The Boardshorts Buying Guide: How to Choose the Right Pair
Picking a pair of boardshorts sounds simple until you're standing in front of a wall of them. Do you need a 19" or a 20"? Does fabric matter if you're mostly in the pool? What's the deal with compression liners, and are they actually worth the extra money if you're surfing on weekends?
Good news: there are really only four decisions, and most of them come down to how you plan to use the shorts. The right pair for a Saturday session at your home break is different from the one you'd want for a resort pool or a beach volleyball tournament. Most surfers keep a few pairs going: a sturdy one for the lineup, a comfortable one for dinner after, maybe a lightweight pair for peak-summer days when you just want to stay cool.
This guide walks through the four decisions (length, fit, fabric, extras), then covers which Rip Curl boardshort collections fit which use cases.
Boardshorts vs. Swim Trunks: What's the Difference?
Boardshorts and swim trunks look similar from across the beach, but they're built for different jobs.
Boardshorts are surf gear first. They use a non-elastic tie-front waist that stays put through a duck dive, four-way stretch fabric that lets your hips rotate on the pop-up, and a quick-dry finish that sheds water so the shorts aren't sopping wet between sets. Our Mirage line has been Rip Curl's flagship performance boardshort since the late '90s, and every model in the range shares that foundation.
Swim trunks rely on an elastic waistband and a mesh liner. They're fine for a hotel pool or a dip off a paddleboard, but the elastic rides down on the first paddle, and the liner bunches as soon as you start moving. You can absolutely swim in a pair of boardshorts. But if you want to surf, start with a pair of board shorts.
What to Look for in a Boardshort
The features that matter depend on how you'll use the shorts. Here's how to think about it.
For surfing
Non-elastic tie-front waist, four-way stretch fabric, welded or flatlock seams, a flat fly, and a DWR (durable water repellent) finish. This is the spec our Performance Boardshorts collection is built around, and it's what our team riders wear on the WSL Championship Tour. If you're starting out, the Mirage Core 20" is the straightforward starting point: recycled hydrophobic fabric, four-way stretch, DWR finish, and a side zip pocket. If you surf a lot and want the most out of every session, the Mirage Activate adds a compression liner developed with 3x World Champion Mick Fanning and Dr. Tim Brown, Co-Medical Director of the WSL.
Shop Performance Boardshorts →
For the pool, beach days, and everyday wear
If you're mostly using the shorts out of the water (grabbing lunch at the beach café, walking the dog along the coast, running errands on a hot day), performance construction is overkill. You want fit, feel, and pocket layouts that work on land. The Boardwalks collection is designed exactly for this: built to look like a casual short, made with technical fabric that can still handle a surprise dip.
For summer travel and hot-water trips
Heading somewhere warm? Hawaii, Baja, Bali, Costa Rica, the Florida Keys? Heavy performance construction can feel like too much in 85°F water. Our Vaporcool range uses a moisture-wicking, four-way stretch fabric designed to keep you cool even in the kind of heat where you're sweating on the walk to the beach. Styles like the Vaporcool Pivot Volley are cut shorter (18") with an elastic drawstring waist, making them great for pool days, warm-water sessions, or the walk back from a break when the sand is already too hot to stand on.
For volleyball, active beach days, and pool parties
For beach volleyball, SUP sessions, or generally anything active where you're not paddling out but still want something that moves with you, volleys are the right call. Our Volleys collection sits above the knee on an elastic waist: free range of motion, quick-dry fabric, nothing over-engineered that you don't need.
Boardshorts Length: Picking Your Outseam
Length is measured by outseam, waistband to hem. It changes how the shorts look and how they feel in the water, and most surfers settle on 19" or 20" after trying both.
- 17"–18". Above the knee. Good for retro styles, hot climates, and shortboard surfers who want the least restriction possible. Most volleys sit in this range.
- 19". At the knee. The most popular length for performance surfing and a safe all-around pick. The Mirage Activate Ultimate 19" and the Mirage 3/2/One both live here, as do most of our Boardwalks.
- 20". Just below the knee. A versatile all-rounder. The Mirage Core 20" and the Mirage Search 20" both live here.
- 21"+. Over the knee. Suits taller surfers, colder paddles, or anyone who wants more coverage for beach wear.
If you're between lengths, try both. A lot of it comes down to leg length, personal preference, and what you grew up wearing.
How to Find Your Boardshort Waist Size
Boardshort sizing isn't the same as pants sizing. Pant sizes are measured at your natural waist (roughly belly-button height). Boardshorts sit lower, on your hip bones.
Measure with a soft tape around the widest part of your hips while standing relaxed; that number is your boardshort size. Between sizes? Size up for a looser fit or down for a more tailored one. The waistband should feel snug enough that you don't have to yank it back up after every wave, but loose enough that you can breathe easy on a long paddle out.
Size ranges vary by model, so check the size guide on each product page before you order.
