Men’s Bathing Suit Styles Explained: Trunks, Briefs, and More

Men’s swimsuits divide into five styles — briefs, square-leg suits, jammers, trunks, and board shorts — and the right one depends on your activity and the coverage you want.

A board short that drags through a lap set and a competition brief that gets sideways looks at the resort pool are the same problem: the suit doesn’t match the water. Whether you’re counting laps or counting sunscreen reapplications, the right cut sits between you and a bad afternoon, and the differences come down to leg length, fit, and fabric.

The guide below sorts each style by coverage, typical use, and the mistakes that cost people comfort. Reviewed and Art of Manliness both lay out the same five categories, and the sorting logic holds up whether you swim twice a week or twice a summer.

What Are The Main Men’s Swimsuit Styles?

Men’s bathing suits generally fall into five categories: briefs, square-leg suits, jammers, trunks, and board shorts. Each trades coverage for freedom of movement in a different spot, and knowing the trade makes the choice obvious.

• Swim briefs hug the body with high-cut legs and minimal fabric. They maximize leg mobility and cut water resistance, which is why lap swimmers and competitors wear them.
• Square-leg suits stay close-fitting but extend to the upper thigh with straight leg openings, adding coverage without losing the streamlined shape.
• Jammers run roughly to the knee like compression shorts. Swim teams wear them for practice and meets because they reduce loose fabric and drag.
• Swim trunks are the relaxed, short-to-mid-thigh default for pools and beaches, usually with an elastic or drawstring waist and quick-drying fabric.
• Board shorts are the long ones, reaching the knee or past it, built for surfing and beach wear rather than laps.

One naming note worth clearing up: “Speedo” is a trademarked brand, not a technical term for the brief cut. Call the style a swim brief and you’ll be understood everywhere.

Which Suit Fits Your Activity?

Match the suit to what you’ll actually do in the water, and the style question mostly answers itself. Competition cuts serve training; looser cuts serve sand and shade.

For lap swimming or racing, briefs and jammers win. Briefs give the most freedom of movement; jammers add thigh coverage while keeping fabric tight to the body. Either way, extra material means extra drag.

Casual pool swimming calls for trunks. The relaxed fit, mesh liner options, and quick-drying fabrics handle a splash-and-lounge day without fuss.

Surfing and paddle sports favor board shorts. Longer coverage protects against abrasion, and the zipper or lace closure holds up to movement — though that loose construction works against you in a lap lane.

For all-day resort wear, trunks and board shorts beat competition cuts. They read as regular shorts and cover more, which matters when the pool is one part of a longer day.

Once you’ve picked a lane, a roundup of tested picks can shortcut the shopping — these top-rated men’s bathing suits cover briefs through board shorts.

Materials, Fit, And Durability

Chlorine is the thing that kills suits, so fabric choice depends on how often you’re in a treated pool. Training suits built for daily chlorine exposure typically use polyester or PBT-based fabrics, and a chlorine-resistant polyester suit may last roughly one to two seasons of heavy pool use — less with poor care, more with rinsing after every swim.

Recreational trunks and board shorts commonly use quick-drying nylon or polyester blends, which handle sun and salt fine but break down faster in chlorinated water.

Fit matters as much as fabric. A performance suit should feel snug without restricting breathing or normal movement. Too loose and the fabric shifts on push-offs while adding drag; too tight and you’re looking at chafing and limited mobility. Drawstrings on trunks and board shorts let you dial in the waist.

Common Mistakes Worth Avoiding

Most swimwear regret traces back to four mix-ups, and each one is easy to dodge once you know it.

• Treating trunks, swim shorts, and board shorts as the same thing. Board shorts are longer and often skip the integrated liner.
• Wearing loose board shorts for serious lap swimming, where the extra fabric drags.
• Assuming every trunk has a supportive liner — construction varies by model, so check.
• Swimming in ordinary cotton shorts, which soak up water, turn heavy, and dry slowly.

Reviewed makes the liner and length distinction plainly, and it’s the one shoppers skip most often. A quick read of the product page for “liner: yes/no” and inseam length prevents most returns.