We like pants that are supportive. And no, we’re not talking about them being happy for you when you land that promotion or being a shoulder to cry on (you may rely on your pants for that. Who knows? We won’t judge).
Indeed, we would go so far as to say one of the main functions of a modern man’s underwear is to provide support in all the right places. Whether he’s in the office, relaxing at home, playing sport, or anywhere in between, he wants, even demands, support. He needs his package cupped and (most of the time) his backside covered.
There are of course certain situations where you may prefer to hang free, swing low, or… whatever else you want to call it. But generally, ample support and maximum comfort is what we’re looking for in a great pair of everyday pants.
Pretty much all pants are designed to be as supportive as possible while providing you with a comfortable fit. But, some are slightly more supportive than others. Indeed, boxer shorts, by design, aren’t very supportive at all, but we’ll get to those in due course.
Once again, it has been a pleasure to join the underwear oracle, the Pantsman, as he talked us through his tales of pants and the support they provide. Sitting, cross-legged by the proverbial open fire, sipping his magic brew (not Special Brew), he speaks words of wisdom on all things pants and the support they bring. This is his list of the best men’s underwear for support.
Our best men’s underwear for support top picks
- Calvin Klein Thong (best thong for support)
- HOM Plumes Micro Brief (best briefs for support)
- Derek Rose Alex Hipster (best trunks for support)
- SAXX Sport Mesh BB Fly (best boxer briefs for support
- Best boxers for support?...
So, let’s tackle these bad boys in order of size, from the lowest amount of skin coverage, to the most. We’ll get the ball rolling with:
Calvin Klein Thong
Best thong for support
Now, we know what you’re thinking already: “A THONG ON A MAN!?!?”
We’ve heard it before, we’ll hear it again, but suffice to say that thongs are a great underwear choice for men. Whilst you may be a little put off at the thought of a string between your legs and up your crack, you’ll be thankful that you gave thongs a chance - trust us.
In terms of fit (aside from the string), a thong generally offers a similar level of package support to something like a brief - only with a lot less fabric covering the rest of your skin. The focus is on keeping your package in place. Rest assured, the pouch will cradle your parts well, providing enough room for aeration, but enough support to prevent everything flopping about with a mind of its own.
At the time of writing, the weather is also starting to heat up and - you guessed it - due to their overall lack of skin coverage, thongs are a great choice of underwear to don as the weather heats up.
These thongs from Calvin Klein come in a very handy 2-pack (and trust us, you’ll want at least two and maybe more once you’ve given them a try) and are crafted from a cotton/elastane blended fabric. This provides the breathability and soft touch of cotton, with the supportive stretch and durability of synthetic elastane. An excellent combination utilised by a variety of different underwear brands and styles. And speaking of brands: for the more fashion-conscious among you, you’ll notice that the classic Calvin Klein branding is present and correct across the waistband in an attractive contrast.
The front pouch on these thongs is generous, so if your member isn’t on the large side and you’re straddling two sizes (say, a M and an L), we’d advise you to go for the smaller option to provide better support and comfort overall.
We’d highly recommend giving thongs a try if you haven’t already. They’re supportive. They’re cool in warmer weather. They’re surprisingly comfortable. And they can be sexy as hell. So, why not give them a chance and add a couple of pairs to your drawer today!
HOM Plumes Micro Brief
Best briefs for support
Moving up the scale in terms of skin coverage, we have briefs.
Now, briefs are naturally pretty supportive by design. They barely cover any of your thighs, so really you’re only looking at material around the front pouch and the rear. So if you currently own a pair of briefs that are baggy, loose, and aren’t offering you any support then, good sir, you do not have properly functioning briefs and you should dispose of them immediately.
The HOM Plumes Micro briefs are our choice for most supportive briefs for a variety of reasons. First is their ‘micro’ design. They really go minimalist when it comes to skin coverage, which means that more attention is afforded to the areas of the body that they DO cover - in this case, they are built for support whilst maximising the freedom of your legs. .
Second, they’re made from a combination of polyamide and elastane. This gives them some pretty unique properties when compared with standard cotton underwear. They are very durable (as most synthetics are), but also incredibly light and soft to the touch. This really helps with freedom of movement, comfort next to your skin, reducing visibility of underwear lines under your clothing (for those of you conscious of these), and support.
