Top 5 Best Board Shorts

Board shorts are a common piece found in every surfer’s closet. They are mostly stretchable, machine-washable, seam taped, water repellent, lightweight, stylish, and water repellent. Furthermore, board shorts are the best way of liberating yourself from wetsuit enslavement, provided that the temperature of the water prepares the body to become responsive to the surfing movements without risking performance.

The growing demand for board shorts has been the result of different surfing habits. Nowadays, you will see the majority of the surf industry formulating new materials to make softer and lightweight trunks while drifting every wave in the ocean.

Finding the best board shorts may seem an easy task. However, you should understand that there are some things you need to know about them. These board shorts are commonly expensive, however, you can expect them to come with a durable trait.

Best Board Shorts

Different surf brands have created amazing models of board shorts with a few key features. To give you an idea, we have made a list of the most adorable board shorts to prevent buying a board short without learning your needs and the best board short you can get with your budget. Here are some of the best board shorts that you can buy today:

Quicksilver Men’s Everyday

Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Best Overall

Description

  • Classic styling
  • Quicksilver quality
  • High-quality fashion

Features

  • 100% polyester
  • Flap cargo pocket
  • Fixed waistband

Quicksilver Men’s Everyday is surely one of the best board shorts today. It is lightweight so you will feel the ease of moving around. It exhibits a classic style featuring 100% recycled polyester construction. Moreover, it comes with other features including a fixed waistband, lace-up fly, and flap cargo pocket. Thus, it is ideal for everyday use whether you are in a pool or on a beach. These board shorts are soft and quickly dry. You might have to consider the absence of lining in these shorts. However, they are suitable for both casual wear and water sports.

The typical fit of Quicksilver Men’s Everyday is a 21” outseam, touching just under the knee. You will love the mid-length specification as these board shorts are neither too long nor too short. Quicksilver had always value high-quality fashion and wants to please people who are looking for comfort and performance. These board shorts demonstrate the style and quality that Quicksilver designed to make you look great even under the heat of the sun.

Pros

  • Vibrant color
  • Lightweight
  • Dry quickly

Cons

  • It has no lining

Rip Curl Men’s Classic Mirage

Star Rating: 4.4 out of 5

Best Board Shorts Suited also for Casual Attire

Description

  • All-purpose shorts
  • High-quality design
  • Designed for performance and comfort

Features

  • Rubber buttons
  • Silicone labels
  • Standard fits

Rip Curl is a popular manufacturer and retailer of surf accessories and clothes. With the objective of becoming the best surfing company in the entire section that they serve, Rip Curl eventually succeeded and governed the five continents.

The Rip Curl Men’s Classic Mirage is another known Rip Curl board short featuring quick-dry and hydrophobic properties. Its multi-combination of standard fit, 19” outseam, and stretch fabric manifest confidence. The hydrophobic materials guarantee a fast-drying ability once you go out from the water. Its mesh pockets also quickly drain water.

This board short is packed with front and back pockets, supportive stitching, and enamel button detail integrated with prominent board short technology such as mesh pockets, quick-drying fabric, lightweight, and more. This board short is certainly strong and durable. You can wear it even in the sandiest seas and roughest waves. You can also wear it as your casual attire, making it suitable for fishing, playing golf, or just your typical daily clothing.

Pros

  • Wear-everywhere
  • Comfortable
  • Durable

Cons

  • Can get a bit wrinkly

Billabong BoardShort

Star Rating: 4.7 out of 5

Board Shorts with the Best Color Combinations

Description

  • Streamlined design
  • For dry or wet adventure
  • Designed to be eco-friendly

Features

  • Streamlined design
  • Pocket with Zip Closure
  • Signature gradient stripe print design

Billabong Boardshort exhibits a sleek design paired with powerful color combinations, through a 4-way pro-stretch performance fabric. Printed with the trademark gradient stripe design, this board short combines micro-repel coating, stretch fabric, and several technical features. Explicitly constructed, Billabong BoardShort is designed to be eco-friendly.

The hyperfreak stretch construction grants you the liberty to move however you like while the anti-rash and Hyperdry DWR coating help in keeping you dry and become comfortable to continue with your adventure, either dry or wet.

