Best Surf, Skate & Street Board Shorts in 2022

Last update: December 25, 2022

O'Neill GI Jack Patriotic Hyperfreak Boardshorts With American Flag Patch Review:


These shorts are really fantastic all around. Since my jeans are a size 44, I purchased them in that size. It fit nicely. They are very light in weight. They look to be well-made. The string wasn't what I was used to seeing. It only tightens at the front rather than going all the way around you. Although I didn't go off a high dive, it seems to work! Although they seem expensive, I'm happy with them. I possess no other trunks that are as comfortable as this one.



Hurley Men's Phantom Patriot Cheers USA Flag 20" Boardshort Review:


I bought these Hurley American flag board shorts to replace a worn-out pair because I need them for a trip to Hawaii and I lost some weight. I chose the black and gray look because I liked the color combination. Since board shorts don't have a liner, I can wear my own boxer-briefs underneath, I like them better than swim trunks.The board shorts don't appear exactly as described when you first get them. The flag's colors are subdued and appear as wonderful as I had anticipated. On the front and back, there are reflecting Hurley insignia that don't ruin the aesthetic. However, they are much lighter than they appear in the picture, and I don't like the color because it doesn't go with the rest of the board shorts' design. As a result, they stand out above the subdued flag.Although the cloth is a little bit thinner than my old board shorts, it doesn't feel cheap and will definitely dry out quicker. I'll need to pull the drawstrings tight because the shorts are a little large and the fly feels robust. I ordered a size 30 because I am 5'7" and 138 pounds with a 30-inch waist, but there is a sizable gap around my waist. I'll be wearing something over these, so it's not too horrible, but I would have looked better in a smaller size. The back pocket's velcro is really flimsy and does not keep it closed securely. The pocket is also really tiny. It will fit my iPhone X with the Otterbox Defender case, however the flap won't close and the phone will protrude slightly. I also can't sit down with my phone in my pocket because it's a back pocket rather than a cargo pocket. The pocket, in my opinion, serves mostly as decoration. My previous pair of board shorts included a useful cargo pocket, and these Hurley board shorts would benefit much from having one as well.I'm happy with my buy all around, and I'll be wearing these board shorts on my trip. I do suggest them. 4/5 stars



O'Neill Men's 21 Inch Outseam Hybrid Stretch Walk Short Review:


I purchased these at TJ Max during the summer, and after my husband wore them, they quickly rose to the top of his list of preferred bottoms. Thank God Amazon had another pair when I needed them! He now has two colors and can always wear a pair, whoo hoo! He claims that these are incredibly light, cozy, fantastic in the water, quick to dry, and feel like nothing is on his bottom half. He has nothing but positive things to say about them.They don't appear to be swim trunks; rather, they resemble a contemporary, lightweight short. They did great at the beach, in the rain forest, and when we took them on a walking tour of the city while we were in Puerto Rico (before this year's hurricanes). On my husband, who generally has broad, thicker thighs, they look fantastic and are quite accommodating!



O'Neill Men's Santa Cruz Solid 2.0 Boardshorts Review:


Board shorts have always been my preference over swim trunks. I would rather wear a pair of compression shorts and board shorts because I detest the mesh lining of ordinary swim trunks. This brought me to these. I adore O'Neill items, and I particularly loved the subtle logo on these because I detest flashy, garishly colored, or huge logos/symbols/designs on my clothing.I'll start by saying that, once I put them on, they fit me perfectly and are everything a board short should be. Material that is comfy and light. Fly with Velcro and waist tie. Anything you might need to carry can go in the pocket. I'm a male who stands at 6'1" and weighs 185 lbs. I have an athletic build. I chose a size 33, and it's just over kneecap length, so it's not absurdly loose or make me appear like an 18-year-old frat kid wearing short shorts. Since I generally wear a size 33 in shorts, the waist fits true to size. They're not too baggy or too narrow through the thigh for an athletic guy.Herein is the problem. The waist is different from the last several pairs of board shorts I've owned, which is what I meant when I said in the title that it had a "unusual" fit. It includes a piece of elastic across the front of the waist that effectively transforms it into a 360 degree waistline instead of having a full opening (as you would when unbuttoning a typical pair of shorts or pants). The shorts are still entirely fastened around the waist when the waist-string and velcro fly are undone, much like a regular pair of swim trunks that you would simply slip on and off. Why does this matter so much? Considering that I don't exactly have a huge butt, it was really difficult for me to put these on without feeling like I was going to rip them to pieces. I had to wriggle into them quite a bit. I wouldn't go up a size because they felt perfect once they were on and over my hips, but putting them on and taking them off required some effort. By no means is it a deal-breaker for me, so I'm keeping them and giving them a five-star rating. I actually really enjoy them once they are on.The waistband is a bit unforgiving while trying to put the shorts on, but other than that one peculiarity, these are very comfy. They are both fashionable (for surf shorts) and useful. As long as you don't think the swimtrunk-style waistband, which might be a lot tighter than you might expect while you're attempting to get into them, would irritate you, I'd certainly recommend these.



