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Author’s Note: I purchased the Mack Weldon, Bamboo Cool, Colorfulleaf, Calvin Klein and Jockey underwear I review in this post with my own money. David Archy sent me their underwear for free to review. Other than that and affiliate marketing, I did not receive any other compensation.
My 4 Best Men’s Brief Picks on Amazon (2026)
Here are my four picks for the Best Men’s Briefs on Amazon. Here is why I chose these:
- Bamboo and modal are my favorite underwear fabrics. If you are used to wearing cotton undies, try classing it up with the softness of bamboo and modal. I have a ton of Colorfulleaf and David Archy underwear in my collection and love wearing them.
- Guys who wear briefs also work out in briefs. I love my Mack Weldon AIRKNITx briefs for gym sessions, but they cost around $30/pair. Instead, you can buy a three-pack of Nike Hip Briefs for just slightly more in total. While I haven’t tried out Nike underwear, several of my readers love Nike briefs, and they get fantastic reviews on Amazon.
- I purchased Wirarpa’s bikini briefs last year, and they are pretty nice. They are a bit skimpy for me, but still very comfortable. Guys looking to upgrade their bikini briefs collection can mix and match Wirarpa’s color selection to create a bikini briefs set that won’t get boring.
If you need a quick decision, here is my 30-second cheat sheet to use with the picks below:
- Need a one-and-done drawer upgrade? Start with COLORFULLEAF Bamboo 4-pack or the David Archy 4-Pack.
- Best value Gym underwear? Nike Hip Briefs 3-pack.
- Looking for colorful bikini briefs? wirarpa Bikini Briefs 4-pack.
- Need to replace your current 100% cotton briefs? Try the COLORFULLEAF and David Archy briefs and tell me they aren’t more comfortable than your 100% cotton briefs.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of 2026-08-23 at 18:29 and are subject to change. / Affiliate links.
Since abandoning briefs in high school due to peer pressure—boxer shorts ruled the early 2000s—I hadn’t worn briefs until 2020. That is when I purchased my first pair of adult briefs: my Mack Weldon AIRKNITx briefs. Although it initially felt weird to wear briefs as an adult, I slowly got used to them and have since added them to my collection.
Briefs are returning to the world of men’s underwear after being shunned for decades in favor of boxer shorts and then boxer briefs. More and more “cool” brands embrace briefs as part of their lineup. Like me, guys are talking more about wearing briefs and their love for shorter underwear styles (trunks – my favorite! – are also becoming the new boxer briefs for Americans).
In this post, I’ll briefly explain why guys should try briefs if they aren’t already wearing them. I’ll then detail some of the best briefs for men on the market to ensure your next experience wearing briefs is fantastic. Thus, keep scrolling if you want to read why briefs may be your ideal underwear, or click here to go straight to my picks.
Why do guys wear briefs?
A couple of years ago, I wrote an article asking whether briefs are superior to boxer briefs. I wrote it after wearing briefs for the first time since I was a kid and learning why briefs could be better than boxer briefs. I still wear boxer briefs and trunks, but briefs carved out a spot in my underwear drawer for several good reasons.
No underwear riding up on the legs
No riding up is so self-evident that you might not realize it. Briefs have no legs, so there is no material to ride up your legs, which is common with boxer briefs and, to a lesser extent, with trunks. Riding up isn’t an issue with the right pair of high-quality boxer briefs, as long as you wash and dry them correctly. Yet, if you want to eliminate the chance of riding up entirely, briefs will solve the “riding up” problem.
Raw sex appeal
A guy wearing plain black briefs is incredibly sexy to me (although black trunks are my absolute favorite). Briefs show off much more skin than boxer briefs; thus, they may appear sexier to you and your partner. Yet when I first started wearing briefs, I was embarrassed to walk around the house—even in front of my husband—because I was showing off too much skin. I soon overcame that stigma, and now I love walking around in briefs.
Some guys may fear the “tighty-whitey” look, which, for many guys, is the opposite of sex appeal (although some guys find tighty-whiteys hot, no shame in that!). I don’t want to wear briefs that remind me of being a kid, so I picked out modern, adult styles. Modern styles include Hip Cut briefs (not full-cut briefs), darker colors, and low-rise models that sit below your waist. You can look sexy in briefs regardless of what styles you and your partner prefer!
What are visible boxer brief lines?
