Best Fishing Boxers – Updated for 2024
I continue to search for the best boxer briefs for fishing. It’s not such an easy task. They can’t bunch up during long drives to the lake. They have to resist odors and stains (sorry if that’s TMI). They can’t pinch the frank or the beans. And they can’t lose their shape or lifting qualities over time. The bottom line is that I don’t want to know that they’re there – the best skivvies let me focus on the act of fishing itself.
Since last summer I’ve integrated three new winners into the rotation as several decomposing or underperforming options have been sent to the trash heap. None of them are inexpensive, but your only you can judge whether your nads’ health and comfort is worth the cost. At 54 years old, I’m doing everything I can to give them a lift.
Differentiating Feature: 14% Royal Alpaca from Peru
The Lowdown: These boxer briefs find the perfect balance between being ultra-lightweight and somehow still being ridiculously strong, holding everything in place without binding. I’ve worn them in triple digit temperatures and humidity as well as for my Orange Theory Fitness classes and they don’t get damp or hot. I don’t know exactly why that is, but Paka says it’s because the alpaca fibers provide hollow air pockets and moisture-wicking abilities. I’ve never smelled an alpaca, but I have inadvertently smelled myself after fishing and these definitely don’t make the stank worse – in fact, they somehow prevent me from becoming typically malodorous. Moreover, they’re OEKO-TEX certified, which means that they’re sustainable.
Differentiating Feature: 68% bamboo fibers
The Lowdown: These were a winner on trips that required hiking in to remote streams or other heavy-duty movement and exertion because they allow for a full range of motion and comfort with four-way stretch and a remarkably comfortable waistband. They come in a wide range of colors, including the Barrier Island Camo that became a favorite after my October trip to the Charleston area. They’re even UPF 50+ in case you don’t want to wear anything over them. Free Fly recommends washing cold and hanging to dry to extend their useful life.
Differentiating Factor: 83% Recycled Poly — Lyocell blend makes them dry faster and more durable
The Lowdown: These are a little bit more technical and slightly more expensive than the Motion Boxers described above, and while they don’t come in quite as many colors, the tradeoff is that they might be even softer and dry faster. Free Fly calls the technology “HeiQ Fresh odor control” and it seems to work, well. I don’t use the fly on my boxers, so the lack of one here doesn’t bother me – if that’s important to you, go with the Motion. These may be slightly more durable but both of handled the rigors of repeated use quite well.
