Men's Swimming Outfit Styles

Watching the various water sports competitions, particularly swimming, have made us familiar with some of the swimsuits being worn by competitors. Of course, swimsuits are not confined for use only in such competitions; they are also donned by those who swim simply for recreation.

Swimsuits come in different styles. There are swimsuits fashioned for use exclusively by women as there are those made exclusively for men. Still other swimming outfit styles are unisex.

Some of the most popular swimming outfit styles for men include boardshorts, drag suits, jammers, racing briefs, square cut suits, and trunks. Below are brief descriptions of each.

Boardshorts:

These swimming outfits, which are loose-fitting, knee-length style of shorts, are named as such because they were originally worn by those who participate in surfing, a water sport that uses a board. The name continues to be justified as the outfits are preferred by competitors in the different aquatic boardsports events, such as bodyboarding, skimboarding, and wakeboarding. But their popularity has spread to enthusiasts of other water sports, primarily because of their practical style.

Drag suits:

These fall under the "competitive swimwear" category. They are worn by swimmers over their inner swimsuit during training, the purpose for which is to give extra resistance from the water. In competition, however, swimmers understandably do not use drag suits as these make swimming more difficult.

Jammers:

Swimming competitors use these outfits because of the speed advantages they get from them. They are made of elastic materials (examples, nylon and spandex) and are designed for minimal water resistance. Their usual length extends from the mid-waist to just above the knee.

Racing briefs:

These male swimsuits come in the same style as underwear briefs. They are form fitting with a solid back and a V-shape front, which usually has a white lining on the inside. Some racing briefs are made of Lycra, while others are of polyester material. An elasticized waistband and a thin strip at the upper thighs secure the outfit in place. Racing briefs are most often used in swimming and diving competitions.

Square cut suits:

Also called square leg suits, these outfits are often used in recreational swimming, diving, and water polo. Their design of a quadrate seam opening for the leg provides a "square" coverage for the upper thighs, hence the name. Made from spandex-nylon combination, these swimsuits are somewhat similar in appearance to racing briefs, except that they provide more coverage for the upper leg.

Trunks:

These are perhaps the most popular swimsuit style for men in North America. They are very similar to boxer shorts, extending from the waist to mid-upper leg. Most trunks are made of nylon and come in various designs. A mesh lining ensures quick drying.

Two other less popular swimming outfit styles for men are the fundoshi and the mankini. The fundoshi is a traditional Japanese undergarment for men that is sometimes used as a swimwear. In fact, some high school boys in Japan compete in open water swimming wearing fundoshi.

The mankini (a portmanteau of the words "man" and "bikini"), on the other hand, is a close-fitting, one-piece buttock-revealing swimsuit for men popularized in the movie "Borat".