What are boardshorts?
Boardshorts are swim shorts and, more generally, a style of swimwear for men and, more recently, for women. They were originally developed in the 1950s for surfing.
In recent years, they have become a popular form of swimwear.
The name "boardshorts" derives from their use in board-based water sports, such as surfing.
Their main purpose is to limit chafing caused by board friction.
How to choose your boardshort?
SESSIONS OVER 2 HOURS
If you're surfing for more than two hours, you'll need boardshorts that fit snugly around your waist but don't make you uncomfortable with the waistband... A flat waistband is an advantage. For freedom of movement, a slightly elastic component will ensure that leg movements are not impeded.
How to choose your boardshort size?
For size selection, please refer to the size guide on the boardshort product page.
The boardshort 900 is available in sizes 38, 40, 42, 44, 46 and 48.
Your body type can also influence your choice. Here are a few tips to help you.
If you're more of a muscular, trunk-and-legs type, choose a short swimsuit that will enhance your figure.
If you're more the slim, slender type, opt for a longer boardshort!
The choice of boardshort according to the type of belt.
ELASTICATED BELT
Helps the boardshort adapt to different body shapes.
SEMI-ELASTICATED BELT
Ensures a good fit while allowing adaptability to different body shapes
FLAT BELT
Ensures a good fit for the boardshort when falling in the waves.
MORPHOLOGICAL ADAPTABILITY BELT
Totally innovative belt designed for perfect fit in all wave conditions and ideal morphological adaptability.
Holding in the wave
When you're surfing, whether because of a duck or a wipe out, it's not easy to have to reposition your men's boardshorts because they've slipped halfway down your buttocks... Choosing the right belt is therefore essential. Choose a flat waistband or a waistband adapted to your body shape for better support. What's more, the BS900 is equipped with an anti-warping flat drawcord that stays perfectly knotted throughout the session.
Reduces irritation
This is surely the most important criterion. It's not uncommon for boardshorts or their seams to chafe. Our boardshorts are designed, both in terms of shape and assembly methods, to limit chafing as much as possible during practice.
In addition, the boardshort 900 benefits from heat-bonded seams and assemblies to limit chafing. The soft Nazaré component limits the appearance of chafing.
Freedom of movement
In surfing, bodyboarding and bodysurfing, the legs are very much in demand, so a man's swimsuit shouldn't restrict either bending or swimming.
A bi-directional or quadri-directional component contributes to this freedom of movement.
The boardshort 900 is made from a material offering quadri-directional Ultra strecth (NAZARE) stretch, ensuring total freedom of movement when taking off or performing other maneuvers during your surf session.
Fast drying
It's quite annoying to feel sand sticking to your boardshort because it's still soaked with water. That's why it's a good idea to choose a "Stretch" component that evacuates water more quickly. Fluor Free water-repellent treatment evacuates water and speeds drying.
Length
Your choice of boardshort length will depend mainly on your tastes. However, the shorter your swimsuit, the greater your freedom of movement. The length 19 inches corresponds to a length of 48 cm on the median size 42.
Pockets
The BS900 is equipped with a side pocket so you can carry bits of Wax, sun stick and other essentials during long sessions in warm water! Equipped with an internal elastic band, the BS900 also allows you to carry your wrench in complete safety.
Belt
The boardshort 900 is equipped with a flat waistband that will contribute to the hold in the wave when ducking under the wave and when falling. What's more, the flat waistband provides superior comfort when paddling, lying on the board.
Sun protection: The essential boardshort equipment
On hot summer days, when the water is cooler, surfers tend to prolong their surfing sessions without adapting their equipment. The risk of sunburn is therefore multiplied.
Did you know?
10 to 15% of UV rays are reflected on the water, while 40 to 95% penetrate 25 cm underwater. That's why boardshorts, combined with sun protection (UV top, etc.), are becoming the essential equipment for warm-water practice.
Discover our range of sun protection products!
What is the OLAIAN brand?
OLAIANDECATHLON'S SURF BRAND
Based in Hendaye, in the south-west of France, OLAIAN is Decathlon's surf brand. In our "feet in the water" offices, we can design a boardshort in a single day, then test it directly in the surf to check its performance in the wave, its comfort and its solidity.
Find us at https://www.olaian.fr/
A CAPSULE COLLECTION IN COLLABORATION WITH ARTIST JEYKILL
Jeykill, painter and co-founder of the Bleu Noir tattoo parlour, unveils his Biarritz-based collection of surfboards and swimsuits for OLAIAN .
By turns meticulous or spontaneous, inspired by the ocean, the sky and human nature, Jeykill's universe is complex, between illustration and abstraction, and often dreamlike.