9 Best Men’s Underwear to Prevent Jock Itch

Whether you’re an active athlete or are just trying to shed those winter pounds to get your beach bod ready, you’re going to sweat. While wearing as few clothes as possible can help quell the swell of sweat, you can’t often workout in the nude (without drawing attention, at least).

That leaves your groin area covered – recycling the moisture throughout your nether regions, irritating the skin, and providing a perfect breeding grounds for bacterial infections like jock itch.

Jock itch comes from a type of fungus that thrives in warm, wet areas like showers. It often latches on in public showers when walking barefoot (so bring sandals!), and then spreads when you dry off your feet, touch a towel, or otherwise transfer the bacteria from the ground to your body.

The family jewels are a man’s most valuable personal possession, and nothing makes you feel poorer than when something goes wrong down there. Itching, burning, and other skin discomforts are a surefire way to ensure that you don’t have a moment of peace when lying down, standing, or anything in between.

It’s also going to kill your confidence because no matter how ripped you are, if someone sees your red, enflamed crotch it’s going to almost definitely be a deal breaker.

While you can’t stop yourself from sweating, you can work to make your groin less attractive to bacteria (and more attractive to partners) by choosing the best underwear for jock itch. But what exactly makes underwear help prevent jock itch? You’ll have to keep reading to find out!

Here's some of the best underwear for jock itch.

Top 9 Best Underwear for Jock Itch Reviewed

1. Cariloha Men’s Bamboo Underwear

Natural Odor Control: Underwear made from bamboo? It may seem impossible, but this bamboo viscose & spandex pair is incredibly soft despite its rougher origins. Available in a variety of colors for every occasion, these soft boxer briefs contour to the shape of your body without holding on for dear life.

The pouch allows enough room for the whole package, and the legs don’t ride up into your groin when you move. The eco-friendly viscose offers natural odor absorption and breathability, making them great for avoiding swamp crotch & jock itch.

If you choose the Cariloha Men’s Bamboo Underwear, be sure to check for holes often because once there’s a tear in the material, the rest of it gives way very easily because of the plant fiber-heavy material.

2. Clevedaur Men’s Antimicrobial Stretch Underwear

Synthetic Value Pack for Larger Waists: The comfort of cotton while still being able to wick moisture, the beechwood-sourced lenzing micro modal material makes the underwear soft and thin like a second skin. This 3-pack is on the lower end of pricing for similar pairs, making them a great value to grab – especially if you’ve been pounding beers & need the XXL size.

This underwear is definitely more stretchy than contoured, which means that you may have trouble with them riding up if they’re too big on you. Aim towards the lower end of your size for the best results.

3. Fruit of the Loom Men’s Lightweight Boxer Brief Underwear

The Good Kind of Underwear Holes: In many cases, holes in your underwear mean it’s time to throw them out. However, this micro mesh underwear takes advantage of holes as ventilation for better breathability (in addition to the polyester’s natural breathability). A little bit of spandex helps them fit your form and the crotch contour keeps your bits supported without chafing them.

Beware, these underwear don’t come with a crotch flap, so you’ll be testing the waistband’s elasticity during bathroom trips (and you can’t aim through the holes).

4. Adidas Men’s Sport Performance Boxer Brief Underwear

Name Brand Quality at Store Brand Value: Adidas is one of the largest sporting wear brands in the world, so it makes sense to put your faith in these polyester Climalite briefs to hold your bits without suffocating them. This form-fitting pair of underwear comes in a variety of designs, each with a non-chafing adidas logo on the band. This pair emphasizes the pillar & stones, adding an extra lining of mesh to ensure they stay where they need to without friction.

When it comes time to wash your pair of briefs, it’s best to wash them by hand rather than the washing machine because the material is sensitive to tearing and shrinking. They should also air dry to avoid shrinkage.

5. THSISSUE Men’s Mesh Boxer Brief Underwear

Maximum Breathability Without Flashing The Bulge: Don’t feel like showing the full package right off the bat? This slightly more modest pair of micro modal boxer briefs have an opaque crotch pouch to provide ample support for exercising, but feature a honeycomb mesh elsewhere for maximum airflow. They’re as soft as silk, tailored to fit your thighs, and offer an immense value as a 4-pack.

