How Many Types of Men’s Underwear Are There?

When you think about men’s underwear, you probably think that the topic is fairly simple. Do men typically prefer briefs or boxers? The truth of the matter is that there are actually a lot of different kinds of men’s underwear that can be worn, eight of them in fact. The exact type of underwear that you should be wearing will depend on a lot of things, including personal preferences, underlying skin conditions and even the type of climate that you typically live in. If you’re wondering which is best, you’ve definitely come to the right place because all eight types will be discussed here.

Boxers

A lot of men prefer boxers and to a certain extent, it’s easy to understand why. They tend to incorporate a loose fit and they don’t constrain your movement too much. If you’re someone who doesn’t particularly enjoy wearing tight clothing or feeling like you can’t move freely about whenever you want to, then this might be a good option for you because they give you plenty of room to move around.

Briefs

Clearly, this is one of the most popular types of men’s underwear in existence. One of the reasons they’re so popular is because they’re versatile and in most cases, comfortable. They also come in a few different styles with regard to the degree of leg rise, so if you don’t like one style, you can simply move on to the next one. More often than not, they’re made from cotton so they’re breathable and they keep everything in place, but they don’t feel overly bulky. Instead, they tend to hug the skin in a comfortable way and provide the necessary level of support without making you feel like you’re wearing too much fabric at one time.

Boxer Briefs

What if you don’t particularly like the extra fabric or the exceptionally loose fit of boxers, but you’re also not thrilled about the tighter fit that you often experience with briefs? That’s where boxer briefs come in. Many people consider them to be a near-perfect hybrid between the two, providing a little bit of extra length in the leg and a slightly looser fit with the same type of support that you expect to find with briefs. They’re definitely not for everybody, but they might work well for you if you’ve tried a number of different boxers and briefs and you still haven’t found something that you’re particularly fond of.

Midway Briefs

Just as the name implies, this one is a bit different as well. They are briefs, but they have the length of boxers. Despite the fact that they’re much longer in the leg, they have the same type of fit that you would expect from briefs, so they hug your legs tighter and provide additional support throughout. Some people absolutely love them because of this added support and others absolutely can’t stand them. Typically, they work well for individuals who don’t feel like they have quite the support they need from standard briefs and aren’t particularly fond of the loose fit and extra fabric associated with boxers. They’re also different from boxer briefs in the sense that they come up a little higher on the waist. This also provides a little bit of extra support, especially for those individuals who need additional abdominal or back support.

Trunks

This one probably won’t surprise you, but it’s the type of clothing that men wear when they go swimming. A lot of times, they look very much like boxers, only they’re made from different material. Where boxers are typically made from 100% cotton, these usually have a mesh netting inside and a more durable elastic material on the outside, similar to the spandex you’ll find in some workout clothing and in women’s bathing suits.

Bikini

Men sometimes like wearing bikini underwear just as much as women do. As a matter of fact, some men wouldn’t be caught dead in boxers and they don’t even like briefs because they feel like it’s too much material. For those individuals, men’s bikini underwear is almost the perfect solution, provided that you choose a pair that provides the necessary level of support in order to keep everything from shifting around.

Thong

If you feel like a bikini still incorporates too much material, you could decide to go with a thong. This particular type of underwear is typically associated with women’s attire, but they do make thongs for men as well. For the most part, it consists of just enough material to go around your waist and provide the necessary level of support without incorporating any extra material anywhere else.

Jockstrap/Strings

Last but not least, you might be someone who wants the very least amount of material possible. If that’s the case, you might decide to go with strings, sometimes referred to as jockstrap underwear. Just as the name implies, the underwear basically includes a pouch for your package and little else. Some men love them and much like boxers, others can’t stand them. It all comes down to your personal preference.

It’s also worth noting that the type of underwear you choose won’t just depend on your personal preferences, but also whether or not the type you’ve been wearing causes any skin irritation. In reality, a lot of men have problems with skin issues that are directly related to the type of underwear they’ve been wearing. If you’ve been experiencing rashes or some other form of discomfort, it may be time to try something different. This is especially true if you have sensitive skin. In such cases, you may opt for boxers made from 100% cotton or something similar that doesn’t provide such a tight fit. By giving yourself a little more room, you’re likely to be more comfortable and you might even be surprised to learn that wearing loose-fitting underwear can have a direct (and positive) impact on your fertility.