We are one of the two brands here, so read this accordingly. Updated 10 October 2026: specifications and prices checked on each brand's own UK website on 8 October 2026. Prices move, so treat them as a guide.
At a glance
Step One vs Flissie: the quick answer
Step One is a men's brand with a women's range. In underwear, we make one style: women's boxer shorts. That difference runs through everything below.
- Buy Flissie if your thighs rub: Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts (we make them, our pick for chafing) have a published 6 inch leg, long enough to cover the thighs, or a 9 inch, and every size from UK 8 to 30 costs the same: £13.50 a pair, or £11.50 a pair in a 10 pack, with a 60 day guarantee: full refund, worn or not.
- Buy Step One for sale prices or prints: Step One's Women's Body Shorts are £15 a pair, with 36 of its 40 colours and prints at £9 in its sale, and it sells a full underwear range.
- The catch with Step One: it does not publish a leg length for the women's Body Shorts, its size guide stops at 2XL, and its refund policy says sale items cannot be refunded.
Checked on each brand's own UK website on 8 October 2026. Flissie prices updated 11 November 2026.
One of our customers put the difference better than we can:
I've always been a boxers girlie, but it was always impossible to find a pair that fit me right. Either because they were men's for the length or women's for the fit, neither were ever right.
Bethanie, UK, verified review
Try Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts
£13.50 a pair in UK 8 to 30 at one price, 6 for £75 (£12.50 each) or 10 for £115 (£11.50 each), and every 10 pack comes with a free 30 day tub of our perimenopause supplement (worth £29). Free UK delivery on every order, a free size swap on your whole first order, and a 60 day guarantee: full refund, worn or not.
Why you can trust this guide
★★★★★ 4.7 out of 5 from 336 reviews of Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts, and about 2,500 customers since 2021.
- Who wrote it: Phillippa and Matthew, the founders of Flissie. We have designed and sold women's boxer shorts from Derbyshire since 2021.
- Our bias, stated: we make Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts, one of the two brands here, so read this accordingly. We say where Step One is the better buy.
- No paid placements: no brand paid to be included, and none of the links earn us money.
- How we compared: leg length, fabric, sizes, price, delivery and returns, from each brand's own UK website on 8 October 2026, quoting Step One's own wording where it matters.
"The material is very lightweight and breathable, and the sizing/fit is perfect. Love the colours!" Amalie, United Kingdom, verified buyer, August 2026
Step One vs Flissie, side by side
Checked on each brand's own UK website on 8 October 2026. Flissie prices updated 11 November 2026.
| Flissie | Step One | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is made for | Women only | Men first, women's range added |
| Leg length | 6" or 9", published | Not published on its product page, size guide or FAQs |
| Fabric | 95% Tanboocel bamboo viscose, 5% elastane | 95% bamboo viscose, 5% spandex |
| Size range | UK 8 to 30 | XS to 4XL; its size guide stops at 2XL, which it labels UK 20 to 22 |
| Same price every size | Yes | Yes, £15 |
| Price per pair | £13.50, or £11.50 a pair in a 10 pack | £15; 36 of 40 colours £9 in its sale; £13.50 a pair in a 7 pack of full-price colours |
| With a 10 pack | Free perimenopause supplement (30 days) | Bundle discounts |
| If the size is wrong | Free swap on your whole first order | 30 day first pair guarantee, on your first single pair |
| Guarantee | 60 days, full refund, worn or not | 30 days on your first single pair; sale items cannot be refunded |
| Free UK delivery | Every order | Every order |
| Free delivery outside the UK | On orders of £85 or more (every 10 pack) | Not checked |
| Colours and prints | 8 | 40 |
On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Made for women, not adapted for them
Step One built its business on men's underwear. The advertising, the product development and the brand are all rooted there, and the women's range came later.
We have only ever made underwear for women. One style of underwear, in two lengths, in sizes UK 8 to 30, shaped for a wider hip-to-waist ratio rather than graded down from a men's block.
That is not a criticism of their engineering. It is a difference in where the attention went.
"More comfy than Step One." I tried step one boxers for ladies. But I do find that they're not as breathable in your nether regions as Flissie. I keep telling everyone to get Flissie.
Samem, UK, verified review
These are super amazing, I've tried Step One and other brands and for me the best.
Emma, UK, verified review
The specification that decides it
If you are buying to stop thighs rubbing, the only number that matters is how far down your thigh the leg reaches. Fabric changes how it feels. Leg length decides whether it works at all.
