Just Say No to Board Shorts/Swim Trunks

just say no to swim trunks say yes to swim briefs

Why are these types of swimwear so popular and what is the point of wearing them? I do not see the point of wearing swimwear nor regular shorts past my knees or even knee length. Though it is not always easy to find shorts to my liking length. Are we ashamed of our knees and thighs? I would say there is a hang up on the package now a days, which is a factor in the swim shorts wearing.

I don’t believe the definition of masculinity says the bigger your package the more masculine you are. That seems to be what some believe. Doesn’t help that skimpier underwear and swimwear seems to be marketed with models bulging in the pairs they are wearing. Let’s stop getting hung up on size. Don’t be ashamed of your body. We’re all different shapes and sizes just like women. Most women at the beach aren’t hiding under baggy swimsuits. Typically they are in form fitting ones with varying degrees of coverage.

It is about time for guys to gain some confidence and wear appropriate beach and pool attire. It makes more sense to wear form fitting swim attire. First and foremost it is the best option for wearing in the water. Do swimmers wear baggy trunks? I haven’t noticed any wearing them, because they don’t want the drag they cause. I don’t enjoy wet swim trunks plastered to my legs dripping tons of water when I get out of the water. Then continuing on for who knows how long with little relief from a towel.

Then there really is no support offered with trunks and board shorts. If they offer a lining, it is mesh and really doesn’t do much for the package. The guys that wear underwear under them just look ridiculous. Plus it appears they go with cotton ones. I can tell you, I don’t enjoy wearing cotton undies that have gotten wet very long and they don’t dry quickly. If you’re going to wear something under swim shorts then go with a swim brief. A lot more comfortable and supportive than nothing or underwear. Better yet forget the shorts and stick with the swim brief.

Want to stay cool at the beach then swim briefs or less is the way to go. More skin exposure allows your skin to breathe. Less fabric to absorb the sun rays and you can get better tan lines. Also they are fast drying. In general it is just more freeing to get away from the swim shorts.

I wish I had the guts to have just broken out the swim briefs earlier on in my life. I wore them under my swim trunks from my late teens on. I’m still working on cutting out the swim trunks, but on occasion will wear them in certain situations. I do my best to avoid those situations, so they aren’t worn too often. This will be my 5th summer of swim briefs only at the local beaches (Read my breakout summer here). Before that it was mainly vacations that I sported them. I’m at least now enjoying them and hopefully opening some eyes that guys can wear form fitting swim attire too.

My followers and I are here to help and encourage anyone that wants to take the step away from swim trunks and board shorts. We encourage all to give swim briefs or less a try (square cuts too). Reach out to us in the comments or on the forums.

13 Responses

  1. Mike says:

    I could not agree more. I don’t understand why women can wear skimpy string bikinis in public but yet when a guy wears a swim brief they are shamed. Briefs are much more comfortable, dry quickly and don’t weight you down in the water. When I need to wear shorts, I have chosen a mid thigh suit from Aussiebum that is short and light weight that people seem to find more appropriate over swim briefs.

  2. Funderwear says:

    I saw a guy rock a swim brief pretty confidently at my apartment’s pool about 5 years ago. That gave me the courage to give it a try so I ordered a swim brief and wore it to the pool for the first time about a week later. I stripped down to my brief and my heart was just racing as I was lying down on the chair at the pool. I was really nervous but also really excited. It felt so nice to feel the sun on my entire body. I can’t remember if that first time I actually went in the water or not but eventually I had the courage to jump in even if there were other people in/at the pool. Being in the water without being bogged down by baggy shorts for the first time was incredible. I remember once I got out of the water how quickly I dried off too.

    For a while after that I still was a little nervous to strip down to just a swim brief in public. Especially when I first showed up and especially if the pool was busier that particular day. But as time went by it just felt more and more normal. I also don’t really feel like I’m doing anything strange or unusual either. My personal rule for the beach/pool is if women can wear it then guys can too. Here in the US many people will likely give you a weird look at first and will judge you for wearing what they believe is not appropriate. It doesn’t matter though because I know I’m doing absolutely nothing wrong. In reality the trunks/shorts most guys wear to the beach or pool is just impractical for all the reasons TBD stated. Now when I go to the pool I have the confidence to strip down to my swim brief right away. If I feel like getting up and walking around or going in the water I do that too and I don’t even feel weird about it. Because it’s not weird or wrong at all.

