Saxx Shorts with Liners: Pros, Cons, and My Review

Written By:

Eric at MensUnderwearGuide.com

Eric is the creator and writer of MensUnderwearGuide.com. With an underwear collection that spans multiple drawers, Eric has worn all different styles, fabrics, and silhouettes – from boxers to thongs – so you can Find Your Ideal Pair of Underwear.

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Author’s Note: I purchased these Saxx Oh Buoy and Go To Town shorts using my own money, and all opinions are my own.

Swim Shorts with Boxer Briefs

Saxx Oh Buoy! Swim Shorts

✅ 5″ and 7″ inseam swim shorts
✅ Includes Saxx Cooling Hydro Boxer Brief-liner
✅ Has two side pockets, a back pocket, and a hidden pocket on the leg of the boxer brief liner.
💵 Around US$70/pair, but often is on sale
❌ No fly
⬇️ Read my full review below

Casual Shorts for Around Town

Saxx Go To Town Shorts

✅ 8″ inseam casual shorts
✅ Includes Saxx Sport Mesh 5″ Boxer Brief-liner
✅ Has two side pockets and two back pockets, one of which has a zipper.
💵 Around US$74/pair, but often is on sale
✅ Vertical Fly
⬇️ Read my full review below

December 21 is my favorite day of the year because it is the shortest day of the year. Weird, huh? Well, it is my favorite day because every day after December 21 gets slightly longer and closer to the summer! So, let’s celebrate December 21 by writing a blog post on what guys wear during the summer: shorts.

But I am not reviewing any regular shorts. I want to review something interesting in the shorts space: shorts with built-in underwear. Yes, I mean shorts with boxer briefs sewn into them as an all-in-one package. I wrote a guide on the pros, cons, and options for shorts with built-in underwear that you need to check out if you are intrigued by this concept.

But today, I will focus on two shorts I bought from Saxx: the 7” Oh Buoy! swim shorts and the 9” Go To Town 2n1 shorts (they are now 8″). 

What does “built-in boxer briefs” mean?

These two Saxx shorts are not like any other shorts. They have boxer briefs similar to Saxx’s DropTemp Cooling Hydro boxer briefs sewn directly into the shorts (and check out my full guide to Saxx Underwear here). You can’t separate the shorts and the boxer briefs (often referred to as a “liner,” and I will interchange the terms) from each other – they are married for life. And if you see the word “liner,” don’t think of the white briefs liner found in many swim trunks – these are actual 5” boxer briefs with Saxx’s custom Ballpark Pouch.

Why would any guy want to wear shorts with built-in boxer briefs compared to choosing his own underwear? To summarize from my Built-In Underwear Guide:

Benefits:

• Less riding up: Since the boxer briefs are attached to the shorts, the shorts help move your underwear as you move. So while it won’t eliminate underwear riding up, it does help.

• Waistband doesn’t show: If you don’t like your boxer briefs peeking out above your shorts, you’ve come to the right place. The built-in boxer briefs are sewn into the shorts’ waistband, so you’ll never have to worry about showing your underwear waistband.

• Interior Pocket on Liner: Some shorts – but not all! – include an interior pocket on the leg of the boxer brief liner. This is meant to be a hidden and more secure pocket for valuables, such as a phone, wallet, credit cards, and ID cards. If this is important to you, make sure to specifically look for shorts with this feature – not all do. Or read my blog post about travel underwear with pockets.

• Easy packing for a trip: No need to pack shorts and underwear separately – pack these shorts, and you’re set for a trip. Especially useful if you are trying to pack lightly.

• Proper underwear material: Speaking of easy packing, since the shorts will be made for different activities – water activities vs. everyday wear vs. gym sessions – the built-in liner will also be appropriate for that activity. When packing, you need not worry about matching underwear for your trip activities – your shorts already took care of this for you!

Drawbacks:

• More laundry: If you are like me and re-wear your pants and shorts multiple times between wash cycles, you’ll have a more challenging time with shorts with built-in boxer briefs. While you change your underwear each time you wear your pants, you can’t do it with these shorts. If you want to wash your underwear, you must clean the shorts too. 

