How to Choose the Perfect Men's Swimsuit: What to Consider Before You Buy

TL;DR: Buying comfortable swim shorts shouldn't be a gamble. The perfect pair comes down to seven things most guys overlook: fabric quality, quick-drying performance, a modern 5-inch inseam, versatile all-day design, durable construction, the right liner, and — increasingly — sustainable materials. Get these right and you'll end up with all-day swim shorts that double as your favourite summer staple. Get them wrong and you'll be changing in a cramped beach bathroom by noon.

Most guys spend more time choosing a coffee order than they do choosing swimwear. The usual approach: grab whatever looks decent, check the price tag, done.

Then summer arrives, and the problems start. The fabric feels like a plastic bag. The shorts take three hours to dry. They look absurd at lunch. And by August, they're already fading, fraying, or both.

The truth is, the right pair of swim trunks can quietly upgrade your entire summer. The wrong pair will remind you of the mistake every single time you put them on.

Here's everything you should actually consider before buying your next pair of men's swimwear — and why each detail matters far more than you think.

1. Fabric: The One Thing That Changes Everything

If you only pay attention to one factor, make it this one. Fabric determines how your swim shorts feel, how fast they dry, how long they last, and whether you'll actually want to wear them outside the water.

What to look for:

• Fine yarn: Thinner threads create a smoother, softer surface against your skin. Thick, coarse yarn is why so many swim trunks feel scratchy and stiff straight out of the packaging.
• Tight weave: A dense weave prevents water from getting trapped between the fibres. This is the single biggest factor in how quickly your shorts dry.
• Soft hand feel: If the fabric feels rough, papery, or plastic-like when it's dry in the shop, it's not going to magically improve when it's wet and covered in salt and sand.

The best comfortable swim shorts manage to feel like premium everyday clothing while still performing like technical swimwear. That combination — softness plus function — is where most brands fall short.

Blauw's approach: Blauw swim shorts use OceanKnit™ fabric, engineered with ultra-fine threads woven tightly together. The result is a buttery-soft feel that's smooth against the skin, with a structured look that holds up well beyond the beach. It's one of the few fabrics we've seen that genuinely nails both comfort and quick-drying performance without compromise.

2. Quick-Drying Performance: The Make-or-Break Feature

Here's a scenario every guy knows: you jump in the ocean, towel off, sit down for lunch — and spend the next 45 minutes sitting in cold, heavy, clinging shorts.

Quick-drying isn't a nice-to-have. It's the difference between swim shorts you can actually live in and swim shorts that dictate your schedule.

What to check:

• Weight when wet: Pick the shorts up after getting them wet. If they feel heavy, they're holding water. That water has to go somewhere, and most of it will be slowly evaporating against your legs.
• Fabric texture: Smooth, tightly woven fabrics shed water much faster than spongy, brushed, or thick materials.
• Real-world drying time: Marketing claims are generous. A truly quick-drying short should feel comfortable within minutes of towelling off — not hours.

The goal is all-day swim trunks that let you go from the water to a chair without a second thought. If your shorts can't do that, they're just swimwear. If they can, they're summer shorts.

3. Fit and Inseam: Finding the Modern Sweet Spot

Men's swimwear has come a long way from the knee-length board shorts of the early 2000s. Today, a clean, tailored fit is what separates sharp-looking swim shorts from something that belongs at a water park.

The inseam guide:

• 3–4 inches: Bold and retro. Works well for athletic builds but can feel too short for some.
• 5 inches: The modern sweet spot. Short enough to look sharp and proportional, long enough to feel comfortable sitting, walking, or swimming. This is where most premium brands land.
• 7 inches: Classic and conservative. Versatile but trending slightly dated.
• 9+ inches: Board short territory. Unless you're surfing, this length tends to look heavy and shapeless.

Beyond inseam, check these:

• Rise: A mid-rise sits naturally at the waist without riding up or sagging down.
• Leg opening: Slightly tapered openings look more tailored than wide, boxy cuts.
• Waistband: It should sit flat and comfortably — no rolling, twisting, or digging in after a meal.

