We had to step up our game to find out what each pair of travel undies in this review could handle. We couldn't just work and run our errands in these undies (though we did that too). We had to get after it. So we headed for the perfect testing ground: Tuolumne Meadows and Yosemite Valley during the summer and fall. The alpine environment in Tuolumne Meadows gave us fantastic swimming holes for our durability metric, while the very hot and humid climate of Yosemite Valley gave us great feedback when climbing in direct sun during August. We traveled around the desert southwest, making stops in Red Rock and Zion to test these undies on vertical rock walls in 90-degree heat. After that, we went back into the freezer, aka spring in the Tetons, where you can test for every season during a single trail run. In between these trips, we ran, biked, and climbed around our home in the Eastern Sierra Mountains of California.
Throughout our months of testing, we identified five of the most important features in a good pair of travel underwear. We hope our test results help you select the appropriate pair for your upcoming adventure.
Comfort and Fit
Comfort is tricky, but with the increased ratio of skin-to-material contact that we have with our underwear, it is incredibly important. We looked at softness, itch, material thickness, and overall fit in this metric. To come to a unified conclusion on material softness, we wore each pair under a variety of clothing types, from tight yoga leggings to loose running shorts and climbing pants, to see what made the difference. In the end, we made notes of which products irritated or itched us and which we could forget about.
Since fit can vary dramatically from thongs to boy shorts, we included a selection of top-selling bikinis, hipsters, thongs, and boy short models to keep things consistent. That being said, many of the products we tested have sister models in different cuts. So, if you're looking for a different shape, we recommend looking at the manufacturer's website to see what they have available. To assess fit, we were as objective as possible based on the cut we were testing, often asking friends to confirm our thoughts regarding each product's shape, coverage, stretchiness, and, most importantly, how well each product stayed put.
Breathability
Breathability is another important metric when considering which pair of travel underwear will keep you comfortable during various outdoor activities. To properly assess the breathability of each pair of undies, we hit the trail for a predetermined and repeatable run, got sweaty, and then took notes on which garments breathed well and kept us fresh throughout.
Odor Control
Merino wool is notoriously superior to synthetics in terms of odor protection. While synthetics typically reign supreme in terms of durability, they often come with the price of retained body odor. After spending lots of time in each pair while rock climbing, hiking, running, and doing yoga, we simply noted which pairs held onto odor more than others. It's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it.
Durability
Our extensive testing plan spanned several months to understand whether or not the material and overall construction of each pair of underwear could withstand some serious use. Initially, we noted which undies offered high-quality construction through features such as reinforced flat-lock seams and thicker waistbands. Then, we wore these undies while climbing, running, doing yoga, and more. Perhaps our favorite form of testing was taking each pair for a dip in rivers, streams, and high alpine lakes before documenting which held their shape even when soaking wet. Once we spent a fair amount of time in each pair and washed each several times, we carefully noted which showed any loss to their structure or started to fail through various snags, tears, or malfunctioning seams.
Drying Time
Drying time is important for two reasons: washing and sweating. When we're on the go, we love being able to wash these products in a sink or stream, air dry them quickly, and get going again. Additionally, a product that dries quickly will keep you more comfortable on the move, with less sweat buildup. To test for this metric, our team soaked each product in water and hung them to dry. It seems simple, right? We did this test several times, using hand-wringing, towel-drying, and no pre-drying at all to look for trends and confirm our data.
