Best Women's Hiking Underwear UK - 2025

You know how they say self-care isn't all bubble baths and candlelit cups of herbal tea, but is instead about the boring things like managing your finances and instilling a morning routine? Well, hiking underwear is a bit like that. It's not the glamorous and exotic stuff we usually talk about, but the nitty-gritty important stuff often isn't. We know that getting the right hiking underwear for women matters, and if you've ventured out in the wrong stuff, you'll know what we're talking about.

So we've compiled a list of (in our humble opinion) our top picks of women's hiking underwear out there. Underwear that'll stay put, keep the moisture at bay and keep you comfy and moving. So you can go and do all that glamorous and exotic stuff. Spoiler alert, it's the Decathlon Women's Merino Wool Mountain Trekking Pants that take the crown for us - other hiking underwear just doesn't come close. Read on to find out why.

Men -we've got you covered too!

Here's the best women's hiking underwear according to us:

1. Best for lower budgets  - Decathlon Women's Merino Wool Mountain Trekking Pants

2. Best for odour control  - Montane Womens Dart Briefs

3. Best for staying put - Ridge Merino Boy Shorts

4. Best for comfort  - Smartwool Merino 150 Bikini

5. Best for moisture wicking  - Lululemon Soft Breathable Bikini

6. Best for style - Ex Officio Modern Travel Bikini Brief

7. Best for movement  - Falke Women's Warm Brief

8. Best for softness against skin - Women's Icebreaker Merino Siren Hipkini

What To Consider When Looking ForThe Best Hiking Underwear for Women

You wouldn't think it, but there's a lot to consider when it comes to women's hiking underwear. Here's a quick rundown on what we think is most important to consider on your hunt for the best hiking underwear for your hiking adventures.

Material- is merino wool really the best?

You've probably never given a lot of thought to what material your hiking underwear is made of, but you probably have noticed that certain clothes don't fare well in bad weather. Cotton is a prime example. It absorbs water very easily, meaning it gets heavy and takes forever to dry, none of which is ideal if you're sweating it up the hills. The mark of good hiking underwear for women should be that you can't even feel you're wearing it. It should be made from soft fabric, comfortable, light, breathable, moisture wicking and non-toxic to your body.

So, what's the best material for the job? Well, merino wool is definitely up there. Don't worry, we're not talking chunky knit wool, merino wool if you're not familiar already is a natural wool fibre that is super thin and soft, and it feels like a slightly silkier and lighter version of cotton. Its insulating fibres help to regulate body temperature, wick moisture away from the skinand minimise odour. Isn't nature great?!

Since we're waxing lyrical anyway, it's worth knowing that merino wool is also biodegradable, fire-resistant and completely non-toxic. Sadly however, being natural, merino wool isn't known for being the most durable. It can wear down fairly quickly with abrasion and is more expensive, so you'll probably be buying for slightly more, and slightly more often with this option.

Some companies have dedicated themselves to using equally efficient synthetic materials, such as polyester, nylon and spandex. These tend to be super fast-drying, stretchy, less expensive and very durable, all of which are things you should be looking for when buying your best hiking underwear yet. However, synthetic underwear tends to hold onto odours instead of fighting them, so they can get stinky pretty quickly. They're also industrially produced using non-renewable energy from fossil fuels which doesn't sit well with everyone (including us), but they are cheaper and more readily available.

Cut

Only you know which fit works best for you so this isn't really something we can advise on too much, the bottom line is whatever you feel most comfortable in, wear that. Whether that's hipster briefs, bikini, boy shorts or thong style, we're all different and we've tried to include a range. Most of the hiking underwear we've listed however are available in different styles too.

Seams and Stitching

There are two reasons this is important: comfort and style. I mentioned before that the best hiking underwear will be so comfortable you won't even be able to feel you're wearing it. Quite often us women will wear leggings or tighter fitting trousers and shorts to hike in, and nobody feels great with a VPL (Visible Panty Line). Undies with flat lock stitching or no seams at all will be your best bet. You won't be able to feel you're wearing them and best of all, they won't be visible!

Washing Carefor Hiking Underwear

If considering the wash care of your new hiking underwear doesn't fall into the category of self-care we discussed at the start, I don't know what does. Merino wool, for example, should be washed on a lower heat with less spin to avoid shrinkage, and shouldn't go in the tumble dryer as the heat tends to wear the fibre out. If you're worried about ruining your new merino underwear, you can always hand wash it.

For some, that is simply too much thought to have to put into washing underwear. Synthetics are generally safer to just chuck in with the rest of your clothes, so it's worth considering before you buy.

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The best underwear for you will be largely dependent on what activities you'll be wearing them for, which cut feels more comfy for you, and your budget.

If you're watching the pennies you can't go wrong with the Decathlon Merino. If you're tackling a multi-day backpacking trip you'll appreciate the odour control and moisture wicking skills of the Montane Dart Briefs (these guys know all about bringing the heat!) and if you want something that looks great but still does the job, there's the Ex Officio.