Ah, well, it could be that the "elastic" isn't as good as it used to be. Goes for lots of things these days, now that they ride bikes downhill to school both ways.

Front load or top load?

"They don't say Haines until Jack's readers say they says Haines."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J-pnunLj6c

If you mean the washing machine, it's front.

Hanes is where one goes wrong. If Hanes was right, then Michael Jordan and his Charlotte Bobcats would be a profitable NBA team. Instead, Michael Jordan is beside Paul Allen in requesting players take a 47% split of the BRI.

I am a boxer briefs kind of guy. I have worn many types of brands including Hanes. Hanes after a year or so tend to shrivel up at the elastic brand. I have not had the same experience in a comparable amount of time with Fruit of the Loom, Alfani, or Calvin Klein boxer briefs.

I think it may be the brand.

The deteriorating elastic waist bands that I have been dealing with have mostly been Calvin Klein brand. Nothing, it seems, survives a modern Maytag.

The whole "efficiency" rap on the new washers is such a joke. You wind up ironing 50-75% more.

If underwear is the same as other designer brand items, the factories in China make all the brands, slapping the brand logos on at the end. Quality, or lack thereof, was the same. When I mentioned that Ralph Lauren was higher quality than Calvin, the corporate buyer (who travels there) just laughed at me.

Energy efficiency ratings tend to be misleading to say the least. Your comment Jack about the "over spun" laundry from a top loader does indeed tend to ring true; one friend in particular who ended up returning a front loader who gave it a week and had enough. My most recent experience was once again investing in a top load washer and having given some thought to the EER, learned that the Hot/cold setting was a joke. I do indeed want the hot wash for sheets and towels or the occasional poison oak exposure. After calling the customer help line, I learned that in order to get a better energy rating the manufacturers "Blend" the hot and cold; forcing me to turn off the cold supply while filling up the wash cycle for a true hot wash. No wonder we are often driven nuts by misguided policies forcing us to be "green". Or in the case of the elastic in the undershorts causing one to get theirs tied in a bunch.

Front load machines are supposed to be gentler on clothing, but heat in the washing or drying can wear out elastic quickly. The Comfort Flex waistband may also be the problem.

And now I know, it's boxers, not briefs. Thank goodness it's is finally out in the open!