Men's swimwear

Swim shorts are loose, with an elastic waist and drawstring, usually a mesh lining and pockets, and suit general swimming, hot tubs, the sea and the beach. Briefs, swim boxers and jammers are tight-fitting and sit close to the body, and they are made for swimming: they do not shift mid-stroke, they do not fill with water and they create less drag. The words vary by country: Americans say swim trunks for loose shorts, the British say swim shorts or swimming shorts, and "trunks" in British English can also mean briefs; on this page, swim shorts and swim trunks mean the loose style, and briefs, boxers and jammers the tight-fitting ones. Training styles are usually also made from a more chlorine-resistant fabric than swim shorts. If you swim laps several times a week, a tight-fitting style is worth owning; if swimming is relaxation or holiday, swim shorts do the job well, and many men own both.

Swimwear made from 100% polyester. Chlorine gradually breaks down elastane, the stretch fibre in soft swimwear, and also wears on polyamide with frequent use; the fabric thins, loses its stretch and stops holding its shape. Pure polyester contains no elastane and stands up to chlorine and salt water far better. Arena MaxLife Eco is such a fabric, 100% polyester developed for swimmers who train often, and it is the fabric in the training briefs, boxers and jammers at Ludus. Swim shorts are also available in 100% polyester and then suit regular pool visits well, but they are loose and give less than swim shorts with elastane. The fabric is stated on every product page.

Yes, but for a shorter time than polyester with frequent use. Polyamide (nylon) is strong, light and quick-drying, and many light beach shorts are made from it; it tolerates chlorine less well than polyester, though, and is best for the sea, hot tubs and the occasional swim. Swim shorts made from polyester blended with a little elastane stretch in every direction and follow your movements better, but the elastane is the part of the fabric most vulnerable to chlorine, so they last somewhat less long than pure polyester if you swim often. If you want softness or stretch and still swim often, rinse the shorts well after every visit and own two pairs to alternate. More on fabrics in our guide to swimwear fabrics.

Yes, usually. Heat speeds up the effect of chlorine on the fabric, and the water in hot tubs is much warmer than in the pool. Swim shorts worn mostly in the hot tub therefore wear out faster than shorts used mainly for swimming, and colours fade sooner. Rough benches and edges in hot tubs also rub the fabric, especially at the back. If you sit in the hot tub for a long time on every visit, the chlorine resistance of the fabric matters even more, and it pays to rinse the swimwear in cold water straight afterwards.

It depends on where you want the shorts to sit and how much coverage you want. Short swim shorts sit around mid-thigh, give the most freedom of movement and dry fastest; they are common for swimming and the sea. Mid-length swim shorts, often called boxer cut, sit just above the knee and are the most popular length, because they cover well without restricting movement and work out of the water too. Knee-length swim shorts (bermuda cut) cover the most and look like ordinary shorts, but take on more water and dry more slowly. The length is stated on every product page and is easy to judge from the product photos; it can vary slightly by size.

The mesh lining keeps the shorts closer to the body, gives support and stops loose shorts from chafing or riding up in the water, and it dries fast. Some swim shorts have an anti-chafe finish along the lining. You can cut the lining out, but the shorts then lose their support and sit worse when you swim, and it cannot be put back. If the lining bothers you, it is better to choose shorts with a softer lining or an anti-chafe finish, or wear thin swim briefs underneath. Every product page says whether and how the shorts are lined.

All three are made for swimming; the difference is coverage and freedom of movement. Swim briefs cover the least, give the most freedom at the hips and are the classic training cut. Swim boxers are short, tight-fitting shorts with legs that sit high on the thigh and give medium coverage; they are the most common starting point for men who do not want briefs. Jammers are long, tight-fitting shorts that reach down the thigh to just above the knee, cover the most and have a streamlined cut that reduces drag; they are common at swim training and in competition. Training styles are lined at the front and have an inner drawstring so they stay in place on dives and turns. Fabric and cut are stated on every product page.

