent bulges). Then again, if I was that cut up, I might model underwear. . . just kidding. Available at retailers nationwide, $22.00. Ted Baker (ranked #3 boxer-briefs)
Just like Nautica, the successful British clothing line had to dip into the underwear business. His line has short boxer-briefs and longer boxer-briefs. They have cute names like Cesar, Stalite, and Trunky, which is a bit over the top for the average guy, but the product may redeem the marketing.
I tried their boxer-briefs, mid-thigh with a button fly (aka Cesar). Like the 2Xist version, it has a codpiece style-pouch for the boys, a comfortable rise and the waistband felt good. The fabric has a bit (5%) of Elastane, a stretch synthetic, in it so they don’t stretch out like an old pair of gym socks. (think Pistol Pete Maravich’s flopping all over the floor while breaking people’s ankles) They worked nice with jeans and tailored pants. While I like the Ted Baker boxer-briefs, I’d like the fabric to be thicker. I could also do without the cutesy names. $25, available online or at selected retailers.
Judge's Decision
So the question remains "which type?" In a split decision, I've gotta go with the boxers. While I still like the boxer-briefs for the support and the versatility, I really enjoyed the boxers more on a day to day basis.
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