If you don’t have time to read the entire review and just want to find out what the men’s underwear for running is, then we recommend the Under Armour Men’s Original Series Boxerjock as the best choice.
Are you a guy who enjoys running, but hates the chafing that often happens while you exercise? If so, then one solution is to use the best underwear that’s specifically designed for this type of exercise.
The primary cause of chafing is the friction between your legs, caused by the rubbing of your skin on the clothes you are wearing. When there is too much pressure, force, and heat, the chafing worsens.
But there’s no need to worry about that anymore.
In this post, we’ve gathered the five best men’s underwear for running. We reviewed each product, basing our judgment on the positive ratings of satisfied customers.
- Under Armour Men’s Original Series Boxerjock
- SAXX Underwear Co. Men’s Kinetic Boxer
- ExOfficio Men’s Give-N-Go Flyless Brief
- TSLA Men’s Compression Shorts Baselayer
- New Balance Men’s Dry Fresh Brief
Generally, these products have the best fabric materials (at an affordable price) that can give you a wonderful and comfortable running experience.
Let’s get to it.
Causes of Chafing
Endurance Sports
These include running, walking, cycling, and even hiking. When your skin is exposed to excessive sweat and prolonged repeated motion, chafing occurs because it makes your skin more vulnerable to breaking down.
So any activity that combines sweat and movement repetition can lead to chafing anywhere that clothing or skin rubs on skin. When skin or fabric creates friction with moist skin, it wears away the top layer of skin cells to reveal a painful, inflamed, and raw area.
Because these sports are often done several times a week, people don’t always give their skin a chance to heal before irritating it again. This can make chafing a prolonged issue, as your skin cells aren’t given the chance to rebuild themselves.
Body Weight
People who have extra body fat are more likely to develop chafing than those with a normal body weight.
This is because they’re more prone to skin-to-skin friction. Most of the fats that are formed during a period of weight gain are deposited in specific areas as their size increases.
With this increase in size, there is more rubbing between the skin and clothing or other skin, resulting in chafing.
Those with extra body weight may especially noticing chafing in their inner thigh areas. Also, friction between body parts and clothes is exacerbated by weight gain. Losing some weight can prevent excess skin-to-skin rubbing in the future.
Tight Clothing
When you wear clothes that are too tight, chafing may occur because of the rubbing of your skin on the clothes you are wearing. This increased amount of friction can easily irritate your skin, especially in vulnerable areas.
Tight clothing is often the cause of chafing on the upper body and near the armholes of clothing, while loose clothing is more often the source of thigh and groin chafing. Chafing due to tight clothing is worsened when people wear this type of attire and then do vigorous activities such as endurance sports.
Tight clothing added to moisture such as sweating leads to severe chafing, so people who sweat a lot are more prone to chafing. Tight exercise clothing traps in moisture, causing chafing to get steadily worse.
Loose Clothing
When you wear clothes that are too loose, you may get chafing because of skin-to-skin rubbing.
As previously mentioned, loose clothing is more likely to cause chafing in your thigh and groin area because it does not prevent your skin from rubbing against itself.
When buying men’s running shorts, you don’t want them to be so loose that they do not offer your skin any protection.
Look for clothing that fits comfortably but provides you with a barrier between your skin in any areas that are prone to chafing. There are a few things you should consider when looking for running underwear to prevent chafing. Let’s take a look at those.
Running Underwear to Prevent Chafing
Now is the time to invest in a pair of good, supportive underwear that will prevent any discomfort while you’re exercising. To prevent chafing that is acquired from running, consider the following factors when looking for underwear:
Moisture-Wicking
Most runners would agree that the best underwear shouldn’t be made out of cotton. Cotton retains the sweat and moisture in your skin, increasing the risk of chafing.
It only takes one run in a pair of cotton underwear to realize the discomfort it can cause.
When you put on underwear, the heat and moisture that is created during activities becomes trapped. This is where moisture-wicking comes into play.
The faster your underwear can wick away moisture from your skin and send it back into the air, the more comfortable you will be.
