Why Is Going Commando a Bad Idea?
If you aren’t familiar with the term going “commando”, it might sound pretty awesome. Unfortunately, it isn’t slang for going beast mode.
You’ll hear some guys say they’ve been going commando their whole lives, but it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.
Below, we’ll dive into the specifics of what going “commando” means, if there are any benefits, and why you should avoid it. Sure, we sell underwear, but that’s not why we give going commando a big thumbs down.
What Does “Going Commando” Mean?
Going commando or “freeballing” means you’re not wearing any underwear. Going through a day without underwear isn’t a new idea. It’s been going on forever, and the term “commando” was coined all the way back in the Vietnam War.
Soldiers were fighting in hot jungle environments where they couldn’t shower for extended periods of time. Some chose to ditch their undies altogether to allow for more movement and avoid the breeding ground of germs that comes from not changing your underpants — plus the intense heat probably wasn’t doing any favors.
Thus, the phrase “going commando” was born. In fact, it’s still being practiced today by soldiers stationed in hot climates.
But you don’t have to be in combat to go commando. Some people just like to live and swing free, and others recognize there are a few benefits.
Going commando while you’re sleeping or lounging at home can be fine, if that’s what you’re into. Not wearing underwear during activities such as work, school, exercise and more is a different story.
Why Do People Go Commando?
For people with sensitive skin, most underwear and seams can be itchy and lead to irritation or rashes, so they prefer to go commando and ditch underwear entirely so that nothing rubs against their skin.
Some guys go commando because having no underwear on gives them more airflow down there. If there’s nothing there, there’s plenty of air to go around. Airflow is the key to either a great day or an uncomfortable one. For those who can’t find the right pair of underwear with good airflow, simply not wearing any is their way to go.
Finally, some guys don’t like feeling constricted with underwear that bunches and doesn’t move with them.
But if you read between the lines of the complaints above, you can see that guys who go commando are basically they simply haven’t found the right pair of underwear yet. And most importantly, those guys most likely haven’t been made aware of that fact that in the case of going commando, the bad greatly outweighs the good.
Why Shouldn’t I Go Commando?
Tight Clothes Can Irritate Your Goods
Wearing most pants without underwear is a recipe for disaster - bad rashes, chafing and extremely uncomfortable itching - since most pants are made with a thicker, rougher fabric than underwear. This rough fabric rubs directly on your “goods” all day and every time you move or take a step. With a pair of pants such as jeans and khakis, which have even rougher fabrics, these side effects can be brutal, almost like rubbing your twig and giggle berries on sandpaper.
Most underwear on the other hand is made with a much softer and thinner fabric than pants, so they act as a soft buffer or layer between your family jewels and your pants. The pants rub the fabric on a pair of underwear, and since most underwear is a bit more form-fitting, the underwear fabric stays in place on your skin instead of rubbing, so you’re manhood is protected and free from chafing.
And it’s not just rough pants fabric that we have to deal with — rough materials like metal zippers can be irritating, or worse, can be sharp and cut your main vein. And every time you go to the bathroom while going commando and wearing pants with zippers is an opportunity to get your testicles caught in the zipper, There’s Something About Mary-style. You’ll have to pay very close attention every time you go to the bathroom and zip up, otherwise, you’ll end up like Ben Stiller before prom.
For the majority of guys, no underwear, not even the roughest ones with the cheapest fabrics, will to lead to chafing, itching, rashes, yeast infections, and extreme skin irritation in the same way that going commando will.
You’ll Get Sweat Stains and Spots
We can't speak for everyone, but we’re going to take a wild guess and say nobody reading this likes to smell bad. We shower, brush our teeth, wear deodorant and cologne, chew gum and more to avoid bad odors.
But what area on our bodies is most likely to give off a bad scent? You guessed it, your groin.
Underwear is meant to remove sweat and moisture from your skin throughout the day to keep you feeling dry. Without underwear, there’s nothing to soak up the sweat that Peter and the boys produces, so when the sweat is left untouched, well, we’re sure you’re familiar with what happens next…
Besides the smell, sweat also creates unflattering stains and spots on your pants. Depending on your pant color and material, this can ruin your pants entirely and be an embarrassing look. We know sweat is just our bodies naturally working, but it’s still a little gross to have a wet stain on your butt in public (or private).
Additionally, unabsorbed warm moisture is the main cause of genital infection, which leads to itchiness, irritation, and more.
And worst of all, with nothing down there to absorb or wick sweat, the sweat drips or slides down your thighs, past your knees, and all the way to your feet to get absorbed into your socks. Yuck.
Support
Besides protecting your jewels from rough fabric and removing moisture from your skin, underwear has one main function: to support your twig and giggle berries and keep them from swinging wildly.
If you’ve ever jogged (or even gone on a brisk walk) without underwear, you know nothing is there to stop your gents’ from swinging free and hitting your thighs on every step, all day every day.
This can be extremely painful, and the pain can be instant, like when you go for a run and the beans swing and hit your thighs particularly hard, or the pain and build up slowly throughout the day when your nuggets repeatedly swing and collide with your thighs with every step you take. Repeated hits to your testicles can potentally lead to long term damage (would you kit your hed likely all day?) and will likely leave you down for the count at the end of the day.
