Best Hiking and Backpacking Underwear 2026: Five Pairs Worth Packing

Introduction

Hiking and backpacking underwear earns its place in a pack because it quietly decides how the middle miles feel. The priorities are straightforward: a cut that stays where it should, fabric that dries fast, and construction that survives repeated washing. Drying speed matters most on multi-day trips, because damp fabric held against the skin encourages bacterial buildup and chafing.

This guide covers five pairs that held up across months of trail use, grouped by the kind of hiker each one suits. Every pick was judged on comfort, resistance to riding up, durability, and how quickly it dried after a hand wash.

How These Picks Were Evaluated

Each pair was worn repeatedly on day hikes and backpacking trips, hand washed, and hung up to dry. The questions were practical ones. Does the waistband stay put under a hip belt? Does the fabric bunch, roll, or ride up while walking? Does it dry overnight? Does it still look and feel intact after repeated use?

Size range was noted too, because a good cut only helps if it comes in a size that fits.

Price is the other honest variable. Technical hiking underwear sits well above everyday basics, and the spread across these five pairs is wide, running from the least expensive option here to two pairs that cost more than twice as much.

Best Low-Rise Option: Patagonia Barely Hipster

The Patagonia Barely Hipster is the strongest low-rise choice in this group. Low-rise cuts are not for everyone, but if that is the style you prefer, it is hard to do better. Despite the low waist, rear coverage is generous, and the fabric stayed in place without rolling, bunching, or riding up on the trail.

It is also very lightweight and dried quickly after a hand wash and a hang. Durability is what you would expect from Patagonia, and at $24 it is one of the more affordable pairs on this list, even though the number can look steep for a single pair of underwear.

Two things to weigh first. The size range is fairly limited, and the very low rise means the waistband can sit low enough that sitting down may expose the lower back. That is rarely an issue with high-waisted hiking pants, but it is worth knowing before you commit.

Best High-Rise Option: Tera Kaia Mara Brief

The Tera Kaia Mara Brief is a high-rise, full-coverage brief that doubles as a swimsuit. The fabric feels close to swimwear but lighter, and the standout detail is a very wide, high waistband. Under a backpack hip belt, which tends to sit in roughly the same place, nothing cuts in at all.

Tera Kaia is a small brand, and the size selection is currently narrow, running from a size 2 to a size 12. If your size is available, the pair is worth considering, and supporting a smaller label is part of what helps brands widen their ranges over time. At $54 it is a serious spend for underwear, so it makes most sense for anyone who wants one pair that works as both a swimsuit and hiking underwear through the summer.

The fit is the real argument here. A wide waistband that sits flush under a loaded hip belt removes a pressure point that shows up on long days with a heavy pack.

Best Hybrid Option: Kula Cloth Pica Pants

The Kula Cloth Pica Pants are the best hybrid pick, because they work as underwear and as very lightweight quick-dry shorts. Worn under pants, they let you shed a layer and keep hiking in something that dries fast, without stopping to change.

The roughly five inch inseam is the key detail. These stay down over the thighs rather than rolling up or bunching, so you avoid the side-climbing feel that boxer-style shorts often develop while walking. Among the options in this category, they were the most comfortable, the most breathable, and the best at handling moisture, with the most coverage. A small rear pocket fits a phone, a key, or a bar. Sizing runs from XS to 5XL.

Two trade-offs. They are visible under essentially every pair of hiking pants, whether at the waistband or through the leg seam, and at $54 they match the Tera Kaia pair as the priciest option here. If you want underwear that can stand in as shorts, that cost buys real versatility.

Best Period Underwear: Saalt Comfort Brief

The Saalt Comfort Brief is the pick for backpacking on your period. The fabric is a TENCEL modal made from beechwood trees, and the softness is the whole point. It feels exceptionally smooth against the body, which matters on days when comfort is already harder to come by.

Modal is not as breathable and not as durable as nylon or spandex, so this is a pair to treat with a little more care. Many hikers use it alongside a menstrual cup or disc rather than as a standalone option, though lighter flow days can work on their own. One known limitation is that it is not a good match for front bleeders.

Sizing runs from XS to XXL, so a wider range of body types may need to look elsewhere. At $38 it sits in the middle of this group on price.

The practical case is simple. On a multi-day trip, a fabric this soft is easier to live with than a stiffer technical brief, even if it asks for gentler handling.

Best Overall Value: REI Active Hipster

The REI Active Hipster is the top pick overall, and it is also the least expensive pair here. It is a hipster cut with full rear coverage, and it stays put: no sagging, no riding up, and no waistband rolling down. It is the most airy, comfortable pair in this lineup.

Durability held up as well. After many wears and repeated washing and drying, the exterior fabric still looked new, with no pilling. The material is a fast-drying polyester spandex mesh, and it is antimicrobial, which directly addresses the bacterial buildup concern that makes drying speed so important on the trail. Sizing runs from XS to 3XL.

The only real complaint is color choice. The available palette leans muted, and more playful options would be welcome. At $18.95, that is a small thing to accept for a pair that does everything else well.

Overall Buying Advice

Match the pair to the trip rather than chasing a single best answer. A low-rise cut like the Patagonia Barely Hipster suits hikers who already prefer that style and want light, fast-drying fabric at a moderate price. A high-rise cut like the Tera Kaia Mara Brief earns its premium when you want one garment for swimming and hiking, and a wide waistband that sits calmly under a hip belt.

If versatility is the goal, the Kula Cloth Pica Pants replace both underwear and shorts, which justifies the higher cost for some packers. For period trips, the Saalt Comfort Brief trades breathability and durability for softness. And if you simply want one dependable pair at the lowest price, the REI Active Hipster covers comfort, drying speed, antimicrobial fabric, and durability without asking much.

Check sizing ranges early, since two of these picks are limited in that respect, and confirm how each fabric handles washing before a long trip. A pair that dries overnight and stays in place will do more for a trip than any single specification on a label.

Conclusion

These five pairs cover the main ways hikers approach underwear: low-rise and light, high-rise and swim-friendly, hybrid shorts, period-specific softness, and an all-round value pick. Each one has a clear best use, and none of them asks you to compromise on drying speed. Choose the category that matches how you hike, and the pair will earn its place in the pack.