Most underwear sold to women stops between 2 and 4 inches, short of where thighs actually touch. That is why so many people try a short boxer, find it rides up or does not reach, and give up on the category.
We make ours in 6 inch and 9 inch, and we say so on the page. 6 inch sits mid-thigh, covers the top of the inner thigh where most rubbing starts, and comes in every colour. 9 inch sits just above the knee, in black and pine green.
Step One's Body Short is described as having anti-chafe panels rather than a stated inseam. When we checked on 8 October 2026 we could not find a measurement on its product page, size guide, FAQs or collection page; the only leg wording was "Extended leg coverage" and "No-ride-up leg design". Step One does publish inseams for its men's styles, 4, 6 and 8 inches, so the number exists for men. If you cannot find it for the women's short, that is worth knowing before you spend.
For a chafing purchase, a number you can check beats a feature name you cannot.
Where Step One wins
Price per pair. In its sale, 36 of its 40 colours were £9 when we checked. In the sale they are cheaper and we are not going to pretend otherwise. At full price it is the other way round: Step One is £15 a pair, £13.50 in a 7 pack or £12.75 in a 10 pack, and ours is £13.50 a pair, £12.50 in a 6 pack or £11.50 in a 10 pack, which also comes with a free 30 day tub of our perimenopause supplement.
Prints. 40 to our 8, including a lot of fun ones. If choosing a print is part of the appeal, that is not close, and two of our own reviewers say the same.
A full range. Briefs, thongs, bras, period underwear, socks. We make one style of underwear.
Smaller sizes. Their range starts at XS, which their size guide labels UK 00 to 02. Ours starts at UK 8.
None of those four is the leg length, which is the thing that decides whether the product does what you are buying it for. But they are real, and if any of them is what you actually want, buy theirs.
Where we win
A published leg length. 6 inch or 9 inch, stated on the page, so you decide before you buy rather than after.
A 9 inch option as well as the 6. The 6 inch handles most days. If you already know you like a longer leg, the 9 inch sits just above the knee, in black and pine green. Most women's boxer briefs stop well short of either.
Sizes to UK 30, at one price. Their size guide stops at 2XL, which it labels UK 20 to 22. Ours goes to 30, the leg opening and waistband are graded separately rather than scaled up, and a UK 30 costs the same as a UK 8.
If the size is wrong, we replace the whole order. Not one pair. The entire first order, free. You cannot try underwear on before buying, so that is part of the product.
60 days rather than 30. Wear them, wash them, and if they are not right we refund you (return postage is at your cost).
A free supplement with any 10 pack. Our perimenopause supplement, a 30 day supply, free with the bundle that also gets you to £11.50 a pair.
The other brands worth checking
If you are comparing Step One and us, these three are probably on your list too.
| Fabric | Longest leg | If you have worn them | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boody Seamfree Undershort | 79% viscose from bamboo, 15% nylon, 6% elastane; seamfree | 6 inch, or a 10 inch | Comfort Guarantee on your first single pair only |
| Runderwear Women's Running Long Boxer | 92% recycled polyamide, 8% recycled elastane, 360 degree seamless | 8 inch | No returns once tried on, but a 90 day chafe-free guarantee |
| Calvin Klein Icon Cotton Modal Boxer Briefs | 53% cotton, 35% modal, 12% elastane | Not stated | At John Lewis, only if unopened and unused, unless faulty |
On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Boody are the closest to Step One and us on fabric: 79% viscose from bamboo with 15% nylon, OEKO-TEX Standard 100 according to Boody, a certified B Corp, sizes to 4XL (UK 22), and seamfree rather than flat-seamed. For chafing, Boody's Seamfree Undershort comes in a 6 inch leg at £18 and a 10 inch at £20.
Runderwear are the technical option, and their long boxer, at 8 inches and £23, reaches well down the thigh. Worth knowing that they do not accept returns on underwear once it has been tried on, although their 90 day chafe-free guarantee refunds you if a pair makes you chafe.
Calvin Klein's women's Icon Cotton Modal Boxer Briefs are £28 at John Lewis, with no leg length stated; we compare them in detail in our Calvin Klein comparison.
What we will not claim
Our fabric is not antibacterial and not hypoallergenic. Neither claim is substantiated for viscose made from bamboo, ours or anyone's, and you will see both made across this category. Our honest assessment of bamboo underwear goes through why.
We are also not going to score Step One on sustainability. They are a large multinational with published reporting; we are two people in Derbyshire. The comparison would not be meaningful in either direction.
So which should you buy?
