Trunk Talk: Do’s, Don’ts And Fine Rail Surfing With Matt Wilkinson

Surfing in trunks is one of life’s greatest joys. Want comfort, simplicity and freedom? Apply trunks and feel the vibes rise. Boardshorts are far more to a surfer than material. They are a symbol of good times, of summer, of living high; for many, they represent vacation, for others they are simply associated with freedom from the shackles of employment.

Arguably, those who enjoy the most intimate relationship with trunks are those who are best at this sport (professional surfers) – if for no other reason than they spend the most time in them. And because it’s no secret we adore that boardshort lifestyle, we wished to syphon a whole lot of trunk talk from some of our favourite surfers. What do they most love about trunks? What are the rules of boardshorts? What length? Zip or velcro? Pockets or no? Do’s and Don’ts? And, much more. Let’s raise the temp a little and ride the summer breeze, shall we?

Matt Wilkinson must have been doing something right earlier this year, for a time there he was literally undefeatable, wearing yellow all the way through to the Tahitian event. His not-so-secret weapon? That devastating backhand vertical attack. If you really study it, you’ll notice Wilko’s almost elastic windup, allowing for a super tight arc. You think flexibility is high on his agenda? You bet. So, you could say having shorts of the right length and stretch are highly important to Mr Wilkinson’s professional career. Hit play above and join the man at his Byron abode while he answers a few of our trunk related questions and shows us all how he found himself at the top end of world surfing.

If you share similar boardshort values as Wilko and would like to get your hands on a fresh pair, then go here to see Rip Curl’s latest range.