How Many Pairs of Underwear Should a Man Have? (The Multiple Scenarios)

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You open your underwear drawer, get a random pair, wear it for the day, shower, grab another pair and keep repeating this cycle till you one day don’t have any fresh undies left there. But how many pairs of underwear should a man have to ensure their undergarments drawer is never empty?

It has happened to every guy to open his underwear drawer to see it’s empty, and they need to wear the same pair of underwear for two days or longer. A study made by the underwear brand Tommy John surveyed 2,000 people, and men are 2.5 times more likely to wear the same underwear for a week or more (which is very bad for your hygiene down there).

It can only mean that men do not own the right amount of undergarments and need to consider how many pairs of underwear they should have to ensure they can change them at least once a day. Let’s find out.

How Many Pairs Of Underwear Should A Man Own?

A man should own at least between 12 to 18 pairs of underwear, but it can also be between 7 to 28 pairs depending on his lifestyle, how often he changes underwear, and how often he washes his undergarments.

I have had a little experience myself for one month to understand how many pairs of underwear a man should own. These are the parameters of my experience:

Some notes during this experience:

• I have changed my underwear daily after a shower.
• I wore different underwear for working out and hiking.
• 10 pairs for daily wear, seven for each day of the week, plus three more in case of accidents or delays/waiting times for the clothes to wash and dry. The same is true for the gym, where you need three pairs per week to work out plus two extra.

You probably think that a minimum of 18 pairs of underwear, if you wash your undergarments once per week, is a lot, and it may be if you don’t have an active lifestyle or wash your underwear more often. However, you can change these numbers to figure out your perfect number of underwear. Should we check more in-depth how many pairs of underwear a man should own?

How Active Is Your Lifestyle?

Guys with an active lifestyle will need many more pairs of underwear than men who don’t work out or have a physical job. A man with an active lifestyle can own between 10 to 28 pairs of underwear, depending on how often he washes them. On the other hand, a guy with a non-active lifestyle may need between 7 to 20 pairs of underwear, depending on how often he does laundry.

You need to have the proper selection of underwear according to your needs and chosen activities. Of course, you have your daily pairs of underwear, but how active is your lifestyle? Do you have underwear you only wear when working out? A pair made of a specific fabric for hiking?

Men have underwear in different styles and fabrics, and some are better for an active lifestyle. Some guys prefer to wear underwear specifically designed for the gym because they provide more support and breathability, have moisture-wicking properties, or offer more elasticity and compression.

All these distinguishing factors I mention above mean you need to have extra pairs, differentiating the working-out undergarments from the daily wear. For example, I only wear merino wool underwear when hiking because the fabric is perfect for cool and warm weather. However, merino wool is not durable, so I don’t want to wear this pair every day, so I need different undergarments for different activities, as you also do.

How Often Do You Change Your Underwear?

After considering your lifestyle, you need to consider how many times you change your underwear daily. Hopefully, you change your boxers or briefs daily, and for some guys, that may even happen more than once per day.

Guys who change their underwear daily and have an active lifestyle will need around 13 to 18 pairs of underwear weekly. On the other men with a non-active lifestyle will need between 8 to 12 pairs of undies.

Of course, if you don’t change your underwear daily, you will need a lot less underwear from those who do. However, I didn’t even consider that you don’t change your underwear daily, and let me tell you why. As you see above, if you have an active lifestyle and change your underwear around twice a day, you will need 13 pairs of underwear and will have 5 left in case you delay the washing.

Read: How To Stretch Underwear?

Some guys question why you should wear underwear since they prefer to go commando. Still, for those who do, you should change them daily or after heavy activities because of the accumulation of bacteria that can lead to foul odor, rashes, chafing, or infections. Let’s not even talk about how difficult it can be to take specific smells out of your underwear if you wear them for more time than you should.

That’s why it’s so important to change your underwear daily after a shower or twice a day if you hit the gym and want to wear specific undergarments there. One of the worst feelings a guy can have after a shower is to feel fresh and wear dirty underwear to go on a date. It just doesn’t feel right or hygienic.

How Often Do You Wash Your Underwear?

Any items that collect a lot of sweat, like your underwear, should be washed after each use. Most people do laundry weekly, which can help you understand how many pairs of underwear a man should have.

Remember that when you wash your underwear, you need to consider the time you will spend washing and drying them, which can take over a day if you let them dry naturally.

Read: How To Remove Poop Stains From Underwear?

That’s why it’s essential to have more underwear than those you wear for one week. That’s why if you have an active lifestyle, I suggest 18 pairs of underwear if you wash them weekly, and not 13 or 14. It would be best if you had those extra undies.

If you wash your underwear twice a month or every three weeks, you will need a lot more underwear, always considering your lifestyle and how often you change your boxers.

How Often Should You Buy New Underwear?

According to joe.co.uk “On average, a British man will own 13 pairs of underwear and will buy a new pair every six months, spending around £20.75 a year”. If you visit Reddit, most men will say they have around 20 ish underwear pairs. Some are brave to go commando and not bothered to use boxers or briefs at all.

Read: Do Men Wear Bras?

The fabric of your underwear and how often you wear and wash them will dictate how often you should buy new undergarments. If your underwear is made of polyester, nylon, spandex, or modal, it will be more durable than cotton, bamboo, or merino wool.

Read: How To Stop Boxer Briefs From Riding Up?

If you wear the same four or five undies and not so much the rest, those pairs will need replacement much more quicker. The wrong size and improper care can also contribute to a quick deterioration of the underwear, making you purchase more.

So it’s tough to tell you how often you should buy underwear since some people do it every four months, others every six, and others once per year, depending on everything I said above. I replace my underwear for the gym more quickly than the ones I use daily. However, I would say you should replace all your underwear at least once yearly if you wear them often.

How Many Pairs Of Underwear Should A Man Have?

It’s time to organize your underwear and count how many pairs of boxers and briefs you have and how many more you should buy to maintain the correct amount of undies according to your needs. If you have too much old underwear, maybe you should donate some.

The proper amount of underwear you should own as a man will depend on many factors, as we have seen, but whether you are a minimalist, an active guy, or someone who does laundry from time to time, between 12 to 18 pairs, seems to be the proper amount for most guys.