Swim briefs
A swim brief or racing brief is any
Like underwear briefs, swim briefs feature a triangular shaped front and a solid back providing form-fitting coverage. They typically are worn below the true waist. They are generally secured by thin banding at the upper thighs, and a drawstring around the waist and/or an elastic waistband. Swim briefs are often made of a nylon and spandex (Lycra) composite, while some longer-lasting suits are made from polyester and still others from other materials. Most swim briefs have a beige or white front lining made of a similar fabric.
Use and popularity
Swim briefs are worn by professional and recreational athletes in many
often wear swim briefs as an undergarment to the wetsuit.While swim briefs are used worldwide by athletes for water sports, the popularity of swim briefs as casual
Swim briefs are sometimes worn under board shorts for modesty purposes, and they are often used as an athletic supporter under shorts during sporting activities.
Styles
Briefs worn for competitive and recreational swimming are manufactured in standard sizes and in waist measurements. They are available in a wide variety of solid colors and patterned designs.
Racing suits
The most common racing suit styles are 1.5 inch to 3 inch paneled briefs (as measured by the height and length of the suit's side panel). The racing suit's main function is to reduce the
Water polo players generally wear racing suits. This is to minimize the fabric available to grabbing and pulling by opponents - actions that are illegal yet often happen underwater - while not compromising the strength of the fabric. High-level players wear specialized suits, usually of a very tight fit and made of thicker, tougher and more slippery fabric, intended to thwart pulling and grabbing during rough play; they often wear two suits, one over the other.
Triathlon swimming briefs
A special variety of briefs and trunks made for the triathlon features the racing suit's design for the swimming portion of the race but also incorporates light padding in the crotch of the garment for the bicycle portion of the race. This is a lighter version of the chamois leather in cycling shorts, to allow running in to be performed more efficiently and the shorts to dry faster after the swim.
Manufacturers
In addition to the style's namesake company
. Many of these companies have expanded their merchandise to reflect recent trends in water sports. These include the growing popularity of the jammer style and the development of full body suits for competitive swimming.On the fashion end, several designer companies including
References
- ^ "Has speedo become a generic trademark?". genericides.org. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
- ^ "Ozwords - Smuggling budgies to budgie smugglers". ozwords.org.
- ^ "Alton Towers bans Speedos". Telegraph.co.uk. 11 August 2009. Retrieved 2015-12-23.
- ^ Sachin Bhola. "The Speedo Debate". AskMen.
- ^ "To be brief - no thanks!". The New Zealand Herald. 29 December 2004. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
- ^ "Speedos v Trunks in swimming pools in France". The Good Life France. 28 August 2013. Retrieved 2015-12-23.
- ^ *"Budgie smugglers uncovered". Stuff (Fairfax Media). 27 December 2010.