Best Men's Hiking Underwear - 2025

Made from the same wicking material as SAXX's Vibe, the Ultra is designed for a more relaxed fit for greater freedom of movement. It's looser around the leg and has Saxx's unique three-D fit – fabric panels are shaped around the glutes, quads, thighs and hamstrings. Their philosophy is fit, feel and function and the Ultra ticks all three boxes. There's a choice of pretty cool designs too.

SAXX briefs are equipped with their patented and rather wittingly named BallPark pouch – a 3D hammock-shaped support keeps everything in place with sport mesh panels preventing friction from skin rubbing against skin. All this and they still manage to include a functional fly.

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Super soft and comfortable merino wool means next to the skin comfort. Lightweight with great moisture wicking properties, the Smartwool Merino Boxer Briefs are a great base layer for warm conditions. They're tough - merino fibres are wrapped around a nylon core for added durability without sacrificing comfort. Smooth seams and wide, elasticated merino covered waistband let you move freely without chafing.

Merino wool comes into its own for keeping smells at bay thanks to its anti microbial properties, meaning you can wear these bad boys day after day with confidence. They're a nice fit – not too loose but not too constricting and the leg length is just right to avoid irritating roll ups.

These merino boxers by Decathlon are a great option for hikers on tough extended trips. Tried and tested in the mountains, the Forclaz Trek are super light, weighing in at around 80g so you don't need to worry about adding extra weight to your pack. At this price and weight you could pop in a couple of spares, although the merino content means you won't need to wash them too often so you could save the weight for beer instead!

Ultrafine 18.5 micron merino wool is soft and comfy plus you benefit from merino's natural breathability and moisture wicking ability to keep you dry.  Decathlon only use ethically sourced and cruelty free wool, making them a great budget option for fans of merino wool.

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These breathable boxers are great for any outdoor activity. The antimicrobial properties in the fabric helps keeps unwanted pongs at bay; they're not as effective as merino wool underwear but that's to be expected. The Give-n-Go have a breathable mesh which allows air to circulate, meaning they'll keep you dry through the most strenuous of activities. The thin fabric means they're quick drying - Just throw them in the machine or the sink, and they're dry in no time.

They're lightweight which makes them a great choice for backpackers or those looking to shave some weight. The active fit gives you all the support you need, and although synthetics aren't usually as comfortable as merino, these come pretty close.

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Outdoor Research have produced a whole range of outdoor gear made from their Echo fabric; it's designed to be both light and breathable and the Echo brief does not disappoint.

Weighing in at an incredible 2.2 ounces, they're amongst the lightest underwear we've seen – you can easily throw in an extra pair or two when you're packing. They'll appeal to fastpackers and weight conscious backpackers although the material feels very thin, so we do wonder how durable it'll be.

The synthetic material feels soft against the skin, and the seams are flat lock to reduce risks of chafing. The thinness of the material means that they're quick drying even in the sweatiest conditions.

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Featuring Under Armour's innovative HeatGear fabric, these super-breathable shorts are designed to suck the sweat away so you can dry out fast. The fabric is also 4-way stretchable to allow for full freedom of movement. These are compression-style shorts which fit close enough to move with you and feel like a second skin.

Net inserts in the gusset and the inseam panels allow for extra ventilation to keep things cool down there. A broad waist band helps them sit comfortably and stops the material from riding up.

UPF 30+ helps protect skin from harmful UV rays. They have a better odour control than other synthetic underwear for hiking, so your mates will appreciate them too.

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New Zealand based Icebreaker are one of the best-known manufacturers of merino wool-based gear, and these briefs are a worthy addition to their brand. Like the Smartwool Merino, the Icebreaker uses ultralight and breathable 150 corespun merino wool for extra strength without sacrificing softness.

The blend of merino wool and nylon makes them comfy, yet durable, and the touch of Lycra gives a generous freedom of movement. Icebreaker use wool that's ethically sourced from local merino sheep so you know you're buying ethically.

A contoured pouch supports the boys nicely and flat lock seams help prevent rubbing and chafing. Of course, you also get merino's natural antimicrobial properties and great moisture wicking abilities.

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The merino wool used in these boxers is graded ultrafine which means they'll feel good against the skin, even when slightly damp. Although the wool's fairly thin at 170gm, they're still thicker than other merino briefs, which makes them more hard wearing but they do lose some of the softness. Designed to be worn as a base layer, they're a good choice for summer hikes as well as winter adventures as they'll help regulate temperature in hot or cold weather.

The Minus 33s are equipped with a fly and the flatlock seams means they're less likely to rub. They're made using Total Easy Care technology; the wool is treated so that the colour and shape is kept after washing and drying. Unlike some merino briefs they can even be tumble dried on a low setting.

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Made for movement, the Motus SL boxer is designed for pushing it hard on long hikes and tough trail runs. Superlight Silkweight Phasic FL fabric technology will wick moisture away which speeds up drying time. It's also stretchy and gives next to the skin comfort.

Arc'tery have created the Motus SL with backpackers and trail runners in mind - they'll give a great performance in a variety of conditions and temperatures. The Phasic FL fabric has also been treated to give a degree of odour control for back-to-back days on the trail.

You're buying ethically too - they're produced in a Fair Trade facility as part of Arc'teryx's commitment to transition 80% of their products to Fair Trade certification by 2025.

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