Swim shorts are allowed in Icelandic swimming pools, unlike pools in some European countries where only tight-fitting briefs are permitted. You can choose swim shorts or a tight-fitting style, whichever you find more comfortable. The rule that does matter in Iceland is a different one: everyone washes thoroughly without swimwear before entering the pool, and the swimwear goes on after the shower. If you plan to swim laps, a tight-fitting style is still more comfortable, because loose swim shorts fill with water and shift mid-stroke.

Yes. All swim shorts and tight-fitting styles can be used in the sea, and polyester tolerates salt water best, just as it does chlorine. For sea swimming and the beach, light, quick-drying swim shorts with pockets are comfortable, because you often keep them on once you are out of the water; eyelets at the back and on the pockets let the water out when you stand up. Rinse the swimwear well in clean, cold water after sea swimming, because otherwise salt and sand stay in the fabric and wear it down.

Swim shorts should sit snugly at the waist with the drawstring tied, without squeezing. If the waist is too wide, the shorts slide down once they fill with water, and the drawstring alone will not hold them up. How close they sit around the thighs is a matter of taste: some men want roomy legs that never restrict movement, others prefer a slimmer cut that sits closer to the body, and the cuts differ in this respect; every product page describes how the shorts fit. Briefs, boxers and jammers sit close to the body everywhere without digging into the hips or thighs; they give slightly when wet, so they can sit a little tighter dry than you want them in the water. Bend and lift your legs when you try them on.

Go by the size chart on the product page, not by the size you wear in other shorts. Swim shorts come in letter sizes based on waist measurement; Arena training briefs, boxers and jammers come in numeric sizes based on waist and hips, so measure yourself before you order. Many men fit two neighbouring sizes in swim shorts; the smaller size sits closer over the thighs and at the waist, the larger gives more room. If your measurements fall into two sizes, it is usually best to choose the one most of your measurements fall within. The size charts are in one place: Arena men for swim shorts and Arena swim boxers and jammers for the tight-fitting styles.

Yes. Recycled polyester and recycled polyamide are the same fibres as newly made fabric, produced from recycled raw material instead of new oil, and they behave the same in chlorine, salt and sun. Durability depends on the fibres themselves and the blend, not on whether the fabric is recycled: 100% polyester resists chlorine best, polyamide less so and elastane least, recycled or not. A large part of Arena's men's swimwear is made from recycled fabric, and the share is stated on every product page.

Rinse it in cold, clean water straight after swimming, so chlorine, salt and sunscreen leave the fabric before they can damage it; after a chlorinated pool, soaking it in cold water for a while helps. Skip the spin dryer at the pool, it is hard on fabric and seams. Press the water out gently in a towel instead of wringing, hand-wash with a mild detergent when needed and follow the care label. Do not leave it wet in a closed bag, do not tumble dry, and let it dry away from radiators and direct sunlight. Proper care extends the life of all swimwear, chlorine-resistant fabrics included.

Yes. You can try on swim trunks, briefs and jammers in store at Ludus in downtown Reykjavik and get help choosing the cut, length and size. It is especially worth it if you are between sizes or comparing loose swim shorts with a tight-fitting style for the first time. You can also order online and pick the order up in store.

Yes, up to a point. Arena men's swim shorts are made up to 3XL, and most styles at Ludus run from S to 3XL, some to 2XL. If large sizes to you means 4XL and up, the Arena range does not reach that far. The training briefs, boxers and jammers come in numeric sizes based on waist measurement and cover a wide range; the size chart shows which number fits you. In larger sizes the cut matters: swim shorts with an elastic waist and drawstring adjust to the waist, and a boxer cut of just over medium length gives more room over the thighs than a short cut. Use the size filter at the top of the product list to see only swimwear available in your size, compare your measurements with the size chart on the product page, and try them on in store at Ludus if you are between sizes.