BackpackGearTest
  Guest - Not logged in 

Reviews > Clothing > Base Layers and Undies > Saxx Quest 2.0 and Loose Cannon > Test Report by Michael Pearl

SAXX QUEST 2.0 BOXER BRIEFS
TEST SERIES BY MIKE PEARL
LONG-TERM REPORT

INITIAL REPORT - May 31, 2018
FIELD REPORT - August 28, 2018
LONG TERM REPORT - October 30, 2018

TESTER INFORMATION

NAME: Mike Pearl
EMAIL: mikepearl36ATyahooDOTcom
AGE: 44
LOCATION: Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
GENDER: M
HEIGHT: 5' 9" (1.75 m)
WEIGHT: 155 lb (70.30 kg)

I have a great appreciation for the outdoors and get out at every opportunity. I am a three-season, learning to be a four-season backpacker and year-round hiker. Currently, my trips are two to three days long as well as an annual week-long trip. I utilize the abundant trail shelters in my locale and pack a backup tarp-tent. I like to cover big distances while still taking in the views. I have lightweight leanings but function and reliability are the priority. I mostly travel woodland mountain terrain but enjoy hiking beautiful trails anywhere.


INITIAL REPORT

PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS


Manufacturer: SAXX Underwear Co
Year of Manufacture: 2018 IMAGE 2 IMAGE 1
Manufacturer's Website: saxxunderwear.com
MSRP: US$31.95
Listed Weight: not listed
Measured Weight: 2.5 oz (72 g)

Sizes Available: XS - XXL
Size Tested: M

Colors Available: Brick Red, Dark Sage, Midnight Blue, Dark Charcoal, Black
Color Tested: Black

Materials: 77% nylon, 14% spandex and 9% polyester

Features: (the first three are SAXX trademarked)
BallPark Pouch - 3D hammock-shaped pouch designed to keep everything in place
Flat Out Seams - Reverse stitching places the flatter, softer side against the body providing itch free wear
Three-D Fit - Ergonomic nine panel construction creates 3D support around glutes, thighs, quads and
hamstrings
Moisture-Wicking - designed to allow moisture to dissipate away from the skin

Description from SAXX website:
Quest 2.0 is low-maintenance travel, trek and road trip wash-and-go-wearable underwear. These are boxer brief style with 5 in (12.7 cm) inseam, 1-3/8 in (3.5 cm) waistband, ultra-light, slim fit with a fly.
Each pair of SAXX is innovatively designed to give total support and completely free movement.

Comfort Guarantee: 100% satisfaction or your money back*
*See website for terms and conditions.

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

The Quest briefs arrived neatly folded in the box shown in the previous section. The box has product information on all sides. All this info I listed in the previous section of this report which I found on the company website. The only additional information I found on the box was that SAXX is based in Vancouver, BC Canada and that the briefs were made in China.

Taking the briefs out of the box first thing I notice is that they are soft and smooth. The outer surface of the waistband feels slick. The inner surface is mildly plush with a very soft feel. The SAXX company name appears on both front and back of the waistband. Holding the briefs up they appear to have a black with gray dotted pattern. On closer look when separating the fabric so the two layers do not overlap the material has a see-through look. The gray "dots" turn out to be the micro-mesh fabric. I'm liking this as it should be very breathable and great at dissipating heat.

Looking inside the briefs I notice the BallPark Pouch. This is made with two pieces of mesh fabric, one sewn to the left and one to the right in the front section of the briefs. This is definitely a first in any underwear I have seen. To be honest it looks kinda strange but the idea makes some sense. The Pouch can be seen in the photo above on the right.

The materials and construction of the Quest briefs appear to be of very good quality. I cannot find any defects, loose threads or stray stitches. I can't say I really have looked closely at any of my underwear before. Beyond selecting the appropriate material for the conditions, fit and comfort I don't give my underwear much thought. Seems the Quest underwear is about to change that.
IMAGE 3

READING THE INSTRUCTIONS

Care Instruction per company website.

- Machine wash cold
- Tumble dry low
- Iron low
- Only non-chlorinated bleach

TRYING IT OUT

Note to the reader, do not worry at no point in this report will I inflict the trauma of modeling the Quest briefs. Please visit the company website to view socially acceptable models in this underwear.

