The best sports and running underwear for chafe-free, comfy workouts
Athletes are increasingly swapping their Calvins for stretchy sports and running underwear to get through workouts chafe-free and dry. From Runderwear to Under Armour, here's GQ's pick of the best
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If you’re considering shaking up your workouts by going on a gym clothes buying binge, you’d be remiss to discount the power of a great pair of sports underwear. To be plain: you may well wick sweat and look fly on top, but how swampy is it getting inside of those new P.E. Nation shorts? The wrong pair of sports boxers won’t only be causing a riot of bacteria while you work out, they'll be contributing to any chafing problems you’ve been experiencing, especially while running — whether outside or on the treadmill.
What the best running underwear does that your standard boxer briefs don’t is protect your unmentionables in all the right ways. Comfort, performance and durability are prioritised through designs that stretch, protect and dry quickly. So if you’re prone to below-the-belt sweating — even if that’s in the wider world outside of the gym — an underwear drawer full of running-specialised boxers could be the life-saving sportswear hack you’re missing.
More and more brands in both fitness-specific and underwear-specialist verticals are bringing ergonomic undies to market, meaning that it's never been easier — or cheaper — to transform the comfort of your workouts for good.
What should I look for in good sports and running underwear?
When you're seeking out the best for you and your exercise routines, you should be thinking about what's high-quality enough to work in the background without being at the forefront of your mind. The first thing you should look for in your newly comfortable base layer is fabric: both what it's made of and how it's pieced together. Performance boxers should fit snugly, but make sure you're opting for moisture-wicking or quick-drying fabrics like lyrca, spandex, polyamide, merino wool or even bamboo. When it comes to chafe avoidance, these materials should be put together with as little reliance on seams as possible.
The other essential to seek out in your new pair of underwear is in a four-way stretch fabric: the give that will allow you to complete a full range of motion without issue, even if you're completing a rigorous set involving side-lunges followed by weighted step-ups. To turbo boost the effect of these positives, consider adding a dedicated pair of compression shorts or running tights which work with the same benefits in mind.
What type of exercise do you need sports underwear for?
Whether you’re looking for something to wear when you’re heading to the gym for a weights session, training for a half marathon or you’re jumping on an exercise bike for a brisk outdoors adventure, most options are versatile enough for the majority of exercises. That said, cyclists should consider underwear that offers additional padding while runners may prioritise briefs that remove unnecessary seams to minimise chafing.
Shop GQ's pick of the best sports and running underwear…
1/13Runderwear
- Fabrication: 92% recycled polyamide, 8% recycled elastane
- Sizes: S-XXL
If you’re looking for hyper-designed boxers and socks that have been the sole focus of the company you’re buying for, it couldn’t be any brand but Runderwear. Not only are these boxers sweat-wicking and multi-stretch, they’re also chafe-free — guaranteed. £22. At runderwear.co.uk
2/13Under Armour
- Fabrication: 57% cotton, 38% polyester, 5% elastane
- Sizes: S - XXL
You’ll get three pairs of Under Armour’s signature BoxerJocks in this set, including one in a new camo-green texture. A shorter 3” inseam mimics the boxers you wear day to day and so does the largely cotton construction: the difference here is that they’ll keep you dry, comfortably mobile and with the support of a sport jockstrap. £35. underarmour.co.uk
3/13CDLP
- Fabrication: 91% recycled polyester, 9% elastane
- Sizes: XS - XXL
CDLP, creator of the holy grail of day to day boxers, also does a performance equivalent: an easy-to-move-in non-chafing and ventilated edition with comfortable wide waistband and slightly longer inseam. This is the choice for the man who wants the very best. £45. cdlp.com
4/13Tracksmith
- Fabrication: 66% wool, 32% nylon, 2% elastane
- Sizes: S - XL
Coming in a wool mix, Tracksmith’s vintage-style running boxer shorts are a little more unusual than some of the genre’s synthetic stars. As a soft, natural alternative, these cheerful kecks are a great choice, particularly for those wanting to avoid visible boxer lines under tight-fitting running shorts. Even better, that seamless construction lends itself to anti-chafing. Briefs are also available… £50. tracksmith.com
5/13Gymshark
- Fabrication: 89% nylon, 11% elastane
- Sizes: XS - 3XL
Taking cues from Gymshark’s ever-popular ‘Crest’ line of simple hardworking gym clothes that don’t cost the earth, the ‘Hybrid’ boxer is all about performance. A little longer in the leg than your average boxer short and stretchier in the same way that running leggings are, these are sweat-wicking, stretchy and seamless for a chafe-free finish.