They have a nice elastic quality that keeps everything nicely tucked where it needs to be, whilst not having them overheat or sweat too much. And if you do get a little hot under the collar (or under the balls) then the material is very quick-drying. HOM call it a ‘second skin’ sensation, and we’re not about to argue - they’re very comfortable.
Derek Rose Alex Hipster
Best trunks for support
Trunks and boxer briefs are very similar in most ways, except trunks are designed for a shorter fit, meaning slightly less coverage of the legs. Fortunately, both are very similar when it comes to supporting your package. Unfortunately, they’re the most popular style of men’s underwear today, so choosing a winner becomes very, very tricky.
Derek Rose’s Alex Hipsters are GREAT quality pants. We’ll get that out of the way first. They have a high price point, but boy, are they worth it. They may not be as tight-fitting as some other trunks out there, but remember: great support is about comfort above all else. And these deliver comfort in spades. Shovels, even.
Like many other pants out there, they come in a blend of materials, however, instead of blending regular cotton with elastane, these trunks blend micro modal with elastane (in a 94:6% ratio), resulting in a stretchy pair of pants that is extremely soft to the touch and provides and amazing fit. This blend also adds to their durability, ensuring that they’ll keep you snugly wrapped up for days on end (of course, not consecutive days - we do recommend changing your pants daily).
They have a very minimalist look and a closed front pouch. This might not be amazing for ease of access, but it’s great when it comes to support. When you have an access panel, you tend to lose a bit of elasticity and overall support over time. Well, not with these bad boys.
Micro modal fabric also has thermostatic properties, so your balls will be cooled when they need it and heated when the chill picks up. And, if that wasn’t enough, they’re kind to the environment too - lots of the fabric comes from sustainably forested beech trees using a carbon-neutral process.
These are top quality underwear. Yes, they carry a premium price tag, but they’re worth every penny and more. Some outstanding pants, right here.
SAXX Sport Mesh BB Fly
Best boxer briefs for support
Boxer briefs are basically slightly longer trunks. We’ve covered the basics of trunks already, so let’s get straight into it.
The SAXX Sports Mesh boxer briefs are first and foremost designed for sports. But they’re absolutely suitable for just about anything you care to throw at them.
These pants are built for performance. They’re durable, lightweight, wick moisture, breathe freely… SAXX pack a lot of features into these pants. These are slimmer fit boxer briefs, which are great for offering support and a tighter feel around your thighs, but if you’re straddling sizes, you may want to take the size up to make sure they don’t make you uncomfortable (as we recommend for all slim fit items).
They’re 89% polyester and 11% elastane, which is what makes them as stretchy and durable as they are. If you’ve no issues with synthetic materials, then these are an excellent combination.
They do come with a fly in the pouch for a bit of added convenience and improved airflow, which combines well with the moisture-wicking properties of the material to create a pair of pants that should keep you going all day no matter what you’re up to.
These pants were built for support - whether in the gym, in the office, on the go, or at home. Whatever you’re up to, these boxer briefs from SAXX have you covered and well-supported.
Best boxers for support?...
Unfortunately for the venerable boxer short, this is not their fight. Boxer shorts were not designed with support in mind at all. They are amazing at what they do, but providing support is not it.
They’re engineered for a looser fit that provides great freedom of movement and lets your package hang free. Thus, with nothing actually supporting your package, we cannot recommend this style as a supportive piece of underwear. However, if you are after some boxer shorts, then check out our best men’s boxers for more info.
So which men’s underwear is best for support?
This is a nice and easy list of recommendations to follow. Choose your preferred style of underwear and there’s a lovely supportive piece waiting for you.
Thongs and briefs provide you with top notch support with minimal coverage, whilst trunks and boxer briefs have you covered (figuratively and literally) if you want something a little longer in the leg.
If you haven’t yet decided what your preferred underwear style is, short of recommending that you try them all, you can check out our helpful guide to underwear styles. Once you have a favourite picked out, come back to this list and find the right support that you need.
You see, we’re very supportive! Just don’t ask us to hold your balls for you...