Boxer Briefs vs. Boxers vs. Briefs: Your Guide to Choosing the Best Underwear

5 min read

Table of Contents

  1. Function
  2. Comfort
  3. Appearance
  4. Sex Appeal

Here’s some food for thought. You wear your underwear more than any other piece of clothing. In fact, keeping underwear for up to 7 years is the average.

Gross? Maybe. But the real question is, why do so many men continue to let cheap underwear ruin the day? 

You know. That feeling of chafing and sweat building up as you're out and about.

You probably already know how often you should be buying new underwear, but with so many types and cuts, it’s not an easy choice.

Flamingo boxer briefs

We’re going to change that with our briefs vs. boxers vs. boxer briefs showdown. We’ll compare the function, comfort, appearance, and sex appeal of each type to answer this age-old question once and for all.

Just like your trouser snake, each type of underwear including briefs and boxer briefs has its moments of ups and downs. But choosing the right kind doesn’t have to be so hard. Keep on reading to see why.

Function

kramer in briefs

How well does your underwear protect your clothes, your legs and keeps things in place? Here’s a quick breakdown for each type:

Boxers 

Boxers are the worst when it comes to function. Countless guys have fallen prey to the lack of privacy of these baggy underpants. One moment they’re sipping champagne with friends and having the best time of their lives. The next moment they're hiding in shame because they accidentally exposed their snake out of the boxer to an unsuspecting stranger. Not cool.

Briefs

Briefs are undoubtedly better than boxers. But that isn’t saying much. These tighty-whities leave your inner thighs exposed and the wrong fabric can easily cause chafing, especially while you are wearing briefs for long-periods.

As such, briefs are great for protection and support. But for preventing exposure and chafing, they come up short.

Boxer Briefs

Boxer briefs offer the perfect balance between protection and freedom for your boys. Unlike briefs, boxer briefs keep your inner thighs covered, without getting too close. As a result, your goods stay in place, never exposed, and you rarely, if ever, get chafing. 

Winner: Boxer Briefs 

Comfort

funny underwear

The right underwear shouldn’t just protect the goods and keep them in place. It should also make you feel relaxed with the comfort of knowing that your crown jewels are getting the royal pampering they deserve.

If you’re constantly readjusting through your pockets, that’s a strong sign you’re wearing the wrong underwear and should switch to boxer briefs.

Here’s a quick breakdown for each type:

Briefs

Supporting your gems is where briefs outshine the rest. That’s because they hug your boys closely and keep them supported at all times.

However, that close fit of briefs can quickly turn into discomfort when it’s hot outside. Even just a lap of running could make your balls sticky and sweaty. Ask any guy and he’ll tell you why that sucks.

Boxers

Boxers are the opposite of briefs. They leave your cherries dangling and you always feel as vulnerable as a low hanging branch of wild berries. This feeling is especially tough to shake for older men.

On the other hand, boxers are loose and comfy enough to let your balls breathe fresh air and remain cool. So just like briefs, it’s a mix of good and bad.

Boxer Briefs 

Boxer briefs bridge the gap between briefs and boxers. That’s because they provide enough uplift to keep your coconuts supported throughout the day without restricting their movement too much.

In fact, boxer briefs made of ultra soft Micro Modal have been voted as the most comfortable men's underwear time and time again. 

Winner: Boxer Briefs

Appearance

Kelso in boxer briefs

While comfort and functionality are definitely essential, most guys care about the appearance more than anything else. That’s because the right underwear can make you look awesome when the pants come off. Whereas the wrong one can stress your worst features.

Here’s a quick breakdown for each type of underwear:

Briefs 

Unless you have the physique of a Greek God, you should stay far away from briefs. Leave the tighty-whities to high school kids and men who’ve long said goodbye to intimacy and excitement.

Boxers

If you’re on the heavier side or have a beer belly, boxers can add some weight to your thighs with all the padding they offer. As a result, your lower body looks bigger.

But that’s where the good part ends. For most guys, boxers make their legs look like noodles sprawling out of baggy underpants. The loose fitting just doesn’t look great.

Boxer Briefs 

Whether you’re average build, skinny, or lean on the heavier side, boxer briefs are your best option as far as appearance is concerned. These lean shorts instantly add some heat to your package and bring that special someone’s attention to it. Not to mention the extra appeal they can add to your legs.

If you want to look great, there’s simply no match for boxer briefs. You can count on our collection of the best men’s boxer briefs

Winner: Boxer Briefs

Sex Appeal

Homer in undies

Alright. Let’s address the elephant in the room. As boxer briefs are the only underwear we sell, some of you might think that has something to do with all the glowing ratings. We don’t blame you. It’s good to be skeptical in this day and age.

So how about we look at what a survey of 200 randomly picked women by GQ has to say about the sex appeal of each underwear type? 

That’s as neutral as it gets. So let’s take a look at the results:

Briefs 

Only 5% of the surveyed women said they prefer briefs over other types of underwear. If you think about it, it makes perfect sense. Most women grew up watching their baby brothers running around in their tighty whities. Surely that’s going to be a turnoff.

Boxers

Boxers fared better than briefs, but at 19% approval, that’s not much either. As boxers add weight to the lower body and can somewhat balance out a heavy midsection, they are still a decent option for some guys.

Boxer Briefs 

Boxer briefs are the king of sex appeal. With reasons ranging from how boxer briefs can highlight muscles to how they make men look more manly, a whopping 64.5% of women said they love seeing their man in these lean shorts.

As one woman put it, boxer briefs are not too tight, not too loose. They’re just right for this goose.

Winner: Boxer Briefs 

Final Verdict

There isn’t much to report here. Boxer briefs are without a doubt the best underwear for men. That’s because you get the perfect balance of functionality, comfort, appearance, and sex appeal in one lean package.

Still not convinced? Watch the video below.


Bunch of Animals micro modal boxer briefs are in a league of their own. They're made from eco-friendly Micro Modal which is 3X softer than cotton.  
We're talking softer than whipped cream on your banana split kind of soft.