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My favorite season by far is summer. I love the long days, the hot weather, and the overall summer feeling of being outdoors. Summer’s arrival means it is time to start wearing shorts all of the time (well, outside at least; at home, it’s time to hang out in underwear!).
A new trend I’ve seen growing is shorts with built-in underwear. For years, athletic companies have made shorts with compression liners – very tight boxer briefs meant for muscle recovery. Yet Birddogs moved this trend forward, transforming regular khaki shorts and trousers into all-inclusive pants with underwear (or all-inclusive trousers with pants, for my British readers). Other companies caught on; hence this blog post.
If you are curious about this two-in-one trend in men’s fashion, keep reading to learn the ins and outs of built-in underwear.
Why do shorts have built-in underwear?
Riding up is a common problem with guys’ boxers and boxer briefs – especially looser styles. Shorts have built-in underwear primarily for less riding up. Built-in underwear helps prevent riding up as the underwear is physically attached to the shorts, so everything moves together. Note, though, that riding up is still possible.
Besides reducing ride-up, four other reasons contribute to the benefits of having built-in underwear:
- No waistband shows: The shorts and underwear waistbands will move together as the underwear attaches to the shorts. You won’t have your underwear waistband showing above your shorts or pants.
- Ensure proper material for activities: Generally, brands design shorts with built-in underwear for activewear, including heavy sweating and swimming. Thus, the built-in underwear is made from a polyester/nylon blend (or a derivative), ensuring your underwear will be comfortable.
- Easy way to organize pants and underwear: Your wardrobe will be much neater and uncluttered if you just need to organize your shorts and pants without bothering to fold your underwear.
- The shorts themselves are higher quality: While this is not a direct reason why shorts have built-in underwear, as built-in underwear is a premium product, you’ll generally expect higher-quality shorts and pants than the average brand.
What are the drawbacks to shorts with built-in underwear?
Not everything is sweet about built-in underwear. The primary drawbacks of purchasing shorts with built-in underwear are more laundry, higher prices, the inability to mix and match shorts and underwear, and limited underwear options.
- More laundry: Most built-in underwear are polyester/nylon blends, so they can tolerate moisture far more than cotton underwear. It is possible to re-wear for a few days without getting a stink. However, the underwear will get dirtier every time, so keep that in mind. Since you can’t detach the underwear from the shorts, it is hard to reuse the shorts without washing.
- High prices: Brands treat shorts and pants with built-in underwear as premium products; prices will be higher than your average pair of shorts and pants. On the other hand, if you already buy higher-quality shorts and underwear, then the price might be in line with purchasing them separately, perhaps even better. It depends on what shorts, pants, and underwear you are already buying.
- No mix and matching: As you buy the shorts and the underwear together, you can’t mix and match your underwear with other pairs of shorts and pants. For example, during the winter, you can’t wear your built-in underwear with another pair of pants. Thus, you’ll have to keep a separate underwear wardrobe for pants without liners anyway. So, while you can buy swim shorts with boxer briefs, you can also buy boxer briefs for your swim shorts.
- Not many options for briefs-wearers: If you wear briefs, it will be hard to find shorts and pants with built-in briefs that aren’t running shorts. Most built-in underwear options are boxer briefs.
What to look for when buying shorts with built-in underwear?
To start, many brands will refer to built-in underwear as liners, so don’t get confused when you keep seeing the word “liner.” Besides the terminology, brands do not manufacture shorts with built-in underwear the same. Here are six main items you’ll want to pay attention to when purchasing:
- Design: Before seeing your underwear, people see your shorts. Buy shorts and pants that match your unique fashion. Choose the style, length, colors, and design you love, just like when buying any other pair of shorts.
- Underwear Fabric: Check the fabric details and ensure it is a material you already enjoy. I recommend a 90-95% modal/bamboo blend for everyday wear or an 80-90% polyester/nylon/polyamide blend for working out and outdoor activities. Remember, the higher the elastane/Spandex/Lycra content in the fabric blend, the greater comfort you’ll experience.
- Is there a cell phone pocket on the underwear? Built-in cell phone pockets on underwear are a new and cool trend. You’ll appreciate the built-in pocket when wearing athletic shorts, as exterior pockets often are non-existent or too small to carry your phone. Additionally, built-in cell phone pockets keep your phone snug, so it isn’t bouncing around while you move. Check out my full guide to underwear with pockets by clicking below.
