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One Nova Travel Underwear
Cost: $29 (Regularly $38)
Style: Boxer Brief
Weight: 3.5 oz (100 g)
Material: Merino wool, Modal blend
Shop: Back One Nova Travel Underwear on Kickstarter
What if you could travel the world indefinitely with a small backpack with let’s say, 3 pairs of underwear? Bringing less stuff lets you enjoy your travels more and saves you money. No checked bags, no extra luggage fees, you can navigate train stations and public transportation with ease. What if you could do this while also being comfortable and not smelling like a sweaty traveler? That’s the idea, right?
That’s also the idea behind the 1st international release of One Nova Travel Underwear. A great new company founded by two Japanese business students, Taiga and Lilian landed on Forbe’s 30 under 30 list in 2019. These undies are supposed to keep you clean and odor-free for up to 72 hours without washing. That’s 3 days without laundry! This would be amazing if it was true, so how do they hold up to actual use?
24 Hour Test
I tested the One Nova Travel Underwear during a road trip around the central California coast. Lots of walking, hiking on the beach, nature trails, winery tours. My first impression after wearing the light blue pair for a full 24 hours? I can barely tell the difference between these and the ones I didn’t wear. They no longer have that fresh of the dryer smell, but they certainly don’t stink.
Materials and Comfort
Travel aficionados avoid cotton if possible. It’s comfortable, but it absorbs moisture and odor and is very slow drying. In my experience, the best fabric for travel clothes is either merino wool, synthetic, or a blend of the two. Most companies that offer merino wool travel underwear use a combination of Merino Wool and either Nylon or Polyester (eg Smartwool or Wool & Prince). But instead of synehetic fabrics, One Nova Travel Underwear blends merino wool with modal fabric.
Merino wool is naturally antimicrobial and is hands-down the best fabric for odor control. However the fabric tends to lose its shape over time, and will wear faster than synthetic options. Synthetic fabrics are a great for travel clothes. They’re soft, dry quickly, and are comfortable and stretchy, but they don’t have great odor control properties.
One Nova blends the odor control properties of Merino Wool, with the softness and durability of Modal Fabric made from Beechwood pulp. I found this to be a very comfortable combination. The underwear is lightweight and comfortable to wear, and they don’t chafe or ride up my legs when I walk. My favorite thing I noticed immediately was the front of the waist doesn’t roll over like most pairs do for me. The elastic waist is sturdy, and the leather front tag gives it an extra firmness that holds it in place.
Drying Time
The One Nova Travel Underwear is easy to hand-wash in a sink using warm water and a little laundry wash. You can just rub them together if you have a sink stopper or use a thick plastic bag or ziplock to keep the soapy water from draining. To hand dry merino wool, roll your clothes tightly in a towel and step on them. Twisting or wringing merino wool will cause it to stretch and lose its shape quickly.
The Modal fabric absorbs moisture more readily than synthetic fabrics. This will increase your dry time considerably when compared to 100% polyester or nylon travel underwear. The Merino/Modal fabric blend is thinner and much more breathable than cotton underwear, so it will dry much faster. But when compared to thin synthetic underwear (ie Uniqulo Airism 89% polyester boxers) they will dry much more slowly.
72 Hour Test
My method of testing was to wear each pair for one day, then switch. Allowing them to air out between uses. After a week I had worn two pairs for a full 72 hours each. So what’s the verdict, can you wear underwear for 3 days without odor? I have to say that after a full 72 hours of testing, the One Nova boxers have officially passed the test. They don’t smell like flowers and dryer sheets, but there is virtually no distinguishable body odor.
I really like the idea that I can wear my clothes for many days at a time without them starting to stink. It means I can pack less, and makes my travel life easier. So now the real question now isn’t can you wear them for 3 days in a row, but should you? I’m not so sure. I’m going to continue wearing the One Nova boxers, but it’s probably safer to just wash them after each use, even if you don’t need to.
Summary
As of this writing, I’ve been testing the One Nova Travel Underwear boxer briefs for a few weeks now, and they have lived up to the hype so far. They’re soft and comfortable, with a cozy form fitting front pocket. The front leather tag is classy and removes the tag itch found in some other brands. The blend of merino wool offers great odor control, while the modal makes them much softer and stronger than other merino wool undies I’ve tested.
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