These undies are fantastic. They are excellent for working out and every other function one can think of. They are lightweight and wick moisture away. These are worth the $20 a pair because the somewhat skinny straps are wide enough that they don't cut into your leg/hip but skinny enough that if you have a "fuller hip" they still flatter the body. Also these undies give your back end full coverage so you don't show off your "assets" to the world without having to feel like you constantly have a wedgie (like thongs do). Hooray for Patagonia! DON'T DISCONTINUE THESE!!!! :)

In short, I'm pretty skeptical of a $20 pair of underwear, but I want to wear them all the time, so it's not a high cost per wear over the lifetime of the panties. To me, they are worth it.

I decided, daringly, to order three pairs of these Barely Bikinis without trying them before. They were on sale, and I already loved the two pairs of the fuller-coverage Patagonia Active Briefs I had. They had rapidly become the first ones I put on whenever I had the choice.

The Barely Bikinis are better in some ways, and I'm glad I went ahead and got all three colors. They are as soft as the Active Briefs, but I don't have to worry about wearing them with low cut jeans. The cut is very flattering, they stay in place, they are breathable and comfortable. There isn't even a tag to annoy or irritate.

Other observations: they are definitely a thinner fabric than the Active Briefs (a plus in the humidity, maybe a minus in cold weather). Honestly, I haven't tried them in potential panty-line situations, so I can't comment on that.

Incidentally, I also ordered the Mountain Hardwear Advance Lightweight Brief (those sales really sucked me in). They are fine and I like them, but they are the size of a swimsuit bottom.

In full disclosure, I'm the Product Manager for this product, but I will tell you that I love this fabric and this style. Made from recycled polyester (76% anyway), they are lighter weight than my former favorites, the Active Hipsters. The knit in jaquard is pretty, and the shape is downright sexy while still covering everything.