- Briefs or Boxer Briefs? By far, most built-in underwear shorts contain boxer briefs. Lovers of briefs or boxer shorts will have difficulty, although Mack Weldon designed their Stratus Active Shorts with their Silver briefs built-in. Additionally, check the underwear’s inseam length. Most guys will want a 4-6” underwear inseam; however, some shorts come with 7-9” underwear inseams for intense activities and sports.
- Compression or non-compression: Compression shorts or liners are boxer briefs that hug your skin more than regular underwear. By “compressing” your muscles, the compression liners help blood circulate to repair and build new muscle. Most athletic or gym shorts will tout their compression liners; however, if you don’t intend to wear them during workouts, the compression liner might feel restrictive or overly tight. Compression liners are underwear themselves; you don’t wear underwear underneath compression shorts.
- Prices: In this category, expect to pay $60 to $90 for shorts and over $100 for pants. Always be on the lookout for sales so you can snag a great deal. Anything below $40 may indicate a lower quality or inferior product, although always perform your research!
Should you wear underwear with lined shorts?
No, you should not wear underwear with lined shorts. Not only does this defeat the purpose of buying shorts with a liner, but you will be wearing two pairs of underwear simultaneously. It won’t be comfortable!
However, I have worn underwear with my shorts that have built-in underwear. I have done it for hygiene reasons so I can wear my shorts longer between washes. My advice is that if you choose to do this, only wear briefs or bikini briefs to minimize the amount of double fabric you are wearing. You could even try it with a thong or jockstrap as well. But if you wear trunks or boxer briefs with your lined shorts, you will not have a comfortable time.
Last update on 2024-09-19 at 13:48 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
What brands sell shorts with built-in underwear?
Most brands below sell gym or athletic shorts with built-in underwear since this is where the trend originated. Yet, you can buy comfortable shorts to wear at any time with built-in underwear.
Saxx
Saxx’s claim to fame is their version of the single-separated ball pouch, dubbed the “Ball Park” pouch. While Saxx originally was only a men’s underwear company, Saxx expanded its clothing line up tremendously to include its Ball Park pouch in its shorts and pants options. I own a pair of Saxx boxer briefs, and you can read my full review here.
Also, if you aren’t familiar with Saxx underwear, please check out my Ultimate Guide to Saxx Underwear here.
Saxx offers everyday, athletic, and khaki shorts with built-in underwear. Yet, Saxx takes it further by providing built-in underwear with its swim trunks and select regular shorts and pajamas. If you are already a fan of Saxx underwear, buying Saxx shorts is the perfect next step in 24/7 comfort.
- Design: Saxx includes its underwear and Ball Park pouch in the following collections:
- Swim shorts: Betawave and Oh Buoy collections. I have a pair of Oh Buoy 7″ swim shorts, which you can read my review here.
- Everyday shorts: Sport 2 Life, Go To Town, and Ascender collections. I also have the Go To Town swim shorts, which I wrote about as well.
Saxx Go To Town shorts
- Athletic and gym shorts: Hightail and Gainmaker collections
- Pajamas/Lounge pants: Sleepwalker pants contain the Ball Park pouch but not an actual liner. You wear Sleepwalker pants without underwear, so everything below doesn’t apply. I’m including the Sleepwalker pants if you want the pouch while sleeping but don’t like wearing underwear.
Sleepwalker pants in Black
- Underwear inseam and style: Saxx doesn’t give any underwear color or style options with its built-in underwear collections. Most of the shorts don’t even show the liner color. All styles come with the Ball Park pouch, and most feature a 5” inseam liner (identical to Saxx’s boxer briefs). Yet the Gainmaker, for example, includes an 8″ inseam liner.
- Underwear fabric:
- Sport 2 Life and Go To Town shorts feature Saxx’s Sport Mesh boxer briefs comprising 89% polyester and 11% Spandex.
- Saxx’s swim shorts feature Hydro Liner boxer briefs (87% polyester and 13% Spandex).
- The Ascender collection features Saxx’s Quest boxer briefs (77% nylon, 9% polyester, and 14% elastane/Spandex).
- Gainmaker and Hightail series include Saxx’s Kinetic boxer briefs (85% nylon and 15% Elastane).
- Cell phone pocket: Some of Saxx’s shorts include a pocket on the liner, such as the Oh Buoy swim shorts. However, many do not, so please double-check if this is important to you.
- Compression: The Gainmaker and Hightail series are the only collections featuring compression liners.
- Price: Prices are high because Saxx is a premium product, yet they align with Birddogs. Depending on the collection, expect to pay between $60 and $90 per pair of shorts.
