A lot of minimalists will tell you to travel with less. You can see most of the world while only packing two pairs of shoes, four shirts, and one hoody. But no one can (or, at least, no one should) leave the house without several pairs of underwear. And not just any underwear.
Hanes might do the job when you’re going from your air-conditioned house to a car with leather seats, inside a parking garage, and sitting down at a comfortable desk with climate-controlled air. But when you’re sweating your ass off on the side of the road hoping to see the bus to Panama City rolling down Highway 1, great travel underwear becomes an art form.
A good rule of thumb is that your private parts will mimic the area around you – if it’s a jungle out there, it’s a jungle down there. If you’re in Florida, the swamp is on the outside and inside. I hope you’re getting the picture.
Varying climates and the countless miles logged while wandering demand a greater pair of underwear. Companies have answered the call and are attempting to cure chronic wedgies, damp nethers, and frightening smells with all sorts of new fabrics and bold claims.
To make matters even more complicated, traveling also often implies slightly less privacy. You might be splitting rooms with your friends or strangers and sharing bathrooms with the future love of your life. Picking the right underwear is literally the only thing standing in the way of you and a shit-stained first impression.
So, choose wisely, and learn how to wash your underwear in the shower. With the right pair, you can pack less and wash less. No matter what pair you’re packing, we never recommend wearing them more than a few sweaty days in the city, but we all know that sometimes, you don’t have a choice.
Luckily, we’ve sweat through countless pairs of underwear in our travels and paid the red rashy prices of overlooking quality, so you don’t have to.
ExOfficio Give-N-Go 2.0 Boxers
- Sexiness > 3
- Comfort > 4
- Breathability > 5
- Washability > 5
- Dryability > 5
- Durability > 3
- Price > S30.00
MeUndies Boxer Brief
- Sexiness > 5
- Comfort > 5
- Breathability > 3
- Washability > 2
- Dryability > 2
- Durability > 5
- Price > $26.00
Saxx Mens Vibe Boxer Briefs
- Sexiness > 4
- Comfort > 3
- Breathability > 2
- Washability > 4
- Dryability > 2
- Durability > 4
- Price > $32.00
REI Co-op Active Thong Underwear
- Sexiness > 3
- Comfort > 4
- Breathability > 2
- Washability > 5
- Dryability > 2
- Durability > 2
- Price > $14.95
Icebreaker Siren Bikini Underwear
- Sexiness > 3
- Comfort > 5
- Breathability > 5
- Washability > 3
- Dryability > 4
- Durability > 4
- Price > $35.00
Smartwool Womens Intraknit Hipster
- Sexiness > 4
- Comfort > 5
- Breathability > 3
- Washability > 5
- Dryability > 5
- Durability > 3
- Price > $40.00
How We Found The Best Travel Underwear
The one thing we’ve learned after traveling the world with the best and worst travel underwear is that the difference in underwear seems trivial on the box but feels asstronomical in the mix.
You can get through a few trips in your teens, freeballing it and freeing the nipple, but eventually, the rash comes home to roost. To nip the problem in the bud before bad underwear circumcises us, we got our hands on every pair of underwear that promised to keep things fresh. Just by adding Merino to the equation, you’re halfway to greatness, but making it to the mountaintop still requires attention to detail.
We tested things out the old-fashioned way: we put them on, slid on our favorite pairs of cargo shorts, and got walking. Or, we pulled them up at 3 in the morning before catching a red-eye flight and hoped the fabric would hold through the flight, five buses, and a taxi ride home.
Our broke-ass team tried on countless gendered pairs of underwear and came up with a travel underwear bible. Our doctrine rates each pair on how stylish they are, how they feel, how they breathe, how they wash, and how they dry to come up with seven pairs of the best travel underwear for men and women.
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ExOfficio Give-N-Go 2.0 Boxers
- Sexiness – 3
- Comfort – 4
- Breathability – 5
- Washability – 5
- Dryability – 5
- Durability – 3
- Price – $30.00
Nori tropical leaves, Royal Palms, or the steel blue of the mountains provide the backdrop for one of the most breathable pairs of underwear on the modern market. The Give-N-Go series has long been the savvy traveler’s favorite boxer, and the 2.0 upgrade is 4x more breathable than the original.