Boardshort Fabric: What to Look For
For surfing, four-way stretch with a DWR finish is the baseline. Stretch means your hips rotate freely on the pop-up and your paddling stroke isn't restricted. The DWR treatment sheds water so the shorts stay lighter between waves.
Within the Mirage performance range, two fabric constructions stand out: Mirage Core and Mirage Pro.
- Mirage Core is our recycled PET polyester built for everyday surf sessions. It's hydrophobic, four-way stretch, and PFOA- and PFOS-free. You'll find it in the Mirage Core 20", the Mirage Divided, and a handful of seasonal styles.
- Mirage Pro is the step up: a lighter, more technical construction designed to work in tandem with the compression liner and Aerotech outer shell in the Mirage Activate. If you surf regularly and want fabric that feels alive under your hand, that's where Mirage Pro comes in.
For lifestyle wear, fabric priorities shift. The Boardwalks collection uses softer blends (recycled polyesters, cotton-mix constructions) that feel more like regular shorts. They'll still handle a swim, but they're built more for comfort out of the water than for duck-diving through overhead sets.
For hot-weather wear, our Vaporcool fabric is the pick: lightweight, moisture-wicking, and built to stay cool when you're dealing with serious heat. Think late-summer sessions in South Florida or long walks on a black-sand beach in Hawaii.
Boardshort Extras: Zip Pockets, Liners, and Reinforcement
Not every extra is worth paying for. Here's what they actually do.
Zip pockets. Useful if you surf spots where you walk to the break, or you want somewhere to stash a wax comb or a locker key. Velcro pockets work for casual use, but the hook-side can snag wetsuits and rash guards, so a zip closure is usually the better call for regular surfers. The Mirage Search 20" includes a side zip pocket as standard.
Compression liners. The Mirage Activate's liner is a real piece of engineering: body-mapping silicon grip that supports core surfing muscles and helps decrease lactic acid build-up to reduce fatigue on long sessions. If you're surfing multiple times a week or logging long travel sessions, it's a legit upgrade. If you're out a few times a season, a standard lined short like the Mirage Core will do the job fine.
Cordura reinforcement. The panels in the Mirage Search 20" are engineered for travel surfing: boat rails, reef walks, step-offs into rocky coves. Rip Curl has partnered with Cordura to build a fabric that's tough where it matters and stretchy where it needs to be. If you’re mostly surfing your local beach break, you probably don't need Cordura. If you're the kind of surfer who disappears for two weeks at a time with a board bag and a rough itinerary, it'll pay for itself.
For casual lifestyle wear, you don't need any of this. A simpler construction from the Boardwalks range is plenty.
How to Choose Boardshorts: The Short Version
If you just want the TL;DR, here it is.
- Length. 19" or 20" for most surfers. Shorter for warm climates and style; longer for coverage.
- Waist size. Measure at the hip bone, not your pants waist. Check the size guide on each product page.
- Fabric. Four-way stretch with a DWR finish if you're surfing. Softer recycled blends (Boardwalks) if you're mostly out of the water. Vaporcool for hot-weather lightweight.
- Extras. Zip pockets, compression liners, and Cordura reinforcement. Only if you'll actually use them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you swim in boardshorts?
Yes. Most Rip Curl boardshorts use four-way stretch recycled polyester, welded seams, and DWR finishes, so they're pool-safe. If you're mostly swimming and only occasionally surfing, a volley like the Vaporcool Pivot Volley is a good middle ground.
How do I measure my waist for boardshorts?
Wrap a soft tape around your hip bones while standing relaxed. Between sizes? Size up for a looser fit, down for a more tailored one. Each product page has a size guide specific to the model.
What boardshorts are best for the pool or the beach?
For pure pool and beach use where performance isn't the priority, the Boardwalks collection is the easier pick, with softer fabrics, relaxed fits, and pocket layouts built for land use. For lightweight warm-weather options, look at the Vaporcool range.
What's the difference between “boardshorts” and “board shorts”?
Spelling only. “Boardshorts” is the surf industry standard; “board shorts” is more common in general American writing.
What's the difference between Boardshorts and Boardwalks?
Boardshorts are primarily surf gear: four-way stretch, non-elastic tie-front waist, quick-dry finish. Boardwalks are a hybrid, designed to look like a casual short on land but still built with technical fabric that handles a swim. Think of Boardwalks as the “dinner after the session” option.
Are Rip Curl boardshorts sustainable?
Many current Rip Curl boardshorts, including most of the Mirage range, use recycled PET fabric (polyester spun from recycled bottles) and are PFOA- and PFOS-free. Rip Curl is a certified B Corporation, and the Rip Curl Planet program covers wetsuit recycling and lower-impact sourcing.
Find Your Next Pair
Your best boardshort depends on where you'll wear it. Pick the length that fits how you surf, pick the fabric that suits where you're going, then add only the extras you'll actually use.