If you wear tight pants—especially thinner ones—and boxer briefs, you are likely to have boxer-brief lines. These lines appear on the back of your thigh, where the leg bands of your boxer briefs are located. When you wear thick leg bands with thin pants, the leg band can indent the fabric. This is the male version of the “visible panty line.” (“VPL” in men’s underwear actually means something else, and is more of a problem if you don’t wear underwear.)
Boxer brief lines are especially noticeable with tight pants, as the pants cling to your legs and the underwear. Boxer brief lines also show themselves on your rear thigh as you walk, as, at that moment, your pants are tight against the rear of your thigh. Guys may also experience this when wearing light-colored shorts with dark or black boxer briefs. The color difference may cause the outline of your boxer briefs to show through your shorts.
Many guys don’t want the outlines of their underwear showing through their pants. Briefs essentially eliminate this problem because briefs don’t have leg bands, so there is nothing to show through your pants. However, that doesn’t mean visible brief lines aren’t an issue.
Brief lines occur under the same conditions as boxer brief lines: wearing tight pants or shorts, or pairing light-colored pants with dark briefs. However, men’s brief lines are less common than women’s visible panty lines. One reason is that most men’s briefs cover the full butt cheek, so the seam sits underneath the butt rather than on top of it, unlike women’s panties. Another reason is that men’s shorts have pockets that cover the butt, thereby hiding many would-be-visible lines.
Thus, wearing briefs will eliminate the lines of boxer briefs. And as long as you aren’t wearing super-tight pants or white pants with black briefs, you’ll also be able to avoid most brief lines.
Increased air circulation and cooling
When wearing briefs, your legs and thighs are fully exposed, so they can cool off naturally. Especially with lighter shorts, I feel the breeze on my legs much more with briefs than with boxer briefs—and I wear breathable boxer briefs! I love this airy feeling on my thighs, which is another plus to briefs.
What do the best men’s briefs include?
There are millions of pairs of men’s briefs out there. But what sets the best briefs for men apart from the rest of the pack?
Best Men’s Briefs Fabric
If you exercise or spend a lot of time outdoors, choose a moisture-wicking synthetic material, such as polyester, nylon, or polyamide. Note that to ensure the greatest comfort, you’ll want at least 10% elastane or Spandex content, but 15-20% is what the best briefs contain.
Otherwise, stick with bamboo or modal briefs for the office, hanging out at home, and general everyday wear. They are much softer than cotton and more environmentally friendly. Because bamboo and modal are so soft, as little as 5% elastane or Spandex works well in modal and bamboo briefs. You can read all of my modal and bamboo underwear reviews here.
Colors and Patterns of the Best Men’s Briefs
Many guys shun the word “tighty-whiteys.” As a Millennial, hearing that word brings me back to school (although some guys love tighty-whiteys, which is perfectly fine!). Yet, the best briefs come in various colors and patterns to satisfy any guy’s fashion tastes. Choose the colors and patterns you love, but if you aren’t sure, dark colors such as dark blue, dark gray, and black will lend your briefs a modern sophistication.
Style Differences of Men’s Briefs: Hip Briefs vs. Briefs vs. Bikini/Tanga Briefs
To most guys, briefs are briefs. That isn’t true, though! Today, men’s briefs come in a wide variety of designs. The three most common styles are full-cut briefs, hip-cut briefs, and bikini/tanga briefs. The differences are primarily in how much the briefs cover your hips’ front and side parts.
Hip briefs are the trendiest style right now and the most “modern” looking. As a result, most men’s briefs are variations of the hip brief design. For full-cut briefs, you’ll most likely be looking at the big three American companies: Hanes, Jockey, and Fruit of the Loom. For bikini or tanga briefs, you’ll want specialty brands, such as wirarpa and Jockey.
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Notice almost all of the hips are covered by these Full-cut briefs from Hanes
Product prices and availability are accurate as of 2026-08-23 at 19:50 and are subject to change. / Affiliate links.
Hip cut briefs, however, show a lot more of the hips and legs.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of 2026-08-23 at 20:26 and are subject to change. / Affiliate links.
Bikini – or tanga – briefs have no hip coverage, leaving only the waistband connecting the front and back of the briefs.
When choosing your briefs, consider other features, such as fly design, pricing, and waistband logos. Still, fabric, style, color, and patterns are the best place to start, since they’ll affect your comfort more than other factors.
