ExOfficio Give-N-Go Sport 2.0 Boxer Brief Review

Overview

The Give-N-Go Sport 2.0 is ExOfficio’s thinned-out, mesh version of its long-running travel boxer brief, built for people who sweat through their clothes and wash them in a sink. The 6-inch inseam covers the upper thigh, which is where chafe tends to start on a hot, hilly day. The trade-off is cost: owners love the performance, but few call it cheap.

Key Specs

Spec	Detail
Weight	115.1 g
Fabric	90% nylon / 10% elastane
Inseam	6 in
Construction	Ultralight mesh, flatlock seams, wide waistband
Odor control	Anti-odor treatment
Fit	Snug, low rise
Style number	1241-3448
List price	Roughly $31 per pair

Performance

Chafe and comfort. The design pairs a nylon-dominant mesh with flatlock seams, which keep the stitching flat against skin. Reviewers who log serious miles in them tend to start with the same observation: nothing rubs. One owner who walked for two weeks through Italy in a pair described zero chafing in hot, all-day walking conditions, and called them far better than cotton for the job. Retailer reviewers also single out the wide waistband for staying put without pinching or digging in.

Drying and odor. This is the main reason people buy them. Owners describe rinsing a pair in a shower or sink at night and putting it back on dry in the morning, and many treat that as the whole point of the garment. The nylon blend and anti-odor treatment also earn praise for staying inoffensive over multiple days. Outdoor Gear Lab’s testers scored the standard Give-N-Go 2.0 well on odor control and said nylon resists odor buildup better than cotton before the next wash.

Breathability. The Sport version is the airier of ExOfficio’s two lines. Owners who have used both say the thinner mesh and flatter seams make it the better pick for summer hiking and travel. That fabric is also what makes it feel nearly weightless on the body.

Durability. Reports are mixed, and the split is worth knowing about. Some owners say pairs bought for backpacking trips years ago are still in rotation, and others report five pairs lasting around five years. Others say the thin mesh has its limits: one buyer had two of five pairs unravel in a delicate wash cycle, and testers of the standard Give-N-Go noted the nylon tends to pill. A few longtime customers also complain that recent batches felt different. One said the seams and front pouch had changed from the original, and another reported finding polyester-feeling pairs in a nylon-labeled product. Treat the garment as a thin performance piece and wash it gently.

Fit. The cut is snug and low-rise. Some buyers say it runs tighter than their usual boxer brief, while others say the same cut gives better support than competing brands they’ve worn. Thinner-legged hikers report the leg hems creeping up under shorts over a long day. One owner with a short rise sized down from large to medium and found the support improved considerably, which suggests anyone at the bottom of a size range should consider the smaller size.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Mesh fabric dries overnight after a sink wash
• Flatlock seams and a wide waistband keep chafe and pinching down on long days
• Anti-odor treatment helps stretch wear between washes
• At 115.1 g, it’s light enough to be unnoticeable on the body
• Long-term owners report years of use from well-kept pairs

Cons

• Roughly $31 a pair is steep for underwear, and some owners say comparable cheaper options exist
• Thin mesh can pill, and some owners report seams unraveling
• Snug, low-rise cut doesn’t suit everyone, and legs can ride up
• Some recent buyers say the product has changed from earlier versions

Who Should Buy This

Thru-hikers, section hikers, and travelers who carry two or three pairs and wash them daily should buy these. Hot-weather walkers who’ve been burned by chafe in cotton or heavy synthetics will get the most out of the mesh. Buyers who want a looser, boxer-style leg, or who plan to wash on a hot machine cycle and expect indestructible fabric, should look elsewhere. So should shoppers on a tight budget who only need underwear for a weekend trip.

Verdict

The Give-N-Go Sport 2.0 does what trail underwear should: it stays comfortable, dries fast, and mostly goes unnoticed. The price and a few durability complaints keep it from a higher score, but for hot-weather hiking and travel it remains one of the safest buys in the category.