• Higher prices: Generally, shorts with liners are a premium product and come with premium pricing. If you are used to wearing premium clothing, the prices won’t affect you. But if you like buying shorts off the rack at discount stores, you’ll be surprised at how expensive buying these types of shorts can be.

• Unable to mix and match underwear: Since you can’t remove the liner from these shorts, you can’t use the underwear with other pairs of pants. Thus, if you live in an area with seasons, when you put away these shorts for the fall and winter, you are also putting away the underwear too, even if you like these boxer briefs! You’ll need to keep a separate set of underwear to wear with unlined pants and shorts.

• Sleeping at night: If you don’t like sleeping naked, what underwear will you wear at night? You’ll have to wear another pair of underwear when you take off your shorts as you’ll be naked.

• Tucking in a shirt: For the Go To Town shorts, if you like to wear an undershirt, or if you want to tuck a polo shirt into your shorts for golfing, you’ll be just fine. However, note that your shirt will be tucked into your underwear – yes, it will make itself home next to your butt and penis. By doing this, you may feel some bunching up in your underwear as your shirt takes up some room.

What is it like to wear Saxx shorts with a liner?

While both Saxx shorts have the same built-in boxer briefs, the shorts themselves are different. Below, I describe each pair of shorts in detail so you can determine which model to buy.

Reviewing Saxx Go To Town 2n1 Shorts

I first wore the Go To Town shorts as everyday shorts, and they function as they should. The Saxx Go To Town shorts come with four pockets – two side and two rear pockets – with one of the back pockets featuring a zipper closure. I kept my wallet and keys in one front pocket and my phone in the other front pocket, as I always do, and I didn’t have any issues with anything falling out.

The Go To Town shorts have belt loops, which I had to use on the second day as the shorts are a tad big for me (I am a 32” waist and wear a medium). Additionally, as the shorts have a 9” inseam, they look like regular shorts that hit above the knee. Honestly, you need not worry about them looking like short shorts or any different than standard shorts. 

Does it come with a fly?

The front features a button closure on the waist and a zipper fly, just like a regular pair of shorts. I was very interested in how the fly would work with the built-in boxer briefs. These Go To Town shorts indeed have a functional fly but not a standard vertical fly. The fly is a hole above the penis pouch but below the waistband button. You pull your penis up and over the hole, similar to a horizontal fly. But unlike a true horizontal fly, this fly doesn’t have a 2nd layer of fabric that you have to navigate. The fly is just a hole in the liner, which I thought was easier to use than a standard horizontal fly.

Furthermore, as readers know, I don’t use underwear flys. I use the fly on my pants or shorts to pull down my underwear waistband and grab my penis. But there isn’t that option on these shorts because there is no underwear waistband. You have to thread your penis through the fly hole. And unbuttoning and pulling down your shorts isn’t an option because, remember, you aren’t wearing any other underwear – your butt will quickly expose itself!

I wouldn’t necessarily recommend wearing a tucked-in shirt with these shorts because your shirt is tucked into your underwear instead of between your underwear and shorts. While this is ok if you want, I found it a bit uncomfortable, like my underwear was bloated. Also, remember that your shirt will be rubbing up against your butt and perhaps your penis because there is no underwear barrier.

What did I wear to bed?

Above, I mentioned that one of the drawbacks of wearing shorts with a liner is that when you take off the shorts, you’ll need to put on another pair of underwear. That is what happened to me when I went to bed that night, as I can’t sleep naked (I get too excited!). 

You’ll need to have a pair (or pairs) of underwear you wear to bed, much like if you have a pair of pajamas you wear to bed. You could wear the same pair of “bed” underwear a couple of nights since, in theory, you are only wearing them around eight hours at a time.

For “bed” underwear, I highly recommend a good pair of modal or bamboo underwear. Readers know my love affair with modal and bamboo underwear (see my reviews here). They are light and airy, perfect for relaxing and sleeping. Or, you can buy some jockstraps and wear those to bed – which I did with these shorts.

You know the feeling of coming home, taking off your pants, and putting on something comfy? Why not do the same with your underwear too? In fact, you can do this regardless of wearing shorts with liners: have specific pairs of underwear for daily wear (especially critical if you work in a hot and sweaty climate) and specific pairs of underwear for relaxing and sleeping. And if you like Saxx underwear with their Ballpark Pouch, find out what other Saxx styles you’ll love with my Ultimate Guide to Saxx Underwear.