Hip Seams on Briefs
If you haven’t worn briefs in a long time, you’ll notice the hip seam right away. This seam, which rides between your leg and your groin, doesn’t appear on other men’s underwear and gives briefs their snugness. If you buy stretchy material and the right size, you’ll get used to the seam and won’t notice it after a bit. But if you buy rough materials and briefs that are too tight, you’ll be annoyed and won’t want to wear them anymore. Follow my suggestions in this guide, and you’ll be fine.
Below, I highlight a few brands I believe make some of the best men’s briefs. Take a moment to review all the options to understand what is available for men’s briefs.
What are the Best Men’s Briefs?
COLORFULLEAF Bamboo Men’s Briefs
Amazon has a plethora of Chinese men’s underwear companies, and COLORFULLEAF is one of them. However, I was intrigued by the combination of low prices and high Amazon review ratings. I had to try them out because I am always on the lookout for new underwear companies.
I purchased a four-pack of their bamboo men’s briefs, and wow, was I surprised! They are so comfortable, and I don’t even notice wearing them. I love underwear that works without any hassle, and these COLORFULLEAF briefs hit the mark. I also love the color variety, from bright hues to sophisticated blacks, dark grays, and blues.
- PREMIUM FABRIC – The fabric is a super soft and comfortable fabric, more elastic,breathable and lightweight than cotton underwear, with moisture-wicking technology to keep you cool and dry all day long.
- 3D FLY POUCH DESIGN – 3D pouch with open fly, the soft double-layer pouch design provides more room for your private parts without extrusion or constraint.
- FEATURES OF OUR MENS BRIEFS – Elastic waistband design, which gently fits the skin around the waist, and does not fall down,Tag-free, no annoying tag to bunch up or itch, no side seams and full coverage hip design for great comfort, smooth flatlock seam.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of 2026-08-23 at 20:26 and are subject to change. / Affiliate links.
- Fabric: 95% Bamboo Rayon and 5% Spandex. Very soft yet supportive. I love it.
- Style: These are less revealing on the hips than other hip briefs, such as the Calvin Klein Hip briefs below. However, they aren’t full-cut briefs either, like your Hanes 100% cotton briefs. The cut is a good middle ground for guys who want a modern look without being too revealing.
- Colors and Patterns: Solid colors only. However, Amazon has a great selection of dark and lighter colors, so you can choose what suits your mood.
- Fly: Some models include a vertical fly, while others do not. If a fly is crucial to you, make sure you get a model with one.
- Price: The price – around $5-7 per pair – is one of the best values for men’s bamboo briefs on Amazon, in my opinion.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of 2026-08-23 at 20:26 and are subject to change. / Affiliate links.
Calvin Klein Modal Hip Briefs
So many guys wear Calvin Klein “Cotton Classics,” but this is the wrong move! CK Cotton Classics are essentially overpriced Hanes 100% cotton briefs with a different waistband logo. Stop it!
Instead, buy Calvin Klein modal hip briefs. I picked up a three-pack of CK cotton-modal briefs last year, and they are amazing to wear. I love the hip cut, the fabric, and the colors, and I don’t even notice I’m wearing them. They are everything that men’s underwear should be!
Product prices and availability are accurate as of 2026-08-23 at 20:26 and are subject to change. / Affiliate links.
- Fabric: 87% Modal/13% Elastane for the modal briefs, or 57% organic cotton/38% modal/5% elastane for the cotton-modal briefs. I was pleasantly surprised by how comfortable the cotton-modal briefs are, considering I don’t like cotton. Modal and elastane are very stretchy materials, so you should take care of them properly to keep them lasting. Wash in cold water and air dry if possible. (Or tumble dry low if you can’t air dry.)
- Style: These are definitely hip briefs, which is the modern style in men’s briefs right now. If you want something less revealing, stick with COLORFULLEAF above.
- Colors and Patterns: No patterns, solid colors only. There is an all-black three-pack on Amazon, or you can spice it up a little by getting a blue/gray three-pack. This is a sophisticated three-pack, not a time to let your wild side ride.
- Fly: There is no fly. That doesn’t matter to me, and the waistband is easy to pull down so you can pee over it.
- Price: Getting a three-pack for $30 or under is a steal ($10/pair). Between $30 and $45 is still great. However, anything above $45, I would wait for a sale or get something else on this list.
