Men's Swimwear Guide
Most Indian men pack gym shorts for a beach holiday and find out at the hotel pool that shorts are not allowed in the water. This guide covers what actually counts as swimwear, how swim trunks and swim briefs differ, and 10 styles worth packing, with prices from Rs 699.
Why Gym Shorts Are Not Swimwear
This is the part nobody tells you before your first proper beach holiday. Most hotel pools, resort pools and club pools in India do not allow cotton shorts or regular gym shorts in the water. The reason is practical rather than snobbery. Cotton sheds fibres, holds water, and clogs pool filters, so almost every pool in the country insists on proper synthetic swimwear.
So if you are heading to Goa, the Maldives, the Andamans, Thailand or Dubai, this is a thing you need to buy before you go, not something you improvise with whatever is in the suitcase.
Real swimwear does three things your gym shorts cannot.
- It dries fast. A quick dry polyester or nylon blend is near dry in twenty minutes. Cotton shorts stay wet for hours and chafe the whole time, which in beach humidity is genuinely miserable.
- It handles chlorine and salt. Swim fabrics are built for chlorinated pool water and saltwater. Regular fabric loses colour and elasticity after a few swims.
- It holds its shape wet. Swimwear has an internal support structure and a drawstring or firm elastic, so it stays in place when you get out of the water. This matters more than most men realise.
Everything below comes from the Panteazy men's swimwear range, ranked by price inside each style, and all of it is in stock at the time of writing.
Which Style Is Right for You
- First beach holiday or a family trip: swim trunks, more coverage and the safest choice anywhere
- Actual swimming and laps: swim briefs, less drag and faster drying
- Hotel pool and poolside lounging: swim trunks or a swim boxer with a drawstring
- Honeymoon or couple trip: a matching couple set, the photos make the case by themselves
- Confident and style led: low rise swim briefs and micro cuts
Swim Trunks: More Coverage, Safe Everywhere
Swim trunks are the default for Indian men and for good reason. They cover the thigh, they look right at a family resort or a public beach in Goa, and nobody looks twice. If you are buying one pair of swimwear in your life, buy a trunk.
The thing to check is the inner construction. A good trunk has a contoured front and a proper drawstring, not just a loose elastic, because a trunk without support rides and shifts the moment you leave the water.
1. Men's Side Mesh Panel Stretchable Swim Trunks
Short cut trunks with semi transparent mesh inserts down the sides, which is not just a styling detail. The mesh moves air through the garment, so these dry faster and feel cooler than a solid panel trunk when you are sitting in the sun between swims.
High stretch fabric with shape retention, an adjustable drawstring elastic waistband and an ergonomic contour fit. Available up to XXL, which is harder to find in swimwear than it should be.
Men's Side Mesh Panel Stretchable Swim Trunks
Breathable side mesh panels, adjustable drawstring waistband, ergonomic contour fit and quick drying high stretch fabric. Best all rounder for pool and beach. White and Black, sizes M to XXL.
Rs. 799.00 Up to XXL
Add to Cart2. Men's Cartoon Monster Print Swim Trunks
Two tone blue with a small character motif on the front hip and a large graffiti style monster graphic across the back. Loud in a fun way rather than an awkward way, which is a narrow line for printed swimwear to walk.
Lightweight quick drying stretch fabric in a snug boxer style fit with proper support. This is the holiday photo pair, and at Rs 899 it is the cheapest way to not look like everyone else at the resort.
Men's Cartoon Monster Print Swim Trunks
Bold back monster graphic on two tone blue, lightweight quick dry stretch fabric and a snug supportive boxer style fit. Best for holiday photos and pool parties. Sizes M, L, XL.
Rs. 899.00 Rs. 1,099.00 Save 18%
3. Men's Contrast Swim Boxer
Blue and black contrast panels with a clean white waistband and mesh detailing. The most classically sporty looking piece in the range, the kind of thing that reads as swimwear even when you are walking the beach road in Goa with a shirt over it.
Premium stretch fabric with quick dry performance and an adjustable drawstring. Worth noting that stock is currently limited to the larger sizes, so check before you plan around it.
Men's Contrast Swim Boxer
Blue and black contrast with white waistband and mesh detailing, premium quick dry stretch fabric and adjustable drawstring. Best for swimming and poolside. Blue, currently XL and XXL only.
Rs. 919.00 Rs. 999.00 Larger sizes only
4. Men's Blue Ombre Gradient Trunks
The most grown up looking pair here. A smooth blue colour gradation instead of a print, which means it works at a formal resort pool where a cartoon graphic would feel out of place.
The construction is the real selling point. Advanced 3D front stitching gives a contoured supportive fit rather than a flat panel, and the quick drying high elasticity fabric holds shape wet or dry. The premium pick of the trunks.
