Since starting baskit in 1999, underwear has been on my mind a lot! 24/7/365. Over 20 years of contemplating underwear. True Story.
Now you might think I only wear baskit, but you’d be wrong. Rule number #1: Know your competition. So, while I usually wear baskit, I frequently don other brands’ gear to see how it stands up to life. It’s a simple test. I wash it once and then put it through a day in my life.
If it’s a regular day, I put it on first thing in the morning, wear it to the office (which, on occasion has ended with me dropping my drawers during a staff meeting to discuss the test pair) and then finish it off with my gym routine which includes a solid 45-minute run. Yesterday was such a day but there was…. friction.
Friction. We’re talking major rubbing together of thighs, balls and buttocks. It’s not pleasant. Not even a little. Add some sweat and it’s the perfect storm in your pants. Exhibit A:
About halfway through my run I noticed the familiar sting of chafing on the inside of my right thigh. The underwear expert in me was, at once, satisfied and pissed. Satisfied because even before putting it on I saw issues (poor pouch design and rough stitching) and guessed there would be trouble later. Pissed because the style was supposed to be for heavy activity. Nope. Epic fail.
Here’s the thing, I make underwear so fabrics, pouch shapes, stitching. All that means something to me. It all translates to how underwear fits and feels. Moreover, I also know my Netherlands. I know how they hang, bounce, shift and shrink. And that too is important in the quest to avoid friction.
So how do you pick the right underwear?
All men are, in fact, not created equal when it comes your anatomy. You knew this already. However, all brands not created equal either. So, you need to know what you’re packing and then look at the underwear you’re thinking about buying. Focus on these three things:
Pouch shape
Pouches that are longer and rounded in the front fit most men better and while providing great support. However, there are plenty of brands that still offer a flat, panel pouch because it’s generally looser and thereby more likely to fit a wider variety of men. It’s sort of the difference between putting your balls away for safe keeping or walking around with them on a shelf between your thighs. Go for the round pouch, odds are it will fit you better. Pro-Tip: Guys with bigger thighs generally do better with more coverage. So, if that’s you go for a trunk or a boxer brief.
Fabric Content
Your Mom probably bought your father underwear that was made with 100% cotton because, at the time, it was “the best.” She also handed him swamp ass, chafed balls and raw thighs all wrapped up in ill-fitting underwear. Cotton is great and we use it too, but not at 100%. Cotton will absorb 10-12% of its weight in water; polyester only 0.4%. Cotton will therefore hang onto your sweat, making your underwear heavy and unpleasantly moist and then it stops performing and starts chafing. Look for fabric blends with moisture-wicking polyester, which, unlike cotton, absorbs very little water. Wicking polyester has a special cross-section and a large surface area, which picks up moisture and carries it away from your body, spreading it out, to evaporate more easily. Pro-tip: Our Energy collection offers superior protection.
Use
Despite popular theory, no one is really a “boxers or briefs” guy. Or, at least, for maximum comfort and performance they shouldn’t be. Pick your underwear for the day based on the temps and day you expect to have. If it’s summer here in Colorado and I’ve got a pretty low-key day, I’m wearing a good pair of boxer shorts. They’re loose, light and provide great ventilation. However, if I know I’m going to have some moderate activity, I’ll switch to a brief to keep things tucked in. Maybe, I’m planning for an active day with a run at lunch. In that case, I’m wearing a trunk or even a boxer brief for more support and protection against… the friction. Pro-tip: Switching styles takes some getting used to. Don’t give up on day one. Start slow. Put on your new style for a few hours on a relaxing weekend and ease into the new feeling. You’ll get there. It just takes time for your Netherlands to adjust.
Questions?
If you have questions about what underwear might be best for you, drop us a line at info@
Good luck out there!