Length: The main difference here is the length. While swim trunks generally hit at the thigh, men's board shorts tend to be longer, usually ending right at the knee or slightly below it. This helps provide more coverage in general, and it protects you from the sun. Traditional board shorts tend to be baggier in shape and are known for being less restrictive—one of the many reasons they are recommended for highly intense activities, such as surfing, wakeboarding, and beach games. Some boardshorts come without an inner lining, which frees things up and provides a more streamlined overall fit. But those trunks can also lead to chafing, a real possibility when you factor in higher-energy sports and saltwater. Others use a variety of stretchy synthetic lining, typically made of tightly woven mesh or another breathable fabric that protects your boys without overheating. More advanced boardshorts also add more structured liners, using fabrics similar to wet suits to add compressional support and warmth. Unisex style. Many can wear board shorts over other swimsuit bottoms as fashionable beachwear or shorts. Bonobos was born because founders, Andy Dunn & Brian Spaly, couldn’t find men’s pants that fit (they were either too tight or too boxy) and wanted to fix this common problem men face while shopping. Mission Workshop is a San Francisco-based company committed to designing and developing a complete range of durable, waterproof apparel and accessories. It started life producing bags, with its original model still going strong today, and all products are designed and manufactured in the US.

Board shorts vs. swim trunks: What’s the difference? Board shorts vs. swim trunks: What’s the difference?

O’Neill has been a dominant force within the surfwear industry ever since it was founded in 1952, constantly developing new fabric technologies and manufacturing techniques to offer surfers some of the best clothing out there. With a classic board short waistband and the length of a traditional swim trunk, this option is the best of both bathing suit options. Bonus points for several versatile, cool prints that'll have you standing out in style at the beach, bar, rooftop party, or on the waves. A slightly baggy but not sloppy leg meets the casual quality of a draw-string trunk in these Nike board shorts. Its stretch has proven to be very much above average, which is why outside of swimming and surfing, our editors have actually worn them as workout shorts. A lightweight and durable board short that won’t stretch out over use. Popular for its long length, these shorts hit the knee on men over 6’ tall.Howler Brothers was founded by two friends, not brothers, in Austin, Texas. They practically became brothers, however, after meeting and realising they shared much of the same interests, thus becoming inseparable. The company’s products are created with “soul and passion”, with products that only provide purpose rolling off the production line. They fixed it with their not-so-secret secret: all Bonobos’ pants have a curved waistband that conforms to the natural shape of men’s waists. Bonobos then expanded into producing awesome shirts, suits, swimwear; you name a piece of men’s clothing, they do it! Regarding mobility, while I in fact was able to test and verify the four-way stretch, since these board shorts are only made with 4% spandex, I noticed that they’re not as stretchy as those made with 10% spandex. But after sporting them from the beach to the bar to the office a few times, their versatility really wowed me.

Boardshorts | Hurley All Boardshorts | Hurley

Hurley has been designing and developing surfwear since 1979. The company was responsible for distributing Billabong in the USA during the Australian company’s early years and it wasn’t until 1999 that Hurley International was born. Sports giant Nike acquired the brand in 2002 before letting it go in 2019, but it hasn’t stopped the brand from producing high-quality and well-designed surf apparel. First thing first: you won't find any cotton-heavy fabric in board shorts since it will get too heavy when soaked with water and thus weigh you down. You can't talk about board shorts without talking about Birdwell's 311—they're as '90s-surfing-culture as board shorts can get. These are in fact one of the first we've tested—after all, we've all seen our dads sport them once.

If you don’t need a lot of length, these short swim trunks make a comfortable and classic choice. They come in an array of solid colors, too. You don't need to break your wallet for some quality board shorts. Take this swimsuit from Old Navy, which comes in four flattering colors and is available in regular and tall sizes. And we vouchsafe their quality after testing them in water and taking a long walk in them too.