Men's Guide to Surfing Swimwear
How To Choose a Surfing Swimsuit for Men
Surfing is a demanding watersport requiring a swimsuit built with specific performance features. From the abrasive, unforgiving surface of the surfboard deck to the unpredictability and force of a breaking wave to the dreaded "wipeout," it's important to choose a swimsuit that helps mitigate any of the potential challenges one might encounter during a warm-water surf session. In general, there are three questions you should ask before choosing the best surfing swimsuit for you:
- What conditions will I be surfing in?
- How long do I plan to stay in the water?
- Will I be hanging out on the beach after I surf?
These will help you determine where to start when looking for your next swimsuit.
Swimsuits by Activity Type
Based on the information above, warm water surfing swimsuit options can be narrowed down to three different categories:
Small Conditions/Beach Hangs
If you're planning on spending a day at the beach and jumping out for a session or three in fun, playful (read: small) surf, you have many options for your surfing swimsuit. This is the time when style and loose, casual comfort can take priority over swimsuits built for pure surfing performance. You're going to want a swimsuit that's just as comfortable on the beach as it is on a board, so consider comfortable, fixed-waist boardshorts, elastic waist boardshorts or even a hybrid walk short as your best options.
High-Performance Conditions
If you're choosing a swimsuit specifically for surfing, you're going to want to narrow the field to more "tech-specific" shorts. These are primarily the fixed-waist boardshorts category, with a streamlined fit, engineered performance fabrics and features designed to minimize any friction you might encounter during your surf.
Multi-Hour Sessions
Finally, if you're planning on surfing for extended hours (two hours plus per day), you may want to consider additional options to help protect yourself from chafing and extended exposure to the sun. These options might include a wetsuit jacket along with your fixed-waist boardshorts, a rash guard or additional warm water wetsuit options (like a spring suit or short john), eliminating the need for a swimsuit.
Different Types of Surfing Swimwear for Men
Boardshorts
The most common swimsuit for surfing is traditionally known as the “boardshorts.” First developed in Hawaii in the late 1950s, boardshorts are built with surfing first in mind. Key features include:
- Streamlined fit with an outseam length ranging from 16-24" (depending on trend)
- Elimination of pockets or closed/sealed, strategically-placed pockets
- No internal lining
- Performance stretch fabric (typically a polyester/nylon blend)
- Quick-dry or water-repellent properties
Swim Shorts
Swim trunks are typically built for recreational use in and around the water and are not an ideal option for surfing. Features include:
- An elastic waist with a cinch tie (will not withstand any waves of force)
- A loose, baggy fit
- Non-stretch fabric with outseam lengths averaging 15" or less
- Open side pockets (will fill up with water when surfing)
- Inner mesh lining (causes chafing when paddling on a surfboard)
- No quick-dry or water-repellent properties (adding extra weight)
Hybrid Shorts
Hybrid shorts are a relatively new development utilizing the water-optimized performance fabrics of boardshorts and applying them to a walk short. Just as functional in the water as it is out, hybrid shorts are best for more recreational water activities like boating, a day at the beach or hanging by the pool. But they are still an option if it's all you have, you want to go surfing and the conditions are playful and small.
Rash Vests
Rash guards are meant to complement your surfing swimsuit to help extend your session, alleviate skin irritation from paddling and protect you from extended exposure to the sun. Options include the short-sleeve rash guard, long-sleeve rash guard and hooded long-sleeve rash guard (optimal for UV protection).
SHOP RASH VESTS
Wetsuits
There are a handful of warm water wetsuit options that — for many professional surfers — is the suit of choice for a high-performance surf session. This tends to be because wetsuits perform like a "single skin" on the body and also offer added protection with coverage and light neoprene padding. The most common styles of warm water wetsuits are the spring suit (short arm, short leg) and the short john (tank top, short leg) with wetsuit thicknesses ranging from 0.5 mm to 2 mm.
SHOP WETSUITSNeoprene Shorts and Undershorts
Neoprene shorts are a functional, though less common option for high-performance surfing conditions. More popular in the "athletic-inspired" eras of the '80s and '90s, neoprene shorts are for those surfers who place a premium on performance over style. Key features include:
- Many neoprene shorts and undershorts include polyester/nylon "stretch panels"
- Cinch tie at front of waist
- Outseam length 17" or less
Additional Considerations When Choosing Surf Swimwear
Length And Fit
Boardshorts are designed for minimal drag, giving them a more streamlined, snug-but-not-tight fit. Length-wise, the averages fluctuate with trend cycles, but the median over the past 30 years is an 18.5-inch outseam.
Rash Protection
While technical boardshorts feature performance fabric designed to minimize chafing, there are times when extended hours in the water or on the beach result in an uncomfortable leg/inner thigh rash. When you plan on putting overtime in the water, a base layer, compression garment (polyester/nylon form-fitting short) will help prevent this from happening.
Inner Lining or No?
Any swimsuit with a mesh or built-in inner lining is most likely not ideal for surfing. These inner linings tend to fill with water and "balloon" when submerged, making for a surfing experience that can be a real drag.
Style
As much as surfers want a boardshorts that allows them to perform at their best, style matters. A lot. So keep that in mind when choosing your next boardshort. And with unlimited options in the marketplace, there's undoubtedly a style that is meant for you.
Start your search for the best swimsuit through which type of surfing you'll be doing and choose which features would suit you best to get you geared up for your next warmwater surf session.
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