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June 28, 2010
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In a world where surf trunks sell for as much as $200
(crazy considering you can buy a nice fullsuit for $130) it's refreshing to find a high quality, super comfortable pair for just $60 bucks.
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Here's why these trunks kick ass: 1) FABRIC. Okay, I'm no textiles expert but I have tested a shit-ton of surf trunks in my time. And I've realized that fabrics react differently to prolonged exposure to salt water -- especially when it comes to wearing the same trunks repeatedly without washing them in between sessions. It seems that tiny salt crystals from seawater attach themselves to the face of the fabric. That's why if you don't wash (or at least rinse out) your trunks after every session, they're more likely to cause irritation or rashing on the tops of your thighs and elsewhere. Well for some reason, those annoying salt crystals don't seem to attach themselves to the Ninja's lightweight, four-way stretch fabric (made of 88 percent polyester and 12 percent spandex). It may have something to do with the fabric's water repellency, which reduces its coefficient of friction. Less friction = Fabric sticks to your skin less; AND Less sticking = Less Rashing & Fewer salt crystals sticking to the Fabric. Whatever the reason, the Ninjas stood up super well to our stringent Surfline's Balled-Up-in-the-Bed-of-my-Truck test. I went a full week of surfing everyday in the Ninjas without rinsing them out once. I simply left them in the back of my truck in between sessions. And I'm happy to report I had zero irritation with the Ninjas --not so with most of the other trunks subjected to that same test. 2) SENSIBLE DESIGN. The Ninjas aren't over-engineered with lots of different stretch panels or crazy welded seams, which sometimes backfire and actually cause more irritation. There are simply a couple panels with a lycra fly (not zippered) and what Body Glove calls a "360 Waist Band" -- basically the drawstring runs through the inside of the waistband to help keep them anchored for duckdiving and wipeouts. 3) COMFORT. The Ninjas are just that -- Comfortable. Fluffy, soft thread is used for the interior stitching where it touches your skin. The trunks allow plenty of mobility and are loose-fitting in the legs and cut just at the knees, so they aren't super long nor are they retro nut-huggers. They also dry out very quickly. 4) FAIR PRICE. $60 bucks -- definitely not bargain basement pricing but affordable. You can find them in some surf shops or online at bodyglove.com/vaporskin. If you're looking for the trendiest trunks on the beach, the Ninjas might not do it for you. But if you care more about comfort and performance, these might just be your next favorite trunks. For the full archive of Surfline's Surf Gear Reviews, click here. +++ ABOUT SURFLINE'S GEAR REVIEWS Ever see a new piece of gear in the surf shop or on the Web and wonder if it really works or not? It's no fun to be the guinea pig who drops his hard-earned cash on something, only to find out it actually sucks. That's why we're bringing you the Surfline Equipment + Gear Reviews. Twice a month, I'll pick a new product and put it through its paces. We'll test all the new stuff first, so you know what works and what doesn't. And this isn't some pay-for-play advertising deal. I'm a freelance writer. I don't know any of Surfline's ad guys and they never tell me what I can or can't review. Who am I to say what's good and what's not? First off, I'm a surfer, just like you. I surf damn near every day, but I'm also a professional field tester. For the past decade, I've reviewed gear for magazines like Men's Journal, Popular Science, Outside, and The Surfer's Path. I can geek-out on gear with the best of them, but at the end of the day I'm just a surfer and if I wouldn't buy the product myself, you won't see it on these pages. --Mark Anders If you have questions, ideas, concerns, or just a product you'd like us to review, drop us a line at: [email protected]. MORE GEAR SURFLINE HOME PAGE |
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