Wet skin also increases the risk of chafing. As your body temperature increases and sweat collects, it speeds up the chafing irritation to blistering, and can possibly even lead to bleeding.
Underwear that is made out of sweat-wicking fabric eliminates moisture quickly, allowing your skin to stay dry despite the fact that you are working up a sweat. Not only will this make you more comfortable, it will also prevent your underwear from turning into a breeding ground for bacteria.
Many brands that use moisture-wicking materials for their men’s underwear have taken their performance fabric one step further by integrating the sweat-wicking material with other beneficial technologies such as odor-elimination, antibacterial fabrics, and temperature-regulation.
Breathable
This is not just applicable to your running underwear, but to all your running clothes in general. Your clothes should be able to initiate the evaporation of sweat off your skin by allowing for proper air flow.
Breathable underwear for men encourages efficient air flow, keeping you drier as you start to sweat. Underwear that has a built-in mesh panel (or several of them) helps excess moisture to evaporate quickly off of your skin.
When considering breathability, avoid bulky waistbands, as they can cause excess sweat to gather around your waistline and lead to chafing in that area. You may want to avoid windproof running briefs, as these do not encourage air-flow.
Quick-Drying
You may be wondering what “quick-drying” fabric actually means. Quick-drying clothing has become popular in recent years, and before these synthetic fabrics came around, “quick-dry” materials didn’t exist.
There are a lot of quick-drying fabrics out there, but there isn’t a technical definition for what “quick-dry” clothing really means. In general, a “quick-dry” item of clothing can go from wet to damp in about half an hour, and completely dry in a few hours. Aside from that, this term is subjective.
Since your body produces excessive amounts of sweat when you run, you want your running underwear to be able to dry as fast as possible. It should be made out of quick-drying fabric to help prevent chafing.
Materials such as 100% cotton absorb moisture rather than allowing it to escape and evaporate. Other materials, such as microfiber, which is usually made with a blend of polyester and other synthetic materials (like spandex) can dry much quicker than cotton.
This is because these materials are able to spread the moisture over a large area, which allows it to dry faster than when it is concentrated in one spot. This reduces drying time and increases the breathability of the underwear.
Another benefit of quick-dying clothing is that it maintains its original shape after many uses.
So, unlike a cotton tee-shirt whose neck line becomes stretched or starts to wear down, quick-dry clothing continues to fit the way it did when you first bought it, even after several wears.
When you are looking for quick-drying underwear, avoid materials like cotton.
The more fibers a material has and the thicker the fibers are, the more fabric there is to soak up your sweat.
The more moisture your underwear is able to hold, the longer it will take to dry. This means that thick cotton underwear is essentially a sponge with a waistband.
Comfortable
Comfort should be your number one priority when looking for the best underwear (or any kind of clothing). For the most comfortable fit, avoid thick materials that have poor ventilation.
Instead, find form-fitting underwear that is made from a sheer material that has as few seams as possible. Underwear that is contoured and seamless reduces chafing when you’re engaging in repetitive motion exercises, such as running or biking.
You want to find thin, clinging underwear that will not ride up or otherwise move out of place while you’re exercising. You want to be able to concentrate on your activity, not on constantly having to readjust your underwear.
With all that in mind, let’s look at some of the best underwear for men that is on the market today.
The 5 Best Men’s Underwear for Running
1. Under Armour Men’s Original Series Boxerjock
This lightweight underwear is made out of 90% polyester and 10% elastane. It is able to wick sweat away and has quick-drying capabilities, which will help keep your skin dry even during tough workouts.
It is also a comfortable choice, as it features smooth HeatGear fabric with a four-way stretch construction, allowing you to move in any direction without trouble.
The mesh front fly panel ensures that you will get proper airflow to your skin, and conveniently comes freely opened.
This underwear also features anti-odor technology to prevent the growth of odor-causing microbes.
The performance waistband is not too tight, so it won’t lead to chafing on your hips. This underwear fits snugly and is a very comfortable choice for athletes.
