Length, fit, fabric and care, answered straight. Written by a board short shop on Maui, with every product fact checked against the shorts we stock.
39 questions in this guide
MauiShirts.com, Inc. · Wailuku, Maui · in business since 1998 · Updated October 20, 2026
Board shorts look simple. The choices that matter are length, waist size, stretch and a few build details that decide how they feel after an hour in the water. Each question below starts with the short answer, then the detail.
Part 1 of 6
Board shorts are swim shorts made for surfing and active time in the water. They are longer than most swim trunks, have no mesh liner, and use a fixed waistband that ties or laces at the front.
The name comes from surfboards. The fabric is usually polyester with some spandex for stretch, finished to shed water and dry fast.
Board shorts are longer, unlined and held up by a tie-front waistband that doesn't stretch. Swim trunks are shorter, usually have a mesh liner and an elastic waist, and are made more for the pool deck than the surf.
| Board shorts | Swim trunks | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical length | 17 to 21 inch outseam | 15 to 17 inch outseam |
| Liner | None | Mesh liner |
| Waistband | Fixed, ties or laces at the front | Elastic, with a drawcord |
| Fabric | Stretch polyester and spandex | Often non-stretch polyester or cotton blends |
| Made for | Surfing, paddling, active water time | Pool, lake and beach lounging |
Length ranges and construction as described in Billabong’s guide (sources at the end). Our HIC board shorts run 19 to 22 inches.
Read the full board shorts vs swim trunks comparison, with a three-tap picker.
Hybrid shorts are made to work in the water and on land. They look more like everyday shorts than board shorts do, and some, like the Go Barefoot NO Worries, add a mesh liner.
See what makes a short a hybrid, and four pairs from water to land.
No. Board shorts skip the mesh liner because they are made for long sessions in the water, where a liner holds sand and water and can rub. The longer leg and fixed waist keep them in place instead.
Our HIC Kona Tiki spec sheet says it plainly: no mesh lining. If you want a liner, look at hybrid shorts like the Go Barefoot NO Worries, which have one.
It’s a matter of comfort. Most serious watermen wear nothing underneath. If you want something, a swim brief or compression liner works; cotton underwear holds water.
It is a matter of comfort, but most serious watermen do not wear anything underneath.
Kharden, owner, MauiShirts.com
Yes. Board shorts are swimwear. They are built for the ocean first, and they work in a pool too.
After salt water or chlorine, rinse them in fresh water. See chlorine below.
Board shorts are swimwear. Walking shorts are dry-land shorts, usually longer, with belt loops or cargo pockets, for errands, travel and the trail.
Our HIC Mauna Kea and HIC Chiba are 23-inch walking shorts. Shop Walking Shorts.
Part 2 of 6
For most people, 19 to 21 inches. Pick 19 or 20 for a shorter, above-the-knee look and freer legs when you paddle. Pick 21 or 22 for classic surf length and more coverage, especially if you are tall.
21-inch board shorts
Our one measured example is HIC Kanaha at 21 inches: just above the knee on a 6-foot frame, at the knee on a 5-foot-7 frame. Every inch less outseam raises the hem about an inch. So a 20-inch short ends about an inch higher, and a 19-inch short about two inches higher. That is an estimate from the Kanaha measurement, not a separate fitting.
It is the outseam: the length down the outside of the leg, from the top of the waistband to the hem. Board shorts are sized by outseam, not inseam.
On our HIC Kanaha, the 21-inch outseam is measured on size 32 and stays within about a quarter inch across sizes.
If you only know your inseam from another brand, compare outseams instead. It is the number every board short listing gives.
Several of our HIC board shorts come in waist sizes 28 to 60. The HIC Generals and HIC Backyards cover all twenty sizes in that range.
Start with HIC Generals (20 inch, sizes 28 to 60) or HIC Backyards (21 inch, sizes 28 to 60). HIC Suck Em Up adds big sizes 46 to 54. For dry land, the HIC Mauna Kea walking short also runs 28 to 60.
For taller frames, a 21-inch or 22-inch outseam keeps the classic length.
Honestly, we rarely get returns in those sizes. They are just happy someone offers them.
Kharden, owner, MauiShirts.com
Pull the cords snug with the shorts sitting where you want them, then tie a bow and knot the loops once more. On a lace-up front, tighten the laces from the bottom grommet up before you tie.
The HIC Kanaha and HIC Suck Em Up lace up through HIC grommets. The Generals and Kona Tiki use a tie front.
Order your usual waist size. HIC board shorts are true to size, though some people find them a little roomy, and the tie or lace-up front gives you room to adjust.
Between sizes? Email jz@mauishirts.com before you order and we’ll measure a pair off the shelf for you. Size exchanges are free (see exchanges).
Not sure of your size? Measure around your waist where the shorts will sit, just below the belly button.
Snug at the waist and relaxed through the hip and thigh. Because the waistband doesn’t stretch, buy your real waist size and use the tie or lace-up front to fine-tune it.
Most of our HIC styles have a low-rise surfer fit. They sit below the belly button, not at the natural waist like dress pants.
Only at the waist. The legs should move freely. Stretch fabric lets the leg stay trim without pulling when you squat, paddle or climb onto a board.
Part 3 of 6
A gusset is a separate panel of fabric sewn across the crotch. On most board shorts four seams meet at one point, which can bind. A gusset adds extra material there, so nothing pinches when you move.
