Men’s underwear has come a long way from the good ol' basic white briefs. These days, men can find options for underwear in different styles and fabrics that offer a great balance of support, style, and breathability. There are even some brief brands that can regulate body temperature and minimize chafing.
With so many options to choose from, it can be hard to know which ones are worth trying. To help you out, we've prepared a buying guide reviewed by fashion stylist, Aina Ampil, and our list of the 7 best brief brands out there that will give you great value for your money. Read on to know more!
Quick List - Top Men's Underwear
Aina is a fashion stylist based in the Philippines who has done celebrity fashion styling and personal styling. Nothing excites her more than seeing her clients happy with how they look and feel. During her free time, Aina enjoys catching up on her favorite K-pop groups and going to the mall—whether it’s to shop, window shop, or have a cup of coffee.
Our recommendation articles are carefully researched and crafted by the mybest Philippines team of writers and editors. To stay true to our company’s mission and vision to help users’ selection process easier, we also collaborate with experts from various fields to ensure that our content stays factual and useful.
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
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With a ton of brands and styles available, we know it can be difficult to choose which underwear to buy. We created our buying guide with easy to remember key points to help you choose a reliable pair of briefs for your needs!
When buying underwear, it is essential to know and understand the characteristics of the fabric. They determine the durability, softness, and comfort you will get from the underwear. Below are the most common types of materials used in men's underwear.
Cotton is probably the most commonly used fabric in manufacturing underwear, as it is soft, light, and very comfortable to use. It allows for great breathability, ventilation, and circulation. Cotton underwear is also highly absorbent - definitely a plus in hot and humid climates like ours.
Sometimes, cotton is mixed with other materials like modal. Modal is made from the beech tree pulp and is very soft and 50% more water-absorbent than cotton. It is also comfortable, strong, and durable, even when machine-washed a bunch of times. Another fabric often used is rayon, which has a silk-like texture and is very lightweight, airy, and luxurious.
Natural fabrics include cotton, silk, hemp, linen, merino wool, and bamboo viscose. These fabrics are the healthiest option for you to wear every day. Since natural fabrics are breathable, it gives you comfort, and it poses a low risk for infections.
Next to cotton, nylon is the second most used fabric in underwear. It offers durability and has greater color retention even after many washes. It has a smooth texture and is non-abrasive, although it doesn’t have the best breathability.
Another synthetic fabric, polyester, gives the wearer a soft and smooth feeling on the skin. This fabric is resistant to wrinkles and abrasion and doesn't shrink or stretch, which is why it's often also used in men’s swimwear.
When wearing synthetic underwear fabrics, it is best to use them for a short period of time and not for the whole day. Synthetic fabrics are not breathable and don’t absorb sweat, thus may cause irritation or infections.
Silk is really smooth and feels luxurious to the touch. It is durable, extremely soft, comfortable, and can help your body stay cool. However, it tends to trap heat and may cause sweat stains and body odor; thus, it is not recommended in warm conditions or for people who sweat profusely.
More often than not, men just wear whatever underwear that they can pick from the closet. But to experience maximum comfort, it is best to use the most suitable style according to the activity or occasion.
Classic briefs are usually 5 inches wide from the upper thigh to the waist. This type of short, form-fitting underwear is best suited for physical activities because briefs offer good support on the crotch, stays in place, and you don’t need to adjust them as much. They are also an ideal choice for men with bigger thighs, and they give an illusion of longer legs as well.
Boxer shorts are loose, do not have tight leg openings, and don’t put pressure on the skin as much. They are the most comfortable and breathable style. However, because they are loose, they offer almost no support in the private area and are thus best used when lounging at home or sleeping.
It’s better to avoid using boxer shorts for sports as it offers minimal support. When wearing shorts, make sure that they’re longer than your boxers. It is best to go for shorter boxer shorts in a slimmer cut. You can wear boxer shorts with relaxed-fit jeans/pants or regular-fit shorts.
Boxer briefs or trunks are tight-fitting and have a longer leg compared to classic briefs. They can also absorb or wick away sweat depending on the fabric used, so they are a good choice for intense physical activities. They can be worn with anything, and they won't show up as a visible underwear line through the pants.
Boxer briefs are best paired with slim, straight, skinny, or relaxed-fit jeans/pants and slim or regular-fit bottoms. Boxer briefs will give you a more streamlined look from waist to hem.
Bikini briefs are usually worn by professional bodybuilders and recommended if you are wearing something that needs more skin exposure, such as tribal costumes of some sort. The garter line is usually designed to rest above the thigh up to the love handles, exposing the belly button.
Thongs, on the other hand, are tiny triangular panties that only provide front coverage, exposing the butt. While they are skimpy, they do offer maximum support, much like a jockstrap. Some men find thongs comfortable and helpful for avoiding visible underwear lines when they wear tight jeans or pants.
It goes without saying that the size you pick is important. Just like all our clothes, underwear is not a one-size-fits-all item. Online stores usually provide the measurements on the size chart. They usually range from small to XXL, and with the help of a tape measure, you can determine the size that fits you!
