Does game-changing underwear really exist?
According to Mack Weldon—the brand hailed “the Apple of Underwear” by The Huffington Post—the answer is yes. Men’s Health magazine touts them as the “Best Underwear for Men” (yes, in quotation marks), and even the NY Times is in on the action.
Seriously, I didn’t even know underwear could make the news. I told my wife that and she pointed out that an image of Mark Wahlberg in a pair of Calvins still does regular rounds in the media two decades after the campaign hit the streets.
What I do know for sure, though, is that Mack Weldon underwear is everywhere on social media. So for once, I’m ahead of a trend—because I’ve been wearing some version of a Mack Weldon boxer brief since 2016.
Here’s what else I know. It won’t change the world, but it will help you buy good underwear.
The Mack Weldon Brand
As a brand offering, all Mack Weldon underwear are good. Really good. They’ve got all the cut preferences covered:
- Boxer briefs
- Trunks
- Briefs
- Boxers
- Long underwear (as a California native, I assume these are man-leggings)
Factor in the additional 8” boxer brief style, and the dizzying number of colors and prints, and the brand delivers pretty universal appeal.
But choose carefully, man. Where my other underwear have fallen victim to unravelling, stretching, and wearing out, my Mack Weldon’s are mostly still going strong. Fading is always an issue if you go with the boldest colors (more on that later) but the construction of these underwear is impeccable in every other way.
So are you willing to pay the price? Literally, I mean.
A pair of Mack Weldon AIRKNITx boxer briefs will set you back a few bucks less than a similar offering from Tommy John. And for that price, you can score a 3-pack of Calvins on special. For reference, that’s the argument my wife makes. For more reference, here’s my comeback: my oldest AIRKNITx boxer briefs have lasted 4 years and counting—or $8 a year.
And since I’ve gone to the effort of breaking down the brand by price per annum, let’s go a step further and break down the brand by line:
Mack Weldon AIRKNITx 8” Boxer Brief Review
Let’s start with AIRKNITx because they’re my favorites. There are a lot of reasons I’m sickeningly brand-loyal when it comes to my underwear, and the AIRKNITx has them all in one package:
Special Mention:
The AIRKNITx line doesn’t have a functional fly. If you send your trooper over the wall to whizz—rather than straight through the front door—you’re not going to care. Committed fly users might see the fly-less pouch as a drawback, though.
Mack Weldon 18-Hour Jersey Boxer Brief Review
When I first saw these boxer briefs were called 18-Hour Jersey, my first response was ‘so?’ I’m not ashamed to admit I always wear my underwear for 18 hours. Not since my graduation from toddlerhood have I worn more than one pair of underwear in a day.
What the 18-Hour Jersey name actually refers to is the manufacturing process. The material used is rested for 18 hours post-production to allow it to expand. It’s then woven into its final state, so it delivers a more resilient, comfortable, consistent fit, free of warping, shrinking, and puckering. This line has a few more wins under its waistband, too:
Mack Weldon Silver HD Brief Review
I’m a sucker for a good gimmick, so when I saw what gave Mack Weldon’s Silver HD line its name, I aggressively and passionately added these to my cart. But there’s a lot more to this underwear than just integrated silver fibers—although NASA uses this exact technology, just FYI.
Special Mention:
2 things.
Is Mack Weldon Underwear Worth the Money?
I pledge my undying fealty, GoT-style, to Mack Weldon underwear. But if you want to send the nuts and bolt in for a look around the place before you buy, Mack Weldon offers a Try On Guarantee:
If you don’t love the first pair you buy, they’ll send you a different size or style, or issue you a refund—and you don’t have to return the pair you bought.
Insanity. You know what else is insane? With more than 1.5 million pairs of underwear shipped, they’ve got a return / refund rate of less than 2%. It’s a testament to the standard this brand sets in the underwear game.
