Rick Steves' Tour Guide Says To Skip This Pricey Travel Clothing Item

The right travel gear can truly make or break a vacation. A waterproof breathable raincoat, for example, can keep you warm and dry during heavy downpours, while ill-fitting hiking boots are not just uncomfortable, they can be dangerously disabling on a multi-day, backcountry trek. Some travelers swear by their pricey travel underwear, made from hi-tech, quick-drying fabrics like nylon blends and merino wool. Other travelers, not so much. 

Rick Steves' tour guide Cameron Hewitt tried them and is not a big fan. "I kept reading about amazing travel underwear that were super-lightweight, super-comfortable, super-breathable, and super-easy to wash in the sink," wrote Hewitt on travel influencer Rick Steves' blog. "I bought a few pairs from different companies to test-drive them. And after a couple of these test trips, I just went back to my reliable old Hanes cotton boxers — which, it turns out, were plenty comfortable, lightweight, and breathable to begin with. You can spend a lot of money on high-tech globetrotting undies. But I wouldn't."

Hewitt is right about one thing: These undies cost considerably more than their tried-and-true cotton counterparts. In 2026, at the time of writing, top U.S. retailer of traditional cotton underwear, Hanes, listed a 4-pack of men's cotton-blend boxer briefs for $25 (a smidge more than $6 per pair), while a single pair of boxer briefs from top travel underwear retailer ExOfficio cost $32.50. Similarly, a 5-pack of Hanes women's cotton briefs costs around $17 (roughly $3.40 per pair), while ExOfficio women's cotton briefs cost $22 apiece. In both cases, the travel underwear was more than 5 times as expensive as the cotton briefs. Ouch! Though Costco is known for its budget-friendly travel and camping gear, as far we we know, they haven't broken into the travel underwear market yet. We'll let you know if that changes!

We agree with Cameron Hewitt that, in many contexts, travel underwear is probably not worth the extra cost. For example, your favorite cotton briefs should suffice in cooler climates or on relaxed excursions, like slow wanders through one of the world's most beautiful museums. But in our opinion, some situations do call for the extravagant unmentionables. 

Ever trekked through a jungle on a sweltering day wearing cotton boxers? If so, you may be familiar with the phenomenon of wet material bunched up between your thighs, causing chafing and irritation. If they were cotton bikinis you were wearing, you may have felt the slow slide up your wet backside into the unfortunate wedgie position — again and again. Enter travel undies, whose special fabrics and mesh weaves can help prevent such scenarios by wicking moisture away from the skin and drying relatively quickly — making them less likely to bunch or ride. Some travel undies are also designed to be antimicrobial and odor-resistant, yet another reason they're preferred on hot, active days.

Lastly, hi-tech undies may be worth the investment simply because they tend to hold their shapes better over time compared to less expensive cotton ones. This means you may not have to replace them as often and may save money in the long run. If you're still in a quandary about what should be on your packing list, Rick Steves' son says to leave these common clothing items at home on your next trip to Europe.