When we say that expensive underwear tends to be better than its cheaper counterparts, Derek Rose’s ridiculously luxe boxer shorts are exactly what we’re talking about. The version our testers tried was cut from 100% cotton with an eerily silk-like feel—augmented by a downright regal sheen befitting the brand’s generations-long pedigree. Even the staunchest members of GQ’s “never boxer shorts” crowd walked away impressed, praising the extra top buttons and the second-to-none quality. (A word to Mr. Rose: our intrepid undies experts would love to see a couple of side seams for added comfort.)
At $70 a pop, would they buy a pair themselves? Well, that’s a slightly more complicated question—but if you don’t live on a writer’s salary, and refuse to compromise when it comes to your skivvies, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more worthy splurge.
Best Hybrid Boxer Shorts: Mack Weldon 24/7 AirKnitx Boxer
Material: 56% Polyamide, 29% Polyester, 15% Elastane | Sizes: S-3XL | Fly: Functional; open
If you love the feel of a knitted material but want the freedom to go with it, a pair of knit boxer shorts are the underrepresented undies you need. Our favorite pair comes from the meticulous fabric nerds over at Mack Weldon. GQ Associate Commerce Director Michael Nolledo alternates between Mack Weldon’s 18-Hour Jersey Knit Boxer and 24/7 Woven Boxer, noting that he likes the latter for its traditional fit and tailored look.
“They’re cut in a way where I have full range of motion throughout the day,” he says, adding that he’s a big fan of the “pleated fabric that runs the length of the waist”, which looks great and adds just the right stretch and comfort to the waistband. With Mack Weldon’s proprietary AirKnitx material, these boxers have even more breathability than traditional cotton boxers and can wick away more moisture too.
More Underwear We Love
Under Armour 6” Boxer Tech Boxerjock
Tommy John Second Skin 4” Boxer Briefs
Calvin Klein Cotton Classics Knit Boxers (3-Pack)
What to Look for in Great Underwear
Choosing underwear is a very personal decision. While our preferences may vary, there are several common threads that every guy can agree on. Whether it’s boxer shorts, tighty whities, trunks or jock straps, underwear should be comfortable, soft to the touch, and breathable. Hitting those marks comes down to triangulating fit, fabric and feel to come up with the right combo to make for a perfect pair of underwear.
David Telfer, Design Director of Sunspel says that long-staple fibers are key to ensuring softness and durability, even after extensive launders. “When it comes to construction,” he says, “flat seams are key to maximizing comfort and ensuring a smooth feel against the skin.”
Fit can often be overlooked. After all, few people will ever see you in your underwear. Even then, it matters a lot. “The fit is key to ensuring comfort and confidence,” says Andreas Palm, CEO of CDLP. Comfort is the obvious reason to focus on fit, but confidence is that secret sauce that can turn a plain pair of boxer briefs into the reason you feel like a Hollywood heartthrob.
There’s another secret ingredient, too. “Beyond that, underwear should match your personal style, make you feel sexy, and be crafted from high-quality, responsibly sourced materials,” Palm says. “It’s a category that’s often overlooked, but when done right, the difference is undeniable.”
How We Tested These Products
Personal style, as we’re wont to remind you, is just that: personal. Nowhere is that more true than your underwear, the first piece of clothing you put on in the morning, and the last piece you (or a lucky someone) removes at the end of the day. The right underwear for Jack isn’t the right underwear for Joe—especially if Jack swears by all-cotton boxer shorts, and Joe prefers silky, thigh-hugging trunks.
So with that in mind, we designed our months-long underwear-testing process to encompass as many preferences, body types, and lifestyles as possible. In doing so, we enlisted a who’s who of GQ staffers—including key members of our Recommends team—to subject the underwear in question to the rigors of daily life; we shimmied into them before work, squatted in them at the gym, and generally wore ‘em to pieces day in and day out until our laundry machines cried uncle.
And then, finally, we got our crack (heh) team of testers together in a room and asked them to assign each pair a score, evaluating its comfort, breathability, fit, quality, support, value—and, perhaps most importantly, overall style. Based on those evaluations, we ran the numbers, collated the anecdotal evidence, and emerged with a list of what we believe to be the absolute best underwear for men right now, from the tried-and-true stalwarts to the modern disruptors, the cheap multipacks to the wildly expensive (but wildly worth-it) solo buys. Whatever your preferences, whatever your lifestyle, there’s bound to be a superlative pair of skivvies on this list for you. (Read more about GQ’s testing process here.)