Blauw uses a 5-inch inseam with a clean silhouette that looks just as natural at a beachside restaurant as it does in the waves. It's the kind of fit that makes people ask, "Are those swim shorts?" — which is exactly the point.

4. Sustainability: Why It Matters More Than You Think

The swimwear industry has a waste problem. Most conventional swim trunks are made from virgin polyester or nylon derived from petroleum — materials that contribute to microplastic pollution and take centuries to decompose.

Sustainable swim shorts aren't just a feel-good marketing trend. When done properly, recycled swimwear for men performs identically to — or better than — virgin alternatives.

What to look for in sustainable swimwear:

• Recycled content: Is the fabric made from post-consumer or post-industrial waste? Better yet, does it use materials that have already entered the environment (like recovered ocean plastic)?
• Transparent sourcing: Vague claims like "eco-friendly" or "green" don't mean much. Look for named partnerships, certifications, or specific material origins.
• No performance trade-off: The best recycled swim shorts should feel just as soft, dry just as quickly, and last just as long as anything made from virgin materials. If sustainability comes at the cost of comfort, it's not a solution — it's a compromise.

Blauw sets the standard here. Their OceanKnit™ fabric is developed in partnership with the SEAQUAL Initiative using recovered ocean plastic — including discarded fishing nets and marine debris. This isn't "ocean-bound" plastic that might reach the sea someday. It's waste that was already in the water, cleaned up and transformed into premium yarn. The result is recycled swim trunks that feel genuinely luxurious, not like a sustainability checkbox.

5. All-Day Versatility: Stop Packing Two Pairs of Shorts

This is the consideration most guys don't even know they should be making — but it might be the most important one.

Ask yourself: Can I wear these from morning to night without needing to change?

The best all-day swim shorts should handle this seamlessly:

☀️ Morning walk along the coast → 🏊 Quick swim in the ocean → 🍽️ Lunch at a beachside restaurant → 🍹 Evening drinks on a terrace

If your shorts can't handle that full arc, you're either packing extra clothes or accepting discomfort at some point in the day. Neither is ideal.

What makes swimwear for men truly all-day:

• Quick-drying fabric so you're not sitting in wet shorts at the table.
• Soft, non-crinkly material that doesn't sound or feel like a bin bag.
• A tailored, understated design that doesn't scream "I'm wearing a swimsuit."
• A comfortable liner that provides support without trapping moisture.

Blauw was designed around this exact philosophy. The OceanKnit™ fabric dries rapidly, the 5-inch inseam and clean silhouette look sharp out of the water, and the basic, refined colour palette — finished with a signature teal drawstring — means these sustainable swim shorts work just as hard at dinner as they do in the surf.

6. Construction Quality: The Details That Determine Longevity

A swim short might feel great on day one. The real question is how it feels after 30 wears, a dozen ocean swims, and a few rounds in the washing machine.

Key construction details to inspect:

• Stitching: Double-stitched seams with strong thread resist blowouts at stress points (side seams, crotch, waistband). Single stitching is a red flag for durability.
• Waistband engineering: A well-constructed waistband uses internal structure to stay flat and comfortable. Cheap waistbands twist, curl, and dig in.
• Drawstring quality: It should be sturdy, stay tied, and not fray after a few washes. This small detail speaks volumes about overall build quality.
• Salt and chlorine resistance: If you swim in the ocean or the pool regularly, your shorts need to resist the degrading effects of salt water and chlorine. Cheap dyes fade fast. Cheap fibres break down. Premium swimwear is engineered to handle both.

Blauw swim shorts are built with salt water and chlorine resistance in mind, meaning they're designed to look and feel the same after repeated exposure — not just survive a single holiday.

7. The Liner: A Small Detail With a Huge Impact

The liner is arguably the most overlooked component in men's swimwear, and it's one of the most common sources of discomfort.

