Vans Reaches The Pinnacle Of Trunk Design In Record Time

It’s easy to get gimmicky when searching for boardshort USPs.

Similar to toothbrushes, the function has been the same for years, it’s just been dressed up every which way to try and con us into buying one. Super duper stretch, quick dry, pretty sure I recently saw an old ad for trunks with a slot to store your thongs (flip flops, jandals, sandals etc.) for clomping over the reef. But most of it’s unnecessary fluff. Vans didn’t get to the tip of the shoe pile by gimmickry, and their recent jaunt into the trunk market is no exception. 

The latest manifestation of the Vans Surf trunk has been specifically designed for comfort whilst lying face down on your craft. It’s sounds like an obvious necessity, but the thought process that goes into most trunks is purely to do with how they ‘perform’ whilst your standing up. Even if you’re lucky enough to live on a 200m long pointbreak, most of your time in the surf is spent in the prone position. Actually especially if you live on a long point, as show me an uncrowded pointbreak you can surf in trunks and I’ll call you a liar.

Kyuss King: trunk model stud in the making.

The checkered Surf Trunks are 19″, which in our learned opinion, is the ideal length for surfing anywhere there’s an emphasis on performance. And, the real beauty (apart from the delightfully soft DuPont Sorona from which they’re made) is the fastening system. Instead of the clumsy velcro/drawstring combo or buttons (which is great on the rare occasion that they fit absolutely perfectly and your waistline doesn’t fluctuate), the Vans Surf Trunk comes with a side ‘trunk lock’, that you fasten to make your trunks fit just so. Being positioned on the side, obviously, means that you’re not lying on it whilst paddling. And what a brilliantly simplistic idea it is.

Simple ideas are the best ideas.

We’ve had a few pairs of Vans trunks come through the office, and the fresh checkers have finally surpassed the hot pink numbers (although we weren’t quite brave enough to pack those in our duffels for the islands). They fit, they work, they’re eye-catching without being garish, and if you’re in the business of surfing this southern hemisphere summer/planning a late season hit to the islands then we couldn’t recommend a pair enough. 

All the tech you need, none you don’t, here.