Featuring a shorter leg length, these boxer briefs can sometimes ride up into the groin if you’re doing a lot of bending or stretching. They’re likely better for less intense exercise or hanging out.

6. Champion Men’s Active Performance Boxer Briefs

Active Lifestyle Performance Pairs: While they look pretty basic, these Champion underwear are made for great things. In addition to being a great value (especially for a name brand), these briefs are made of 100% polyester for breathability and easy washing.

They use flat seams to avoid rubbing where the sun doesn’t shine & the tighter fit makes them great at staying where they belong as you move – ideal for active lifestyles.

This pair doesn’t have a pronounced package holder like other pairs do, which may leave you asking for a little bit more support if your junk doesn’t reach the bottom of the crotch.

7. Hanes Men’s Long Mesh Boxer Brief Underwear

Long Legs with a Bathroom Flap: For those who want a longer pant leg & enjoy the feel of cotton, this 4-pack of multi-fabric blend boxer briefs offers a balance of comfort and breathability. Made primarily with cotton & polyester (with added spandex for stretchiness), it retains the comfort of cotton with the breathability and moisture wicking of polyester.

Fresh IQ helps to eliminate bacteria, preventing smells from escaping your nether regions or backdoor. They include a bathroom flap and are machine washable, making them convenient for daily use around the house.

Due to being mostly cotton, these underwear do sacrifice a little bit of breathability for comfort, as cotton isn’t the most breathable material to use.

8. ExOfficio Men’s Give-N-Go Boxer

Versatile Fast-Drying Underwear:  In addition to breathability, you want underwear that dries quickly so that once they wick the moisture away, it dries quickly enough that your pants don’t stay damp. The Give-N-Go’s nylon means they can be used under a bathing suit at the pool or beach because nylon is great for absorbing and drying quickly.

This pair also has antimicrobial treatments on the material to basically nullify jock itch potential. Available in multiple styles, 10 sizes, and with rave reviews from customers, it’s hard to go wrong with ExOfficio’s boxers.

Unfortunately, wearing these boxers in the water or washing them often can lead to stretching of the spandex & nylon material. They’re also a bit expensive for a single pair.

9. David Archy Men’s Bamboo Rayon Trunks

Natural Bamboo Trunks: Another bamboo cellulose material, these natural trunks have natural softness & breathability with shorter legs for those who prefer trunks rather than boxers. The addition of spandex helps them to fit tight to your form without squeezing too hard or stifling your junk.

While there’s no flap, the pouch is reinforced (with no-show stitching) and contoured to better hold your bits in place so you’re not playing clackers as you move. The 4-pack is also affordable, giving you no reason not to upgrade your skivvies.

Due to their shorter pant lengths, these trunks can ride up and get a bit uncomfortable if you go on the tighter side. It may be better to lean towards your larger size to be safe.

Best Underwear For Jock Itch: Buying Guide

Your prized possessions deserve only the best, which is why you want to avoid budget underwear. These are likely to be coarser and stifle your crotch so not only will there be some friction burn, there’s nowhere for the moisture to go. Irritated skin, potentially open wounds, and sweat are NOT a good combination.

Best Underwear Material for Jock Itch

Most Breathable Underwear for Jock Itch

We know moisture is a major contributor to jock itch, so you want underwear that is breathable to allow for air to get in and dry any sweat your groin produces. While cotton may be soft and comfortable, lower-quality cotton absorbs moisture and takes longer to dry which keeps your man-parts exposed to the sweat.

You generally want synthetic materials like polyester that offer a good balance of comfort and breathability. You can also choose a mesh option in a variety of materials if you want something comfortable and VERY breathable. Plus, your significant other will probably love them.

Best Fitting Underwear for Jock Itch

The best way to avoid jock itch is to avoid any kind of “jock” at all. As long as you aren’t wearing Richard Simmons’s skin-tight short shorts, going commando allows you great breathability and stops materials from rubbing against your skin. Unfortunately, it’s not socially acceptable to forego pants or underwear on a regular basis (especially on the gym’s leg machine), so your next best bet is to wear loose-fitting underwear.

Tight underwear rubs against your skin and itself, which means every little movement causes friction between your thighs and on your man bits. A looser pair will leave room for all the important bits to sit comfortably while limiting contact on the pouch or inner thigh.