£20£16. uk.gymshark.com
6/13Lululemon
- Fabrication: 91% modal, 9% elastane
- Sizes: XS-XXL
Regular HIIT-enjoyers will know just how… jumbled things can get when moving between burpees and box jumps, and that’s exactly the kind of issue Lululemon’s Always in Motion boxers aim to combat. A bonded hem prevents these from riding up, even when you’re doubling up on the squats, while the front pouch is described by the brand as “ergonomic”, which essentially means your business has plenty of room to flourish while still being supported. £25. lululemon.co.uk
7/13Adidas
- Fabrication: 95% cotton, 5% elastane
- Sizes: S - XXL
Though somewhat unique among performance underwear in that these Adidas briefs are made out of a stretch cotton as opposed to man made textile, the ‘Active Flex’ briefs are still hardworking, sweat-dispelling speed demons. Four-way stretch? Check. Chafe-resistant seamless design? Check. Sweat resistance? Naturally. £25. adidas.co.uk
8/13Bam
- Fabrication: 68% bamboo viscose, 28% organic cotton, 4% elastane
- Sizes: S-XXL
Innovation and environmental friendliness seem to go hand in hand for many sports underwear designers, and that’s no different with Bamboo clothing and its sports trunks. Perhaps it’s because natural materials — like, for example, bamboo — are naturally breathable. Now inbuilt with a keyhole fly for ease of relieving yourself mid-workout, these shorts are longer in the leg to avoid thigh chafing, and have been made prioritising a soft ‘n’ smooth feel for the comfiest your unmentionables can feel without taking your clothes off. £20. At bambooclothing.co.uk
9/13Allbirds
- Fabrication: 56% organic cotton, 38% tencel lyocell, 6% spandex
- Sizes: S-XXL
Eco-friendly trainer brand Allbirds' first foray into underwear makes use of the same super-yarn used in the sock liner of its popular shoes. As a result, the performance of this boxer brief exceeds in breathability and sweat-wicking capabilities, available in no fewer than nine colourways. £24. allbirds.co.uk
10/13Boxraw
- Fabrication: 85% nylon, 15% elastane
- Sizes: S-XXL
One of what we like to call the more Matrix picks, Boxraw’s active boxers look like something out of a superhero comic what with their subtle logo waistband and ergonomic front pouch. What you’ll also get here is flatlock seams that lie virtually undetected under tight-fitting shorts, anti-bacterial tech and a multi-stretch composition for bossing CrossFit at every level. £15. uk.boxraw.com
11/13Stance
- Fabrication: 85% nylon, 15% elastane
- Sizes: S-XL
There are a lot of neutrals in the business of sports underwear, so it’s great to have some choice if you’re pattern-inclined. Stance, which specialises in the business of jogging support also offers some variation on your plain black set of boxers. Not only do these crosshatch boxer briefs offer the extra support and freedom you’d expect, they also have antimicrobial properties to ensure that you’re not only staying cool while you lunge, but bacteria-free too. £30. At stance.eu.com
12/13Reebok
- Fabrication: 84% recycled polyester, 16% elastane
- Sizes: XS-3XL
Another friend of the environment, Reebok’s compression briefs do just that, using four-way stretch to make sure your junk is supported through even the toughest of runs. The compression effect of the stretch keeps you held in place, with angled mesh side seams encouraging freedom of movement through side and diagonal movements. Essential running gear. £25. reebok.co.uk
13/13Odlo
- Fabrication: 100% virgin wool
- Sizes: S-XXL
An underwear option with cyclists firmly in mind, Odlo puts padding in all the key places making these well suited to spending a long time in the saddle on your road, commuter or mountain bike. The fabric will still let you move freely and comes with 50+ UV protection for when you’re riding out in the glorious sunshine.
£45£31.45. At odlo.comNOW READ
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