Trunks or Briefs: Battle of The Bottoms

Trunks or Briefs? We’ve been on the hunt for answers, and so have you apparently. These two styles have dominated the market for decades, each with its own loyal following. But which reigns supreme? Briefs, with their snug fit and timeless design, offer unparalleled support and comfort. On the other hand, trunks, with their modern and versatile design, provide a stylish and relaxed alternative. 

So we decided to run a quick poll on social media to see what the general vibe is when it comes to the big question: Trunks or Briefs? 

Difference between Trunks and Briefs

They differ in terms of design, fit, and coverage. I don’t want to bore you to death, so here are the differences between trunks and briefs:

Leg Length: 

Trunks typically have shorter leg lengths, extending about midway down the thigh. Briefs, on the contrary, have a much shorter leg length, often ending at or near the groin area.

Waistband: 

Trunks usually feature a thicker waistband that sits lower on the waist. Briefs typically have a thinner, elasticized waistband that sits higher on the waist, offering more support.

Coverage: 

Trunks provide more coverage on the upper thighs while leaving the lower part of the thigh exposed. Briefs, due to their shorter leg length, offer less coverage and expose more of the upper thigh.

Our Instagram poll garnered around 120 participants. We asked them three of the most burning questions. Firstly, Do they wear briefs or trunks daily? Secondly, do they find briefs or trunks more comfortable and, lastly do they find briefs or trunks sexier? Here’s how they answered:

Trunk or Briefs: What Men Choose to Wear on the Daily

Out of 112 responses that we received on our Instagram Poll, a whopping 67% of men prefer to wear briefs daily! The other 33% are happy with their Trunks on the daily! 

I put on my researcher’s cap and started delving into the world of men’s underwear surveys. While they are few and far between, and I had to make some substitutions, I saw a trend in all the surveys that have been conducted. So let’s talk data! For the purpose of this blog post, I also included survey responses for “boxer briefs” as trunks. After all, trunks ARE a form of boxer briefs so I don’t feel too guilty taking this liberty. 

Men’s Underwear Guide found that only 7.1% of their respondents preferred men’s trunks, while a staggering 36.9% preferred men’s briefs. That is a massive difference from our sample!

However, if we look at trends from Men’s Underwear Guide that curated a bunch of different polls, it is obvious that briefs have made a massive comeback in the last 10 years! And they show no signs of going back down! 

Trunk or Briefs: The Comfort Factor

When it comes to underwear, comfort is one of the big factors in making a purchase. So we asked the question: Are briefs or trunks more comfortable? And the answers were surprising. 56% of the respondents stated that briefs are more comfortable, while the other 44% thought trunks were more comfortable. 

Why is this surprising? There seems to be a 10% disparity between what men wear daily and what men find the most comfortable. This leads me to ponder whether men’s daily wearing habits are guided by much more than just comfort. 

Again, the inner researcher went out looking for answers. A survey conducted in 2020 looked at which factors play the biggest role in purchasing decisions. The results were as follows: 33% of the respondents stated color and design are the biggest factors, while  22% stated brand loyalty, and lastly, 20% with comfort! 

Which is sexier? Trunks or briefs? 

When it comes to which cut is considered the sexier one, it was a slam dunk for the Briefs. 79% of respondents thought that briefs are sexier! Only 21% of respondents think men's trunks are sexier. 

This can probably be attributed to the lack of excessive fabric for briefs. It makes sense that the cut that is the most revealing would win the battle of which one is sexier! 

These results directly contradict a survey that was done by GQ that found briefs were the least sexy underwear. However, all respondents in this survey were female! Perhaps that’s what made the big difference? 

Reviewing all the results, I think it’s pretty safe to say that in the battle between Briefs and Trunks, Briefs takes home the trophy as most worn, most comfortable, and sexiest! It seems like it is a triple threat! So watch out other underwear cuts… 2023 is the year for briefs to shine!

While the polls have been insightful, they have left me with more questions than answers! So off I go, to create yet another poll to get to the bottom of the debate!