The good thing about many brands and underwear shops is that they come out with sets and bundles that usually end up being cheaper than those sold as singles. So aside from quality and fit, opt to choose the pieces of underwear that are sold in bundles or with additional freebies if you want to get the best bang for your buck.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | Details | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Material | Best For | Style | Sizes | Sold in Bundles | |||||
1 | INSPI Basics Cotton Boxer Briefs | ![]() | Crafted With Premium Cotton for Your Ultimate Comfort | Cotton | Everyday Wear | Boxer Briefs | Small、XL | ||
2 | Goal by Sorella Men's Brief Pack|GB501A | ![]() | Soft, Durable Undies Perfect for Summer Days | Cotton | Everyday Wear, Hot Climates | Classic Briefs | Small、Medium、Large、XL | ||
3 | Hanford Modern Hipster Briefs | ![]() | Offers a Relaxed Fit With a Tagless, Non-Itch Design | Cotton | Everyday Wear | Classic Briefs | Small、Medium、Large、XL、XXL | ||
4 | BENCH Men's 3-in-1 Hipster Brief | ![]() | Hipster Briefs Designed for Fashion and Ease | Cotton、Polyester | Everyday Wear, Active Days | Classic Briefs | Medium、Large、XL、XXL | ||
5 | Dri+ Men's Seamless Sports Boxers Brief | ![]() | Move Freely With Quick Dri+ Technology | Cotton | Active Days | Boxer Briefs | Small、Medium、Large、XL | ||
6 | OMNI By SO-EN Men's RIVAL Cotton Bikini Brief | ![]() | Breathable Bikini Briefs at an Affordable Price | Cotton | Everyday Wear | Bikini Briefs | Small、Medium、Large、XL、XXL | ||
7 | Walker Organic Cotton USA Men's Signature Underwear Brief | ![]() | Stay Classic With Timeless White Briefs | Cotton、Polyester | Everyday Wear, Hot Climates | Classic Briefs | Small、Medium、Large、XL | ||
8 | Jockey® ZONE Bikini Brief | ![]() | Latex-Free Bikini Briefs for Sensitive Skin | Cotton | Everyday Wear, Active Days | Bikini Briefs | Small、Medium、Large、XL、XXL、XXXL | ||
9 | Huga Organic Men's Cotton Briefs | ![]() | Comes With Reinforced Waistband Garter for a Secure Fit | Cotton-Spandex | Everyday Wear | Boxer Briefs | Small、Medium、Large、XL、XXL | ||
10 | Hanford Men's Seamless Boxer Briefs | ![]() | Enjoy Maximum Flexibility With 4-Way Stretch Fabric | Nylon-Spandex | Everyday Wear, Active Days | Boxer Briefs | Small、Medium、Large、XL |
Material | Cotton |
---|---|
Best For | Everyday Wear |
Style | Boxer Briefs |
Sizes | Small、XL |
Sold in Bundles |
Material | Cotton |
---|---|
Best For | Everyday Wear, Hot Climates |
Style | Classic Briefs |
Sizes | Small、Medium、Large、XL |
Sold in Bundles |
Material | Cotton |
---|---|
Best For | Everyday Wear |
Style | Classic Briefs |
Sizes | Small、Medium、Large、XL、XXL |
Sold in Bundles |
Material | Cotton、Polyester |
---|---|
Best For | Everyday Wear, Active Days |
Style | Classic Briefs |
Sizes | Medium、Large、XL、XXL |
Sold in Bundles |
Material | Cotton |
---|---|
Best For | Active Days |
Style | Boxer Briefs |
Sizes | Small、Medium、Large、XL |
Sold in Bundles |
Material | Cotton |
---|---|
Best For | Everyday Wear |
Style | Bikini Briefs |
Sizes | Small、Medium、Large、XL、XXL |
Sold in Bundles |
Material | Cotton、Polyester |
---|---|
Best For | Everyday Wear, Hot Climates |
Style | Classic Briefs |
Sizes | Small、Medium、Large、XL |
Sold in Bundles |
Material | Cotton |
---|---|
Best For | Everyday Wear, Active Days |
Style | Bikini Briefs |
Sizes | Small、Medium、Large、XL、XXL、XXXL |
Sold in Bundles |
Material | Cotton-Spandex |
---|---|
Best For | Everyday Wear |
Style | Boxer Briefs |
Sizes | Small、Medium、Large、XL、XXL |
Sold in Bundles |
Material | Nylon-Spandex |
---|---|
Best For | Everyday Wear, Active Days |
Style | Boxer Briefs |
Sizes | Small、Medium、Large、XL |
Sold in Bundles |
I would recommend only wearing synthetic underwear fabrics for a short period of time and not for the whole day.
Below are some of the most asked questions on the web answered by the mybest team.
Ready to level up your grooming routine? Take a look below at some of our reviews about different products made for men. You're sure to find one that fits your budget and lifestyle!
Our buying guide was carefully researched and crafted by the mybest team of writers and editors, in collaboration with the expert featured in this article. We used the buying guide as a basis for choosing and ranking the product recommendations, and we looked at reviews and ratings from different E-commerce sites like Lazada, Shopee, and more.
No. 1: INSPI|Basics Cotton Boxer Briefs
No. 2: Goal by Sorella|Men's Brief Pack|GB501A
No. 3: Hanford|Modern Hipster Briefs
No. 4: BENCH|Men's 3-in-1 Hipster Brief
No. 5: Dri+|Men's Seamless Sports Boxers Brief
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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