Endura Engineered Padded Boxer II

Endura's Engineered Padded Boxer II brings padded luxury to a pair of knitted pants. Both on and off the bike they feel great, and while they can't quite match the all-round performance of old-school Lycra-and-padding when the going gets tough, they work well for less demanding rides.

Cycling pants, now there's a thing. Not content with fantastic cycling shorts and trousers, Scottish garment guru Endura has gone into the underwear business with these padded boxers. They come in a funky box, a bit like something David Beckham might have his face plastered all over, and are made from a soft, seamless, stretchy and knitted polyester-bamboo charcoal-nylon-elastane fabric. Best of all, they have a padded gusset to protect your delicate parts.

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It's hard not to be impressed by the Engineered Padded boxies. Their high-stretch construction feels suitable comfy and you can get away with wearing them under normal trousers or shorts without looking or feeling conspicuous. My test pair came in XL, which should fit me perfectly according to Endura's sizing chart, but because of their stretchiness they still felt quite generous. Construction is fantastic, especially with no seams to cause trouble, and it's fair to say that off the bike you can easily forget you're wearing padded boxies.

On the bike, Endura says its 300-Series mould stretch antibacterial pad is good for up to a couple of hours' riding. I'd say for some riders – especially newbies – two hours in the saddle might be pushing it a bit with these particular shorts, and they're more suited to comfortable commuting journeys of an hour or so. Thanks to the antibacterial nature of the pad, you wouldn't actually need to remove them in between times.

One slight quirk is the knit construction, which does feel supersoft next to skin but, as I mentioned, seems even stretchier than normal Lycra. That means you do need to hoik them up and get the boys happily settled in the barracks before hopping aboard the saddle. Funnily enough, my go-to padded option for wearing underneath normal clothing is the excellent detachable padded liner from a pair of Endura Hummvee Chino shorts, which is almost identical to these boxers. However, the material used in those has a slightly different construction and for some reason seems to feel just a fraction tighter and more secure in the saddle.

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The boxers' knit build also naturally helps breathability to some extent, although it can't quite cope with extended hard riding on a warm day. While the wicking and that antibacterial nature of the pad is welcome, you'll find areas like the waistband get a little damp with perspiration.

Value and conclusion

We've tested more cycling underwear options for women than men, but there are some comparable boys' boxies around. Rapha's Merino Boxers feel suitably luxurious and are only a fiver more than the Enduras despite being made of merino wonder-wool. Although we haven't tested them, Altura makes the Tempo undershorts with memory foam pad for £24.99. Or Madison has the Roam Men's liner shorts for £26.99 with gel chamois.

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Endura's Engineered Padded Boxers are a good option for enjoying comfortable time on the bike while wearing 'normal' outer clothes, especially if your ride aspirations aren't too taxing. While I wouldn't necessarily recommend them to either new or returning cyclists who want to knock out a two-hour-plus fast ride, there's certainly more than enough performance to enjoy leisurely spins or get you to work and back.

Verdict

Fine padded cycling underwear that add in-saddle ability to your civilian wardrobe without anyone knowing