Pros

  • Tie closure
  • Micro repel coting
  • Scallop hem

Cons

  • No mesh liner

O’NEILL BoardShort

Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Best Flex

Description

  • High-performance board short
  • Ideal for beachwear
  • Leading brand

Features

  • Hyperfreak stretch
  • Side zip pocket
  • Anti-rash hyperthread

To start with this brand, O’NEILL was the very first surf shop in the world. Since 1952, it has been dealing in the waxing and shaping of surfboards. Through time, the company expanded and has also established a prominent name in the category of surfing clothes excelling on the wetsuit section. They made the right decision by venturing into surfing clothes as they still manage to top in the market.

The concept of this board short is to offer utmost comfort to the surfers, making them want to stay longer in the water. The stretch fabrication of O’NEILL BoardShort provides the best amount of flex. Anti-rash and quick-dry technology is also employed to build up comfort and enhance drying time.

O’NEILL BoardShort is a flexible board short. Its comfort and length make it ideal for beachwear. Enjoy a longer stay in the water with this O’NEILL BoardShort. Featuring the anti-rash and quick-dry technology, it can improve the time of drying and magnify comfort the moment you go ashore. This board short continues to earn good feedback from the customers.

Pros

  • Welded zip pocket
  • Anti-rash hyper dry material
  • Quick dry

Cons

  • No mesh liner
  • No back or side pockets

Hurley BoardShort

Star Rating: 4.8 out of 5

Best for any Outdoor Activities

Description

  • Popular brand
  • Premium board short
  • Suitable for any condition

Features

  • Recycled phantom fabric
  • Scalloped hem
  • Drawstring closure

Whether you are a fan of water sports or simply enjoy doing other outdoor activities, Hurley has definitely established a name in every sector of the clothing component. They have comfortable and durable items to offer, and these items are always suitable for different customers.

Hurley has been consistent in offering quality board shorts. Hurley BoardShort is a premium kind of board short. Hurley BoardShort is created from recycled fabric that has the ability to dry faster. The material is comfortable to the skin. Furthermore, the stretch fabric is four-way and long-lasting which gives you the convenience of surfing under any condition.

The short does not put additional weight on the body. In fact, it barely gives you resistance even if you stay in the water. Furthermore, it has a durable drawstring closure which provides more flexibility when it comes to waist size. The scalloped hems give your legs more room, hence letting you do free movements. Hurley BoardShort looks gorgeous, enough to catch the attention of the people while you are navigating on your board.

Pros

  • Flexible material
  • Scalloped hem
  • Flexible snug fit

Cons

  • No mesh liner
  • You might find the snug fit too tight

Buyer’s Guide

Just like the other products that you plan to buy in the market, you shouldn’t be impulsive when buying a board short. Check the following buyer’s guide before you make your choice for the board shorts. We have already featured the best board shorts in this article and we also specified both their user and technical information, so you can easily compare them and decide which one to choose.

To further guide you in buying the best board shorts, here are some things that you need to consider:

Material

Board shorts that are 100% polyester are firm. Compared to other materials, they are more enduring and if you wear them daily, these materials can give better value. But you must also consider the fact that these types of board shorts will likely not leave room for flexibility.

Today, the standard of the surfing industry for board shorts is to utilize a certain amount of elastane to promote flexibility.

Pockets

Most board shorts that you can find today feature at least a single pocket. Some brands wittily attach more pockets in their board shorts even though the space is not big. Velcro closures are quite typical in a board short pockets, although you can find zippers sometimes added. If that is the case, see to it that the zippers are made from plastic and that they are far from the skin.

You can also find some board shorts with a key attachment point placed inside the pocket. You should seriously consider if you are ready to wear board shorts with this feature.

Fabrics and Construction

You will have to choose your board shorts depending on your activities. Board shorts are made in different fabrics. Each of these fabrics is unique in terms of quality and strength.

There are 4-way stretch fabrics that are very lightweight. These fabrics can expand in four various directions offering you great maneuverability. They are the best option if you are looking for something that could dry fast. However, board shorts using this kind of fabric are expensive considering the high-performance traits.