The three main liner types:

If you're looking for comfortable swim trunks you can wear all day, an ultra-fine micro-mesh liner is the clear winner. It provides support and security without the sponge-like water retention of compression liners or the abrasive feel of traditional netting.

8. Style and Design: Less Is Almost Always More

Swimwear trends come and go, but clean, minimal design never dates.

What ages well:

• Solid colours and muted tones
• Minimal or no visible branding
• Matte fabric finishes (not shiny or athletic-looking)
• Subtle, thoughtful details (like a contrasting drawstring)

What doesn't:

• Loud tropical prints that only feel fun for one season
• Oversized logos
• Shiny, sporty fabrics that look like gym wear

The most versatile swimwear for men looks closer to a well-made chino short than to athletic gear. When your swim shorts are clean and understated enough to pair with a linen shirt, you've found something you'll actually reach for all summer — not just on beach days.

Putting It All Together: A Quick Pre-Purchase Checklist

Before you cut the tags on your next pair, run through this list:

• Fabric feel: Soft and smooth when dry? It'll only get better.
• Weight: Light and tightly woven? It'll dry fast.
• Inseam: Does the length flatter your build and feel modern?
• Stitching: Double-stitched seams and quality threads?
• Liner: Breathable and fast-draining — not a water trap?
• Versatility: Would you wear these to lunch without a second thought?
• Sustainability: Do you know what the fabric is made from and where it comes from?

If you can check every box, you've found a pair worth buying. If you can't, keep looking.

Final Thoughts

The perfect men's swimsuit isn't about flashy design or brand names. It's about materials, construction, and thoughtful engineering that let you forget you're even wearing swim shorts.

When the fabric is soft, the fit is right, the shorts dry in minutes, and the design works everywhere — that's when swimwear stops being a single-purpose item and becomes the best pair of shorts you own.

And when all of that is made from recovered ocean plastic? That's just a better way to do summer.

Key Takeaways

• Fabric is everything: Fine yarns and a tight weave deliver softness and rapid drying. Don't settle for rough, heavy materials.
• 5-inch inseam wins: It's the modern sweet spot for style, comfort, and mobility in men's swimwear.
• All-day versatility is the goal: The best comfortable swim shorts work from beach to bar without a wardrobe change.
• Sustainability without sacrifice: Recycled swim shorts like Blauw's OceanKnit™ prove that ocean plastic can become premium, buttery-soft swimwear.
• Sweat the small stuff: Double stitching, salt and chlorine resistance, a quality liner, and clean design details are what separate one-summer throwaway trunks from a lasting investment.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What's the most important thing to check when buying men's swim shorts?
Fabric quality. A tight weave with fine yarns determines how soft your shorts feel, how quickly they dry, and how well they hold up over time. If the fabric doesn't feel great when it's dry, nothing else will save them.

Are recycled swim trunks as comfortable as regular swimwear?
When engineered properly, absolutely. Premium recycled swim trunks — like those made with Blauw's OceanKnit™ fabric from recovered ocean plastic — are structurally identical to virgin synthetics. They're buttery soft, quick-drying, and built to last, with zero performance trade-off.

What inseam length should I choose for men's swim shorts?
A 5-inch inseam is the most versatile choice for most men. It's short enough to look modern and tailored, but long enough to feel comfortable and functional whether you're swimming, walking, or sitting down for a meal.

Can I really wear swim shorts all day without changing?
Yes — if you choose the right pair. All-day swim shorts need to combine quick-drying fabric, a soft and non-crinkly feel, a tailored fit, and a breathable liner. When those elements come together, there's no reason to pack a separate pair of shorts.

How do I know if swim shorts will hold up in salt water and chlorine?
Look for brands that specifically mention salt water and chlorine resistance. Cheap dyes and fibres degrade quickly with repeated exposure, leading to fading and fabric breakdown. Quality sustainable swim shorts like Blauw are engineered to resist both, maintaining their colour and feel season after season.