Men's Moisture Wicking Lightweight Breathable Boxer Briefs vs Women's Air Tech Performance Brief Panties 6-Pack: which is safer?

Reebok Women's Air Tech Performance Brief Panties 6-Pack is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.

New Balance Men's Moisture Wicking Lightweight Breathable Boxer Briefs

New Balance

Men's Moisture Wicking Lightweight Breathable Boxer Briefs

PFAS grade

Good 65/100

Overall grade

Poor 47/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

polyester/nylon blend with moisture-wicking finish

Confidence

72%

PossibleAzo dyes and colorant heavy metals

PossibleAntimony in polyester

ReportedDegradation of applied moisture-wicking finish over repeated washing

Our pick

Reebok Women's Air Tech Performance Brief Panties 6-Pack

Reebok

Women's Air Tech Performance Brief Panties 6-Pack

PFAS grade

Good 65/100

Overall grade

Good 53/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

nylon, spandex, cotton blend

Confidence

72%

PossibleFormaldehyde resins in fabric finishing

PossibleAzo dyes

PossibleElastomer degradation (spandex breakdown)

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Azo dyes and colorant heavy metals, Antimony in polyester and Degradation of applied moisture-wicking finish over repeated washing on the New Balance and not on the Reebok.
  • We flag Formaldehyde resins in fabric finishing, Azo dyes and Elastomer degradation (spandex breakdown) on the Reebok and not on the New Balance.
  • The New Balance is polyester/nylon blend with moisture-wicking finish where the Reebok is nylon, spandex, cotton blend, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • These two are level, close enough that price and fit should decide it rather than our grade.

Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →

More sports performance undergarments: see the full ranking