Of the shorts we stock, the HIC Kanaha and HIC Kona Tiki have a gusseted crotch. Read the full gusset explainer.
Quick dry, yes. Waterproof, no. Good ones are water repellent. A durable water repellent (DWR) finish makes water bead and roll off, so the shorts carry less water and dry faster.
Most are polyester with a little spandex for stretch. Our HIC 8-way stretch board shorts are 90% polyester and 10% spandex.
A fixed waistband holds its shape when wet and doesn’t sag when a wave hits. You set the fit with the front ties instead of relying on elastic.
It’s a key string or wax comb string. Tie your key or surf wax comb to it so it can’t wash out of the pocket.
4-way stretch fabric stretches across and along its length and springs back. 8-way stretch is a maker’s name for fabric that also gives on the diagonals. HIC calls its version Octo Stretch.
There is no lab test that defines “8-way”, so judge it by feel: a deep squat or a pop-up on a board shouldn’t pull at the seat or thighs. Nearly every board short we stock is 8-way stretch.
UPF rates how much ultraviolet light a fabric blocks. A UPF 50 fabric lets through about 1/50th of UV rays, blocking about 98%, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.
UPF is a fabric rating. SPF is a sunscreen rating, so “SPF 50 shorts” is a mix-up. Our HIC board shorts are rated UPF 50+. The rating covers only the skin the shorts cover, so keep sunscreen on your legs below the hem.
The main seams are sewn with three parallel rows of stitches instead of one or two. More stitching spreads the load, which helps seams hold up to stretch, salt and sand.
Part 4 of 6
Rinse them in fresh water after every swim. Machine wash cold on gentle, skip the bleach, and hang them to dry out of direct sun.
Line drying is best. Board shorts dry quickly, so pull them out of the washer and hang them up. If you do use the dryer, use low heat and take them out early.
High heat is what wears out the spandex that gives board shorts their stretch.
Over time, yes. Chlorine slowly breaks down spandex and fades color. Rinse your shorts in fresh water right after the pool and you slow it down a lot.
Yes. Dried salt stiffens fabric and wears on stitching. A quick fresh-water rinse at the beach shower is enough.
Years, with basic care. The 8-way stretch fabric is highly durable, and some of our customers have worn the same HIC board shorts for years without any issues.
The material is highly durable with its 8-way stretch. Some of our customers have had their HIC board shorts for years without any issues.
Kharden, owner, MauiShirts.com
What shortens their life: high dryer heat, chlorine left in the fabric and dried salt. Rinse, wash cold and hang to dry.
We’ve never known HIC board shorts to shrink. Wash them cold and line dry, and they keep their shape.
Part 5 of 6
Yes. In Hawaii board shorts go from the beach to lunch. With a T-shirt or an aloha shirt they work anywhere casual.
Yes. Board shorts are swimwear, so they’re fine where swimsuits are required. Rinse them afterward to wash out the chlorine.
You can. 8-way stretch moves with squats and lunges. They have no liner, so wear the support you’d want under any gym short.
For workouts on land, HIC also makes the Treadmill exercise shorts.
Plenty of people do. They’re light, they pack small, and you can go straight from the airport to the water. Bring a layer, because cabins run cold.
For a beach run, sure. For longer runs, a short made for running is more comfortable, since board shorts are longer and have no liner.
Part 6 of 6
Look for stretch fabric, a fixed tie-front waistband, a quick-dry water-repellent finish, a length that suits your height, and seams that won’t rub. If you’re in the water a lot, a gusseted crotch and UPF 50+ fabric are worth having.
The HIC Kanaha has all of these: 8-way stretch, a lace-up structured waistband, a quick-dry water-repellent finish, a 21-inch outseam, triple-needle stitching, a gusseted crotch and UPF 50+ fabric.
You’re paying for the build, and it lasts. HIC Kanaha, for example, has 8-way stretch fabric rated UPF 50+, a quick-dry water-repellent finish, triple-needle stitching and a gusseted crotch.
It is the question we hear most at our counter in Wailuku. The answer is durability: some of our customers have worn the same pair of HIC board shorts for years. See how long they last.
Orders placed by 1 PM Hawaii time, Monday to Friday, ship the same day from Wailuku, Maui. Everything on this site is in stock with us.
US Standard shipping is free with no code: USPS, 5 to 7 business days after your order ships. Priority and FedEx 2Day are available at checkout.
Size exchanges are free within 30 days of delivery, as long as the shorts are unworn, unwashed and still have their tags.
Refunds instead of an exchange carry a 15% restocking fee. Shorts worn in the water can’t be returned. Full details on our returns and exchanges page.
HIC (Hawaiian Island Creations) has made surf wear since 1971. Its board shorts are imported, with prints inspired by the Hawaiian Islands.
Kanaha is for beachgoers and surfers: 21 inches, a gusseted crotch and a wraparound Polynesian print. Generals come in solid black, navy or teal, so they work as a hybrid short and look good with any T-shirt or even an aloha shirt. Generals also run in sizes 28 to 60.
No question matches that yet. Email jz@mauishirts.com and we’ll answer it, and probably add it here.
Every pair on the site is in stock in Wailuku and ships the same day when you order by 1 PM Hawaii time.
Product facts come from the spec sheets of the shorts we stock. Outside sources: