Design 
Quality of Materials 
Value for Money 
Craftsmanship 
Customer Service My mom and I have a long-standing tradition.
Every year for the holidays, she buys me a boatload of socks and underwear. Over the course of the year, I destroy them until they’re nothing but rags come November and December.
Perfect—just in time for a restock.
I don’t know how to tell my mom that I won’t be needing the haul this year.
I restocked my drawer early with Pair of Thieves.
What’s my mom going to do?
She’s not going to get me another Margaritaville t-shirt like she did seven years ago, is she?
I mean, I’m turning 30, so maybe it’s time I start buying my own underwear and socks.
If you’re looking to boost your unmentionables, you’ve come to the right place. I tested Pair of Thieves’ bestsellers and verdict is in.
Keep reading to find out whether they pack as much comfort as they say.
What Is Pair of Thieves?
Back in 2014, three buddies founded the sock company Pair of Thieves. They’ve since expanded beyond socks to cover men and women’s underwear and t-shirts.
Their goal is simple. Create basics that are comfortable, affordable, and look modern and cool.
So where did the name come from? Well, it’s really an answer to one of life’s greatest questions says Cash Warren, one of the co-founders.
Who steals the sock that goes missing after doing your laundry?
A pair of thieves, of course.
While some might put Pair of Thieves in the athleisure category, they’ve chosen to make their own category. They call it “sneaky performance.” Their socks and underwear are built for young professionals and millennial dads who need something that can take a beating but look great. The performance aspect is all there, just hidden under a killer design.
Pair of Thieves sent a massive haul of underwear and socks—maybe to spite my mom, who has no idea what to get me for the holidays now.
Check out my thoughts below.
While we didn't find a ton of differences between Pair of Thieves and the brand's premium offering, Thieves Gold, one thing is crystal clear: Pair of Thieves knows how to make comfortable underwear and socks that put the fun in functional.
My Hands-On Review
Thieves Gold
Thieves Gold is a brand spinoff from Pair of Thieves, aimed specifically at dudes. If you take a look at the video above or their website, you’ll see they have a sense of humor.
Their founder was asked what Thieves Gold is, and his response was:
“An axiomatic revolution in basics and an assiduous revelation in comfort and style.” – Cash Warren
They don’t take themselves too seriously. After all, they’re underwear brokers. They can afford to have a little fun.
Mega Soft Trunks
Pair of Thieves found success shortly after their debut, shipping out to Target stores across the country during its first year in business. But since then, they’ve been pushing the boundaries of how soft and comfortable their products can be.
For instance, the team took the best parts of their Super Soft line and added a few new features (like a softer waistband) to create the Mega Soft.
Made with a blend of cotton and modal fabrics, these underwear are righteously soft. I have to admit that I wasn’t familiar with modal before diving into this review. It’s an eco-friendly textile known for its soft and stretchy nature. Many call it the “underwear fabric” because of its breathability, but it’s found in luxury bed sheets, too.
The trunk construction is comfortable and there are no issues with chafing or what the brand calls Swass—swamp-a$$. Granted, it’s late fall when swass isn’t much of an issue, so I’ll have to wait until next year to fully confirm or deny these claims.
The Mega Soft line is Pair of Thieves’ softest (and warmest).
I love the design I picked up—the suitably named ‘Pool Loop’. It’s the sort of look that Pair of Thieves does best. Serious comfort while having a bit of fun.
Tencel Boxer Briefs
I picked up two Thieves Gold Tencel boxer briefs to give its reported silky smoothness a try.
Tencel shrinks less, wrinkles less, and breathes more than cotton. Plus, in these undies, PoT has blended in Spandex so they’ve got a fair amount of stretch to them.
These are available in white and black—no loud colors or fancy designs here. I picked up their black and white Tencel shirts, too, and I must say that wearing matching underwear and t-shirts is a luxurious feeling like no other.
Cool Breeze Boxer Briefs
I’ve never tried on a pair of underwear like these. They’re a mesh made primarily with polyamide fabric—likely nylon—and Spandex. While polyamide textiles aren’t moisture-wicking, the Spandex is.
These run cool, meaning that they have a sort of chilling effect down below. I can see these being my top choice for summer, and I may even restock before the heat hits and get a drawer full of these.
If natural fabrics are important to you, look toward the Mega Soft line. If the complete avoidance of swass is more important, I can’t think of a better solution than the Cool Breeze.
Thieves Gold Socks
Thieves sent along three pairs of their Gold line socks—the thing that put them on the map in the first place.
- Les Linges d’Or Crew Sock in Navy
- Cushion Ankle Sock in Radar
- Crew with Gold Stripe
I love the look of the Navy Les Linges d’Or, but I wasn’t blown away by anything other than the style. The sock had a tough time staying up and I found myself adjusting it throughout the day.
The cushion socks were a totally different story. Both these pairs were some of the most comfortable socks I’ve tried. They’re flat knitted, which I can only describe like this: designed for your toes and heels, not for your ankle.
The design makes a difference and the extra cushion made these an excellent choice for the days I go walking through the city.
Thieves Gold Tencel Crew Neck Shirts
Matching shirts and underwear? I’d never tried it before, but I’m here to tell you now—go for it.
