For as long as men’s underwear has existed (or at least as long as I’ve worn it), it’s stayed basically the same. We’re talking about a simple piece of material that goes over your upper legs and your private bits, and houses all of that within the same physical space. Some pairs have flies, some extend further down your leg than others, some are tight, some are loose, and all of them come in a variety of materials. But at their core, they all keep your legs and your junk trapped the same studio apartment in your pants, when they’ve been pining for their own rooms all along.
Recently though, underwear design has been undergoing an evolution. Saxx kicked off the trend with its ballpark pouch underwear, inspired by a catcher’s baseball mitt. two fabric walls give way to a spacious pouch for your bits and bobs, while completely isolating your thighs both from your sweaty privates, and just as importantly, from each other. That means no more chafing while you run, and no more gross sticky feeling on a hot day.
Separatec, a brand that sells mostly on Amazon, took things one step further with what can only be described as a porthole for your penis. Every time you put them on, you arrange yourself through the hole, keeping your dick and balls completely separate, which again, really comes in handy when things get toasty. The unique fly design (it covers your penis, but doesn’t actually enclose it) also allows for a little extra airflow, and means you don’t have to go through a whole unboxing process every time you have to pee.
Having tried both, I have to say that I prefer Saxx for the ease of use. After years of mindlessly putting on underwear like a rube, it’s tough to remember to put on a pair of Separatecs properly, and I often end up just wearing them like regular boxer briefs. With Saxx, you get the full benefit just from pulling them on, and the thigh separation, while it sounds constricting when you read about it, is actually extremely comfortable.
Both are available in a variety of designs, cuts, and fabric options (Separatec’s bamboo fabric is probably the softest thing I’ve ever worn), so as your old boxers wear out and it comes time to replace them, consider upgrading to a two bedroom.