The secret to the sheer underwear is the 89/11 Nylon elastane blend, an iconic fabric ratio. It’s some of the same ratios you’ll find in high-performance boardshorts, which are known to stay comfortable in wet conditions and dry in a hurry. These boxers bring that same value to your base layer to serve as a great pair of warm-weather underwear.
MeUndies Boxer Brief
- Sexiness – 5
- Comfort – 5
- Breathability – 3
- Washability – 2
- Dryability – 2
- Durability – 5
- Price – $26.00
MeUndies calls their signature boxer brief the OG of undies, and while Adam’s green leaf might beg to differ, there is certainly a timeless charm packed into these inseams. The wedgie-free fit sits loose and light against your waistband to feel like you’re stepping into a quality 700-thread count set of sheets before starting your day.
Between Classic, bold, and adventurous colorways, there are countless style options, and each one of them comes spun from micromodal yarn. These loose boxers aren’t my favorite pair of boxers to sweat in, but they are, without a doubt, my favorite choice for long travel days. For what it’s worth, MeUndies were also my ex-girlfriend’s favorite pair of boxers.
Saxx Mens Vibe Boxer Briefs
- Sexiness – 4
- Comfort – 3
- Breathability – 2
- Washability – 4
- Dryability – 2
- Durability – 4
- Price – $32.00
Saxx underwear has come out of nowhere to dominate the sales at your local outdoor store. The brand is taking over shelves everywhere, from skate shops to general stores, promising a tight fit that makes like John and Wicks. At the forefront of the charge are the Vibe series of boxer briefs, which promises to hold tight and still flow with you.
The feeling of a solid set of underwear that fits like a second skin is truly a vibe. These boxers have an uncanny ability to hold against your thighs without bunching up, and they look as good as they feel. Don’t worry too much about the slightly over-the-top candy hearts. Any time anyone gets close enough to read the cheesy quotes like “won’t ever block u,” it’s already on.
Zoic Mens Trail Boxer Briefs
- Sexiness – 3
- Comfort – 4
- Breathability – 3
- Washability – 5
- Dryability – 2
- Durability – 5
One could spend hours staring off into the galaxy of color layered into the Zoic Trail Boxer Briefs. This underwear series isn’t flashy, but there’s a certain depth to the color scheme that no one can take their eyes off of. It also helps prevent splashes and stains from sticking out like a sore thumb. Everything melds together as one.
Of course, these badass boxer briefs are more than a pretty face. The trail series has one of my absolute favorite features in a set of boxers – a quick relief fly that lets you go from 0 to urine town in 3.5. It’s also got a built-in quick draw pocket, which is truly a revolution within the underwear industry. The pocket sits on your right thigh and is the perfect size for a secret splash of cash or important keys to stay out of reach.
Smartwool Mens Merino Boxer Shorts
- Sexiness – 1
- Comfort – 4
- Breathability – 5
- Washability – 2
- Dryability – 3
- Durability – 3
- Price – $48.00
While Smartwool isn’t as cutting-edge as in the good old days, there’s no denying their ability to churn out a great set of Merino boxers. Merino is a great boxer material – it’s naturally temperature-regulating, sweat-resistant, and practically smellproof. What more could you ask for in your briefs?
The basic design and large Smartwool logo up top a la Calvin Klein, sell these boxers short. Beneath the slightly goofy look is an incredibly sound pair of boxers. We noticed a bit of riding on our thighs when we took things into high gear with these boxers, as the fit is a bit loose. That makes them better for marathon travel days than marathon runs.
Woolx Jazzy No Fly Boxer Shorts
- Sexiness – 4
- Comfort – 5
- Breathability – 5
- Washability – 2
- Dryability – 3
- Durability – 3
- Price – $45.00
Woolx has created a wicked no-fly zone right in the middle of our boxer rankings. I’ll be totally honest with you: I’m a full-on fly guy. The idea of boxer shorts with no quick access makes my skin crawl, so these Jazzy shorts were fighting a losing battle before I even slipped them on. But here they are, they made the list, and they wooed me over in the end.
