There’s a revolution coming in the world of men’s underwear.
Gone are the days of the simple boxers versus briefs debate. Compartmentalization, performance fabrics, and sustainable production have suddenly become factors to consider when picking up a pair of new undies. And why shouldn’t they be -- underwear are the ultimate base layer, so surely they deserve as much attention as the rest of our gear.
But are these undergarments really superior to the traditional stuff? And if so, which one reigns supreme? To answer these pressing questions, I enlisted the help of a male associate to put these underwear to the test. Here are our findings.
Saxx
Story: After experiencing some intense chafing on an Alaskan fishing trip, the inventor of Saxx decided that something needed to be done.
Wow Factor: A killer combo of an articulated front pouch (which seperates the... well, you know) and patented internal mesh panels provides roominess while reducing chafing. Saxx uses technical fabrics and a moisture wicking waistband so you can use them for all things active.
Price Point: $24.95 to $39.95
Variety: Tons. Saxx comes in 11 different varieties, from Performance to Pro Elite. There are 11 different fit types, so there’s something for everyone – from the brief lover to the long leg guy.
Colors: Infinity. There are tons of basic colours (with cool contrasting waist bands), and there are some groovier prints for the more adventurous.
How Much Do I Blush When I Say the Name Rating: Moderate blushing is involved – however, the spelling makes it okay for me to say out loud.
Comments: Male tester was blown away by Saxx underwear. He proclaims that the articulated front pouch is a complete game-changer and thought the fit was dynamite.
MyPakage
Story: MyPakage set out to change the way we think about men’s underwear.
Wow Factor: Keyhole comfort technology separates your, er, frontal area from the rest. Seams, tags, and stitching are purposely created with sensitive spots in mind, and fabric is super soft and breathable.
Price Point: $25 to $40
Variety: Four styles cover the basic needs: weekday (regular boxer briefs), weekend (fancier boxer briefs), action (high performance boxer briefs), and a weekday style in shorter length.
Colors: MyPakage has a good range of colours, plus some zanier prints like tropical flamingos and paisley.
How Much Do I Blush When I Say the Name Rating: A lot. When I went to pick these ones up, the all-male staff poked fun at me – but then they gave me a discount because they felt bad.
Comments: Male tester had conflicting feelings about MyPakage. One the one hand, he says they are superior to regular underwear styles. On the other hand, the whole keyhole technology bit never felt quite right to him, and he sometimes had trouble with chafing.
tasc Performance
Story: Sick of the annoyances that came with polyester athletic pieces, tasc Performance set out to reinvent technical materials as we know them.
Wow Factor: tasc Performance pieces are made with moisture wicking, quick-drying, UPF protecting, super soft, shape retaining, anti-odor fabrics. Whew!
Price Point: $24 across the board.
Variety: tasc boxers come in two styles: boxer brief and loose fit boxer. It’s high performance or bust.
Colors: Keeping it basic: white, grey and black with one neon option.
How Much Do I Blush When I Say the Name Rating: No blushing at all.
Comments: At first glance, Male Tester thought these boxers looked a little tight – but he then realized the close fit meant zero chafing, which he appreciated a lot. Happily, the material lived up to all of its hefty promises.
So let’s get down to the final verdict.
When I asked Male Tester for a definite ranking, he provided me with two different categories: comfort/fit and chafeability.
On the comfort/fit side, none could beat Saxx – the articulated front pouch sets these undies far ahead of the rest. MyPakage’s keyhole comfort technology earned it second place, while tasc’s more traditional fit put it in third.
Things looked a little different on the chafeability scale. All three underwear styles are meant to work for active men on the move, but only tasc Performance provided a truly chafe-free experience. Saxx did well under most circumstances, but Male Tester was slightly disappointed with the MyPakage’s propensity to chafe.
Several pairs of underpants later, Male Tester felt ready to tackle the ultimate question: are these undies really better than traditional garments? Are they worth the extra money? The answer: a resounding yes. Male Tester firmly believes that all three of these brands trump your typical underwear. It seems that the revolution is real – so you’d better get on board.
