I’m not a fussy guy. I like a quality basic T-shirt, decent sneakers, a good-fitting pair of jeans, and quality underwear. In my efforts to find the best underwear for style and comfort, I’ve learned a few things:
I’ve tried a lot of premium brands in my quest for the (almost) perfect underwear, and that’s led me to accumulate a lot of underwear that I don’t really reach for. When I adjusted my search to include a few brands in the lower price bracket, I learned another lesson:
- OFFICIAL AND1: Men's compression boxer briefs; The world's greatest basketball brand, raw and authentic...
- MOISTURE CONTROL: Men's athletic performance compression boxer briefs wick moisture to keep you dry...
- PERFORMANCE STRETCH: Compression shorts for men have a stay put design so they won't ride up; Stretch...
Don’t get me wrong—that’s not always the case. But when I find a pair of high performing underwear at a lower price point, I feel a little smug. Like I got something over on consumerism (don’t question my logic, OK? It unravels fast).
I thought I’d celebrate such a find with you all: the AND1 Performance Compression Boxer Briefs.
In this AND1 Performance boxer briefs review, I’ll unpack what I know, what I liked, and what I didn’t.
In (Boxer) Brief
I know I’m not the only person checking Amazon reviews when I shop—and the AND1 Performance boxer briefs have hundreds of 5 star reviews. You can also score a 5-pack for under $40, which is what prompted me to add these to my cart and surge forth with my affordable underwear challenge.
Full disclosure: they’re marketed as a performance compression boxer brief, and maybe they shouldn’t be.
The Polyester / Spandex fabric blend (90% and 10% respectively) is too silky, stretchy, and lightweight to offer any kind of compression support during a workout. For my purposes—which are more train-commuter than cross-trainer—they fit the bill well.
AND1 Boxer Briefs Specs
- Soft, tag-free, low-profile waistband
- 90% Polyester / 10% Spandex fabric
- 6” in-seam
- Functional fly
- Colors: Black, gray, red, and blue, with contrast stitching and branding
- Bold, coordinating branding on waistband
AND1 Performance Boxer Briefs Review
AND1’s performance boxer brief offering is ultra-wearable and comfortable as an everyday underwear choice, and versatile enough to wear through a standard gym workout. The durable elastic of the waistband eliminated roll-down and the 6” seam was long enough that the legs didn’t ride up even when I had to sprint for the subway.
Breathability
Thanks to some strategically placed mesh in the kangaroo pouch, the twig and berries received some much appreciated ventilation and things stayed cool and comfortable on hot commutes into the city. Polyester isn’t my top choice for breathability, and the pouch is 100% Polyester, so the mesh was a valuable addition.
Moisture Wicking
The AND1 brand designed this performance boxer brief with athletes in mind, so I had high hopes for the moisture wicking capabilities. The proprietary Stretch Performance fabric does stay surprisingly dry and cool, and they dry quickly if you decide to run them through a handwash between laundry days.
Value
This has to be a top selling point for AND1 underwear—they are ultra-affordable. I picked up the value pack (5 pair) for the price of one premium branded pair of underwear, which means a week’s worth of underwear for under $40.
Durability
Durability goes hand in hand with value for me. If I save $30 on underwear but have to buy a new pair within a month, I feel like I’m just drip-feeding a retailer my money anyway. Fortunately, AND1 performance boxer briefs have proven to be extremely durable. They retain their shape, and I’ve seen no pulling around the flatlock seams so far.
These performance boxer briefs are designed for a close fit, and they have maintained their fit without pilling or fraying for months now.
Functionality
I’ve already addressed the compression portion of these boxer briefs, but aside from that I’m loving the overall build of this model.
The elastic waistband is sturdy enough to eliminate roll-down and hold my underwear where they’re meant to be (no builder’s butt-crack for me!), but soft enough to eliminate chafing and to wear comfortably all day. It doesn’t dig in and it doesn’t stretch out, either.
As an added bonus, the fly hole is more spacious than usual, for those who prefer to send the captain out the front door rather than over the top when you’re taking a leak.
Style
AND1 Performance Compression Boxer Briefs keep it simple on the style front. The standard long-leg style comes in mid-gray, black, red, or blue, with contrasting details and a branded AND1 logo printed on the waistband.
The brand’s sizing is fairly inclusive, ranging from a Small (28”+ waist) to a 2XL (at 46”).
AND1 Performance Boxer Briefs Pros & Cons
Pros
Cons
Best for…
Guys who prefer the affordable classics. And1 has one of the best-selling underwear lines in the US for a reason: we love a good product at a good price.
The Verdict
There are a few premium brands that deserve their high-end price tag. I stand by those.
But for a versatile everyday boxer brief that’s affordable, comfortable, and breathable, sometimes an affordable classic is the way to go. AND1 Performance Compression Boxer Briefs deliver on all those fronts, with a zero-ride-up, zero-chafing underwear solution that can take you from office to commute to gym with ease.