The boxers just fit right, sliding on easily and conforming to the shape of my thighs, sweaty or not. You can choose between three separate colors, but I highly recommend sticking with the light mocha. The natural-looking colorway reaffirms the notion that this underwear came straight off the sheep’s back and onto your hide.
REI Co-op Active Thong Underwear
- Sexiness – 3
- Comfort – 4
- Breathability – 2
- Washability – 5
- Dryability – 2
- Durability – 2
- Price – $14.95
REI is the Kirkland Signature for great outdoor gear. The brand’s thong underwear is another example of its ability to give you name-brand value at a more affordable price. While the active thong isn’t the industry leader in high-tech features, it does provide a solid base across the board, and it comes with the best return policy in the business.
You could wear this underwear for a two-month vacation, and if you notice anything that’s not perfect, send it right back to the shop. That also means that if you browse around the REI garage sale long enough, you’ll likely find a few active thongs available at a discounted rate, as long as you don’t mind secondhand thongs.
Icebreaker Siren Bikini Underwear
- Sexiness – 3
- Comfort – 5
- Breathability – 5
- Washability – 3
- Dryability – 4
- Durability – 4
- Price – $35.00
83% merino Wool, 12% nylon, and a sweet splash of lycra spandex is a recipe for a fantastic fit. Loose, breathable, stretchy, and conforming, this bikini fits just right. The Siren set is routinely referenced as the overall best travel underwear for women, and it is undoubtedly the best underwear on the planet for hot and humid weather.
Merino wool on its own is already enough for a quality set of travel underwear, but this combination helps the Siren Bikini dry faster and stay more comfortable even if things start to get damp. The bikini cut gives enough coverage for this underwear to serve as a swimsuit bottom in a pickle, and a bit of wetness won’t get in the way of a soft and steady fit.
Now, you could spend a fat chunk of $$$ on the WRONG present for someone. Wrong size hiking boots, wrong fit backpack, wrong shape sleeping bag… As any adventurer will tell you, gear is a personal choice.
So give the adventurer in your life the gift of convenience: buy them an REI Co-op gift card! REI is The Broke Backpacker’s retailer of choice for ALL things outdoors, and an REI gift card is the perfect present you can buy from them. And then you won’t have to keep the receipt. 😉
Buy on REI!Smartwool Womens Intraknit Hipster
- Sexiness – 4
- Comfort – 5
- Breathability – 3
- Washability – 5
- Dryability – 5
- Durability – 3
- Price – $40.00
Don’t get too turned off by the Hipster label, Smartwool is trying the best they can. All it means is that this pair of underwear is high-waisted, with a slim fit that tracks down your hips and provides ample coverage. A key ingredient to the success of this breathable underwear is the Lyocell, which is a relatively eco-friendly synthetic that works great with Merino ( do try to buy eco friendly travel gear where every you can).
While simply going for a greater Merino content might feel slightly better between your thighs, this combo helps the underwear wash and dry more easily. There’s a time and a place for a great thong, but that is not on bus days. The Intraknit is a great choice when comfort is key, and the curvy fit brings its own charm to your travel days.
REI Coop Merino Thong Underwear
- Sexiness – 3
- Comfort – 4
- Breathability – 5
- Washability – 3
- Dryability – 3
- Durability – 4
- Price – $24.95
We’ve already looked at REI’s baseline underwear, which is a solid but ultimately unimpressive choice. For just under $10 more, the Merino thong steps things up a notch and still ranks as the most inexpensive way to get your hands on genuine merino wool. This two-toned set is worth the upgrade, wicking sweat to squeeze an extra day or two between washes.
Our testers loved the extra few inches of coverage, which pairs exceptionally well with an elastic trim to avoid panty lines and stay in place during long, sweaty walks between bus stations. It even features a better Merino to Lyocell ratio than Smartwool’s more expensive option.
