Swim Shorts Vs Board Shorts

Oh, the confusion. While many may know what precisely swim shorts and board shorts are, trust me there are plenty of them out there that don’t know the difference.

I was one of those for a long time until I became a beach bum and would go on a beach vacation every chance I got.

And when it was time to shop for swim shorts, I discovered the words swim trunks, board shorts, quick dry materials, mesh lining etc.

Designed to be worn primarily during intense surf sessions, the board short creeped into everyday swimwear.

The skate/surf wave in the 90s unleashed the board shorts on the men’s fashion scene. While many love the board shorts for their traditional purpose as well as for fashion, there are plenty that have had enough of them.

Most believe that that’s the only shorts to wear any time you need to get into the water.

And you couldn’t be more wrong. Board shorts are meant for surfing and that’s about it. They’re not a replacement for swim shorts.

Board shorts cannot fill in for swim shorts for the following reasons -

No mesh liner: Means you need to wear underwear and that defeats the very purpose of wearing a swimsuit in the first place.

Long baggy fit: Most board shorts are really long and a bit too baggy that may not suit all age groups.

No elastic waistband: Board shorts don’t come with an elastic waistband. They are held in place by a drawstring enclosure.

You must already get the picture of why board shorts are just not practical as swim shorts.

The traditional swim trunks address all the above issues and still manage to help you look stylish.

The length of a traditional swim trunk ranges from mid-thigh to above the knee. It comes with an elastic waistband for a snug fit and a drawstring enclosure to hold it in place just in case.

And most importantly, the mesh lining. While the mesh lining frees you from the need to wear underwear, you’ll appreciate it more at a beach. If you spend a lot of time in the water, you’ll soon realize how much sand can get accumulated in your shorts. The mesh liner is a lifesaver in such situations.

While the traditional swim trunks made by brands such as Columbia and Quicksilver come in mid-thigh length(~4” inseam), Bonobos offers some really cool swim trunks in longer length options (7” inseam).

So next time you’re headed for a beach, please don’t pack your board shorts. While they make you look like a man in a teen’s body, they’re just not meant for swimming.

Many men feel a bit awkward wearing mid-thigh length shorts. I think that should change. For heaven’s sake, you’re at the beach. And I think it only shows your confidence to pull them off.

Then again you’re in luck if you’d rather wear longer length swim trunks that don’t quite look like board shorts.