Most of us have owned the pair that's still soaked on the drive home, leaving a wet outline on the truck seat, or the one whose drawstring let go the second we jumped off the dock. Usually, the culprit is how the shorts were built, and around here, we care a lot about how things are built. Here's what matters when you're picking out men's board shorts: length, fit, closure, pockets, fabric, prints, and care.
What Are Men's Board Shorts?
Board shorts are swim shorts designed for surfing and other active time in the water. Instead of an elastic waist, they close with a drawstring or laced front, and they're made from quick-drying synthetic fabric. They also tend to run longer and fit flatter than swim trunks, so they stay put when you paddle, dive, or take a wave.
The name comes straight from surfing, the "board" being the surfboard. Surfers needed shorts that stayed on through a wipeout and kept their legs off the wax, and the basic recipe hasn't changed much since. What has changed is who wears them. These days you're as likely to spot a pair on a mechanic at a Sunday cookout as on a surfer paddling out at dawn.
What's the Difference Between Board Shorts and Swim Trunks?
They're the two staples of men's beachwear, and the difference mostly comes down to the waist and the cut. Swim trunks usually have an elastic waistband and a mesh liner, and they tend to run shorter and roomier. Board shorts swap the elastic for a tied closure, usually go without a liner, and sit flatter against the leg.
Neither is better across the board. Trunks are easy to pull on for a lazy pool afternoon. Board shorts earn their keep when you're active, because a laced front stays where you tied it through a dive or a wave and won't sag as the fabric takes on water.
And regular cotton shorts? Anyone who's cannonballed into a buddy's pool in cargo shorts after a long shift knows how that goes. They hold water, hang heavy, and take all night to dry.
What Length Board Shorts Should You Get?
We make two lengths: a classic 21" outseam and a shorter 7" inseam. Outseam and inseam are measured from different points, so the two numbers can't really be compared directly.
How are board shorts measured?
Outseam runs down the outside of the leg, from the top of the waistband to the hem. Inseam starts at the crotch seam and runs down the inside of the leg. Because the outseam also includes the rise (everything between the crotch and the waistband), a 21" outseam lands at or just above the knee, while a 7" inseam sits well above it.
Which length fits how you spend your summer?
The classic length suits surfing, since the extra fabric keeps your thighs off the wax, and it's the better call on boats and docks, where you'll be sitting on hot vinyl or splintery planks. The 7" feels lighter for laps, pool days, and walking around in real heat. Past that, wear the length you like; nobody at the lake is holding a tape measure.
Here's how the two lengths in our men's swimwear lineup stack up:
How Should Men's Board Shorts Fit?
They should feel secure at the waist before you touch the drawstring, with enough room in the seat and thighs to squat and climb without anything pulling.
A few fit tips:
- Waist: Go by the size that stays where you want it on its own. The drawstring is there to lock the shorts in place, not to hold up a pair that's too big.
- Seat: If you're between sizes and spend a lot of time sitting on boats or docks, sizing up keeps the back from pulling low or tightening across your hips.
- Thighs: Four-way stretch gives you room to climb onto a swim platform or paddle out, but don't size down counting on it. Stretch can't rescue a pair that's too small.
- The tie: Tie the drawstring before you get in the water, not after you surface holding your shorts up with one hand.
Our 21" styles have a relaxed fit and use waist sizing, while the 7" pairs use letter sizing. Check the product page and Dixxon size guide for sizing details.
Does the Type of Pocket Actually Matter?
One pocket that closes beats three that don't, because an open pocket fills with water and loses whatever's in it. That's why our 21" board shorts have a heat-seamed side zipper pocket and a rear Velcro pocket with a key keeper. You'll forget it's there until you're patting yourself down for truck keys at the end of a dock, and they're right where you left them.
The 7" styles split the job differently: dual front slash pockets for when you're on dry land, plus a rear zippered pocket for anything that goes in the water with you.
One rule applies to every board short ever made, though. A zipper keeps a phone from falling out; it won't keep water out. Leave the phone in the cooler bag or the truck.
Which Fabric Is Best for Board Shorts?
Lightweight synthetics with some stretch. Our board shorts use quick-drying materials like polyester and nylon with four-way stretch. These fabrics let go of water fast instead of holding onto it the way cotton does.
You'll feel the difference in the hours after you climb out of the water. Say your Saturday on the boat ends at a lakeside bar. By the time you've tied up and walked over, your shorts are dry, or close enough. The same goes for a dawn surf session, when you'd rather not spend the drive to work sitting in soggy shorts.
Four-way stretch is the other half. It gives in every direction, so hauling yourself onto a boat, popping up on a board, or squatting down to dig through the cooler doesn't pull at the seams. Frankly, once you've worn stretch board shorts for a summer, stiff ones feel like a step backward.
Should You Get Printed Board Shorts or a Solid Color?
Get the one you'll actually reach for, but it helps to know what each one does best. A busy all-over print hides sand, sunscreen smudges, and water spots better than a solid. A solid pairs more easily with a loud shirt, so if your closet is already full of bold short sleeve button ups, solid black board shorts keep the outfit from turning into an argument between top and bottom.
When we do prints, we don't go halfway. If a design would look right at a car show, a tattoo shop barbecue, or on the back of a boat, it's fair game for our board shorts. And nobody has to earn the right to a loud print. If you like it, wear it.
Can You Wear Board Shorts Out of the Water?
Yes. Once they're dry, board shorts pass as regular summer shorts, which is why they do double duty on road trips: swim at one stop, lunch at the next, with just a beach towel over the truck seat in between.
What you wear on top decides how they read. Throw on a party shirt, a pair of sandals and slides, and a straw hat and you're set for a pool day at a buddy's house, a dock bar, or a Saturday cruise-in. Swap in a plain tee and sneakers, and the same pair looks like any weekend errand run.
How Do You Care for Board Shorts?
Rinse them in fresh water the same day. Getting salt and chlorine out quickly does more for your board shorts than any other habit. After that, machine wash them cold with like colors, then hang them to dry or tumble dry on low. If they need it, a cool iron takes care of any wrinkles.
One last thing. Don't leave a wet pair balled up in a beach bag or behind the truck seat overnight, because nobody wants to be the one who opens that bag on Monday.
Picking Your Next Pair
Start with where you spend most of your time in the water: surfing, boating, and dock days point to the classic 21"; laps, pool days, and hot afternoons in town point to the 7". Get the size right, make sure there's a pocket that closes, and pick a print or solid that works with the shirts you already own. You put in the hours all week, so the weekend deserves shorts that keep up. Find your next pair in the full Dixxon board shorts collection.
Men's Board Shorts FAQ
Are board shorts the same as swim trunks?
Not quite. Both are made for the water, but board shorts for men typically use a drawstring or laced front and a longer, flatter cut, while swim trunks usually have an elastic waist, often a liner, and a shorter, roomier fit.
How long should men's board shorts be?
That depends on how you use them. A classic 21" outseam lands at or just above the knee and suits surfing and boating; a 7" inseam sits higher on the thigh and feels lighter for swimming and pool days.
Do board shorts have a liner?
Traditional board shorts for men are usually unlined, while many swim trunks include a mesh liner. Some guys wear compression shorts underneath for extra support.
Can you wear board shorts as regular shorts?
Yes. Quick-dry fabric means they're dry not long after you get out, and with a tee or button-up and a pair of slides or sneakers, they look like any other summer shorts.