So your looking for a new pair of boardshorts or swim trunks (whatever you like to call em) but your not sure which company to go with or even what to look for. It seems like the days of a simple pair of trunks are gone and have been replaced with new "technology" swim attire. Well its true the days of simplicity in that realm are gone but that doesn't mean you can't find a new pair of shorts for the water and not look like a highlighter. The new swim trunks of today are actually for your benefit and comfort and I'll explain to you why and how to choose the best pair.
When you think of Surfing normally a few names come to mind; Quiksilver, RipCurl, Billabong, Hurley,Volcom, O'neil, Rusty. These are the major competing surf brands out there today and they all do a great job with their latest boardshorts however there are distinct differences that can make a huge difference when making a decision as to which brand to purchase. Such a simple thing is actually kinda complicated who would have thought? But it is important you understand as a consumer what you are spending your money on and don't have to return the shorts you thought were right to go and buy another pair.
The price range for the highest quality shorts from the major companies is around $50 but for the exceptionally innovative shorts those will run up to $80. Now to understand why these shorts are priced the way they are and how you can go about deciding which ones are the best for you takes a little bit of product knowledge and brand loyalty. First off, Ripcurl, Billabong and Hurley all have the same "high quality" performance shorts that are stretchy and dry fast. However they don't have a signature fabric that makes their shorts stand out from the crowd and provide ultimate comfort.
O'neil has done a good job with their line of boardshorts coming out with the Hyperfreak series which offers ultimate stretch and super smooth fabric but I'm still not crazy about O'neil shorts. The BEST boardshorts available and the best boardshorts for your money would have to be Quiksilvers Diamond Dobby Four Way Stretch boardshorts. Let me explain to you what that means and why Quiksilver prevails over the rest of the brands. Quiksilver first started their realm of innovative boardshorts with the "Diamond Dobby" fabric pattern which offered 40% less skin to fabric ratio which resulted in no rashes and faster drying shorts. The shorts were also lighter then your standard boardshorts and were so comfortable I slept in my pair the first week I got them. Then Quiksilver introduced the "Four Way Stretch" fabric for their boardshorts which brought them down to the level of their competiton with just the standard stretchy pair of shorts. What really brought Quiksilver up to the top and stand out was when they combined the two pairs of shorts into the "Diamond Dobby Four Way Stretch" which is the ultimate combination in fabric and technology that money can buy.
So now that I've explained a little as to which surf brands make boardshorts to compete with other brands and which surf brands make boardshorts to be innovators and really provide the highest value, you can go out and make and informed decision. To be honest at a store, the sales rep (who is probably a surfer/pot head) will tell you that every pair of shorts is the best and that he loves all of them. You want to be sure your buying the pair that really suits your individual needs because investing in a $50 pair of shorts is a big deal and should be done right. So you know what your looking for now I also reccomend Killer Dana, they have every pair of boardshorts I've talked about and have free shipping!
See you out in the water with your new pair of boardshorts!
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