What to wear under compression shorts and pants
Compression pants have been making their way from popular workout gear into everyday wear. This brings up the debate, do you wear underwear under compression pants?
Let’s talk about compression benefits and what to wear under compression pants.
Compression clothing is not only comfortable to exercise in but it’s also made for athletic performance.
There are many benefits of compression wear, including that it increases blood flow and oxygen delivery to the tissues to slow muscle fatigue and improve recovery time. Many people wear compression shorts simply for the excellent support it provides.
Runners, soccer players, and those who regularly do athletic activities tend to love compression gear because it’s easy to move in, helps control body temperature, improves endurance performance, and has been said to aid muscles in faster recovery.
Women’s compression shorts have also been known to reduce skin irritations in the groin region during those intense workouts. Some people also use compression garments to help prevent or improve the condition of blood clots.
Do you wear underwear with compression pants?
The most effective way to wear a pair of compression shorts or pants is with no underwear. That’s right, skip the underwear!
Compression clothing is meant to be either a base layer or your only layer. If an extra layer is needed, it is best worn over top of your compression pants or shorts.
Of course, there are many different brands that make compression clothing and some will be better quality than others. A common problem is that every pair of shorts or pants labeled compression may not actually be good compression material.
If you aren’t using a high-grade fabric or you don’t have the right fit, that’s when you may feel like you need to add a layer under your pants or shorts.
The right quality women’s compression shorts or pants will make you feel comfortable with nothing underneath. Even if the thought makes you uncomfortable, you might be surprised by just how much more comfortable your workouts will be without underwear to worry about.
Why you shouldn’t wear underwear under compression pants or shorts
If you want to have all of the benefits of compression pants, it is a good choice to skip underwear.
Compression apparel from quality athletic brands will be a comfortable material that doesn’t irritate the sensitive area that it touches. Quality compression material will be a tight fit that holds you in all the right places like your underwear would.
The best compression shorts and pants are made from a blend of synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon with moisture-wicking properties.
If you add regular underwear between your skin and your compression pants, you may be missing out on the main benefits of compression gear and might as well just be wearing regular shorts.
Different types of compression pants and shorts
There are two different kinds of compression pants (or material in general). Both offer great support but perform two different jobs. The two can easily be confused, so when you’re shopping be sure to look for the key differences mentioned below.
Base layer compression pants
These pants are meant to be worn as compression underwear, under other athletic clothing. Picture the compression pants you’ve seen some people wear underneath regular running shorts.
They have the same performance benefits but are not meant to be worn uncovered because the fabric can sometimes be see-through when bending or squatting.
These are great if you want the benefits of compression shorts or pants but don’t like walking around in skin-tight clothing. They are typically meant for cold weather wear.
You can easily throw some loose-fitting running shorts or sweats over top of them and go.
Under Armour Women’s Base Leggings
These base compression pants are great for layering and the wide elastic material waistband will help keep them in place under other clothing. These have 4-way stretch compression so they are easy to move in, which is even more important when wearing multiple layers.
Reebok Women’s Performance Leggings – Athletic Base Layer Yoga Pants
These compression thermal underwear pants are the perfect base layer for cold-weather exercise. Physical activity with layers can get uncomfortable without the right base or foundation.
These leggings are great for long runs or even just daily wear for outside work in the winter.
Under Armour Women’s Tac ColdGear Infrared Base Leggings
ColdGear and compression combined are the best way to start your layering for workouts in the winter. The increased blood circulation from the compression will help keep you warm.
Outerwear compression pants
These are compression pants that can be worn alone, with nothing underneath or on top of them. Compression pants are extremely popular among men and women, but women tend to wear them as outerwear much more often.
The fabric of good quality outerwear compression pants should be thick and tightly woven so there are no see-through issues when bending.
Thermajane Athletic Workout Compression Leggings
These leggings are thick enough to not be see-through when bending over. That’s one of the marks of a good pair of outerwear compression pants and the number one thing you want to remember when shopping for them.
RUNNING GIRL 5 inches High Waist Compression Leggings
Compression isn’t just good for athletic training. It’s also great for making you look and feel good in your leggings. These high-waisted compression leggings will keep you tucked in in all the right places.
CW-X Women’s Endurance Generator Joint and Muscle Support Compression Tight
These compression tights have different features like joint compression. This is a performance benefit for an exercise like running or squatting. The extra compression is an excellent choice for strength training on those heavy leg days.
Types of underwear you can wear under compression pants
If you aren’t sold on the idea of not wearing underwear under your compression pants, you do have options that will still be comfortable.
Some of the biggest reasons for wearing compression pants are comfort and function, so be sure you have both for the best experience.
Athletic underwear
Athletic underwear is really all about the fabric. A synthetic fabric will function much better than cotton when it comes to underwear for workouts.
Another thing to consider is visibility. Look for seamless or no-show, synthetic fabric underwear for best results.
Reebok Women’s Underwear – Seamless Hipster Briefs
This seamless underwear wraps under your butt for a more hidden underwear line. Many people are more comfortable in briefs and prefer underwear like these, even under leggings.
VOENXE Seamless Thongs for Women No Show
While some women prefer a brief, others are more comfortable in a thong. Briefs can sometimes ride up with movement so a thong can be a good alternative for exercise. When it comes to comfort, it varies based on your personal preference.
Reebok Women’s Underwear – Seamless Boyshort Panties
Boyshorts are much better about not riding up with movement, although they can roll up at the ends in some circumstances.
Reebok Women’s Underwear – Long Leg Seamless Slip Short
These long-leg slip shorts are just a longer version of the boy shorts. They give more of a boxer briefs kind of look and will stay in place better because of their length.
Wearing Compression Pants and Shorts Your Way
The most important takeaways here are that compression pants and shorts can replace your underwear when you work out, with some considerations.
- Make sure you choose high-quality compression material if you’re wearing your compression pants as an outer layer. This prevents having issues with coverage when you bend or squat. It’s a good idea to try them on in the store and do a squat test in the mirror to make sure you can’t see through them.
- If you do decide to wear underwear, be sure to choose a non-cotton fabric. Synthetic blends are best for wicking moisture and make for much more comfortable results during exercise.
- There is no right way or wrong way to wear your compression garments. If you are not comfortable when you’re working out, you’ll likely exercise less. The best way to wear compression pants is whatever is most comfortable for you.
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