Ultimate Guide to Speedo Men’s Swimsuits
January 22, 2024
When it comes time to pick out your bathing suit, even for me, there are a lot of varieties to choose from. Are you bold enough for briefs, or do you prefer the more modest board shorts? What about traditional swim trunks? How can you know what type is best for your needs?
Fortunately, Speedo has you covered with some of the finest swimsuits on the market. No matter which Speedo swimsuit you choose, you will end up with a high quality suit designed to stand the test of time. The only challenge is determining which type is right for you. That’s where we at SwimOutlet.com come in!
Types of Speedo Men’s Swimsuits
It’s easy to forget that there are more types of Men’s swimsuits than the standard swim trunks. We break down the different types below:
Swim Trunks
The most common type of swimsuit, Speedo’s Swim Trunks offer everything you’ve come to expect from a traditional set of swim trunks, but with Speedo’s traditional polish and quality. These shorts come with mesh to ensure maximum comfort no matter what you do with them. Plus, they are stylish and sporty enough to be worn both at the beach and around the house!
Swim Trunks tend to rest above the knee and fit loosely, designed for comfort rather than performance. They come with a stretchy waistband and a drawstring that will ensure they fit you perfectly. They also have pockets for carrying things like keys and a cell phone. However, because they fit loose, you will not swim as quickly in swim trunks as you would in something like a Jammer or Briefs. If you are just going out on the beach, you can’t go wrong with swim trunks!
Board Shorts
At first glance, Speedo’s Board Shorts seem very similar to Speedo’s swim trunks. However, there are some key differences that make them distinct. For one, board shorts tend to be longer than Swim Trunks, often falling past the knee. They also do not always have the mesh liner that all swim trunks have. Their waistband is also solid, rather than stretchy.
You may be surprised to learn that board shorts were originally designed to be worn while surfing, hence the name. It was meant to keep more of the swimmer’s body from touching the hard and rough material of the surfboard. Now they get as much use as traditional swim trunks.
However, like swim trunks, you won’t be breaking any swim records in board shorts. Their added length increases water resistance. But you are just enjoying the beach, going surfing, or just want a stylish pair of swim trunks with a bit more knee coverage, you can’t go wrong with Speedo Board Shorts.
Jammers
Speedo Jammers are exclusively for male swimmers. At first glance, they resemble swim trunks, but they are actually far mroe advanced than that. They are designed to fit snugly and compress the body to reduce drag. This allows you to get your best times when swimming in a competition.
Jammers are generally not made from a traditional swim trunk fabric, and are instead similar to that of a wetsuit. They are often a hybrid of Spandex, Lycra, and polyurethane. These water resistant materials ensure that the water flows past your body as smoothly as possible.
Unless you are looking to swim competitively, Jammers may not be the best choice. They are designed to compress your body and as such may not be comfortable for a day on the beach. That, and if they stretch, you lose your competitive edge, so you do not want to wear them often. But, if you are looking to set a new swim record, Speedo Jammers are the way to go!
Briefs
When you think of Speedo, in addition to high quality swim gear and goggles, you likely think of the Speedo Brief a style of swimwear so closely associated with the brand that “Speedo” has come to be slang for the briefs themselves. But despite the name association, Speedo also makes some of the best briefs on the market.
Briefs perform much the same function as Jammers, but on a much smaller scale. They are designed to compress the body and provide coverage. The most common type of Speedo Brief is the 1.5” style, which is measured by the length of the strap that wraps around the swimmer’s hip.
You would choose a brief if you want the maximum range of motion possible when you swim or play a water sport. There is no hinderance in movement if there is nothing covering your legs, after all!
While many people will wear these briefs even if they are not competing, they are designed for swim meets and swim sports. Though, if you are comfortable wearing them, or want to get the best tan possible, you can’t go wrong with Speedo briefs.
Square Leg Shorts
Speedo Square Leg Shorts are the halfway point between briefs and jammers. Shorter than jammers, with more leg than briefs, Square leg shorts serve a similar purpose to briefs and jammers, but with more cover than briefs but less compression than jammers.
Square Leg Shorts can be both tight like Jammers or looser like trunks, but they are always shorter than traditional trunks. This helps to reduce drag in the water.
If you want the benefits of a brief, but want a bit more coverage as well, Speedo Square Leg shorts are perfect.
Swim Shirt
Speedo also makes swimming shirts as well as traditional swimsuits. A swim shirt is a type of shirt, often resembling a regular shirt with either long or short sleeves, but made of water resistant material. These shirts are designed to provide coverage and protect you from harmful UV rays from the sun.
However, while they may fit snugly, they are not as tight as a water suit or even swim jammers. Because of this, they are not recommended for competitive swimming, and instead should be used for more casual swimming. They are designed to keep the sun’s rays from burning your skin, which make them ideal for beach swimming!
Materials
Speedo makes all of their products with the highest quality materials, but it is important to know which materials will suit your needs. Here are the fabric options:
- Lyrcra or Spandex--More stretch and more forgiving than other materials, but tend fade and can grow loose.
- Polyester--More chlorine resistant than Spandex, but not as stretchable.
- Polyester Blends--Combine the durability of polyester and the stretch of Spandex
- Fully Lined--Not as stretchy and have more drag in the water, but are never transparent and do not wear out.
No matter what you choose, with Speedo, you’ll be getting a high quality swimsuit, and at SwimOutlet.com, you know you will get the best price.
