We鈥檙e deep into summer at this point鈥攊t鈥檚 hot as hell. But that also means it鈥檚 watersports season. And for that, you need a good pair of swim trunks. To help you choose, I tried out five new models and ranked them.
The Test
Versatility
I wore each of these trunks for a full day, during which I rode my bike on errands, ran, and swam in the pool for 40 minutes. Plus, I took them out on the town to see how well they served as everyday shorts.
Athletic Movement
I ran in each of these swim trunks over the same 3.5 miles. Then I put them through a circuit workout (involving 15 squats, 20 mountain climbers, and ten聽burpees) to gauge their stretchiness and comfort when dry. Then came the wet test: I sat down in a kiddie pool with the shorts fully submerged for 30 seconds and immediately repeated the circuit.
Moisture Management
To see how quickly the shorts聽dried, I weighed each pair聽on a kitchen scale. Then聽I fully submerged them for 30 seconds, removed them聽from the water, and dangled them for ten seconds to allow some water to slough off. I immediately weighed the shorts before hanging them on a clothesline in full sun. I then reweighed each swimsuit 20, 40, and 60 minutes after the initial soak to see how much water they shed.
The Results
Winner: Mission Workshop Anaga ($180)
Weight: 5.6 ounces
Versatility: 4.5
Athletic Movement: 5
Moisture Management: 4.5
Believe me, I was shocked by the price tag as well, and I desperately didn鈥檛 want to fall in love with . But I just couldn鈥檛 help myself.聽The Mission Workshop Anaga shorts were hands down the best on this list. Whether wet or dry, they didn鈥檛 impede my movement during聽the deepest squats or quickest mountain climbers. In fact, they were so good during the circuits that I鈥檒l probably wear them for future workouts. They shed water and dried quickly, weighing 43 grams less in the first 20 minutes and tipping the scales just three grams heavier than their dry weight after an hour. What鈥檚 more, the Anaga聽shorts have classic styling that makes them almost look like they were tailored specifically for me. I received several compliments, the most exciting coming from my mother-in-law, who said I could even dress these up for a nice brunch.
#2. Hurley x Carhartt Hyperweave 7-Inch ($100)
Weight: 5.4 ounces
Versatility: 4
Athletic Movement: 4
Moisture Management: 4
This from Hurley and Carhartt was the perfect marriage of the two brands. The Hyperweave shorts were fantastic in the water, befitting Hurley鈥檚 pedigree, and they鈥檙e built from a burly stretchy polyester with the durability we expect from Carhartt. The just-right seven-inch inseam was short enough to stay out of the way as I swam and did squats, mountain climbers, and burpees, regardless of whether the Hyperweave was bone-dry or soaking wet. The wide and flat waistband allowed them to move as I bent. (I can鈥檛 say the same for the three styles below.)
#3. Dakine Pavones 19-Inch ($51)
Weight: 5.8 ounces
Versatility: 4
Athletic Movement: 3.5
Moisture Management: 3.5
These almost edged out the Hyperweave above, but the Dakine聽Pavones didn鈥檛 shed water or move as well during exercise. But if you don鈥檛 have $100 or more to shell out on swim trunks, these are聽an excellent option. The polyester-elastane fabric was the most comfortable on my skin鈥攏ot a small feat considering they were just up against some highly specialized and expensive competitors. If you have sensitive skin, these are your swim trunks.
#4. Nike Swim Linen Blade 9-Inch ($55)
Weight: 7.3 ounces
Versatility: 3
Athletic Movement: 4
Moisture Management: 1.5
If you like a larger boardshort that鈥檚 well suited for land-based activities (and who doesn鈥檛 love a friendly match of beach volleyball?), then Nike鈥檚聽 is for you. The wide, long legs are sewn from a lightweight, supple polyester-elastane mesh blend that almost floated in the wind鈥攂ut these shorts are heavy overall given the abundance of material. I was OK with that given the combination of coverage and breathability. Those long stretchy legs were awesome during the circuit workout as well, right on par with the Hyperweave and Pavones. Unfortunately, things went downhill when I got the trunks wet. The two large side pockets, which were so handy while running errands, slowed me down in the pool. And all that extra material in the legs soaked up water, adding a significant amount of weight and preventing the Blade shorts from drying quickly.
#5. Filson Green River ($75)
Weight: 9.1 ounces
Versatility: 3.5
Athletic Movement: 1
Moisture Management: 2
If this were a test about shorts that work in the water and legitimately dress up, Filson鈥檚聽 would have been a clear winner. I rolled the dice and wore these shorts to business meetings (including at one of the nicest restaurants in town)鈥攁ll I had to do after running and jumping in the pool was put on a nice shirt and a pair of shoes. Alas, the five-ounce, matte cotton-nylon blend that makes the Green River look dressy was also a nightmare to run and workout in. These shorts were so rigid that聽I suffered significant chafing on my inner thighs and was barely capable of getting into a deep squat.