The 15 Best Swim Briefs for Men in 2023

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You may think of swim briefs as the purview of competitive athletes and European tourists, but this diminutive swimsuit style continues to gain popularity across the globe for the beach or pool. While they are commonly referred to as Speedos, this is a similar situation to Kleenex or Visine, in which a brand name replaces the generic term for a product. In the case of Speedo, this British brand that started in Australia in 1914 popularized the swim brief style, so much so, the name became synonymous with the type of swimwear. But the company is far from the only brand making great swim briefs. While we've included Speedo in this guide, there's also a broad range of other brands whose products range from athletic to high fashion.

A few benefits of this sleek style of swimwear include providing better support in the water and less drag while you're swimming. Out of the water, they dry much more quickly than longer swim trunks and allow for a more even tan, if that's your thing. But if you're still not sold on the swim brief, we have you covered with our other swimwear guides, The 21 best swim trunks for men that won't ride up or let you down and The 21 coolest swim trunks to wear all summer long.

Sizing options: 22 to 38

Available colorways: 9 colorways

For more than 100 years, Speedo has been making high-performance swimwear worn by some of the greatest professional swimmers and divers in the world. According to the brand, more Olympic Gold Medals have been won in its swimwear than any other brand. If you're looking for a swim brief that combines performance and style, the Precision Brief is a top contender. The company produces the briefs using a stretchy synthetic fabric that's resistant to wear and chlorine and comes in nine abstract wave designs. The Precision Brief is fully lined, has a drawstring to keep your suit in place, and offers a 50+ ultraviolet protection factor, meaning it offers excellent sun protection.

Sizing options: 24 to 42

Available colorways: Red Fandango Multi, Green Lake Multi

Arena, while not quite as well known as Speedo, has been around since the early 1970s. Horst Dassler, the son of Adolph "Adi" Dassler, the founder of adidas, launched the brand that has become very able competition for its rival Speedo. Arena makes the Hero Camo Low Waist Short from a fabric built to stand up to chlorine and that dries quickly and provides a lot of UV protection (50+).

The material and production are also eco-friendly. They produce the fabric in Italy at a facility that uses less water and generates less CO2 than the average. The material includes 51% recycled polyester from plastic bottles. These briefs fit low on the hips but provide a bit more coverage on the outseam than many other briefs. Paired with the cool modern camo colorway, these are perfect for both athletes and beachgoers.

Sizing options: XS to XXLAvailable colorways: Optic White, Rust, Deep Lagoon, Black, and Sage Green

Since 2016, the Swedish brand CDLP has been innovating men's basics with luxuriously comfortable garments made with high environmental standards and beautiful designs. While it started as a men's underwear company, the brand has expanded into other categories, including swimwear. CDLP crafts its Swim Briefs in Portugal using Econyl, an Italian nylon made from ocean waste. The jersey knit briefs feature an elasticized waist with a drawstring and a pouch to keep everything in place for all-day comfort. It even has an internal pocket. The brand says these briefs run small, so size up if you're looking for a slightly roomier fit.

Sizing options: 26 to 38Available colorways: Royal II, Black, Navy II

TYR Sport is a swimwear brand aimed at athletes. Steve Furniss, an Olympic medalist in swimming, co-founded the brand specializing in apparel for competitive swimmers and triathletes in the 1980s. The TYReco Solid Racer is a best seller for its solid performance capabilities, comfortable fit, and ability to stand up to chlorine. The fabric used in the briefs, called TYReco, is a blend of 80% recycled nylon and lycra, so it's soft, stretchy, keeps its shape over the long haul, and is more ecofriendly than many other fabrics. These briefs are lined in the front and have an adjustable drawstring for the perfect fit.

Sizing options: S to XXL

Available colorways: Desert Sky

For nearly 40 years, Tommy Hilfiger has helped define (and redefine) the classic American preppy aesthetic for succeeding generations by expanding its reach into hip-hop and other areas of the culture to become a truly iconic brand. The company's Stripe Swim Brief exudes Tommy Hilfiger-ness: it's sleek, comfortable, and classic. TH makes these briefs from a fabric that's mostly recycled nylon (83%) and elastane for a comfortable amount of stretch. They feature the brand's iconic dark navy blue color with red and white color swatches on the left side.

Sizing options: 2XS to 4XL

Available colorways: Navy, Black, Desert Sage, Light Taupe, Toasted Brown, White

Asos is a British fashion brand known for its trendy and affordable clothing, with inclusive sizing. The company's swim briefs are minimalist, sit low on the hips, and come in at a great price at under $20. The brand uses a polyester fabric for these lined briefs that are silky, dry fast, and have a good bit of stretch. Like a lot of the brand's products, they come in a vast range of sizing to fit most body types.

Sizing options: XS to XXL

Available colorways: Seaweed, Navy, Black, White

Sundek began as a surf brand back in the 1950s and over the years introduced such innovations as velcro closures and colorful patterns that have become the industry norm. The Diwalter Swim Brief does a lot with a little, from the contrasting drawstring and logo at the front to the multi-colored stripes on the sides. These lined briefs that sit low on the hips are made from a quick-drying fabric that's comfortable and moves with your body.

Sizing options: XS to XXXL

Available colorways: Gulf Blue

Dandy Del Mar has become one of our go-to brands for summer clothing, from swimwear to cabana wear, thanks to the brand's ultra stylish and superior quality products. They have a retro vibe without ever resulting to mimicking other brands of the past or present. The Belize Swim Briefs pack a lot of style in a small package. The cut and multicolored vertical stripes have a 1970s French Riviera feel but a modern material made from recycled polyester and lycra for a soft and springy wearing experience. These are designed in California and made in Peru. Be prepared to field questions from strangers about where you got these handsome swim briefs.

Sizing options: 24 to 38

Available colorways: Black/Green, Black/Purple, Black/Yellow

The German sportswear giant adidas may be best known for its sneakers, but the brand makes some fantastic swimwear as well. The company crafts its Solid Splice Infinitex Brief from a polyester fabric called Infinitex that stands up to chlorine, holds its shape, and resists wear and tear. These briefs sit close to the body without being constricting and have an interior drawstring closure for a secure fit. They feature the brand's famous three stripes on the sides.

Sizing options: 28 to 40

Available colorways: Tropic Thunders

The Australian swimwear brand Budgy Smuggler is all about tongue-in-cheek fun as exemplified by the name. A budgie is a parakeet and, as the founders admit, they accidentally misspelled the bird's name as "budgy" and it stuck. The brand specializes in swim briefs, which originated Down Under via Speedo. They also celebrate diversity, so don't expect to see super buff guys modeling the brand's wares on its website, but rather a broad range of body types.

Budgy Smuggler crafts its swimwear in Australia using high-quality fabrics that keep everything in place, dry fast, and feature a wide assortment of colorways, from mild to wild and typically funny. The Tropic Thunder is a multi-colored floral design with the brand's name boldly featured on the back side. Budgy Smugglers truly offer you fun in the sun.

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