Pros:
- HeatGear fabric keeps users cool and dry.
- Dries quickly.
- Has open fly in the front.
Cons:
- Expensive.
- Some find this to be too snug.
- Users would prefer this underwear to be tagless.
2. SAXX Underwear Co. Men’s Kinetic Boxer
This underwear offers friction-free support with its patented technology that is designed to provide functional comfort.
Unlike conventional methods, this underwear uses reverse stitching to place the flatter, softer side of the seams against your skin, which reduces irritation and gives you an itch-free workout.
It is made out of 85% nylon and 15% spandex to give users a soft and breathable feel.
This underwear features a patented, ergonomic comfort pouch in its nine-panel construction that will give you 3D support around your glutes, thighs, quads, and hamstrings.
The anti-odor technology and moisture-wicking fabric will leave you feeling fresh for longer. It is designed to combat humidity, and helps moisture dissipate from the skin.
Pros:
- Offers 3D support for optimal functional comfort.
- Soft and breathable fabric.
- Comes in a variety of colors.
Cons:
- Price.
- Waist band starts to shred after several wears.
- Mesh in the back is see through.
3. ExOfficio Men’s Give-N-Go Flyless Brief
This underwear is made out of 94% Nylon and 6% Lycra® Spandex. This breathable, quick-drying, mesh material wicks away moisture, allowing you to be active for hours.
The odor-resistant, antimicrobial technology will make sure you feel fresh for the entire life of the underwear, no matter how many washes it goes through.
This underwear comes in a fly-less brief style that is made to move. The lightweight diamond-knit pattern stretches to offer a supremely comfortable fit, and makes it a good option for men’s running wind briefs.
The comfortable waistband stretches to fit your size without squeezing you too tight, and the quick-drying fabric allows this underwear to be washed, dried, and ready for use in hours.
Pros:
- Has odor-reducing technology.
- Great for both working out and traveling.
- Stretches to ensure comfort in every move.
Cons:
- Waistband loses elasticity quickly.
- Waist tends to ride up.
- Runs large.
4. TSLA Men’s Compression Shorts Baselayer
This underwear is designed for all seasons, as it releases heat and wicks away moisture from your body, giving it a cooling effect.
It is made out of 87% polyester and 13% spandex, which not only gives you an elastic material, but it is also non-abrasive. The exceptional elasticity of this underwear allows users to have enhanced range of motion.
This underwear is also durable, and it protects your skin from harmful UV rays with a UPF of 50+. The technology used to make this underwear has a moisture-sensing ability that allows for two-way circulation and an extra fast drying time.
Pros:
- Protects skin from UV rays.
- Durable.
- Elasticity allows for extra movement.
Cons:
- Runs too tight for some.
- They are a bit thin, allowing them to be slightly see-through.
- There is a seam that runs down the front that some men find to be uncomfortable.
5. New Balance Men’s Dry Fresh Brief
This underwear is made with both comfort and performance in mind. It offers a unique, four-way stretch material that is made out of 87% polyester and 13% spandex to allow you to have complete freedom of movement while wicking moisture away from your skin immediately for quick drying.
This underwear is ideal for performing a wide range of activities, with an advanced construction that includes very few seams, a mesh gusset, and a fly opening to ensure your overall comfort.
It features an elastic and flexible waistband that is ergonomic, meaning it is both soft and comfortable. This underwear also has antimicrobial properties to resist odors. Finally, it does not include any side seams, so it can easily be used for layering.
Pros:
- Elastic waistband for added flex.
- Comes with an open fly.
- Includes a mesh gusset.
Cons:
- Some users find that these ride up.
- Breathability isn’t great.
- Runs small.
Final Thoughts on Men’s Underwear For Running
With the products we have provided above, we hope that we were able to help you choose which running underwear is the best for you. All of them are our top picks when it comes to the best materials used for each.
However, our winner for today is Under Armour Men’s Original Series Boxerjock for its overall lightweight, moisture-wicking, and quick-drying qualities.