Underwear keeps your boys in place and free from too much movement, so they are supported, protected and feel secure and unbattered.
You’ll Need to Wash Your Pants More Often
If you’re not wearing underwear, you’ll need to wash your pants after every wear. Especially if you’re going commando at the gym or during intense physical activity. Every drop of sweat contains millions of odor-causing bacteria, so every drop of sweat that lands directly on your workout clothes will lead to stink pretty quickly. If you keep wearing those sweat-soaked bad boys, even if they’ve dried up, you could get a fungal infection, like jock itch, pretty quickly —- believe us, that’s no fun.
It’s only going to get worse the less you wash them and the more you wear them. “That’s nasty.” - Cleveland Brown
Plus, frequent washing wears your pants down quicker because the washer and dryer cause a lot of wear and tear from rubbing with other clothes and the high heat. The faster your pants wear out or fall apart, the more money you’ll be wasting on replacement pants.
You Can’t Try on New Clothes
Neverwear pants that aren’t yours if you’re going commando. Trying pants on at the store or borrowing a pair from a friend should be avoided at all times since you don’t know if someone before you was going commando and tried on that pair.
It’s gross for you knowing that their bacteria absorbed into the pants and then you put those pants on directly onto your “goods”, and it’s especially gross for the next person that needs to wear them. You don’t want their bacteria, and they don’t want yours.
What Should I Look for in Quality Underwear?
As mentioned at the beginning, if you read between the lines of the reasons why guys go commando, you can see that they simply haven’t found the right pair of underwear yet. So what makes the best underwear for men that addresses the chafing, rashes, irritation, ball sweat dripping to your ankles, airflow, bunching and constriction? We recommend looking for underwear that has intelligent designs that solve those problems. Here are the best features to look for.
Supportive Construction and a Ball Pouch
You may have heard the terms hammock pouch, ball pouch or ball pocket - we prefer the name Paradise Pocket - but they all refer to one thing: an internal pocket/home for the “boys” that separates them from your thighs and offers additional support so they don’t end up swinging in every possible direction or colliding with your thighs.
From lounging to exercising, the gentle caress of this pocket ensures that everything stays exactly where it’s supposed to be — no stickage or unwanted skin-on-skin contact with your thighs. Leave awkward re-adjustments and mid-convo sumo squats in the past.
Grip Thighs
These elastic bands around your thighs keep your leg seams exactly where they’re supposed to be — no awkwardly pulling your underwear down through your pants, no riding up, and no fuss.
Mesh Breathe Zones
Our underwear also features Mesh Breathe Zones. These micro vents are strategically placed throughout your underwear to allow air to flow to your sweatiest parts (between your legs and on your lower back), cooling you down, reducing sweat and leaving you feeling fresh with uncompromising ventilation.
Take that, swamp ass.
Performance Microfiber
Our underwear is made with our Re:Luxe Performance Microfiber that is 90% recycled polyester and 10% spandex.
The recycled polyester makes sure your skin is only touching the softest fabric on the market (we’re talking cuddling-with-pandas soft), meaning there’s nothing to rub against that will cause irritation.
The spandex allows the underwear to shift and turn wherever you go with 360°stretch — so no more wedgies or ride-ups, and no more bunching or constriction.
Did we mention it’s sweat-wicking, quick-drying, breathable, and anti-odor for all-activity and all-weather comfort?
It handles sweat, moves with you, is soft against your skin - it’s the best fabric in the world, period. And when combined with the fact that our underwear has a seamless back and sides, there is zero chance you will having chafing or rubbing.
Eco-Friendly Fabrics
Our eco-friendly Re:Luxe Performance Microfiber is made with recycled polyester that is made with recycled plastic bottles (two, to be exact) so it diverts waste from oceans, landfills and incinerators — because dependency on fossil fuels isn’t really our vibe.
Conclusion
At All Citizens, our mission is to democratize comfort (and make sure you have the most comfortable underwear so you never have to think about going commando) - premium products for fewer dollars with sustainability and charity at our core. Every pair of All Citizens underwear is built for any activity, any day, in any climate.
If you come away with one point from this article, it’s this: wear underwear! They provide a layer of protection between your crown jewels and the dangerous elements of pants — i.e. your zipper! All Citizens underwear provides space for your gunk to rest (the Paradise pocket) where they are safe from collisions with or sticking to your thighs. They also come in a variety of colors, fits and styles for perfectly tailored comfort.
There are so many more features that make All Citizens the best underwear for men (no-roll waistband, quick-access horizontal fly, free-motion gussets, … we can do this all day), so you can take this opportunity to upgrade your old funky, tattered undergarments and grab a pair of more breathable, comfortable underwear that’ll hold all of you in place.
Don’t take on your day without the best sidekick. It’s time to ditch the commando method and start wearing comfortable underwear that keeps you feeling cool and looking great.
Sources:
Do Military Commandos Really 'Go Commando?' | Forces
Benefits and Precautions of Not Wearing Underwear | Healthline