Birddogs
Despite being perhaps the best-known brand in the built-in underwear category, thanks to flashy social media campaigns and the first-mover advantage, I have not tried them out yet. But Birddogs has a fantastic selection as they solely focus on the built-in underwear market and sell both shorts and pants.
- We Invented Shorts with a Built-in Liner: Our patented silky soft built-in liner feels like a cool cloud and lets you leave your underwear at home; no more twisting or bunching
- Wear Them Anywhere: From the golf course to grandma’s house or a bar to a boysenberry patch, these beige khaki shorts got you covered
- Looks like Khakis, Feels like Gym Shorts: Our shorts look like fancy golf shorts but function like stretch gym shorts; with belt loops and an elastic waistband, you’ll look sharp enough to propose to the love of your life while experiencing the comfort of a sit down pee
Last update on 2024-09-19 at 11:16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- Design: Birddogs’ shorts lineup consists of gym shorts, khaki shorts, Oxford shorts, swimsuits, khaki pants, and joggers. Every design has many colors to choose from, and for shorts, you can choose from 6”, 7”, and 9” inseam options. However, note that the joggers and khaki pants on Amazon do not have a built-in liner.
- Underwear inseam and style: Boxer briefs are the only underwear option. While different colors of shorts and pants come with varying underwear colors, you cannot choose the color. Additionally, Birddogs offers select pants without liners if you like Birddogs pants but don’t need underwear, including the ones on Amazon.
- Underwear fabric: The boxer briefs are a polyester/nylon blend, typical for built-in underwear and excellent for everyday use, working out, and water activities.
- Cell phone pocket: Birddogs says the shorts themselves have pockets for cell phones but not on the built-in underwear.
- Compression: No compression.
- Price: Prices are in the $60+ range for shorts, $72+ for bathing suits, and $100+ range for pants.
Last update on 2024-09-19 at 11:16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Shinesty
I have written about Shinesty several times before in several of my blog posts for two reasons. The first reason is that I love Shinesty’s X-Rated collection of patterns, and I find the designs quite humorous. While Saxx also offers whimsical prints, Shinesty’s patterns are much louder and bolder than Saxx’s.
The second reason is that, like Saxx, Shinesty features a single-separated penis pouch – the “Ball Hammock” pouch – in all of its underwear. If you don’t know what a separated penis pouch is, I highly encourage you to read my guide on underwear pouches first. Although I found Saxx’s Ball Park pouch more comfortable – I couldn’t fit into Shinesty’s pouch – Shinesty’s boxer briefs are still quite comfortable for me.
Shinesty has added built-in liners to some of its swim and athletic shorts, featuring the Ball Hammock Pouch. Now you can have wild patterns inside and outside of your shorts!
- Design: Shinesty’s built-in liner lineup features athletic shorts and swim trunks. The athletic shorts (gym shorts) come in 5”, 7″, and 9” inseams. 5” inseams are short—around mid-thigh—whereas 7” and 9″ inseams hit above your knee. The swim trunks have a 5″ or 8″ inseam, and they feature several whimsical patterns.
- Important: Not all swim shorts have built-in boxer briefs and the Ball Hammock Pouch. Make sure the shorts you are looking at contain a built-in liner.
- Underwear inseam and style: Shinesty has created a plethora of colors and patterns for its built-in underwear compared to when it first started. The athletic and swim shorts have various designs, outside and inside. Of course, Shinesty’s underwear comes with a separated “Ball Hammock” pouch for your balls.
- Underwear fabric: Shinesty uses a polyester/Spandex fabric blend for its shorts and built-in underwear, which is very typical. The spandex content ranges between 11% and 15%, which is quite good.
- Cell phone pocket: Yes! Shinesty provides a built-in cell phone pocket—a “tech pocket”—on the underwear of *most* athletic shorts and swim trunks. Both types of shorts include pockets on the exterior as well. However, there are a couple of styles that do not contain the underwear pocket.
- Compression: Shinesty states its athletic shorts contain the “perfect amount” of compression, while the swim trunks are non-compression.
- Price range: Athletic shorts and swim trunks cost around $70, although they can be cheaper when Shinesty has a sale.