The Quest briefs fit close but not tight, which I never thought I would prefer. But two winters ago I switched from a boxer style underwear to a boxer brief or plain brief. After struggling with getting close fitting baselayer bottoms over boxers I tried a pair of briefs. This really changed my winter hiking and even moreso overnight winter backpacking in a big way. Now making lower layer changes is so much easier I can't believe I ever messed with boxers. So I experimented with briefs in the warmer months and found them cooler and more comfortable. The Quest have those same qualities, easy to put on under a pair of shorts or pants, no bunching or rising up in uncomfortable places.

This leads me to the noticeable but slightly so, BallPark Pouch. I wore the briefs around the house for half a day. I think instead of just holding everything close to the body like other briefs the Quest provide room with the shaped fabric in the front. Then the two side pieces of fabric inside provide support while also making a barrier from the inner thigh. This all works together to act almost like a sports cup.

The Quest are comfy with no bunching, itch or scratch of tags, threads or seams. Other than that I think I will need to gain some field experience before making any other calls on the Quest briefs.

SUMMARY

The SAXX Quest 2.0 boxer briefs are well made and comfortable underwear. I like the fit and the mesh fabric. I need some hiking miles to decide how the other features do or do not work for me. I will be doing just that as I have some overnight trips taking shape as I write this.


FIELD REPORT

FIELD LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS

Day Hikes

Mts. Blueberry and Black - Glencliff, New , USA
Distance and Elevation - 8 mi (13 km) from 1278 to 2800 ft (390 to 853 m)
Pack Weight - 15 lbs (7 kg)
Temperature and Conditions - 80 F (27 C) hot

Mt Cube - Lyme, New Hampshire
Distance and Elevation - 5 mi (8 km) from 1400 to 2909 ft (437 to 887 m)
Pack Weight - 15 lbs (7 kg)
Temperature and Conditions - 58 F (14 C) cloudy, cool and windy on summit

Mt Ascutney - Weathersfield, Vermont, USA
Distance and Elevation - 6 mi (9.6 km) from 1080 to 3128 ft (329 to 953 m)
Pack Weight - 15 lbs (7 kg)
Temperature and Conditions - 87 F (30.5 C) hazy and humid

Sculptured Rocks - Groton, New Hampshire
Distance and Elevation - 4 mi (6 km) from 790 to 1060 ft (240 to 323 m)
Pack Weight - 10 lbs (4.5 kg)
Temperature and Conditions - 85 F (29 C) sunny and clear

Mts. Flume and Liberty - Lincoln, New Hampshire
Distance and Elevation - 11 mi (18 km) from 1500 to 4450 ft (457 to 1356 m)
Pack Weight - 15 lb (7 kg)
Temperature and Conditions - 78 F (25.5 C) breezy and clear

Overnight Backpacks

Galehead Hut - Twin Mountain, New Hampshire - Two Days / One Night
Distance and Elevation - 16 mi (26 km) from 1500 to 4902 ft (457 to 1494 m)
Pack Weight - 25 lbs (11 kg)
Temperature and Conditions - 35 to 58 F (2 to 14 C) clear and sunny with strong winds on summits

Guyot Shelter - Mt Zealand and West Bond, New Hampshire - Two Days / One Night
Distance and Elevation - 14.5 mi (23 km) from 2000 to 4540 ft (609 to 1384 m)
Pack Weight - 25 lbs (11 kg)
Temperature and Conditions - 77 to 55 F (25 to 13 C) sunny and humid light breeze on summits

Monadnock - Sunapee Greenway, New Hampshire - Five Days / Four Nights
Distance and Elevation - 50 mi (80 km) from 1200 to 3165 ft (370 to 965 m)
Pack Weight - 38 lbs start / 28 lbs end (17 / 13 kg)
Temperature and Conditions - 78 to 50 f (25.5 to 10 C) sunny and pleasant except for one night into
morning of heavy rain

PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD

The SAXX Quest 2.0 Boxer Briefs have worked quite well for me during field testing. They have been comfortable in every way from waistband to seams to the hems around the legs. The fit is close and supportive while the BallPark Pouch is not overly confining. The Quest have not made me feel overheated or sweaty. They breathe and wick moisture nicely. I have not had a negative experience over all miles hiked in the Quest.

