My Hunt for a More Modest Speedo
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Much like the metric system, the Speedo swim brief is a sensible thing that never caught on in America. Besides minimizing visible tan lines, these fast-drying, pelvis-hugging spandex suits are easier to swim in and more sanitary than baggy swim trunks (since they’re only worn in and around the water). That’s why they’re mandatory in many European public swimming pools. But if you’re not completely comfortable baring your groin in public, a square-leg swimsuit works just as well.
Square-leg swimsuits (sometimes called aquashorts) are basically just Speedos with just enough of an inseam to move the hem off of the groin and onto the less sensitive skin of the upper thigh. They’re still skintight but less wedgie-prone and will feel much more comfortable for anyone who prefers boxers or boxer briefs to tighty-whities. The various options may look similar in product photos, but after trying on six different square-leg aquashorts across a range of prices and a few sizes, I found that seam placement and material variations make a big difference in the final fit and comfort.
The runners-up
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Much like Li-Ning — the athletic apparel company that just signed a huge shoe deal with Steph Curry — 361 is a big deal in China and unfamiliar to most people in the West. But even if 361 isn’t some throwaway Amazon brand, the swimsuit I tried was simply not as good as the others. It’s made from a thinner, rougher-feeling polyester fabric compared to the pricier suits I tested and has a lower proportion of elastane, so it’s not quite as stretchy. Sizing down to a small would have likely fixed the fact that the legs felt too loose, but they don’t currently sell a small in America.
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TYR’s Durafast polyester-blend fabric felt more substantial than that of the 361, but it wasn’t as silky smooth as Speedo’s nylon fabric. I tried it in a 32, which felt good in the hips, but slightly loose in the leg. But my bigger issue with this design is the way it puckers along the twin seams running along either side of the crotch, which wasn’t an issue with any of the single-seam suits I tested. Strangely, the photos in the product listings depict only a single seam down the middle.
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Unlike the smooth suits I tested, this one has the texture of a hockey or football jersey on the outside that’s meant to increase drag for training purposes. I tried it in a small, which is what I typically get for Speedo, and found that the 100 percent polyester fabric felt more restrictive than the elastane-blended options, despite being designed with a slightly baggier cut.
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This iconic twin-striped design comes in sizes S to XL, but I found the small felt a bit more restrictive than other small-size shorts I tried, especially at the hem, which made my thighs feel like overstuffed sausages about to burst from their casings.
The winners
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Speedo’s Xtra Life nylon-Lycra blend is smoother, stretchier, and more durable than the polyester blend fabrics favored by other brands. (It’s also more mildew-resistant, which I accidentally confirmed by leaving it tied up in a dank plastic bag for several days after a recent trip to the sauna.) Out of all the Speedos I tried, the Splice had the best fit. For numerically sized Speedos, I have to size up to a 32 to accommodate my thighs, even though a 30 fits better in the waist. But the small Splice’s triangular side panels offer just a bit more ease through the seat, even though they’re intended as decoration.
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If you want a simpler design, the solid-colored Speedo square leg is made from the same material as the Splice and comes in numerical sizing (30 through 38) so you can dial in the fit more precisely. I tried a 30 and a 32 and found the 32 was just right through the thighs and still tight enough in the waist. Its lack of triangular side panels does make it slightly more restrictive than the Splice when brand new, but it should stretch out a little over time.
Other men’s swimsuits we like
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