Last Updated on June 11, 2023 by Jane
When it comes to men’s swim shorts the traditional mesh tighty whitey liner has got competition. Whether it is a natural progression after adopting stretchy swim shirts or if it is a carry over from athletic wear, we are seeing more and more compression liners in swim trunks. I bought two different styles for my husband and son to try to see if this swim trunks with compression liner review lives up to the hype.
Swim Trunks with Compression Liner Review
The more I look the more I find brands out there without the white mesh liner that men hate. Compression liners are found at Fair Harbour, Capelle Miami, Chubbies, Dryfins and more. Even Lands End has some, albeit not extensive selection but at a lower price point. Abercrombie also has them now for men and boys.
Click thru to shop our picks:
So what is the pull of the compression liner versus the traditional mesh liner? In a word; comfort. The mesh liner tends to squash and pinch. The compression liner is soft and stretchy so no squashing. It also provides more room so no pinching.
There is also an added level of protection on the legs as the compression liner is more like a boxer brief or biker short so it prevents chafing. This is much better for any water or beach sports.
Fair Harbor Bayberry Trunks Review
The Fair Harbor Bayberry Trunks are on the left in the green floral print. They are a 7 inch short with a drawstring and elastic waist. The breeze knit liner has 4 way stretch and made from recycled plastic bottles. The liner feels closer to underwear fabric. There is a zippered back pocket.
The swim shorts are supposed to be quick dry and they did dry the fastest out of all our bathing suits on vacation recently.
Size wise both my son and my husband got the large. I found this to be large fitting in the kids and more true to size in the adults.
These shorts have a more preppy retro look. I personally prefer the look and quality of this option.
Capelle Miami Collins Short Review
We got the Capelle Miami Collins swim shorts in the Blue Jungle print. One thing to note is that the Capelle Miami shorts have much bolder patterns compared with Fair Harbor.
Again we have four way stretch but this liner is a mix of nylon and spandex. The feel is more silky and closer to workout fabric. Again we have elastic and drawstring waist. There is a secure back pocket with velcro closure.
Size wise my husband has a Large and my son has the 9-10. For my son these fit more true to size, for my husband the fit is more relaxed compared with Fair Harbor.
My husband likes the Capelle Miami swim shorts slightly better as the nylon liner is softer and a bit more comfortable. Not a huge difference but I made them pick favourites! He likes both pairs much more than his old mesh style bathing suits.
My son also likes the Capelle Miami ones better but for a different reason. He loves the flashy print. He doesn’t notice any difference in the feel of the liner.
Personally I prefer the Fair Harbor prints as I like the more retro preppy styles.
If you are ordering please read the size charts. My husband usually gets a medium in brands like Old Navy but these brands fit smaller.
What do you think of swim trunks with compression liner instead of the mesh netting? Have you thought of switching for increased comfort and decreased chafing?