When buying men’s swimwear, a question that is often asked is whether one should get a pair of swim trunks with a mesh liner or not. The purpose of the mesh liner is to separate the inner fabric of the swim trunk and your skin to reduce chafing, as well as to offer support for your junk so that it does not slip out. The goal is to provide greater comfort.
That all sounds well and good, but many men have found that the liner sometimes fails to provide comfort; rather, it is sometimes the source of their discomfort. For these men, they wonder if they can just get swim trunks or board shorts without liner, but now that raises new questions: what do you wear underneath?
There are a variety of options including just going commando (wearing nothing underneath), wearing Speedos/swim briefs, wearing your regular underwear, or wearing moisture wicking athletic underwear such as compression shorts.
The best options are to wear Speedos, swim briefs, or to go commando, because then you are at least wearing clothing designed to be worn underwater. Regular underwear and sports underwear would get ruined when exposed to chlorine or saltwater. The cotton fabric will also absorb water, become waterlogged, and cause chafing.
In this article, we will go over the best options regarding what to wear under swim trunks without mesh, why they are the best choice, and what to avoid.
Why do some swimwear come with a mesh liner?
You may have noticed that some swimwear come with a mesh liner (a.k.a. netting), and some don’t. That option is there in case you find the netting to be uncomfortable, then you can opt for one without netting.
For the most part, the mesh liner should be a net positive. The liner is filled with holes so water and air can flow right through; it doesn’t absorb much water and dries quickly. It acts like your underwater underwear by holding your junk in place and is supposed to reduce chafing by acting as an extra layer between your skin and the trunk’s inner fabric.
You may have also noticed that board shorts don’t come with netting. That’s because board shorts are designed for surfing. It has a lot of extra fabric to protect your skin against the coarse surfboard. You’ll also be moving a lot when surfing, and the mesh liner might get in your way.
The mesh lining works best when you are just playing in the pool or playing volleyball at the beach. It can prove to be uncomfortable if you are aggressively moving around such as when you’re surfing; the mesh material can ride up or possibly become a source of chafing itself.
Why do you need to know all of this? Well, replace “mesh liner” with the word “boxers” and you’ll understand why it’s not a good idea to wear boxers under your swim trunks. Even worse, boxers are highly absorbent and will not only get waterlogged quickly, but will take ages to dry.
Whether your swim trunks come with a mesh liner or not, you should NOT wear boxers underneath them.
How should you wear swim trunks without mesh?
There are several options you can go with, and each one has their pros and cons. However, each option here is a much better option than wearing boxers or compression shorts.
With nothing underneath (going commando)
You’re probably used to wearing underwear, but when you’re wearing swim trunks or board shorts, you don’t need to wear anything underneath. In fact, it’s not a good look if people can see your boxers peeking out from your swimwear.
The most obvious advantage of this is that it’s convenient, unrestrictive, and your board shorts will dry the quickest. You are unlikely to have any issues with riding up, itching, or rashes. These days, a good pair of swim trunks should provide as much comfort as your underwear.
Some downsides of going commando are that shorts that are made with lower quality fabric can still rub painfully against your inner thighs. They may also just feel uncomfortable to touch. Furthermore, swim trunks made of thinner or lighter material may even become see-through when wet, leaving nothing to the imagination.
If you don’t feel comfortable going commando, there are some other options.
With swim briefs/Speedos
Swim briefs, or Speedos, are commonly worn by competitive swimmers. They may also be worn casually by people on the beach who are working to remove their tan line and because it looks good (well, on some people).
Many men don’t feel comfortable wearing swim briefs due to fear of ridicule or lack of confidence due to being so exposed, yet for many women’s swimsuits, this is the norm.
Well, since Speedos are so similar in appearance to underwear, you might as well wear it as one under a pair of swim trunks or board shorts. This is a far better option than actually wearing your underwear because swim briefs are literally designed to be worn underwater.
Thus, swim briefs have all of the same benefits of swimwear: fast drying and not water absorbent, so you won’t feel waterlogged or soaked all day. It’ll keep your junk in place so you won’t accidentally become an exhibitionist.
With a bikini bottom/one piece swimsuit (for women)
Guys aren’t the only people who can wear swim trunks or board shorts. Women can wear it too if they don’t want to show so much skin.
Any gals wondering if board shorts are a good look will be relieved to know that, yes, many guys love the look of a girl wearing board shorts or swim trunks. No, I’m not pulling your leg here, the tomboy look is very attractive to guys, so if you want skin coverage and still want to look good, board shorts or swim trunks are a good option. But what should girls wear under it?
Well, ladies can wear a bikini bottom or a one piece swimsuit under a pair of board shorts. The great thing is, like Speedos, everything you’re wearing is also designed to be worn underwater, so you aren’t ruining a pair of panties just to go into the pool or the ocean with board shorts.
So there you have it. You have three major options as to what to wear under swim trunks without mesh: nothing, swim briefs, or a bikini bottom. You can theoretically wear regular underwear or compression shorts, but they’ll become waterlogged and take a long time to dry. They can also cause chafing and will get stretched out, so stick with our recommended options.