Best Underwear for Running for Men and Women

What is the best underwear for running?

That might be a loaded question, as many runners have different preferences. While determining the “best” underwear is a pretty subjective process, there are a few things about sports underwear that runners can agree on. First and foremost, a good pair needs to provide support—for men they need to keep things down there secure, and for women coverage may be a priority. Next, the underwear has to be comfortable. This means the fabric and the cut must be chafe-free and breathable. Lastly, modern technology provides new features like moisture-wicking fabrics and even pockets for storage—which is a big plus for long-distance runs.

To help you learn what features are a must in running underwear, we’ve broken down the characteristics that make up the best underwear for running. 

Should You Wear Underwear When Running?

Wearing underwear when running is ultimately a personal choice but can also depend on your desired level of comfort, protection, and what type of bottoms you usually wear.

While some runners don’t wear underwear as they feel it allows for better breathability, wearing moisture wicking boxer briefs can help pull sweat away from the body and keep you dry. It also can prevent chafing as it will stay in place and offers an extra layer of protection from bottoms made out of rough material.

Besides absorbing moisture, moisture wicking running underwear can help you cool down and regulate your body temperature. Just remember not to stay in running clothes for too long post workout.

As we mentioned, wearing underwear while running is a personal choice, however, if you are going to wear it, opt for the best underwear for running by looking for the features below.

Best Running Underwear for Women

Regular underwear just won’t cut it when it comes to providing support or wicking away sweat while running. Any runner who has experienced chafing understands you don’t mess around when it comes to comfort, fit and material. When shopping for your next pair, use the following features as a guide to uncovering the best womens sports briefs.

Material

When it comes to material, you’ll want a type of running underwear that is designed for being sweat or waterproof and can stretch and adapt to your body’s movements. Choose moisture-wicking fabrics like polyester, nylon, and spandex so that your underwear is soft and breathable against your skin, with an anti-odor treatment to offset its wicking strength. Avoid certain fabrics like cotton as they can absorb moisture and hold onto sweat.

For a feather-light, anti-microbial, and quick-drying fabric, try our Air collection.

Fit

Many female runners want underwear that will stay in place and are seamless. This is to prevent any discomfort or pinching as seamless underwear will lay flat all over and not dig into your skin.

You’ll also want to avoid wearing underwear that runs too small or too big, as an ill-fitting pair can cause major discomfort on the road. Use our underwear size chart, to find your dream fit.

Style

Depending on how much support or coverage you want, many female runners also like running underwear in a thong or cheeky cut. These styles limit the fabric from riding up and if paired with tight shorts or pants will prevent panty lines from showing.

Comfort

If you're not a fan of thongs, you’ll most likely not like them when running. Pick running underwear in the style that you find comfortable wearing day to day, whether they are boyshorts, briefs, or thongs.

Best Running Underwear for Men

Now that we’ve covered the basics for women's running underwear, we can discuss the best runners underwear for men. For men, a good pair needs to provide support, offer a wide range of movement, and keep things down there from bouncing all over the place. We’ll dive into the different features that make up the best men’s underwear for running.

Material

Similar to women's running underwear, you’ll want to pick a fabric that is moisture-wicking and sweatproof. Moisture and rubbing is a recipe for chafing for men’s running underwear so look for fabrics in a synthetic fabric blend.

Our 360 stretch fabric’s mesh cooling zones, anti-microbial and anti-odor technology will keep you dry and fresh throughout your entire run.

Fit

To ensure a chafe-free run, you’ll need a pair of underwear that compresses and stays in place. Make sure you are wearing properly fitting underwear that won’t ride up and is snug and secure.

All of our 360 Sports underwear prevents riding up and wedgies, even during the most intense workouts or runs.

Style

Many male runners enjoy wearing boxer briefs or trunks as these are going to help prevent chafing. If your legs touch while you run, tighter and longer boxer briefs will be your best bet against chafing.

Comfort

For those looking for that added level of support down there, you’ll want underwear with a breathable contoured pouch. Our Hammock Pouch™ Underwear offers ultimate support and protection from chafing and the high-tech pouch will keep your junk safely tucked away to minimize bouncing, jostling, and tugging.

No matter the season or trail, it's vital to look for underwear that wicks away sweat, minimizes chafing and offers enough stretch to move along with you. For anti-odor and gym-ready comfort, browse a selection of our boxer briefs & leggings made out of our innovative 360 stretch compression fabric. Grab a pair of the best underwear for running you can trust, so you can focus on what matters most when you hit the road.