If your thighs rub, buy the longer leg. Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts at 6 or 9 inches, Runderwear at 8, or Boody's Seamfree Undershort at 6 or 10. Leg length is what puts a smooth layer between your thighs.
If you want prints, a full range or a sale price, Step One is a sensible buy.
If a completely invisible line matters most, Boody are seamfree and we are not.
If you are between the two, Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts come with free UK delivery, a free size swap on your whole first order and a 60 day guarantee: full refund, worn or not. That exists precisely because you cannot try them on first.
These are very comfortable and cool to wear. Prevents chafing when wearing dresses. They have been a godsend in this hot weather. They wash well too!
Marlene, UK, verified review (reviewer earned a reward for a future purchase)
Not sure about the size?
Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts run from S (UK 8 to 10) to 3XL (UK 28 to 30), all at the same price. If you are between sizes, size up, and if the size is wrong, we swap your whole first order free. Every order has free UK delivery and a 60 day guarantee: full refund, worn or not.
Step One vs Flissie: your questions
Are Step One boxers good?
They have a large and loyal customer base: Step One shows "65K+ 5 Star Reviews" across the brand and a Trustpilot score of 4.5 out of 5. The thing to check before buying is the leg length on the Body Short, because that decides whether it stops thighs rubbing, and we could not find a published measurement.
Does Step One make women's boxers?
Yes, called Body Shorts. They also make bikini briefs, thongs, bras, period underwear and socks. Step One started as a men's brand and the men's range is still the larger part of what they do.
How much are Step One women's boxers in the UK?
£15 a pair at full price, with 36 of its 40 colours at £9 in its sale when we checked on 8 October 2026. Bundles bring the full-price colours down to £13.50 a pair in a 7 pack or £12.75 in a 10 pack, and its refund policy says sale items cannot be refunded. Prices move, so check.
What size Step One should I get?
Step One sells the Body Shorts in XS to 4XL, but its size guide only goes to 2XL, which it labels UK 20 to 22 with an 80cm waist, and advises sizing up if you are between sizes. If you are a UK 24 or above, check availability before ordering. Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts (we make them) run from UK 8 to 30, at the same price in every size.
Is Step One or Flissie better for chafing?
Leg length decides it. Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts (we make them) have a published 6 inch leg, with a 9 inch in black and pine green. If you can find Step One's inseam and it reaches past where your thighs touch, it will work too. If you cannot find the number, that is the risk you are taking.
What are the alternatives to Step One?
For bamboo viscose, Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts (we make them) and Boody. For a technical synthetic with a long leg, Runderwear. For a short-leg boxer brief on the high street, Calvin Klein. Which is right depends on whether you are buying for chafing, for invisibility or for price.
Do Step One boxers ride up?
That depends on the leg length and the leg band, as with any boxer short. A short leg has more thigh to travel across, so it rolls sooner.
What happens if the size is wrong?
With Flissie, we replace your whole first order free. Not one pair, the entire order. Step One offer a 30 day guarantee on your first single pair, Boody a Comfort Guarantee on your first single pair, and Runderwear do not accept underwear back once tried on, apart from its 90 day chafe-free guarantee.
What are Step One women's boxers made of?
Step One lists its Body Shorts as 95% bamboo viscose and 5% spandex; bamboo viscose is a processed fibre, not the raw plant. Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts (we make them) are 95% Tanboocel bamboo viscose and 5% elastane, dyed to OEKO-TEX Standard 100. Antibacterial and hypoallergenic claims are not substantiated for viscose made from bamboo, ours or anyone's.
Which is cheaper, Step One or Flissie?
At full price, Flissie is cheaper. Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts (we make them) are £13.50 a pair, or £11.50 a pair in a 10 pack, the same price in every size from UK 8 to 30, against Step One's £15 a pair, or £12.75 a pair in a 10 pack. In its sale, Step One is cheaper: 36 of its 40 colours were £9 when we checked on 8 October 2026. Both have free UK delivery on every order.
Is Step One Australian?
Yes, operating in Australia, the US and the UK. Flissie is UK based, run by two of us in Derbyshire.
Sources
Checked on each brand's own UK website, or John Lewis for Calvin Klein, on 8 October 2026. Prices change often, so check before you buy. We have no commercial relationship with any of these brands.
- Step One UK: Women's Body Shorts, size guide, FAQs and refund policy
- Boody UK: Seamfree Undershort 6 inch and Comfort Guarantee
- Runderwear: Women's Running Long Boxer Shorts, returns and chafe-free guarantee
- John Lewis: Calvin Klein Icon Cotton Modal Boxer Briefs