    If you’re on the fence about wearing a swim brief in public for the first time just do it!

    • The Bottom Drawer says:

      Hopefully, we are giving someone else the confidence to do the same with us wearing a swim brief. Knowing that someone else doing so inspired you makes me feel better in my thought that maybe my wearing of them would open some eyes. I agree if women are wearing bikinis then we should have no issues wearing similar swim attire. Thanks for sharing!

  3. swimmer78 says:

    Swim briefs, bikinis and square cuts are really the most comfortable and sensible suits to wear in the water. My journey to wearing briefs in public began in 2016 with a beach visit so this is also my 5th summer wearing them. It still takes courage for me to wear them outside the lap pool environment. Honestly I think a lot of the fear is in our heads.

    Our family recently joined a city rec-center pool near our house. They have an outdoor pool right outside the indoor lap pool. I have worn my Sporti splice brief a couple times recently at the outdoor pool with my kids where a lot of families gather. To me that is a more difficult location than the beach to wear briefs, perhaps because I am forced to be closer to others. At the beach you can spread out more. From what I can tell nobody has had a negative reaction to my briefs. Also, having the lap pool a few feet away may make wearing swim briefs more acceptable there I think.

    If you’re too shy to try a brief, go with a square cut then work your courage up to wearing a brief only.

    • The Bottom Drawer says:

      I agree that I feel the beach is an easier place than the pool to break out a swim brief. More room to spread out. I like to kind of set up a bit away from people then allow others to set up near the guy in the swim brief. I haven’t been to the local pool in several years, but hoping to brave the swim brief if we return at some point. I’ve worn them at motel pools, but not the same as a busy pool.

  4. MT says:

    I’ve committed to thongs at the beach and in the pool at home. When the situation calls for something more conservative I’ll resort to briefs. I went through similar phases, first wearing board shorts and square cuts sometimes, then on to only square cuts and sometimes briefs, then briefs only and rarely thongs, now all the way to thongs only and briefs when forced to be more conservative. Even around friends and family there has been no negative remarks to wearing briefs or thongs, not from public either. The only comments I’ve gotten were positive. There’s the occasional “banana hammock” remarks made in jest, but only from people that I know well enough to know there is no underlying negativity. It’s been a good journey! And to the practical reasons, I absolutely swim better, suits dry faster, pack easier, tan lines are better, etc! My wife has also transitioned to thongs almost always and the occasional cheeky in a more conservative setting. The few times we’ve thought there may be folks looking at us negatively really just helps to filter the type of people we’d like to speak to anyways. Anyone that has a problem with people wearing what they want to wear probably has lots of other feelings and beliefs that wouldn’t align with ours either!

  5. S says:

    It is incredible to what lengths men will go for just the right tool for a particular job except when it comes to swim/beachwear. There is a night and day difference in one’s experience when wearing the appropriate swimwear, which never includes boardshorts. Hammers don’t drive screws very well; screwdrivers do. Proper tools for swimming/beach range from a conservative square-cut swim-brief, though for the best experience, go nude. There are plenty of situationally appropriate options in-between. Like TBD, I wish I had doffed the swimshorts earlier in life; once tasting freedom and comfort, there is no going back.

  6. T says:

    Wouldn’t it be amazing to see Nate’s graphic at the top of this page at the entrance to every beach? Just imagine, no more beaches plagued with guys sporting hideous dork shorts and casting aspersions our way for daring to bare more than our ankles! Imagine thongs and string bikinis being the norm rather than the exception! I’m sure a small patch of beach could be set aside for those desperate to cling on to their tent sized shorts that become a safety blanket while concealing any hint of their masculinity, but hopefully some would realise how ridiculous they look and soon make the jump to the speedo side of the beach!
    Whenever I see a guy on Instagram wearing a speedo, I will make a point of commenting positively on his choice of skimpy swimwear, no matter his age, body shape or size. But if I see someone on social media wearing board shorts or baggy swim shorts, I will point out that they would look much better in a briefer style, even if they happen to be blessed with an Adonis type body.
    If we are lucky enough to make it to the beach this summer(Covid permitting), we can all do our bit to promote skimpier styles and hopefully inspire others to follow our example!