ExOfficio Women’s Give-n-go String Bikini Brief
- Sexiness – 3
- Comfort – 5
- Breathability – 3
- Washability – 5
- Dryability – 5
- Durability – 3
- Price – $15.25
ExOfficio’s award winning travel underwear for men got a few re-designs as it crosses the aisle to offer a fantastic alternative for Women. Don’t let the title scare you off – while string bikinis are generally the last things you’d want to log serious miles wearing, Nothing about the look of this underwear says itsy-bitsy beyond the title.
The bikini brief and its stretch waistband provide full coverage, and if you don’t like one specific style, there are at least five other cuts to choose from. Whether you go for the boy short or the bikini brief like our testers sampled, your personal areas will be supported with anti-microbial, mesh layers that wash easily and fit tight all day long.
Ridge Merino Bikini Brief
- Sexiness – 3
- Comfort – 4
- Breathability – 5
- Washability – 3
- Dryability – 5
- Durability – 4
- Price – $24.95
You might think that underwear is just underwear when it comes to packing your bag, but these smooth sailors from Ridge Merino help you pack a little something extra. The underwear practically disappears inside your suitcase, packing down like a buff. When it’s time to cover your fanny, elastic seams, and no-show styling take excellent control of your nethers.
One major flaw holding back these fledgling bikini briefs is that they don’t always fit true to size. Our testers felt more comfortable wearing a size up from what they’re used to, and we reckon you will, too. While Ridge Merino still has to get their measurements down, they certainly aren’t cutting corners materially. These briefs pack in 84% merino wool, which makes them great for multi-day wear.
Woolx Kylie Thong Underwear
- Sexiness – 5
- Comfort – 3
- Breathability – 4
- Washability – 3
- Dryability – 2
- Durability – 4
- Price – $30.00
Merino goes mainstream with the Kylie thong. 85% Australian Merino Wool goes skimpy and sheik on with this tight-fitting base layer that sits high above your cheeks. The front side of the Kylie Thong brings great wide protection, and the backside is all about having a good time. It all adds up to a sexy pair of underwear that is a sneaky travel powerhouse.
Most travel gear must sacrifice some looks in favor of practicality. It’s tough to look good all the time while living out of a bag. Most of the time, we’re all wearing the same dirty T-shirts and zip-off pants. This hot set lets you live a little and walk with confidence while still wearing your underwear for a week between uses.
Best Thermal Underwear For Travel
Most of the underwear we’ve looked at so far has been some combination of Merino, nylon, and spandex. These three materials are best for hot, humid, and sticky conditions. They’ll also hold up fine in colder weather, but sometimes, fine isn’t good enough.
It’s also a good idea to pack a pair of thermals, just in case. Thermal underwear has some of the bset possible warmth-to-weight ratios out there, so even if you’re heading into the tropics, a lightweight thermal base layer can always fit at the bottom of your suitcase just in case.
Patagonia Capilene Thermal Bottoms
- Sexiness – 5
- Comfort – 5
- Breathability – 5
- Washability – 5
- Dryability – 5
- Durability – 5
- Price – $79.00
Patagonia’s midweight long underwear provides the best of both worlds: there’s moisture wicking, quick dry properties packed into these thermals, as well as tight diamond fibers and a recycled polyester make-up that can really trap in some warmth. In one trip, these thermals can be everything from a cozy pair of pajamas to a summit-ready base layer.
Capilene is Patagonia’s specific method of curing polyester for maximum moisture-wicking, breathability, and warmth without sacrificing weight. Depending on your trip, you can shop between Capilene Air, midweight, and thermal weight bottoms. The heat will slowly increase with each option, so stock your closet with a few different warmths and rotate with the seasons.
Icebreaker Merino 200 Thermal Top
- Sexiness – 5
- Comfort – 5
- Breathability – 4
- Washability – 3
- Dryability – 3
- Durability – 5
- Price – $125.00
There’s absolutely no trip that shouldn’t pack a thermal top like this one. Because Icebreaker uses temperature regulating merino, this top is uniquely potent in warm and cold conditions. Wear it on a hot weather hike to keep the sun and mosquitos at bay, and slip it on before greeting a cold morning to give your coffee a chance to heat up your core.
