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Travel Underwear – Exposed!

Posted by on August 10, 2010 .

Is travel underwear just a waste of money on big granny-looking ugly underwear that won’t dry any quicker than normal, or are they such amazing creations that you shouldn’t leave the country without bringing along a few pairs?

What really is the deal with travel underwear, why should you buy them and do they really work? Today it’s time for AsWeTravel to get to ‘the bottom’ of this….

NOTE: Since this review ExOfficio has released a new underwear range (Lacy) which is a lot better in our opinion. I’ve had my pair every second day for 3 months now, and they’re still just like new, so I strongly recommend them.

Read our Lacy review here, or buy them on Amazon.

When you travel, all the problems you had at home seem to become even more obvious, even your underwear situation.

Underwear is usually not something people give much thought, and especially not something we like spending too much money on.

But when you walk a lot, sweat a lot and sometimes don’t have the time or access to wash your clothes while traveling – you suddenly realize how crucial the little things are and how much they can ruin everything if they’re uncomfortable.

What’s SO Special About Travel Underwear?

Travel underwear claims to be the best underwear for all your traveling situations.

Some of the travel underwear descriptions I’ve found look so impressive that you almost forget they are simply talking about a pair of underpants.

What separates travel underwear from normal underwear is mainly the fabric.

Travel underwear is made using special material, that usually has these qualities:

  • Quick-drying so you can wash on the go and pack fewer pairs
  • Treated to control odor-causing bacteria
  • Stain resistant
  • Lightweight
  • Sweat-defying
  • Bacteria resistant

Do they really work? Well, I was curious to know so I got myself a pair of ExOfficio Women’s Give-N-Go® String Bikini – sounds fancy doesn’t it?! :p

Here is how I thought they performed:

Quick dry material? They dried quicker than my other underwear, but my thongs weren’t far behind.

Controlling Odor? Yes, cotton sometimes can get smelly when you sweat, this underwear didn’t. This is probably the best quality, they feel fresh and clean a lot longer than other underpants, and it’s true you can wear them for longer before they need to be washed (if you need to).

Lightweight? Seriously? Light weight undies? I’ve never heard of heavy underpants, and if they wouldn’t have said they were light weight I wouldn’t really have noticed, the difference is completely insignificant.

However, they were the largest in size (granny panties nearly) of all other underpants I have, so the size made them take up more space, no matter how “extremely packable” they claimed they were.

Sweat Defying? Yes, they do this alright, better than cotton, but the material feels a little strange to the skin

Fit? Horrible. These were the nicest pairs I found in the shop, and they look OK on the front, but in the end we all know it’s not the front that’s ever is a problem, its the back – which they never show… After a few wears and washes, the material started sagging, it felt uncomfortable and looked more like a diaper.

Sum up: If you know you’ll be sweating a lot and wearing the same pair of underpants for more than a few days then these are a good option, but the fit is not ideal. For girls I would suggest the thong style so you won’t suffer from the bad seems and saggy material.

If you’re considering these for their light weight and “extremely packable” qualities, it’s not worth it. They’re just like any other underpants, but uglier. The style is a big minus, both in women and men styles.

Another option for you is to get normal sports underwear. They’re comfortable, have the moisture-wicking performance and manage to look good. They don’t have the controlling odor and stain resistance, but if sweat is what you worry about then these should work just fine.

Do you have a favorite pair of travel underwear? Or do you think the whole idea is silly? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

CLICK HERE – to find other travel underwear options

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  • http://www.wanderlass.com wanderlass

    what a funny post topic. it is something i think about when i travel, but don’t talk about. haha. For weekend trips in a city, like say Singapore or Hong Kong, i pack disposable ones. For beach/diving trips, I bring 2 sets of bikinis – alternating wear/wash everyday. For extended trips over 2 weeks, I bring 1 week’s worth (nice ones) and panty shields are essential.

  • Anonymous
  • http://www.touncertaintyandbeyond.com/ Clark

    I’m a big believer in the Ex Officio boxers. Cotton boxers take forever to dry, and I’ve been traveling with four pairs for two months. They hold up great and dry so much faster.

