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Types of Mens Swimwear - Our Advice

Mens Advice Underwater Front Crawl Male

 

TYPES OF MEN’S SWIMWEAR

Briefs are the traditional style swimming brief from all of the leading swimwear brands and are ideal for swimming training. These briefs give the least amount of coverage of all the men’s swimwear but are in most peoples' opinion the most comfortable to wear regularly. Click here to see our range of men's briefs.

Aquashorts are similar to swimming briefs however offer a little more coverage with the same comfort level. Aquashorts are ideal for regular pool use for those who train for fitness or performance as they have little drag in the water and often have chlorine resistant properties for longevity. Click here to see our collection of Aquashorts.

Jammers are a longer length swimming short that are tight fitting, almost like a cross between an aquashort and swim short. They offer a lot more coverage than aquashorts or briefs so are ideal for performance swimmers or those who swim to improve their fitness level as they don’t cause much of a drag in the water making it easier to concentrate on your swimming technique. If you want this style and to be assured it will last well when regularly pool swimming then choose jammers with a chlorine resistant material. Click here to see our great range of swimming jammers.

Swim shorts are the perfect choice for leisure swimmers or those who are looking for beach swimwear. Swim shorts are available in different lengths varying from 15 inches to board length so can be versatile to your needs. Some swim shorts have some brilliant features including chlorine resistance, quick drying properties and also often UV protection. They aren’t ideal for fitness or performance swimmers as they have a high drag level in the water making it more challenging to swim. Click here to see out range of men’s swim shorts.

 

 

Choosing Men's Swimwear Underwater Breaststroke

 

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING SWIMWEAR

When buying your swimwear just bear in mind that there is a little more to it that just looking good.

If you are swimming regularly in a chlorinated swimming pool and are wanting something that is going to last, then make sure you choose a chlorine resistant fabric. These fabrics can be found in a lot of men’s swimwear and resist the chlorine up to 25 times longer than a traditional fabric. If the fabric is a standard elastane/lycra then it isn’t chlorine resistant. Click here to see all of our chlorine resistant men’s swimwear.

If you are buying a board short or swimwear with a loose fit then it maybe worth considering a fabric which is quick drying. Loose fitting shorts have more fabric and when wet can be quite heavy and become uncomfortable to wear. A quick drying material is great for those who know they will be in and out the water regularly.

If you have chosen swimwear with some bright colours or prints on it, you might want to check out the fabric specification to ensure that the colour won’t fade as you won’t wear it once the design doesn’t look great.

Does the material retain its shape well? If the fabric used retains the shape well it will fit well for a longer period of time. Whilst looking for shape retention also take a look at the stretch of the material. If it has something like a ‘four way stretch’ then you can be assured it will have a close and comfortable fit.

Is the material used snag resistant? If you know you are going to be sitting around on poolside or carrying your swimming bag then double check that the fabric is snag resistant or the fabric might start to catch and snag.

Are you choosing a competitive item of swimwear? If you are competing it needs to be FINA approved otherwise you can be rejected from racing and so you will have travelled often a long distance for nothing and possibly missed out on a great opportunity. At Simply Swim we have an option on the left of the page so you can select only the FINA approved items of swimwear.

Check the size chart when buying your swimwear as some brands sizing does vary. On each product on Simply Swim you can take a look at a size chart which will help you to choose an item with the best possible fit. Also, if shopping for competition swimwear then bear in mind that this does have a very different size chart so it is definitely worth looking at as the sizing comes up smaller and there are also different sizes available.

 

 

CHOOSING YOUR SWIMWEAR

We know that men come in a lot of different shapes and sizes so it is important to choose swimwear best suited to your shape. Need some help?

  • Tall and big? Then it isn’t so much the style of the swimwear that you need to worry about, but the pattern. Go for a block colour over a print and if you do choose a print then choose small patterns.
  • Tall and thin guys are best suited to a baggy, board short style for the summer as this will help to bulk up your size a little if you are conscious of being thin. Just don’t go way over the top with the bagginess of your short!
  • Those with a short and athletic build are better off going with a brief, aquashort or shorter length short to give the appearance of being taller. A low waistband with show off your abs but it’s best to avoid the long board shorts.
  • Tall and athletic builds are lucky and can wear any style of swimwear. Just go for a great colour to match your skin tone.
  • Carrying a little extra weight? Go for a loose fitting, board short style for spending time down the beach or relaxing in the sun and a swim short for leisure swimming as they will suit your figure the most.

Don’t forget if you aren’t feeling too comfortable in yourself at the moment then you can always stick a t-shirt on for some extra coverage.

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