by
Olivier Poirier-Leroy
Looking for the best swim briefs for men to hit the pool with confidence and comfort? Here are our top choices for the best men’s briefs for lap swimming, training, and racing.
The men’s swim brief, colloquially known as a “Speedo,” is the classically-shaped swimsuit most associated with competitive and lap swimmers.
Although new cuts of swimsuits for men have gained popularity in recent years, including square-cut legs and the explosive rise of jammers (both the training and lap swim-oriented jammers and the more elite hydrodynamic racing jammers), the swimming brief still has a solid place in the swim bag of lap swimmers and competitive swimmers alike.
After almost thirty years of training and competing in the pool I have tried just about every swimsuit under the sun. I’ve done laps in briefs, square-cut swimsuits, swim trunks, jammers, wetsuits, and everything in-between.
In this guide to the best swim briefs for men, we will look at the top options on the market right now for every kind of swimmer. We’ll highlight the pros and cons of each, and also discuss the key things to look for when choosing the perfect swim brief for you.
Let’s dive right in.
⭐ Best overall swim briefs for lap swimming
Seeing as they are known as “Speedos,” it would be kinda weird not to have them as our top pick for best men’s swim brief, wouldn’t it?
This particular suit, which is made up of 78% nylon and 22% spandex, is comfortable, fast, and made with enough nylon that it is long-lasting.
The Speedo Powerflex Brief (which is also available as a training jammer) is our favorite, and with hundreds of five-star reviews, it will be yours too. One of the very few suits on our list that are ideal for both competing and training.
⭐ Best swim briefs for overall durability and vibrant colors
Looking for something a little flashier but that is also durable?
The Speedo Men’s Turnz Swim Briefs are your go-to.
They’ve got an inner lining for extra modesty and coverage, an extremely durable blend of polyesters (polyester or nylon are the two key fabrics to look for when it comes to durability), and they are available in a range of bright and vibrant prints and colors.
⭐ Most durable swim brief for lap swimming
TYR is one of the big swimwear manufacturers. Their racing suit, the TYR Venzo Genesis tech suits, is one of my favorite pieces of swimming gear.
I’ve used plenty of their training swimsuits over the years, too, from square-cut drag suits to briefs. The TYR Durafast is their most resilient lap swimming suit, made almost entirely of polyester, which won’t fade or stretch from all of those long swim practices at the pool.
While extremely durable, I find that the Durafast suits don’t have a lot of flex, so if you are the kind of swimmer who is “hard to fit” when it comes to swimsuits, look for a swim brief that has more elastane/Lycra than the 6% in the Durafast.
⭐ Best men’s swim brief for racing
Unlike the TYR Durafast, the TYR Fusion 2 Racer, as you can guess from the name of the suit, is designed for racing.
Perfect for in-season meets, or racing in prelims, the TYR Fusion 2 is designed for reduced drag and extra compression.
⭐ Best budget-friendly swim brief with a higher leg cut
Sporti is a budget-friendly swim brand that makes gear for competitive and recreational swimmers at prices that are often half of the more premium brands. Having tested and used their gear and swimsuits over the years, I’ve been happy with Sporti’s price and performance.
The Sporti Swim Euro Brief is a perfect example, retailing for around $15. The suit has a slightly higher cut on the legs, which is ideal for swimmers who want more range of motion in the hips and legs.
The increased range of motion makes it easier to move efficiently in the pool, whether that’s doing aqua jogging, swimming laps, diving, or playing water polo.
The suit material is a comfortable blend of 80% polyester and 20% Lycra, generating an optimal blend of durability and form-fitting comfort.
The main downside with this suit is that with the increased Lycra, you lose some of the lifespan due to stretching and thinning, but the suit is comfortable while it lasts.
Swim Outlet is the exclusive retailer for Sporti (their in-house brand) and the suit is available in a wide range of colors and sizes.
Arena is another one of the heavy-hitter swim gear manufacturers. Their gear is consistently awesome, and I have frequently used their training and racing suits (the Arena ST 2.0 Jammer is my favorite cheap tech suit) over the years.
The Arena MaxLife Swim Brief is just one of their briefs for men, but I love it for its bright colors and patterns.
The MaxLife, as you can probably surmise from the name, is designed to last a long time in the water, made with 100% polyester through, perfect for extended wear and avoiding chlorine and even UV degradation.
(You can shop the full collection of Arena swim briefs here.)
For a more durable training suit, the Nike Men’s Surge Brief is made of 100% polyester, giving you the maximum shelf life of a swimsuit.
When choosing the best swim brief for you and your swimming, here are some things to consider:
✅ Fabric: The most durable suit fabric is polyester. This material is resistant to chlorine, soft on the skin, and doesn’t fade.