In the summer I enjoy hiking to waterfalls and swimming holes. I find dark boxer briefs a great substitute for a swimsuit while hiking. On several hikes I used the Quest for this purpose to cool off or just have fun with a dip in the water. The Quest work nice as they are discrete and concealing. However they do not dry as quickly as other boxer briefs I have worn. This can be both good or bad depending on the conditions. On cooler days or humid days it's not ideal. I either become chilled as water soaks through to my pants or I become moist and clammy as my body warms the damp briefs. Not a major problem and not the Quests intended use but a mild downside to what is usually a highlight to some of my hikes. I find the very flat and comfortable waistband extremely compatible with the hipbelt of my pack. It stays in place and does not add any bulk between my skin and the hipbelt. There is no irritation or pressure marks around the my waist from the Quest. This is a big plus after a long day with a full pack.

The Quest briefs remain in excellent condition after many miles, several swims and many washings. They are in like-new condition with no signs of wear or tear and so far, are odor free.
IMAGE 1 IMAGE 2
Hot day going up the falls and cooling off in the cold water of Zealand falls.

SUMMARY

The SAXX Quest 2.0 Boxer Briefs are nicely fitting and super comfy underwear. They provide ideal support and moisture-wicking for hiking and backpacking. Thus far I am very pleased with their performance during field use. A minor inconvenience is their dry time when wet. However, this is not the intended use and completely avoidable, but it is still so worth it!


LONG-TERM REPORT

LONG-TERM TEST LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS

Overnight Backpacks

Long Trail, Vermont - Six Days / Five Nights
Distance and Elevation - 93.5 mi (150.5 km) from 328 to 4395 ft (100 to 1132 m)
Pack Weight - 37 lb start / 24 lb end (17 / 11 kg)
Temperature and Conditions - 67 to 40 F (19 to 4 C) sunny and pleasant to cloudy and windy to drizzle and
heavy rain

IMAGE 1


PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD

This hike was the final leg of a three-year three section hike of the Vermont Long Trail. It was fitting to stand at the terminus boundary marking at the end of this quest in the Quest briefs. This hike had warm days where I broke a sweat but the real challenge was the moisture. Two back to back half days of rain left my clothes soggy for hours. The second storm lasted all night so the next morning everything was damp.

The Quest performed well, never causing any discomfort, chafe or irritation. While I cannot say going on damp in the chilly morning was pleasant, they seemed to warm up quickly after hiking briskly. I wore nylon hiking pants the whole week. By the end of the day the upper half of my pants and the briefs were dry. The Quest paired well with pants as I never had any bunching or sagging. They are form fitting and supportive which is a big plus when hiking all day. The only washing along the way were the two rain showers while hiking. However the Quest never had an offensive odor. The Quest were flawless the entire hike.

Upon returning home I washed and then inspected the Quest briefs. All fabric, threads and stitching remain intact and in like new condition. The waist band has maintained its elasticity and remains comfortable. I don't even think the color has faded. Other than feeling really soft and more pliable I do not notice much change. They did not even retain any remnants of a hiking odor. I bravely had my kids run a blind smell test on me to make sure. I could have charged admission the way they carried on!

SUMMARY

The Saxx Quest 2.0 Boxer Briefs saw consecutive days of use in a wide variety of conditions. All along the way they served me very well. The Quest are high quality, extremely comfortable and durable briefs. They have rightfully earned a place in my hiking clothing rotation.

This concludes my Long-Term Report. I would like to extend my appreciation to SAXX Underwear and BackpackGearTest.org for making this test possible.

This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1.5 Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.
Read more gear reviews by Michael Pearl

Reviews > Clothing > Base Layers and Undies > Saxx Quest 2.0 and Loose Cannon > Test Report by Michael Pearl



Product tested and reviewed in each Formal Test Report has been provided free of charge by the manufacturer to BackpackGearTest.org. Upon completion of the Test Series the writer is permitted to keep the product. Owner Reviews are based on product owned by the reviewer personally unless otherwise noted.



All material on this site is the exclusive property of BackpackGearTest.org.
BackpackGearTest software copyright David Anderson