Icebreaker’s thermal top features a fun, tri-colored design. While I wouldn’t wear it out to a bar, it’s a great fit in your packing list if you like to wear more than the usual boring black and white thermals. If you opt for Icebreaker from top to bottom, this thermal top features a vertical racing stripe that matches perfectly with the company’s long underwear.
Smartwool Intraknit Thermal Max Quarter-Zip Base Layer Top
- Sexiness – 1
- Comfort – 3
- Breathability – 4
- Washability – 5
- Dryability – 5
- Durability – 3
- Price – $155.00
This thermal layer takes things up a notch. The Intraknit calls itself a base layer but packs on several features usually reserved for mid-length, fleece-style jackets. The quarter-zip opening is the most glaring addition, and Smartwool continued to beef things up by adding ribbed elbows and a contouring mapping system that adds durability in key sections of the layer.
It might be a bit beefier than many waffle knits, but at the end of the day, Smartwool calls it a base layer because that’s what it is. The layer conforms to my skin nicely, fitting well underneath a hoody and waterproof layer. On its own, the breathable Merino thermal combination keeps me warm while I’m warming up for winter workouts and cool once the blood starts pumping.
Black Diamond Lightwire Long Sleeve Technical T-shirt
- Sexiness – 5
- Comfort – 5
- Breathability – 5
- Washability – 5
- Dryability – 5
- Durability – 5
- Price – $80.00
The Solution 150 Merino Baselayer keeps you warm, dry and smelling fresh no matter where your adventures take you. You can be assured that it will adapt to anything you can throw at it as it’s more than your run-of-the-mill baselayer, this instead is designed for high-output activity in the mountains.
The innovative shoulder panel and anti-chafing flatlock stitching ensure this is the most comfortable base layer out there, especially when worn with a backpack. You’d be forgiven for forgetting you were wearing it, that is, until you realise just how toasty warm you are even in a raging blizzard!
| Name | Sexiness | Comfort | Breathability | Washability | Dryability | Durability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ExOfficio Give-N-Go 2.0 Boxers | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| MeUndies Boxer Brief | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| Saxx Mens Vibe Boxer Briefs | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| Zoic Mens Trail Boxer Briefs | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 5 |
| Smartwool Mens Merino Boxer Shorts | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Woolx Jazzy No Fly Boxer Shorts | 4 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| REI Co-op Active Thong Underwear | 3 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| Icebreaker Siren Bikini Underwear | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Smartwool Womens Intraknit Hipster | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| REI Coop Merino Thong Underwear | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| ExOfficio Women’s Give-n-go String Bikini Brief | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| Ridge Merino Bikini Brief | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Woolx Kylie Thong Underwear | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| Patagonia Capilene Thermal Bottoms | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Icebreaker Merino 200 Thermal Top | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
| Smartwool Intraknit Thermal Max Quarter-Zip Base Layer Top | 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
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Final Thoughts on Travel Underwear
And with that, we have nothing else to say about – wait – What’s that under there?
Underwear!
Okay. Now, there is really nothing left to say about these undergarments. Before we go, let’s address the empty wallet in the room.
The hardest thing about buying the best travel underwear is the price. Some of the merino marvels we’ve looked at today will set you back more than 40 dollars a pair. Is there really that much of a difference between these pairs of underwear and a six-pack of cotton briefs? Amazon Basics could net you 14 pairs for that price.
The answer is a resounding, sweaty, dirty, lost, and emphatic abso-fucking-lutely. You are going to drip, sweat, crust, curse, and climb on your travels. Days will be longer, walks will be further, temperatures will be hotter, and things will be smellier than anything you can possibly imagine.
There is no cotton pair of underwear that can truly stand up to the rigors of living out of a backpack. Take my word for it. You can see the world on thrifted T-shirts and fake plastic flip-flops all you want, but invest in proper underwear. You’ll thank me later.
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