Best Hiking Underwear for Women [2023 Edition]

While natural fabrics are typically seen as an upgrade on synthetics, that’s not the case with the ExOfficio Give-n-Go Bikini Brief.

Made with a 93% nylon and 7% spandex blend, these briefs are every bit as breathable as anything else we’ve had the pleasure of wearing on our wanders. This owes mainly to the ultra-light, diamond-weave mesh, which is designed to provide plenty of ventilation while tastefully covering your butt. 

The soft fabric and use of flatlock seams give the Give-n-Go Sport Mesh Bikini Brief wear-all-day kinda comfort. It also performs well in wet and humid conditions, drying quickly and remaining rub- and irritation-free even if you manage to get a soaking.

If buying this bikini style brief, we recommend going down 1 to 2 sizes to get the best fit. For reasons best known to the brand, ExOfficio’s underwear is sized a little larger than the market average.

Finally, the briefs featured in this review have a higher waistline than other options in our review. However, if you’re more of a low-cut kinda gal, ExOfficio also offers a hipster version that sits comfortably on the hipline.

Bottom line: a high-performing, reasonably priced synthetic option that gives the very best of the natural alternatives a run for their money in terms of breathability, comfort, and quick-drying capability. 

The Patagonia Barely Hipster is the equally lightweight, comfortable, and eco-conscious partner to the Barely Racerback Bra. 

The Barely Hipster’s bottom line is comfort. Oodles of it. It’s made with an eco-friendly blend of recycled nylon and spandex that feel great on your skin, offers just the right amount of stretch, and wicks as well as almost any other underwear on our list. The minimalist seams and use of a non-constricting waistband that’s weaved into the garment instead of sewn-in further enhance comfort and increase the chances of chafe-free days on the trail.

True to its name, the Barely Hipster really does feel like it’s not even there. It’s lightweight. It doesn’t ride or bunch up when striding up steep inclines. And it dries fast, making it ideal for quick dips in the creek on hot summer slogs. 

Appearance-wise, the Barely Hipster is a bit plain, using earthy colors that won’t appeal to all tastes. That aside, there’s very little else to find fault with.

In recent years, Smartwool has established itself as one of the big-wigs in the outdoor clothing scene. And with products like the Merino 150 Bikini in their catalog, the brand’s soaring rise in popularity is easy to understand. They’re durable, boast effective moisture wicking, and control odors better than any other underwear we know. In short, they’re ideal for your time on the trails.

Smartwool’s 150 Bikini is made with 87%, high-quality merino wool. An often-cited trait of this super-soft fabric is that it provides plenty of warmth in cold weather but is a touch too toasty when temps are high. However, this is not the case with the 150 Bikini. On the contrary, it manages moisture effectively, breathes well, and feels featherlight and airy even when you’re working up a serious sweat. 

The 150 Bikini also offers impressive odor-resistance and is made with core-spun fabric, which means the wool’s fibers have been twisted around a nylon fiber core to make it more hard-wearing.

But the Smartwool 150 Bikini is not without a few negatives. Firstly, the sizing runs small, meaning you’ll need to size up when buying. Secondly, this underwear is a prime example of the old “you get what you pay for” schtick. What you get’s an outdoor-specific, high-performing pair of panties that will last you longer than most natural-fabric competitors. What you pay, however, may be a little too much for the appetites (and budget!) or many would-be buyers. 

There are plenty of high-performing bamboo panties on the market but, for our money, the best of the bunch is the Boody Body EcoWear Full Brief. Aside from being made with eco-friendly materials, these briefs boast an array of features that make them far more hiking-specific than most of their bamboo-made competitors. 

Made with 80% bamboo viscose, 13% nylon, and 7% spandex, the brief is extra-soft but not at all flimsy and is stretchy enough to conform to your figure and provide plenty of mobility. It has a slightly silky texture that feels amazing next to the skin and wicks moisture just as well as any other underwear on our list. 

The design of these briefs is also a winner for outdoor wanders. They use a wide, no-roll, and non-constricting waistband that doesn’t hug the waist too tightly and sits just below the belly button, meaning it’s less likely to chafe or cause irritation when rubbing around your backpack or the waist of your pants.

However, it should be noted that these briefs aren’t quite as breathable as models like the Smartwool Merino 150 Bikini, meaning they do have a tendency to make things a little toasty down there in hot weather. 

Like many of the models on our list, the sizing on these briefs runs small, so go a size up when buying. 

Keeping your “underbits” warm in winter is every bit as important as keeping the rest of you warm. Just like gloves for your hands, wooly socks for your feet, and a beanie for your dome, insulated underwear will provide the warmth you need to fend off the freeze, and none do a better job of it than the Icebreaker Sprite Hot Pants.

This newest addition to Icebreaker’s long line of almost universally adored underwear is a boyleg panty specially designed for winter hiking. With a design that offers full coverage from front to back and fabric made from 96% merino wool, these hot pants are true to their name and perfect for winter walking and cold-weather camping. 

The Icebreaker Sprite Hot Pants also dry far quicker than you’d expect and boast plenty of stretch thanks to its ample 4% lycra content, which also prevents this boyleg panty from bunching up in the middle during long walks. 

And the downsides? With the exception of the price tag and a little too much warmth for summer hiking…none!

If you’re looking for an economical option that won’t break the bank, we suggest trying the REI Co-op Active Hipster. It offers all the qualities needed for comfortable days on the trail but at a lower, pocket-friendly price.

REI’s Active Hipster has a lot going for it given its friendly price tag. It dries fast, wicks moisture effectively, and also uses an antimicrobial treatment to keep odors at bay. It’s also breathable enough to keep you cool in higher temps and combines a nicely stretchy polyester mesh fabric with barely-there seams to bring all-day comfort.

Do note, however, that the sizing of the Hipster runs a little small and it can feel tight around the legs. As such, we advise shooting one or two sizes up to be on the safe side. And if you’re looking for more coverage, go for the boyleg cut. 

Finally, if you’re new to hiking and want to give things a try before splashing out on pricey womens hiking panties, we recommend starting with the Ridge Merino Wool Boy Short. Not only are these boy-style shorts super-comfortable, but they’re also low-cost and perform none too shabbily compared to their pricier competitors. 

The Ridge Merino Boy Shorts’ most endearing feature is their no-flip waistband, which sits in just the right spot a few inches above the hip. It’s non-constricting and doesn’t create the bulging “muffin top” caused by many shorts and briefs alike.

With a blend of 84% merino wool, 12% nylon, and 4% spandex, these boy shorts pull off the perfect combo of breathability, efficient moisture management, and stretch. They also dry as quickly as any other item on this list. Not bad for a budget-priced pair of panties, right?

As the name implies, the Ridge Merino Boy Shorts offer full coverage, especially on the rear. However, their shorter inseam might feel a little awkward to some. Also, the sizing runs a little large, so make sure you refer to the sizing chart to avoid ending up with a pair that fits in the crotch but is loose on the waist.