What to Know When Buying Boxer Briefs
What to Know When Buying Boxer Briefs
When researching and comparing all the best boxer brief brands on the market, it makes it much easier if you know what to look out for.
During our review process, we identified seven key attributes that make finding the perfect pair of boxer briefs for you significantly easier.
Here’s what they were:
- Material
When looking at a variety of boxer briefs, you will find that they largely come in any one of the following materials:
Cotton
Modal
Micro Modal / Micro Modal Air
Spandex / Elastane
Here’s a brief overview of each:
Cotton
From undershirts to chinos, cotton is a versatile fabric that can be used for a variety of purposes. But their most important reason for being the primary fabric within boxer briefs is their breathability.
With proper airflow, cotton boxer briefs won’t cause significant heat or moisture buildup, which, of course, can cause natural odors and sweat buildup.
In addition to being a terrific fabric for boxer briefs, cotton is washable without significantly changing in structure or size, along with it being an affordable fabric.
Quick Note on Organic Cotton:
Some men may be drawn towards organic cotton – especially given that these are worn around your manhood.
Based on our understanding, organic cotton and regular cotton don’t significantly differ when it comes to texture or strength of the fabric.
However, the biggest difference between both regular cotton and organic cotton is the farming methods employed during the growing of it, with the latter relying on no fertilizers or pesticides and from non-GMO plants (source).
Modal / Micro Modal / Micro Modal Air
A sub-variant of Rayon, Modal / Micro Modal / Micro Modal Air is a unique fiber that is found in some boxer brief brands. The reason for inclusion is that modal is extremely soft, smooth and comfortable (source).
Particularly well-suited for warm climates (think a hot summer day in Florida, Arizona, etc.), this fabric is also highly absorbent of body moisture.
If there are any downsides of this fabric, it’s that it isn’t stretchable and is considered to be semi-synthetic (although this is up for debate).
Normally you will never see 100% modal fabric boxer briefs; instead, it is usually blended with other fabrics such as cotton, polyester, or spandex/elastane.
Spandex / Elastane
Giving your boxer briefs a bit of extra stretch, this flexible fabric is great for men who are looking for more athletic or performance boxer briefs that won’t ride up your leg when walking or running.
In addition to their form-fitting nature, boxer shorts containing spandex or elastane will feel like a second skin when worn – which ensures that there will be no bunching or chafing when worn.
Spandex or elastane composition within boxer briefs is typically under 10% (usually around 5%).
Fun Fact: Spandex is an anagram of the word expands
- Waistband
The waistband of the boxer brief is nearly as important as the material itself.
Having too narrow of a waistband will give you a pair of boxer briefs that will cut into your skin, making it quite uncomfortable when worn throughout the day.
Having too wide of a waistband and it will roll over every time you bend over – along with the added fact that it advertises to the world what brand of boxer briefs you are wearing.
Simply put, you should go with a waistband that is moderate in size and has very little in way of branding.
However, with designer brands such as Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, and Ralph Lauren making some great boxer briefs, trying to find a pair with little branding may be a bit tougher.
- Cut & Style
Boxer briefs come in a variety of both cuts and styles.
It’s important that you find a pair of boxer briefs that complements your body type.
If you are a larger or taller guy, then boxer briefs that are longer will suit you better. However, if you are on the opposite end of the spectrum (i.e. shorter), longer boxer briefs will not only extend too far up your thighs but will also be more susceptible to rolling up due to the increased amount of fabric.
- Support
When buying a pair of boxer briefs, it’s important to get a pair that has a 3D pouch for your member. This will ensure that you don’t get subtly restricted throughout the day (which can be terribly discomforting), but instead gives you ample space for comfort while keeping everything intact.
In addition to support, there is a common belief that tighter briefs increase body temperature and significantly decrease sperm count in men.
According to a preliminary study listed on the National Institutes of Health website, this link to tighter briefs did, in fact, result in lower sperm counts and looser fitting garments increased sperm counts.
It’s something worth knowing, especially if you are in the family planning stages of your life.
- Fly Type
Some men like the open-access fly and others like their fly sewn shut to prevent any wardrobe malfunctions.
Boxer briefs come in either of these varieties. If one is more important to you over the other, make sure to read the product description before making your purchase.
- Brands
As we eluded to earlier, some companies are just known for their killer boxer briefs (i.e. Tani USA, Calvin Klein, Hugo BOSS, etc.).
However, when reviewing all the best boxer brief brands it’s important to not get wrapped up in the company’s legacy and the boxer briefs they make.
While it’s true that they may make a great boxer brief, when comparing brands in an objective manner, you will end up selecting the perfect boxer brief for you rather than what others generally think is good even if it’s not.
- Price
Price is a tricky consideration for a lot of men. With companies like Hanes or Fruit of the Loom selling multi-packs of boxer briefs that are incredibly cheap, it’s hard not to be enticed by these offers.
Truth be told, while boxer briefs from the economic brands can work, if you want better performance and fabric quality, then you should expect to pay significantly more per pair of boxers.
Instead of paying $3 per boxer brief, the price for your typical Hanes (when included in a multi-pack), a boxer brief that is made of higher quality will typically retail around $30 for a single pair (when part of a multi-pack).
To put it simply:
Cheap boxer briefs cost about $15 for a pack (5 included).
Mid-level boxer briefs will cost about $30 per pack (3 included).
Luxury / High Quality boxer briefs could cost up to $45/pair.
While the 300%+ increase may be a tough pill to swallow, given that you will be wearing these daily, we think the increased investment for the added comfort is always worth it.
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