ExOfficio Give-N-Go Boxer Brief Review

The Give-N-Go Boxer Brief has been around a while, although they have tweaked the design recently. It was the only fully synthetic pair of boxer briefs we tested in the review. We didn't think the odor control worked as good as its wool competitors, and they showed more wear during the test than any other pair. Still, we found the Give-N-Go to be pretty comfortable, and the price is unbeatable. In fact, it's half the price of some of the other underwear in the review.

Performance Comparison

Our lead tester trying out the Give-N-Go boxer briefs in the cold of Hidden Haven, Utah.

Comfort

For a synthetic fabric, we found the mesh style to be smoother than we expected. Unlike some textured synthetics which can have a slightly velcro-like or staticky feel, the nylon on the Give-N-Go felt surprisingly silky when we put them on. We also liked the low profile waistband, the second thinnest in the review, which layers well under winter clothing. The lack of a seam at the crotch is also a nice touch, and the flatlock seams are pleasant and smooth against our skin.

While we do like how thin and stretchy the fabric was, it tends to roll up the leg, especially under thicker pants. We don't love that the fly is a bit small, but the stretch fabric mostly makes up for it. The fly also has a large amount of overlap, which adds some inconvenient maneuvering when nature called. We also found the fit a bit odd, as the crotch tended to be baggy but the legs oddly thin, which perhaps contributed to the fabric rolling up our legs.

The surprisingly smooth feeling mesh of the Give-N-Go.

We did like the baggy fit when we were lounging about on rest days, and we didn't notice the fit during everyday use, but they weren't as supportive as some of the other options when running or similarly active movements. We never got chafed, but wearing them on a longer backpacking trip or something similar we could see leading to rubbing issues.

Breathability

The best way to make synthetic fabrics more breathable is to make them thinner, which appears to be the route ExOfficio took with the latest design of the Give-N-Go. This does make them more breathable than the pair our tester had ten years ago, but we still found the fabric a bit plasticky feeling, especially on the legs, when doing anything aerobic in warmer temperatures. The mesh does lift the fabric off the skin a bit, so we did like the texture more than some synthetics we've used in the past.

They did fare better when less layered, and we didn't notice a lack of breathability when layered under a thinner pair of pants or shorts, but when under several winter layers, we didn't think they regulated temperatures as well as other options. This is another downside to synthetic fabrics, as they are never quite as breathable as natural fibers.

The ExOfficio model is tied with the Smartwool pair for the heaviest in the review. Here it is next to a CAMP Nano for scale.

Odor Control

You can spray synthetic fabrics with all kinds of antimicrobial coatings, but at the end of the day, synthetic fabric is still going to smell like a hockey locker room. Unfortunately, the Give-N-Go is no different. Coming out of the wash they were unscented, so perhaps the antimicrobial treatment keeps off the deepest of the stink, but after wearing them for any extended high-output activities or multi-day trips they smelled like what they were: nylon that's holding a bunch of sweat. For everyday use, and even for sweaty activities for one day, it's not noticeable, but after a few days of living in them, the odor is increasingly apparent.

Airing them out did help a bit, and perhaps could be a solution on longer backcountry trips, but probably the better bet would be quick but regular washing to stave off the harshest of the funk.

The ExOfficio Give-N-Go dried more quickly than any other in the review.

Durability

An unfortunate side effect of ExOfficio making the Give-N-Go mesh thinner appears to be a loss of durability, at least in how the material looks. In the two months of testing the underwear, with machine washing and drying according to the instructions on the tag, the nylon mesh began pilling up and also now has small runs in the fabric.

They also seem to stretch out a bit over several days, although they shrink back after washing. That said, one tester has owned a pair for 1.5 years, and while there is visible pilling (concentrated in the crotch area), the waistband is still very snappy and doesn't have the ripple of other pairs after extended use. The thicker mesh has proven to be functional much longer than the finer fabrics of many other competitors, some of which developed holes after a year of use.

The ExOfficio pair started to pill after a month of use and several cycles in laundry, but after 18 months of use by one tester, it's still holding strong.

Drying Time

One nice thing about synthetic fabric is that the threads themselves don't absorb water, only the spaces between the threads do, so nylon and similar poly fabrics usually dry much quicker than something like merino wool. In just about an hour these skivvies went from soaking wet to bone dry while hanging in the sun, even during a winter day. So, even though the Give-N-Go tends to stink more quickly than some of the other pairs of underwear, you could quickly wash and dry to stave off the stench for another day.

Value

While we did find the Give-N-Go lacking in certain metrics, the price sure is hard to beat. It's hard to argue against the value here. If you're on a budget, this Best Buy-winning pair is a worthy choice. Plus, its functional longevity is one of the best in our test.

Our lead tester finding the limit of stretchiness on the Give-N-Go as part of our rigorous testing process.

Conclusion

Although the ExOfficio Give-N-Go Boxer Brief is the lowest scoring in the review, they're still a decent pair of underwear and a noticeable improvement over non-performance models. Although they stink quicker than wool, they wick sweat better than the average pair of underwear, and they are quite easily washed and dried, no matter where you are. They won't last as long as some of the other boxer briefs in the review, but you can buy two of the ExOfficio pairs for the price of a single pair of its competition. For a pair of underwear that will get the job done at an excellent price, we think that the Give-N-Go is worth looking into and worthy of our Best Buy Award.