I only wear now. Like all the time. I wear them around my office, to run errands, and while walking the dog. I wear them to the gym and when I鈥檓 going out to dinner or meeting friends for happy hour. I wear them on casual bike rides and short runs. I鈥檓 wearing a pair of as I’m currently typing, and I鈥檒l stay in these shorts for the rest of the day until it鈥檚 time for bed.
I don’t wear swim trunks all the time because I鈥檓 a lifeguard or even an avid swimmer (I can鈥檛 remember the last time I went to the pool). I wear them because they鈥檙e the most comfortable shorts I own. Period. It鈥檚 the summer equivalent of wearing joggers every day during the winter.
Does this mean I鈥檝e given up on life and I鈥檓 sacrificing style for comfort? My wife and kids certainly think so. But I鈥檇 argue that all men should consider making the same sacrifice; Life is better once you realize a good pair of trunks is the only couture you need for summer.
First of all, these aren鈥檛 the swimsuits of my youth, which were uncomfortable things made from a semi-rigid poly that bordered on plastic, with no pockets and a weird mesh liner that felt like my junk was trapped in a fishing net. The swim trunks I鈥檓 wearing now are high-performance layers with four-way stretch outer shorts and a silky, smooth boxer brief liner that鈥檚 as comfortable as the finest skivvies in my underwear drawer. That boxer brief liner is stretchy and doesn鈥檛 bind whether I鈥檓 sitting at my desk or knocking out a 15-minute yoga sesh.
All of the swim shorts in my quiver are comfortable enough to nap in but built for performance, so they can handle a workout. And they all have hand pockets, as well as a rear pocket, so I can carry my essentials as I run errands. Put all those attributes together and you have the perfect layer for summer (especially considering the unbearable heat waves we’re all living through). Moisture management is more important than ever. Can you think of any layer that can handle moisture better than a pair of swimmies? No, you can鈥檛, because these shorts are literally designed to get soaked and dry fast.
The swim-suit-all-day-life isn鈥檛 all roses, though. My wife complains that I鈥檝e adopted the mindset of a grade-school-aged kid who wears his soccer uniform everyday. But that鈥檚 not true. I have different suits for different occasions. A flower print suit聽 is great for when I think I might actually go swimming, or at least get into the hot tub or sauna. My camouflage suit is for when I鈥檓 feeling rugged, and a retro striped suit for evenings out. Plus, I鈥檇 argue that these shorts are stylish because they make a bold statement to the world. They say I鈥檓 a guy that鈥檚 up for whatever. Maybe I鈥檒l take a nap or knock out some lunges or I could jump on a paddle board and head down the river. Who knows where the day will take me, but I鈥檓 wearing the shorts to handle whatever situation arises.
Carpe Diem; that鈥檚 what wearing swim shorts every day says. Carpe Diem.
Here are three of my favorite pairs of swim trunks that I wear all day, every day, no matter what my wife and kids say.
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Saxx Go Coastal 2N1 shorts
I have a lot of pairs of Saxx underwear because they fit so well that I forget I鈥檓 wearing them. The Go Coastal takes that same sense of comfort to swim shorts with a soft boxer-brief liner that comes complete with Saxx鈥檚 signature Ballpark Pouch. It鈥檚 the softest liner I鈥檝e tested. The only downside to these shorts is the back pocket doesn鈥檛 have a zipper, but the liner comes with a sleeve perfectly sized for your phone, so there鈥檚 a storage solution for whatever you need to carry. The floral print on these shorts is fun, but my wife says they鈥檙e not 鈥渄inner appropriate.鈥
Bn3th Agua Volley 2N1 Swim Shorts聽
Speaking of heat waves (and global warming), everything in the Agua Volley is made from recycled materials, all the way down to the elastic waistband. The liner is thin and breathable and includes Bn3th鈥檚 3D Pouch, which offers the most structural support for the family jewels of any liner I鈥檝e tried. I have the longer, 7-inch inseam shorts because I have chicken legs, but you can go with the 5-inch if you like the short-shorts look. The outer shell doesn鈥檛 have as much stretch as the other options in this article, but the longer cut makes them more appropriate in situations where swim trunks might look out of place, like on a date.
Chubbies Lined Classics Shorts
The Chubbies Lined Classics are my favorite swimmers in my quiver. The outer short has a brushed, next-to-skin softness that you don鈥檛 often find in the category. Also, the pair I own has a retro-striped aesthetic that gives the shorts a stylish edge over the competition. Pair the Lined Classics with a boat shoe and a well-fitting polo shirt and you could convince people that you just stepped off your schooner.