I’ve been enjoying the Tencel Boxer-Briefs and the Tencel Crew Neck combo.
My biggest gripe with Pair of Thieves is with the white Tencel Crew. It’s a bit transparent. I’ve put this shirt on a few times before going out, but I always take it off because it’s got what I call “nipple-factor.”
I love wearing the shirt around the house or as an undershirt, but the price is a bit much for this use. It’s really positioned as a luxury t-shirt, but because it’s largely see-through, I don’t think it lives up to luxury status.
With that said, the black t-shirt is a different story. It has all the same softness and beautiful texture but has none of the see-through “nipple-factor” of the white.
Pair of Thieves
While Thieves Gold is positioned as a luxury brand for men, Pair of Thieves is geared more toward the masses.
Pair of Thieves offers basics for men, women, kids, and even dogs.
Yes, you can wear matching socks with your dog, now.
Differences Between Thieves Gold and Pair of Thieves
There are three main differences between Thieves Gold and the Pair of Thieves when it comes to underwear:
- Variety—there are far more color and design options available with Pair of Thieves
- Cost—Thieves Gold is positioned more as a luxury brand, and it costs about 25% more.
- Waist Band—the waistband for Thieves Gold is much better. It’s a thicker, more performance-based band with a minimal logo. This doesn’t mean the band for Pair of Thieves is bad. It’s excellent, but Thieves Gold is just better.
Everything else is the same. Same fabrics, same construction (minus the waistband). I knew this going into testing these products out. I fully expected to side with the Pair of Thieves brand as you’re getting nearly the same product for less.
Mega Soft and Cool Breeze Boxer Briefs
I haven’t worn a pair of briefs since I was nine. But I couldn’t pass these up. There’s a security there that I’ve been missing for two decades.
I’m a fan, but I can’t say whether I prefer boxers of briefs.
That’s a debate saved for another day.
But after a few weeks of testing, I’m actually more of a Thieves Gold guy. The upgraded waistband, while adding a bit to the total cost, looks just like new. It’s the sort of band that will last a few years. Overall, I thought that extra detail was worth the extra cost. The value is there for me personally.
I’m looking forward to Thieves Gold expanding their color and design options to match the range of patterns found with Pair of Thieves standard line.
Pair of Thieves Socks
Unlike the underwear, there was no discernible difference between the Thieves Gold and Pair of Thieves sock line other than price.
I like the fun designs here, especially the Les Lignes pattern. For me, though, it’s all about the cushion crew. I love the extra padding at the heel and ball of my foot. I don’t care that it comes at the expense of extra thickness.
If you have sweaty feet, you may want to consider the added fabric when picking up padded socks, but I don’t struggle with that issue, so I’m a padded-sock guy all the way.
Mega Soft Classic Tee and Undershirt
In addition to my Tencel shirts I picked up from Thieves Gold, I also got a few Mega Soft Shirts from Pair of Thieves.
For the plain white t-shirt, my vote goes to the Mega Soft over the Tencel. The Mega Soft doesn’t have the same “nipple-factor” issue as the Tencel.
The pocket tees also feature a cut at the hem which allows the fabric to fall on the seat of my pants more naturally.
There’s a little extra fabric around the torso, which I feel could be trimmed down. But other than that, the shirts are great.
The undershirt is a solid find, too. It’s cut with an extra-long torso so you can tuck it in without any issues. They say you can wear it as an everyday tee, but it’s a little too long for that in my opinion. Though if you’re a tall guy (6’6” or above) these would be perfect.
My Overall Thoughts on Thieves Gold and Pair of Thieves
What I Like
The designs are modern, fun, and cool—all at the same time.
The fabrics are all super-soft, even if they’re made more for performance.
The waist-band on the Thieves Gold underwear is high-quality and will likely last for years.
The undershirt is specifically built to be tucked in, which is perfect.
What I Don’t Like
The brand extension into Thieves Gold is a bit confusing. The goal is to push into the luxury space, but there isn’t any major difference in certain products like socks.
The shirts could be trimmed down in the torso for a more fitted look.
The Verdict
Pair of Thieves is close to mastering the art of men’s underwear.
Or is it more of a science?
Who cares?
Their brand extension Thieves Gold introduces a marked improvement in the underwear’s waistband, but besides a wider variety of styles being offered, I don’t feel that the brand has communicated clearly enough what the other points of difference are from its core collection.
This makes it difficult for me to justify the price increase.
Yes, the designs are amazing, and I love their fun, upbeat look. The Mega Soft and Cool Breeze lines are both comfortable and excellent choices for different seasons.
The socks are just as fun as the underwear and a fantastic middle ground when you want to add some personality to your outfit without going overboard.
While Pair of Thieves shirts still have a little ways to go for fit and structure, I’ll be keeping my drawers stocked with their socks and undies.
So now I know who to call when I’ve lost the matching sock in the laundry.
Pair of Thieves.
While we didn't find a ton of differences between Pair of Thieves and the brand's premium offering, Thieves Gold, one thing is crystal clear: Pair of Thieves knows how to make comfortable underwear and socks that put the fun in functional.
