Even if you’re not a regular beachgoer, everyone needs a great pair of boardshorts for when the best days of summer arrive. While the Billabongs and Rip-Curls of the world are tried and true classics, if you’re willing to expand your search beyond what a local surf shop offers, there are some seriously good options out there.
From classic, above-the-knee designs to elaborate resort-inspired prints, these are all the boardshorts for men we look forward to rocking over the summer.
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ORTC
DETAILS
- 100% recycled polyester
- Quick-drying and mesh-lined
- 2 for $120 multi-buy deal
- Made in PRC
Lovers of Aussie-owned swimwear labels have probably heard the name ORTC.
Founded by two friends — who wanted to offer domestic consumers high-quality swim shorts that were both eco and wallet-friendly — ORTC now stocks a complete range of clothing for men, women and kids.
Beyond the quality of boardshort construction, ORTC’s big strength is variety. The brand offers around 30 prints and patterns at any given time — most of which are available in ‘junior’ sizing in case you want to play twinsies with your young ones.
Venroy
DETAILS
- Resortwear-inspired label from Sydney
- Range of traditional and hybrid short styles
- Made in PRC
A juggernaut of premium leisurewear in both the men’s and women’s space, Venroy is one of our go-to recommendations if you’re in the market for boardshorts with a strong resort wear influence.
With prices starting at $120, there’s no denying that the brand is on the costlier end of the scale, but compensates for this with a wide range of styles and literally dozens of geometric prints and illustrations to choose from.
At the moment, we really like the brand’s ‘Sports’ model: cut in the style of a training short, and fabricated in a nylon blend so that it can be worn out of the gym and straight into the water.
Pilgrim Surf + Supply
DETAILS
- 100% nylon taslan
- Classic above-the-knee cut
- Prices starting at $156
- Made (depending on model) in the US, Japan, PRC
Ostensibly a third-party retailer, Brooklyn-based Pilgrim also stocks its own small edit of boardshorts. Made in Californian factories from nylon taslan, each sports a practical and subtly stylish aesthetic.
Usually made with one signature detail in mind — whether it be colour-blocked panels or colour-contrast — Pilgrim’s boardies are a versatile option when you need something (in a pinch) to wear on your off days.
Onia
DETAILS
- Signature cotton/polyamide fabric
- Classic above-the-knee cuts
- Prices start at $209
Hawaiian prints might be a tad too punchy when splashed across the everyman’s midriff, but you can always take a less risque approach by donning the motif in a smaller, more targeted way.
That’s where Onia comes in. The premium swimwear brand offers a range of tasteful florals, utilising the above-knee ‘Calder’ swim trunk design or similarly cropped ‘Crinkle’ (the latter is also self-packing).
In the best tradition of tailored shorts, most pairs even feature angled side-entry pockets — meaning your valuables remain secure and your silhouette retains its sharpness.
Frescobol Carioca
DETAILS
- 100% recycled polyester
- Rear pocket with button closure
- Prices start at $195
Inspired by Rio de Janeiro’s many picturesque beachfront idylls, Frescobol Carioca is a relatively young brand that has been making a killing on the international menswear stage.
Known for its clean, Cubist-inspired resortwear (which is inspired by the eponymous Carioca lifestyle) calling any of the brand’s tailored trunks mere ‘boardies’ feels like a bit of a disservice. Instead, think of this as the ultimate swim-to-sip apparel.
Look out for styles made with ECO LUNA: the brand’s proprietary fabric, upcycled using plastic waste from countries within the EU. A brand that gets a huge seal of approval from the BH editorial team — and not just for its swimwear.
Vuori
DETAILS
- 4-way stretch poly/elastane fabric
- Inseams ranging between 6″-8.5″
- Prices starting at $130
Inspired by the active lifestyle of southern California’s denizens, Vuori is another in the canon of athleisure brands that also happens to do a tidy sideline in boardshorts.
The label offers a smattering of short, moderate and lengthy styles for men — almost all of which take advantage of the proprietary ‘VCycled’ performance fabric.
Our personal favourite is the ‘Maverick’ short: a hybrid style of boardshort, made out of textured stretch fabric, comfy enough to be worn amid a game of volleyball. Top Gun, eat your heart out.
Lululemon
DETAILS
- 100% recycled fabric
- Inseams ranging between 5″-7″
- Prices start at $99
Nobody on planet Earth requires an introduction to Lululemon, yet we’d be remiss when compiling a list of the best boardshorts brands for summer if we didn’t at least acknowledge the Canadian activewear giant’s burgeoning status in the space.
In similar fashion to Vuori, much of the technology in the brand’s boardies has been transplanted from its workout apparel: a strategy that might initially appear a little unimaginative until you remember how comfortable any of its bestsellers (e.g. the ‘Surge’ or ‘Licence to Train’) are.
Noosa Longboards
DETAILS
- 100% recycled nylon
- Most styles have a certified 50+ UPF rating
- Prices start at $79
Noosa Longboards — established, as the name suggests, in the heart of the Sunshine Coast — is all about swimwear with a performance edge. While a number of the brand’s swim shorts can be on the ‘fun’ (verging on dadcore) side, the boardies on offer here are about as classic as they come.
Our favourite, of all the various styles, has to be the straightforwardly named ‘Original’: a quick-drying over-the-knee number, in classic shades of black or French blue, with a checkerboard motif running down the outside leg.
Orlebar Brown
DETAILS
- 100% recycled polyamide
- All swim shorts guaranteed for 5 years
- Prices start at $395
A favourite of fashion insiders since the early 2010s, Orlebar Brown pioneered a lot of concepts in the premium men’s swimwear space which have since become de rigeur.
The British label’s classic ‘Bulldog’ style was one of the first to nail the use of dress pant-style adjusters; and its ongoing partnership with the 007 IP has made it an industry leader in sophisticated Riviera style — considered, well-crafted and beyond the reach of gimmicks or trend.
Naturally, that reputation affords the brand the luxury to charge a hefty premium, with even the most basic pair of mid-length shorts clocking in at nearly $400.
If you’ve enjoyed our edit of the best brands for men’s boardshorts, then why not check out our other style-related buyer’s guides? Here are a few favourites to get you started:
