Tis the season to book an all-inclusive vacation (get tips on that from Scott), and the much dreaded chore of finding a bathing suit for
that vacation. We here at Real Man Travels understand your struggle and want to
make things easier for you. Just three weeks before I ventured off to Varadero,
Cuba in October I was contacted by Boto Swimwear, a company based in Montreal to test out their line of swim shorts for the modern man.
They kindly sent me two pairs of swim shorts to use and
abuse from the St. Lucia collection in the colors of sky blue and coral red. I
put these swim shorts through the Real Man Tested criteria to help you make a
purchasing decision for you next vacation.
1. What you get.
Because this is an article for clothing there are no extras
or accessories necessary or included.
2. Look and Feel.
The Sky Blue shorts looked much better in person than I
anticipated and I quickly knew they would be my go-to pair during my trip. The
Coral Red shorts also look great but are softer in colour than the Boto website
would lead you to believe.
The shorts, when dry, feel light and have a bit of a swishy
sound when you rub them between your fingers, but for some reason that sound is
non-existent when walking. That’s a good thing. No one wants swishy swim
shorts. To my surprise when the shorts are wet they do not get darker or
lighter as most clothing materials do.
The shorts have a white mesh liner on the inside to protect
your precious manhood from whatever may be lurking in the waters. The shorts
have a zipper, a snap button and a drawstring to keep them firmly attached to
your waist. The draw string is on the inside of the shorts to keep it hidden.
This was probably my favourite feature as I was the only one on the beach (next
to the liberal speedo wearers) without a draw string dangling by my
unmentionables. The shorts are fitted with two side pockets and one
zippered pocket on the rear.
3. Ease of Use
As long as you can dress yourself these are simple to put
on. The hidden draw string will throw you a curve ball though as you try to
decide which to do first, the drawstring, the zipper or the snap button. I went
the route of zipper, draw string then button.
4. Advertised vs.
Actual
The shorts are advertised to be for the modern man because
of their tailored fit, comfort and bold colour choices. And they were just that.
These works of art sat snug on my body and were cut just inches above my knee.
The colours really popped when I wore them and I never once felt that
discomfort that wet shorts can give you. Overall I would say they really hit
the mark with their claims for these shorts.
5. Value
These won’t be for the budget conscience who prefer to just
grab a pair to beat up from Wal-Mart, as these shorts
retail for $69.00 CAD. For the quality and style the price isn’t too bad
considering those flashy board shorts from skate and snowboard companies retail
for $50-70 CAD.
6. Practicality
You will definitely use these swim shorts on any given trip
to a tropical destination or even to the beach. I can also guarantee you'd be one of the few not drowning in your swim short material (like board shorts) or tucking your junk inside your body (like speedos).
These shorts are meant to be transitional swim shorts where
you could wear them in the water or up to the beach bar or even to a restaurant
close to the beach. They deliver just that with the side pockets allowing for
money or other small purchases when not in the water.With that being said I don’t see these being the first
choice for water sports even though they would hold up if you were to water
ski, wake board or tube with them.
7. Overall
A solid pair of swim shorts goes a long way on vacation as I
personally spend over 50% of the day in them. So I was happy to have a pair
that functioned both in and out of water. These shorts are stylish and I got
complimented on the sky blue ones (and asked where I got them). They held up well in the ocean, in the pool and in my initial shower
test. The hidden drawstring, side pockets and zippered back pocket are all
great features that help with the design elements and functionality. And they just look good, plain and simple (even though I do not have a 0% body fat model body).
I give the Boto St Lucia line of swimwear a four out of five.
Want to grab a pair for yourself? You can currently order
these from the Boto Swimwear website or wait until December when they
will be launching in Bikini Village at most locations. Be sure to give them a
follow on twitter or facebook if you decide to buy a pair and let them know
what you think.