✅ Racing vs. Training: If you plan on racing with a swim brief, look for suits made with Lycra (or Elastane). This material repels water and also improves the stretchiness and compression of the suit.
✅ Colors and Patterns: If you are lucky enough to train outdoors in water that doesn’t require a wet-suit or swimskin, consider a brighter-colored suit to keep you visible to others on the water.
Swimsuits should be comfortable and durable. The right set of swim briefs is designed to withstand the elements, both natural and man-made.
When choosing a swim brief, you want one that will not fade from UV exposure and can withstand repeated dunking in lap pools with lots of pool chemicals, such as chlorine and bromine.
Here are the most common fabrics used in swim briefs and the key benefits of each kind.
Lycra spandex (also known as Elastane)
This material is awesome as it provides flex and stretch in your swimsuit. It’s also water-repellant, which means it dries fast, and won’t leave your swimsuit feeling like a water-logged diaper.
As wonderful as it is, Lycra spandex (or Elastane) is not as tough when it comes to durability and shelf life as it is a more fragile garment. Over time, and with enough exposure to pool chemicals, this type of fabric will stretch and thin.
Additionally, Lycra spandex is prone to ripping and tearing, as any competitive swimmer who has accidentally ripped one of their expensive tech suits (which has up to 40% of this speed-inducing fabric) can attest.
Most swim briefs have a minimal amount of Lycra spandex, but if you want a suit that has a little flex and stretch, these are the kind of suits you want to zero in on.
Polyester
Most of the training suits I have worn over the years of churning up and down the lap pool have been composed of 100% polyester.
Totally polyester swim briefs are an excellent choice for the swimmer who is at the pool very often. Polyester doesn’t stretch after repeated use, it hardly fades after long-term sun exposure, and it’s the most durable fabric you will find in a swim brief.
Polyester swim briefs are also very cost-efficient.
The only downside with this fabric is that it doesn’t stretch. Like, at all.
Think of polyester as the denim jeans of the pool. They are tough, they last forever, and when they fit right, they are your best bang-for-buck when it comes to a swim brief.
Blends
Lastly, we have a wider range of swim brief fabrics. The blends!
Blended swimsuits have a combination of polyester and Lycra, giving you an excellent combination of the durability of polyester and the stretchiness and comfort of Lycra
Some swim brands have proprietary blends that they give their own name for, but generally, when it comes to swimming briefs, the blends range in 85% polyester, 15% Spandex.
Whichever swim brief you end up choosing, remember that polyester gives you durability, and Lycra gives you a stretchy fit.
When you look at the range of swimsuits available to men, it’s natural to wonder why you should wear these kinds of swimsuits, particularly for newer swimmers slightly intimidated by the less modest coverage swim briefs provide.
There are a few different reasons to consider briefs.
First, the range of motion that comes with a swim brief is unparalleled when it comes to men’s swimsuits. The hips and legs can move easily internally and externally while you stroke up and down the pool.
One of the main issues I’ve encountered with jammers (knee-length swimsuits), especially the training ones, which are often made of non-stretch polyester, is that they can be a little restrictive in the water. Briefs provide the highest range of motion in the water.
Second, men’s training swimming briefs provide the least amount of drag and resistance in the water. Jammers and square-cuts, because they use more material that soak up water, are “slower” compared to swim briefs.
The less fabric with swim briefs means less swimsuit that is absorbing water and generating additional resistance in the pool.
And finally, swim briefs are very versatile. Yes, they can be used on their own.
But they can also be used as a base layer when wearing a larger drag suit.
Similarly, if you train with jammers, a swim brief can give those jammers extra shelf life when they begin to fade.
Picking out the perfect swim brief can feel a little overwhelming with all of the options on the market.
When shopping for the right swimsuit for you, keep in mind the cut of the brief, the materials used, and, of course, the style of the swimsuit (look good, feel good, and all that!).
To recap our top choices:
⭐ The Speedo PowerFLEX Swim Brief is our top choice for lap swimmers thanks to its blend of polyester and form-fitting Lycra. And, of course, because swim briefs are known colloquially as “Speedos.”
⭐ TYR’s Durafast Swim Brief gets top marks for durability with a 100% polyester fabric construction.
⭐ And swimmers who want maximum speed in the water, both in training and on race day, will love the TYR Fusion 2 Racer Swim Brief thanks to its performance fabrics.
Choose the right men’s swimming brief for you, hit the pool with confidence, and take your swimming to the next leve.
7 Best Boys Swim Briefs. Looking for swim briefs for your little swimmer? Hit the swimming pool with confidence with this breakdown of the best swim briefs for boys..
Olivier Poirier-Leroy Olivier Poirier-Leroy is the founder of YourSwimLog.com. He is an author, former national level swimmer, two-time Olympic Trials qualifier, and swim coach.
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