Tommy John Air Men’s Briefs
Tommy John is a high-end men’s and women’s underwear company, on par with Mack Weldon and SAXX. I own seven pairs of Tommy John underwear, including two pairs of their Air underwear: one pair of Air trunks and one pair of Air briefs. I love them both, and I am recommending the Tommy John Air briefs.
Buy Now: Tommy John Men’s Air Briefs
Obviously, I love the fabric. It is super lightweight and feels so soft against the skin. In fact, because it is so lightweight, the Air trunks can ride up rather easily. But Tommy John Air Men’s briefs don’t have this problem since they don’t have any legs! Additionally, Tommy John offers a horizontal fly on their Air briefs, which is a cool feature if you use a fly. And I believe that Tommy John has one of the best underwear fly designs in the world of men’s underwear (although your penis can easily slip if you aren’t careful)!
- Fabric: 75% Polyamide, 25% Spandex. For perspective, most men’s underwear has 5% Spandex, with more luxurious versions having 10-12%. Thus, 25% Spandex is super stretchy and super lightweight. I just absolutely love this material. It absolutely feels like you aren’t wearing anything.
- Style: These briefs are closer to full-cut briefs (like Mack Weldon) than the hip briefs like Calvin Klein. As such, these briefs will look a bit more “old-school” than modern hip briefs. At the same time, some guys love more coverage, especially if they are hanging out in their underwear at home.
- Colors and patterns: Tommy John doesn’t offer much color selection for its Air briefs, sticking to solid black, dark blue, dark gray, and greenish-gray. I hope they offer lighter colors in the future. However, the colors they do offer are very popular with guys and look extremely high-class.
- Fly: All Tommy John Air Men’s Briefs come with Tommy John’s horizontal fly, which is super easy to use and I believe one of the best fly designs on the market. However, just note that it can be easy for your penis to slip out if it is at the right size. The trick is to tuck yourself under the interior flap so it stays in place.
- Price: $34-38 per pair, depending on how many pairs you buy. This is super-premium underwear with a super-premium price tag. However, I believe that if you are ready for some super-comfortable, super-lightweight briefs that look fantastic, it is worth the price.
wirarpa Bikini Briefs
As I go through Amazon’s men’s underwear pages a lot, I kept seeing wirarpa’s briefs come up. Thus, I purchased Wirarpa’s bikini briefs last year to try out. They are pretty nice and quite comfortable. My main hesitation is that they are a bit skimpy for me, skimpier than what the photos appeared to be.
If you are looking for good bikini briefs, wirarpa definitely fits the bill. The quality is good, the briefs are comfortable, fabric is soft, and they are revealing on the hips. The price is also excellent at $6 per pair or less. Furthermore, Wirarpa has many colors to choose from so you can create a bikini briefs collection that won’t get boring.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of 2026-08-23 at 19:50 and are subject to change. / Affiliate links.
- Fabric: 95% modal viscose and 5% Spandex. The fabric is soft, although thicker than more sheer bikini briefs.
- Style: These are bikini briefs, not hip briefs. There is a bit of side hip coverage, similar to Calvin Klein’s Hip Briefs, but the waistband is much thinner on these wirarpa briefs.
- Colors and Patterns: wirarpa has many solid colors to choose from, which is fun. They also have some briefs with random wording and patterns that are just weird to me, so I deliberately chose only solid colors.
- Fly: There is no fly on these briefs.
- Price: I believe the price at $6/pair or less is fantastic and very easy to stock up.
Mack Weldon – AIRKNITx (Hip Briefs)
Although the underwear I featured above is available on Amazon, I also want to add one non-Amazon pick. It is no secret that I love Mack Weldon underwear, and my first pair of adult men’s briefs were Mack Weldon AIRKNITx briefs. AIRKNITx briefs are excellent for all situations, especially high-sweat situations, and are the best briefs in Mack Weldon’s collection. I believe that the AIRKNITx underwear collection is the best value of Mack Weldon’s underwear lineup, regardless of style.
- Fabric: AIRKNITx briefs are 50% polyamide, 33% polyester, and 17% elastane, while AIRKNITx HD briefs are 85% polyamide and 15% elastane. The 14-17% elastane content is around the sweet spot for synthetic briefs, 15-20% elastane. I wear AIRKNITx underwear as everyday underwear, even though it’s designed for high-sweat activities like workouts, outdoor activities, and travel.
