Although my official day job title reads “Associate Commerce Editor,” it might as well read “Professional Underwear Tester.” Out of all the products I get to test and write about for Well+Good, bras and undies are undoubtedly the things that cross my desk most often, with skin care and bedsheets a close second and third. I’m not complaining—I have enough thongs and briefs to last me well past laundry day. What I’m saying is, I know a good pair of underpants when I see ’em.
So take my word for it when I say I’ve found the perfect, do-everything undies you can wear comfortably on literally any occasion. Be it under leggings, high-rise jeans, or skin-tight skirts, Bombas’ Active No Show Thongs ($18) have quickly become my all-time favorite undies for long-lasting comfort and barely-there feel. That’s right—the same brand behind the genius ultra grippy and arch-support socks. They’re so good that I’ve ordered them in bulk, something I rarely do considering the nature of my job and how many products I have to test.
Rather than waxing poetic about a pair of underwear, let me cut to the chase. I love these perfect panties because they’re supremely comfortable, they don’t move, and they’re completely invisible under even my tightest, least forgiving clothes.
They’re super comfortable
As an underwear aficionado, I’m usually partial to cotton undies. From breathability and pro-vaginal health, to how they hold up after washes, I prefer cotton underwear over silk, satin, and polyester for various reasons. Surprise! The Bombas Active No Shows are not cotton, but instead are made from a super soft blend of nylon and elastane. In hand, they’re featherlight, and on your bottom, they’re even lighter. Like, forget-you’re-even-wearing-them-in-the-first-place-light. The ultra-thin material fits like a second skin against your hips and buttocks and stays that comfortable throughout the day.
They’re also practically seamless (there is one seam in the actual thong portion of the panty) which means there’s no chafing or twisting in odd places. Each pair comes with a tearaway tag that rips effortlessly from the material without leaving any itchy perforation or sticky residue behind, too, eliminating tag-induced irritation. And while some of the other laser-cut briefs and thongs lose their shape in the wash or start to fall apart after too many wears, these look like new and feel just as good as the first time I put them on.
They don’t move
What sets this thong apart from the countless others in my dresser is the addition of a silicone hex that lines its inner edges. This velvety hex-shaped grip, its SensElast Technology, is the underwear-version of Bombas‘ signature hex used in its socks, only instead of arch support, it provides protection from unwanted twisting and bunching.
This means if you wear them running or for cross-training, or even just walking around your neighborhood, they don’t move. No, really—they don’t move. Not even under skin-tight leggings that ride up when you’re leaning over to pick up after your dog (which I’ve tested them doing) or under yoga pants that move around when you’re working up a sweat on the rowing machine (which I’ve also tested them doing.) These grips, which are similar to the ones found in bike shorts and skorts, are strategically placed throughout the waist and legs to keep them the undies flat and in place. And they really do work. The only times I’ve had to un-twist them is when I’ve gone to the bathroom and pulled up my pants over them in a weird way. Once back in their normal position, they stay put.
They’re completely invisible
I love testing underwear because I get to see what pairs are actually invisible versus what pairs are marketed as invisible. Trust me when I say the No Show Thongs are the former—tried-and-tested for visible panty lines (VPLs), bunching, and any other unflattering signs that you’re wearing them at all. They disappear all right—under leggings, jeans, clingy dresses, and bike shorts. Now, the Active No Show Hipsters ($20) do peak out a bit underneath super sheer leggings. I’m a thong gal and usually go for a cheekier option when I’m getting dressed anyway, but if you prefer briefs, you might want to pair these with a thicker bottom.
Welp, I guess I did wax poetic about these after all. Suffice to say, these Bombas undies are *really* good. Add on the facts that they get cheaper the more you buy (packs are discounted 15 percent), and that a pair of underwear gets donated to a homeless shelter with every purchase, and there’s no “butts” about it—they’re worth every penny. And that’s coming from me, a professional underwear tester shopping writer.
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