Quiksilver Men's Manic 22 Inch Boardshort Review:


I spent the entire day at the nearby mall trying on different types of surf shorts. I suppose this is the new style because they all fit like they were designed for women. The shorts that fit my waist size did not even come close to covering my legs, let alone my gentlemanly organs. I suppose I'm aging...These were a gamble I took, and they showed up the day before my backpacking trip. With them, I could not be happier.The fabric is robust and dries quickly. In them, I hiked more than 30 miles, interspersed with plenty of swimming, sitting, and cliff leaping. They endured really well. The compartments are quite practical, and the right side pocket has a lanyard that can be used to hang keys and other items.For reference, I am 6 feet tall and weigh 180 lbs. My waist usually ranges from 31 to 32 inches. It fits perfectly. I choose the 32. The drawstring allows for a small amount of waist adjustment. There is a small amount of room in the waist. These had the ideal waist fit for me. They were a respectable length and sat just above the middle of my knee. Not overly "gangsta," but also not overly frilly like anything I tried on at the shopping. They look fantastic, and the camouflage design is a really attractive black camouflage. I'm going to purchase more of these!



Hurley Men's One and Only 22-Inch Boardshort Review:


I often worry when ordering clothes online because I'm scared they won't fit properly, but my husband's fit was excellent in these.• Fits true to size He typically wears a 36 in shorts, jeans, etc., so we purchased a 36 and they suited him perfectly.• The inseam measures 22 inches from top to bottom. These tiny shorts reach my husband's knee despite his height of 6 feet.• Material that is lightweight; • Lack of an interior lining. (Despite the lack of a lining, the material is not sheer. It is transparent and opaque.• On the right side of the shorts, one pocket. To provide as a point of comparison, I attempted to put my iPhone 7 Plus in the pocket. It almost fits, but the top protrudes and the Velcro cannot be closed.



Hurley Men's Phantom One and Only Board Shorts Review:


They simply differ in size. After losing a lot of weight and owning a pair of the original (more stretchy fabric) shorts, I got 2 sets of the 34, but these run larger than the marked size. One pair fit perfectly while the other was perhaps a size 30 marked 32, so I had to return/refund them in order to get the smaller size 32. I will attempt once more using Amazon's heinous return policy. Good luck since you need to go down a size or two because they don't fit true to size.



Hurley Men's One & Only Supersuede 21" Boardshort Review:


Hurley swim trunks have been purchased from here before because I adore how they feel and look. They look fantastic, fit well, and are really well made. There is no difference in this pair of swim trunks. The fit is perfect as usual, the design is straightforward but well-considered, and it is adjustable up to a point.The features of their swim trunks that I appreciate (and this pair fits this description) are as follows: - Liners have always bothered me; these don't have any. To me, this is positive. A word of caution: If you get a lighter pair (I once bought a pair of bright green), you will regrettably need to wear underwear, or else you will have to make a good display of your "business" every time you exit the water. I generally loathe elastic-stretch swimwear; darker pairs don't suffer as much from this. Typically, they are unkempt and messy. Although the waist is comfortable even when wet, these are NOT elastic.- The knots are substantial but not overly so. They chose a densely woven cotton/synthetic fabric that is both sturdy and long-lasting. All the pairs I've had have only ever had one problem, and that was when I dried them in the dryer when I shouldn't have, which caused a very small portion of it to melt. Lesson learnt. I don't believe I've ever untied a pair of these accidentally.- A soft, dark fabric lining is present IN the crotch area BEHIND the tie to prevent friction and to conceal anything in case the tie were to come undone.They are incredibly flattering while not being form-fitting. This is true both now, with my 36" waist, and when I weighed more (I bought a 38" waist a few years ago before reducing weight). There are no buildings in any locations, and they generally look fantastic. They dry incredibly fast. On a warm day, I'm talking about being virtually bone dry in 15-20 minutes. This gets a little less with use after washing, so if you can, let them air dry and wear them a few times.I believe that the quick-drying "plus" and part of the logo-ing are regrettably the causes of the inability to machine-dry these shorts. When they are dried, they probably lose their potency. Given how much I adore them, these is probably the fifth pair I've bought.One more thing: they are a little bit lighter in color than they look on the website. But buyer beware—I still adore the hue. Even though it's a tiny bit lighter, it's still not "sky blue."



QUIKSILVER Men's Highline Kaimana 20 Boardshort Swim Trunk Review:


These surf shorts are nice. Though not perfectly, they fit. I was unaware that the pocket was located on the back. Personally, I like pockets on the sides. I appreciate how the material has a stretch to it and the color is exactly represented, but I don't like how the material appears bland and simple. It seems a little shoddy. When I previously bought Quiksilver, the quality of the material and attention to detail was far superior. The color was the main factor in my decision to buy these. Although 21" would have been better, it wasn't an option. These shorts aren't all that horrible, but they're also not very noteworthy.



Hurley Men's One and Only Board Shorts Review:


I chose to buy these swim trunks for my husband as a surprise for our honeymoon because I know how much he loves his Hurley headwear. He has an average to slender physique and is a 34x34. He could wear them, although it was difficult for him to do so over his behind. They fit very well. But once they were on, they were respectable. Unquestionably a relatively limited range of motion. The hips and thighs are quite fitting, but the waist fits. If you are heavy in these places, you might want to seek elsewhere.