Men's Blue Ombre Gradient Trunks
Blue gradient finish with advanced 3D front stitching for a contoured supportive fit, in quick drying high elasticity fabric. Best for resort pools and a smarter look. Sizes M, L, XL.
Rs. 1,099.00 Rs. 1,299.00 Save 15%
Swim Briefs: Less Drag, Faster Drying
Swim briefs are what you wear if you actually swim rather than stand in the water. Less fabric means less drag in the pool and a near instant dry afterwards, which is why competitive swimmers have never switched to trunks.
In India they also make sense for a private villa pool, a Maldives or Andaman trip, or a hotel pool where you are doing laps. At a crowded public beach most men prefer a trunk, and that is a reasonable call. Buy both if you can, because they solve different days.
5. Men's Swim Briefs with Back Pocket
The most practical piece in this entire guide. A proper swim brief with a built in back pocket, which solves the single most annoying problem of a hotel pool, where do you keep the locker key or room card while you swim.
Quick dry stretch fabric with an antibacterial treatment, a supportive fit and a streamlined frenchie silhouette. Available up to XXL in white and black.
Men's Swim Briefs with Back Pocket
Quick dry stretch fabric with antibacterial treatment, a practical back pocket for a locker key or card, and a streamlined supportive fit. Best for hotel pools and water sports. White and Black, sizes M to XXL.
Rs. 749.00 Rs. 799.00 Has a pocket
6. Men's Stripe Swim Brief
The cheapest swim brief in the range and the most low key. A streamlined thong style brief cut that minimises visible lines, in a soft breathable fabric with an antibacterial finish and moisture wicking.
Good as a second pair rather than your only one, particularly for a trip where you expect to be in and out of the water several times a day and want something drying while you wear the other.
Men's Stripe Swim Brief
Streamlined brief cut with antibacterial finish and moisture wicking in a soft breathable fabric. Best as a second pair for back to back swims. Red, currently L and XL.
Rs. 819.00 Most affordable brief
Add to Cart7. Men's Rainbow Stripe Swim Brief
The same frenchie style construction as the stripe brief with a brighter rainbow striped treatment and Colour Fresh finishing, which is the detail that stops bright swimwear fading after a few chlorine exposures.
Antibacterial protection and moisture wicking throughout, in a lightweight supportive fit. The pair to pick if you want colour that survives the holiday.
Men's Rainbow Stripe Swim Brief
Rainbow stripe frenchie cut with antibacterial protection, moisture wicking and Colour Fresh treatment so the colour holds. Best for bright styling that lasts. Blue, sizes M, L, XL.
Rs. 899.00 Colour Fresh finish
Add to Cart8. Men's Low Rise Swim Micro Brief
The most minimal cut in the range. A slim fit low rise brief with a close fitting silhouette, in quick dry stretch fabric that is lightweight and breathable.
Best suited to a private pool, a villa, or a destination where minimal swimwear is normal. Available in black and teal, and worth being honest with yourself about the setting before you pack it as your only pair.
Men's Low Rise Swim Micro Brief
Slim fit low rise cut with a body hugging silhouette in quick dry lightweight stretch fabric. Best for private pools, villas and sunbathing. Black and Teal, sizes S to XL.
Rs. 899.00 Rs. 999.00 Save 10%
9. Men's Dog Print Swim Brief
An all over dog print on a low rise swim brief, which is the one piece here that makes people smile rather than stare. Light hearted without being a gag item.
Lightweight quick drying fabric with stretch construction and a supportive brief design. Red and green colourways, sizes S to XL.
Men's Dog Print Swim Brief
All over dog print on a low rise quick dry swim brief with stretch construction and a supportive fit. Best for a beach holiday with some personality. Red and Green, sizes S to XL.
Rs. 999.00 Print pick
Add to CartCouple Swimwear for Honeymoons and Couple Trips
If the trip is a honeymoon or an anniversary, this is the single highest value thing in the collection. One purchase dresses both of you, and every photo from the trip is coordinated without anyone having to plan outfits.
10. Matching His and Hers Couple Swimwear Set
One men's swim short and one women's swimsuit, designed as a pair. Soft breathable quick dry fabric that is chlorine and saltwater friendly, in a comfortable stretch fit that packs light.
At Rs 699 for both pieces this is cheaper than most single pairs of swimwear in the range, which makes it the easiest decision in this guide for anyone travelling as a couple. Sizes S to XXL on the men's side.
Matching His and Hers Couple Swimwear Set
Coordinated men's swim shorts and women's swimsuit in quick dry breathable fabric, chlorine and saltwater friendly, travel ready stretch fit. Best for honeymoons, resorts and cruises. Sizes S to XXL.
