What to Wear Under Men's Leggings

Short answer: wear whatever keeps you comfortable and free of visible lines. Long answer: it depends on the leggings, the setting, and what your body likes. Here is the honest breakdown, no squeamishness.

The three options, ranked by situation

There are only three real choices for what to wear under men's leggings. Boxer-briefs, compression shorts, or nothing at all. Each one wins in a different setting. Pick based on where you are going, not on a rule you read once.

• Boxer-briefs: the default. Snug, supportive, no ride-up if you buy the right cut.
• Compression shorts: best for the gym and hard training. They lock everything in place and add a base layer.
• Commando: zero lines, maximum stretch feel. Works only if your leggings are genuinely squat-proof.

Boxer-briefs: the safe default

If you are new to leggings, start here. Boxer-briefs give support without the bulk of loose boxers, and they stay put through movement. The trap is the leg opening. A boxer-brief with a thick elastic band at the thigh creates a ridge, and that ridge shows through a fitted legging as a visible panty line (VPL).

Buy seamless or laser-cut boxer-briefs. The leg should end in a flat, bonded edge, not a chunky band. Match the colour to the base of your leggings so nothing peeks through. Black under black is foolproof. This is the setup for street wear, running errands, layering under shorts, or wearing your leggings under jeans in cold weather.

Compression shorts: built for the gym

For heavy lifting, sprinting, or anything where you squat deep, compression shorts are the move. They sit tight against the skin, add a second layer of coverage, and hold everything in one place so you are not adjusting mid-set. The bonus: a compression short under a fitted legging removes almost all VPL because the short itself is seamless and smooth.

This is the two-layer setup a lot of guys land on for training. Compression short as the base, meggings on top for the print and the four-way stretch. If you run hot, look for a moisture-wicking compression short so you are not trapping sweat between layers.

Commando: only if the leggings can back it up

Going commando kills VPL completely because there is no underwear to line up. It also feels the most free. But it lives and dies on one thing: opacity. If the fabric goes see-through when you bend, commando is a mistake in public.

This is where the leggings themselves matter more than the underwear. Our meggings are squat-proof with genuine four-way stretch, hand-cut and sewn in the USA and printed to order, so the fabric holds its opacity through a full range of motion. That is what makes commando an option instead of a gamble. If you are on a busy print like a galaxy meggings or camo meggings, the pattern hides even more, which is why bold all-over prints are the easiest place to go commando with confidence.

Killing VPL and bunching

Two problems ruin the look of leggings, and both are fixable.

1. Visible panty line: caused by thick seams and elastic bands. Fix it with seamless underwear, a compression short, or commando. Colour-match to the leggings.
2. Bunching: caused by loose fabric or the wrong size. Loose boxers twist and gather under a fitted legging. So do leggings that are too big. The fix is fit, not fabric.

Fit is the real lever here. Leggings that run too small ride down and pull. Too big and they bag at the knee and crotch. This is why we put a full size chart on every product page and build a meggings-specific fit that runs true, in sizes from adult through plus-size up to 6XL. Check the chart before you order and the bunching problem mostly solves itself.

What to wear for each setting

Setting	Best under-layer	Why
Gym / lifting	Compression shorts	Support, coverage, no adjusting mid-set
Street / everyday	Seamless boxer-briefs	Comfortable, no VPL, easy colour match
Festival / all-day	Commando or compression	Max comfort on squat-proof fabric; bold prints hide everything

Why the leggings decide the answer

Every underwear question comes back to one thing: can the leggings hold their opacity and shape? Thin, mass-produced leggings force you into a compression short just to stay decent. Ours do not. With 3,900+ prints, the biggest library in the category, and every pair hand-cut, sewn, and printed to order in the USA with no mass production, you get squat-proof fabric that gives you the full range of options instead of forcing one on you.

That is the difference nine years and 96,000+ customers builds. Ready to pick a pair? Shop men's leggings at $88.99 with free worldwide shipping, or browse the galaxy collection and plus-size range to find your print.

Quick FAQ

What should I wear under men's leggings?

Wear seamless boxer-briefs for everyday and street, compression shorts for the gym, or go commando if the leggings are squat-proof. The goal is no visible lines and no bunching, so choose seamless or snug over loose boxers.

Can you go commando in men's leggings?

Yes, if the leggings are genuinely squat-proof and stay opaque when you bend. Commando removes all visible panty lines and feels the most free. On thin fabric it risks going see-through, so it only works with quality four-way-stretch leggings, ideally in a bold all-over print.

How do I avoid VPL (visible panty line) with leggings?

Use seamless or laser-cut underwear with no thick elastic leg band, or wear a compression short as the base layer. Match the underwear colour to the base colour of your leggings. Black under black hides the most.

Are boxer-briefs or compression shorts better under leggings?

Boxer-briefs are better for everyday comfort and street wear. Compression shorts are better for the gym because they add support, hold everything in place, and remove VPL under fitted leggings. Many guys use compression shorts for training and boxer-briefs the rest of the time.

Will men's leggings be see-through?

Not if they are squat-proof. GearBunch meggings use four-way stretch fabric that holds opacity through a full range of motion, so they stay opaque when you squat or bend. Check the size chart on the product page to get the right fit, since leggings that are too small stretch thin.