Performance short array - Oddly enough, they're all blue...

Review #1 – Quiksilver Performance Czech Mate Shorts

Ok, first off, I was extremely disappointed as soon as I put them on. If I was in the store I would probably have taken them off immediately and put them back on the rack, unless I really loved the design, but I didn’t. I’ll spend very little time on the looks because that’s probably the least important at this stage. Basically, I dislike the theory of a thick stripe down the side whether or not its a separate panel, and aside from that, I think the overall look is boring.

My big problem was the ‘cut.’ I think the crotch, and I use that word for lack of a better one because I’m not knowledgeable in clothing jargon, was too low. The effect of this is that the fulcrum is nowhere close to the origin of movement and causes the shorts to catch in weird spots.

On me, they would catch on my hips and quads, causing an uncomfortable pulling on my whole front side. I also suspect the leg opening might be a little too small. The shorts are only OK in regards to how they sit on the waist. I personally like when the top of a short catches and the rest hangs, and these almost come close to doing that. Instead, they catch in the middle of the waistband, which creates a little unnecessary space at the top of the waistband.

The button closure is okay, semi-uncomfortable when sitting for long periods of time, but more importantly, the button closure is not adjustable. I think an adjustable closure is very important for optimum fit.

The only thing that makes up for the lack of precision fit is the material, which was nice and flexible. Also, the material slides against the skin well during movement which is important. I do, however, think the material is a tad thick. I was looking at a pair of Hurley shorts I have that are similar blend (84%/16% poly to spandex vs 85%/15%), but they’re thinner, and I think a tad better. Still this material doesn’t breath well and I think if it was really hot out the shorts would be hard to wear.

So overall, after working out, I didn’t hate these shorts, but wouldn’t likely wear them again, and they would never be my favorite. They could definitely be heavily improved upon.

Quiksilver Performance Shorts

Review #2 – Lululemon Court Short II

I wore the Lululemon shorts today and I have to say they are pretty comfortable. However, it goes without saying, there should be no side pockets.

It wasn’t a particularly hot day so I couldn’t tell how well they breathe but I would assume fine. I’m not sold on the nylon though because I got them wet and they were super sticky.

Also, this may not be an issue for everyone but I would feel uncomfortable wearing them without undergarments and I tend to like to wear boardies commando because they not only dry better when there’s only one layer, but it’s also more comfortable for me and frankly, it’s one of the advantages of being at the beach and cruising.

My other dislike with these shorts is the waistband. I like the cut of the short and they look pretty good with a shirt on, but I think if someone is going shirtless, the waist band looks completely unfinished and unflattering in the front. Also, the drawstring is far too stretchy to be useful.

I think that’s all I got on those. I like the look, they were comfy and allowed easy movement, but the material is thin and sticky when hot, and the waistband seems unfinished.

Lululemon Court Short II

Review #3 – Brothers Neilsen

The big plus with these shorts is the material. The tag says they are 100% polyester but they seem different than other polyester boardshorts I’ve worn. The inside almost feels like satin, which is nice because they don’t stick anywhere during movement. And although they don’t stretch, they do seem to consist of a good thickness and have excellent flexibility with no stiffness.

I’m not exactly jazzed on the styling, and they were both too long for me and tight around the waist. And again, as with the others, I don’t love the button closure or the velcro fly. A competition short cannot have a velcro fly.

Overall, the material of these shorts is great but the cut and styling weren’t really to my liking. I don’t think these shorts would be excessively hot in high temps but I think a little venting or air flow could serve them well.

Brothers Neilsen Shorts

Conclusion

As far as developing the perfect shorts for volleyball I’d want to combine aspects from all three shorts to create one super perfect variant. I love the stretch the Ouiksilver shorts provide, I like the style of the Lululemon’s and I enjoy the smooth movement of the great polyester fabric of Brothers Neilsen’s.

Lululemon had a couple different materials in their shorts allowing different panels to have independent functions. If the polyester fabric and the polyester/spandex blend could be combined with a breathable material to allow airflow through the shorts I think we’d have a great beach volleyball clothing item. I’m not opposed to a flexible waistband but I’d look for a more finished look for the enclosure as well as the ability to adjust the waist to be just the right size, similar to a tie-front short.

Beach volleyball specific gear should serve the needs of the beach volleyball athlete and an outdoor athlete needs a breathable, flexible, quick drying short that can be worn all day with style.

Aaron P. Wachtfogel, Esquire