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Boxer briefs are the most popular men’s underwear. However, they have one main drawback: the leg material can “ride up” your leg, making them uncomfortable under pants or shorts. Boxer briefs become even more uncomfortable when they ride up under tight pants. Keep reading if you have this problem.
Before shopping around – and wasting money – for the “perfect” boxer briefs that don’t ride up, consider making some changes to your underwear collection that could solve this problem.
Five Steps for Boxer Briefs that Don’t Ride Up
What are five steps you can take to ensure your men’s boxer briefs don’t ride up? Keep reading for more details, and then afterward, check out my recommendations for the best boxer briefs on Amazon.
Buying the Right Size of Men’s Boxer Briefs
Make sure you buy the right men’s underwear size for you. Brands often have slightly different size charts, so if you usually wear a medium, one brand may recommend you wear a small or large, especially if you are on the border between two sizes. The table below shows a few common men’s underwear brands, and you can see how a size Medium – which is generally 32-34 inches/81-86 cm – varies between the brands:
| Brand | Waist Size for Medium |
| Saxx | 32-35 inches / 82-89 cm |
| Jockey | 32-34 inches / 81-86 cm |
| Hanes | 30-34 inches / 78-86 cm |
| Intimissimi | 29-30 inches / 74-78 cm |
Underwear that is too large will ride up because there is nothing on the leg for the boxer briefs to hold on to. Underwear that is too small will also ride up because your middle thigh – the largest part of your leg – is too big for small underwear, forcing the material up. So make sure you check out the size chart before buying your next pair of underwear.
Replace Overstretched or Worn Out Boxer Briefs
Replace any underwear that is overstretched or worn out. Over time, the legs of boxer briefs will wear down, and the elastic leg bands won’t be as tight anymore. Or if you have thicker thighs, your boxer briefs may get overstretched trying to fit around your thigh. Either way, if the leg bands aren’t tight anymore, there is nothing to hold the boxer briefs down, so they will ride up during the day.
You can keep your boxer briefs from wearing out prematurely by washing and drying them correctly. A lot of non-cotton underwear cannot withstand high heat in the dryer. Lowering the heat – or better yet, air drying – can prolong your underwear. Additionally, it is better to wash and dry with softer materials. For example, washing your jeans and underwear together can be pretty rough on your underwear.
If you treat your underwear well during laundry day, your underwear will treat you better. 🙂
Consider Wearing Long-leg Boxer Briefs
Speaking of thicker thighs, if you have large thighs, consider wearing 8-9″ (20-23 cm) long-leg boxer briefs. Men’s boxer briefs are usually 5-6″ (13-15 cm) inseam, but long-leg boxer briefs are 7″ (18 cm) and greater. 8-9″ (20-23 cm) are the most common inseam for long-leg boxer briefs. By wearing these long-leg boxer briefs, the leg band will sit below the thickest part of your thigh instead of on or above it. Thus, your thigh will naturally prevent the boxer briefs from riding up, as they won’t be able to get around your thigh.
- 8-INCH FOR LOW-CHAFE: Designed to eliminate chafing, our long leg boxer briefs offer essential thigh coverage, ultra-fine, smooth fibers, and fewer seams to reduce chafing for athletic men and those with thick thighs.The plush-soft tagless waistband prevents pinching, binding, itching or leaving marks.
- FRESH AND COOL: Tired of sticky underwear? The hyper-breathable weave actively pulls sweat away while staying feather-light. Unlike cotton that traps heat, its upgraded ventilation fabric keeps it 40% more breathable and and 2-3°C cooler – perfect for workouts, commutes, or busy workdays.
- ATHLETIC COMFORT FIT: Extended leg length helps them stay in place as you move for all-day comfort. Mens boxer briefs feature a four-way stretch fabric and a stay-put design with no ride and no adjustment, so they move with you without constricting.
