Australian Hiker

Rating

Icebreaker Cool-Lite Merino Anatomica Men's Boxers Review

Underwear is one of those pieces of clothing that many men don’t put a lot of thought into, but should! As a piece of clothing these get about as up-close and personal as you can so comfort is critical particularly when you’re doing long distance multi-day hikes. A number of years ago I had the opportunity to test out Icebreaker men’s underwear and if I’m honest, while I found them perfectly serviceable they didn’t make the cut at that time. Recently I was provided with one of the latest offerings from Icebreaker and was keen to see how they had evolved. So how did they go?

For me I’m a fan of boxer style underwear for hiking as it helps to minimise chaffing that can be a major issue for a lot of hikers as the leg of the underwear goes part way down the thighs. In addition, the  flat lock seams also help to minimise chafing on the legs and I find they don’t bunch up. Something that’s new with these boxers is that the seams curve around the buttocks. This is something I’m used to with other boxers and while it feels a bit strange at first, once you get used to them you soon realise the additional seaming helps to keep them snug in all the right places including in the crotch area that has a shaped ‘pouch’ at the front to keep everything in place.

At the time of testing I am on the higher end of my weight range and sit in the middle of the XL-XXL size range so I opted for the larger size. In hindsight, the stretchiness of the material, which is quite comfortable, would put me into an XL sizing.

The material used in the construction of this underwear is a mix of mainly natural fibres (Merino wool and Tencel) along with synthetic fibres to provide the stretch and shape-holding where required.

One comment I would make about these underpants is the material combination is called ‘Cool-Lite’, which is aimed at minimising heat during hotter conditions but testing on 20 degree Celcius, I found them to be a bit on the warm side and while this would be a bonus in the cooler months, I’m likely to avoid wearing them in hot weather.

So, am I likely to wear these for my hiking adventures? This model is a big improvement over the previous Icebreaker underpants I tried many years ago and they have pretty much corrected what I perceived to be the shortcomings at that time. I won’t be wearing these underpants during the hot months but I will definitely be glad to wear them in the cooler times of the year.

We Like

• Stretch fit that fits snugly in all the right places without being too tight
• Very comfortable
• Lightweight mesh construction that allows you to breathe thereby minimising sweating and with it chafing
• Mix of natural and synthetic construction that dries quickly
• Stays comfortable after multiple days of use
• Flatlock stitching increases comfort

We don't like

• The seams around the buttocks can take a day or two to get used to but once you do, you won’t even notice them
• A bit on the warm side in hot weather
• At the dearer end of the underpants segment

Best Uses

• Great for any outdoor activity as well as street wear, particularly during cooler weather

Investment

AUD $64.99 RRP

Buy One

You can purchase Icebreaker Cool-Lite Merino Anatomica Men’s Boxers online from Amazon Australia, or from Wild Earth

Disclosure:  We may earn a small commission, at no additional expense to you, if you click through and make a purchase. Please note that our affiliations do not influence, in any way, the independence of our reviews. If we don’t like a product, you’ll hear about it from us!

Other Versions

Icebreaker produce a range of both men’s and women’s underwear

Icebreaker Men’s Cool-Lite Merino Anatomica Boxers front view

Icebreaker Men’s Cool-Lite Merino Anatomica Boxers rear view note the curved stitching!. This does make a difference to the comfort

Disclaimer

This review was done with product provided by Icebreaker for testing

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