How To Choose Mens Best Underwear in 3 Easy Steps

Soft, supportive, and always there, the right pair of underwear can be the most important piece of clothing a man wears but it's the one he's least likely to shop for. Men tend to stick with the brand or type of underwear they grew up with, but that doesn't always mean they're wearing the right pair for their needs and body type.

Here are three easy steps to choosing men's best underwear from the "bottom" up:

Pick Your Style

There are three types of men's underwear that are generally recognized and sold commercially.

The first is the boxer with its shorts-like, straight-leg design. While many men wear boxers, they offer virtually no support for the groin, only coverage and a layer of separation between the wearer's skin and the inside of his pants.

The next style is the brief, which rests close to the body and thighs and doesn't have any leg coverage. Often called by the less-than-flattering name of "tighty whities", this style offers support for the groin but can also be very constricting and "suffocating" to the male intimate areas. The lack of leg coverage can also leave him feeling cold, depending on the thickness of his pant material.

Finally, there's the boxer brief, which brings together the best of both styles to create one of men's best underwear options. This style matches the support of a brief with the loose leg and fit of a boxer, giving the wearer both coverage and fit. In most polls on men's underwear, boxer briefs are a clear preferred winner, with half or more of the respondents noting it as their style of choice.

Pick Your Material

Synthetic materials include options like polyester or partial synthetic blends like poly-cotton. While these fabrics offer durability and some wicking properties, they can also feel constricting or leave the wearer feeling overly warm because they don't breathe. For an area of the body with a lot of surface area and movement, this isn't as much of a concern. For men’s intimate areas, however, the buildup of moisture and heat can be not only problematic but outright uncomfortable.

Traditional natural materials like cotton are widely considered a go-to, with most mass-market men's underwear manufacturers relying on cotton to create their pieces. The natural "breathability" of cotton helps sweat and heat escape, leaving the wearer cool and comfortable in an area of the body where it really matters. The downside is that cotton stretches and wears down pretty quickly in a garment worn as often as underwear. This, combined with many men's natural love of routine, leads to the trope about men keeping and wearing hole-ridden underwear well past its "expiration date."

Finally, newer and more versatile natural materials like birch-derived micro modal are taking the world of men's best underwear by storm. Not only does this light, airy material offer all the same benefits of cotton, it also feels silky-smooth and wicks away sweat for a premium wearing experience. Men love the wrinkle-resistant look that's similar to polyester and appreciate the long, durable wear of this natural fiber too.

Pick Your Size

Getting the right "band fit" in men's best underwear is as important as choosing the right style and material. While a man's pants size is an excellent indicator of his underwear size, it's best to use a dressmaker's-style measuring tape to measure waist circumference exactly. Additionally, just as outer articles of clothing can vary in fit depending on the manufacturer, it's a good idea to check the fit guide on a given underwear manufacturer's site. This will keep underwear from feeling uncomfortably tight or lose once the pairs are out of the package.