Unless you have made a lifelong commitment to skimpy briefs or are aiming to shave milliseconds off your lap times in the pool by wearing jammers, a set of shorts is the natural choice for your swimming attire. They’re comfortable, they’re practical and you’ll never have to question whether yours are too revealing, unless you’ve picked some pretty strange swim shorts.
It’s also easy to marry style with substance, especially when the substance of swimming trunks doesn’t vary much between brands. Expect an elastic waistband with drawstrings, a mesh inner lining, and side pockets, again made from mesh so they’re less likely to trap air. So whichever pair catch your eye below, you can buy safe in the knowledge that you’re not missing some innovative feature that will transform your SWOLF score.
The straight and wavy horizontal lines on these shorts might attract slightly longer stares than is ideal – it’s actually hard to look away from the shimmering lower half in particular – but if that doesn’t bother you, then the Nike Vital shorts are a great all-round option.
Buy from Nike | £59.95
As you’d expect, Speedo’s range is filled with top-notch swimming shorts, but if you’re keen to move rather than merely lounge in your shorts, these are the pick of the bunch.
Buy from Speedo | £26
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The flowers and flamingos pattern on these shorts makes them a great pick for beach holidays as well as trips to the local lido, and the Durafeel material used is rated to retain its colour and shape for 750 hours in the pool.
Buy from Zoggs | £30 (currently reduced to £15)
Decathlon’s in-house swimming brand Nabaiji is always worth checking out when you’re on the hunt for a bargain. These swimming shorts come in at just under £15 and have a comfortable and durable design.
Buy from Decathlon | £14.99