- OPTIMAL COMFORT - No mesh liner, so no more worrying about catching sand or crabs in your pants ever again. Instead, these have a lightweight liner that hugs your lower body perfectly
- COMPRESSION LINER & QUICK DRYING FABRIC - This quick drying, comfortable compression liner will turn you against mesh lined swimsuits once and for all. Climb out of the water and let your jaw drop as your swim shorts and built-in liner dry faster than your luscious locks
- SUPPORTS THE FAMILY JEWELS - The built-in pouch supports and secures your gear to avoid sticking, chafing and bouncing. Once you experience the pouch, you’ll never go back to basic swim trunks
- FOUR POCKET DESIGN - Two hand pockets plus, a secure zippered pocket in the back. One last pocket is made to hold your phone secure against your leg. Use the sleek liner pocket so your phone doesn’t bounce while you frolic on the beach
Last update on 2024-09-19 at 11:16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Bermies
Inspired by Bermuda Island and the style of shorts named after the island, Bermies makes its shorts from recycled plastic bottles to help preserve the oceans. Besides selling shorts with built-in underwear, Bermies also sells other clothing, including shirts, loungewear, jackets, and bags. I haven’t tried Bernies yet, although I really like their patterns.
- Design: Bermies only sells select shorts with built-in underwear, namely their Gym Shorts and Compression Liner Swim Shorts. All other shorts do not come with underwear, or for their swim shorts, they contain a standard mesh liner for swimwear.
- Underwear inseam and style: The Gym Shorts and the Compression Liner Swim Shorts contain boxer briefs around the +/- 4” inseam range. Different shorts come with varying underwear colors, although around half of the swim collection includes plain white boxer briefs. The colored boxer briefs also have a fun tropical pattern.
- Underwear fabric: The boxer briefs and shorts are a recycled polyester and Lycra blend, which is typical for built-in underwear and excellent for everyday use, working out, and water activities.
- Cell phone pocket: Yes! Bermies’ boxer briefs contain a built-in cell phone pocket.
- Compression: Yes. Both the gym shorts and the swim shorts both contain compression liners.
- Price: Prices are in the $60 range for gym shorts and swim shorts.
Brutal Buddha
If you have analysis paralysis, Brutal Buddha is a good solution! Brutal Buddha fully embraces the yoga lifestyle, and their shorts originated from the need for comfortable yoga shorts. And this simplicity is what you’ll find on their website…one style of shorts made in five colors. NEW: As of February 2023, you can pre-order Brutal Buddha’s new joggers with built-in boxer briefs!
Note that Brutal Buddha includes its own enclosed U-shaped pouch with its shorts. The pouch is somewhat similar to Shinesty’s pouch. However, the whole pouch is enclosed, not just the bottom.
- Design: Brutal Buddha only sells one style of shorts – their “Original Shorts” – and one style of jogger pants, both of which comes with boxer briefs. Brutal Buddha sells in five colors for its shorts: black, blue, gray, red, and green. However, you can only select from black, blue, and gray for the joggers.
- Underwear inseam and style: Brutal Buddha’s Original Shorts and Joggers only come with black boxer briefs. Again, keeping it simple, there are no other options.
- Underwear fabric: Brutal Buddha uses a recycled nylon and Lycra blend for its shorts, joggers and underwear, which is nice. Furthermore, the 21% Lycra (elastane/Spandex) content is impressive for men’s underwear, with men’s underwear usually containing 5-8% elastane content. A 21% Lycra content means the underwear will be super stretchy and quite comfortable. Note, though, that the pouch mesh is 92% recycled nylon and 8% Lycra.
- Cell phone pocket: The underwear has no cell phone pocket, but the shorts and joggers contain security pockets for your valuables other than your balls.
- Compression: Brutal Buddha notes that its underwear contains “light compression.”
- Price (as of April 2024): The Original Shorts cost $68, and the Joggers cost $109.
Wrapping Up
Shorts and pants with built-in underwear are a new trend and one that I see quickly growing. There are several benefits to having built-in underwear, including reducing riding up and perfectly pairing underwear material with your activities for the day. On the other hand, shorts with built-in liners aren’t a utopia and will cost you more than buying regular underwear or shorts without the ability to mix and match your underwear and shorts. Plus, you’ll need to do laundry more often as the underwear will get dirtier quicker than the shorts.
Nonetheless, if you want high-quality shorts and prefer the convenience of having built-in underwear, I believe the options above are perfect for adding to your wardrobe. Here are my recommendations:
- Pants – not shorts – with built-in underwear: Birddogs for regular pants or joggers, Brutal Buddha for joggers, and Saxx for pajamas.
- Stylish shorts for everyday wear: Saxx and Birddogs.
- Swim Trunks: Saxx, Shinesty, and Bermies.
- Value Buy: Bermies, as they are the cheapest of the five brands above.
- Flamboyant patterns: Shinesty by far, followed by Saxx.
Let me know in the comments below whether you would or have tried shorts with built-in underwear and, if so, your favorite picks!
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