Reviewing Saxx Oh Buoy 7” Swim Shorts

I didn’t wear my Oh Buoy swim shorts until I went to Mexico, so a bit of time went by before I could review them. When in Mexico, I wore my Oh Buoy shorts both in the pool and as regular shorts (we were in a beach town), and I loved them!

Because these are swim shorts, they function differently than the Go To Town shorts. First, they have a 7” inseam, so they are approaching the short shorts category. Note that Saxx also has a 5” version of the Oh Buoy shorts. 5” is in the short shorts category, so confirm which length you want to wear before buying. While I felt fine wearing them in the pool and at the hotel in Mexico, I felt a bit exposed back home in Texas.

For pockets, the Oh Buoy shorts come with two front pockets and one rear pocket. The back pocket has a flap for the enclosure, but there is no zipper or velcro, which I would have preferred. (Remember, the Go To Town shorts have a zipper rear pocket.) As these shorts are 2” shorter than Go To Town, the Oh Buoy pockets are less deep. I was ok with my wallet and phone, but I was a bit nervous about my phone falling out. 

However, the Oh Buoy shorts have a hidden feature that assists with your phone: a hidden pocket on the right leg of the boxer brief liner. This is a perfect pocket for your phone as it is a completely vertical pocket and snug, so the phone will stay put. Having said that, I have a Samsung Galaxy A71, and it didn’t fit all the way in – about a 1/4 of the phone was sticking up from the top. This was okay because of the snugness of the pocket, which is unlike regular pockets; this pocket is completely vertical. You’ll want to know the size limitation if your phone is large.

Next, there is no button, belt loops, or fly on the Oh Buoy shorts, which is expected for swim shorts. Since there is no fly, the only way to pee is to pull down your shorts and go over the elastic waistband. 

Otherwise, the Oh Buoy shorts were terrific in the pool. They are a tad baggy, but they functioned perfectly as swim shorts. My Oh Buoy shorts are red, so they weren’t see-through after getting wet. They also dried relatively quickly afterward.

But what about the built-in boxer briefs in Saxx shorts?

They are comfortable! I have previously reviewed Saxx’s Ballpark Pouch, which I am a big fan of. These Saxx boxer briefs – similar to Saxx’s DropTemp Cooling Hydro boxer briefs – contain the same pouch and are just as comfortable. They are lightweight and airy, thanks to the mesh design. I never felt any riding up, and these boxer briefs were enjoyable to wear.

For the most part, these built-in boxer briefs aren’t any different than wearing regular boxer briefs, especially compared to other Saxx boxer briefs. Yet, I noticed some things for you to take note of. 

First, the fly design on the Go To Town shorts may take a moment to get used to if you use standard vertical flys, but for everyone else, it doesn’t matter. Potentially guys with large penises may not have the best time using the fly as it buts up against the shorts’ waistband. But I wouldn’t worry about this, to be honest.

Second, since the underwear uses the shorts’ waistband, you won’t have to worry about your underwear showing above your pants. But you do need to be worried about your butt crack showing, especially if you are bending over or sitting down and wearing the Go To Town shorts. If you have ever worn boardshorts without underwear, you’ll know what I am talking about. 

For me, the Go To Town shorts were slightly big, so if I wasn’t wearing a belt and sat down or bent over, I’m sure my butt crack would show. Remember, there is no underwear to cover it up! The Oh Buoy shorts don’t have this issue since they are elastic, and I assume you would use the drawstring to tighten it around your waist.

Third, these specific Saxx shorts come with Saxx underwear and thus include Saxx’s Ballpark Pouch. If you haven’t worn Saxx underwear, you may want to purchase one of their boxer briefs first before committing to buying their shorts. If you aren’t familiar with pouches, please read my Guide to Men’s Underwear Pouches. 

Fourth, the boxer briefs are meant to go in the water! If you have an underwear-in-water phobia, don’t worry! You shouldn’t wear cotton underwear in the water – that is a no-no. But wearing polyester underwear in the water is perfectly ok – these shorts are designed to do that.

