No matter where youre enjoying warm water, youll need a pair of trusty board shorts to do so.
Luckily, board shorts have quietly become more high-tech than ever.
Here are nine of our favorites, including vintage-inspired trunks for surfing to high-performance board shorts for beach workouts.
Florence Marine X/Patagonia/Rhone
1.Patagonia Hydrolock Board Shorts
The best board shorts Ive ever tested are thesePatagonia Hydrolock trunks.
The hem, meantime, hits right above the knee and features a slight taper for more security.
Promising Customer Feedback: Best board shorts Ive worn to date.
Lightweight and dry fast.
Joshua
2.Outerknown Apex Trunks
If theyre good enough for Kelly Slater, theyre good enough for us.
The fabric is a quick-drying blend of polyester, spandex, and elastane that feels extremely stretchy.
We love them for everything from yoga to huge maneuvers in the water.
No better boardshort then or now!
Love em!!!
Edwin
3.Patagonia Baggies
ThePatagonia Baggiesmight be the most versatile bottoms in menswear.
The nylon also features a DWR (durable water repellent) coating to improve water resistance.
Promising Customer Feedback: Very comfortable shorts.
Have worn them kayaking, rafting, swimming, tubing, etc., and theyve held up very well.
Dry quickly, fit well, these seem to do it all for me.
We also like their convenience features, like a zip pocket on the leg and a comfortable neoprene waistband.
Plus, more than half the fabric is recycled, which is always a plus.
Promising Customer Feedback: Surfed in these for 3 days straight for multiple 3+ hour sessions and loved them.
So comfortable, and no problems whatsoever.
The brandsF1 Burgee Cordura shortshere feature an extra-durable fabric that mixes Cordura nylon and spandex for stretch.
Promising Customer Feedback: Excellent shorts, great material and colors.
Justin
6.Faherty Sunwashed Boardshort
Looking for some vintage board shorts?
Check out theseSunwashed trunksfrom Faherty.
Were also big fans of Fahertys SeaWool polyester, which feels soft to the touch and stretches with you.
Promising Customer Feedback: I love these board shorts.
Theyre great in hot weather and dry quickly when wet.
The 21 outseam falls just above the knee on me, which I like.
The fabric has a little stretch to it.
I use them for swimming, body boarding, running, and casual wear.
Chuck
8.ONeill Hyperfreak
ONeills Hyperfreakline is another high-performance option that many surfers wear by.
Weve owned a couple pairs over the years, and can fully vouch for the shorts quality.
They are my favorite shorts.
I was thinking of buying a spare just in case Oneill stops making them.
The shorts feature a throwback 22-inch outseam that places the hem just below your knee.
They come in a huge range of colors too, and theyre relatively affordable at $40.
Promising Customer Feedback: Great short, comfortable material.
Dont have to worry about shorts being too clingy when getting out of water.
Outseam measurement is accurate.
Promising Customer Feedback: The fit was terrific; no underlined fabric balling or rub.
The length was exactly what was expected.
The fabric and print were tropical fun.
Promising Customer Feedback: These chillers are just killer!
Very comfortable ~ very stylin.
Got the matching shirt for those dress-up days down on the beach.
David
Reviews have been edited for length and clarity.
Here are a few things to keep in mind while you shop the best board shorts.
Length: As mentioned, board shorts should be on the long side for surfing and sports.
Material: The best board shorts balance stretch and durability while drying quickly and keeping weight to a minimum.
Look for nylon or high-quality polyester materials, ideally with some spandex or elastane for stretch.
Waistband: The ocean has a knack for yanking off ill-fitting or poorly made shorts.
High-quality, well-engineered waistbands are key when picking the best board shorts.
see to it you get the right size and look for solid grommets, drawstrings, and closures.
