Board Shorts vs Swim Shorts: What's the Difference?
Short answer: in Australia, board shorts and swim shorts usually mean the same thing, and most brands use the two terms interchangeably. Where there is a real difference, it comes down to three things: whether there is a mesh lining, how long the leg is, and how the waistband closes.
Where the two terms came from
Board shorts got their name from surfing. They were built long so the leg sat below the knee and stopped board rash, cut from fabric that would not hold water, and fastened with a lace-up fly rather than elastic so nothing dug in while you were lying on a board. Classic surf boardies are unlined for exactly that reason, because a mesh brief under a wetsuit or a long paddle is more trouble than it is worth.
Swim shorts came from the other direction: a shorter, lighter beach short with an elasticated waist and an inner mesh brief for support. Think of the pair you would wear to the pool, the hotel, or the barbecue rather than out through the break.
What actually separates them now
Those two lineages have largely collapsed into one product, especially in Australia where "boardies" covers nearly anything you swim in. If you are comparing two pairs, these are the differences worth checking:
- Mesh lining. This is the big one. A pair with an inner mesh brief gives you support and stops the fabric clinging when it is wet. A pair without is usually designed to double as an everyday short.
- Inseam. Surf-leaning board shorts often run 18 to 21 inches so the leg sits at or below the knee. Beach-leaning swim shorts tend to sit around 5 to 7 inches, well above it.
- Waistband. A lace-up or velcro fly front is a surf feature. An elasticated drawstring waist is the everyday version and is far more common.
- Fabric. Both should be quick-drying. If a pair feels like cotton, it will stay wet and heavy, which is fine for a lunch by the water and annoying in it.
- Pockets. Most have them. Check they drain, and check there is one that closes if you plan to carry anything.
Which one do you actually want?
If you are surfing properly, go long, unlined and fly-front. If you are swimming, chasing kids around the shallows, and then walking up to the shops afterwards, you want a quick-dry short with a mesh brief and an elastic waist. That second description covers most people most of the time, which is why most of the market is built that way.
What Skwosh makes
Our mens board shorts are built for that middle ground: 100% recycled polyester outer, an inner mesh brief, an elasticated drawstring waist, and side pockets that drain. They dry fast enough to wear from the water to the pub without thinking about it. Adult sizes run XS to 2XL and kids board shorts run 2 to 14, with most prints made in both so families can match.
If you want the look without the lining, our Rad Shorts are the mesh-free version in a cotton-poly blend with a 5 inch inseam. They are shorts you can swim in rather than swimwear you can wear out, and that distinction is the whole point.
Either way, rinse them in fresh water afterwards. Salt and chlorine are what actually kill a pair of boardies, not the swimming.