Details and Notes on Saxx Shorts with liners

Finally, I want to go over the details and specifications of these Saxx shorts with built-in boxer briefs:

• Length: The Oh Buoy shorts come with either a 5” inseam or 7” inseam, while the Go To Town shorts have an 8” inseam. For context, a 8” inseam hits above the knee but looks like regular shorts. A 7” inseam may feel short, especially in specific contexts, but it isn’t eye-raising. But I consider a 5” inseam in the short shorts category – and if that is you, then flaunt those thighs! Regardless of the size, all of the shorts come with 5” inseam boxer briefs. 5” boxer briefs are very much your regular boxer briefs (5-6”). For the 7” and 8” inseam shorts, this works well. But for the 5” Oh Buoy shorts, be 100% prepared for your underwear sticking out of the bottom of your shorts. 

• Price: (All prices as of March 2024.) Oh Buoy shorts are $70, and the Go To Town shorts are $74 at the regular price. However, if you can wait until Saxx has a sale, that is a great time to buy. I’d especially buy during the winter when Saxx has excellent sales – such as 40-50% off each pair of shorts. If you only want similar underwear to what is included with the Oh Buoy shorts, then the DropTemp Cooling Hydro boxer briefs are $36/pair. For wear outside of the water, I’d recommend lighter underwear like Saxx’s Vibe collection.

• Colors and Patterns: The Oh Buoy shorts come in various solid colors and patterns, while the Go To Town shorts come in four solid colors. For reference, the shorts I show in the photos in this article are Desert Red for the Oh Buoy shorts and Thunder for the Go To Town shorts.

• Material and Fabric: The outside is 88% polyester and 12% elastane for the Oh Buoy shorts, while the Go To Town shorts are 100% polyester. In both cases, the boxer briefs are 87% polyester and 13% elastane. I recommend at least 10% elastane for polyester boxer briefs, so these boxer briefs qualify.

• Flys: The Oh Buoy shorts do not have a fly. The Go To Town shorts have a zipper fly on the outside and a horizontal-type fly on the boxer briefs. 

• Penis Pouches: All Saxx underwear comes with Saxx’s Ballpark Pouch, which is an I-shaped pouch (and one of my favorite pouches).

• Branded Waistbands: One of the differences between regular shorts and shorts with built-in boxer briefs is that there is no underwear waistband. Thus, you’ll never need to worry about showing off your underwear in public. Note a small Saxx logo appears on one of the legs of the Oh Buoy shorts and on the butt of the Go To Town shorts.

• Multipacks: These shorts don’t come in multipacks; you’ll have to buy each separately. The DropTemp Cooling Hydro boxer briefs don’t either, only selling for $36/each. However, if you use Saxx’s Top Drawer Refresh, you can get seven pairs of underwear for 15% off or 15 pairs for 20% off. (Technically, you could buy seven pairs of shorts for a 15% discount using the Top Drawer Refresh, but you’ll be better off buying individual shorts during a sale.) 

My Final Thoughts on Saxx Shorts with liners

I highly recommend them! Between the shorts themselves and the built-in Saxx boxer briefs, I loved everything about my Oh Buoy and Go To Town shorts. I felt they were very stylish and functioned perfectly as shorts.

As noted above, I would not recommend tucking in a shirt with the Go To Town shorts (neither with Oh Buoy, but I assume you wouldn’t be tucking in a shirt with swim shorts anyway). I also note that my Go To Town shorts have a small fabric nick. I am not sure how this happened but throwing it out there.

My only true drawback is the price, at $70+ per pair. While this price isn’t different than buying a pair of Saxx underwear and regular shorts, you don’t get the benefit of wearing the Saxx boxer briefs anytime you want as they are connected to the shorts.

And with the price tag, one question is, do you need shorts with built-in underwear? Probably not. Of course, they are nice, and as I mentioned, I thought both the Go To Town and Oh Buoy shorts were very comfortable. But could I achieve the same comfort and style by picking out my own shorts and underwear? Yes, yes I can.

My advice is to buy Saxx shorts during a sale, especially during the Winter holidays when shorts are out of season. Getting them on sale is a great deal for both high-quality shorts and underwear from Saxx. So while I am not opposed to getting them at full price, my recommendation becomes stronger as the price drops. 🙂

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