SWAV Tech — Performance Boxer Brief Review
Features:
- Product Link: Here
- Material(s): 92% Siro Modal / 8% Spandex
- Style: Performance — Boxer Brief
- Price: MSRP $47.00 1-pair
- Approximate Steps To Chafe: ASTC 20,000+
A friend of mine suggested these. Essentially, because they sounded cool to him. They had words like “phase change material” in the description. It made it all sound pretty awesome. I really don’t blame him. I thought that they sounded interesting enough that it was worth it to take a shot, and buy them.
The devil is in the details
When you first glance at the site. You think that it’s really well designed. Please by all means click on the link, and take a look.
One of the first discrepancies that I noticed is that their embed link (the thing right above this line) is a little off with the picture. It’s not a huge problem, maybe an admin just didn’t set the right things. Then you start noticing more…
Like take the tabs for instance.
No picture is set for the tab. Again not a huge issue, but it is another attention to detail that seems to be missed.
Then you have at the bottom of the page. Where four of the links on the right hand side don’t take you to any additional content. They just take you back to the homepage.
Once again, not a huge issue. The problem is, little things add up after awhile. Like not being able to find the return information. In the link list displayed above, it again, just takes you back to the home page. They also have “Contact us” listed twice. Once with an uppercase, and then again with a lower case. This just seems like it is lacking website design.
Also these things have asain sizing on them, but they say they are crafted in the US.
I haven’t worn another pair of american made underwear where I am a XXXL. It makes me seem much fatter than I really am. The site is littered with inconsistencies like this. That shows that attention to detail isn’t a top priority. Or, maybe even, “a” priority.
This continues down to the pair of the boxer briefs I ordered. It says it’s a, “(Tri-blend) Fabrication” on the site. However when you actually look at the tag their are only two materials.
I then did some more searching, and found out that these were built with a Kickstarter campaign. Which can be seen below.
Which this does explain some things. As a startup, I get that you might not have everything streamlined. However, come on! Your links on the bottom of your page should go somewhere!
30 day unlimited warranties are useless
SWAV is the best example of why the 30-day “unlimited” return policy is bullshit. It took me actually going to the paypal order screen to find the policy.
I bought these things on the 15th of July. From their website. They didn’t arrive till the 21st. So, there goes 7 days. I then wore them a couple days after I received them. That puts me at 9. I wasn’t happy with the performance of them the day that I wore them. However, I decided to give them a second chance. So, they got put in with the normal underwear cycle, and I got back to them in two weeks. That then puts me at day 24. Once again, wasn’t totally thrilled with them. I was planning on sending them back after this. So, I threw them in the hamper to get washed. Which put me at day 32. When I went to go check the return policy. The return policy states that the underwear could only be worn once.
Also worded specifically in the fine print. It says just for your first purchase. So, if you liked your first purchase, came back, and ordered another pair. They would be within their policy to refuse that return even if you followed all the 30 day rules. Along with the 30 days from purchase date. So, even though they were in process for 6 days after purchase. I wouldn’t have made their timeframe.
I also think that the rule about a one time wear is horrible. I can’t make a decision on whether something is good or not with just one wear. These broke down after two wears.
If you were wondering. Yes, these things were washed on cold, and yes they were on the dedicates cycle in the dryer. I paid $47.00 for these underwear, and I can’t even return them just for giving them a second chance.
Maybe that should be part of their tagline.
SWAV — The company that doesn’t allow second chances.
I did contact SWAV to see if they would be able to let me at least exchange the performance boxer briefs with possibly the luxury boxer briefs, and haven’t heard anything back from them. In comparison, if you send Mack Weldon a tweet they will usually reply within a couple hours.
Not receiving any reply from SWAV does make me wonder. Even if you were following every rule to a “T”. Would they even respond to you if you contacted them for a refund?
Wear and comfort
When I put these on the first thing I noticed is how loud they were. These are the loudest underwear to date. You can check out the sound here.
The second thing I noticed was that these things get warm really fast. After they get warm they are staying at that temp. Maybe, when SWAV meant that they were phase change underwear. They are referring to the fact that the underwear will just get hot, and stay hot the entire time you’re wearing them.
I will say that it was at least consistently hot. After it reached its uncomfortable temperature it just stayed at that temperature. It didn’t continue to go up.
On the actual comfort front. The top of my thighs became pretty itchy a couple hundred steps after putting these on. No, chafe, but a bunch of itch.
On the chafe control front. With an ASTC of 20,000+ they do hold up to chafe extremely well. Of the three times I have worn these. I have hit over 10,000 every time, and I haven’t run into chafe once. Of all the promises that SWAV underwear makes. This is the one that they deliver on in spades.
Moisture and odor
They do wick away moisture quite well. They have the same “pee-pants” effect as all the other good performance boxer briefs.
Odor control is a little hit and miss. While sitting in my office chair adding notes to this post. I could notice a distinct ball-sack smell. However, when I took these off they did hold most of the odor. I had to be pretty close to them to smell the odor. So, while sitting. They have a smell. While they are off, they hold it in.
Personally this is still a loss for me. If you can’t sit in your office, and work it doesn’t matter whether they are holding in the funk.
Verdict
I wouldn’t advise anyone to buy these out of principle. Their waistband quality is extremely lacking. The vast majority of other options. That are in many cases 50% the cost of these, do a better job.
I consider these my biggest underwear regret. These were $47.00 for a single pair. For that price you can get all sorts of better combinations of other brands. You can pick up six pairs of David Archy’s when they are on sale on Amazon. Or, two pairs of Mypakage from Walmart. Or, you could buy 21 tidy whities, and still have change left over.
I could see these being a great $20 option. Sadly, they aren’t that much, and I don’t think they will ever achieve that.
For how much these cost there is no excuse for bad web design, or customer service.
Why are they great?
- These things are awesome at chafe control.
Who would want to stay clear?
- Anyone who likes having money.
- Anyone who likes using companies with good customer service.
- Anyone who has issues with feeling ripped off.