Like most boys in the 80’s, I grew up wearing tighty-whities. It wasn’t until my later teen years that I realized that there was a bigger world out there when it came to supporting my dangly bits. This came to a head when, due to years of not having proper support, I had to have surgery on a pinched blood vessel on one of the boys. Something had to change.

During athletic activities—hiking, running, jumping, climbing, skiing, cycling—you need to have the proper support. Everything down below needs to be packed away tightly enough so it’s safe from twisting and too much bouncing. Underwear needs to be more than comfortable. It needs to be breathable, quick-drying, and chafe free.

As my own level of activity has increased, I’ve had a difficult time finding running shorts that fit all these criteria. Some brands I’ve found have lasted for a time—providing support and comfortability—but would then wear down leaving me chaffed after short runs and bleeding after longer ones.

Over the last two years, I’ve begun running in Prana Super Mojo Shorts and a pair of Adidas Climalite Boxer Briefs. This combination has worked, but over time, the Adidas Boxer Briefs have worn down, and I’ve run into similar chafing issues.

Needless to say, I was hunting for the perfect combination.

At Outdoor Retailer Snow Show, I had a chance to talk to two underwear companies: BN3TH (pronounced like the properly spelled word “beneath”) and SAXX. Both claimed that they were the best in the market due to the technology they had developed for their products. For BN3TH, it’s their “MyPakage Pouch” and for SAXX their “BallPark Pouch.” So why not put them head-to-head?

SAXX

SAXX has been reinventing the underwear category since 2006. Their BallPark Pouch is a hammock-shaped pouch designed to keep your twig and berries in place while minimizing bounce during sport activities. The pouch keeps your equipment separate and safe like a baby kangaroo, preventing the skin-to-skin friction that usually leads to chafing.

The other thing that I liked about the product design was how they reversed the stiching. The flatter, softer side of the fabric is against the body. In the past with other brands, the stitching side would be against the skin, always leading to chaffing or bleeding during longer activities.

The fabric of SAXX’s Volt line is a mixture of polyester (88%) and elastane (12%). This helps fight clamminess and helps wick away moisture away from the skin.

BN3TH

BN3TH, formally MyPakage, recently rebranded in Feb 2018. They created the patented MyPakage Pouch Technology as an internal pouch designed to keep your Bilbo Baggins from rubbing against everything else. It keeps everything secure, providing support from every angle, to eliminate the need for shifting and adjusting.

Their design also includes the “Pucker Panel,” which removes the need for seams in your most sensitive areas, reducing the likelihood of chafing.

BN3TH claims that their underwear is so comfortable that it’ll feel like you aren’t wearing anything, like you’re “floating on a cloud.” While I felt like I was still wearing underwear, I did find their product to be very comfortable.

Part of their Working Out collection is the Entourage line. They are collaborations with BN3TH’s entourage—a collection of athletes and artists. The fabric of BN3TH’s Entourage line is a mixture of post-consumer recycled polyester (86%) and spandex (14%), reducing their impacts on the environment. The fabric also reduces the impact on your fish and chips by allowing for a high level of breathability and moisture-wicking. Their underwear also comes in a recyclable and reusable bag.

So… How did they stack up?

Over the past three weeks, our team has taken both products out skiing, snowboarding, hiking, trail-running, and to the crossfit gym. Don’t worry, though, we didn’t share.

And there was no clear winner.

Some team members preferred the look, style, and fit of one brand while others preferred the others.

When it came to the MyPakage Pouch and the BallPark Pouch, it varied as well. Users commented about how their bacon and eggs felt more support in the BN3TH product; feeling like there was a more lift and separation during high-impact activities. Yet, during those same activities, other users preferred SAXX, saying that their crotch luggage felt more secure.

From an aesthetics standpoint, I personally prefer BN3TH’s MyPakage Pouch. However, since wearing both of these brands, I haven’t had any chaffing issues. My Tom and Jerrys are happy, and that’s enough for me.

Both companies make great products. If you’re in the market to upgrade your performance underwear, we’d highly suggest looking at both brands. Just like our team, you’ll have your own opinion, because when it comes to the land down under, everyone is different.

Buy now: BN3TH

Buy now: SAXX

Last year, REI had a trail running event at their Boulder location. Wandering through the aisles, I ran into Austin Prideaux from the Vuori clothing brand. He showed me their line up, which included a sweet pair of olive camo running shorts.

The brand, at that point, was a relatively new addition to a lineup of athleisure companies. Their functional design was geared towards a more active demographic. Their products ranged from workout, climbing, running, swimming, hiking, to just relaxing. Whether you’re sweating or chilling, you’ll always look good.

This year, Vuori sent me a few items to give my honest review. 

The brand, at that point, was a relatively new addition to a lineup of athleisure companies. Their functional design was geared towards a more active demographic. Their products ranged from workout, climbing, running, swimming, hiking, to just relaxing. Whether you’re sweating or chilling, you’ll always look good.

Kore Shorts

One of the first things that stood out to me was the internal liner in the shorts. I’ve had a few uncomfortable run ins with other brands that had internal liners that—shall we say—left a negative impression.

The Kore Short felt immediately different when I first put them on. They were the most comfortable running short I have ever worn. The material had better stretch for easy movement and mobility. I also felt that my nether region was better supported.

After running  20+ miles in them across 4,000+ feet of elevation gain, I didn’t have the normal chafing issues I was used to experiencing, which was a joyful thing.

Movement Hoodie

This hoodie has become my go-to hoodie for all my activities. It’s made from an ultra-soft Stretch French Terry fabric and is lined with jersey fabric, making it a great combo that was  moisture-wicking, quick-drying, and super soft. Vuori’s website says that it’s great for traveling, hiking, and chilling, but it quickly became my favorite tech top for running during winter.

During a recent snowfall, I was cruising around Green Mountain in the hoodie, making fresh tracks for around 10 miles, and I was completely comfortable in it. It was able to dry quickly, and I never found myself feeling too hot or too cold. After running, when I got back to the car, I took the hoodie off to see if it was soaked after running two hours in the snow, but the interior was still dry.

Ripstop Climber Pants

For once we’re not going to talk about running.

The Ripstop Climber has a stretchy waist, Vuori’s signature drawstrings, and gusset construction in the crotch area for increased movement. The legs feature a slim fit that’s perfect for hiking, climbing, or walking at Outdoor Retailer for 12 hours.

While bouldering at Movement Gym, I found that the pants had enough stretch without being uncomfortable. I’m hoping to take these outside to do some bouldering on Flagstaff Mountain to see how they hold up.

The Bottom Line

I’m a big fan of Vuori’s clothing line. Their quality and comfortability is outstanding. If I could, I would probably be wearing their product every day. I hope they continue to expand their product line for adventure athletes, because I’d be first in line for them.