You can also find 2-way stretch fabrics with more horizontal runs contrary to the 4-way stretch fabrics which cover both vertical and horizontal. Although board shorts with this kind of fabric can still offer comfort, lightweight, and fast-drying ability, they offer a bit less maneuverability. If you are a beginner or planning to join an average activity such as surfing or water-skiing, this would be suitable for you.

There is also a microsuede which is noticeable for its soft feeling. Just like the first two fabrics, it can also dry quickly. However, it does not have enough stretch. If you are swimming on the beach or in a pool, wearing board shorts made from this kind of fabric can be comfortable enough.

Waist Types

You should also decide on the waist type when buying a board short. There is a fixed waist that is non-stretching and stiff. It provides a secure fit. This is most ideal for water sports and performance as it embraces well to your waist. Its fly fastening commonly comprises buttons, zips, lycra, neoprene, or Velcro along with a drawcord meant for adjustment.

There is also an elastic waist which can either be semi or completely elasticized. This kind of waistband is perfect for casual beach events and when simply lounging around. You should not use it if you are looking for something for performance sports. Nevertheless, it still provides the best range of comfort and waist size.

Flexibility

The inclusion of elastane in the materials of a board short can provide a certain level of flexibility. The more amount of elastane being used, the higher level of flexibility the board short can get. However, you should also know that a higher amount of elastane can affect the lifespan of the material. Thus, it would be best if you find a good balance of polyester and elastane to achieve optimum durability and comfort.

Stretchy

There are more impressive board shorts that integrate polyester with between 2 to 15 percent spandex to improve the stretch. You might want to choose stretchy board shorts as they do not confine movements, which is convenient when you are halting yourself in a low-volume boat.

Closure

Furthermore, the surfing industry has also imposed the drawstring closure as a guideline for the flexibility it gives in the waist part. The other kinds also put irrelevant pressure on the waist part or feel sloppy because of the non-adjustable waist measurement.

Fit

Your board shorts must securely fit around your waist and this task is easy to figure out. Just choose a similar size to your jeans. However, if you do enjoy the saggy-pant style while wearing a board short, get a tape measure and get the circumference of the waist. Buy board shorts with that number.

Length

Commonly, board shorts have a length that varies from 19 to 22 inches. Although the sub-20-inch board shorts are a bit over the knee, board shorts exhibiting more length wrap the knees, too.

Style

Board shorts are available in different colors and they come in vibrant prints from beach scenes to Rasta styling and anything else you can think of. When considering the style of the board short, you must look for something that meets your preference. You might want to use board shorts with bright colors are they are always safe for beachwear. You may also want to use classic black board shorts as they never go out of style and never appears dirty.

FAQs

Is there an item of standard clothing I should wear under my board shorts?

It is typical for the many to wear underwear when wearing a board short to provide reinforcement to their private parts. Nevertheless, if you have an available mesh liner that is suited to your board shorts, then you might want to consider wearing it instead as it can provide you all the needed support. Hence, if your mesh liner suits your board short well, then you do not have to put on anything else underneath the board short.

Are all board shorts have an elastic waistband?

No. Although there are several board shorts that feature an elastic waistband as well as Velcro closures, it is good to note that the best board shorts are often not outfitted with elastic. Instead, they feature a drawstring closure to achieve a better custom fit with enhanced flexibility and durability.

Are the board shorts extremely tight fit?

You can expect the best board shorts to be form-fitting and a little tight. However, the elastane component offers sufficient flexibility so you will not feel extremely tight whenever you are wearing your board shorts.

Conclusion

Some surfers expressed their opinion by saying that if you only wear the board short properly, you will feel so at ease that you might even think you are not wearing anything. The best board shorts are lightweight, flexible, and offer a lot of space for movement. Yes, they can either have or not have an added liner to support the private parts, nevertheless, board shorts cab still be beneficial as they can protect the private parts.

Although board shorts were first known to be a surfing accessory, their all-around nature has made them a great piece of clothing for either casual wear or beachwear. For lastingness, you must be mindful of any metal on the board shorts, particularly if you are wearing them for surfing or other water sports or if you are living in the tropics. Saltwater can create damage to the metal. Many board shorts with metal zippers were locked by corrosion and rust.