Best Men’s Hiking Underwear to Prevent Chafing

Photo by Hermann

The difference between a sweet hiking experience and a sour one could be your choice of hiking underwear.

The right choice of men’s hiking underwear absorbs all the heat and friction between our inner thighs as we take those strides up or down the trail. But making the wrong choice of underwear would transfer those responsibilities to our skin. The result? Our inner thighs and groins get chafed.

I’ve experienced it, and I can tell you this for free: it was traumatic!

But this doesn’t have to be your story.

You can enjoy your hiking experience by investing in the best men’s hiking underwear to prevent chafing, and I’ve dedicated this article to help you do that.

Underwears reviewed are based on recommendations from friends, personal use and assessment.

In this article, you’ll discover 5 best men’s hiking underwear to prevent chafing, what to consider when picking an underwear for hiking, and how to treat and prevent chafing.

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What are the Best Hiking Underwear to Prevent Thigh Chafing?

Chafing is heat excited by friction which results in injury, inflammation or irritation on the skin.

So basically, you need underwear that does 2 things:

–  reduces friction by preventing your skin from rubbing against each other

– reduces heat by wicking away moisture (sweat).

The best men’s hiking underwear to help with chafing are breathable boxer briefs. They cover the thighs well to prevent friction and wick away moisture (sweat) as you hike.

You’ll be safer in them if they are anti-microbial.

Below are 5 of the best hiking underwear for men that prevents chafing you should possess.

Best Men’s Hiking Anti-chafing Underwear

Meriwool Men’s Boxer Brief

Kameron believes these are the most comfortable underwear you can buy and after 4 months of using mine, I kinda agree with him. I’ll tell you why.

First, they are so soft that they feel like silk against the skin. Gosh! The first time I wore mine, I felt reluctant to take them off.

Secondly, the right fit provides the needed support for your privates, keeps it dry and clean by wicking away moisture quickly. It is also odor-resitant and covers the thighs adequately.

I’ll rate this underwear 90/100.

It would have been 100%, but it’s not the most durable choice out there. But let’s face it, it’s made of merino wool and wool doesn’t do well with heat. There’s a lot of friction involved when hiking and it eventually gets to the wool.

Instead of missing out on the comfort this underwear gives, you should get yourself 1 or 2 pairs and alternate them with any of the other underwear you’ll shortly see.

Pros:

Quick-dry

Soft feel

Anti-microbial

Cons:

It’s not durable if constantly used for hiking.

Adidas Men’s Relaxed Performance Climalite Boxer Brief

Adidas came through for hikers with this soft, stretchy, supportive, relaxed boxer briefs made of 91% polyester and 9% spandex.

Climalite is a fabric technology developed by Adidas to drain sweat away from the body and that’s what is used for this boxer brief.

I really like that this boxer brief has a functional fly. It makes it easy for you to ease yourself without completely undressing.

Unlike some boxer briefs, the legs stay relaxed on the thighs. They don’t roll-up.

Several users have commended the boxers for being odor-resitant.

Pros:

Functional fly

No-ride-up leg

Soft, tag-less waistband

Cons:

Climalite uses cotton on the outer layer, which makes the material less breathable.

CLEVEDAUR Micro Modal Men’s Boxer Briefs

“Uncommonly comfortable and fit like a second skin”. That’s how a customer described this boxer brief.

This boxer brief is made of a soft, gentle, breathable fabric that keeps you cool even in hot and humid conditions. That’s why we recommend them as a good hiking underwear to invest in.

It features a 3-D pouch which holds your privates firmly in place.  The stitches are flat-lock seamed for your convenience and the material doesn’t shrink.

Clevedaur makes 2 types of these boxer briefs- one with an open fly, the other without an open fly. Buy according to preference.

Pros:

Long-lasting softness

Flat-lock seamed to prevent chafing

Enhanced breathability.

Cons:

Waistband rolls on itself, especially after a few wears.

DAVID ARCHY Sports Underwear Boxer Brief

This boxer brief is nothing like what you’ve ever owned before. They wick sweat quickly, stay relaxed on your thighs and waist without stretching out.

Actually, these are my second favorite underwear for hiking. They are soft, breathable and easy to wash.

If your privates are on the big side, you’ll enjoy using this boxer brief.

I bought them because I wanted a durable hiking underwear that’s lightweight and dries quickly. I’ve used them a couple of times for hiking and I’m yet to find a major reason to regret making this purchase.

Pros:

3-D contour pouch provides snug support your privates

Relaxed fit

Easy to wash

Quick-dry

Cons:

Extra fabric covering is needed to absorb more sweat around the privates on hot days.