    In my opinion, they are worth the money. My wife seems to like her pairs as well.

  • http://UncorneredMarket.com Audrey

    I think for men, Ex Officio boxers are where it’s at. But for women, I’ve also had mixed experience with them. I ended up switching to the Patagonia Capilene line – quick drying, comfortable, and almost no underwear line. That said, Ex Officio did send some of their new line of Lucy Lu inspired underwear – I’m waiting for it to arrive to see if that improves things from the granny pants style of the past.

  • http://www.baconismagic.ca ayngelina

    I travel with a bunch of thongs and one of the granny ex-officio that I wear under dresses, not because they are travel underwear but because they have full coverage for those windy days.

    I have to say in the end regular underwear are more than fine for traveling and much cheaper.

  • http://www.baconismagic.ca ayngelina

    I travel with a bunch of thongs and one of the granny ex-officio that I wear under dresses, not because they are travel underwear but because they have full coverage for those windy days.

    I have to say in the end regular underwear are more than fine for traveling and much cheaper.

  • Anonymous

    Thanks for your valuable product feedback. I really enjoyed reading your through review of the product, both the good and the bad.

    I’d like to pass your review onto our product development team. However, I need to know what season the underwear is from because in Spring ’10, we completely redid our women’s underwear fit. So they’re only looking for feedback on our current fit.

    Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to tell which season it’s from once the packaging is removed. If you recall: Did you purchase the underwear before or after February ’10? And where did you purchase it from? Also does the underwear’s waistband have a jacquard pattern saying “ExOfficio” around it (like the men’s photo in this post) or is there one tag in front (like the women’s black underwear photo in this post)?

    Thank you for your sharing your feedback.

    Erica at ExOfficio.com

  • http://www.aswetravel.com/ As We Travel

    Hey :) disposable? I have never used those, what are they like??? and thanks for sharing what you take for longer trips, great to know what others do as well (like you say, it’s not normally talked about that much :p)

  • http://www.aswetravel.com/ As We Travel

    Hey Brooke, nah didn’t see that video before, so thanks for sharing :)

  • http://www.aswetravel.com/ As We Travel

    yeah I think Nathan is thinking of buying some for him – great to know other guys are using them and they are working well :)

  • http://www.aswetravel.com/ As We Travel

    Hey Audrey, thanks for sharing these thoughts. haven’t tested the Patagonia line, but sounds interesting. Lucy Lu inspired underwear? they sound interesting – look forward to your review of those!

  • http://www.aswetravel.com/ As We Travel

    haha that’s a great way to use them – full coverage for those windy days. hahah thongs also seem to work well, very quick drying and really take up no room.

  • http://www.aswetravel.com/ As We Travel

    Hey Erica, thanks for your comment and email – I will send you a email later today answering your questions . but thanks for stopping by, it’s nice to know that ExOfficio is out there reading these blogs and willing to listen to what us travelers have to say :)

  • http://www.wanderlass.com wanderlass

    they are not pretty, but — no laundry! :) they used to come only in non-woven/pelon material but now they have them in in very thin (maybe 50cts) cotton. i get them from local health&beauty stores but they have in amazon shopping.

  • cf

    Try SPairz (www.spairz.com) for shear packability. 100% cotton, reusable, hi-cut briefs – not granny panties. Perfect to stash in your carryon or backpack in case of emergencies.

  • http://twitter.com/brieflyCares Brieflyunderwear

    You should give Briefly Lightweight Underwear a try. We give a pair of our 100% cotton individually wrapped undies to disaster victims and women and children in need. Our underwear is lightweight, compact and best of all very comfortable and affordable, you get 3 pairs of black or white bikini cut 100% cotton underwear for only $4.99 or 4 beautiful pastel pairs for $6.99. We also have Men’s Boxers which come in a three pack (1 gray,1 black,1 white) for only $6.99 and have a comfortable 3/4 inch color matched elastic waistband. Please visit us at http://www.brieflyunderwear.com to learn more about BrieflyCares and our products. Bikini- Pastels- Thong- Men Boxer- Men Brief- Kids

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