  7. Jason says:

    All designed to conceal the penis, since woke feminists want us all to believe that all men are rapists and the penis is a symbol of rape, misogyny and oppression… we sure as hell can’t have men wearing swim briefs that accentuate their front area… oh, we can’t even say the “P” word now it may trigger woke feminists. In countries where Sharia Law is the law of the land, men control what women wear in public. In America, woke feminists control what men wear in public!
    Women can wear thongs and bikinis to the beach, public water parks and pools that become see-through when wet and accentuate every curve and fold of their vulvas and shot their nipples, but men’s swimwear has to be poofy and baggy so we cannot detect that their might be a penis under their poofy, baggy boardshorts.

  8. Pm7 says:

    I for one, being a larger big boned build, am having trouble finding the right size that fits and looks right and is comfortable… that’s part of my problem taking the plunge. Many popular brands don’t offer my size and if they do you read the reviews and they say to size up.. then I’m SOL. I also can’t stand when the crotch area is super wide… feels like a wedgie for your crotch with all that extra fabric. So to add to the post even if guys are willing to branch out and lose the shorts sometimes finding the right size is a hurdle in itself to overcome.

    P.s. …if you guys know of brands that offer sizes for big boned people pass em my way.

  9. Rthongr says:

    Well said gents! Board shorts for swimming really is ridiculous. I started wearing short swim trunks back in 2010 which I think was peak baggy shorts, at least here in canada. I wanted to wear briefs/thongs but I lacked the confidence and was concerned what other people would think, so even these were a big step at the time. Luckily my friends were supportive which helped. And I would wear briefs/square cuts when on vacation so making progress. Fast forward a few years i met my wife and whenever we’d go swimming I’d force myself to lose the shorts. Now I’ve been wearing exclusively square cuts/briefs since 2017 and for the last couple years thongs as much as possible outside and then square cuts/briefs at indoor public pools. I love them so much, it makes a world of difference swimming. Honestly the hardest part is just to ditch the shorts, as soon as they’re off and the initial moment of panic is gone I have so much confidence and they just feel great. I don’t get any negative feedback (I suppose it’s a little more progressive here vs the states), mostly lots of curious looks (in a good way as long as you don’t mind attention! ) or indifference or even *gasp* actual positive interactions lol.

    As far as women wearing revealing swimsuits, up here they do absolutely but there’s more women wearing larger one-pieces or over-sized bikinis or even women who are clearly wearing a very skimpy piece but are wearing shorts over top. I dont have to tell you how unfortunate this is for our sake lol, but also I think they’re doing themselves a disservice as they’re degrading or eliminating their own self confidence and self worth. Maybe there’s too many creepy guys? I don’t know.

    Jason, I don’t think woke feminism plays any significant role in determining what is popular for men’s swimwear. I think it’s more along the lines of what tbd is saying.

    • Jason says:

      I don’t think woke feminism is the key determinant, but most definitely an influence. I can tell you from experience that men in America have had to endure 30 years of conditioning to accept and believe that they should be ashamed of their bodies and keep as much skin covered as possible. Boys are told that it’s bad to be a boy and the natural instincts that boys have (ambition, exploration, imagination, adventure, and aggressive behavior) are frowned upon and discouraged. Now imagine 30 years of this indoctrination in American classrooms. This has brought us to the point that we are in now. The masculine man is an endangered species in this country. We are slowly changing gender roles in America, men are becoming more feminine and women are getting more masculine.

  10. KrP says:

    I agree, I do not accept the double standard that women can wear briefs to swim and exercise in but men cannot. Briefs are so much more comfortable – less drag and do not harbor air, dry faster- and therefore the body does not get as cold! I hope our culture can change to not view the male body as “gross”!

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