Rs. 699.00 Rs. 999.00 Two pieces, best value
Swim Trunks, Swim Briefs or Swim Boxer
Three cuts, three different jobs. This is the quick way to decide before you order.
| Style | Coverage | Best for | Starts at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swim Trunks | Upper thigh, boxer style | Public beaches, family resorts, first time buyers | Rs 799 |
| Swim Boxer | Thigh with drawstring fit | Lap swimming plus poolside walking around | Rs 919 |
| Swim Briefs | Hip, minimal leg | Actual swimming, fastest drying, villa and private pools | Rs 749 |
| Couple Set | Men's shorts plus women's piece | Honeymoons, couple trips, photos | Rs 699 |
Swimwear by Destination
Goa: trunks for the public beaches at Baga, Calangute and Palolem, briefs for the hotel pool. Goa is relaxed but the beaches are crowded and family heavy, so a trunk is the comfortable choice outdoors. December to February is peak season and also the most pleasant water.
Maldives and private villa stays: briefs work perfectly here because you are largely in a private setting. Pack one trunk anyway for the resort restaurant and boat transfers.
Andaman and Lakshadweep: trunks, and ideally the mesh panel pair. Both are snorkelling destinations, which means long stretches half wet in strong sun, so airflow and fast drying matter more than style.
Thailand, Bali and Dubai: anything in this list works. Dubai hotel pools are strict about proper swimwear, so this is exactly the trip where gym shorts get you turned away.
Hotel and club pools in Indian cities: most require proper synthetic swimwear with a drawstring or firm elastic. A swim trunk or swim boxer is the safe answer. Call ahead if the club is old and formal, since a few still have rules about brief cuts.
Packing Plan
Weekend in Goa, two to three days: one trunk plus one brief. Rs 1,548 with the mesh panel trunk and the pocket brief. You swim in one while the other dries.
Week long beach holiday: two trunks and two briefs. You will be in the water twice a day and nothing dries fully in coastal humidity if you only have one pair.
Honeymoon: the couple set at Rs 699 plus one trunk for yourself. Covers the photos and the practical swimming both.
What to Wear Under Swim Trunks
This question gets asked constantly and the answer is short. Nothing. Swim trunks and swim briefs have their own built in support and lining, and that is what the 3D stitching and contour construction is for.
Wearing cotton underwear under swimwear defeats the entire purpose. Cotton holds water, so you stay wet for hours after the swim, it chafes once it is wet, and the waistband prints visibly through the trunk. If a pair of swim trunks feels like it needs underwear under it, the trunk is the wrong size or has no internal support, and the fix is a better trunk.
What you do want is a dry pair of regular men's underwear in the beach bag to change into afterwards. Quick dry briefs for the water, soft modal or cotton for after.
How to Make Swimwear Last
Rinse in plain water immediately after every swim. Chlorine and salt both keep working on the fabric after you get out. A thirty second rinse is the single biggest thing you can do for swimwear life.
Never wring it out. Twisting breaks the elastane, which is what holds the shape. Press the water out between your palms or in a towel instead.
Dry in shade, not on a hot car bonnet or in direct sun. UV destroys swim elastic faster than chlorine does, and a hot surface is worse.
Hand wash in cold water with mild soap. No bleach, no fabric softener, no washing machine, no dryer. Softener coats the fibres and kills the quick dry property you paid for.
Do not sit around in wet swimwear. Beyond being bad for the fabric, staying in a wet synthetic brief for hours in humid weather is how most men pick up skin irritation on a beach holiday.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I wear normal shorts for swimming in India? +
Swim trunks or swim briefs, which should I buy? +
What should I wear under swim trunks? +
What does quick dry actually mean? +
How many pairs of swimwear should I pack? +
Is a swim brief acceptable at an Indian beach? +
Will chlorine ruin my swimwear? +
What size swimwear should I order? +
Is the couple swimwear set actually worth it? +
Is delivery discreet and are returns easy? +
Pack Properly for the Beach
10 swim styles from Rs 699. Trunks, briefs, swim boxers and couple sets, all quick dry, in Indian sizes S to XXL.
Shop Men's Swimwear Shop Couple WearFree Shipping All India Discreet Packaging Easy 15 Day Returns 1 Lakh Plus Happy Customers
About Panteazy: India's men's innerwear and swimwear brand built on fabric and fit. Swim trunks, swim briefs, couple swimwear, pouch briefs, jockstraps and everyday innerwear, in sizes S to XXL.
www.panteazy.in | WhatsApp: +91 8595602630 | Free Shipping All India | Discreet Packaging | Easy Returns