- Style: I classify AIRKNITx as hip briefs, although they provide more hip coverage than other hip briefs. This length could be ideal for guys new to briefs who want a modern look with hip briefs yet appreciate more coverage.
- Colors and Patterns: AIRKNITx comes in eight solid colors. Mack Weldon used to make patterned AIRKNITx briefs, but they no longer do so. If you really want a greater selection of colors and patterns, you’ll need to check out Mack Weldon’s 18-Hour Jersey briefs.
- Fly: AIRKNITx briefs do not come with a fly. However, 18-Hour Jersey and Silver briefs do come with a fly.
- Price: $30 per pair, though you can get a better price by buying multipacks. Mack Weldon is a premium brand, so you are paying a premium price. I would get one or two briefs to try first before diving in and replacing your entire underwear drawer.
- Note about sizing: Most guys who wear AIRKNITx briefs report feeling more comfortable in a larger size. So if you’re between sizes, go with the larger one.
Final Thoughts on the Best Men’s Briefs
Briefs have come back! In 2025, briefs are a great addition to any guy’s underwear drawer. Hip or bikini briefs are even excellent for date night! If you follow my Three Simple Steps to Buying Men’s Underwear, you’ll note that I recommend getting briefs for office work and hanging out at home.
In the comments below, let me know your thoughts on the best briefs for men. If you are looking for Boxer Briefs instead, check out my Guide to the Best Boxer Briefs on Amazon!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes! I reguarly wear briefs throughout the month as part of my usual underwear rotation. Many guys wear briefs exclusively and find them more comfortable than trunks and boxer briefs. This is especially true if you wear tighter pants or if you have thicker thighs and suffer from your trunks and boxer briefs riding up. On the other hand, if briefs feel “pinchy,” it’s usually the cut (too high) or sizing (too small).
Hip briefs sit lower on the waist and look more modern; full-cut sits higher and usually gives more coverage/support. Bikini briefs, on the other hand, are the skimpiest cut as they are generally low-rise and offer little to no hip coverage. Guys wanting “modern” briefs generally choose hip briefs over full-cut briefs, and offers a good mix of support and fashion while not being overly revealing.
Only if you actually want to use a fly. In fact, according to several surveys, only around 20% of guys use the fly on their underwear. Flyless underwear is more common for guys and looks modern. Even if you have a fly on your underwear, plenty of guys – like me! – ignore it and just go over the waistband.
Most guys are happy with 14 pairs (enough for two weeks). If you’re switching from boxer briefs, start with a multipack + 1 premium pair to test comfort and then you can always buy more. Furtheremore, you need not only wear briefs or only wear boxer briefs. Many guys interchange styles based on their mood!
If you’re between sizes, sizing up is often better with briefs as they are a bit tighter in the groin and around the hips than boxer briefs. For example, the guys I have spoken to about Mack Weldon’s AIRKNITx briefs all mention one size up is more comfortable.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of 2026-08-24 at 00:09 and are subject to change. / Affiliate links.
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I restarted wearing briefs in 2019, CK to start but polo and 2 xist are way better, i work in an office , have large legs(years of rugby) and briefs are the only underwear that i do not notice. if ru in half decent shape they look great too. i always went dark colors and grey but now really dont care and wear white and other colors a lot too
Thank you for sharing, Elliot! That is great to know about Polo and 2xist. Which are your favorite models of Polo and/or 2xist?
for 2 xist the essential cotton fly front brief, these are awesome , white ones are sexy and just fit great
polo the men stretch classic, again wear all day and super comfortable
Nice! I have only one pair of white briefs, which are lovely to wear. But for me, black is the sexiest color, while blue is my favorite color. And for a wildcard, red underwear! 😜
I’m searching for a unicorn apparently. I want briefs with a sized C pouch, like from real men, I want a super narrow gusset between my legs, I want a horizontal fly, and I want them to be modal or bamboo. They also need a thin waist band and be low cut. Do they exist?
Hello Craig, thank you for asking. That is quite the wish list! All of your criteria can be accomplished, but just not all together. 😉
Have you considered having underwear designed by a tailor? I know of someone who makes custom underwear for men based on any criteria you want. It is definitely pricey, but the value comes from having high-quality underwear that is exactly what you want. And if you take good care of it – wash cold, air dry – then it will last a long time. That could be a good solution compared to buying underwear that ultimately doesn’t work out.