Reebok Seamless Performance Athletic Boxer Brief

As a seamless underwear, you won’t feel irritated by seams rubbing against your skin while hiking.

Every detail of this underwear reflects Reebok’s thoughtfulness in designing an underwear that keeps athletes clean, dry and comfortable.

The body of the underwear stretches to accommodate your strides as you hike and the waistband is made of microfiber. (Microfibers are easy to clean and don’t retain dirts).

It has a contour pouch that helps define, lift and support your privates as you hike.

Pros:

Fits snuggly without being constrictive

Stretches to your comfort

Easy to wash

Tag-free microfiber waistband

Cons:

No fly.

Factors to Consider when Choosing Hiking Underwear to Prevent Chafing for Men

Best Hiking Underwear Material

There are 2 qualifications you want the material of your hiking underwear to meet;

1. It should be breathable: this way, your underwear will retain less moisture and remain dry so you stay fresh and clean underneath. The fungi which causes yeast infection thrives in warm, moist, sweaty conditions. You don’t want your underwear to give it a chance to grow.
2. It should be antimicrobial: to inhibit the growth of microbes and enhance odor resistance.

Wool is naturally breathable and antimicrobial. Materials that aren’t naturally antimicrobial can be treated to become so.

Synthetic underwears are also great. Synthetic fabrics such as polyester, nylon, polypropylene, rayon and spandex are quick-drying and durable.

Men’s Underwear Fitting

It should fit snuggly, but not tightly. It should support your privates, without causing you to sweat because it’s rubbing too closely against your skin. The right fit promotes wicking.

Check the waistband too, it shouldn’t be tight.

Underwear Length

The length of your underwear should be long enough to cover your inner thighs so they don’t rub against each other.

How to Prevent Chafing for Guys While Hiking

As the old saying goes: Prevention is better than cure. If you’ll be hiking or engaging in any other sports activity, it’s advisable to take proactive measures against chafing. Below are some things you can do.

1. Lubricate your groin/ inner thighs

One of the main factors that causes chafing is friction. Lubricating the inner thighs with coconut oil or petroleum jelly products like Vaseline reduces friction.

2. Powder your groin

Powder achieves similar results with lubricants. However, avoid powders with talc. It’s suspected that they cause cancer.

3. Wear breathable clothes and underwear.

The second factor that causes chafing is heat. A breathable cloth helps in wicking moisture off the skin to keep it dry and clean.

4. Stay clean and dry

You’ll sweat less when your body is clean. So do well to take a shower before hiking.

5. Wear the right clothes

Apart from your underwear, your clothes have a role to play to prevent chafing. Wear-free clothes that allow air around your thighs, yet protects them from rubbing against each other. If you’ll be hiking in tick-prone areas, you should check out the best pants to wear to protect yourself from ticks here.

Related Questions

How Can I Treat Chaffing in the Groin and inner thighs?

Chafing in the groin or inner thighs can be embarrassing.

You’ll always be tempted to scratch and fan yourself, but you dare not especially when you’re in the public. So here’s what to do to treat it before it escalates:

1. Clean the affected area with mild body wash and lukewarm water
2. Use an anti-fungal, anti-yeast chafing cream to reduce inflammation and irritation. In the absence of a chafing cream, use aloe vera, petroleum jelly or coconut oil.

We suggest that you use an antifungal/ anti-yeast cream because the groin area is susceptible to yeast infection.

3. Apply a gentle and bland moisturizer on the chafed area to calm down irritation. Avoid moisturizers that contain fragrances or anti-aging properties.
4. If the chafed skin doesn’t improve in few days, visit a dermatologist.

Boxers vs Briefs or Boxer Briefs for Hiking which Should I Choose?

Boxer briefs underwear.

Here’s why;

You need support for your private part while hiking. Boxers underwear for men doesn’t provide such support. They let your testicles and privates dangle, causing friction between them and your thighs which will lead to chafing.

Briefs for men provide the needed support, but they don’t protect your inner thighs from rubbing against each other. Meaning, they’ll still get chafed.

But boxer briefs are the best when it comes to providing you with the needed support for your private parts and protect the inner thighs from rubbing on each other. They protect your groins from chafing. That’s why we recommend them for hiking.

Now that you have seen our 5 Best Men’s Hiking Underwear to Prevent Chafing. Check our favorite articles on the 5 Best Hiking Boots with Composite Toe for Men or the 7 Best Dry Bags for Water Sports.