Last update on 2025-05-15 at 07:44 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Or Consider Wearing Men’s Briefs
Instead of fixing your boxer briefs, consider wearing briefs instead. Since briefs don’t have any leg material, there is nothing to ride up! Men’s briefs are coming back into style, and there are so many brands and styles of briefs nowadays. You don’t have to settle for just plain white cotton briefs from previous eras. Plus, you can always wear boxer briefs while lounging at home or when you wear looser shorts – and keep briefs for the office!
Wear Looser Pants
Finally, if your pants are too tight, you may want to wear a bit looser pants. During the day, your underwear will naturally ride up for the reasons above. But tight pants won’t allow your boxer briefs to come down because the pants constrict the movement naturally. So instead, your boxer briefs will slowly ride up and then further ride up as the pants continue to push up the leg material. And because there is no room around your legs, your boxer briefs won’t be able to slide back down on their own.
Because guys tend to wear tighter pants at work, such as work slacks, I recommend briefs as the best men’s underwear for the office. That way, you don’t have to deal with your boxer briefs riding up during the day.
- PREMIUM MATERIAL: 95% Viscose Made From Bamboo and 5% Spandex,light and soft texture. It is 30% more breathable than cotton underwear and the average body temperature is 3°lower than cotton ones,bringing a fresh touch to your skin, keeping you dry even in hot weather.
- COMFORTABLE FABRIC: Breath from nature, comfortable and breathable, moisture wicking, Not sweltering，keep you refreshed all day, very suitable for home, exercise,Fitness room,travel and other daily activities
- NO WEDGIE DESIGN: The triangle briefs feature a one-piece cut, providing a better fit along the body’s curves, eliminating discomfort from traditional designs, and ensuring all-day comfort and freedom. They are also perfect for every occasion, running, skiing, skateboarding, football, baseball, basketball, tennis, volleyball, soccer, and hiking.
Last update on 2025-05-15 at 07:44 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
How do I keep my Boxer Briefs from riding up?
Follow my five steps above to keep your boxer briefs from riding up: buy the right size, replace worn-out boxer briefs, wear long-leg boxer briefs if you have thick thighs, wear briefs if you wear tight pants, or wear looser pants. Also, ensure you aren’t committing any of these five men’s underwear mistakes. And finally, below are some suggestions for new boxer briefs that I recommend:
- Modal and bamboo boxer briefs: If you are wearing cotton, consider switching to modal or bamboo boxer briefs. The thinner material is softer and works better under skinny jeans and tight pants. Read my modal and bamboo boxer briefs reviews here.
- Long-leg boxer briefs: If you have thicker thighs, buy 8-9″ boxer briefs. You can read more about my guide to long-leg boxer briefs here.
- Switching to briefs: Read my reviews about my Mack Weldon AIRKNITx briefs, my Separatec bamboo briefs, and my Real Men Large Pouch briefs as recommendations to add briefs to your collection. And remember that you don’t always have to wear briefs – easily switch back to boxer briefs when hanging out at home or the gym.
Let me know your questions in the comments and your solutions for boxer briefs that don’t ride up. 🙂
Frequently Asked Questions about Boxer Briefs Riding Up
Make sure you buy the right underwear size and replace boxer briefs with worn-out legs and leg bands. Additionally, if you have thicker thighs, consider buying long-leg boxer briefs – those with legs eight inches or longer – as the leg band will be below the thickest part of the thigh. Finally, consider if your pants or shorts are too tight. If they are, buy slightly looser pants so your pants don’t bunch up your underwear.
No. While common, if your boxer briefs ride up, they may be ill-fitting or worn out, and thus, it is time to replace them. If you have problems with boxer briefs riding up no matter what you try, then consider wearing men’s briefs instead. Briefs don’t ride up.
Perform the finger test: if you can slide your finger into your waistband or up the legs of your boxer briefs without having to pull away the fabric from your skin, your boxer briefs might be too big or worn out. Additionally, the crotch of your boxer briefs should fit around your groin. If there is space between the crotch and your groin, that may also signal boxer briefs that are too large.
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