Travelling is exciting. You know what’s not exciting? Squirming in your uncomfortable, smelly underwear while stuck in a flight for god knows how many hours.
Travel underwear for men is so important yet so overlooked. Especially considering people just love to tech out their travel gear, yet pack the most basic value brand boxers into their luggage. Because every amazing experience starts with a great foundation, and if your foundations, ie your groin, is in stinky and chafing shambles, that’s your loss.
So today, let’s talk about men’s travel underwear. We’ll go through what you should look for, why that matters, and how to choose a great travel underwear, as well as some maintenance recommendations.
6 Key Features to Look for in Men's Travel Underwear:
First, here are the must-have features for men’s travel underwear. If you’re missing even one of these, don’t bother.
1. Breathability and Moisture-Wicking:
Your underwear has to breathe and wick away moisture if you’re going to be on the go. Sweat and temperature control is crucial for staying comfortable during travel.
2. Quick-Drying Fabric:
Unless you’re going to pack half your luggage with underwear, you’re going to have to do some laundry. Good thing is that underwear is small, so you can just wash it in the sink. Just make sure you’re not waiting forever to have it dry. Opt for underwear made from materials that dry rapidly, ensuring that your essentials are ready for use in no time.
3. Odor Resistance:
Traveling often involves being more active than usual, which means a lot of sweating, which means odors. So choose underwear with odor-resistant properties that help prevent the buildup of bacteria and keep your underwear smelling fresh, even after extended wear.
4. Comfortable Waistband and Seams:
Travel involves getting stuck in confined places for a long time, like airplane seats. So comfort is key when it comes to travel underwear. Look for underwear with a comfortable, non-binding waistband that stays in place without digging into your skin. Additionally, seamless construction or flatlock seams can minimize chafing and irritation, ensuring a comfortable fit, even during long journeys.
5. Durability for Extended Use:
The rigors of travel will test your underwear unlike your everyday routine, from moving around more often to getting tangled with your other clothes in the luggage. So select underwear made from durable materials that can withstand that kind of stress without losing shape or durability.
6. Lightweight and Packable:
Lastly, you don’t want your underwear taking up too much room in your luggage. Opt for lightweight, compact designs that take up minimal space, allowing you to pack more efficiently and leave room for other travel essentials. Additionally, look for underwear that folds or rolls up compactly, making them easy to stow away in your bag for on-the-go convenience.
How to Choose the Right Men's Travel Underwear:
Now that we talked about what features to look for in men’s travel underwear, here’s what you need to consider when you’re choosing the right one.
Travel destination
The first step in choosing the right men's travel underwear is to consider the climate of where you’re going. If you're heading to a warm and humid place or engaging in outdoor adventures, opt for breathable, moisture-wicking underwear that can keep you cool and dry.
On the other hand, if you're traveling to a colder destination or participating in winter sports, prioritize thermal underwear with insulating properties to keep you warm and comfortable.
Fabric
Next, explore the various fabric options available for men's travel underwear. Certain fabrics hold odor, like polyester. This is a huge no-no, since you want to avoid odor retention like the plague when you’re on the go.
You want to have a fabric that is moisture wicking, and odor resistant.
Materials we would recommend are merino wool, bamboo or the best being modal, each offering unique benefits in terms of breathability, moisture-wicking, and odor resistance.
Sizing and fit
Proper sizing and fit are crucial for ensuring comfort and performance in men's travel underwear. You don’t want to choke your crotch nor let anything hang too loose. You’re going to be active all the time when travelling. You have to be comfortably fitting into your underwear.
Take accurate measurements and refer to the manufacturer's sizing chart to select the right size for your body shape and proportions. Additionally, consider whether you prefer a snug, athletic fit or a more relaxed, roomy fit, based on your comfort preferences and intended activities during your travels.
See if the brand has an option to try one. For instance, at Manmade, if you don’t like the fit, then the first one is on the house.
Budget considerations:
Finally, factor in your budget when selecting men's travel underwear. While premium-quality underwear offer superior comfort, durability, and performance, they come at a steep price point.
However, if you're on a tighter budget, there are plenty of affordable options available that still provide excellent comfort and functionality for your travels.
Consider your budget constraints and prioritize the features that are most important to you when making your purchasing decision.
How Manmade is the perfect travel underwear
We understand we’re tooting our horn a bit, but we have to say that our Boxer Brief fits everything we talked about.
It is made of modal, which is a fabric that is naturally moisture-wicking as well as breathable. It doesn’t take in odor. It is soft and comfortable on the skin, and the waistband wraps snugly around you, so that it isn’t too tightly digging into your body.
Modal is super light-weight and you can just roll it up to have it take up minimal room in your bag.
It’s also built to not chafe or ride up, which means it’s great for long days of high activity during your travels.
Plus, all of this is very affordable at $22 USD, especially when ‘travel specific’ underwear like Ex Officio is going for $30 USD or more at least.
So if you’re looking for travel underwear right now, try the Manmade Boxer Brief. Remember, the first one is on us if you don’t like the fit!
Tips for Caring for Your Travel Underwear:
Lastly, it’s not just about the underwear, it’s about how you care for it.
While travelling, your underwear will go through more wear and tear. You’re constantly packing it, taking it out, and sometimes wearing the same one for two days or more. But just because you’re on the go, doesn’t mean you can’t care for it.
So here are two essential tips.
Do laundry on the go
If your Airbnb or your hotel has laundry services, or if there’s a laundromat nearby, use it. If you let your old used underwear just pile in your suitcase, then the odor is going to seep into the fabric. So make sure to wash your underwear.
If you don’t have access to laundry facilities, here’s what you do. Pack travel-sized packets of gentle detergent or invest in travel-friendly laundry sheets for quick and easy washing. Fill a sink or basin with water, add a small amount of detergent, and hand-wash your underwear, focusing on areas prone to sweat and odor buildup. Rinse thoroughly and wring out excess water before hanging your underwear to dry. Consider using a portable clothesline or drying rack to air dry your underwear in your accommodation.
Pack your underwear properly
Most people just put their underwear in with the rest of their belongings in the luggage. Dirty, or not, they roll around the bag, they get twisted with other clothing, weakening the fabric and spreading odor. Proper packing techniques can help minimize wrinkles and odors in your underwear.
First, roll your underwear instead of folding them to reduce creases and save space in your luggage. Consider using packing cubes or compression bags to organize and separate your underwear from other clothing items, minimizing the risk of cross-contamination and odors.
Additionally, pack a few dryer sheets or sachets of lavender or cedarwood to keep your underwear smelling fresh and ward off unwanted odors during your travels.
Keep your boys happy wherever you go.
If you’re a fellow traveler, you understand the importance of comfort, freshness, and convenience during your journeys, and now you know how men's underwear plays a significant role in making your travel the best it can be.
So don’t just pack any old underwear into your bag. Pay attention to the 6 key features we’ve outlined above, as well as consider the factors that go into choosing the proper one. Invest in good-value underwear like Manmade’s Boxer Briefs for your next trip.
Because when you’re on the go, you don’t want to be bothered by your sweaty balls. Stay fresh and stay dry. Bon voyage!